Shyam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
Posted on: August 22, 2013
This article is written by Raja, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
Today, the 22nd of August, is the death anniversary of yesteryear actress, Vimi.
Through this post, I’d like to remember her today.
At the outset, I must honestly admit that I was not a big fan of Vimi’s acting.
And yet, I felt like writing this post. If only because I feel it is only fair that every artiste in the industry should be remembered for his/her contribution, whatever it was.
Especially on an occasion like a birthday or a death anniversary. That is the one day when a person tends to be remembered more than on other days.
Coming to Vimi, I do not know when exactly she was born. But apparently she was still only in her late 30s when she died in 1977. I remember reading the news story then, although I don’t remember the details.
There are rather sordid stories to be found on the net about Vimi’s life. Especially after her Humraaz (1967) success. Apparently her life began going downhill, she got heavily into drinking, her marriage with her husband, Shiv Agarwal, was on the rocks. Her career never really took off after Humraaz anyway – and though she acted in a few films like Patanga and Vachan (opposite Shashi Kapoor in both these films) – there was no way she was going to be able to hold her career, what with all the personal problems in her life.
Not to mention that her acting itself didn’t exactly invite attention of the desirable kind. Initially I thought I was the only person who wasn’t one bit impressed by her acting. And then I discovered that I was in rather good company. Most of the persons I’ve ever discussed Vimi with in a conversation, seem to have this same opinion about her. The adjective thrown around most is “wooden”.
So a combination of personal problems and a not particularly impressive skillset resulted in Vimi’s career being short and rather unimpressive, despite the superhit Humraaz.
She was supposedly extremely beautiful – and this is probably what got her into the industry. Apparently, Ravi, music composer, invited her and her husband from Calcutta to Bombay and got her introduced to B.R. Chopra. And that’s how she got that Humraaz role.
Such a superhit film. A dream start for an actress in her career. One can only imagine what could have happened with a little more talent and a less wasted lifestyle. It was not to be.
The stories about her last years only get more sordid and depressing. Apparently she died of cirrhosis of the liver – not uncommon for those with serious drinking problems.
Anyway, today, let us remember Vimi for the few roles she did do.
I remember seeing her in five films – Hamraaz, Aabroo, Patanga, Kahin Aar Kahin Paar and Vachan.
Of these, obviously Hamraaz is the biggie. I loved the movie, despite Vimi’s acting.
When I saw Aabroo, I thought it had good potential in the storyline. The songs were lovely too. But the acting!!! Vimi and her fellow-wooden-actor Deepak Kumar completely ruined it.
I don’t remember much of Patanga or Vachan, to be honest. I saw them many years ago – maybe I need to re-watch them sometime.
I watched Kahin Aar Kahin Paar not so long ago. It was a very average film – the highlight for me was Nadira. Even Vimi’s woodenness didn’t actually matter much because no other actress could have anyway saved a typically silly script. I think there was the odd catchy song in the film – I need to check it out.
Today’s song is from Patanga.
As I’ve said earlier, I don’t remember the storyline of this film, so I will not be able to give any context to this song. But I’ve picked it because it is a solo female song (sung by Lata Mangeshkar) and picturised on Vimi. I am not aware of many songs that are solos picturised on Vimi. Maybe other readers can help out?
Meanwhile, let’s listen to this song. It’s written by Hasrat Jaipuri and composed by Shankar Jaikishen. To be honest, I find Lata’s voice somewhat squeaky here – but then this post is not about Lata, it’s about Vimi.
Whatever your life may have been here on earth, Vimi, I hope you are resting in peace wherever you are now.
