Aagre ko ghaaghro mangwa de raja dewariya
Posted on: June 12, 2013
This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
This is the 4th song in the series “Lata with uncommon singers “.
In today’s song Lata is singing with Ashalata Biswas.
Many people are under the impression that the name Ashalata was a combination of Asha and Lata, the singing sisters, and this name came into being after Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar became popular singers. It is not fully correct. There were at least two Ashalatas I know who were named so in the 1930s ! One was of course Ashalata Biswas and the other was a Stage, TV and film actress called Ashalata Babgaonkar.
It is true that whenever a person becomes famous people tend to give his name to their children. This is more common with Political or Historical figures like, Ashok, Shivaji, Indira, Jawahar, Subhash etc. Film Heroes’ names were also popular like, Dilip, Sanjeev, Rajesh, Meena or Geeta etc.
This trend was quite common till about 70s or 80s. After that the children’s names became very difficult like Anushka, Mrinmayee, Sushmita for Girls and Nilotpal, Swanand, Rohitashwa for Boys, for example. Gone are the days when names used to be very simple like, Arun, Atul, Sudhir, Ram, Vasant, Anand or Madhu, Sona, Mona, Nalini, Anjali, G eeta etc.
Anyway, let us not drift away from our topic. That was all,by the way !
Ashalata Biswas was the First wife of Anil Biswas, MD.
Born on 17-10-1917, in a Khoja Kachhi Muslim family in Bhuj,Gujrat, her real name was MEHRUNNISA BHAGAT. She was fond of acting, but the family declined to allow her do that. She however convinced her mother and joined films at a very young age. When her first film, Azadi was released in 1935, she was just 18 year old. her first hero was Vijay Kumar.
She was well versed with Hindi, English, Sindhi, Gujarati and Marathi. She was very beautiful and attractive. After Azadi came Sajiv murti and Sati Toral. She worked in 27 films. Her last film was Main abla Nahin-1949.
She owned Variet pictures and produced 5 films, Ladli, Lajawab, Badi Bahu, Humdard and Bajuband. She also produced two films for Sagar and Chitramahal companies.
Ashalata married Anil Biswas in 1936, but by 1949, there were problems in the family. In one of the interviews, Shikha Vohra (Their daughter),says that the cause of problems was singer Meena Kapoor and this caused a separation of Ashalata and Anil da in 1954. Ashalata retired from films and brought up 3 sons and a daughter-Shikha Vohra.
Ashalata was a close friend of Lata Mangeshkar and according to an article by Indraneel Mukherjee, who was close to Anilda in his last 6 years, one of the reasons why Anilda left Bombay for Delhi was that Lata was displeased with him, for having deserted Ashalata for Meena Kapoor.
Ashalata was very talented. She sang about 20 songs in films. She also acted in one Marathi and one Gujarati film.
Shikha Vohra, in an interview given to Hindi Yugm-Old is Gold,Saturday Special,describes how Ashalata brought up her children despite financial problems and her own emotional condition.
In most films produced by Ashalata, the Music Director used to be Anil Biswas, but after they separated, she called Mohd Shafi to compose music for Mehman-1954. She also gave a break to Ramanand Sagar as a Director in Mehman-54. D
uring her career she worked with top artistes like Prithviraj Kapoor, Chandramohan, Nandrekar, Nazir, Kumar, Master Vinayak, Pahadi Sanyal, E.Bilimoria,Jairaj, Majhar Khan etc.
In her last days, she cotracted Cancer and breathed her last in Tata Hospital on 26-5-1992.
( Sudhirji has given her short Biography on 6-4-2013, while discussing the song Tore naina raseele from Humdard-53 )
Film Ladli-49 was Directed by J.P.Advani-Jagatrai Perumal Advani-,who was born on 17-5-1903, in Hyderabad (Sindh). His first film as a Director was heer Ranjha-1931 and the last was Haseena-55.he directed about 30 films in his career.
LADLI-49 was a Variety Pictures film and the cast was Jairaj,Sulochana Chatterjee,Randhir,Ramesh Sinha,Kuldip kaur etc.
