Ek sitaara hai aakaash mein
Posted on: March 17, 2013
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
Aha, the 7700th. Congratulations and celebrations. 🙂 🙂
Welcome all to yet another century milestone on this blog. Habit forming, and on the dot, never missing a beat. The regularity is so predictable, that we can set our calendars accordingly. A hundred new songs on the blog – ah yes, about 18 days must have passed. Kudos to Atul ji for managing and controlling the pace of new songs, no matter what.
10% of the main total is a large number. We are now into volumes where even fractions are becoming sizeable. Think of a fraction of this total volume and that itself is a very large number. In terms of the artists individual scores, the three singers, Lata ji, Rafi Sb and Asha ji are already into 4 digit collections available on this blog. And then, in the three digit scorers there are many an artist who have breached the 500 mark. Among such penta-century scorers are the lyricists Anand Bakshi, Rajinder Krishan, Majrooh Sultanpuri and Shailendra. And then, amongst the music directors, the only stalwarts to have reached beyond the 500 mark, are the duo composers Shankar Jaikishan. In fact, SJ, as they are more affectionately known, closer to 10% of the blog’s total volume. Yes sir, today we also celebrate the 700th song composed by Shankar Jaikishan, a grand feat by all accounts. After the three lead singers with scores in four digits, it is Shankar Jaikishan who lead the rest of the artists with the highest numbers of songs posted.
Shankar Jaikishan, the first music directors of the industry to attain the superstar status. The popularity tag and status that was reserved for actors and actresses, was applied to a non-actor artist for the first time ever. The phenomena that was their career, is probably the most unique ever in the history of India cinema. Like a child being born with a golden spoon, SJ are probably the only music directors ever, who started their career with a string of superlative hits. Whereas most career graphs generally start with modest beginnings and rise to heights of popularity over a period of time, in the case of SJ there is no meteoric rise. Their popularity graph starts at commanding heights, with a string of memorable hits, and there it remained, for almost two decades, unchallenged. In a time when a handful of actors with superstar status, commanded self defined fees, SJ was the only music director duo who would get paid more than the leading actors of their films. The songs from their films have been hits, not just in ones and twos, but the entire list of songs, film after film, turned out to touch fantastic heights of popularity. To the extent that no matter even the film itself had an indifferent run a the box office, the music by SJ always was a hit. It probably is a rare phenomena in the industry – we often talk about and write about songs that are lost to obscurity because the films to which they belonged did not do well at the box office or even sank without a trace. Wonderful songs from many such films are being traced and presented on this blog, with regrets about their antecedents. But never so in the case of SJ. A film may not be doing well on the box office, but if the music is by SJ, the songs never became obscure, and rather that the film is remembered very well, if for no other reason, then for its songs. And there are a multitude of such examples that can be presented.
Starting their career in 1949, the golden year of Hindi film music, SJ completed 20 films by the end of 1955, just in 6 years. And the list of these films reads like a roll of honor that is an envy and a record to date – ‘Barsaat’ (1949), ‘Baadal’ (1951), ‘Aawaara’ (1951), ‘Kaali Ghata’ (1951), ‘Nagina’ (1951), ‘Daagh’ (1952), ‘Parbat’ (1952), ‘Poonam’ (1952), ‘Aah’ (1953), ‘Aas’ (1953), ‘Aurat’ (1953), ‘Boot Polish’ (1953), ‘Mayur Pankh’(1953), ‘Naya Ghar’ (1953), ‘Patita’ (1953), ‘Shikast’ (1953), ‘Baadshah’(1954), ‘Pooja’ (1954), ‘Seema’ (1955) and ‘Shri 420’ (1955). And I do not know where to stop. Immediately the next year i.e. 1956 sees the release of ‘Basant Bahaar’, ‘Chori Chori’, ‘Halaaku’ and ‘Nai Dilli’. Then in 1957 we have ‘Begunaah’ and ‘Kathputli’. In 1958, we have ‘Yahudi’. Then comes the year 1959 and we have another string of hit films in ‘Anaadi’, ‘Chhoti Bahen’, ‘Kanhaiyyaa’, ’Love Marriage’, ‘Sharaarat’ and ‘Ujaala’. Followed by 1960 which saw the release of ‘Dil Apna Aur Preet Paraai’, ‘Ek Phool Chaar Kaante’, ‘Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai’ and ‘Singapore’. A total of 43 films in the first eleven years, an enviable average at any rate, and more than that a remarkable string of hits without a break. That, you see, is the difference. Whereas with other music directors, one tends to list songs to talk about their accomplishments and records, with SJ one is forced to list simply the films, because listing the songs would become completely unmanageable. Stopping at 1960 does not really help, because films like ‘Junglee’, ‘Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai’ and ‘Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja’, ‘Sasuraal’, ‘Aashiq’, ‘Asli Naqli’, ‘Dil Tera Diwaana’, ‘Hariyali Aur Rasta’, ‘Professor’ and ‘Rungoli’ are straining their necks to be highlighted in the next two years, with hits like ‘Dil Ek Mandir’, ‘Hamraahi’, ‘Ek Dil Sau Afsaane’ clamoring for attention in 1963. I better stop this temptation to list all their films – every subsequent year simply calls for attention with a string of hit socres that one is not able to put them down.
