Ek do teen chaar
Posted on: August 13, 2012
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
Recently, I came across a duet song ‘ek do teen chaar’ sung by Asha Bhonsle and Kishore Kumar from the film MUQADDAR(1950). I remember this film in which the lead actor Nalini Jaywant had sung three songs in her own voice, one of which has already been discussed in this blog.
The film was produced under the banner of Bombay Talkies and directed by Arvind Sen. The star cast included Nalini Jaywant, Sajjan, Kishore Kumar, Iftekar, Radhakrishna, Sofia, Gogiya Pasha, Nana Palshikar etc. The song was written by Bharat Vyas. As per Indian Films Trade website, the film had two music directors – Khemchand Prakash and Bhola Shrestha. My guess is that during the making of this film, Khamchand Prakash passed away and Bhola Shrestha was entrusted with completing the music compositions. The uploader of this song on YT has, however, mentioned that this particular song was composed by James Singh (I guess, he may the same person who composed music for some Hindi films, mostly of 60s under the name Jimmy). Probably this song may be the first Kishore-Asha duet as I could not locate any of their earlier duet song than this.
While going through the filmography of Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhonsle, I have observed that their career graphs as playback singers followed, more or less, a similar pattern. Kishore Kumar did not get any encouragement from his elder brother Ashok Kumar in becoming a playback singer. In fact, Ashok Kumar was more interested in making him an actor than a singer. Asha Bhonsle has revealed at many places including some TV interviews that during the starting point of her career, she did not get support from Lata Mangeshkar in becoming a playback singer. Both (Asha Bhonsle and Kishore Kumar) started their full-fledged playback singing, more or less around the same time – Asha Bhonsle with ‘Chunaria’ (1948) and Kishore Kumar with ‘Ziddi’ (1948). I must point out here that Kishore Kumar had sung his first song for himself in ‘Shikari’ (1946) but I understand that it was more like a recitation than the recorded song. Both of them had to struggle for a considerable time beforeth ey could establish themselves as playback singers of repute.
Although Kishore Kumar was trained as a playback singer under the guidance of Khemchand Prakash, it was the turn of S D Burman to lend his helping hand to him after the untimely death of Khemchand Prakash in 1950. Incidentally, in the early years of their careers, both Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhonsle got support from S D Burman. It was sometime in second half of 50s that both of them became well known playback singers – Kishore Kumar through his actor-singer roles in films like ‘New Delhi’ (1956), ‘Asha’ (1957), ‘Chalti KaNaam Gaadi’ (1958), ‘Shararat’ (1959)and Asha Bhonsle with her mentor O P Nayyar in ‘Naya Daur’(1957), ‘Phagun’ (1958), ‘Howrah Bridge’(1958) etc. Both of them were bracketed with Lata Mangeshkar as top playback singers in 70s and 80s. Both of them worked extensively with R D Burman. However, in this phase, Kishore Kumar had an edge over Asha Bhonsle’s career as he was also the favourite of Laxmikant-Pyarelal.
In my write up on ye samaa ham tum jawaan from the film ‘Maashukaa’ (1953), I had mentioned that perhaps it was in this song where Kishore Kumar used yodelling for the first time. With the song under discussion, it appears that Kishore Kumar used yodelling as early as in 1950. Moreover,the song ends with both Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhonsle yodelling together. This may be a rare occasion when Asha Bhonsle also did yodelling in a Hindi film song.
In one of her TV interviews, Asha Bhonsle revealed that while rehearsing this song,she always used to pronounce ‘do’(two) as ‘don’ which is the Marathi equivalent of ‘do’. Even at the first take, she committed the same mistake. Luckily, the final recording came out smoothly. After this incidence, Kishore Kumar used to call her ‘Don’ for many days whenever they met in the recording studios.
Only audio clip of this song is available. While it is clear that Kishore Kumar sang for himself, it is difficult to guess as to who lip synced in Asha Bhonsle’s voice on the screen. Incidentally, I get an impression that Asha Bhonsle’s voice resembles that of Sulochana Kadam at some places in this song.
Listen to this peppy song and one would know as to why both Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhonsle specialised in the genre of light, comic and fun songs in the years to come.
