Kuhu kuhu bole koyaliya
Posted on: December 23, 2008
This song is among the most difficult songs that has been sung in Bollywood movies. For one, the singers are called upon to sing in a wide range of frequencies, and secondly, it is a semi classical song, where one needed to sing not just one raag, but as many as four raagas. Yes it is true. This song as raag Sohini, raag Bahaar, raag Jaunpuri and raag Yaman in it.
And pray who was the music director of this song ? It was not one of the usual names of Bollywood music world. It was a name not too familiar for many Bollywood music buffs. The music director of this movie “Suvarna Sundari” (1957) was P Adinarayan Rao. In fact this movie was originally made in Telugu and Tamil, and the Hindi version was dubbed version of the south Indian movie.
Not just dialogues, even the songs were dubbed. And what a classy dubbing ! The original south Indian song was composed in the raagas of Carnatic music, and for the Hindi version, raagas of Hindustani music were used. Awesome, just awesome! To imagine the creators of this movie to go to such lengths while dubbing a song is unheard of these days.
The result is a memorable semi classical song. Lata really shines in this song. It is one song where many people feel that she has outshone Rafi.
The song was picturised on stars of south viz. Anjali Devi and Akkineni Nageshwara Rao. Akkineni Rajeshwar Rao, a superstar of Telugu movies is the father of present day Telugu superstar Akkineni Nagarjuna.
And a word about Bharat Vyas, the lyricist. Assumming that he had to write lyrics keeping in mind the fact that the song was to be dubbed, he has come up with words that fit with the lip movement of the actors. Not just that, he came up with a song that makes perfect sense. In fact, it is as good a aong as any that Bharat Vyas wrote in his career.
Dubbing a carnatic music song into a Hindustani music song, and coming up with an outstanding song like this is simply amazing.
Taking all these factors into considerations, and even otherwise, this is a truly outstanding song.
Audio
Video
Song-Kuhu kuhu bole koyaliya (Suvarna Sundari) (1957) Singers-Lata, Rafi, Lyrics-Bharat Vyas, MD-P Adi Narayan Rao
Lyrics
aaa
kuhu-kuhu bole koyaliyaa
kuhu-kuhu bole koyaliyaa
kunj-kunj mein bhanvare Dolen
gun-gun bolen
aaa …
kuhu-kuhu bole koyaliyaa
sajaa singaar ritu aayi basanti
aaa
sajaa singaar ritu aayi basanti
aaa
jaise naar koyi ho rasvanti
sa ni dha ma dha ni sa, ga ma ga ma dha ni sa
re sa ni dha ni sa re sa ni sa re sa ni
dha ni ni dha ni ni dha ni, ma dha dha ma dha dha ma dha
sa re ga ma dha na
sajaa singaar ritu aayi basanti
jaise naar koyi ho rasvanti
daali-daali kaliyon ko titliyaan choomen
phool-phool pankhadiyaan kholen, amrit gholen,
aaa …
kuhu-kuhu bole koyaliyaa
kaahe
kaahe ghataa mein bijli chamke
kaahe ghataa mein bijli chamke
ho saktaa hai meghraaj ne baadariyaa kaa
shyaam-shyaam mukh choom liyaa ho
ho saktaa hai meghraaj ne baadariyaa kaa
shyaam-shyaam mukh choom liyaa ho
chori-chori man panchhi ude, nainaa jude aa
kuhu-kuhu bole koyaliyaa…
aaa
chandrikaa dekh chhaayi, piyaa, chandrikaa dekh chhaayi
chandaa se milke, man hi man me muskaayi
chhayi chandrikaa dekh chhaayi
sharad suhaavan, madhu manbhaavan
sharad suhaavan, madhu manbhaavan
virahi jaanon kaa sukh sarsaavan
virahi jaanon kaa sukh sarsaavan
chhaayi-chhaayi poonam ki ghataa, ghoonghat hataa
aaa … kuhu-kuhu …bole koyaliya
aaa
saras raat man bhaaye priyatmaa, kamal-kamalini mile
saras raat man bhaaye priyatmaa, kamal-kamalini mile
saras raat man bhaaye
kiran haar damke, jal mein chaand chamke
man saanand, aanand dole re
man saanand, aanand dole re
ni re ga ma dha ni sa, dha ni sa, sa ni sa, ga re ga
sa re ni sa dha ni ma dha sa, ni re ni re
dha ni dha ni ma dha ma dha ga ma ga ma
ga ma dha ni sa, ga ma dha ni sa, dha ni sa
16 Responses to "Kuhu kuhu bole koyaliya"
December 24, 2008 at 1:37 pm
The most famous song of Bharat Vyas is probably Jara Saamne To Aao Chhaliye sung by Rafi saab and Lata from the movie Janam Janam Ke Phere .
