Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs

Aurat Ke Dil Pe Kya Guzre

Posted by: on: February 22, 2016


This article is written by Sudhir, 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.

Mohammed Rafi – ‘अ’  से  ‘ह’ तक  (From ‘अ’ to ‘ह’) – 9
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

‘औ’
“औरत के दिल पे क्या गुजरे, इंसान भला क्या जाने”

History, they say, is like the view that a traveler takes, when he decides to pause and rest, and then take a look back over the path that he has come. In literal terms, that path, and hence the view, stretches back for miles and miles. Having reached where he is, all he can see now is what is visible from a distance – the high mountains, or tall trees, or big pockets of habitation, or the large rivers, and other prominent landmarks that can still be seen from the vantage point where he now stands. What is not visible are the individual people he may have met and interacted on the way, the small roadside tea shops where he may have rested and had a snack, or the homes of friends, or even a tree, where he may have spent a peaceful night. There may be memories in the mind, but those are not now visible to the eyes. And a plethora of other small landmarks and events and experiences, that are no longer very sharp in the memory.

And so, the history becomes this view from afar, that will record the most visible landmarks and the most prominent memories. Some travelers may keep a journal, and may be able to provide a more accurate and detailed account of the journey. Although a much better record, there is a good possibility that other fellow travelers may label it as a ‘personal point of view’ and may not consider it as a historical record.

If you are wondering where I am leading to with this ‘philosophical’ sounding opening, I request you to please read on. 🙂

After having made his debut in the Bombay film world in 1944, the voice of Rafi Sb captured the attention of music directors and film producers. When we peruse the bio-sketches from different sources, one finds a pattern being followed. From his debut year in 1944 to the songs of film ‘Baiju Baawra’ in 1952, the following primary milestones are typically reviewed and discussed. The reason I take ‘Baiju Baawra’ and the year 1952 as a key milestone is that I find this documented at more than one place that this film and this year was the take off for Rafi Sb’s career.

So, the primary milestones turn out to be the following.

1944 – the chorus song “Hindusatan Ke Hum Hain, Hindustan Hamaara” from the film ‘Pehle Aap’, sung in accompaniment with Shaam Kumar, Alauddin, Moti Ram and others. The film also has two more all male duets of Rafi Sb with Shaam Kumar, but these are generally glossed over.

In 1945, the primary mention is of the film ‘Laila Majnu’, in which he sang the duet with SD Batish –“Tera Jalwa Jis Ne Dekha Wo Deewaana Ho Gaya”, and also made a brief on screen appearance to perform this song. And yes, the all male group song again, with GM Durrani and others – “Aji Dil Ho Qaaboo Mein To Dildaar Ki Aisi Taisi” from film ‘Gaon Ki Gori’ (‘Village Girl’).

For the year 1946, the main things that people remember is his voice appearing in the song with Saigal Sb – “Roohi Roohi Roohi, Mere Sapnon Ki Raani” in the film ‘Shahjehaan’, and the now iconic sound of melancholy “Tera Khilona Toota Baalak” from the film ‘Anmol Ghadi’.

Then comes 1947, for which the significant memories are of two more cameo appearances on screen, singing his own songs. The first one being the film ‘Samaaj Ko Badal Daalo’ and the song “Ae Ji Mat Poocho Kuchh Baat, College Albeli. . .” sung in the company of Manna Da and Arun Kumar under the music direction of Khemchand Prakash. And the second one, the more famous “Wo Apni Yaad Dilaane Ko, Ik Ishq Ki Duniya Chhod Gaye” from the film ‘Jugnu’, wherein Rafi Sb makes an appearance as one of the group of students in a college, singing about a flirtatious interlude with the girls of the college. Dilip Kumar is also part of this group. Rafi Sb makes an appearance before the song also, as the group of boys raids the picnic spot and the car in which girls have come for a picnic, while Dilip Kumar has diverted the attention of the group of girls with his enactment of a phony suicide attempt. The boys decamp with food stuff and other items belonging to the girls, and Rafi Sb is seen rifling through one purse he finds in the car. Then the song starts and he leads the singing, as other boys are playing cards and doing other chores (like pressing clothes or just sleeping) in the boys’ dormitory.

But the thing that people remember more fondly from the film ‘Jugnu’ is the timeless and peerless duet with Noorjehaan, “Yahaan Badla Wafa Ka Bewafaai Ke Siwaa Kya Hai”. Some writers have even opined that it was the success of this song that diverted Rafi Sb from making forays on to the screen for cameo appearances, and concentrate fully on playback singing only.

