Hum pyaar karna sakta ke nahin sakta
Posted on: February 5, 2013
This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
Shirish Kanekar is my favourite author in Marathi. He started his career as a journalist in Indian Express and later worked for many publications. He writes on Cricket and Old films-actors and music. He knows many cricketers as well as many yeateryear actors, composers and has interviewed them. He has written 20-25 books so far and also done several Stand up shows on cricket and Films in many countries.
In his book “Gaaye chala jaa” he published an interview of C Ramchandra, with whom he was pally in late 70s. Both being Marathi, over drinks, C Ramchandra opened up…….
” I have spent my entire life in films but never understood which song will become popular. I tell you, if someone can correctly predict this, he will earn lakhs of rupees, by God !”
” see,both Jhanjhar and Anarkali were my films. One was my own production and the other was from Filmistan. My film flopped and Anarkali’s music became a Hit. If only I knew that those tunes were going to be popular, would I not have used them for Jhanjhar ? Anyway I tell you critics are bogus people. Before Anarkali was released, after its show for critics, one smart fellow wrote, the songs will bring down the film, and look what actually happened ? The same chap after the music was a hit, started saying he knew that long back !”
” I can not say which of my films had the best music. Today I find many flaws in them. I used to have 2-3 tunes for each song and then select one finally.”
” I composed ‘Sunday ke Sunday’ when I was just 28 years old. Today I will not give such music. I always believed in my music. Once a highly educated producer asked me how to know if a song tune is the best. I told him You have to believe me. It is not so simple as 2+2=4. There is no formula for success.”
” I always tuned the ready lyrics. I wonder how others do it the other way round. If tomorrow, Dilip says, ok this is my action, now write the dialogue, would it be OK ?”
” You are asking how I got my tunes. It is all luck and spontaneity. Take the case of ‘Dil ki duniya basake…” from Amardeep. I had heard this tune from a Muslim Qawwal a few years back. I just remembered it and used it.”
” I was doing Albela. Bhagwan used to stay near Ranjit studio. One night we both started walking and talking. There was a Bhangiwada(Scavenger colony). A marriage music was going on. Dholak was playing in the background. I got the tune for ‘Bholi soorat …’ ”
Next day I finalised the tune and rehearsals started, but the trained and refined musicians were not able to get the tune properly. I asked them to wait. I took the car and went to the Bhangiwada, found out that Dholk wala and brought him to the sudio. In his excitement the Dholkiwala started playing so loudly that I took him outside the studio and he played from outside and we recorded the song. See the song now. Could you ever imagine this background story ? even today’s generation dances on this song !”
” I felt sad about the songs of Yaasmin and Stree. Considering my efforts on them, they deserved more popularity.”
” The earlier songs were popular because they were ‘singable’. How many of today’s songs are remembered after a few months? Old songs rule the minds due to melody, poetry and simplicity. ”
C Ramchandra’s film career and Life….
Music Director C Ramchandra and his married life was running with happiness and love. Those were happy days. He got one more film ‘Muskurahat-43’. The hero was Motilal. One day , he commented,” Annasab,your newly married life is bringing muskurahat to the film also.”
” Actress/Singer Vatsala Kumathekar used to come to the studios sometimes with her young sister. This girl fell in C Ramchandra’s love,without his knowing it. One day Vatsala came to C Ramchandra and said ,her sister is very ill and is calling him all the time as she loves him. C Ramchandra was shocked. He bluntly told her your sister is wrong, I am married and love only my wife. Vatsala left angrily.”
As the days passed by, C Ramchandra’s wife Ben conceived. He took her to top doctors. They both went to Shirdi to worship Saibaba. There the coconut which they broke before the idol was totally rotten. This was a bad omen. They came back. Ben had a difficult delivery and their first child-a baby boy, fully grown-was stillborn. Ben and C Ramchnadra were very sad. The doctor advised C Ramchandra total abstinence from his wife for one year. This was too much for him.
Jayant Desai’s 5 films in a row were hit. Muskurahat, Zabaan, Manorama, Lalkaar and Chandragupta. C Ramchandra felt he should get more salary than 300/-. He also learnt that soon K.L.Sehgal was coming to star in the next film, but some other composer Lal Mohammed (assistantt to Ghulam Mohammad) was to compose for him. CR describes….
‘ My pride was hurt.I went to jayant Desai and said, “I must get a raise’
he asked,’ how much ?’
