Main shaayar badnaam
Posted on: July 31, 2010
While posting songs from the golden era of Bollywood movies, I have tended to concentrate more on the songs of 1950s and 1960s, even though I grew up with songs of 1970s. Just like we these days lament about the quality of Bollywood movie songs today and cite old Bollywood movie songs as the epitome of quality, the same lament was heard even in 1970s. Even I was under the impression that the quality of music in 1970s was not what it was in the earlier years. Now of course I can have a hearty laugh at my own expense with the benefit of hindsight.
I in fact regarded the songs of “Namak Haraam” (1973) as examples of deteriorating quality of music. Now I wonder how I thought so. 
Perhaps I was more into happy songs and this was a sad song.
Now of course everyone regards this song as a classic and I too, like a rank opportunist, has jumped into that bandwagon.
Here is this wonderful song from “Namak Haraam” (1973). It is a poignant song that Rajesh Khanna sings when his friend is at the deathbed. The picturisation of the song is quite moving.
Anand Bakshi is the lyricist and R D Burman is the music director.
Song-Main shaayar badnaam (Namak Haraam) (1973) Singer-Kishore Kumar, Lyrics-Anand Bakshi, MD-R D Burman
Lyrics
main shaayar badnaam,
main shaayar badnaam,
ho main chalaa,
main chalaa
mehfil se naakaam,
ho main chalaa,
main chalaa
main shaayar badnaam
mere ghar se tumko,
kuchh saamaan milegaa
deewaane shaayar kaa,
ek deewaan milegaa
aur ik cheez milegi,
tootaa khaali jaam
ho main chalaa,
main chalaa
main shaayar badnaam
sholon pe chalnaa thaa,
kaanton pe sonaa thaa
aur abhi ji bharke,
kismat pe ronaa thaa
jaane aise kitne,
baaki chhodke kaam
ho main chalaa,
main chalaa
main shaayar badnaam
rastaa rok rahi hai,
thodi jaan hai baaki
jaane toote dil mein,
kyaa armaan hai baaki
jaane bhi de ai dil,
sabko meraa salaam
ho main chalaa,
main chalaa
main shaayar badnaam
6 Responses to "Main shaayar badnaam"
July 31, 2010 at 5:14 pm
People on youtube liked the song so I started liking it–my tastes run a little different even though I usually like sad reflective songs.
Also heard that the song was to be picutized on someone else (the sick guy I think) but then RK wanted it so he got it. Anyone know if this is true?
August 1, 2010 at 6:46 pm
Beautifully written and equally beautifully sung….pain and struggle of a poet failed and unrecognised have been conveyed so effortlessly..used all the objects that we associated with poets of that time, deewan, khaali jaam,,,,,
August 3, 2010 at 6:18 am
Thanks Atul. One of my favorite sad Kishore numbers.
With regard to the point made above about Raza Murad singing this song–as others have noted before, it’s kind of difficult for a guy gasping for his last breath on his deathbed to sing so mellifluously! Makes sense that what he thinks should be articulated by his friend whom he calls ‘bandhu’ i.e., Rajesh in this instance. Dying man singing is perhaps quite probable elsewhere but not in a Hrishikesh Mukherjee film I imagine 
Congratulations on reaching your 2,600 a few days back. I still remember the first time I stumbled on here was about two years back when you had just put up the sublime ‘Jis gali mein tera ghar na ho baalmaa’. How time flies…..then there were not too many of us and now you have close to 870,000 hits. Wonderful!
November 10, 2010 at 11:46 am
i want to know in which raag this song is please let me know if i know i can play on harmunium. may shayar badnam.
July 31, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Lovely song. Even then, I liked this song a lot though it was a sad song. The lyrics are typically Anand Bakshi – simple, no heavy-duty words used. But powerful.