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December 24, 2008 at 1:59 pm
You are quite right. And this song had topped the Binaca geetmala list that year too.
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June 19, 2009 at 1:03 am
I like this song,
“Kuhu Kuhu Bole Koyaliya Kuhu Kuhu Bole Koyaliya”
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December 20, 2009 at 4:58 am
jante hai is khoobsurat gane mujhe kitni parade karwaeee hai ?
pr mil gaya thaks to u
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February 10, 2012 at 2:25 am
I don’t know how far this can/could be true. What you think?
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February 10, 2012 at 7:06 am
Many years back Mahesh Kumar used to sing Hindi film songs in both male and female voices.
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February 10, 2012 at 8:08 am
If he is Maheshkumar Kanodia, I have seen his live pogram in Mumbai during my college days. Sometimes, his younger brother, Nareshkumar used to accompany him also. But then he switched his career to acting in Gujarati films. Hope I am talking about the same person.
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February 10, 2012 at 11:25 am
Khyati ji/Kamath ji
In late 60s and the 70s orchestra parties were very popular in India and abroad.There were 2 famous ones,Melody Makers and Maheshkumar and Party.
Maheshkumar and Party orchestra is the oldest,starting from 1947 and they did about 15000 shows all over the world.Mahesh Kumar and Naresh Kumar Narodia were brothers.Nareshkumar later left the orchestra and joined Gujarati films.
-AD
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April 2, 2013 at 2:41 pm
Despite my extremely keen and conscious observation I could not detect a single moment in this song where lip movement did not match the words uttered. I think either my eyes and ears have failed me or whatever has been commented in respect of dubbing of this song is not correct. But if everything is OK then my heart goes for the exemplary excellence of professionalism and creativity on the part of the entire team (technical personnel not an exception) resposible for the dubbing of this song including of course iconic Bharat Vyaas, Rafi, Lata and last but not the least its MD P Adi Narayan Rao. It is a glaring instance of extreme dedication, painstaking and commitment to ones job on the part of everybody involved in creating this song and this should serve as an example for those undergoing professional courses in video recording/dubbing. I think it would be a pleasure of life to watch the original clip of this song in Telugu also in this blog ( if permited), whether one may or may not be conversant with its language.
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April 2, 2013 at 8:08 pm
kaul ji,
I am very happy that your observation is so good.
The Telugu original song is one my favourites . Here it is for your
enjoyment-
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April 5, 2013 at 1:24 pm
Dear AKD Saahab,
Thanks a lot for posting the song in Telugu. It was not only enthralling but ecstatic to view and listen to this great song in its original form. Though, as expected, I could not understand literally the wording, but I did enjoy it to hilt with a reaffirmed conviction that love and music do not require a language to express, understand or amuse with.
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April 5, 2013 at 3:16 pm
This song was a regular feature in every orchestra programme in the seventies that were held in every year ‘ganesh festivals’. And there were artists who sing both in male and female voice also.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
December 23, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I have always loved this song, but I never knew that it had Carnatic ragas in the Tamil and telugu versions and Hindusthani ragas for the Hindi version. Truly amazing! This is why I enjoy your site, it gives us these additional facts which make us really appreciate the labor and effort that has gone into the making of these great songs. Thanks for the patience with which you are researching these songs.
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