This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
Pujaarin (1936) is a social drama, produced by Internatonal Film Craft Production, and directed by Prafulla Ray. The acting credits for this movie include KL Saigal, Chandra, Pahadi Sanyal, KC Dey, Rajkumari, Nawab Babulal, Kailash, Jagdeesh, Kedar, Sham Laha. Saigal plays the role of Jeeband Chowdhuri, a young man whose occupation is to grab the assets of other people. He marries the daughter of a rich family, only for the purpose of getting a lot money as dowry.
The lyrics of this song are by Kidar Sharma, and the music composition is by Timir Baran. This melancholy number is steeped with regrets on the futilities of life. The poet is telling his own self to refrain from thinking and longing for that which is in the past.
The gloom and desolation put forth by the words, is only matched with the melancholy of the voice of Saigal Saab. The rendition and the flow could not be any simpler as in this composition. There are no complexities of music apparent, there aren’t many variations in the tone and pitch to be handled. And yet, the pathos of the words could not have been expressed any better. The very first lines of the song, generate that feeling in the heart, of listening to someone who has lost everything in life, and not even hope remains. When the voice says the words that the heart is declining even that cup of wine that once used to be a succor, the dejection seems to be so utterly conclusive that it is distressing.
If sorrow could be enjoyed, then I would say enjoy this song – for the sweetest songs are those that express the pain and despair of the heart.
Song-Jo beet chuki so beet chuki (Pujaarin)(1936) Singer-K L Saigal, Lyrics-Kidar Sharma, MD-Timir Baran
Lyrics
jo beet chuki so beet chuki
jo beet chuki so beet chuki
ab us ki yaad sataaye kyun
ab us ki yaad sataaye kyun
jo beet chuki so beet chuki
jo beet chuki so beet chuki
khush rehne waali soorat pe
chinta ki badli chhaaye kyun
khush rehne waali soorat pe
chinta ki badli chhaaye kyun
jo beet chuki so beet chuki
jo beet chuki so beet chuki
samaan kar dil behlaane ka
pyaale mein dabo de sab chinta
samaan kar dil behlaane ka
pyaale mein dabo de sab chinta
wo dil jo piye jaa kehtaa thhaa
wo dil jo piye jaa kehtaa thhaa
ab jaam wohi thhukraaye kyun
ab jaam wohi thhukraaye kyun
phoolon se jisko nafrat ho
unki khushboo se vehshat ho
phoolon se jisko nafrat ho
unki khushboo se vehshat ho
jis dil ki machalnaa aadat ho
jis dil ki machalnaa aadat ho
phir koi usey behlaaye kyun
phir koi usey behlaaye kyun
Saigal was simply incomparable when he sang sad, tragic songs. He was not very comfortable when he tried to sing light, comical songs. Anyhow, he has sung very few frivolous songs.
Many critics are of the view that, musically, Saigal had sung himself out when he located at Bombay. Alcohol had weakened him to such an extent that he could sing with difficulty songs which were composed in the higher octaves. But it is indeed a marvel that in spite of declining health, he still sang so beautifully. The songs of ‘Baghat Surdas’, ‘Tansen’, ‘Shahjehan’ and ‘Parwana’. Incidentally, most of his non-film ghazals were sung by him during his Calcutta period.
This blog discusses Bollywood songs of yesteryears. Every song has a brief description, followed by a video link, and complete lyrics of the song. This is a labour of love, where “new” songs are added every day, and that has been the case for over SEVENTEEN years. This blog has more than 19700 song posts by now. This blog is active and online for over 6000 days since its beginning on 19 July 2008.
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
July 31, 2011 at 7:21 am
Fantastic song!
Thanks.
Arvind
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