Sach keh den gar bura na maano
Posted on: August 11, 2014
This article is written by Raja, 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.
A common adage in our world is that wisdom comes with age.
A loose Hindi equivalent of this is the statement “ye baal dhoop mein safed nahin hue” (this hair didn’t just grey due to sunshine). The implication is that grey hair (a sign of ageing) equates to wisdom.
I am not sure how true this is. I have seen enough examples in my life – of youngsters and “grey-haired” people – that would defy this adage.
But one thing I can vouch for. In my case at least, specifically when it comes to appreciating and understanding films, any wisdom I have, has definitely come with age. 🙂
When I was a pre-teen, or even a teenager, my take on films and music was quite different from what it is today. I often didn’t have the patience to sit through old movies which had a lot of songs. Many of these songs used to be sad songs by Lata – and used to annoy me because they’d just extend the film without adding value (in my opinion) to it. I distinctly remember songs like “rasik balma” (Chori Chori) and “tera jaana” (Anari) falling in this category. 🙂 Only later in life, when I listened to these songs calmly and cared to listen to the lyrics, I began appreciating them.
At that age, I didn’t understand a film like Amrapali (1966). I remember walking out of the hall within half an hour when one of Vyjanthimala’s dances was on. Much later in life, when I watched the film again, I was ashamed of myself for not having sat through it the first time and tried to understand the film. A film with arguably Shankar Jaikishen’s best songs for Lata in a long time.
Another thing that I definitely got wiser about as I grew older related to the role and value of a film’s director.
As a pre-teen / teenager, I never really got it. For me, it was about the actors – mainly the hero and heroine, sometimes the villain. And the storyline. And the music. But the director? Why was he such a big deal?
But everybody, especially magazines, used to talk about a film in terms of the director. They would refer to a film and immediately tag it with the director. Gulzar’s Aandhi or Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Abhimaan or Basu Chatterjee’s Chhoti Si Baat. I remember also being equally baffled by The Godfather always being referred to as Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather whereas to me surely Marlon Brando “owned” The Godfather, part I?
What they were telling me is how important a director is in the making of a film. The actors may be the face to the public, the music team might have produced a remarkable musical score, but the director is the one who puts it all together. It is he who builds the whole film, frame by frame, using his creativity and skills, calling on various resources from cameraman to editor, and finally delivers the finished product.
So if a film is tagged first with the director’s name, it is totally understandable. Sure there’s a lot that goes into a film, but many a film has been made memorable by the quality of its direction. Just as many a film has been made forgettable for precisely the same reason.
And that is why directors are held in such high regard. It is no easy task to direct a film – many an actor has tried his hand at directing, and given up after one film or so. Many don’t even venture to get into direction – they are more comfortable just being in front of the camera.
I realized all this rather late in life – certainly only when I was almost out of my teens, if not later.
Once I realized this, I developed a lot of respect for directors. I also began appreciating the styles of different directors. The way two directors might treat the same subject could be very different. Also, some films suited some types of directors more than others.
A Manmohan Desai film, for example, would be fairly fast-paced in the first fifteen minutes itself, with a lot happening. He was a master of mass entertainment and masala, and would be able to contrive coincidences out of nowhere. It is hard to imagine a Govind Nihalani or Shyam Benegal or Satyajit Ray making such a film. 🙂
I then began seeking out films based on director. For example, BR Chopra. I noticed that most of his films had a strong social message and were often ahead of the times. I had a phase when I saw a number of BR Chopra films within a short timeframe. And I loved each one of them.
I had a similar phase with Mehboob Khan. I started looking out for his films, once I saw Roti (1942).
And then there was Bimal Roy.
In the annals of film-making, Bimal Roy’s name usually stands in a league of its own. Guru Dutt might have been comparable in his time but, of others, I can think of only Satyajit Ray who probably comes close to inspiring quite the aura that Bimal Roy had in his time.
Again, in my not-so-wise years, I had heard a lot about Bimal Roy. I remember at that time, badly wanting to see Do Bigha Zameen (1953), a film much talked about at the time and considered a Bimal Roy masterpiece. I got to see the film much later.
