Jamuna beech kheloon khel akeli kyaa
Posted on: September 12, 2013
This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
Today we start a New Series, titled- ” The Flavour of the 30s”.
The first song in this series is from film BRAMHACHARI-1938. This song is sung by Meenakshi Shirodkar, under the baton of composer Dada Chandekar.
In this series, only songs from the 1930s will be discussed. The songs, singers, Lyricists, composers, actors, directors and the film are planned to be discussed in this venture.
The 1930s saw the emergence of the Talkie in its beginning only with Aalam Ara-1931. Things were new and in a constant state of flux, and lots of experiments and innovations being tried out throughout the decade. The two major centres of Hindi film production, Calcutta and Bombay began to attract aspirants from all over who thronged to these places to try their luck in this new form of entertainment.
Although the era of Silent Films had plenty of Anglo-Indian Heroines and uneducated but handsome Heroes, the Talkie required knowledge of Hindi/Urdu, a flair for singing and and good looks with acting ability. This gave opportunity for educated Indian men and women in the film industry.
While Calcutta made Bilingual films in Hindi and Bangla, Bombay was replete with films in Hindi/Marathi and occasional Hindi/Gujarati films.
Doors were opened to learned Dramatists, writers, poets, classical singers and stage actors. Bombay films initially had a Parsi/Gujrati theatre influence, but soon the powerful Marathi Theatre took over. Many production houses like Kolhapur Cinetone, Huns pictures, Prabhat films, Saraswati cinetone, Sagar movietone, Ranjit Studios, Paramount, Sharada, Bombay Talkies, Imperial, Bharat, Vishnu etc made films in Hindi/Marathi using mythological themes.
It was Navyug/Atre films, Huns pictures of Vinayak, Prabhat of Shantaram, Bombay Talkies, Saraswati and Kolhapur cinetones etc which dared to handle different topics for their films. Social, cultural and comedy films soon became very popular. As such in the 30s and 40s, India was undergoing an upheaval of values coupled with reforms in social, political and cultural fields, and it all showed in the films of that period. Films made on social evils like, child marriage, Dowry, untouchability, alcoholism, prostitution, education and health problems were met with extraordinary reception from the public. Huns pictures of Vinayak handled these topics with comedy.
P.K.Atre (Acharya Pralhad Keshav Atre), a noted novelist, dramatist, poet, educationist, editor of newspaper etc, of Maharashtra in those days, joined hands with Director/producer master Vinayak and this duo made memorable films like Dharmaveer, Premveer, Bramhachaari, Brandi ki Bottle ,using satire of Atre and comedy of Vinayak. In Dharmaveer, they tackled problems of fake Religious Babas, In Premveer-love struck collegians, in bramhachaari-the pseudo Deshbhakts and foolish sadhus, babas and impractical celibacy rules. All such films were liked by the audience.
Bramhachari-38 was their second film, made in Marathi and Hindi. The film was a satire on a fanatic religious organisation and on two-timing politicians. P.K.Atre’s dialogues in Marathi and Pt. Indra’s dialogues in Hindi,coupled with superb acting and the hit music by Dada Chandekar made this film a resounding success in those days.
The main attraction in the film,however was entirely different.
The Debutant Heroine of Bramhacahari-Meenakshi Shirodkar had appeared in a SWIM-SUIT, for a swimming scene in this film. Such a scene was unthinkable in 1938. Expectedly, there was a repeat audience for the movie. The film was so successful that it ran for 25 weeks in Bombay and 53 weeks in Poona those days. There were angry articles in local papers and puritans even took out a Morcha in front of the studio and heroine’s home !!.
Meenakshi Shirodkar was born as Ratan, on 16-12-1912 in Hyderabad (Nizam state). She was trained in classical music and she started working on radio for dramas and singing by 1934,. She got married to Pandurang Yeshwant Shirodkar in 1936. With the permission of her husband, she accepted master Vinayak’s offer to work in Bramhachari-1938. After this film, she acted in Huns films’ Brandi ki Bottle and Mera Haq-39 and Ghar ki Rani-1940. Later she acted in Navyug’s Amrit and Sangam-41. That was followed by several movies like, Ramshastri, Maajhe Baal, Panna Dayi, Badi maa, Subhadra, Meri Amaanat, Aankh ki sharm etc etc.
With the roles of heroine drying up and her husband not allowing her to do secondary roles, she quit films in 1947 and devoted herself to Marathi Dramas for the next 25 years. Her husband died on 8-2-1986 and Meenakshi died on 2-6-1997 in Mumbai. She Left behind her a son and a daughter in law. Namrata and Shilpa Shirodkar are her grand Daughters.
There is popular Myth that actress Nanda is the daughter of Master Vinayak and Meenakshi Shirodkar. This is NOT TRUE at all. They never married each other. I reproduce here a part of Nanda’s interview to a film site- First Bollywood. This will clarify the fact that Nanda’s mother was SUSHEELA, Master Vinayak’s wife…
Nanda, a star of the ’60s and ’70s known for working with new heroes of her time relives the old memories.
