Aaja re chanda ke rath pe sawaar
Posted on: January 18, 2015
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, 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.
Mahesh Manjrekar, the film and stage actor, producer, director and writer made a successful foray into Hindi film with his directorial venture ‘Vaastav’ (1999). The film was a box office hit and became a turning point in the acting carreer of the lead actor Sanjay Dutt.
Many among the lovers of Hindi films may not be aware of the fact the ‘Nidaan’ (2000) was the first film with which Mahesh Manjrekar started his innings in Hindi films as a director in 1997. The film was ready for release in June 1998 but its release got delayed as no distributor came forward to release the film. Ultimately, the film was released by the producer himself sometime in 2000 without any marketing efforts. This forgotten but critically acclaimed movie was produced by R V Pandit (more on him later).
Apart from directing this film, Mahesh Manjrekar wrote the story and screen play. The star cast included Shivaji Satam, Deepa Lagoo, Sunil Barve, Nisha Bains, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Kshama Deshpande, Sunil Shende, Mohan Joshi, Shagufta Ali etc. Sanjay Dutt made a guest appearance in the film as Sanjay Dutt. Lyrics and dialogues were written by Gautam Joglekar (son of Sai Pranjpye and Arun Joglekar). The songs were composed by Rahul Ranade, his first Hindi film as a music director.
Almost all the actors and those behind the screen were connected with Marathi films and theatres. Some of the actors were the familiar faces in Hindi and Marathi television serials. I had read a couple of interviews which Mahesh Manjrekar gave to film magazines after the release of the film about the difficulties he faced in making this film. First, for a central role of a teenage girl afflicted with HIV, none of the established actresses of the Hindi film industry was willing to play the role. Second, he had problem in finding a producer/financier for the film until R V Pandit who had earlier successfully produced National Award winner ‘Maachis’ (1996), agreed to produce the film. The gist of story of the film ‘Nidaan’ (2000) is as under:
Soumya Nadkarni (Nisha Bains) is the only child of a well to do family of Anirudh Nadkarni (Shivaji Satam) and Suhasini Nadkarni (Reema Lagoo). She is a meritorious student of the science stream of 12th class in a college. She is a fan of Sanjay Dutt and watches all his movies. But her boy friend and the prospective fiancé Ninad Kamat (Sunil Barve) resents her crush for Sanjay Dutt. While Suhasini as a mother of a teenage girl Soumya is a strict disciplinarian, Soumya is a happy go lucky type of a girl who does not like interference in her life. Her father Anirudh is somewhat liberal in his approach towards Soumya. So some bickering and teasing among them, albeit humorous ones, happens almost every day.
It is the examination time for both Soumya and Ninad. Soumya’s parent expects her to excel in the examination keeping with her status as a brilliant student. In fact, her mother is already making plans for her in joining classes for IIT entrance exam. During the day of her last paper, Soumya develops a high fever and Dr Potnis (Sunil Shende) diagnoses her fever as Malaria and advices her against appearing for exam of her last paper.
However, despite treatment, the fever persists for nearly 2 months. After conducting several medical tests, Dr Potnis finally diagnoses her as afflicted from HIV virus and reveals that she has less than 2 years to live. Anirudh and Suhasini are devastated by this news. After discussion with Anirudh, of the four possibilities of transmission of HIV virus in human body, Dr Potnis concludes that Soumya may have afflicted with HIV virus through blood transfusion during her appendices operation a few years back.
Now, Anirudh has to find a way as to how to break this news to Suhasini. More importantly, he has to prevent Ninad from meeting Soumya without revealing her HIV status to him. Also this news is to be broken to Ninad’s parents and Soumya’s prospective in-laws (Dilip Prabhawalkar and Kshma Deshpande). The most important thing for Anirudh is to prevent her blood being used by the patients which Soumya had donated during a blood donation drive in her college a few days back. In a couple of months, Soumya finds out from a file containing her medical test reports that she is afflicted with HIV virus. However, after initial shocked reactions, she decides to live a normal life of whatever time is left to live.
In the aftermath of the news of Soumya getting afflicted with HIV, her college friends shun her and Ninad. The visits of the relatives and friends of Nadkarnis in their home become rare. However, despite the ‘ban’ in seeing each other, Soumya and Ninad continue to meet. Eventually, they get married with the blessing of their parents who do not wish to displease them. Since, Soumya has to reappear for her exams, both of them stay separately in their respective parent’s home. She passes her exam, standing 3rd in the merit list.