Shankar Singh Raghuvanshi (born 15th October, 1922) and Jaikishan Panchal (born 4th November 1929), both had exposure to music and training in music, right from their childhood. If Shankar started playing the tabla at a local temple (in Hyderabad), then Jaikishan started playing the harmonium with a bhajan mandali (group of devotional singers) led by his uncle (in Valsaad). If the young Shankar was taken under his wings by Ustad Nasir Khan, then Jaikishan was taken in for his initial training by Premshankar Nayak of Pratap Silver Jubilee School of Music and Singing. In short order, both these aspiring youngsters came to Bombay. Shankar, besides being a music enthusiast, was also a body builder and wrestler. Every morning, he would go to a vyayaamshaala (gym) for exercise and wrestling practice. Here is chanced to meet with Dattaram, who was then employed with Prithvi theatres (founded by Prithvi Raj Kapoor). And then, in another chance encounter, Shankar met with Jaikishan, at the office a film producer, Chandravadan Bhatt. Destiny, they say, plays some very strange games. Both the aspirants had come to this producer’s office at the same time, they met each other and a friendship was forged between them, a friendship that was to become a phenomena in the film industry very soon. Together they met with Dattaram, and shortly both got assignments with the music team at Prithvi theatres, playing the tabla and the harmonium.
In the following months, they got associated with Husnlal Bhagatram, and worked with them as assistants. SJ acknowledge the amount of learning they had working under them. And at the same time, working at Prithvi theatres, they became friends with the very young Raj Kapoor. ‘Aag’ (1948) was already behind him, and he was planning his new venture which was to be the phenomena called ‘Barsaat’. I remember as a child, seeing Shankar being interviewed on Doordarshan. It was sometimes in the late seventies. Jaikishan was no more, and Shankar himself was still carrying on the SJ banner single handed. The interviewer asked Shankar the story behind their debut film, and this is what Shankar narrated. He said that they were aware that Raj Kapoor was planning his next film, and they were keen to get his time and his ear, trying to get some work in that film. Ram Ganguli was already established as the music director with Raj Kapoor, and with the
success of ‘Aag’ behind him, it did not seem likely or easy that SJ would get even a partial responsibility in the next film. They used to be after RK, trying to get his attention for even a few minutes, to play some of their tunes to him and talk to him. RK would always defer it with promise for a sitting with them, ‘sometimes later’. After many such requests, one day RK agreed to sit down with SJ and listen and talk. Shankar says that at this meeting, the duo played a song for RK, which they had composed. The song goes like this,
ambuwaa ka ped hai
sooni munder hai
aaj morey baalma
ab kaahe ki der hai
(under the shade of the mango tree
the place is lonely
o my dear, please come to me now
what reason is there to delay)
(I am sure the regulars would immediately recognize, where this sample song surfaced again. 😀 )
Shankar said that RK had a good laugh on hearing this song, and started to hum this instantly. SJ played some more tunes and songs they had composed. RK complimented them, and the meeting ended with encouraging remarks but without any promises. Soon, work started on the film ‘Barsaat’ and Ram Ganguli became busy with his rehearsals and preparations for recordings. But the fate intervened and an unpleasant episode happened one day. RK somehow got some information that the some part of the music that Ram Ganguli was preparing for ‘Barsaat’, was also being offered to another producer for another film. This information made RK very annoyed. He had a confrontation with Ram Ganguli, as a result of which, the latter lost his contract with RK. And RK immediately called in SJ, and gave over the assignment for music direction to the duo. Rest, as they say, is just history. The film ‘Barsaat’ literally resulted in a rain of music that was to continued pouring in the film industry for a better part of the subsequent three decades.