Daughter of producer, director and actor, Master Vinayak (Vinayak Damodar Karnataki), Nanda was the third born in the family comprising of seven brothers and sisters. “Sometimes I used to wonder why, in a family as big as mine, I was the favourite child of my parents. My father and mother (Sushila) were, to me, like a god and a goddess. My father used to relate stories of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Capt. Laxmi, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru etc. My parents were instrumental in imparting high moral and cultural values in all of us. This is the time when the young girl dreamt of becoming another Capt. Laxmi.”
Following is the story of “Brahmchaari” (1938).
Bramhachari was the story of a simple young man Kanhaiyya( Master Vinayak-he was Audumbar in marathi version), who gets unduly sold on the foolish idea of a Lifelong celibacy( Aajanma Bramhacharya), espoused by a fake Acharya Chandiram(played by Damuanna Malvankar-Marathi’s leading comedy Hero. His daughter Bharati later married Hridaynath Mangeshkar)-who himself indulges in illicit relations and also by the speeches of a pseudo leader-Deshbhakta Jata shanker(played by Javdekar)-who himself indulges in hoarding, bribes and Black marketing.
One day Kishori(Meenakshi Shirodkar), the naughty young daughter of Forest officer(V.G.Jog) visits the Ashram, along with her father. Here Kanhaiya is doing all odd jobs for the Acharya,like sweeping washing etc. She falls in his love and tries to entice him with a seductive swim suit and a song in the swimming pool.
Over a period,with the help of Kishori, Kanhaiya realises his folly and exposes the fraud of Acharya Chandiram and politician jata shankar, who are arrested by the Police.
It was an extremely interesting film with comic plots, funny dialogues, slapstick comedy and excellent songs.
Now let us enjoy this iconic song from the olden times,which created a sensation in those times,all over India.
Song-Jamuna beech kheloon khel akeli kya (Brahmchaari)(1938) Singer-Meenakshi Shirodkar, Lyrics-Pt Indra Chandra, MD-Dada Chandekar
Lyrics
jamuna beech kheloon khel
akeli kyaa
saajna
jamuna beech kheloon khel
akeli kyaa
saajna aa aa
jamuna beech kheloon khel
akeli kyaa
saajna
saajna
saajna
saajna
jamuna beech kheloon khel
akeli kyaa
saajna
lehren hiloren khaatin
lehren hiloren khaatin
pal mein jawaani jaati
pal mein jawaani jaati
madmaati
dekho
kaise lutaati
dekho kaise
dekho kaise lutaati
yoon khade ho
munh nihaare
yoon khade ho
munh nihaare
prem ganga
prem ganga
preet hamaari
dulaare
dulaare
saawan ban ban ??
barasta ho
saajna
saawan ban ban ??
barasta ho
saajna
jamuna beech kheloon khel
akeli kyaa
saajna
akeli kyaa
kheloon khel
akeli kyaa
kheloon khel
akeli kyaa aa
saajna aa aa
jamuna beech kheloon khel
akeli kyaa aaa aaaa
aa aa aa
saajna
saajna
akeli kyaa
saajna
akeli kyaa
saajna aa aa
jamuna beech kheloon khel
akeli kyaa
saajnaa
11 Responses to "Jamuna beech kheloon khel akeli kyaa"
September 12, 2013 at 9:50 am
Damuanna was an excellent comedian akin to Om Prakash. Though a bit cockeyed he looked loveable and adorable; in fact it was part of his brand. My fav comedian like OP.
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September 12, 2013 at 9:54 am
Arunji
The Marathi version was also made in 1938. Was it made simultaneously to save cost.
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September 12, 2013 at 10:33 am
Nitin ji,
yes. those days,most of the Bi-lingual films,like Hindi/Gujarati,Hindi Bangali,Hindi/marathi or Hindi/Tamil etc were made at the same time. besides cost savings,it ensured exposure to a wider audience at a time.
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September 12, 2013 at 10:23 am
This series is going to be another milestone for this blog !!
Thank you very much Sir and all the best for this GREAT series !!
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September 12, 2013 at 11:01 am
Arunji,
1930s (and 40s too) is the most charming period for variety of female voices we had, which got dominated by one voice in the 50s and 60s. My compliments on your new series. Your writings are remarkable for the wealth of information which you don’t get anywhere.
This song was very familiar to me, thanks to you again. You had used it in your guest post on Hindi-Marathi version songs in my blog.
AK
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September 12, 2013 at 11:42 am
AK Ji,
Thanks for your encouraging and appreciative remarks.
In the forthcoming episodes you may find many more Gems of songs and information pieces.
This is my comfort zone and I like to write as much as possible on the era.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
September 12, 2013 at 7:12 am
Dear Arun,
Thank you very much for starting the song series of the 30s. I am sure this series would become an excellent source of information on the those associated with the songs under one roof especially when such information is rare to come across.
I recalled having seen the video clip of this song. But it turned out to be the Marathi version of the song. Here is that clip to give as to how this song was picturised.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va4SkK9VcJU
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September 12, 2013 at 10:36 am
kamath ji,
Thanks for posting this video,which i was thinking of uploading here.
I hope to make the series interesting for those who had no knowledge of any of these films and hope the seniors will re-live their fond memories.
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September 12, 2013 at 11:14 am
Arunji,
I am one of those “unknown of this era”. Your series will definitely be of big help for me. Looking forward for more interesting posts.
Thamk you.
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September 12, 2013 at 11:39 am
Khyati ji,
I assure you,I will do everything to make it a memorable series.
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