Song-Ek do teen chaar (Muqaddar)(1950) Singer-Asha Bhonsle, Kishore Kumar, Lyrics-Bharat Vyas, MD-James Singh
Asha Bhonsle + Kishore Kumar
Lyrics
ek do teen chaar
ek do teen chaar
baagon mein aayi hai bahaar
kar ke singaar
baagon mein aayi hai bahaar
kar ke shingaar
koyaliyaa bole
hu hu
jiyaraa dole
hu hu
baje hawaayen hole hole
aa odley ae
yodley ae
odley ae
odley ae ae
yodley ae
ek do teen chaar
tere liye chodaa ghar baar
albeli naar
tere liye chodaa ghar baar
albeli naar
preet ye nibhaana
bhool na jaanaa
chori chori o gori aanaa aanaa
kaise aaun main aaun main chori chori re
dekho chhaayi hai chaandni gori gori re
gori gori re
saari duniyaa jaage
aa
mohe dar laage
ho
jhan jhan paayaliyaa mori baaje baaje
aa odley ee
yodley ee
odley ee
odley ee ee
yodley ee
chhodo chhodo ye jhoothe apne bahaane
chhodo chhodo ye jhoothe apne bahaane
todo todo na mere sapne suhaane
chhod ke jhamele
hum tum akele
aao preet ke khel khelen khelen
ek do teen chaar
o hamne kholi hai kholi hai
prem ki dukaan
sun lo meri jaan
ek rattal tera
aadha rattal mera
paav paav rattal
paapaa kaa maama kaa
odley ee
yodley ee
odley ee
odley ee ee
yodley ee
ek do teen chaar
tere liye kiyen hain chaar
mere dildaar
dil ke tukde kiye hai chaar
masaaledaar
pehla tukdaa teraa
doosara meraa
teesraa paapa kaa
chauthha maama kaa
odley ee
yodley ee
odley ee
odley ee ee
yodley ee
6 Responses to "Ek do teen chaar"
August 13, 2012 at 10:53 am
kamath ji,
Thanks for your analytical and informative article on the song and connected matters.
JIMMY or JAMES SINGH must get the credit for getting Kishore kumar yodelling first time in Hindi films.Muqaddar-50 was also Jimmy’s FIRST film as a Music Director,though with Khemchand and Bhola ji.In this film,out of the total 9 songs,he composed 4 songs.
Before this film,James was a singer in Hindi films.
After this film,came Shrimatiji,Smuggler,Awara Shahzadi,Sher e Baghdad,Nek khatoon,pathan,Miss Chalbaaz,Tarzan and gorilla,Duniya hai dilwale ki,Tarzan in Ferryland,khoon aur Sazaa and his last film was Sachhi ibaadat-87.
Though he was an expert in giving very melodious tunes,his luck was not with him and he always got B and C grade stunt films.
There are many such cases in Film industry.
-AD
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September 11, 2020 at 7:28 am
Hi Arun,
I liked your article on Jimmy Singh. Not many remembers him. I believe Jimmy did some none filmy songs, private recording. They were all western style Hindi songs of the 50’s. Is it possible to find the list of songs he did privately?. I would appreciate any help. I live in Vancouver Canada. My email address is (vinaka35@shaw.ca).
Thank you,
Raj Kumar.
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August 13, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Another article also says that this was their first duet
http://hindi-films-songs.com/articles/1948-1.html
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April 15, 2018 at 4:25 pm
Another interesting fact about this particular song is that Jimmy Singh had done yoddling even though Kishore Kumar was the singer. Yoddling was done by Kishore Kumar for the first time on his own in the song” Barkha ki raaton men “(Film SHRIMATIJI-Composer S Mohinder) two years later .
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November 8, 2022 at 3:00 am
Music director Jimmy Singh was a singer as well.
Song #1 Maar maar maar maar daala.
Song #2 Yeh kaali kaali ghatawon mein.
This was his private recording. I’m sure he did few more. These to songs are very westernized, quick tempo.
Pleased find out more about his private recording.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
August 13, 2012 at 10:15 am
Thank you Sadanandji for the song and informative article.
Kitna achcha research work kar lete aap. Kya baat hai !!
Thanks for writing such a nice post.
Regards
Prakash
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