Soon, Soumya’s resistance power to withstand the infections comes below the normal requirement. Dr Potnis advises Anirudh to admit her in a hospital. However, the hospital refuses admission to her as the doctor (Mohan Joshi) feels that admitting a HIV patient would drive away her other patients. However, doctor’s wife (Shagufta Ali) prevails on her doctor-husband to admit Soumya. After further medical tests, the doctor tells Anirudh that Soumya has only a few days to live. Hearing this news, Anirudh vanishes from the hospital for, he has to fulfill Soumya’s most important wish in her life, that is, of meeting Sanjay Dutt in person. After facing a lot of difficulties, he is successful in making Sanjay Dutt to visit Soumya in hospital for a few minutes to make her happy.
The end of the film is not melodramatic as one would usually expect in such kind of story. Soumya is brought home in deference to her wish as she would rather die among her own family than in hospital. The news about her death is given to the audience by way of a short narration in the background as Ninad and Anirudh are sitting at a beach in a sombre mood with a setting sun in the background.
I had earmarked this film for viewing about 4 month back. But expecting melodramatic and the tear jerking scenes, I avoided seeing this film all these days. It was only when I heard a multi-version song from the film that I decided to watch the film. And I am not regretting my decision. I watched DVD of this film in one sitting which I seldom manage to do. Director Mahesh Manjrekar has admirably handled a sensitive subject without being too melodramatic. Yet it is a heart touching film. The highlight of this film is the excellent performance of the debutant Nisha Bains in the role of a teenage girl afflicted with HIV, well supported with the equally good performances by Shivaji Satam and Deepa Lagoo in the roles of her parents and Sunil Barve as the fiance. The only negative point is that the film could have done away with a couple of songs which, in my view, come in the way of the free flow of the story.
A few words about R V Pandit, the producer of the film is in order as I find him to be an interesting personality having some element of bizarreness in him. I was aware of him since my younger days as a proprietor and publisher of now defunct magazine ‘Imprint’ and a social activist. I came to know about his subsequent avatars as a film producer, hotelier and the publisher of magazines on industrial products through his interviews published on the websites.
Born at Vasai in the outskirt of Mumbai as Thomas Ignatius Rodrigues, he changed his name to Raj Vasant Pandit on 15th August 1947 as he wanted to be a new person on the day India gained independence. He got employment in Jaico Publishing House from where he graduated to become the publisher and the proprietor of ‘Imprint’. His involvement of film industry seems to have started with his social activities. If, in the 70s, he was crusading against corruption, in the 90s he was campaigning all over India about AIDs/HIV awareness among the public. He had close friendship with the political bigwigs like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani, Nanaji Deshmukh, Manmohan Singh etc. In a way, he was an unconventional film producer who produced films to spread awareness about the issues which were close to his heart. Some of the films he produced with issues dealt therein are as under:
1. Maachis (1996) dealt with rise in militancy in Punjab and the aftermath of ‘Operation Blue Star’ in June 1984.
2. Darmiyaan (1997) highlighted the tragedy in the life of those born as transvestites.
3. Jayate (1997) exposed the malpractices in medical profession.
4. Train to Pakistan (1998) depicted the aftermath of the partition of British India.
5. Nidaan (2000) was about AID/HIV awareness. It is claimed that the title of this film was given by none other than the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Except for ‘Maachis’ (1996), none of his films did good business at the box office.
During his stint with Hindi film industry, R V Pandit started a campaign for cleaning film industry of the menace of black money. For all the films he produced, he insisted on cheque payment. Probably, this may be one of the reasons why he could not garner a good star cast as well as distributors for his films.
When his film ‘Nidaan’ (2000) flopped badly at the box office, he got hundreds of prints made of the film and distributed them free to high schools in Andhra Pradesh as a part of HIV awareness programme. Some other States also followed suit. He also lent this film free of charge to any social organisation which wished to screen this film as part of HIV awareness programme. It is claimed that when he came to know that Kalpana Lajmi, Dimple Kapadia and Bhupen Hazarika were paid pittance for their excellent work in the film ‘Rudaali’ (1993), he sent cheques of Rs.one lakh each to them even though he was not associated with the said film.
I am presenting a multiple version of the lori song ‘aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar’ from ‘Nidaan’ (2000). The happy and sad versions are sung by Ravindra Sathe and Kavita Krishnamurthy and picturised on Shivaji Satam and Deepa Lagoo while the female solo version sung by Sagarika is picturised on Nisha Bains. There is also a two line version of the song sung by Suresh Wadkar as a background song after the end of the film when credit titles run.
