This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, 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.
BHAJAN MALA-GOLDEN 50s (Pushp-4)
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In India there are at least two places where true secularism is strictly followed. One of them is our Armed Forces. There is no discrimination in the Armed Forces on Religion/race/caste/colour or State. In almost every Army establishment you will find a Mosque,a Mandir and a Church along with a common hall for meditation for all other faiths. People from all states join the Forces. One may say,why then are there Jaat Regiments, Maratha Regiments, Mahar Regiments, Punjab Regiments ? It must be understood that these are the names given by the Britishers to recognise the special qualities of that region. It has nothing to do with Caste or Language. The Commandant of a Maratha Regiment can be a Punjabi officer also.
Our Film Industry too is truly a secular one. There had never been any discrimination based on religion or caste here. There have been Muslim actors working in Religious films or singing bhajans on screen. In V.Shantaram’s film “Padosi-42”, the muslim padosi’s role was done by Jahagirdar and the Hindu Padosi’s role was done by Mazhar Khan. India’s famous Bhajan “man tadpat hari darshan ko aaj” was written by Shakeel Badayuni, composed by Naushad and sung by Mohd.Rafi. (By the way,here is a less known fact- ” Aye Maalik tere bande hum ” sung by Lata ji, written by Pt. Bharat Vyas and composed by Vasant Desai was a school prayer in Pakistan schools till 1965, when the then Pakistan Government banned it and also stopped the coming and going of film artistes to India and Pakistan in 1965…ref- Ruperi Smaran yatra-Music of 57 by prof. Subhash Sawarkar).
People came to Bombay from every corner of the Indian sub continent and joined Film industry. We had actors from Peshawar, producers from Hyderabad Sind, singers and actors from Lahore, actors from Delhi, singers and composers from Bengal and technicians from the south. L V Prasad, the noted south producer/director and Manohar Reddy-maker of the first Telugu Talkie, were working in India’s first Talkie film ‘ Alam Ara ‘-1931.
Bengal has always provided singers and composers to Bombay film industry. Some became famous, some remained less known, all ALL contributed to the film industry. R C Boral, K C Dey, Pankaj Mallick, Hemant Kumar,Salil Chaudhari, Anil Biswas, S D Burman are well known, but there were also Ashok Ghosh, Anupam Ghatak, Sailesh Mukherji, Timir Baran and Mihir Karan Bhattacharya(both brothers),Ramchandra Pal, Kamal Dasgupta, Ram Ganguli,Radhacharan Bhattacharya, Shoolpani Mukherjee, Niren Lahidi,A C Biswas, Bhishmadev Chatterjee and many more. Similarly many singers too came from Bengal like Kanan Bala, Suprova Sarkar,Pankaj Mullick, Ashima Bannerjee, Geeta Roy Dutt and many more.
In the early era of the Talkie films,there came a person from Calcutta,who was already famous there, who was like a Mentor to Kanan Bala and who led Anil Biswas into the Hindi films as a Music Director….
That name is HIREN BOSE ( Hirendra Kumar Bose).
Born in Calcutta on 26-9-1903, Hiren completed his college education and learnt classical music & Rabindra sangeet to such proficiency that soon he earned titles of “Vidya Bhushan” and “Sangeet Ratna “. He wrote in Begali papers and for Bangla films too.
In the years 1928 to 1932, Hiren had joined HMV as a Music Director. Here he became a close friend of Kazi Nazrul Islam and Dhiren Das. Both kazi and Hiren wrote lyrics for songs in HMV .
Around 1929,a new, young and attractive singer came to HMV. Her name was KANAN BALA. She came for recording songs. Soon the handsome Hiren cast his spell on Kanan and she started considering him as her mentor in HMV. They were a quartet of friends, Kanan, Hiren, Kazi and Dhiren Ganguli. In HMV Kanan recorded many songs set to tune or written by Hiren Bose.
In 1932, this team left HMV, on the issue of Royalty and joined the newly formed Megaphone Recording company. Here too after 2 years, this team left Megaphone and joined Columbia recording company. By 1934, Hiren wrote in his autobiography- JATI SMAR (My memories)-later that he had lost interest in kananbala.
