Gumnaam hai koi
Posted on: April 29, 2012
Here is yet another song of the genre “How come this song was not discussed before !”. Read the explanations that I have given for other songs of this genre why this song was not discussed earlier. 😉
It is an out and out iconic song. It is one of the most well known haunting songs of all time in Hindi movies. I am seated in front of my computer at day time in 2012, and listening to this song can send a shiver down my spine even then. Just imagine the effect this song had when a movie goer sat in a dark movie hall on big screen in the company of hundreds of other movie goers back in 1960s. And the effect this song has had of millions of listeners who have heard this song on radio and on loudspeakers !
I am of course talking about the title song of “Gumnaam” (1965) which also happens to be its theme song which plays in the movie several times in the background.
The song is sung by Lata in a voice that cannot be bettered in its ability to haunt. This song is the definitive bhootiya song in Hindi movies. Though I have forgotten about the picturisation of this song in the movie, I can picture it in my mind’s eye as a white sari clad female bhoot (with her sari washed super white in that world’s best selling washing soap) lip syncing this song from a distance and scaring the wits out of movie goers.Such a scene is not there in this movie, though it is there in countless movies and horror serilas that followed subsequently. And they all have been inspired from this particular song.
While talking about the hauntingness of the voice, most of us forget about the lyrics and the music. What would the singer sing if she were not given the lyrics. The words that we all take for granted today is a creation of sheer genius. Simple words, maximum impact ! And the music that accompanies the song almost unnoticeably is what has led to such a long lasting impact on music lovers mind. Forget those who watched this movie in its first run, even people who watched the movie on its re run decades later can feel the same impact. It is sheer magic and its impact is unlikely to go away anytime soon.
Here is this timeless classic which finally makes it to the blog. Better late than never.
The lyrics of this song were sent to me by Khyati Bhatt.
The first link has the full song. The second link has the various repetitions of this song throughout the movie.
Audio
Video
Song-Gumnaam hai koi (Gumnaam)(1965) Singer-Lata, Lyrics-Hasrat Jaipuri, MD-Shankar Jaikishan
Lyrics(Provided by Khyati Bhatt)
gumnaam hai koi
badnaam hai koi
kis ko khabar
kaun hai woh
anjaan hai koi
gumnaam hai koi
badnaam hai koi
kis ko khabar
kaun hai woh
anjaan hai koi
gumnaam hai koi
kis ko samjhen hum apna
kal ka naam hai ek sapna
kis ko samjhen hum apna
kal ka naam hai ek sapna
aaj agar tum zinda ho
to kal ke liye
kal ke liye maala japna
gumnaam hai koi
badnaam hai koi
kis ko khabar
kaun hai woh
anjaan hai koi
gumnaam hai koi
pal do pal ki masti hai
bas do din ki basti hai
pal do pal ki masti hai
bas do din ki basti hai
chain yahaan par mehanga hai
aur maut yahaan
maut yahaan par sasti hai
gumnaam hai koi
badnaam hai koi
kis ko khabar
kaun hai woh
anjaan hai koi
gumnaam hai koi
kaun bala toofaani hai
maut ko khud hairaani hai
kaun bala toofaani hai
maut ko khud hairaani hai
aaye sada veeraano se
jo paida hua
paida hua woh phaani hai
gumnaam hai koi
badnaam hai koi
kis ko khabar
kaun hai woh
anjaan hai koi
gumnaam hai koi
badnaam hai koi
kis ko khabar
kaun hai woh
anjaan hai koi
gumnaam hai koi
6 Responses to "Gumnaam hai koi"
April 29, 2012 at 8:46 am
This Movie was ,as I heard, based on the famous novel ‘Then There Was None ‘ by Agatha Christie.There are some movies in English on the title.
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April 29, 2012 at 8:58 am
You’re right Jhaveri-ji! The original title of Agatha’s novel was ‘Ten Little Niggers’. However,some people felt that it was racist and pokes fun at the Blacks. Hence the change in title.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
April 29, 2012 at 8:38 am
“Gumnaam hai koyi..” was certainly a chart topper of its time! It’s supposed to be a ‘bhoot’ song but it’s revealed that it was Laxmi Chaya who sings it. ‘Gumnaam’ was a very unusual murder mystery with the characters stranded on a lonely island. They realise that there’s a killer in their midst as one by one, they get killed!
However, our film makers and music directors have become past masters in plagiarism!
The tune of ‘Gumnaam hai koyi…” is a straight lift of the title song of ‘Charade’ starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. The music was given by that genius Henry Mancini.
As for the story of ‘Gumnaam’, well, it’s again a straight lift of Agatha Christie’s excellent novel ‘And Then There Were None’.
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April 29, 2012 at 10:04 am
Laxmi Chhaya dances in Jan Pehchan Ho song. Gumnaam Hai Koi is supposed to be filmed on Mehmood’s sister in the movie. Its some small-time actress, may be, Naina.
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April 29, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Bluefire ji
You are right, It is NAINA,she played Dharmendra`s sister`s role in 1966 ANUPAMA.
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