The list of films and list of songs is but an incomplete reference to the impact of the music of this talented duo on the industry and on the hearts of the listening public. Whereas the songs like “Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua Hai, Pyaar Se Phir Kyun Darta Hai Dil”, (‘Shri 420’, 1955), “Dum Bhar Jo Udhar Moonh Phere, O Chanda. . .” (‘Aawaara’, 1951) and “Aa Ja Sanam Madhur Chandni Mein Hum. . .” (‘Chori Chori’, 1956) set up an everlasting and a very endearing new benchmark for the young romantics, on the other hand the songs of Shammi Kapoor’s films captured the hearts and the imagination of an entire young generation looking for an expression of vitality and romance. The milestones that have been created by the music from this duo, have seen the heights of popularity with unparalleled consistency. Their experimentation with massive orchestral arrangements resulted in music that is thoroughly rich both in tonal quality as well as impressive in range. It was for the first time that song recordings were being done with scores of violins and harmoniums, sometimes even in hundreds. The combined effect of such arrangements is really very impressive and the resulting melodies bloom like
a garden laden with flowers in the spring.
The reign of magic of this duo was cruelly cut short by the unexpected and untimely demise of Jaikishan on 14 September 1971, just a few weeks short of his 42nd birthday. The passing away of Jaikishan was a blow that Shankar never really recovered from. In the name of SJ banner, he continued to compose music for another 15 years, but aside from some short lived hit songs that did not capture the everlasting characteristic of the earlier SJ creations there is not very much that can be selected as a major success. But one thing is certain. Going simply by the numbers, no other music director has been able to match the record of hit films that SJ have accomplished in their heydays from 1949 to 1971.
The song that I have selected for this post is exclusive and exceptional in some ways. For all the memories of the films of Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor, and the preponderance of Rafi Sb’s voice in SJ songs, there was one film in which SJ made an uncharacteristic choice of using the voice of CH Atma. Three solo songs have been recorded in CH Atma’s voice for the film ‘Nagina’ (1951), all of which have been filmed on the leading actor of this film, Nasir Khan (younger brother of Dilip Kumar). Two of these songs are already represented on this blog –“Dil Beqaraar Hai Mera. . .” and the hugely famous and iconic “Ro’un Main Saagar Ke Kinaare”. This third offering from this film in the voice of CH Atma, is an equally impressive and remarkable creation of melody and rendering.
The lyrics of this song a written by Shailendra, who shares the song writing responsibilities for this film with Hasrat Jaipuri, for the eight songs in this movie. The film was produced by Dalsukh Pancholi under the banner of Pancholi Productions and is directed by Ravindra Dave. The main cast of actors includes Nasir Khan, Nutan, Gope, Heeralal, Bipin Gupta, Shaamlal, Mohana, Goldstein etc. The film is a mystery thriller that is loosely inspired by the classical European novels of tragic storylines, ‘Man In The Iron Mask’ and ‘Prisoner of Zenda’. Of course, this Indian version has a happy ending. The film with two relatively new faces, Nutan and Nasir Khan, had a limited scale of success at the box office. But of course, the music of this film stands out amongst the best creations in that year.
A unique and a wonderful sound of melancholic expressions, the song is simply irresistible, just for the singing voice of CH Atma. Not other voice could have done any justice to the pulse and notes of this melody. A peerless creation. Enjoy.