And yes, 1947 is also noted for the first duet he sang with Lata Mangeshkar – “Chalo Ho Gayi Taiyyaar, Zaraa Thehro Ji” from the film ‘Shaadi Se Pehle” (1947).

For the year 1948, the writers tell us about the iconic patriotic song “Watan Ki Raah Mein Watan Ke Naujawaan Shaheed Ho” (film ‘Shaheed’), and another timeless classic in “Ye Zindagi Ke Mele, Duniya Mein Kam Na Honge. . .” from the film ‘Mela’. Besides these, the year of 1948 is also remembered for the famous non-film song “Suno Suno Ae Duniya Waalo Baapu Ki Ye Amar Kahaani”, written by Rajendra Krishan and composed by Husnlal Bhagatram. As noted in the Wikipedia page, Rafi Sb was invited to Delhi by Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, to sing this song at the first anniversary of India’s independence. Nehru ji presented a silver medal to Rafi Sb on this occasion.

The primary achievement that most people remember from 1949 is the indescribably beautiful rendition of “Suhaani Raat Dhal Chuki” from the film ‘Dulaari’. And yes, they also refer to the films ‘Dillagi’ and ‘Bazaar’ from the same year, as having some great songs sung by him.

By this time, most write ups are running out of steam (and yes, also running out of space for online publication 🙂 ). After “Suhaani Raat Dhal Chuki”, they will simply gloss over 1950 and 1951 and come straight to ‘Baiju Baawra’ in 1952 and the iconic song “O Duniya Ke Rakhwaale”.

Going through such descriptions, one gets an impression that the initial years of Rafi Sb was really a tough going for him, till 1952 and ‘Baiju Baawra’. Maybe that is the impression one gathers when such sampling is presented, without also accompanying it with some numbers. My intent is not to create the opposite impression. The debut time for any artist is a tough going.  Even remarkable initial performances need a success story to make them stick. But it is these descriptions that provide a sampling of ones and twos from each year which are also misleading.

Let us take a look at the numbers in the debut years.  I am considering the decade of 1940s, the singing years from 1944 to 1950.

No. of films  162
No. of MDs   65
No. of Lyricists 87
No. of songs 368

If we now include the year of 1951, the numbers get modified as follows.

No. of films 201
No. of MDs   71
No. of Lyricists   93
No. of songs    447

These numbers beg an emphatic interpretation.  To say that ‘Baiju Baawra’ of 1952 was the take off for Rafi Sb’s career is a gross mis-statement in my opinion. The numbers speak for themselves. During the eight years that Rafi Sb sang playback prior to 1952, he sang almost 450 songs (and the number could be closer to 500 if we also include non-film recordings), for 71 different music directors, in 201 films. These numbers say that

  1. Even before ‘Baiju Baawra’ came to be in 1952, there is a huge number of film producers and music directors who reposed their faith in Rafi Sb’s voice.
  2. These numbers are equal to and even larger than the entire career figures for some other well known and less known artists.
  3. These are just the starting years, and Rafi Sb is trying to make his place on a stage that is already occupied with the voices of the likes of GM Durrani, Surendra, Ishwarlal, Mukesh, Talat Mehmood, Jagmohan, Shankar Dasgupta, SD Batish, Khan Mastana, Arun Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Pahadi Sanyal, Trilok Kapoor and others.

And so I repeat what I said in the beginning. To know and understand the true history, we have to get back into the past and down to the level of what was.  When the scribes and writers write about Rafi Sb today, they will look into the available material, and will pick up the highlights and milestones that have simply sustained the weathering of time. Yes, it is true that these are the high points that must be written about. But that is not the complete picture. And to say that Rafi Sb’s career took off after ‘Baiju Baawra’ in 1952, is simply brushing under the carpet, the data and the interpretations thereof, that are carried in the numbers cited above.

It becomes very clear that Rafi Sb was already a very popular singer by the time the 1940s drew to a close. Without belittling the contribution of the songs that are highlighted above, it is not at all out of place to say that because of these songs, AND many more from that era, that we may not have heard, or may have heard and bypassed, Rafi Sb was already one of the premier choice of the music directors and film producers. And we all know what drives this choice. It is the measure of popularity an artist enjoys with the listening/viewing public, and the sales that are gleefully reported by the record companies. Else why would the producers and MDs repose so much faith in a particular artist. In the final count, it is the popular success of the songs and the films, and the returns that success brings in for the record companies and production banners.

