Main abhi ghair hoon
Posted on: February 14, 2012
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
It has intrigued me as to why Jaan Nisar Akhtar, who joined the film industry as a lyricist in early 50s was not as successful as his contemporaries such as Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri and Shakeel Badayuni among others. I came to know about him as a lyricist when I bought a 78 RPM records of YASMIN (1954) in early 70s.
The fact he was the father of a well known script writer, poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar and the grandfather of the successful film producer and director Farhan Akhtar, prompted me to seek more information about him. Searches in various websites revealed what a great Urdu poet he was.
Jaan Nisar Akhtar was a highly educated person having completed his MA degree from Aligarh Muslim University. He had a prestigious job in Hamedia College, Bhopal as the Head of Department of Urdu and Persian. In 1949, he resigned from his job and moved to Bombay (Mumbai) from where his filmy career as a lyricist started beside publishing his ghazals and nazms. He was already a well known Urdu Poet when he joined the Hindi film industry. Once in Mumbai, he soon joined the Progressive Writer’s Movement, a leftist movement set up to inspire the people through their writings and poetry, for social justice and equality. Here he came in contact with other Urdu poets like Sahir Ludhianvi, Kaifi Azmi, Ali Sardar Jafri and Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Although Jaan Nissar Akhtar wrote lyrics for a few films in early 50s, his real success as a lyricist came with the film Yasmin (1955). He mostly wrote songs for O P Nayyar, N Datta, Khayyam and C Arjun. Some of the songs penned by Jaan Nisar Akhtar which are still remembered are Mujhpe ilzaam e bewafaayi hai (Yaasmeen) , Beqasi hadd se jab guzar jaaye (Kalpana), Bemurawwat bewafaa (Sushilaa) and Ae dile naadaan(Razia Sultan)(1983). He also wrote a popular non-filmy patriotic song Aawaaz do ham ek hain . He was also known for his impromptu urdu couplets.
Jaan Nisar Akhtar was a close friend of Sahir Ludhianvi and both being members of Progressive Writers’ Movement, he spent most of his time with Sahir Ludhianvi. This, according to some of his admirers, affected his career in the film industry. It was only when he came out of the shadow of Sahir Ludhianvi that he completed some of his great poetic work for which he received Sahitya Akademy Award for Urdu in 1976. He produced Bahu Begum (1967) which flopped though songs written by his friend Sahir Ludhianvi and set to music by Roshan became popular.
I am reminded of one of my favourite songs written by him which I used to often listen on Vivid Bharati.It is a Asha-Bhosle-Mukesh duet ‘main abhi gair hoon muhjko abhi apna nakaho’ from film MAIN AUR MERA BHAI (1961). The film was produced under thebanner of Mahesh Pictures and was directed by Dharam Kumar. The star castincluded Ajit, Ameeta, Mehmood, Nadira, Helen, Lalita Pawar and Mukri. C Arjun was the Music Director.
Only the audio clip is available of this song. My guess is that the song was picturised on Ajit and Ameeta. The beautiful wordings of the song indicate an evolvement of a stage in a romantic relationship where both parties can afford to indulge in a light teasing on each other in the matter of their romantic relationship.
This song is our tribute to Jaan Nisar Akhtar whose birth anniversary falls on February 14th.
Song-Main abhi ghair hoon (Main Aur Mera Bhai)(1961) Singers-Asha Bhonsle, Mukesh, Lyrics-Jaan Nisaar Akhtar, MD-C Arjun
Lyrics
main abhi ghair hoon
mujh ko abhi apnaa naa kaho
haaye mar jaayenge mit jaayenge
aisa naa kaho
main abhi ghair hoon
dil ki dhadkan ki tarah
dil mein basi rahti ho
khwaab ban kar meri
palkon pe sajee rahti ho
khwaab ban kar meri
palkon pe sajee rahti ho
kya kaho tumko agar
jaan-e-tamanna naa kaho
main abhi ghair hoon
mujh ko abhi apnaa naa kaho
main abhi ghair hoon
yoon naa dekho
ke meri saans ruki jaati hai
jo nazar uthti hai
sharma ke jhuki jaati hai
jo nazar uthti hai
sharma ke jhuki jaati hai
meri nazron ko mere
dil ka takaazaa naa kaho
haaye mar jaayenge
mit jaayenge
aisaa naa kaho
haaye mar jaayenge
raaz kyun raaz rahe
iski zaroorat kyaa hai
hamse daaman na chhudaao
yeh kayaamat kyaa hai
hamse daaman na chhudaao
yeh kayaamat kyaa hai
ham to kahte hain hamen
shauk se deewaanaa kaho
main abhi ghair hoon
3 Responses to "Main abhi ghair hoon"
February 14, 2012 at 10:31 am
kamath ji,
MAIN AUR MERA BHAI-1961 was a murder mystery involving twin brothers who look alike.
The mahesh pictures film was directed by Dharam kumar who was a B grade film Director having directed about 12 films.(capt.sheroo,ek saal pehle,road no 303 etc)
Lala Jagat narayan,High court judge(Nazir hussai) had twin sons,Ramesh and Rajesh who were look alikes(Ajit).Only their mother could tell them apart.Both boys,when young love Asha(Ameeta) d/o retired officer Mishra ji(Niranjan sharma).Asha gets engaged to Ramesh,who is a straight person.Rajesh who is a notorious one,gets dejected and fall a prey to bad ways.Shabnam(Nadira) befriends him and forces him to become gold smuggler.he becomes very rich,but is caught by police and is sent to jail.hearing this his father dies of shock.
Even after release from jail Rajesh is not improved.There is a fight between the brothers and when the mother(Leela Mishra) tries to mediate,she falls and loses eyesight.
Rajesh murders a sethji from Delhi and Ramesh,who is in the same hotel for a meeting,is arrested and taken to court.Taking advantage,Rajesh comes home as Ramesh without Asha suspecting him.Rajesh also murders Shabnam.The police have a doubt about the right culprit.Asha gives treatment to mother and she gets her eyesight back.
The mother testfies in the court against Rajesh and he is finally arrested.Ramesh reunites with Asha.
-AD
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February 14, 2012 at 10:56 am
Thanks for the details about the film.
So the title of the film is appropriate for the story line 🙂
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
February 14, 2012 at 8:33 am
What a heavenly duet!
One of my favorite during my high school days.
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