Mujhe kuchch kehna hai
Posted on: March 30, 2012
This article is written by Ava Suri, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a new contributor to this blog.
In the early 70s Bangalore was heaven on earth. It was a city you could walk around in, full of gardens and broad sidewalks. If you were a movie lover, this was the place to be. My best friend Aruna lived a few houses away from me, we were constant companions to each other. A short distance from our house was Kempegowda Circle, or KG Circle, that was like a jungle of cinema houses. There were times when we found an empty ticket window, bought a couple of tickets, got into the hall and asked people in seats next to us about the movie that was playing. Some of the halls were so close together, it was hard to figure out where we were.
Bobby was being distributed by a neighbour of ours. We saw the poster of Bobby displayed prominently outside their house for ages before the film released. We had no idea about Rishi Kapoor or Dimple Kapadia, but the cute couple caught our eye and we lined up to see the movie FDFS. Were we knocked out by the movie or what! This was right up our alley. Imagine being all of thirteen and getting to see a movie on puppy love made like Bobby! We saw the movie 4 times in the next few weeks.
What songs! What scenes! What lovely chemistry between Rishi and Dimple. If only that Buddha Rajesh hadn’t popped in and taken Dimple away from films. I used to really like Rajesh Khanna at one time, but after he dared to marry Dimple, I hated him. She should have married Rishi, they belonged together. It took me a long long time to get over this shock. By the time Dimple returned to films, things were not the same. I was married and a mother and not able to keep up with the movies as much.
Of all the songs of the film, at that time, “Ham tum ik kamre me band hon” was my favorite song, and I wanted to have a red checked frock like the one Dimple wore in this song. But today, I have written down this pretty song that the couple sing to confess their love to each other.
The song is very cleverly composed, I realized today. The tone is conversational, yet it is poetry. There are many times that I do not like Lata’s voice, sometimes she gets screechy or seems very emotionless. It happens very rarely I admit. Given the number of songs she sang, it must have been hard to her to put the same amount of passion into them each time. But that is not at all the case here. She is singing alongside Shailendra, who is mint fresh. Her voice is flirty and petulant like a 16 year old girl’s should be. Waah Waah! Kamal kar diya Lata ne.
Audio
Video
Song-Mujhe kuchh kehna hai(Bobby)(1973) Singers-Lata, Shailendra Singh, Lyrics-Anand Bakshi, MD-Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lata + Shailendra Singh
Lyrics
Mujhe kuchch kehna hai
Mujhe bhi kuchch kehna hai
mujhe kuchch kehna nai
mujhe bhi kuchh kehna hai
pehle tum
pehle tum
pehle tum
pPehle tum
tum
tum
tum
tum
TUM
jis terah Lucknow ke do nawaabon ki gaadi
pehle aap pehle aap kehke nikal gayi thhi
us tarah hamaari
pehle tum pehle tum
mein ye masti bhari rut na chali jaye
achacha to main kehti hun
hmmm aksar koi ladki is haal mein
kKisi ladke se solve saal mein
jo kehti hai wo mujhe kehna hai
aksar koi ladka is haal mein
kisi ladki se solve saal mein
jo kehta hai wo mujhe kehna hai
aksar koi ladki
haan aksar koi ladka
ho ho aksar koi ladki is haal mein
na aankhon mein neend
na dil me qaraar
yehi intezar
yehi intezar
tere bina kuchch bhi achcha nahin lagta
sab jootha lagta hai sachcha nahin lagta
na ghar me lage dil,
na bahar kahin par
baithi hoon kahin par
khoyi hoon kahin par
arrey kuch na kahoon chup rahoon
main nahin nahin nahin nahin nahin par
ab mushkil chup rehna hai (gasp)
mujhe kuchch kehna hai
mujhe bhi kuchch kehna hai
pehle tum
pehle tum
pehle TUM
mujhe raat din nahin aur kaam
kabhi teri yaad kabhi tera naam
sab rang duniya ke pheeke lagte hain
ek tere bol bas meethe lagte hain
likhe hain bas tere sajde is jabeen par
zinda hoon mein teri bas haan par nahi par
arrey kuch na kahoon chup rahoon
main nahin nahin nahin nahin nahin nahin nahin par
ab mushkil chup rehna hai
mujhe kuchch kehna hai
mujhe bhi kuchch kehna hai
pehle tum
pehle tum
pehle tum
pehle tum
tum
tum
tum
tummm
miley ham ko phool ke kaante mile
wahaan jaa basey, wahaan jaa rahey
tujhe milne mein jahaan darr na ho koi
piya ke siwaaye dooja ghar na ho koi
kya aisi jagah hai,
koi is zameen par
rehne de baat ko yahaan par yahin par
arrey kuchch na kahoon chup rahoon mein nahin
nahin nahin nahin nahin par ab mushkil chup rehna hai
ummmm aksar koi ladki is haal mein
kisi ladke se solve saal mein
jo kehti
jo kehta hai wo mujhe kehna hai
aksar koi ladki is haal mein
aksar koi ladka is haal mein
aksar koi ladki is haal mein
14 Responses to "Mujhe kuchch kehna hai"
2 | Ava Suri
March 30, 2012 at 8:50 pm
Raja, I am almost afraid of visiting Bangalore now, I am afraid I will be sorely disappointed. I keep writing snippets of my memories of Bangalore on my blog from time to time, to keep that feeling alive.