Simply said, the incremental number of films he sang for, and the number of songs he sang, as the years progressed from 1944 to 1951, indicates that Rafi Sb’s popularity was already on the rise.  The people wanted to listen to his voice, and hence an incrementally increasing number of film producers and music directors wanted him to sing in their films. ‘Baiju Baawra’ happened when it did, but in my humble opinion ‘Baiju Baawra’ becomes a significant milestone in a journey that was already going very strong in terms of music, as well as popularity.

(Note: The sampling of songs etc. highlighted above are referenced from the book ‘Swaron Ki Yatra’ by Anil Bhargav ji, plus some online sources like the Wikipedia, Mohdrafi.com, another biographical article at Chandrakanta.comå, and others. The data on number of films, number of songs, MDs etc. is taken from Hindi Film Geet Kosh compiled by Shri Harmandir Singh ji Hamraaz, and a more detailed list of songs of Rafi Sb compiled by someone that I am familiar with only as a name – Muveen.)

Today’s song at the ‘औ’ is from the 1957 film ‘Jeevan Saathi’.  The film is produced under the banner of DS Films, Bombay and is directed by RS Taara. The producer is Dhanwant S Shah. The star cast is lead by Ashok Kumar and Usha Kiran, supported by Anoop Kumar, Daisy Irani, Amarnath, Jeevan, Protima Devi, Shammi, Mirza Musharraf, Leela Misra, Murad, Dhoomal, Iftekhar, Salvi, Bhupendra Kumar, Alka and Gopal. The eight songs in this film are written by five songwriters.  This song is from the pen of Pt. Priyadarshi. Music is composed by Bulo C Rani.

I request other knowledgeable readers and friends to please add more information about the film and the on screen picturization of this song. A song of melancholy that laments the fate of the unfortunate lady, whose grieving is not understood even by the Almighty himself, what to say about the society and social relations. A song of a category that is done appropriate justice by the voice of Rafi Sb, bringing in the essential emotion behind the pain, into the singing – something he would always do very well. And peerlessly.

A melancholy song, and the voice of Rafi Sb – always a treasure forever.

Song – Aurat Ke Dil Pe Kya Guzre (Jeevan Saathi) (1957) Singer – Mohammed Rafi, Lyrics – Pt Priyadarshi, MD – Bulo C Rani

Lyrics

ooo ooo ooooooo oooo oooooo ooo
ooooo ooo ooo oooooooooo oo oo
ooo ooo oooo ooo

aurat ke dil par kya guzre
insaan bhalaa kya jaane
aurat ke dil par kya guzre
insaan bhalaa kya jaane
birhan ki kutiya kyon roye
bhagwaan bhalaa kya jaane
aurat ke dil par kya guzre
insaan bhalaa kya jaane

din raat kisi ka tadpe jigar
us bedardi ko kya hai khabar
din raat kisi ka tadpe jigar
us bedardi ko kya hai khabar
kyon lenren apna sar dhunti
chattaan bhalaa kya jaane
aurat ke dil par kya guzre
insaan bhalaa kya jaane

taaron mein udaasi chaai hai
masoom raat ghabraai hai
taaron mein udaasi chaai hai
masoom raat ghabraai hai
kyon jalti chitaa aahen bhar kar
shamshaan bhalaa kya jaane
aurat ke dil par kya guzre
oooo oooo ooooo
ooooo oooo ooooo ooooo

———————————-
Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
———————————–

ओss ओss ओsssss ओss ओssss ओs
ओsss ओs ओs ओssssssss ओs ओs
ओs ओs ओss ओs

औरत के दिल पर क्या गुज़रे
इंसान भला क्या जाने
औरत के दिल पर क्या गुज़रे
इंसान भला क्या जाने
बिरहन की कुटिया क्यों रोये
भगवान भला क्या जाने
औरत के दिल पर क्या गुज़रे
इंसान भला क्या जाने

दिन रात किसी का तड़पे जिगर
उस बेदर्दी को क्या है खबर
दिन रात किसी का तड़पे जिगर
उस बेदर्दी को क्या है खबर
क्यों लहरें अपना सर धुनतीं
चट्टान भला क्या जाने
औरत के दिल पर क्या गुज़रे
इंसान भला क्या जाने

तारों में उदासी छाई है
मासूम रात घबराई है
तारों में उदासी छाई है
मासूम रात घबराई है
क्यों जलती चिता आहें भर कर
शमशान भला क्या जाने
औरत के दिल पर क्या गुज़रे
ओss ओss ओsss
ओsss ओss ओsss ओsss

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11 Responses to "Aurat Ke Dil Pe Kya Guzre"

Yasin's avatar 1 | Yasin
February 22, 2016 at 9:59 am

Atulbhai, Thank you for sharing such a beautiful composition by Rafisahab. You made my day. This is the type of songs that we appreciate and love to hear.