It is only when I started seeing Bimal Roy films that I truly realized how close to perfection a director could be. Not only were his films based on realistic social issues of the time, but the direction itself was so comprehensive (sorry, I can’t find a better word than this) that the story just flowed through his characters. The actors seemed to rise several notches under Bimal Roy’s direction. Many of them have in fact spoken very highly of Bimal Roy and how he allowed them to act to their natural ability, instead of dictating specifics of “how” to act out a particular scene.
No wonder then that Nutan was able to deliver such sterling performances in Sujata and Bandini. Vyjanthimala in Devdas and Madhumati seemed, at least to me, to put in a higher level of performance compared to some other films where she’s been adequate without being particularly outstanding. I think an actor’s performance has a lot to do with the director – and Bimal Roy somehow seemed to bring out the best in his actors.
I am extremely fond of Bimal Roy’s films. The storylines are interesting, the direction is just outstanding. I have not yet seen all his films but I am trying to see as many of them as I can.
Some films under the Bimal Roy production banner are not directed by him. Films like Apradhi Kaun (1957) directed by Asit Sen (the actor) who was Bimal Roy’s assistant for many years. And Usne Kaha Tha (1960) directed by Moni Bhattacharjee. I have recently seen these films. Even if a film isn’t directed by Bimal Roy, the fact that it is under his banner is good enough for me to want to see it. 🙂
The song for today is from a Bimal Roy film I haven’t seen. It is from one of his earlier films – Maa (1952). I’d like to see this film, if only to know whether his magic started with Do Bigha Zameen (1953) or whether he already had it before then. 🙂
Considering he was assistant to the famous PC Barua when he made Devdas (1935), I am guessing Bimal Roy had enough pedigree even before Do Bigha Zameen.
The song is a fun song – sung by Afzal Hussain (a name I am not familiar with) and Asha Bhonsle. Normally Bimal Roy’s films have either Salil Chaudhary or SD Burman composing the music but this one is composed by S.K. Pal (again a name that’s I’m not particularly familiar with). Lyrics are by Bharat Vyas.
Can somebody identify the actors? The female dancer looks like Sheila Vaz though I wouldn’t bet money on it. 🙂
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the song.
Audio
Video
Song-Sach keh den gar bura na maano (Maa)(1952) Singers-Afzal Hussain, Asha Bhonsle, Unknown voice, Lyrics-Bharat Vyas, MD-S K Pal
both,
Chorus
Lyrics
Aaa aa aa aa aa
is duniya mein
humne dekhe
jitne bade raees hain
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade chaar sau bees hain
haay
sach keh den gar
sach keh den gar bura na maano
aaaa aaa aa aa aaaaa
bade chaar sau bees hain
bade chaar sau bees
chaar sau bees
chaar sau bees hain
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade char sau bees hain
waah waah
aaaa aaa aaa aaaaa
aah
iski pagdi uske sar par
kya baat hai
uski uske sar par
isi lapad dhon dhon mein ye
Lete apni jeben bhar
aa aaa aaa aaa
bees agar ho tum pyaare
bees agar ho tum pyaare
to
ye tum se
ikkees hain
haa
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade chaar sau bees hain
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade chaar sau bees hain
bade chaar sau bees hain
bade chaar sau bees hain
sach keh den gar
arrey waah
sach keh den gar
haay haay
ajee haan
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade char sau bees hain
bilkul theek
kad hai chhota
pet mota
golgappa gaal hai
ye jo kuppe se khade hain
seth Chaupat Lal hain
kaale dhandhon ke rupayon se
tond inki tan gayi
haaye tond inki tan gayi
pagdiyaan le le ke inki
pagdi pagda ban gayi
Correct,
absolutely correct
aaa aaa aaa
inse bachke rehna jee
inse bachke rehna jee
ye dil ke bade
khabbees(?) hain
arre re re re hahahaha
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade char sau bees hain
aaa aaa aaa aaa
bade char sau bees
chaar sau bees
chaar sau bees
hain
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade char sau bees hain
jiyo
kad hai lamba
jaise khamba
ullu jaise nain hain
gaal pichke
baal chipke
aap gentleman hain
chal diye angrez apne
suit inko de gaye
bhai suit inko de gaye
suit de gaye
jab gaye baahar bideshi
boot inko de gaye
arre kya de gaye
aa aa aa aa
Inse jaan chhudaane waale
inse jaan chhudaane waale
bas kewal
Jagdeesh hain
hoy
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade chaar sau bees
bade chaar sau bees
chaar sau bees
chaar sau bees Hain
bade char sau bees hain
bade char sau bees hain
sach keh den gar
arre waah
Sach keh den gar
aejee haan
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade char sau bees hain
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade char sau bees hain
aaaaaaaaaa
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade char sau bees hain
aaaaaaaaaa
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade chaar sau bees hain
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade chaar sau bees hain
sach keh den gar bura na maano
bade chaar sau bees hain
numbari chaar sau bees
aa haa haa haa haa
20 Responses to "Sach keh den gar bura na maano"
August 11, 2014 at 10:58 am
Thanks Atul ji for the post.