In a way, the four versions of the song represent the four stages of the life of the main character Soumya (Nisha Bains) in the film – the happy go lucky girl, wishing to hear from her mother her childhood lori song, the HIV afflicted girl, the girl facing impending death and finally the death.
Video(Duet -Happy Version)
Video(Duet – Sad Version)
Video(Solo Sad Version)
Song-Aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar (Nidaan)(2000) Singers-Kavita Krishnamurty, Ravindra Sathe,Lyrics-Gautam Joglekar, MD-Rahul Ranade
Both
Lyrics
———————————–
(Duet – Happy Version)
———————————–
hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm hmm
hmm
aaja re chanda
aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar
le chal bitiyaa ko taaron ke paar
aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar
le chal bitiyaa ko taaron ke paar
saanse hain halki
palken hain bhaari
hothon pe thehri hansi pyaari pyaari
sapnon ki duniya ki meethi pukaar
paas bulaaye re gudiya hamaar
aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar
le chal bitiyaa ko taaron ke paar
aaaa
aaa aaa aaa aaaa
aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa
aaaa aaaa
aaaa aaaa aaaa
aaaa aaaa
aaa aaaa aaaa aaa
dhundhle nazaare jugnu cham cham
natkhat sitaare barsaayen shabnam
dhundhle nazaare jugnu cham cham
natkhat sitaare barsaayen shabnam
chaandni barsaaye ras ki phuhaar
chanda jab chupke se baadal se jhaanke
chanda jab chupke se baadal se jhaanke
sharma ke chhup jaaye gudiyaa hamaar
sharma ke chhup jaaye gudiyaa hamaar
aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar
le chal bitiyaa ko taaron ke paar
aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar
le chal bitiyaa ko
taaron ke paar
(hmm hmm hmm hmm
la la la laa
la la la laa
la la laa
la la la laa
la la la laa
la la la laa
la la laa
la la la laa
—————————-
Duet (Sad version)
—————————-
pariyon ki godi mein khelegi tu
oonchi udaanen bhar legi tu
pariyon ki godi mein khelegi tu
oonchi udaanen bhar legi tu
pankh sajaaye ankhiyaan nikhaar
ankhiyaan jo maarengi haule se jhapki
ankhiyaan jo maarengi haule se jhapki
nindiya mein kho jaaye gudiya hamaar
nindiya mein kho jaye gudiya hamaar
aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar
le chal bitiyaa ko taaron ke paar
aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar
le chal bitiyaa ko taaron ke paar
———————————————-
Female Solo Sad Version sung by Sagarika
———————————————
aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar
le chal bitiyaa ko taaron ke paar
saansen hain halki
palken hain bhaari
hothon pe thehri hansi pyaari pyaari
sapnon ki duniya ki meethi pukaar
paas bulaaye re gudiya hamaar
pariyon ki godi mein khelegi tu
oonchi udaanen bhar legi tu
pariyon ki godi mein khelegi tu
oonchi udaanen bhar legi tu
pankh sajaaye ankhiyaan nikhaar
ankhiyaan jo maarengi haule se jhapki
ankhiyaan jo maarengi haule se jhapki
nindiya mein kho jaaye gudiyaa hamaar
nindiya mein kho jaaye gudiyaa hamaar
aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar
le chal bitiyaa ko taaron ke paar
——————————————–
Solo Sad Version sung by Suresh Wadkar
(No link available)
——————————————
aaja re chanda rath pe sawaar
le gaya bitiyaa ko taaron ke paar
5 Responses to "Aaja re chanda ke rath pe sawaar"
January 19, 2015 at 4:23 pm
Dear Sadanand ji,
An excellent post concerning the song from a very sensitive film.
Prakash ji has already said every thing that I could say and in a much better way than I could have done.
Thanks & regards,
Avadh Lal
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January 19, 2015 at 8:51 pm
Rahul Ranade>>Vastav-99, Panga Na Lo-2007,
Gautam Joglekar>>Vastav
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January 20, 2015 at 11:29 am
Thanks Prakashhandra ji and Avadh Lal ji for the appreciation of the posts.
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January 20, 2015 at 11:31 am
Sorry for the typo. Please read as Prakashchnadra ji
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
January 18, 2015 at 10:19 pm
Sadanand ji
Thanks for the excellent post and the song, I think this movie was directed by Mahesh manjrekar before Astitva. I have heard this movie name in which Sanjay dutt`s made a special appearance, but not had the chance to watch it.
your selection of songs for the post and the posts always makes me wonder Sadanand ji ye kahaan kahaan se dhoondh lete hain apne post ke liye gaanon ko. you are just great.
Thanks again
Regards
Prakash
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