Bhala kyun bhala kyun
Posted on: January 5, 2013
This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
The above song is from a film called PARAKH-1937, whose Music Director was B.S.HOOGAN.
When I first came across this name Hoogan, in the list of Hindi composers, my first reaction was, what is this foreigner doing in Hindi Films ?
Further when I saw his name as the Music Director in 10-15 films of the 30s, I became very curious and I wanted to know more about him. As per my experience so far, I usually get information for any -or almost any- Film personality from my notes, Old cuttings, books, magazines, old articles etc , or even from an obscure, less known Internet site, but in Hoogan’s case I always found myself at a dead end. There was simply NO information about him anywhere ! It was as if no one in India knew about him or as if he was from some alien planet.
I was perplexed. How can anybody from Film industry, with so many films to his credit, be such an unknown person ? This was a challenge and I decided, come what may, to find out about this elusive, dodging and unreachable B.S.Hoogan, at any cost.
Almost one year passed and I found a ray of Hope.
Just a few days back, I visited the Blog of Mr. Kamalakar Pasupuleti ji. He is a writer on old films, music and an avid collector of old songs, besides having been an active RMIM worker. He is also a mine of information.
Incidentally, he too is from Hyderabad-just like me, and being in the same age group, we enjoy discussing matters relating to people and places in old Hyderabad of the 40s and 50s, when we were youngsters. Currently he has migrated to USA.
On his Blog, he had written about Hoogan. He had located the nephew of Hoogan in India and contacted him. He got some information from him about Hoogan. Although the information was not exhuastive it was a great find. Plus Kamalakarji himself had also written about Hoogan, from his interaction with people who had met Hoogan in Hyderabad.
I wrote to Kamalakar ji in USA and he very graciously gave me permission to use all that material for this article.
At this juncture, my luck suddenly decided to cooperate and I found some information about Hoogan in a book. I even found out that the same nephew of Hoogan had uploaded 4 songs of Hoogan (2 from Parakh-37 and 2 from Meetha Zahar-38) on Hamara Forum.
Nw onto all this accumulated information about mr. Hoogan…..
B.S. Hoogan was not a foreigner, he was very much an Indian. His name was BALWANT SINGH HOOGAN. He was tall, wheat complexioned and of mediaum build. No details about his family, birth or birthplace. No Photograph. My guess is he must be from Himachal Pradesh or surrounding territory.
Before becoming a music director he seems to have learnt classical music and western music. He played many western instruments.
In the days of silent films, orchestras used to play in the Theatres, in front of or behind the screen. During the film also they played appropriate music pieces. It would add live pleasure with moving images.
Hoogan learnt about giving this music and conducting orchestra from his teacher, Mr.Victor Aimes, an Englishman, from the Albert Music Company. He learnt writing music in notations and conducting orchestra with a baton. He played his orchestra of 12 musicians.
Kamalakar ji has written in his article about how impressive Hoogan looked with a Black Tailcoat, Bow-Tie and Grey Trousers, as described to him by a Hyderabad Nawab, who had been personally introduced to Hoogan in Hyderabad in 1930.
B.S.Hoogan started his career as a Music Director with Ajanta Cinetone of Mohan Bhavnani. He gave music to Afzal, Maya jaal, Rangeela Rajput(all 1933), Dard e dil, Dukhtar e Hind, Mazdoor, Sair e Paristan, Vasavdatta(all 1934),Pyar ki maar, Registan ki Rani, Sone ka shahar, Sherdil Aurat(all 1935),Garib Pariwar(1936), Begunah, Khan Bahadur, Parakh(all 1937),Meetha Zahar, Vijay marg(all 1938) and Sansar Sagar-1939.
Overall, he composed 216 songs in 19 movies.
Film Mazdoor-1934 was based on Munshi premchand’s story. It was banned by the British Government. In 1936 it was released again as Garib Pariwar, but was banned again with a fine. This broke down Ajanta cinetone and it went into liquidation. The owner/Director was Mohan Bhavnani-an Engineer from UK and he had studied Film Making in Germany. After India’s Independence, he became the Chief Film Producer in Films Division.
B.S.Hoogan died somewhere between 1940-1942.
(I sincerely thank Shri Kamalakar ji and shri Sukesh Hoogan ji (the nephew), for providing the above information about B.S.Hoogan).
Hoogan was considered a big Ustad of Music. C.Ramchandra learnt notation writing and other things from him, when he was in Minerva Movietone. The effect of this is seen in CRamchandra’s music of western type, later in his films.
In the film Meetha Zahar-1938, Naushad was Hoogan’s assistant.
Actors like Nissar, Bibbo, Sheila and Naseem Bano sang for him.
Today’s song- “Bhala Kyun” is sung by Miss Noorjahan and Madhav Kale. This Noorjahan is NOT the Malika e Tarannum, as we know.
Actually there were 4 Noorjahans so far (as usual creating complications by the same name).
1. Noorjahaan (1) started her career from silent film Gulnar-1930. She acted in 11 silent films and about 8 to 10 Talkie films, where she sang songs also. She faded away in early 1940s.
