Sare mehfil jo jalaa parwaanaa
Posted on: September 15, 2010
Indian folklore has some well known love stories like “Laila Majnu”, “Shirin Farhad” etc. and Hindi movie makers tend to make movies on these characters on quite a regular basis. We had quite a few movies on them from 1940s till 1970s.
Personally I am not a fan of such movies, since I believe that the pucturisation of these stories is far from the real facts.
In real life stories, these characters lived in societies where men and women were not allowed to interact and any such socially unsacntioned interaction led to prompt retribution. But in the Hindi movies on these stories, the two main characters are seen interacting with reasonable impunity, full with singing songs etc.
In real life, the woman would be hidden under thick veil, whereas Hindi movies have invented “purdah lite” (Memsaab’s term) as their dress code which was as good as no purdah.
Basically, Hindi movies created myths and continued to perpetuate them in movies after movies to the extent that most movie watchers can no longer separate facts from fiction. And the fact that such movies often become quite popular with public shows that the movie makers have succeeeded in creating their myths and convincing the public that the main characters of such movies in fact interacted with each other quite freely. That is of course not true. It was not possible then, and it is not possible even today.
Here is a song from this movie. The song shows Shama (Suraiyya) and Parwaanaa(Shammi Kapoor) seated in a gathering where men and wowen are seated (in separate areas of course). It is not possible even to this date, and it was certainly out of question those days for a combined gathering on men and women, but let us forget reality for the time being and enjoy being taken for a ride. 😀
The song is sort of like a musical competition between Shama and Parwaana. Suraiyya sings a few lines (sung by Suraiyya herself) and then Shammi Kapooor responds (sung by Rafi) and it continues, much to the appreciation of the others present in the gathering.
Majrooh Sultanpuri is the lyricist. Husnlal Bhagatram composed the music.
The song itself is quite a nice song to listen to, if one is capable of suspending disbelief for the sake of enjoyment. In my opinion, songs like this can be enjoyed more in isolation and not as part of such “love” stories.
Song-Sare mehfil jo jalaa parwaanaa (Shama Parwaanaa) (1954) Singers-Rafi, Suraiyya, Lyrics-Majrooh Sultanpuri, MD-Husnlal Bhagatram
Lyrics
sar-e-mehfil jo jalaa parwaanaa
sar-e-mehfil jo jalaa parwaanaa
kar gayaa naam-e-wafaa parwaanaa
kar gayaa naam-e-wafaa parwaanaa
shammaa se seekhe wafaa parwaanaa
shammaa se seekhe wafaa parwaanaa
ye jali hai to jalaa parwaanaa
ye jali hai to jalaa parwaanaa
mar ke bhi rah na sakaa shammaa se door
mar ke bhi rah na sakaa shammaa se door
khaaq ban-ban ke udaa parwaanaa
khaaq ban-ban ke udaa parwaanaa
raat bhar shammaa khadi jalti rahi
raat bhar shammaa khadi jalti rahi
is tarah jal na sakaa parwaanaa
is tarah jal na sakaa parwaanaa
jaan de di wahin kuchh der na ki
jaan de di wahin kuchh der na ki
shammaa se pehle jalaa parwaanaa
shammaa se pehle jalaa parwaanaa
shammaa ki aag mein jalne aayaa
shammaa ki aag mein jalne aayaa
khud na kyun khaaq huaa parwaanaa
khud na kyun khaaq huaa parwaanaa
khud na kyun khaaq huaa parwaanaa
apni lau mein to sabhi jalte hain
apni lau mein to sabhi jalte hain
shammaa ki lau mein jalaa parwaanaa
shammaa ki lau mein jalaa parwaanaa
shammaa ki lau mein jalaa parwaanaa
kar gayaa naam-e-wafaa parwaanaa
kar gayaa naam-e-wafaa parwaanaa
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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