Video – Part I
Audio – Part II (full)
Video – Part II
Song-Shyam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam (Patanga)(1971) Singer-Lata, Lyrics-Hasrat Jaipuri, MD-Shankar Jaikishan
Lyrics
——————————–
Part I
——————————–
Shyam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
aur na meraa dooja dhaam
Shyam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
aur na meraa dooja dhaam
Man mohan ki preet mein khoyi
ratiya beeti ee ee
main nahin soyi
Man mohan ki preet mein khoyi
ratiya beeti ee
main nahin soyi
ratiya beeti
main nahin soyi
meri aaraadhana uska naam
aur na meraa dooja dhaam
Shyam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
aur na meraa dooja dhaam
ek nazar ki main hoon pyaasi
janam janam ki ee ee
main hoon daasi
ek nazar ki main hoon pyaasi
janam janam ki main hoon daasi
janam janam ki main hoon daasi
ankhiyaan karti hain parnaam
aur na meraa dooja dhaam
Shyam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
aur na meraa dooja dhaam
—————————————–
Part II
—————————————–
prem bina bhakti naahin
kyun mandir maa jaaye
man ka thaakur pooj le ae ae ae
jo maange ae so paaye
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa
shyaam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
aur na mera dooja dhaam
shyaam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
aur na mera dooja dhaam
shyaam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
aur na mera dooja dhaam
manmohan ki preet mein khoyi
ratiyaan beetee ee ee ee
main nahin soyi ee
manmohan ki preet mein khoyi
ratiyaan beetee
main nahin soyi
ratiyaan beetee
main nahin soyi
meri aaraadhana uska naam
aur na mera dooja dhaam
shyaam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
aur na mera dooja dhaam
ek nazar ki main hoon pyaasi
janam janam ki ee ee
mai hu daasi
ek nazar ki main hoon pyaasi
janam janam ki ee
main hoon daasi
janam janam ki main hoon daasi
ankhiyaan karti hain parnaam
aur na mera dooja dhaam
shyaam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
aur na mera dooja dhaam
uski gali ko chhod doon kaise
preet ka naata aa aa
tod doon kaise
uski gali ko chhod doon kaise
preet ka naata
tod doon kaise
preet ka naata tod doon kaise
uski gali hai mera gaanv
aur na mera dooja dhaam
shyaam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam
aur na mera dooja dhaam
——————————–
12 Responses to "Shyam ke rang mein rang gayi shaam"
August 22, 2013 at 7:05 pm
Our Tributes to Vimmi!
i only watched Hamraaz many times and for many reasons other tha Vimmi. but liked her in this film.
Thanks Raja ji for this lovely post …!!!
LikeLike
August 22, 2013 at 7:52 pm
Raja,
Lovely post. Actually I got interested in Vimi a lot some time back. I managed to collect quite a few Vimi songs on youtube and even watched Aabroo and Patanga. I need to watch Kahin Aar Kahin Paar and Vachan. I have seen Vachan, but remember very little of it. These movies have lovely songs.
Vimi did have a sad end.
She used to work on radio a lot. If you try to notice, she has a very good diction, despite her expressionless face. I suppose the radio is the reason for that. She always looked ‘heroine-like’. She dressed nattily, I have never seen her in a bad outfit in any movie.
She was also the young female lead of the Punjabi blockbuster “Nanak Naam Jahaz hai”. Being a sikh (I think – or a punjaban at least) she carried off her Punjabi speaking very well. I have to re-watch that movie as well. It was a very good film. A little like the ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ of Punjab.
There have been many other non-actresses in our film world. Say.. Katrina Kaif and even Zeenat Aman. Despite not being talented they had a good run (Kat is still running). I suppose some circumstances prevented Vimi from getting ahead.
Thank you for remembering Vimi.
It is easy to pay tributes to big achievers, but the world is full of people who were not really the top bracket, yet they contributed something to art as well. We need to remember them also.
LikeLike
August 22, 2013 at 8:50 pm
Zeenat Aman might not be in the leagues of a Hema Malini or a Shabana Azmi, but she should NEVER be mentioned together in a sentence with Vimi – an expressionless beauty who gave up on parents, husband and kids so she can die poor as an alcoholic prostitute.
Period.