Audio
Video
Song-Ek sitaara hai aakaash mein (Nagina)(1951) Singer-C H Atma, Lyrics-Shailendra, MD-Shankar Jaikishan
Lyrics
ek sitaara
hai akaash mein
ek sitaara
hai akaash mein
ek sitaara
hai akaash mein
ek sitaara
ek sitaara
ek sitaara
hai akaash mein
ek sitaara
ek sitaara
ro ke kuchh din
aaj akela
ek wo hi path haara
ek sitaara
dhundlaa sa ik deep jalaaye
dhundlaa sa ik deep jalaaye
cheer andheraa badhtaa jaaye
badey jatan se dil mein chhupaaye
aag ka ik angaara
aag ka ik angaara
ek sitaara
raat jo dekhe uska gham to
os ke aansoo roye
raat jo dekhe uska gham to
os ke aansoo roye
duniya apne
meethe sapne
galey lagaa kar soye
duniya apne
meethe sapne
galey lagaa kar soye
jagey wo hi bechaara
jaley wo hi bechaara
ek sitaara
ek sitaara
ek sitaara
hai akaash mein
ek sitaara
ek sitaara
—————————————-
Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
—————————————-
एक सितारा
है आकाश में
एक सितारा
है आकाश में
एक सितारा
है आकाश में
एक सितारा
एक सितारा
एक सितारा
है आकाश में
एक सितारा
एक सितारा
रो के कुछ दिन
आज अकेला
एक वोही पथ हारा
एक सितारा
धुंधला सा इक दीप जलाए
धुंधला सा इक दीप जलाए
चीर अंधेरा बढ़ता जाये
बड़े जतन से दिल में छुपाए
आग का इक अंगारा
आग का इक अंगारा
एक सितारा
रात जो देखे उसका ग़म तो
ओस के आँसू रोये
रात जो देखे उसका ग़म तो
ओस के आँसू रोये
दुनिया अपने
मीठे सपने
गले लगा कर सोये
दुनिया अपने
मीठे सपने
गले लगा कर सोये
जगे वोही बेचारा
जले वोही बेचारा
एक सितारा
एक सितारा
एक सितारा
है आकाश में
एक सितारा
एक सितारा
10 Responses to "Ek sitaara hai aakaash mein"
March 18, 2013 at 6:56 am
Congratulations for 77th century song of the blog.
S-J duo deserve the tag of the highest number of songs discussed in the blog.
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March 18, 2013 at 10:09 am
Congratulations Atul ji on 77th Century song !!! Congratulations to all our readers, well wishers and contributors of this blog on this 7700th song !!!
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March 18, 2013 at 10:09 am
So we have gotten to the magic figure of 7700. So on to 7777, 8700, 8777……Congrats are merited.
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March 18, 2013 at 10:14 am
From the above account Dattaram seem to be senior to SJ; how come he remained assistant to Sj till he charted out as an independent MD.
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6 | Bharat Upadhyay
March 18, 2013 at 10:24 am
Thanks Sudhir for the write-up on SJ. Jaikishan was from my home town Vansda, a princely state near Valsaad. We have his statue and the music school named after him, where he learned music from teacher Premabhai Nayak.. The Bhajan mandali mentioned was in Vansda (not Valsaad) and the surname of Jaikishan was Panchal (not Pancholi). (These mis-representations I have often read in other reports too). He was nick-named ‘Batia’ in our town, and we are proud of him as ‘our Batia’ in film Industry. He was helpful to get me an apprenticeship in Famous Cine Lab, when I Passed my Sound Engineering.
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March 18, 2013 at 10:36 am
Bharat ji,
Thanks for your message, we are glad to hear from you. The corrections you point out, have also been communicated to me in email by another knowledgeable reader and I am preparing the corrections to be updated into the write up.
Rgds
Sudhir
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March 18, 2013 at 10:44 am
Jaikishan, born in 1932, must have been mere 17 year old when composing the songs of ‘Barsaat'(1949). No wonder Raj Kapoor didnt want to consider them seriously.
Congrats to all for 77th century.
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March 18, 2013 at 11:26 am
nahmji,
I keep checking the year of birth of Jaikishan, every now and then, just to confirm that he was so young while “Barsaat” was being made into an iconic musical blockbuster. He was born in 1929 and not 1932, so was probably 19 or 20 years old.
Atulji,
Congrats on yet another feet.
I do not have any right to say this, but I would have loved to have this century dedication to composer Ghulam Mohammed whose death anniversary was yesterday 17th March. He was no less than a genius, but was never recognised or given his due during his lifetime and will probably remain an unsung hero. Request you to dedicate a couple of songs in memory of this maestro.
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March 20, 2013 at 10:10 pm
I m sorry I could not read above article bcoz itis too long will read in few days …but what I had heard from a well known MUSIC DIRECTOR who is no more with us at present,that voice of nassirkhan was very much similar to C.H.Atma,thats why S.J.chose his voice.He expressed his own opinion too that C.H ‘S any filmi song seems like non filmi song.Though I dont agree ,NAGINA had hit songs and all time great composition,Nobody can denie that in hindi film songs only one film has combination of GREAT S.J-and owner of his own style C.H.ATMA.
For this reason they can be rememberd by lakhs of fans till decades and decades.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
March 17, 2013 at 11:52 pm
Atul ji
Congratulations on 7700th song.
Prakash
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