I am SURE Bobby was not A. There were scenes in that, the famous ‘towel-dropping’ scene featuring Rishi, and some others, but it did not get an A cert. I am certain political clout also played a major role in avoiding an A.
When I was listening to this song and writing it down, I felt like I was back in school and nubile and so crushing on the cute boy in my class. Its a lovely feeling.
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March 30, 2012 at 10:42 pm
Bobby was not A. I remember one rumour at that time. Bobby released just after Mera Naam Joker which had landed the great Raj Kapoor in a soup. At the trial show when the picture was over the various distributors started giving their opinions and suggested changes so that the film coukld be acceptable to the audience and may have a decent run. Raj Kapoor sat silently listening to all the talk. When it got too much, he said,”Ek picture kya flop ho gayee, ab muche tum logon se film banana bhi sikhna hoga?” He refused to change even a single frame and said, if you do not want to buy, don’t buy, but there will be no changes.
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March 31, 2012 at 3:59 am
Dear Ava,
Love your depiction of Bagalore of the 70s. I can relate to what you write, for I had visited the city as a small child, during that period, accompanying my dad on one of his official trips. We were there for like 4 or 5 days. He was busy almost the entire days, and one person from the local Bangalore office, was assigned to keep me company and take me around. Even as a small child, I had a strong interest in science and insisted on going to various establishments like HAL, BEL etc., and escorted visits were arranged. Bangalore seemed such a heavenly place then. And did a day trip to Mysore also.
And yes, the KG circle, with cinemas crowding each other like small shops in busy street. I believe within an area of just a square kilometer, there were something like 45 cinemas. With so many cinemas and restaurants that always appeared to be crowded, my conclusion was that people in this city have nothing else to do – watch film and eat out, that’s it. And that is what I did, away from the eyes of my dad, I remember ending up seeing 8 or 9 films in those four, five days, which was a daylight robbery as far as I was concerned, a fun bonanza I have not been able to repeat ever.
And ah yes, ‘Bobby’ – the love film of the decade, that set the trend of young students out to buy the small GTS mobikes and drive them wearing extra long mufflers flying behind – a cult classic for the generation. Dimple and Rishi stole our hearts away with this puppy love romance – creating dreams in the minds of school kids, pining and mooning away on the beauty called Dimple, crying with her when she had tears in her eyes, and loving her when she was on the screen. Wo, what memories. Lovely.
Rgds
Sudhir
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Ava Suri
March 31, 2012 at 11:37 pm
Thanks Sudhir. I loved your recounting of those days in Bangalore. That is all I recall doing, watching movies and eating dosas or vadas at Kamat Hotels. I used to walk everywhere. There was a bookshop on MG road that I used to go to, to buy Enid Blyton books.
You know, I have always loved extra long mufflers, I am crazy about them. It was while viewing Bobby recently I noticed Rishi in one, it made me wonder if I got a craze for them after seeing the movie.
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March 31, 2012 at 1:32 pm
Ava ji,
You have described the Bangalore of your memories in 1970s.
I visited Bangalore for the First time in mid 50s,for my SSB interview.Again 2 more times for the same SSB intervies.Then in 1957,our family visited Bangalore and Mysore for a pleasure trip.The city was lovely and truely a city of Parks.There was not much of a traffic too on the roads.(About a year back it took me 3 hours from the Airport to a place on M.G.Road-due to traffic).
I really liked Bangalore of those days.I remember having visited the Kempe Gowda Circle and we were surprised to see so many Theatres,even in the late 50s ! We went there as my mother wanted to buy some sarees in the adjoining market.Commercial street was yet to exist I suppose.
Evenings on the M.G.Road,parade Road and the camp areas was a pleasure.The Handloom and Cottage Ind. shop was there even that time.I have seen some English films in the cinema halls around MGRoad,I remember.
-AD
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Ava Suri
March 31, 2012 at 11:42 pm
Oh yes, so many movies got released in Bangalore, it was truly a wonderful place for a movie buff. I have seen a lot of english movies like Tora Tora Tora, Anne of thousand days, Sunflower (starring the lovely lovely Sophia Loren), Anna Karennina (Vivian Leigh – I think) Never ever in my life again have I seen so many diverse movies.
I can imagine how much more beautiful and pristine Bangalore must have been in the 50s. Lucky you, Arunkumarji.