Hiren’s eyes were now set on a bigger Horizon -BOMBAY. he knew that remaining in Calcutta may not be suitable for him. Meanwhile he had met another Struggler, ANIL BISWAS. Hiren advised him to go to Bombay for brighter future and also promissed him all his help. Although,by then ANIL BISWAS was comfortably placed in Calcutta,he left for Bombay as per Hiren’s advise. Hiren Bose was a highly respected name in musical circles of Calcutta.
Hiren started working in Bombay. His fame as a versatile film person had atready reached Bombay and he had no difficulty in getting work there. Hiren directed Dharam ki Devi-35,followed by Piya ki Jogan-36 and then Mahageet 1937. As per his promise he gave a chance to Anil Biswas to give music,independently to DHARAM KI DEVI-1935.
As such earlier Anil Biswas had composed a song in Bharat ki Beti-35- “Tere poojan ko Bhagwan” sung by Rattan bai. But then he had shared the Music direction with Zande Khan. That song had become quite popular then.
Hiren Bose was very fond of acting in films and he also acted in MAHAGEET-1937. It was in this film that Anil Biswas FIRST introduced playback singing in a Bombay film. (In Calcutta R C Boral had started playback in 1935 itself). The FIRST ever Playback song in this film was ” Jeevan hai ek kahani,Duniya bhi hai ek kahani ” . It was sung by Anil Biswas and was filmed on Hiren Bose on the screen.Thus Hiren Bose’s name became a Historical name in Bombay film industry. This was how,Anil Biswas repaid the debt of Hiren Bose,in helping him to get established in Bombay Music field.
(Ref- ‘The early composers- Music beyond Boundaries by Dr. Ashok Ranade pp 183-186).
After mahageet,Hiren Bose got an offer from Madras to direct a Telugu film- Bhakt Jaydev-1938,which he did successfully.
Hiren Bose kept on shuttling between Bombay and Calcutta,doing some films here and some there.He also acted in some Bangla films during that period.he was so versatile in many departments that he did acting,directing,lyrics,singing,and composing. His complete Filmography is not available but some details are available.
As a Director 15 films are to his credit-
Chup-31
Mahua-34
Dharm ki Devi-35
Piya ki Jogan-36
mahageet-37
Bhakta jaidev-38
India in Afica-39
Amar Geeti-40
Kabi Joydeb-41
Daasi-44
banjarey-48
Sree Tulsidas-50
Ghungroo-52
Raami Dhoban-53
Ektara-57
He acted in
Rishir prem-31
Chup-31
Udayer pathe-44
Towards the Light-44
Sesh Raksha-44
Mahageet-37
As a writer-
Meerabai (s/Play and story)-32
Rajrani Meera(story)-33
As a composer
India in Africa-39
Kabi Joydeb-41
Raami Dhoban-53
After directing his last film Ektara in 1957, Hiren Bose lived a retired life. His last few years were mostly unhealthy and he spent time writing lyrics for geets in Bangla which were usually sung by Hemant Kumar, Kanan Bala and Suprova Sarkar.
Hiren Bose died on 18-6-1987 and one of the most versatile, multifaceted and multilingual artist disappeared for ever….
Today’s bhajan is from film ‘ Raami Dhoban’-1953, which was directed by Hiren Bose and the Music Direction was also by Hiren Bose. There were 14 songs in the film. Today’s bhajan is sung by Shankar Dasgupta and Seeta Agarwal.
Born in 1927 in Bengal,Shankar Dasgupta started singing from childhood. He was a trained singer. In 1946,he got a break with Anil Biswas in his film Milan-46. His first song itself became very popular. Then he sang in films like Anjana, Didi, Girl’s school, Jeet, Aahuti, Izzat, Do Raha etc. He sang about 50 songs in 31 films. he gave music to 4 films, Sadma, Sheeshe ki deewar, Hotel and Pehli mulaqat. he assisted Anil Biswas and Jaidev for many years. he did work on TV and in News reviews too. He settled in England after retirement,but was active on TV there too. On one of his routine visits to India in 1992,he met with a tragic accident on a Railway station on 23-1-1992 and died on the spot.
Seeta Agrawal was from an affluent marwadi family of Calcutta. She came to make a singing career in Bombay and Hiren Bose,their family friend,gave her a break in Raami Dhoban-53. Today’s song is her DEBUT song. She later also sang in films like Do dost,Dekh kabira roya,Shahi Farmaan,Baaje Ghungroo,Mera ghar mere bachhe,Chhora Chhori and Jalim Jaadugar.
