Praan chaahe nain na chaahe
Posted on: September 25, 2011
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
In the world of Indian cinema, most famous names are known and recognized for specific contributions, in specific aspects of film making. There are a rare few, whose breadth of talent goes beyond a single aspect, and whose influence and impact is evident on the society at large, and not just on the film industry. Their contributions are limited not just to the movie goers and critics, but pervade across the culture. Pankaj Babu is one such luminary figure. Composer, musician, audio innovator, singer, music director, teacher and a part-time actor, he is a colossal figure not only in the field of cinema but recognized as one of the greatest cultural icons of Bengal.
Pankaj Babu’s association with the film industry started in the silent era. International Film Craft was a production house floated by BN Sircar, the precursor to the New Theatres that was set up in 1932/33. Pankaj Babu worked as a music arranger and conductor, for live music that was played during the screenings of the silent films produced by this company. With the phenomenal success of the silent films, and after the advent of talkies, BN Sircar formed the New Theatres. At the time of it’s inception, Pankaj Babu and RC Boral were signed up as the music directors for all productions by New Theaters. Together, they have composed music for a number of films from this production house.
With PC Barua’s film “Mukti” (1937, also under the banner of New Theatres), Pankaj Babu made his debut as an independent music director. The Bengali version of the film carries the distinction of being the first film to use Rabindra Sangeet. Pankaj Babu thus became the first person outside the Tagore family to compose music for one of Tagore’s works. He managed to get Gurudev’s permission to set his verse “Shesh Kheya” to music and the outcome was the magical “Diner Sheshe Ghumer Deshe” – a song that continues to be on the bestsellers list in Bengali music charts till date.
During the first half of the 40s, when the industry activity in Calcutta was at its lowest (on account of the second world war), many stalwarts of the industry chose to move to Bombay in search of better prospects. Pankaj Babu continued to be based in Calcutta, where he started to concentrate more on Rabindra Sangeet, modern Bengali songs (Adhunik Gaan) and his role as a music director. A great scholar and theoretician of music, he wrote several books on Indian classical music. He also recorded the definitive version of the Indian national anthem Jana Gana Mana in deference to Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru’s wishes.
The song presented with this post, is a wonderful non film song, that has attained an iconic status over the decades. The lyrics of this song are by Pt. Bhushan. The words of the song are a vivid expression of the emotions of unfulfilled love. There are allusions to turbulent desires within, whereas the lips are silent, with just a weak smile to convey. A lot appears to be unsaid between the two lovers – a feeling that is accentuated by the distance and the grief – “kahin door khadaa tera premi teri yaad mein aansoon bahaaye”. A very appropriate illustration of the saying, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” – “Pran Chaahe Nain Na Chaahe”.
The music and the superb orchestral arrangement by Pankaj Babu, would be an envy of the likes of AR Rahman today. The pace and the rhythm is extremely rapid – a movement not generally associated with the songs of that era. And the rendering by Pankaj Babu in his booming voice full of bass sound, is an authoritative proclamation of the emotions, for the lack of a better simile.
Enjoy this superb composition, and an equally inspired rendition.
(NOTE: a brief explanation of the word ‘sotey’ in the line ‘seene mein sotey ubaltey’. In Hindi, the word ‘sotey’ is a derivative of the word ‘stotra srota’, whose one meaning is ‘a source of ground water’, especially in the mountains. Many of these are actually source of hot, boiling water, and hence the reference to ‘garam paani ke sotey’.)
Song-Praan chaahe nain na chaahe (Pankaj Mullick NFS)(1940) Singer-Pankaj Mullick,Lyrics-Pt Bhushan,MD-Pankaj Mullick
Lyrics
praan chaahe nain na chaahe
arre tu kyun yoon sharmaaye
praan chaahe nain na chaahe
arre tu kyun yoon sharmaaye
wo aa aa ke chalaa jaaye
phir kis liye saaj sajaaye
praan chaahe nain na chaahe
arre tu kyun yoon sharmaaye
mukh se nahin bol nikalte
man mein armaan machalte
mukh se nahin bol nikalte
man mein armaan machalte
honthhoon par rookhi hansi
seene mein sotey ubaltey
kis ki phoolon ki maalaa
teri sej saji kaanton se
kahin door khadaa tera premi
teri yaad mein aansoon bahaaye
praan chaahe nain na chaahe
arre tu kyun yun sharmaaye
praan chaahe nain na chaahe
arre tu kyun yoon sharmaaye
9 Responses to "Praan chaahe nain na chaahe"
September 25, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Arun ji,
Thanks for the correction. You are right in pointing out that the word in the write up, ‘stotra’ means ‘stuti’, a devotional poem or a song.
I checked the Hindi dictionary, and the correct word to be used here is ‘srota’ or ‘strota’, (both usages ok).
Thanks again for catching the error. 🙂
Rgds
Sudhir
LikeLike
3 | Pushan Bhattacharya
April 3, 2013 at 9:32 am
this song is a lyrical translation of a tagore song, “pran chay chokkhu na chay, mori eki tor dussaho lajja”
LikeLike
October 14, 2013 at 12:06 pm
Atul ji,
I somehow had missed the comment by Pushan Bhattacharya ji earlier.
Today, browsing through the You Tube, I came across this wonderful Bangla song he had referred to in his comment, written by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, and sung by Kanan Devi. The link for this song is at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZLPFG2y3N4
The rendition by Kanan Devi, in Bangla, is not less exhilirating. A wonderful song.
Rgds
Sudhir
LikeLike
March 27, 2014 at 2:54 pm
This is perhaps the greatest composition by an Indian ! I love this song to the end of my last breath.
LikeLike
May 26, 2016 at 1:01 pm
Dear Sudhirji,
While researching for Hindi Songs set to Waltz , the name of this song popped up . Perhaps Gurudev composed it to the beat of the Waltz ( He had adapted a number of Western Songs in to Rabindra Sangeet ).
But my question pertains to the Orchestration of this song by Pankaj Mullick as having been arranged by someone called F CASANOVAS ! Who was this person ?
Would be thankful if you could throw some light on this .
LikeLike
May 4, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Namaskar. Details about Casanovas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Casanovas
LikeLike
May 4, 2023 at 3:54 pm
Sudhir ji,
Namaskar. You have written that lyrics are by Pt. Bhushan. I wonder whether you can share the source of this information.
I know the original Bengali version was written by Gurudev, so I am asking only about the Hindi version.
Thank you.
LikeLike
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
September 25, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Sudhir ji,
In your Note,while explaining the hindi word sotey,you have used the original word as ‘STOTRA’.
The correct word to be used should be ‘STROTA’,which means the source(of anything).
The word ‘STOTRA’ means a devotional song in praise of a God,like for example
‘Shiv mahimn stotra’, or ‘Durga stotra’ or ‘Ganesh stotra’ etc.
In sanskrit language one alphabet here and there can make a difference.
-AD
LikeLike
September 25, 2011 at 1:17 pm
contd……
The word STROTA(source) is also used in Hindi with the same meaning,like-‘Suraj naisargik urja ka strota hai’ etc.
-AD
LikeLike