Le lo le lo le lo koi gajra le lo
Posted on: September 13, 2013
This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
The second song in “the flavour of the 30s” is from film DHARMAVEER-1937, sung by the beautiful Ratnaprabha under the music direction of Anna saheb Mainkar.
Film Dharmaveer was made by Huns Pictures and was directed by Master Vinayak. It had story,dialogues and screenplay were by the famous Marathi writer P.K.Atre(Acharya Pralhad Keshav Atre). This film was the beginning of an effective partnership in making comedy films by Huns Pictures.
Master Vinayak was born Vinayak Damodar Karnataki, on 19-1-1906 at Kolhapur, in a family of film makers. Despite the filmi atmosphere around him, Vinayak wanted to become only a Teacher and he kept on studying. The famous producer, Director and actor Baburao Pendharkar was his step brother,his own younger brother was a cinematographer and above all, V.Shantaram was his Mama’s son(cousin).
Still, Vinayak went to college. Unable to complete his degree, he became a Teacher in a Theosophical school-to which he subscribed in principle. Once a master, he remained a Master throughout his life. His cousin, Shantaram,one day, explained to him that Cinema is a bigger medium to reach and teach people. Through cinema he can fight with the bad customs of the society. He decided to try it and acted in Ayodhyecha Raja-1932. In the Hindi version he acted as Narada and also sang a song. While shooting, he used to okeenly observe the director and other technicians to find out how they worked.
Later he did some more roles though none of these roles were significant. His forte was Direction. He directed two films. ‘ Vilasi Ishwar or Nigah -e- Nafrat’-1935, in which the debutant Heroine was Shobhana Samarth. The film tackled the theme of orphans in the society. The film’s story was by the famous Marathi dramatist and writer, Mama Varerkar. The second film was Chhaya-36, which was based on another Marathi stalwart V.S.Khandekar’s published novel and it dealt with the tribulations of a man who is sentenced for the crimes which he has not committed.
(An important point to be noted here. Most of the films in the 30s and the 40s were based on existing stories, dramas or novels,so they not only had credibility but also a guaranteed acceptance by the audience. For this purpose noted writers were used. Alternatively, whenever possible,such personalities were invited to write the story, dialogues or screenplays. This was the trend in all language films like Hindi, Marathi or Bangla.
Writers like Premchand, Bhagwati charan Verma (who wrote the story and dialogues of Kismet-1943) etc for Hindi, V.S.Khandekar, Atre, Phadke, Madgulkar or H.N.Apte for Marathi and Bankim babu , Sharat babu etc for Bangla films were used for their creations.
This trend diminished after 50s and 60s and something called ” Story Department” was established in every production house, cooking up imaginary stories which were unbelievable and sometimes even unpalatable. This was also a major reason for lowering of the the quality of Cinemas.)
Now Vinayak joined hands with P.K.Atre to make satires and comedy films, starting with Dharmaveer-37(this theme was ‘borrowed’ by Atre from a drama by Ibsen). The theme was very appropriate with the changing times of the nation. Due to independence struggle and Gandhiji, there emerged a crop of selfish pseudo leaders in every place. This film was a satire on such leaders, with crisp dialogues which evoked laughter. This Bi-lingual was a roaring success, as it spoke the public’s mind. His two subsequent films, Premveer( a take on collegians) and the most famous iconic Bramhachary- all 3 in Hindi and Marathi.
While Vinayak was at Kolhapur, one day a slim, slender 13 year old girl came to his office. She touched his feet and sat on the mat. She was young Lata.
Lata said- My father has just died. I need a job.
Vinayak- But you are only 12-13 year old. What job can you do ?
Lata- I can act and sing.
Vinayak asked her to sing. Impressed with her singing he said- You sing well. You will have a bright future.
Lata- Sir, I am thinking of my Present,today.
Vinayak smiled and said- You are employed by me on a 60 Rs. pm salary. You will act and sing in our films.
After this, till he died, master Vinayak helped Lata to get established in Hindi films. She has never forgotten this help. Detailed story is given in one of my earlier article in this Blog.
Those were the World War II days and the Government had controlled the issuing of Raw Film only to those who produced films with social content. Master Vinayak and P K Atre made “Brandy ki Bottle”-1939,another bilingual film. it was based on the Ills of Alcoholism. In the Marathi version the main role of Bagaram was done by Damu Anna Malvankar,while in Hindi Master Vinayak did it with Meenakshi Shirodkar.
Vinayak was happily married with wife Susheela and he had 7 children, including actress Nanda and her brother Jayaprakash-husband of Jayashree T. In his career, Vinayak Directed about 24 films and acted in about 29 films(Hindi/Marathi).
Master Vinayak died on 19-8-1947, just 4 days after India got Independence !
