Ishq ik zehar sahi
Posted on: July 8, 2014
This article is written by Pamir Harvey, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a 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.
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Atul Song-A-Day 10K Song Milestone Celebrations – 6
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Ava contributes songs on this blog regularly and also is present in the comments section. I met Ava Suri on the blogosphere, at Greta’s or Madhu’s, I can’t remember right now. Then when I started my blog, she started visiting it regularly as well. At this time, I discovered that she herself has three blogs. One is about Hindi movies and songs , the second one is about books, she has read ), and the third, which she doesn’t regularly update, is about her life and events and travels.
During our conversations online, I realized that she is also a big fan of Madan Mohan. We could talk and discuss many Madan Mohan songs. She also introduced me to Madan Mohan’s film role in Munimji. Without realizing it really, I have been a fan of Roshan as well. It was Ava, who made me realize that they were all Roshan’s songs, which I admire so much, which made me go on a discovery tour of Roshan’s earlier songs and admire them more than ever. She pointed out to me that the music score of Vallah Kya Baat Hai (1962) was by Roshan and not O. P. Nayyar, which I presumed to be for years, without ever checking my facts. Not only on the topic of music, does she know many facts, but also about the movie stars and their lives.
Ava and I also share a big passion for Gujarat. She spent her childhood there and I lived in Bombay, where I had lots of Gujarati friends. The delicious Gujarati food is a topic, which we quite often talk about. Ava’s passion for books has also helped me discover new authors. Ava also has fantastic sense of humour, which is very subtle and deep. This coupled with her open-minded, generous and liberal outlook towards life, make the conversations with her always an enriching experience.
Since Ava is a big fan of Madan Mohan and Asha Bhosle, here is a song which brings them both together. Mem Sahib (1956) is an odd film in many ways. Madan Mohan scores the music for this film, but there is no Lata Mangeshkar in any of the songs.
Shammi Kapoor plays here not the young debonair hero, but the young debonair villain. Meena Kumari is not the weepy traditional heroine, but a “Meena Kumari is scintillating—a far cry from the teary, self-sacrificing woman I’m used to seeing “The Tragedy Queen” play. She is gorgeous and full of life, a real treat to watch”, Greta put it. And to top it all Kishore Kumar plays a yogi (at least in the beginning of the film).
In this song, we see how Shammi Kapoor tries to bring Kishore Kumar from the right path. And how does the villain do it in a Hindi film? Right, he takes the good boy to the kotha.
There are two versions of the song, which was quite usual in those days, that the version for the LP was different than the one used in the film.
Audio – LP version
Video – Film version
Song-Ishq ik zehar sahi (Mem Sahib)(1956) Singer-Asha Bhonsle, Lyrics-Rajinder Krishan, MD-Madan Mohan
Lyrics
——————————
Audio version
——————————
ishq ik zeher sahi
phir bhi piye jaata hoon
dil ke veeraane ko
aabaad kiye jaata hoon
ishq ik zeher sahi
aur duniya mein
ae ae ae
aa aa aa aa
aur duniya mein
mohabbat se badaa
kaam hai kya
bas yehi soch ke
ye kaam kiye jaata hoon
dil ke veeraane ko
aabaad kiye jaata hoon
ishq ik zeher sahi
jo kisi roz mere
ae ae ae
aa aa aa aa aa
jo kisi roz mere
maut ka baais honge
un haseenon ki
tamanna mein jiye jaata hoon
dil ke veeraane ko
aabaad kiye jaata hoon
ishq ik zeher sahi
mujhko maaloom nahin
ae ae ae
aa aa aa
mujhko maaloom nahin
log magar kehte hain
sotey-sotey
haan aan aan aan
sotey-sotey
aa aa aa aa
sote-sote bhi
tera naam liye jaata hoon
dil ke veeraane ko
aabaad kiye jaata hoon
ishq ik zeher sahi
phir bhi piye jaata hoon
dil ke veeraane ko
aabaad kiye jaata hoon
ishq ek zeher sahi
——————————
Film version
——————————
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa
ishq ik zeher sahi
zeher sahi
ishq ik zeher sahi
phir bhi piye jaata hoon
dil ke veeraane ko
aabaad kiye jaata hoon
ishq ik zeher sahi
aur duniya mein
ae ae ae
aa aa aa aa
aur duniya mein
mohabbat se badaa
kaam hai kya
bas yehi soch ke