Raami Dhoban is a love story of Vaishnav Poet Chandidas from Bengal. First film on Chandidas was made by New Theatres in Bangla in 1932,featuring Durgadas Bannerjee and Uma shashi.It was directed by Debki Bose. The Hindi version of Chandidas,featuring Saigal and Uma shashi was made in 1934 and was directed by Nitin Bose, who was a cinematographer in the Bangla version. Hiren Bose used tunes form Rabindra sangeet in all 14 songs of Raami Dhoban. All songs were sung by Hemant Kumar, Geeta Roy, Shankar Dasgupta and Seeta Agarawal. The cast of the film was Abhi Bhattacharya, Kamini Kaushal, Tiwari, Ramesh Vyas( he was the producer also),Sankata Prasad, Umadevi etc etc. The story of the film was…..
Chandidas ( Abhi Bhattacharya) was a Vaishnavite Poet saint of the fourteenth century. Born in a Brahmin family, he belonged to a society ridden with religious bigotry and strong Brahminical authoritarianism. Though he was the disciple of a Brahmin priest who believed in harsh and ascetic principles, Chandidas’s love for poetry inevitably came in the way of his religious devotion. He was also a bit of a romantic, and spent hours idling near the river, where Rami ( Kamini Kaushal), the washerman’s daughter came to wash clothes. Rami, the daughter of a low-caste, was also a young widow, and barred on both counts from any social intercourse with a man like Chandidas.
But she was a cheeky young thing all the same, and had a divine voice. Chandidas would sit listening to her songs for hours. Rami was aware of the young Brahmin’s interest in her, and was herself a great admirer of his poetry. Inevitably, they were drawn to each other. In the closed-in community of the village, their romance could not remain a secret. Also, the local rich landowner, Bijoynarayan ( Tiwari), himself a connoisseur of women, had his eyes on Rami. But Rami despised him for his double standards. Bijoynarayan, being an upper-caste and rich man, would not share a meal with the low-castes, nor would he contaminate his body with their touch. But when it came to women, his greed would overcome all social taboos.
Rami’s rejection and her outspoken condemnation of his behaviour roused Bijoynarayan’s ire. He now made it his mission to persecute both Rami and her community, and Chandidas’s romance became a major scandal. Though the strength of Rami’s personality sustainedChandidas for a while against the attacks of the Brahmins, he was still in awe of the temple priest, whose overpowering hold on the young man finally led to his denouncing Rami in public and agreeing to perform a religious ceremony in the temple to repent for his past sins. Rami, refusing to believe that Chandidas would actually disown her, battled with Bijoynarayan’s hirelings to reach the temple on time. Distraught and bleeding with wounds inflicted upon her by the landowner’s men, she confronted Chandidas in the presence of his religious mentor. Chandidas, believing in a more just and loving god in place of the harsh divinity offered by the priest of the temple, renounced his religious bindings, dissociated himself from the orthodox Brahminical order, and left the village with Rami.
Let us now enjoy this song from “Rami Dhoban” (1953) which was the DEBUT song of Seeta Agrawal and Shankar Dasgupta in Hindi movies.
Song-Tum Baso shyam more nainan mein (Raami Dhoban)(1953) Singers- Shankar Dasgupta, Seeta Agarwal, Lyricist- Ram Murthy, MD-Hiren Bose
Lyrics
baso shyaam mere nainan mein
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
ee ee ee
tum baso shyaam mere nainan mein
baso shyaam mere nainan mein
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
kaajar ke rang na rang jaao
ansuwan ke sang na beh jaao
palkan ke pat ghadi ghadi main
chhup chhup tujhe nihaaroongi
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
tum baso shyaam mere nainan mein
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
ik tan ik man tum par waari
saanwariya main bani tumhaari
nis din pal chhin soorat saloni
nis din pal chhin soorat saloni
praanan sej sajaaungi
main praanan sej sajaaungi
main praanan sej sajaaungi
main praanan sej sajaaungi
tum baso shyaam mere nainan mein
main kaajar naahi daaroongi
ee ee ee
tum baso shyaam mere nainan mein
I dont like the sentence ” We had actors from Peshawar, producers from Hyderabad Sind, singers and actors from Lahore, actors from Delhi, singers and composers from Bengal and technicians from the south.”