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swaminathan's avatar 2 | swaminathan
February 22, 2016 at 11:54 am

Atulji/Sudhir ji

Thanks for your article

Swaminathan, a humble fan of Rafi Sahab here (the song here was uploaded by me in YT. I used to try to ferret out rare numbers of Rafi Sahab from the net and post them. Now luckily majority of his songs are available)

A very nice analysis. But in my view the fact remains that Rafi Sahab, who was already a star, was catapulted to superstar status by Baiju Bawra.

Two more milestone films in my view were CID and Tumsa Nahin Dekha, pairing him with Johnny and Shammi respectively. Apart from the large number of songs, this was invention of two distinct genres by the combos

Aradhana was a sad milestone, where he was for a shortwhile eclipsed by Kishore Kumar.

However another comeback in Laila Majnu

Then Allah snatched him away.

Not before a treasure of 5000 plus songs for us fans

Great job in this blog Atulji and team

Carry on

All the best

Regards

Swaminathan

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Atul's avatar Atul
February 22, 2016 at 2:33 pm

Thanks for your comments and welcome to the blog. Interestingly, you share the same name and same passion for music in general and for Rafi sahab in particular with another of our friends, he is also called Raja Swaminathan, known to us as Raja.

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Sudhir Kapur's avatar Sudhir Kapur
February 22, 2016 at 2:40 pm

Dear Swaminathan ji,

Thanks so much for you comment and your inputs. You are right in saying that with ‘Baiju Baawra’, Rafi Sb went to be a superstar, from being a star.

This analysis was prompted by some earlier discussions amongst another group of friends where someone had commented that it was the film ‘Baiju Baawra’ that really made Rafi Sb. When I went back to check and found that there are approx 450 songs by Rafi Sb in the years prior to 1952, I felt I had to write this up.

In the article above I did not even include the mention about another discussion I was part of last month, where another dear friend, a serious fan of SD Burman, expressed his belief that Rafi Sb that is Rafi Sb was made only after singing for SDB in the film ‘Pyaasa’ (1957). It was such a flabbergasting statement that I and others did not even pick an issue to argue.

Rgds
Sudhir

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Avinash Scrapwala's avatar 3 | Avinash Scrapwala
February 22, 2016 at 8:36 pm

@ Sudhir ji – thanks for this post on Rafi Saab’s journey and the important milestones.
Great post !!

( I had also sent this song (on 09.03.14) , so on the lighter side 🙂 avinash ke dil pe kya guzre ye aur koyi bhala kya jaane 🙂 )

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Nitin Shah's avatar 4 | Nitin Shah
February 23, 2016 at 10:10 am

Sudhirji,
Thanks for squashing the dangerous myth about Rafi and BB.
You threw the book on the so called critics who should be severally criticized about propagating such bunkum. They need to swallow the humble pie if he is veggie or eat boiled crow if he is non-veggie. Figures says it all.
Surprisingly I heard this lovely song for the first time. Thanks for the treat.

Like

swaminathan's avatar 5 | swaminathan
February 23, 2016 at 10:40 am

Dear Sudhir ji,

I fully endorse and accept your views. Rafi Sahab is not just Baiju Bawara. In fact there are so many songs of Husanlal Bhagatram, C.Ramachandra, Naushad Sahab, Pandit Govindram, Shyam Sunder and others (as you mentioned 450 odd songs, not counting Punjabi and Private recording ones).

However the two music directors who in my view embellished his Carrear and polished the diamond were Naushad and O P Nayyar ( in their own almost diametrically opposite contrasting ways).

Though they had only around 150 and 200 songs respectively with Rafi Sahab (compared with 400 odd of LP and SJ), majority of them were classics and masterpieces.

As regards S D Burman. Though many people treat RDB as anti Rafi Sahab, SDB was equally guilty of it. He used (no pun intended) Rafi Sahab in around 100 odd songs and Kishore da in around 110 odd songs. I have nothing against Kishore as a singer, but he was the only MD of his era to have used Kishore more, due to personal choices and preferances.

While there is no doubt that SDB was a great composer, in my humble view Rafi Sahab made him a superstar after Pysaa. I do not recollect any big superhits of SDB prior to this.