By the way, wasn’t the director of ‘Usne Kaha Tha’ the same Moni Bhattacharjee, who was a quite well-known character actor, a baldie playing small light-hearted roles, usually being the father of hero or heroine like Saira Banu’s dad in ‘Junglee’?
Avadh Lal
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August 11, 2014 at 12:05 pm
Avadh Lal ji
I think the actor (you are talking about )is MONI CHATTERJEE,he is different from Moni Bhattacharjee the director:
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August 11, 2014 at 12:47 pm
Hey Rajaji!
very nice and concise write up. loved going through it —- at one shot at that!!!!!;-)
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August 11, 2014 at 1:46 pm
Haha, finally! The keyword there is “concise”. 🙂
This is MY Yippee moment. 🙂
Thank you. 🙂
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August 11, 2014 at 3:52 pm
no but how i missed reading a novel (don’t mind my saying so!!) :-))
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August 11, 2014 at 5:50 pm
I am also taking chances as I am not very much good at identifying actors of 40`s & 50`s era
Raja ji
You are right, she is SHEILA VAZ, and a young bharat bhushan chewing something as an onlooker(with pencil thin moustache and who is the guy with harmonium, I am not sure, but whether he is jagdish kanwal ??? HELP
prakash
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August 12, 2014 at 10:29 am
Jagdish Kanwal used to come to our home but I do not remember his face. Basically he was a story writer but used to do few cameos.
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August 11, 2014 at 5:53 pm
Nice post! enjoy reading it and like it very much.
Thanks Raja Saab for this post!
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August 11, 2014 at 7:57 pm
Bimal Roy was the Cinematographer for ‘Devdas’ (1935). Phani Majumdar was assistant to P C Barua who directed the film. But learning the tricks of directing a film through camera and lenses turned out to be a better option for Bimal Roy as proved later.
By the way, a few Cinematographers who also directed the films were Fali Mistry, Ravi Nagaich, Govind Nihalani, and Nitin Bose. There may be some more names in this category.
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August 12, 2014 at 5:02 pm
Thank you very much Prakash ji.
You are absolutely right, as usual.
I stand corrected.
Regards,
Avadh Lal
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August 12, 2014 at 5:10 pm
Prakash ji,
After you had pointed out I could spot Bharat Bhushan.
And is the guy standing next to him Mehmood?
Thanks & regards,
Avadh Lal
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August 13, 2014 at 11:01 am
Oh my god,
How come I didn`t identify Mehmood,
Avadhji
Yes Avadh ji He is MEHMOOD, thanks for identifying Mehmood.You made my day.
And again, Thanks for your kind words
and
Zoher ji
Thank you for identifying KATHANA
Regards
Prakash
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August 15, 2014 at 12:26 am
Rajaji,
Thanks for the nice post. Enjoyed the song. The added attraction was the identification of the actors.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
August 11, 2014 at 10:04 am
Prior to Maa nothing much to write home; he had directed Pehla Aadmi-1950, Mantramughda-1949; Anjangarh-1948; Hamrahi-1944; Towards Light-1944> last 2 as cinematographer and screenplay
SK Pal was prolific as MD.
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August 11, 2014 at 11:02 pm
Indeed, Nitinji. I just checked and SK Pal has composed for many films. I was just not aware of him. Maybe I will listen to more of his songs. And then write up more of them too. 🙂
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