Sounds like this sentence has been written by someone who needs to have better acquaintance with India’s geography. He writes about cities such as Peshawar, Delhi, provinces such as Bengal but he lumps Tamil and Telugu and everything else in one lumpy mass called ‘south’. People from the Tamil and Telugu film industries, then centred in Madras, were actors, actresses, directors etc. They were not just technicians.
For example, LV Prasad had a small acting role in ‘Alam Ara’, the first talkie from Bombay. Incidentally it released in March 1931. The first Tamil talkie , ‘Kalidas’ released a few months later in October 1931. It too had LV Prasad who had an acting role, but this time it was a more important role.
Just as an example: the chief technician for ‘Alam Ara’ was actually Wilford Deming who’s credited with both cinematography and sound recording. Mr Deming was from Los Angeles, in other words, a Hollywood import. Hope this helps.
Thanks for your comments.
I dont like the sentence,”Sounds like this sentence has been written by someone who needs to have better acquaintance with India’s geography”
obviously,you are a casual visitor to this Blogspot.The regular visitors know that despite my name,I come from Andhra Pradesh(which happens to be in South India) and that I was born,brought up,educated and married to a girl from Andhra Pradesh-because there are references to this in my more than 290 articles here,besides many on other sites, and about 1000 Tit bits posted here in last few years. Being a General Manager of a Pharma Company ,I travelled all over India and abroad in 45 years’ service. I feel this is enough to give me an understanding of India’s geography.
As far as my statement about South India providing the technicians to Hindi film industry,I do not see why it should be a matter of anger.
Please understand that till the 50s,Kannada and Malyalam Film Industry had not even flowered and almost all film activity concentrated in Madras making Telugu and Tamil films. Due to studio system,they could have as many actors,singers,,and composers as they wanted,but there was limited scope to Technical persons in Madras-the only film production centre worth mentioning in South. Naturally many Technicians came to Bombay and Lahore in search of fortunes and opportunities.One example off hand can be quoted is of Sarvottam badami-who was a Motor mechanic in Bangalore,but became a Sound Recordist in Sagar Movietone in Bombay. he later developed into a good Director also.
In Prabhat film company,there were many Technicians from Belgaon,Hubli and Dharwad (all in Karnataka,South India).
As far as actors from south are concerned there was hardly anyone in early era except P.Jairaj from Karimnagar in Telangana,south India. After the 50s only, actors like Chandrasekhar,Ajit,Vaijayantimala,Waheeda Rehman etc came to shine.
Most South Indian actors and Directors had plenty of scope and opportunities in Madras itself,so except in Dubbed films,no one acted in Hindi films,prominently.
I would request you to read my article on History of Kannada Film Industry on the net.Very shortly History of Telugu film Industry will also be posted on the net.
people from peshawar,or Delhi or Sind hyderabad came to Bombay because there was no film production in these places. With south,Madras was active since 1914 onwards and talkie films started in good amount from 1931 itself in Madras,therefore actors,singers,directors etc did not flock to Bombay,but Technicians came here.
Above all Films can not be made without Technicians. They are more needed than other artistes in a film. They are that much important. Bombay should be grateful to South India for giving Technicians.
I hope this will answer all your points.
Thanks.
-AD
Arun-ji. many thanks for revealing something of yourself and more importantly about the import of technicians from all over India to Bombay. The song itself is a revelation to me. Many thanks.
Thanks Arunji for yet another wonderful post and song. Thanks to Mr.Srinivasa, whose comment helped us to know more about Arunji. Such unintended small favours do help some time.
This blog discusses Bollywood songs of yesteryears. Every song has a brief description, followed by a video link, and complete lyrics of the song. This is a labour of love, where “new” songs are added every day, and that has been the case for over SEVENTEEN years. This blog has more than 19700 song posts by now. This blog is active and online for over 6000 days since its beginning on 19 July 2008.
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
May 27, 2014 at 1:28 pm
Thanks for introducing the song Arunji. The story of the movie shows how progressive the industry was then and how degenerative it has become now.
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