Hamaari kismat mein jo likha hai
Posted on: August 3, 2014
This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, 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.
GEMS FROM THE MIGRATORS….Song no. 7
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Last time I wrote about my earlier series which I posted here. Here are the details:
| Sl No | Title | Period | No of songs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Less common singers | 6-10-12 to 15-10-12 | 10 songs |
| 2 | Songs by Non singers | 28-11-12 to 8-12-12 | 10 |
| 3 | Less known composers | 17-12-12 to 26-12-12 | 10 |
| 4 | C Ramchandra-Lata duets/CR Autobiography | 30-1-13 to 11-2-13 | 10 |
| 5 | C Grade film songs (Tarzan films) | 21-2-13 to 5-3-13 | 10 |
| 6 | Parody songs | 16-3-13 to 2-4-13 | 10 |
| 7 | MDs sing for other MDs | 19-8-13 to 6-9-13 | 10 |
| 8 | Flavour of 30s | 12-9-13 to 6-10-13 | 20 |
| 9 | Great souls of India | 1-11-13 to 15-11-13 | 10 |
| 10 | Gems from obscure films | 26-11-13 to 15-12-13 | 10 |
| 11 | Vintage Kishore | 17-12-13 to 18-1-14 | 21 |
| 12 | Debut/First film song | 4-2-14 to 12-3-14 | 14 |
| 13 | Badalate Huye saathi | 19-3-14 to 4-4-14 | 10 |
| 14 | The Vibrant 40s | 8-4-14 to 16-5-14 | 15 |
| 15 | Bhajan mala Golden 50s | 22-5-14 to 10-6-14 | 12 |
| 16 | The Joy of NFS | 18-6-14 to 28-6-14 | 10 |
I have covered 192 songs out of 310 songs posted by me, which is almost 62%,but these are songs with a purpose and a link to the theme. Few days back, I got an idea, why not make an Index of personalities and topics that I have discussed on this Blog through my posts in last 3-4 years. This would help me as the readers to get the desired information at a click. Very enthusiastically and patting myself for this original idea, I started the work and then I realised that this was a mammoth project requiring lot of time and patience !
OK, Time I can manage, but where from will I bring the patience? Anyway, I am at it, whenever I find time, but it is anybody’s guess when this will be completed. Let us hope for the best.
Coming to our topic, I always wondered, how some composers, who were found mediocre here, without much spark, giving music only to B and C grade films, became extremely popular and successful in Pakistan, winning accolades ? one example is Nisar Bazmi. To understand this strange phenomena, one must consider the state of affairs in Pakistan Film Industry for 5-6 years post Partition. Here is a part of an article on this issue that I found on a Pakistani site, Filmbirth…
” Pakistan has been a part of India up until 1947. Up to that point Lahore was one of the thriving cinema producing centers in India. The first film made in a Lahore studio was “Delhi Express” (1935) and Urdu and Punjabi films were to follow. The partition of India into two independent states – India and Pakistan, caused the demise of the Lahore film industry. Most Hindu filmmakers in Pakistan fled the region when the Islamic Pakistani government became independent. Without the Indian funding and production facilities, the migration of many renowned filmmakers and stars and a lack of proper distribution channels, Lahore (Lollywood) soon became less than a footnote in the regional cinematic landscape.
Fortunately, the outflow from Lahore was accompanied by an inflow into the city. Affected by the same political change, a number of talented Muslims who have established themselves in Bombay’s (now Mumbai) film circles, moved back to Lahore. Prominent among them were film producer Syed Shaukat Hussain Rizvi, his wife actress and singer Noor Jehan, actress Swarn Lata, actor Nazeer, director W. Z. Ahmad, director Luqman, director Sabtain Fazli, music director Feroze Nizami and music director Khwaja Khursheed Anwar. These creative artists laid the foundation of the Pakistani film industry. They were also responsible for producing some of the best films ever made in Lollywood.
The creative energy of Lahore’s film people began to express itself as soon as the partition frenzy subsided. Lollywood became alive again and Teri Yaad was the first film released after partition. Featuring Nasir Khan, brother of film icon Dileep Kumar and Asha Posle, it was released at Lahore Parbhat Cinema on Sept 2, 1948. Its producer was a Hindu named Diwan Sardari Lal, Daud Chand was the director while Nath was the music director. The following year, Anis Productions released a Punjabi film Pheray. Featuring Nazeer (who was also its director) and Swarn Lata, the film proved to be a success and became the first Pakistani film to complete a 25-week run at cinema houses. Another important film was Naubahar Films’ Do Ansoo which was released in 1950. Produced by Sheikh Latif and directed by Anwar Kamal Pasha, it won popularity and became first Urdu film to complete its silver jubilee. “
Due to shortage of composers, all were welcomed with open arms. Those who had talents did extremely well here. Unfortunately the second generation of composers of calibre were not prepared and once these migrants disappeared from the scene,the musical fields of Pakistan dried up. According to an article on Wiki, there are 7 ages in Pakistan Film music –
| S No | Phase | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Independence and growth | 1947-1958 |
| 2 | The Golden Age of Pak Film Music | 59-77 |
| 3 | The age of Disaster | 77-88 (Onslought of VCR and brain Drain to Bangladesh) |
| 4 | Politics,Islamisation and downfall | 79-87 |
| 5 | Collapse | 88-2002 |
| 6 | Decline | 2002-2009 |
| 7 | New wave and Hopes | 2010 onwards |
Anyway, Nisar Bazmi migrated to Pakistan during the Golden Age period and got all the benefits.
