Boot karoon main paalish baabu
Posted on: January 31, 2014
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog. This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
Suron ki malika – Suraiya.
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There is no better epithet that so appropriately suits this princess of musical notes. A princess who has also been called the Cindrella of Hindi cinema. A possessor of remarkable beauty, a talent that oozes with the formal ‘adaayagi’ of the north Indian urdu ‘tehzeeb’, and a voice that casts a magic spell difficult to snap out of, Suraiya is the fulfillment of the feminine essence of the quintessential heroine of the silver screen. But despite being what she was, she was destined to remain a Cindrella, forever waiting for a companion, for her knight on a white horse. Thirty four is an age when most other artists are still on the rise in their careers, getting into their prime time. But for her, thirty four was the age when she retired from the industry, to spend the remaining four decades of her life in relative anonymity and reclusion.
Remembering Suraiya today, on the anniversary of her passing away. And also with this post, we now have 200 songs by this peerless singer, showcased on our blog.
Her admirers and devotees were legion. The waterfront stretch in front of her Marine Drive apartment has been a witness to many an incidents that her fans and suitors would create, craving and waiting for just a glimpse of her passing by. More than once, crowds of people would gather opposite to her apartment building, just content on singing her songs. It happened with “O Door Jaan Waale, Waada Na Bhool Jaana” (‘Pyaar Ki Jeet’, 1948), and with “Tera Khayaal Dil Se Bhulaaya Na Jaayega” (‘Dllagi’,1949). ‘Dillagi’ seems to have driven people crazy. So many could be seen on the Marine Drive, playing the flute, trying to catch the flavor of “Murli Waale Murli Bajaa, Sun Sun Murli Ko Naache Jiyaa”. There were times when the traffic situation would get out of hand and the police had to be called in.
But that was not all. There were suitors too. A gentleman arrived from Lahore, in full wedding regalia, with a complete ‘baraat’ in tow, hoping to get her consent for marriage. Once again, police had to be called in to clear the traffic, as well as to hammer some sense into the un-invited would be groom. Then there was Iftekhar, younger brother to actress Veena, who sat down on a hunger strike in front of her building, and had to be persuaded with great difficulty to desist from his pursuits. And there were many others who would spend long hours, even days and weeks, on the waterfront, just to catch a glimpse of her. Even Dharmendra, the he man of Hindi screen, admits that he had walked forty times from his village all the way to the city on foot, just to see the film ‘Dillagi’, and the leading lady who had captured his imagination.
The cutest such episode is about a gentleman named Vinod, who at one time, was the make-up man for Suraiya. While at work, and later when she would be on the sets in front of the camera, he would simply gaze at her with open admiration. Discomfited, Suariya mentioned this to the director and other members of the unit. They talked with Vinod. He revealed that he was from Lahore, and had seen her on the big screen. So smitten was he with her persona, that one day, he simply started walking on the railway track, and walked all the way from Lahore to Bombay. With some luck and some guile, he found work in the studios as a make-up man and made his way into the service of his persona d’ admiration.
That was the kind of effect Suraiya had on many people, and most of all, on her opposite numbers on the sets. The famous suitors include Rehman, Suresh and the director M Sadiq. A little known fact is that even Dilip Kumar was at one time an aspirant for her favors. The only one film that they were ever signed up together for, was K Asif’s ‘Jaanwar’ (1950s). It appears that Suraiya did not take it too kindly, the advances made by Dilip Kumar. She stormed off the sets and out of the film. The film could never be completed. They never worked together after this episode.
Her pairing with Dev Anand in no less than seven films within a short span of 1948 to 1951, brought together these two stars in a serious romantic alliance. Dev had proposed, and even put a ring on Suraiya’s finger. The stories of her grandmother’s resistance are well known, but what is less known is the role played by her uncle (her mother’s brother), Zahoor Raja in this entire episode. From later accounts it is revealed that Suraiya was literally the ‘Golden Sparrow’ of the family, and the control was in the hands of her uncle. Her parents and grandmother were influenced by his designs. The notion of an inter-religion alliance was a smoke screen, put up to cover the real objective – which was to continue having Suraiya as the source of income for the entire household.
