Aa gaye aa gaye aa gaye
Posted on: July 7, 2013
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
Remembering Sardul Kwatra on the anniversary of his passing away (6th July, 2005).
Sardul Kwatra – An impressive and talented composer who failed to impress, in a film world where the sheer number of artists in the 1950s and 60s made it impossible for each one to make a mark. However, in their own limited ways, such artists have left behind musical memories that are no less remarkable. And the wonder is the treasure that is hiding in the obscure, unheard songs that simply did not come to the attention of the listening public for many a reason.
Sardul Kwatra – A career that lasted over three decades, he has 22 films on the Hindi screen to his credit as a music director, and about the same number in Punjabi films. Sardul was born in 1928 in Lahore, into a Sikh family. His interest in music got awakened in childhood itself. He would frequent the Gurdwaras with his parents, and the sound of the Raagis (traditional shabad singers in Gurudwaras) singing the shabads (bhajans) from Shri Guru Granth Saahib (the holy book of the Sikhs), to the chaste ragaas of Hindustani classical music, fascinated him very much. His interest grew and he formally undertook training in classical music at the feet of Sardar Avtar Singh, in Lahore. When the calamity of partition befell this nation, the Kwatra family first moved to Amritsar, and then came to Bombay.
Sardul worked with Pt. Amarnath for some time and soon became an assistant to the renowned music director Hansraj Behl. His brother, Harcharan Singh Kwatra, was struggling to become a film producer. He had started this work, while still in Lahore, but the displacement due to partition meant he had to start all over again. In Bombay, the family setup a production company by the name of Kwatra Art Prodcutions. The first film to be produced under this banner was ‘Posti’ in Punjabi, a project that was conceptualized in Lahore. The entire cast and crew of this film consisted of people from across the border, displaced because of the partition. Majnu was the hero. The search for the heroine led to Shyama getting her first break in a senior role. A tall and athletic young actress all of seventeen years of age, who had been a child artist in films for many years, and in 1948-49 was just transitioning into roles as a leading lady. ‘Posti’ was released in 1949 and did good business in north India.
In 1952, the family produced another Punjabi film ‘Kaudey Shah’, which became a bigger hit, and is now considered to be one of the classics of Punjabi cinema. The same year, the team ventured into Hindi cinema, and produced ‘Goonj’, starring Suraiyaa and Suresh in lead roles. The film did notable business, and its music caught the attention of the public. This film and its score kind of launched Sardul Kwatra into the mainstream Hindi cinema. He was already active with creating music for Hindi films since 1949, but it was with ‘Goonj’ (1952) that he tasted the first commercial success. The film has some very remarkable gems like “Aa Gaye, Aa Gaye, Aa Gaye Jinko Dekh Dekh Sahrmaaun” by Suraiyaa (this post), the famous Talat –Asha duet “Pyaar Bhi Aata Hai Kabhi Gussa Bhi”, and the solo by Rafi Sb “Dil Leke Na Jaana, O Mera Dil Leke Na Jaana”.
Sardul continued to make good music with films like ‘Pilpili Saaheb’ (1954),‘Son Of Alibaba’ (1955) and ‘Chaar Minaar’ (1956). Then in 1957 came another big success in the form of ‘Mirza Sahibaan’ produced by Sardul Kwatra himself, in which the lead pair are Shammi Kapoor and Shyama. This film contains gems like the Rafi Shamshad duet “Subah Utth Ke Mirza Yaar Ne Le Liya Saahiban Ka Naam”, the Rafi solo “Chhod Kar Teri Duniya Hum Jaa Rahe Hain”, the Asha solo “Aaj Tukde Huye Dil Ke, O Ro Le Chanda Mere Saath”,and the remarkable Lata solo “Tabiyat Theek Thi Aur Dil Bhi Beqaraar Na Thaa”.
In all respects, ‘Mirza Sahibaan’ should have meant greater things to come for Sardul Kwatra. But that was not to be. Beyond the success of ‘Mirza Sahibaan’, his career slowly declined with a string of indifferent B and C class films, none of which made any commercial splash in the market. The music, however good it may be, was consigned to obscurity and near oblivion. The decade of 60s saw him compose for another dozen films. Around early 70s, he moved from Bombay to Chandigarh and set up the Chandigarh Film Institute. In 1978, he moved to USA, where he stayed till his passing away in 2005.
A much discussed aspect of his personality has been his romanticism. He was known as a ladies’ man. In his own words, he has been able to compose his best music under the influence of romanticism and silent love. While he was a teenager in Lahore, he was smitten with the love of a young Muslim girl. That was the time, he himself admits, that he started composing music, with a desire to serenade his beloved. The partition broke up this infatuation. Coming to Bombay, he met his muse, this time in the persona of Shyama. Just talking to her and seeing her made him create music to which he would like to see her dance. When ‘Goonj’ (1952) was being planned, he had a similar fascination for Suraiya. For him, Suraiya was such a celebrity that out of reverence he would start sweating when he was present near her. Suraiya was fond of the finest perfumes, and Sardul Sb aspired to compose tunes that could match the fragrances radiating from her. This is how, according to Sardul’s own admission, he composed the memorable tunes of film “Goonj”. All such fascinations were distant admirations for him, but of course it created trouble in his own family life.