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March 31, 2012 at 10:25 pm
I think this is not the right place for this comment but I don’t know where else to put it since it is not about a specific song.
I was just casually reading the wikipedia page for Shankar Jaikishen and 2 things struck me:
1) Jaikishen (1929-1971), died at the age of 41??? And produced SO many melodious compositions before he died? Am not sure many people (at least of mine or a younger generation) realise that he died SO young.
2) I saw the following comment which seemed quite interesting. “Even after the termination of the professional association between Shankar and Raj Kapoor (Jaikishan had died by then), the latter had used a number of S-J’s earlier compositions (which were in his custody) for all his films though the credits were given officially to other composers, e.g., Laxmikant Pyarelal (Bobby, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Prem Rog) and Ravindra Jain (Ram Teri Ganga Maili).”
Hmm….can anybody corroborate this? And does anybody know any specific song that falls in this category?
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April 1, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Raja ji,
You have actually opened up a topic which will require lot of time and space to elaborate.However,I will try to fit the info in this reply.
About ur first point there can not be any discussion as it was a fact.
However,to discuss the second point,one will have to also consider a third angle and that is Lata-Raj Kapoor relations.
All of us know that their relations were very good and cordial,but during the making of Satyam Shivam Sundaram,Lata was quite displeased with Raj.In one of the interviews,Raj had said that the film’s story was” about an ugly girl with beautiful voice “.Lata was sure that Raj was subtly hinting that it was her story.To make matters worse Raj further said elsewhere’ give me a girl of big boobs,and I will make her a great actress’.
Due to this,lata was upset and toyed with the idea of stopping singing for him,but she had tremendous respect for RK’s music sense plus he had kept about 200 tunes made by S-J with him still unused.Hence good song tune was anyway a guarantee.
In 1986,there was a function in Taj Hotel,Bombay to celebrate the success of Ram teri ganga Maili.
When Lata spoke,she traced her long assn. with RK group and then she said-inadvertently- ” I have noticed one thing in last few years and that is,that let the Music Director be anybody,but the music will be Raj Kapoor’s only.”
Ravindra Jain,who was sitting in the audience got upset with this remark.The public has seen the song “Sun Sayaba Sun”,shot on mandakini in Aug 85,but this was a tune of S-J made for RK’s film “AJANTA”-1952,which never went on the sets.The tune however,made by Jaikishen remained with Raj kapoor.
Ravindra Jain was upset about lata for this remark and he tried intentionally to promote Hemlata later in place of lata.
The above instance is enough to confirm that RK had many readymade tunes with him and that is why MDs like L-P and Jain were ready to work for RK as it was a very easy work anyway.
Raja ji,I hope I have clarified/corroborated the so called ‘Myth’ about tunes of S-J with RK.
-AD
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April 1, 2012 at 2:06 pm
That was very interesting, Arunji. Come to think of it, “sun saheba sun” does sound like an S-J number! This was the first time I’ve at all heard that S-J’s tunes were available with RK for use by others. It came as a big surprise to me.
Oh, the industry has so many things going on “behind the scenes”. Parde ke aage to kuchh bhi nahin hai, parde ki peechhe hi actual action hai. 🙂 It is like the tip of the iceberg. We see only 10% of the iceberg. 🙂
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Ava Suri
April 1, 2012 at 8:56 pm
You are so right Raja, I am sure the big drama always went on behind the screens. Even innocuous stories that people share with the public on radio-programmes or on compilation albums with tribute by colleagues we get to see the other side of film-making/song recording etc are so interesting. That is also the reason that we find meta-films (like Kagaaz ke Phool and recently, Luck by chance) so interesting.
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April 1, 2012 at 2:07 pm
And I forgot to thank you, Arunji. You know I always find your comments extremely interesting and informative. Thank you so much for this one too.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
March 30, 2012 at 8:11 pm
Wasn’t Bobby supposed to be an “A” movie? 😉 As far as I can remember, it was. Unless I was conned by my elder sisters at that time.
Anyway, lovely to read this, Ava. Hold on to your imagination of 1970s Bangalore tight – it’s completely disappeared! All in the name of development, of course. Ok, there may still be a few (very few) pockets still not grabbed by greedy developers but that’s about it. *sigh* Anyway, quoting from Khalnayak, “hota hai, chalta hai, duniya hai”.
I watched Bobby only when I was past 18 – I think that was the A limit then. Loved the songs, the movie was also good (though by then I knew lots of dialogues of the movie. The famous “mujhse shaadi karoge?” dialogue, for example). Bobby was a super, superhit for sure.
I can see your point about Dimple. I was also totally shocked that Rajesh married her. He so totally should have married Mumu – they looked made for each other. 🙂 But then again, “hota hai, chalta hai, duniya hai”.
I liked all the songs of Bobby. Off to listen to “na chaahoon sona chandi” now. Not heard it in ages!
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