Many mutual friends tried to convince the family for the alliance. These included SD Burman, Guru Dutt, Durga Khote and Chetan Anand, but they were not successful in swaying the family stand in favor of the alliance. In fact, at one such meeting, Suraiya’s grandmother took the ring given by Dev, and in the presence of Guru Dutt, threw it away, towards the sea. Destiny sometimes plays such truant games that it seems a cruel providence. Suraiya began losing health, started having low blood pressure, and there are known instances of her having fainted while on the sets.
The events outlined above are from the early years of 1950s. It is a wonder that with such personal tribulations, she continued to perform the way she did. 1954 was still a year of vintage Suraiya, with as many as five wonderful films to her credit, namely ‘Mirza Ghalib’, ‘Maashooqa’, ‘Bilwa Mangal’, ‘Shama Parwaana’ and ‘Waris’. Interesting to note that three of these films are opposite to male singing stars – Mukesh, CH Atma and Talat Mehmood. It was 1954 when Dev Anand got married to Kalpana Kartik, putting a final closure the chapter of any hope that Suraiya may have nurtured in her heart. The year 1955 is when we can see the beginning of the slowdown in her career, with dwindling assignments and lackluster performances. After 1954, the only high points for her as an artist are ‘Shama’ (1961) and ‘Rustom Sohrab’ (1963). And then, she is gone from the silver screen. The last of the singing leading ladies of Hindi cinema. There weren’t any more to follow. Simply, there wasn’t any one like her.
She passed away, this day, in 2004, all alone in the world. It Naushad Sb’s narration – she was lonely and depressed in her last years, and that she would literally cry at any mention of what happened in her life, and what could have been different. Per Naushad Sb, she pined for having a family and children, but alas, that was not to be. The finale in ‘Rustom Sohrab’ becomes her swansong, underscoring the chronicle of her life.
Ye Kaisi Ajab Daastan Ho Gayi Hai. . .
And after stating this summation, she never sang another song.
For this post, I present this song which is Suraiya’s first ever playback song, as per an interview with Naushad Sb himself. Her first film is ‘Tajmahal’ in 1941, but this film does not have any songs by her. The next assignment for her is ‘Station Master’ (1942), in which she has played the role of the younger sister to the leading lady, Ratnamala. There are three group songs in this film, in which she joins with other singers, but singing for herself. And then in 1942 itself, Naushad Sb had directed her to sing playback.
The first such song that is recorded is for ‘Nai Duniya’. AR Kardar was the producer director of this film. The film has a song that is performed on screen by a young boy, who polishes shoes for his living. Being the perfectionist he is known for, he demanded of Naushad Sb, that the song be recorded in the voice of a child singer. There were not male child singers to choose from, and Naushad Sb suggested Suraiya’s name, with whom he had already recorded songs for ‘Station Master’. A hesitant AR Kardar agreed to try this new voice, and of course, once the recording was done, he was quite satisfied. For the record, the songs that Suraiya recorded as playback for Mehtab for the film ‘Sharda’ (1942) came later than this song for ‘Nai Duniya’. This is as per Naushad Sb himself.
Two hundred songs and counting. We may not be very far from showcasing all her songs, since apparently, the total count of her songs, from 1941 to 1963, is less than 350. Ah but what an unmatchable treasure it is.