There was another controversy in his life, that many say was one of the reason for him to leave Bombay. He and Rafi Sb were very good friends, to the extent that Rafi Sb had rented space in his bungalow, to Sardul Kwatra. Somehow the familial interactions did not work out, and one day there was an argumentative episode that resulted in police being called to sort out the matters. The things eventually got sorted out, but going by the industry reputation of Rafi Sb, no one doubted who was at fault.
His mistake in life was to leave Bombay and further, to leave India. He wanted to continue to make music for films, but it was not possible to do that remotely for the Indian industry, and it was not feasible to do that for the American industry, so unfamiliar and so different. The life of a romantic creator of music eventually ended in a distant land, and in a state of emotional and financial frustrations.
The song that I present today is from the film ‘Goonj’ from 1952. The film is the home production of Kwatra Art Productions, produced by Haracharan Singh Kwatra and directed by Phani Mazumdar. The music is of course by Sardul Sb. The lyrics writing responsibility of the eleven songs of this film is shared between DN Madhok, Verma Malik and Prakash Bakshi. This particular song is from the pen of DN Madhok. The singing voice is that of Suraiyaa. The star cast of this film includes Suraiya, Suresh, Sapru, Majnoo, Ramesh Thakur, Madan Puri, Randhir, Urvashi, Praveen, Rajni, Uma Devi, Moti Sood, Jugal, Gadadhar Sharma, Darpan, Ravikant, Bhag Singh Joshi, Sohan, Bhagwan etc.
The song is a very playful melody. A lovely song that tells the tale of a young lady’s heart, whose peace and quiet has been robbed by that someone special, who has stepped into her life. The rendering by Suraiyaa is so very sweet and pleasing. There is an intermixed chorus portion that plays simultaneously with some lines of the main song, giving an effect of depth and openness. A very wonderful Suraiyaa gem that you will like to listen to again. Enjoy.
Song-Aa gaye aa gaye aa gaye (Goonj)(1952) Singer-Suraiyya, Lyrics-D N Madhok, MD-Sardul Kwatra
Chorus
Lyrics
ye lehraate bal khaate raaste
ye lehraate bal khaate raaste
aa gaye aa gaye
aa gaye
aa gaye aa gaye
aa gaye
jinko dekh dekh sharmaaun
aur na dekhoon to ghabraaun
wo jo mere khayaalon pe chhaa gaye
aa gaye
wo jo mere khayaalon pe chhaa gaye
aa gaye
aa gaye aa gaye
(ye lehraate bal khaate raaste)
aa gaye
(ye lehraate bal khaate raaste)
aa gaye aa gaye
aa gaye
(ye lehraate bal khaate raaste)
aa gaye aa gaye
aa gaye
tan ke goray
mann ke kaale kaale
tan ke goray
mann ke kaale kaale
jinko main kahoon chor
dil kahe bhole bhaale
jinko main kahoon chor
dil kahe bhole bhaale
wo jo thandi aag lagaa gaye
aa gaye
wo jo thandi aag lagaa gaye
aa gaye
aa gaye aa gaye
(ye lehraate bal khaate raaste)
aa gaye
(ye lehraate bal khaate raaste)
aa gaye aa gaye
aa gaye
(ye lehraate bal khaate raaste)
aa gaye aa gaye
aa gaye
nainaa unke dhoondh rahe hain humko
nainaa unke dhoondh rahe hain humko
par hum to dukh denge badaa
aise balam ko
par hum to dukh denge badaa
aise balam ko
wo jo dil ka chain churaa gaye
aa gaye
wo jo dil ka chain churaa gaye
aa gaye
aa gaye aa gaye
(ye lehraate bal khaate raaste)
aa gaye
(ye lehraate bal khaate raaste)
aa gaye aa gaye
aa gaye
(ye lehraate bal khaate raaste)
aa gaye aa gaye
aa gaye
ye lehraate bal khaate raaste
ye lehraate bal khaate raaste
———————————————
Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
———————————————
ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते
ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते
आ गए आ गए
आ गए
आ गए आ गए
आ गए
जिनको देख देख शरमाऊँ
और ना देखूँ तो घबराऊँ
वो जो मेरे ख़यालों पे छा गए
आ गए
वो जो मेरे ख़यालों पे छा गए
आ गए
आ गए आ गए
(ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते)
आ गए
(ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते)
आ गए आ गए
आ गए
(ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते)
आ गए आ गए
आ गए
तन के गोरे
मन के काले काले
तन के गोरे
मन के काले काले
जिनको मैं कहूँ चोर
दिल कहे भोले भाले
जिनको मैं कहूँ चोर
दिल कहे भोले भाले
वो जो ठंडी आग लगा गए
आ गए
वो जो ठंडी आग लगा गए
आ गए
आ गए आ गए
(ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते)
आ गए
(ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते)
आ गए आ गए
आ गए
(ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते)
आ गए आ गए
आ गए
नैना उनके ढूंढ रहे हैं हमको
नैना उनके ढूंढ रहे हैं हमको
पर हम तो दुख देंगे बड़ा
ऐसे बलम को
पर हम तो दुख देंगे बड़ा
ऐसे बलम को
वो जो दिल का चैन चुरा गए
आ गए
वो जो दिल का चैन चुरा गए
आ गए
आ गए आ गए
(ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते)
आ गए
(ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते)
आ गए आ गए
आ गए
(ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते)
आ गए आ गए
आ गए
ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते
ये लहराते बलखाते रास्ते
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
July 17, 2013 at 2:59 pm
Nice write up & beautiful song Sudhir ji!
LikeLike