In fact Pyassa was a deadly combination of Rafi Sahab, SDB and Sahir. Sadly because of vanity/ ego hassles of Sahir and SDB, we could not get more classics like Pyassa (I am talking only of songs not the movie)

Rafi Sahab could churn out wonderful numbers even with the assistants of the famous MDs like G S Kohli or Jaidev (no disrespect meant for the assistants, but the unwritten caste system of Bollywood ensured that most never got big banners). Mana Mere Haseen Sanam from Adventures of Robinhood and Abhi na jao chod kar, are cases in the points.

I am glad and compliment you for not even picking up the issue and arguing against the SDB/Pyassa statement. It would be as futile as arguing with Pro Afzal supporters, who want to make a matyr out of a self confessed convicted terrorist.

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Sudhir Kapur's avatar Sudhir Kapur
February 23, 2016 at 6:08 pm

Dear Swaminathan ji,

From the group of stalwart music directors of the 40s, the one important name that chose not to use Rafi Sb, except in a handful of songs, is Anil Biswas. I have heard comments in discussions that Anil Da did not have a good opinion about Rafi’s singing, ascribing his voice only for sad songs of melancholy.

And further, let us also not take away the credit from SDB, for all the work he has done before Pyaasa – ‘Do Bhai’ (1947), ‘Mashaal’ (1950), ‘Baazi’, ‘Naujawaan’, ‘Sazaa’ (all 1951), ‘Jaal’ (1952), ‘Taxi Driver’ (1954), ‘Devdas’, ‘Munim ji’ and ‘House No.44’ (all 1955), ‘Funtoosh’ (1956) and then ‘Nau Do Gyaarah’, ‘Paying Guest’ along with ‘Pyaasa’ in 1957.

The special thing about SDB is he chose the singer as per the song to be sung. We find him assigning different singers to songs of the same film to be picturized on the same actor. E.g. ‘Manzil’ (1960), ‘Abhimaan’ (1973). He would often use Rafi Sb and Kishore Kumar in the same film, especially for Dev Anand. In fact even in ‘Aradhana’ (1969), he has two duets in the voice of Rafi Sb.

Best rgds
Sudhir

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swaminathan's avatar swaminathan
February 24, 2016 at 4:53 pm

Dear Sudhirji

You are spot on about Anil Biswas, one of the few MDs not to use Rafi Sahab (Salil Chowdhury was another).

I am not taking away any credit from SDB.

But you will agree that of the films listed above, Pyassa was a milestone and landmark film for SDB in terms of being a superhit.

Very surprisingly , almost shockingly SDB used Manna Dey even lesser than Rafi Sahab. Apparently just around 8 songs.

Guide and Pyassa will be two of his landmark albums I guess

Regards

Swaminathan

Like

swaminathan's avatar 6 | swaminathan
February 23, 2016 at 10:55 am

Dear Atul ji

Nice to know that Jhumpa Lahiri is working in real world too (Namesake). Would love to meet.

Your blog is great, though I have set it aside as a feast , to be savored after retirement (I am 53), soaking in the songs, with occasional anecdotes about it. (Nibble it as a treat presently)

As I mentioned yesterday, I am a humble fan of Rafi Sahab (my knowledge about music other than Rafi Sahab is nil)

I used to upload on You Tube (say 2009 or so), and try to upload rare numbers of Rafi Sahab. In fact the internet has been the biggest boon for us music lovers, who can now download songs of their choice.

Thanks to the generosity of many Rafi Sahab fans, I have been able to collect 5000 plus songs of Rafi Sahab. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of channels of Rafiology and Ahsanbhai in particular, and am obligated to them to rebuild my collection (most of my cassettes had become warped)

Now luckily YT has bulk of the Rafi Sahab collection.

Your blog rocks and am sure it must be already making waves.

I also wish to compliment you and your team for not accepting a single ad in the website. Ads in music websites are like having chocolate with the wrapper on.

I am sanguine that you will not be allowing any ads in future too

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Nitin Shah's avatar 7 | Nitin Shah
February 23, 2016 at 10:57 am

Trust BCR to come up with absolute gems from time to time.

Pandit Priyadarshi
Saiya Chup Chup Aan
Asha Bhosle
Moti Ram
Imaan (1951)

Dudh Ka Dudh Aur Pani Ka Pani
Asha Bhosle
Moti Ram
Imaan (1951)

Bachpan Ka Zamana Yaad Hai
Asha Bhosle, Talat Mahmood
Moti Ram
Imaan (1951)

Chupke Se Dil Me Mere Chori Chori
Sudha Malhotra
Bulo C Rani
Shikar (1955)

So Raha Jahaan Hai Jaagti Jawaniyan
S Balbir
Vinod
Mumtaz Mahal(1957)
Only 6 songs>should be more

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