ye kaam kiye jaata hoon
dil ke veeraane ko
aabaad kiye jaata hoon
ishq ik zeher sahi
jo kisi roz mere
ae ae ae
aa aa aa aa aa
jo kisi roz mere
maut ka baais honge
un haseenon ki
tamanna mein jiye jaata hoon
dil ke veeraane ko
aabaad kiye jaata hoon
ishq ik zeher sahi
mujhko maaloom nahin
ee ee ee
aa aa aa
mujhko maaloom nahin
log magar kehte hain
sotey-sotey
aan aan aan
sote-sote
aan aan aan
sotey-sotey bhi
tera naam liye jaata hoon
dil ke veeraane ko
aabaad kiye jaata hoon
ishq ik zeher sahi
phir bhi piye jaata hoon
dil ke veeraane ko
aabaad kiye jaata hoon
ishq ik zeher sahi
12 Responses to "Ishq ik zehar sahi"
July 8, 2014 at 8:49 am
Harv my dear, Thank you for so many good words. And thank you for blanking out my faults. They are for you to know and others to discover 🙂
Thanks for this lovely song. It is indeed unusual for Madan Mohan to have not used Lata in a film. But I suppose she was busy.
Listening to this song, I realise Madan Mohan had the knack of bringing out the best in every singer. Asha’s vocals sound simply fantastic. i love the musical arrangements here. They are so typical of a kotha song, sarangi tabla etc. I think this song is going to go right on my favorites list.
You have whipped up my interest in the movie as well. I really want to watch this! I love Meena, as you know.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart Harvey. It is a real pleasure to have you as my friend.
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July 8, 2014 at 1:07 pm
Blanking out your faults, which ones? I haven’t seen any. If generosity, loving nature and optimism can be called faults, then you’re right, I’ve forgotten to mention them.
I think Madan Mohan and Lata had one of their tiffs, which were quite often, I’ve heard. Asha sounds wonderful. I have always admired her chamaleon-like voice.
Since you are a fan of Meena Kumari, Kishore Kumar and Shammi Kapoor. This is surely a film for you. Do write a review on your blog about it.
I hope nobody notices the typos, that have crept in the post.
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July 8, 2014 at 2:22 pm
Rehne do! I am lazy and changeable and often give up too soon. But I should not be thumping my own drum. 😦
I will see the film for sure.
Lata and MM had tiffs? Gosh. I never knew. I always thought they were ghee-shakkar.
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July 8, 2014 at 2:02 pm
Wonderful intro to Ava, Harvey!
I wish I had the energy and enthusiasm she has – to watch movies – old and new, to read books (she reads a lot!), to write reviews. All this while managing her home/family & having a full-time job. Just the thought of doing all of this tires me. 🙂
I remember seeing this movie, Mem Sahib, a few years ago. I don’t remember the story well now but it was fun to see Kishore, Meena Kumari and Shammi Kapoor together in the film.
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July 8, 2014 at 2:23 pm
It is the concern for my eyes that limits my reading 😦 I could be glued to a book ALL DAY.
Thanks Raja.
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July 9, 2014 at 10:59 am
Same here Avaji, wish I can stay in bed all day and read. I too have bad eyes. Alas 😦
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July 8, 2014 at 9:14 pm
Thank you, Raja!
You are right, she sure is a phenomenon!
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July 9, 2014 at 11:48 am
Harvey ji
Thank you for the informative post about Ava ji.
This Song features a young(?)Om Prakash also and
Whether the courtesan is MAYADASS ?
Please anyone confirm the correctness of the fact.
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July 14, 2014 at 5:57 am
Thanks Harveyji for adding one more ICC (introduction of a Contributor by a Contributor) and sharing your knowledge of Avaji, her interest and hobbies with us. 🙂
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
July 8, 2014 at 8:19 am
Nice Post Harvey ji 🙂
thanks for introducing us to Ava ji’s blogs and film intrests.
Congratulations Harvey ji…!
Congratulations to all 🙂
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July 8, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Thank you, Avinashji!
It was an honour for me to introduce Ava, who is such a nice person.
Congratulations to all! 🙂
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