————————————————-
Vimi was a headstrong Punjabi girl who first rebelled against her parents when she married Shiv Agarwal, a Marwari industrialist’s son. But a second shock was in store for her in-laws. Though married and a mother, Vimi was so beautiful that she attracted attention despite keeping to herself at a party in Calcutta. Music director Ravi took
the initiative, invited Vimi and Shiv to Bombay and threw a party to introduce her to B. R. Chopra. And so, she became the heroine of ‘Humraaz’.
Against the wishes of her in-laws, but supported by husband Shiv Agarwal, she entered films. The Agarwals disowned the couple. As Sunil Dutt sang to her (Na Sar Jhuka Ke Jeeo, Na Munh Chhupako Jeeo) the enchanting image of Vimi won the viewers’ hearts. The film was a hit but Vimi seemed to be more interested in what she was wearing and her make-up rather than in the character.
Producers slowly heard how she had to give take after take before giving a passable shot. Husband Shiv too was found to be ‘interfering’. Vimi did a few more films (‘Vachan’,’Patanga’, ‘Aabroo’) but the money was peanuts for the couple who was used to an expensive lifestyle. Finances from their family had long back dried up. The couple split.
The husband returned to his family and Vimi started living with Jolly, a dubious film maker. The wooden but beautiful actress was no use to the producers, and she found solace in alcohol – cheap alcohol which ultimately killed her. She had even taken to prostitution to make money to quench her ‘thirst’.
When she died, there was not enough money to even cremate her. She was taken on a ‘thela’ by Jolly and a couple of other well-wishers to the Santacruz crematorium. But she is still remembered for her fragile, out-of- the- world beauty.
LikeLike
August 22, 2013 at 9:49 pm
Starting alaapan lyrics & 3rd stanza(Which is there in the audio link and 2nd Bhajan like picturisation)
prem binaa bhakthi naahin
kyon mandir naa jaaye
man ka thakur pooj le…….eee..ee
jo maange ….. so paaye
aaaa……aaaaaa…….aaaaa…aaa…aaaaa
usski gali ko chhod doon kaise
preet ka naathaa……..aa…aaa…aaa
thod doon kaise
usski gali ko chod doon kaise
preet ka naathaa thod doon kaise
preet ka naathaa thod doon kaise
usski gali hai mera dhaam/gaanv
aur na mera doojaa dhaam
shaam ke rang mein rang gayee shaam
aur na mera doojaa dhaam
3rd stanza which is there in audio link with 1st and 2nd stanza:
(On screen Bhajan version contains first aalaapan lines and 1st and 3rd stanza)
Audio link which contains full song with starting alaapan and 1st,2nd,3rd stanza
LikeLike
August 23, 2013 at 12:04 am
Thanks for additional lyrics.
Actually it seems this version – Prem Bina Bhakti Nahi is considered as a separate song:
http://myswar.com/album/patangaa-1971
LikeLike
August 22, 2013 at 9:50 pm
contd.
Other details of the movie
Production House:K.R.Films Private Limited
Producers:Kedar Kapoor, R.S.Sharma
Director:Kedar Kapoor
Starcast:Shashi Kapoor, Vimmi, Rajendra Nath, Ajit, Sajjan,Praveen Paul,Wasti,Ashok Kapoor,
Laxmi Chhaya, Zeb Rehman, Ram Mohan,Jagdish Raj,Geeta, Leela Misra,Amina Bai, Ram Avtar,
Shekhar Purohit,Prem,Jayshree.T.,Moolchand,Raj Kumar, Haroon,Ravinder Kumar,
LikeLike
August 23, 2013 at 1:09 pm
Another Priya Rajvansh. Stories run parallely . Was Vimi also murdered.
LikeLike
September 6, 2014 at 9:52 am
No Vimi died of Cirrhosis of the liver. Priya Rajvansh had a relatively sheltered life. She lived with Chetan Anand. Vimi really went to the dogs. Poor thing. I cannot find it in my heart to blame her.
LikeLike
August 22, 2013 at 6:47 pm
Another picturised version for Bhajan like situation:
LikeLike