2.Noorjahaan(2) The famous Noorjahan(Malika e Tarannum) who started from khandan-42 and left India in 1947.
3.Noorjahaan (3) small time actress who worked in films like Chaudhavi ka chand, Mere Huzoor etc. and
4.Noorjahaan (4) Jr.Noorjahan who sang in films in 50s and 60s.
Madhav kale started in Marathi dramas and came to films with Mukti Sangram-1931 and worked in about 30-35 films till Kangan-1959.
Information about the lyricist of this song is not known.
Song-Bhalaa kyun bhala kyun (Parakh)(1937) Singers-Miss Noorjehaan, Madhav Kaale, MD-B S Hoogan
Lyrics
bhala kyun
bhala kyun
bhala kyun
ban ki chidiyaa si main ped ped ghoomti
ban ki chidiyaa si main ped ped ghoomti
daal daal
baat baat
paat paat jhoomti
daal daal
baat baat
paat paat jhoomti
ban ki chidiya si
main ped ped ghoomti
ban ki chidiya si
main ped ped ghoomti
prem ke shikaari ne jaal aa bichaaya to
prem ke shikaari ne jaal aa bichaaya to
?? mein aan phansi
aazaadi kho baithhi
?? mein aan phansi
aazaadi kho baithhi
kyun
bhala kyun bhala kyun
bhala kyun bhala kyun
jal ki machhli si main aar paar tairati
jal ki machhli si main aar paar tairati
baar baar baithhi
main baar baar theherti
baar baar baithhi
main baar ba theherti
jal ki machhli si main aap paar tatirati
jal ki machhli si main aap paar tatirati
jhoom ke shikaari ne
aan jaal daal diyaa
jhoom ke shikaari ne
aan jaal daal diyaa
?? mein aan phansi
aazaadi kho baithi
?? mein aan phansi
aazaadi kho baithhi
kyun
bhala kyun bhala kyun
bhala kyun bhala kyun
hahahaha
7 Responses to "Bhala kyun bhala kyun"
July 24, 2017 at 9:48 pm
Arun ji,
B S Hoogan died in September 1938 in Ferozepur (Punjab) at the age of 37. It was reported in September 1938 issue of ‘Filmindia’.
I guess, B S Hoogan may be from Punjab.
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July 25, 2017 at 5:19 pm
Thanks for this information.
He was a kashmiri. CR has mentioned this in his autobiography and Hoogan’s nephew who appeared on RMIM once confirmed this. This nephew has written the books Hero-part 1 and 2.
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July 25, 2017 at 5:29 pm
Sadanand ji,
I just read my article on Hoogan on anmol fankaar.com. again.
Some close relatives of Hoogan have recorded their comments and accordingly he is from Ferozpur, punjab. This is now confirmed. Please ignore the above mention.
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August 27, 2020 at 12:05 pm
My name is DAVID SINGH HOOGAN, My Fathers Name is (LATE AVTAR SINGH HOOGAN), the only son of (LATE BALWANT SINGH HOOGAN). As said by my father that (LATE B S HOOGAN) was from LAHORE before partition. Later after the partition they settled in Firozpur. After the death of my grandfather due to Tuberculosis as said by my father, my grand mother also died after a few months. So my father (Avtar Singh Hoogan) had to move to his maternal uncles place and after that he got a job in Chittaranjan Locomotive Works. Here he came into the influence of some Christian missionaries and embarrassed Christianity. Due to this he was not granted any share of the properties of his father (B S HOOGAN). So my Grandfather B S HOOGAN was truly a musician and a GREAT music director, had given music in many of the Hindi silent movies. Actually he left Firozpur to go to England. When he reached Bombay he changed his mind and became a music director. I am (B S HOOGAN’S) direct descendant and still live in Chittaranjan (West Bengal). Once when I was studying in school in class 5 my father LATE AVTAR SINGH HOOGAN while he was alive took me to Firozpur to (B S HOOGAN’S) his father’s house. What a big house!!!– after that we never went, my father (LATE AVTAR SINGH HOOGAN) never told me why? Since then I have no contacts with them, I want to contact them but as I was a kid that time I cannot pursue as i have no information about them. IF they read my story please contact me on this number 09547133551. I have some documents of (B S HOOGAN) like his photographs with me now. I am also a Christian by Faith as acquired by my father (AVTAR SINGH HOOGAN). Hence it reflects that the B S HOOGAN’S descendant is still alive 4th generation, that is my Son (GALDINUS SUNNY SINGH HOOGAN).
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August 28, 2020 at 8:08 am
Thanks, David ji.
It was nice to read your memories about your grandfather.
-AD
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
January 5, 2013 at 1:39 pm
Arunji,
C Ramchandra has written that Hoogan was from Kashmir.He showed CR that DESI RAAGAS could be played with western musical instruments.He brought many musicians from Goa in Minerva Movietone.Hoogan used to compose music and CR was supposed to write the notation.CR was inserting slight changes and when Hoogan unknowingly accepted those changes CR was being for his creation.
DS
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January 5, 2013 at 2:04 pm
Samant ji,
Thanks for the valueable information.
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