The Music Director of Dharmaveer-37, Shankar Vinayak Mainkar, popularly known as Anna saheb Mainkar ( who actually looked like a learned Urdu shayar or a novelist ,with his beard and Faiz Cap, even in his younger days), was born in Sangli,Maharashtra in 1904. His father was an advocate. Annasaheb acquired expertise in classical music and did singing programmes in Bombay and Poona. He kept on learning music from Indore, Baroda, Mysore and Lucknow. He cut many records with HMV also.
Starting his film career with “Awara Shahzada’-1933 by Saraswati Cinetone from Poona (This was a film directed by Master Vithal-hero of Alam Ara- after he failed miserably as actor in Talkie films due to his faulty and weak Hindi pronunciation. This was also India’s First film with Double role. Shahu Modak acted roles of Rajkumar and Bholaram in this film.)
Mainkar gave musicin about 25 films till Ashirwad-1943.
Annasaheb was a composer who got Shahu Modak(Awara shahzada), Sarla Devi(Laylo Nihar-36) and Lalita Pawar (Duniya kya hai-38) to sing songs for the first time in their careers. He also composed songs for Kalyani, a singer from new Theatres (whose real name was Zarina Bano), Vanmala,Shanta Hublikar, Saraswati Rane, Vatsala Kumthekar and Madhav Kale, along with the usual singers like Khan Mastana and Batish.
This expert of Classical music and natya geet died only at the age of 41 years in 1945.
the cast of Dharmaveer was Baburao Pendharkar,Master Vinayak,Ratnaprabha,Javdekar,Indira Wadkar etc. The story was…
Deenanath(Pendharkar) is a rich person in the city and he is known as a great social worker and philanthropist. He always projects himself as a helper of the poor and the needy. Also as a very pious and religious person. Actually, in his real life, he is a crook, hypocrite,cruel and immoral person. He always pretends to drink ‘Gangajal’ from his kamandalu, which in reality contains foreign whisky, and NOT Gangajal. Not only this,he has also killed his first wife,by poison, to claim her Insurance money.. He swindles and uses simple women.
Jagdish (Vinayak) is an honest,simple youngster,who has failed in his matriculation exam 8 times. He works in a shop. He is in love with Kasturi(Rataprabha) who reciprocates his love. She sells flowers on the street.
Now Deenanath wants Kasturi for his pleasures and tries tricks with his henchman(Jawdekar). Jagdish and Kasturi, with the help of their friends expose Deenanath and he is arrested by the police.
The people are happy with Jagdish that he becomes their hero and they take a procession with him. Jagdish gives them a long speech and warns them NOT to make another Deenanath.
His feet are firmly on ground and he is happy with Kasturi.
Now let us enjoy this song from the beautiful Ratnaprabha ( not to be confused with Chandraprabha-real name manek,sister of sarawati Devi,or Snehprabha pradhan )
Song-Le lo leo lo le lo koi gajra le lo (Dharamveer)(1937) Singer-Ratnaprabha, MD- Anna Saheb Mainkar
Unknown male voice 1
Unknown male voice 2
unknown male voice 3
Lyrics
ae phoolwali
phoolwaali
zara yahaan aao
laao
le lo
le lo
le lo koi gajra le lo
le lo
le lo
le lo koi gajra le lo
rajaji ki maalan aayi
rajaji ki maalan aayi
laayi champa ki maala
haan
laayi champa ki maala
le lo
le lo koi gajra le lo
sethji
apni ?? ke liya gajra to le jaao
ae
ye mere kisi ??
meri aurat ke do bachchee school mein padhte hai
jo gali mein khelte hain
aur god mein sote hain
aur ??
?? nahin chaahiye
le lo
le lo
le lo
le lo
le lo
le lo
le lo koi gajra le lo
joohi mogra bela
gulaab ye albela
ye joban mastaani
dekho raat ki raani
in kaliyon mein daali
kin gaalon ki laali
le lo
le lo koi gajra le lo
kya maala chaahiye
kyaa karoonga
main to kunwaara hoon
phool churaaye khoob sawere
phool churaaye khoob sawere
bhanwre roothe hain mujhse
haan
bhanwre roothe hain mujhse
le lo
le lo koi gajra le lo
le lo
le lo
le lo
le lo koi gajra le lo
ye taaza haar chameli ka
ye taaza haar chameli ka
shringaar hai naar naweli ka
shringaar hai naar naweli ka
le lo
le lo koi gajra le lo
jo rooth gayi ho chandramukhi
jo rooth gayi ho chandramukhi
to le jaao ye suryamukhi
to le jaao ye suryamukhi
le lo
le lo koi gajra le lo
le lo le lo
le lo koi gajra le lo
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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