Nisar Ahmed was born in 1925, in Naseerabad, Khandesh, Bombay Presidency, in an orthodox family where there was no Musical background. However, Nisar was keen on learning music. By singing Saigal’s songs he won his teacher’s mind, who convinced his father and he was sent to Bombay to live with his Uncle. Due to his singing he soon joined the ‘Yaseen Kawwal Group’ and became famous as ‘Yaseen ka chhokra’. Meanwhile he learnt classical music from ustad Amaan ali khan for 4 years. He joined AIR on a temporary basis and started singing. The then music director of AIR Dinkar Rao Amembal made him permanent on a salary of Rs. 45 pm. When his father learnt this he was overjoyed that without studies also he was earning more than educated people ! This was 1940.
Those days a drama ‘Nadir Shah Durrani’ was running on Radio. Nisar composed music for it and also gave background music. Impressed with his work he got his first Film,” Jamna paar”-1946 as a MD. he left AIR,changed his name to Nisar Bazmi and for got his dream of becoming a singer. In the next 15 years, he composed music for about 40 films,but only 27 films were released. Most of these films were C grade stunt films. Though he gave reasonably good music,he remained a C grade composer throughout. For film ‘Khoj’-53,the assistant producer had not much money. For singing a song he could only offer Rs.50/- to Mohd. Rafi (who was charging almost 1000/- per song those days). Rafi liked the song and he magnanimously sang the song ” chand ka dil toot gaya ” by taking just ONE rupee as fees !
For film ‘Bhala Adami’-58, he gave chance to Anand Bakshi as a Lyricist for the first time. His last film in India was ” Mister Toofan”- released in 63. Nisar migrated to Pakistan in 1962. Producer Fazal Karrem Fazli of Fazli brothers offered him first film ” Aisa bhi hota hai “. The music of this film became Hit and very popular and there was no looking back for Nisar Bazmi. He gave music to 57 Pak films. He won Nigar Awards 7 times and also won ‘Pride of performance’ award from the President.
His last film was in 1981. He came back to Karachi and started teaching aspiring singers, but only one of them became a famous singer. He regreted that the younger generation looked for quick money and did not put hard work. None of his 8 sons loved music. They all followed different avocations. In his later life he was famous for learning Quran by heart.
His filmography was- Jamna par, Jeb katara, Dagabaj Dost, Khoufnak aankhen, Hamari kismat, Jiyo Raja, Roop lekha, Bade saheb, Gazab baama, Kyun ji, Gorilla, Khoj, Halla gulla, Sitamgar, Adamkhor, Pyara Dushman, Fighting queen,Jungle queen, Kar bhala, Bhala Admi, kal kya hoga, Sachhe ka bolbala, Teer aur Talwar, Shola jo bhadke, Zareena and Mister Toofan.
Bazmi sahib taught music to up-and-coming youngsters, but only Faisal Latif managed to become somewhat popular. When asked why his students like Shafiq-ur-Rehman, Tanveer Afridi, Shabana and Shazia Kausar are unable to reach the top, he said, “My job was to train them, which I did. Now it is up to the musicians to utilize them as I am sure they have the talent to be the best.” When asked if our youth going in the right direction, Bazmi sahib felt that it was because of our youths’ lack of interest that our music is not what it used to be.
“A youngster today doesn’t want to be taught like the legendary singers. His only interest is to become rich and famous in a short time, which is certainly the wrong way.”
He died on 22-3-2007 at Karachi.
Today’s song is from stunt film “Hamari kismat”-1949. It was a Justice pictures, Bombay production. Directed by Nari Ghadiyali, the Lyricist was Rajjan, who too migrated to Pakistan later.
Rajjan wrote songs for Chhed chhad-43, Aabroo-43, 11 o’clock-45, Dhoomketu ,Jiyo Raja and Hamari Kismat (all in 1949).
(My thanks to Shri Harish Raghuvanshi ji and information in Listener’s Bulletin)
Let us now hear a song from this film, sung by Uma Devi…
Song-Hamaari kismat mein jo likha hai (Hamaari Kismat)(1949) Singer-Uma Devi, Lyrics-Rajjan, MD-Nisaar Baazmi
Lyrics
hamaari kismat mein jo likha hai
wo aansuon se mita rahe hain
hamaari kismat mein jo likha hai
wo aansuon se mita rahe hain
nahin hai koi jahaan mein apna
ye unse dil ko ?? rahe hain
bahut machalte thhe dil ke armaan
bahut machaaye thhi shor umangen
bahut machalte thhe dil ke armaan
bahut machaaye thhi shor umangen
bahut machaaye thhi shor umangen
sitam se duniya ke tang aakar
sitam se duniya ke tang aakar
wo roti aankhon se jaa rahe hain
hamaari kismat mein jo likha hai
wo aansuon se mita rahe hain
chahak rahi thhi jo kal chaman mein
wo aaj pinjre mein hai phadakti
chahak rahi thhi jo kal chaman mein
wo aaj pinjre mein hai phadakti
wo aaj pinjre mein hai phadadki
sunega teri na koi bulbul
sunega teri na koi bulbul
zamaane waale bat rahe hain
hamaari kismat mein jo likha hai
wo aansuon se mita rahe hain
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
August 13, 2014 at 8:12 pm
Arun ji,
I was out of town for a few days. I will have to catch up with all the songs posted during my absence. Thank for another informative article on Nisar bazmi.
I understand that Asha Posle and Kaushar Parveen were the daughters of Nath, music director of the film Teeri Yaad.
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