I said ” 1000 rupees per month”
‘ I do not act as per my employees wishes. I can increase it to a maximum of 600.’
” I want 1000.”
“I was going to give you a chance to compose for Sehgal.”
” Sehgal is Sehgal. I am also C Ramchandra. Give me 1000 or I will leave.”
He smiled and simply said “Please Leave.”
I left the job and became jobless. Ben had been warning me to control my ego but I always ignored her.
One day Kavi Pradeep came to me. He was a famous name. His songs in Bombay Talkies had made havoc. He took me to FILMISTAN. Sashdhar Mmukherjee accepted my demand of 1000 rupees and I signed the contract.
S mukherjee was a very clever man. Trained under Himanshu Roy, he combined art and business. He had employed biggies like,Kavi Pradeep, P L Santoshi, G S Nepali, Shahid Lateef, Saadat Hasan Manto etc.
Due to a steady job, I was financially steady and our married life flowered again. Ben was pregnant again. I was doing film ‘Safar’. This time I took her to the best doctor in Bombay, Dr.Shirodkar.
When Ben was taken to Hospital for delivery, I could not bear the anxiety and went to see an English film in Metro. In the interval, my friend Pradhan came with a news. The doctor could only save either the mother or the child and wanted to know my choice. I said save my wife. I did not go to the Hospital, but drank whisky.
Next morning I went to Hospital, saw my dead baby girl, consoled Ben and left for work. The doctor this time warned me to keep away from Ben for atleast 3-4 years. I was frustrated. I immersed myself in Sur and Sura. The gap between me and my wife was widening.
My film SAFAR was released and the music made record sales. The film also completed Silver Jubilee at several places. In one song in Safar,’Chhoti Sethani ji…” I had copied Marathi Powada style. This was not the first time I had copied from Marathi songs, and such songs had become popular too.
Filmistan was planning Shehnai in 1947, but it was not coming to me. Famous composer Ghulam Hyder from Lahore was to come and compose. My ego was hurt, but I kept quiet. I wanted to do that film, as Santoshi was to direct it.
Ghulam Hyder’s coming was delayed and the chief of Filmistan was disturbed. One day, Rai Bahadur Chunnilal called me and said,’ Ghulam Hyder’s coming is delayed.’
I said,’ Toh ?’
” Tum aisa karo ek do tunes bana lo, baki ka kaam aane ke baad woh karenge.”
I said ,” Aisa nahi ho sakta. Ya to main poori picture karoonga nahin to kuch bhi nahin.”
I think, S Mukherjee and Santoshi also talked to the Boss and finally the film SHEHNAI came to me.
Those days my motto was,’Music for common man’. Santoshi joined me in this and wrote simple but catchy lyrics. I made tunes. I made lot of experiments in Shehnai. Luckily I had the freedom there. But no song was passed unless S Mukherjee passed it.
When I and Santoshi made ‘Sunday ke Sunday,’ we were doubtful if Mukherjee would pass it. There were some English words in it. With western music, English words and Hindi language, the song was like an Anglo-indian girl !
We first recorded the song without showing it to Mukherjee. Everyone in the studio liked it and they used to sing it in the studio. One day Mukherjee heard it and asked, whose and of which film is this song. he was told that it was from our own Shehnai. Next day Mukherjee asked us,”Arrey Bhai humko bhi sunaao wo gaana’ he was shown the song. Clever businessman in Mukherjee understood the song’s potential and passed it coolly.
It was during Shehnai-47 song ‘Jawani ki Rail chali jaye’, I was first introduced to LATA MANGESHKAR………….
let us now see and hear a typical hybrid, Bambaiya language song from film ‘Shabistan’-51,which is composed by C Ramchandra……
The story details of Shabistan are given on 29-12-2012.
SHABISTAN-51 was a Filmistan production, directed by Bibhuti mitra( 1-1-1915 to 14-3-1989 ),a veteran of about 20 films from 1941 to 1972 (including Phagun-58 and Ji chaahta Hai-64). It was a costume drama set in imaginary kingdoms.