Song-Boot karoon main paalish babu (Nai Duniya)(1942) Singer-Suraiyya, Lyrics-Tanveer Naqvi, MD-Naushad
Lyrics
boot karoon main paalish babu
boot karoon main paalish
boot karoon main paalish babu
boot karoon main paalish
totey ka ye paalish mera
har joota chamkaaye
totey ka ye paalish mera
har joota chamkaaye
chhota mota fataa puraana
sabko naya banaaye
chhota mota fataa puraana
sabko naya banaaye
gar joote par chamak na aaye
gar joote par chamak na aaye
kar do mujh par naalish
naalish
boot karoon main paalish babu
boot karoon main paalish
boot karoon main paalish babu
boot karoon main paalish
is paalish ki chamak niraali
taaron ko sharmaaye
haan haan taaron ko sharmaaye
is paalish ki chamak niraali
taaron ko sharmaaye
haan haan taaron ko sharmaaye
chamak damak ko jo bi dekhe
mann us ka lalchaaye
haan haan mann us ka lalchaaye
chamak damak ko jo bi dekhe
mann us ka lalchaaye
haan haan mann us ka lalchaaye
joote ko ye halka kar de
joote ko ye halka kar de
jaise sar ko maalish
boot karoon main paalish babu
boot karoon main paalish
boot karoon main paalish babu
boot karoon main paalish
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Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
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बूट करूँ मैं पालिश बाबू
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश बाबू
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश
तोते का ये पालिश मेरा
हर जूता चमकाए
तोते का ये पालिश मेरा
हर जूता चमकाए
छोटा मोटा फटा पुराना
सबको नया बनाए
छोटा मोटा फटा पुराना
सबको नया बनाए
गर जूते पर चमक न आए
गर जूते पर चमक न आए
कर दो मुझ पर नालिश
नालिश
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश बाबू
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश बाबू
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश
इस पालिश की चमक निराली
तारों को शरमाये
हाँ हाँ तारों को शरमाये
इस पालिश की चमक निराली
तारों को शरमाये
हाँ हाँ तारों को शरमाये
चमक दमक को जो भी देखे
मन उसका ललचाये
हाँ हाँ मन उसका ललचाये
चमक दमक को जो भी देखे
मन उसका ललचाये
हाँ हाँ मन उसका ललचाये
जूते को ये हल्का कर दे
जूते को ये हल्का कर दे
जैसे सर को मालिश
मालिश
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश बाबू
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश बाबू
बूट करूँ मैं पालिश
4 Responses to "Boot karoon main paalish baabu"
February 1, 2014 at 10:17 am
Sudhir ji,
Thanks for your really excellent write up on Suraiya.
It was a pleasure equally to enjoy her FIRST recorded song in Hindi film.
Thanks,once again.
-AD
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February 1, 2014 at 9:11 pm
Dilip wanted more rehearsals as he enjoyed sucking poison from Suraiyya’s cheek. What cheek!!! Suriaya became wiser and slapped him hard. Dilip could not digest the fact that all Muslim heroines going after Hindu heroes. So he had showdown with each of them getting slapped in the process by most of his heroines/their relatives. He went after Hindu heroines with no better results
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January 26, 2017 at 12:13 pm
Dear Sudhir ji,
I have been seeing that there is a lot of confusion about the Debut song of Suraiya as a playback artist.
Some people claim that the song ‘ Boot karun mai polish’ from film Nai Duniya-1942 is her first song as a Playback singer and some people claim that the song ‘ Panchhi jaa peechhe raha hai bachpan mera’ from film Sharda-1942 is her debut song as a playback singer.
Naushad himself,in one of the interviews , had said that the Nai Duniya song was her first song as a playback singer.
However, Naushad saab is only partly correct. No doubt this song was recorded earlier ( No. N-26055) and the Sharda song was recorded later (No. N-26099).
Both the films were censored in 1942 only.
However film Sharda was released first on 23-1-1943 at Minerva Talkies in Bombay, whereas Nai Duniya was released only on 24-4-1944 at Majestic Talkies in Bombay.
Therefore, the Debut song of Suraiya, as a Playback singer is undoubtedly the Sharda song,namely ‘ Panchhi jaa,peechhe raha”.
Only when a song is released on screen , it is called a Debut song, irrespective of when it was recorded.
The dictionary meaning of “to Debut” is- to perform in public for the first time. Since Sharda song was shown to public first, it becomes Suraiya’s Debut song as a Playback singer.
The song from Nai Duniya-“Boot karoon main polish” at best can be called as “the first recorded song for playback”, as you have rightly mentioned in this write up.
The Debut song ‘Panchhi jaa peechhe raha’ was posted by Atul ji on 21-2-2011 here.
( Release dates recd. with thanks from shri Harish Raghuwanshi ji)
-AD
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
February 1, 2014 at 8:36 am
An excellent tribute to the legendary quintessential heroine and really a nice write up.
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