This film must have been inspired by a Mills and Boon romantic novel, surely.
Gerald Mills and Charles Boon, a publishing company established in 1908, started publishing romantic novels from 1930. These were Escapist fiction fodder for women and soon became famous all over the continent of America and in all countries where the British ruled. In India too they were/are popular and were the bases for many many films. Though low brow and formulaic as well as predictable, these novels have a guaranteed readership all over the world.( Even I have read few novels and liked them !). It proved to be the Food -Delicious for the dreamers among men and women.
One such dreamer was Ladli ( Sulochana Chatterjee ). Though she was Shanti by name, she was Ladli for everyone. Having lost her parents, she was living with her Uncle. They both worked in the local stageplays in theatre.Ladli always dreamed of her ” Prince Charming” who came on a white Horse and carried her in his arms to a faroff heaven.
One day the wicked manager of the Thatre calls Ladli to his room and tried to be fresh with her. Hearing her shrieks, her uncle Ramlal (Ramesh Sinha) rushes in and saves her but they lose their Job and House.
They have to leave the town and go to the village for work. In the city they meet a tramp, Sharat Chandra,who is seeking a job. they get along fine with each others.
Actually Sharat chandra (Jairaj) is a millionaire,out in disguise to collect material for his drama to be staged shortly. In due course Ladli realises that Sharat is her prince Charming and he too loves her.
After few days Sharat has to leave them, but he promises to come back to marry her. Sharat is already engaged to Shobha (Kuldeel Kaur) and is to marry her soon.
Of late Shobha doubts something and then finds out about Ladli. She meets Ladli and offers her lot of money to forget Sharat, otherwise…. she even threatens her.On the day of Shobha’s marriage with Sharat, a surprise occurs. Sharat finds Ladli, instead of Shobha as his Bride. Shobha sacrifices for the sake of true love.
Thus finally Ladli gets her Prince Charming !
Song-Aagre ko ghaaghro mangwa de raja dewariya (Laadli)(1949) Singers-Lata, Ashalata Biswas, Lyrics-Nazim Panipati, MD-Anil Biswas
Lyrics
Aagre ko ghaaghro
mangwa de raja dewariya
thaare painyaan padoon
Aagre ko ghaaghro
mangwa de raja dewariya
thaare painyaan padoon
Aagre ko ghaaghro
ghaaghro na laayo julmi
ghaaghro na laayo julmi
hook uthhe hai seene mein
ghaaghro na laayo
Ram kasam o bedardi
ab maza nahin hai jeene mein
ab maza nahin hai jeene mein
ghaaghro na laayo
patiyaa bhijwaade
bhijhwaade raja dewariya
thaare painyaan padoo
Aagre ko ghaaghro
ghaaghre ko nahin zamaano
hogayo ab riwaaz puraano
reshamwa ki saadi la doon
tohe fashiondaar bana doon
kyun
na na na na naa aaa
ghaghro mangwaa de
mangwaa de raja dewariya
thaare paiyan padoon
Aagre ko ghaghro
na maangoon main saadi tose
na maangoon main saadi tose
na maangoon main choli re
na maangoon main sadi
pahan ghaaghro to sang kheloon
nis din prem ki holi re
nis din prem ki holi
jhulna jhulwaade
jhulwaa de raja dewariya
thhare painyya padoon
Aagre ko ghaghro
mangwa raja dewariya
thaare paiyan padoon
Aagre ko ghaghro
3 Responses to "Aagre ko ghaaghro mangwa de raja dewariya"
October 26, 2013 at 5:31 pm
Excellent song and equally exhaustive information on the subject.
Arunji, I have been told by Shikha didi Vohra, that her mother’s date of birth is 17th September 1917 and not October.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
June 12, 2013 at 11:07 am
Arun ji
Superb, Anmol informations you are giving to us.Thanks from the bottom of my heart, I am enjoying This “Lata-with uncommon singers”
Very very much, though I have written comments regarding this series only for this song. All the songs you have introduced to us are rare gems. I owe these excellent songs to you Arun ji
Thanks again
Prakash
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