There is a war between Kalindi and Kishkindha kingdoms, in which Kalindi is defeated. The maharaja is captured. He can only be released if his daughter Shibani(Naseem Bano) marries the crown prince of kKiskindha. Shibani is already in love with Timir (Shyam), but to save her father and his kingdom, she decided to sacrifice her love and is ready to marry the prince. Ashit Baran, the younger brother of the prince is a crook and wants to usurp the Throne. He drugs the prince and kidnaps him with the help of a beautiful dancer Nilima. This way, he ensures that prince will be absent for coronation and he will get the throne. The loyal Prime Minister of Kishkindha, Falguni, learns about this plan. By a stroke of luck, he meets Timir, who is a look alike of the crown prince. Falguni convinces him and dresses him up as the crown Prince and presents him for Coronation. Ashit Baran is stunned, but can not do anything. He decides to Kill Timir, but he is saved everytime. Falguni also keeps an eye on Timir so that he does not run away. Shibani recognises Timir as the fake Prince. She wants to elope with him, but Timir refuses and reminds her about her Father’s freedom.
Meanwhile Nilima, the dancer is fed up of the false promises of Ashit Baran to make her the queen and spills the beans. Ashit wages a war against his brother. There is a fight between them in which Timir kills Ashit Baran. The Maharaja of Kalindi and the real Crown Prince are rescued. Shibani isa ready to marry him, but the Crown Prince refuses and Timir is married to her. The kingdom of Kalindi is also returned to the maharaja and all is well.
Song-Hum pyaar karna sakta ke nahin sakta (Shabistan)(1951) Singers-C Ramchandra, Lata, Lyrics-Qamar Jalalabadi, MD-C Ramchandra
Lyrics
hum pyaar karna sakta ke nahin sakta
hum aankh ladaana sakta ke nahin sakta
hum pyaar karna sakta ke nahin sakta
hum aankh ladaana sakta ke nahin sakta
o pyaar jataane waale
kya tera mera saath
meri phoolon jaisi jawaani
tere kaanton jaise haath
o pyaar jataane waale
kya tera mera saath
meri phoolon jaisi jawaani
tere kaanton jaise haath
ham haath lagaana sakta ke nahin sakta
hum aankh ladaana sakta ke nahin sakta
hum pyaar karna sakta ke nahin sakta
hum aankh ladaana sakta ke nahin sakta
haath lage murjhaaun main
paas na mere aana
chhod de hamse milna julna
chhod do aana jaana
arre aisa mat kaho na
haath lage murjhaaun main
paas na mere aana
chhod de hamse milna julna
chhod do aana jaana
hum khwaab mein aana sakta ke nahin sakta
hum aankh ladaana sakta ke nahin sakta
hum pyaar karna sakta ke nahin sakta
hum aankh ladaana sakta ke nahin sakta
kabhi iska kabhi uska kuchh nahin kar sakta
hum tumko hansaana sakta
hahahaha
hum aansoon bahaana sakta
unh unh oon
hum geet sunaana sakta
kendrid dro
ole kalasindra
tum kuchh nahin karna sakta
ye bolo marna sakta
jee ham nahin marna sakta
jo nahin marna sakta
wo pyaar na karna sakta
arre ab tum jaana sakta
ab kabhi na gaana sakta
hum pyaar karna sakta ke nahin sakta
haa
hum aankh ladaana sakta ke nahin sakta
hum pyaar karna sakta
unhun
nahin karna sakta
hum aankh ladaana sakta
nahin karna sakta
4 Responses to "Hum pyaar karna sakta ke nahin sakta"
February 6, 2013 at 9:49 am
gaddeswarup ji,
Eruvaka sagaro dando chinnanna…was one of my favourite songs sung by Jikki and BRMM,under MD Master Venu and written by Kosaraju R. from Rojulu Marai(1955).
Incidently,this was the first film of WAHEEDA REHMAN,who became a leading lady in Hindi films.
The same song was copied ditto in tune by S D Burman in film Bambai ka Babu-1960 in song -Dekhane mein bhola hai,dilka salona-Asha/Chorus.
Thanks for reminding me about this fantastic Telugu song,by your learned comment.
-AD
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February 6, 2013 at 2:53 pm
hullo Arunji
Aapka aaj ka gaana is simply “FUNtastic”
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February 6, 2013 at 5:42 pm
Arunji,
Please let us have the inside dope on Lata-CR love affair.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
February 6, 2013 at 4:08 am
” I have spent my entire life in films but never understood which song will become popular.”
It is interesting that nobody seems to know what makes song popular. In Telugu there was song which was largely popular due to the lyrics ‘Eurubaka saagaalo..’ from ‘Rojulu marayi’. When the lyricist Kosaraju Raghavaiah was asked to write similar songs, his reply was more or less the same.
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