Saari duniya gorakh dhandha
Posted on: December 14, 2012
This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
There are various categories of films, based on the source of their story. They can be 1) Mythological, 2)Historical, 3) Fantasy, 4)stories cooked up by the ‘story Department’, 5)Films copied from/remade from other languages and 6) Films based on famous Novels, Plays or Epics written by wellknown authors.
The 30s belonged to 1, 2 and 3 categories; the 40s and 50s to 3rd and 5th categories and 60 onwards most films had stories based on 4th category.
Luckily there were films from the 6th category in almost every decade(the least number from 30s and the most from the 60s and 70s).
While there were films based on stories by authors from many languages, the most such films were based on works from Bengal.The reasons were simple. The film makers from and in Bengal were educated and secondly,those film makers who shifted from Calcutta to Bombay, followed the same pattern. Thus many films were made on novels from Bengal. One name stands out ,whose works outnumber all other authors on whose novels Hindi films were made and that name is SHARAT CHANDRA CHATTOPADHYAYA(Chatterjee)-1876-1938.
As far as I know, atleast 10 films were made on his novels in Hindi.
Devdas, with 12 versions(in various languages) takes the top spot.
Parineeta-53 had 2 versions.
Then there were Manzil-36, Biraj Bahu-54, Majhali didi-67, Anuradha-60, Swamy-77, chhoti Bahu-71, Khushboo-75 and Apne Paraye-80.(Just for the records,8 films were made in other languages from his novels).
Today we will hear a song from an old film MANZIL-1936, produced by New Theatres,Calcutta. his film is based on Sarat’s “GRIH DAAH” (The inflammed Home).
The novel Grih Daah was first serialised in Bangla paper ‘Bharatbarsha’ in 1919. The novel was published on 20-3-1920 in Calcutta. The central theme of the novel was the conflict between the Bramho Samaj and the Traditionalists in those days.
To understand this theme one must know the background. In the late 19th century BRAMHO SAMAJ was established in Bengal by hose Bramhins/Bhadraloks who thought that it was now time for the Renaisance of the Bramhins who were stuck in the age old outdated customs and rituals. But there was a large group who strongly believed in Traditional ways, values and the customs. In the end of 19th century and the begining of 20th century this battle between these two groups became fierce. Bramhos wanted to be upto date with modern times.
Saratchandra belonged to the Tradionalists. Most of his novels advocated this. Ofcourse,his novels had captivating situations, literary values and very firm and strong Heroines which made his novels very popular. His stories were mostly woman-centric.
One point i must admire in Bengali film makers and that is that they were very loyal and true to the storylines on which the films were made. There was no compromise or ” Cinematic liberties” taken at all.
Manzil-36 was a story of this conflict. MAHIM(Pramathesh Barua) is a poor but educated young man. His friend Suresh(Prithviraj Kapoor) is a rich playboy. ACHALA( Jamuna ) is brought up in a modern Bramho family, who has the liberty to choose her own life partner. Both Suresh and Mahim love Achala. She chooses Mahim, impressed with his intellectual power and education, though she is also impressed with the riches of Suresh. After marriage, both move to another town. In a short time Achala gets disillusioned about Mahim, due to his poverty. She remembers Suresh. Once Mahim gets this doubt and they fight. Their relations become strained. Mahim falls ill seriously. Meanwhile Suresh arrives in that town and meets Achala. While treating and nursing Mahim, Achala is in two minds.
one day she elopes with Suresh, but in a month’s time she realises her blunder. She sees the playboy ways of Suresh and realises that he is not loving her truly. With remorse, she shows the courage to return to her husband Mahim. He also,with great magnanimity,forgives her and accepts her. Thus the traditional principals have won over the modern outlook.
The director and lead actor was Pramathesh Barua, who later married Jamuna in real life. Music was by NT’s favourite, R.C.Boral who had Pankaj Malik as his assistant. The dialogues and Lyrics were by Aarzoo Lucknowi-another favourite of NT and Asghar Hussain Shor. Out of the total 9 songs of the film only 4 songs were made into records-3 were by Harimati Dua and one was by Pankaj Malik.
The singer Harimati Dua was one of the three singers of thr First playbback song in Hindi Film History recorded for film Dhoop Chhaon-1935, along with Parul Ghosh and Suprova Sarkar.
She acted and sang songs in very few films like, Manzil,Dhoop chhaon, Maya, Ananth Ashram, Khudai khidmatgar etc.
Song-Saari duniya gorakh dhandha (Manzil)(1936) Singer-Harimati Dua, Lyrics-Aarzoo Lucknowi, MD-R C Boral
Lyrics
Duniya gorakh dhandha
duniya gorakh dhandha
saari duniya gorakh dhandha
uljhan mein le kaam samajh se
khul jaayega phanda aa aa aa
uljhan mein le kaam samajh se
khul jaayega phanda
saari duniya gorakh dhandha
saari duniya gorakh dhandha
din badli ke nipat andhere
jaise kaali raaten
din badali ke nipat andhere
jaise kaali raaten
rut barkha ko dekh samajh le
ulti seedhi baaten
haan
rut barkha ko dekh samajh le
ulti seedhi baaten
haan
din badli ke nipat andhere
jaisi kaali raaten
rut barkha ko dekh samajh le
ulti seedhi baaten
apna aib kahe na koyi ee ee
apna aib kahe na koyi
ye duniya ka dhandha
chor diya lekar nahin chalta
chor diya lekar nahin chalta
kyun banta hai andhaa
saari duniya gorakh dhandha
saari duniya gorakh dhandha
5 Responses to "Saari duniya gorakh dhandha"
December 17, 2012 at 11:55 am
I can recall ‘Sautela Bhai’ with Guru Dutt in the lead role, based on Sharat Babu’s novel “Baikunther will”.
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December 17, 2012 at 12:09 pm
Pratap ji,
You are right.Thanks for adding one more Hindi hilm in the list.
Obviously,the Title of the novel was inspired by Bankimchandra’s novel ” Krisnakanter will”
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July 18, 2013 at 5:03 pm
‘apna ae kahe na koi’ should read ‘apna aib kahe na koi’. Aib is a bad habit, a flaw which every body tries to conceal.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
December 14, 2012 at 8:35 am
Arunji,
Did you forget PATHER DABI (Savyasachi) and CHHOTA BHAI ?
I don’t remember their years.
D Samant
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December 14, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Samant ji,
Chhota Bhai-1949 was produced by New Theatres,but it was not mentioned anywhere -like other films-that the film was based on Sarat’s novel.
Chhota Bhai-1966 did not have anything to do with any novel of any language.it was made in Bombay by Olympic films and the story writer is mentioned as Anand Bakshi.
Further,in the list of films based on Sarat’s novels,the name of Chhota Bhai does not appear.may be it wased on some other Bangla writer.If you have any info,please tell us.
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