Ye nazren milaa ke bachaana to dekho
Posted on: August 13, 2016
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular 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.
The moment the image of Ameerbai Karnataki comes to my mind, I remember some of her most popular songs, mostly full of pathos, melancholy, and devotion. In fact, the most popular songs of her singing career come from these genres. She started her filmy career in 1934 as an actor-singer but realising that the potential for career as a playback singer was bright after the system of playback singing was introduced in Bombay film industry in 1937, she confined herself mainly to playback singing thereafter. After her songs in ‘Kismet’ (1943) became very popular, for the next five years or so, she remained one of the top playback singers. Of the total of around 375 songs she sang during her filmy career, more than 50% was accounted for during 1943-48.
I was trying to list my favourite 5 songs of her but ended with great difficulties to restrict it to 10 songs. These are as under:
Ae dard zara dam le (Zamaana)(1938)
Jhulna jhulaave Nandlala (Narsi Bhagat)(1940)
Dheere dheere aare baadal (Kismat)(1943)
Mora dheere se ghoonghat hataaye piyaa (Bharthari)(1944)
Sooni padi hai pyaar ki duniya tere baghair (Caravan)(1944)
Milke bichhad gayin ankhiyaan (Ratan)(1944)
Pahle na samjhaa pyaar thaa (Aath Din)(1946)
Koi roke usse aur ye kah de (Sindoor)(1947)
Aansoo thhi meri zindagi (Bikhhre Moti)(1951)
Kaahe jaadoo kiyaa mujhko itna bataa (Naghmaa) (1953)
It can be noted from the above sample that Ameerbai Karnataki could sing at a very high pitch (higher octave).
As against these genre of songs listed above, I do not remember to have heard any of her peppy and jazzy songs which are generally associated with the picturisation at the club and stage settings in the films. Considering that she was most active as a singer in the 40s, songs in such settings would have invariably in the form of light or semi-classical music like thumris, ghazals and folks. It was only in the 50s and thereafter that the club and stage songs were rendered in jazzy or peppy styles with the accompaniments of western orchestration. Playback singers like Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhonsle specialised in this genre of songs from the 50s.
I cannot imagine as to how Ameerbai Karnataki could have fitted in singing club and stage songs in the 50s’ settings. But soon I found that there was no need for me to imagine as I got to listen to a mp3 clip of a song which she had rendered in a peppy style, probably a club song.
Today, I am presenting the same peppy song ‘ye nazaren milaakar bachaana to dekho’ from the film GHAAYAL (1951). The song is penned by Sheikh Adam and is set to music by Gyan Dutt.
I was keen to know about the actress to whom Ameerbai Karnataki would have lent her voice in this song. Since neither the DVD of the filmnor the film’s review is available to my knowledge, I have tried to make a guess about the identity of the lip syncer by of elimination. There were two main female playback singers – Geeta Dutt and Meena Kapoor. I guess that they may have sung for Geeta Bali and the second heroine Sulochana Chatterjee, respectively. In addition to the song under discussion, there was one more song rendered by Binapani Mukherjee which does not appear to be a club song.
I find that the cast in the film includes the name of Honey O’Brien who was known for her dance and club songs. The song has a beautiful prelude of orchestra of 45 seconds followed by similar type of interlude orchestra which, to my mind, fits well for a ballet type dance. I am convinced that Ameerbai Karnataki sang this song for Honey O’Brien. Also it is worth noting that the song ends with ‘laa laa laa laa la la laa’ which I guess is mostly associated with dance song reaching a crescendo. Lastly, in a lighter vein, if Rajkumari Dubey can sing for Honey O’Brien in ‘Shaukhiyaan’ (1951), why not Ameerbai Karnataki in ‘Ghaayal’ (1951)?
This is a rare song in the sense that video of this song was not available on YT until I made the video from mp3 clip and uploaded it on YT a couple of days back.
Enjoy the peppy song in the voice of Ameerbai Karnataki for a change.
Sheikh Adam, MD-Gyan Dutt
Song-Ye nazren milaa kar bachaana to dekho (Ghaayal)(1951) Singer-Amirbai Karnataki, Lyrics-Sheikh Adam, MD-Gyan Dutt
Lyrics
ye nazren milaakar bachaana to dekho
ye nazren milaakar bachaana to dekho
kisi kaa kisi dil mein aana to dekho
kisi kaa kisi dil mein aana to dekho
ye nazren aen aen
wo reh reh ke toofaan uthhaana to dekho
wo reh reh ke toofaan uthhaana to dekho
wo chhup chhup ke aankhen ladaana to dekho
wo chhup chhup ke aankhen ladaana to dekho
kisi kaa kisi ko jalaana to dekho
kisi kaa kisi ko jalaana to dekho
khade door hansna hansaana to dekho
ye nazren aen
nazar se nazar kaa milaana to dekho
nazar se nazar kaa milaana to dekho
kaleje pe bijli giraana to dekho
kaleje pe bijli giraana to dekho
ye gustaakh nazren jhukaana to dekho
ye gustaakh nazren jhukaana to dekho
ye ulfat kaa chhotaa bahaana to dekho
ye ulfat kaa chhotaa bahaana to dekho
ye nazren milaakar bachaana to dekho
kisi kaa kisi dil mein aana to dekho
ye nazren laa laa laa laa la la laa
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
August 13, 2016 at 9:46 am
Sheikh Adam
Lachak (1951)
Hai Suna Humne Tum Zulfon Me
Sach Ko Duniya Dushman Jaane
Kyun Ji (1952)
Sang Sang Dono Rahe
Dar Ke Maare Kaanp Raha Hu
Ye Teer Aalam Hai
Na Paisa Ladaaya Na Taqat Ladaayi
Bama (1952)
Gaao Khushi Ke Geet
Ho Phasi Hai Zulm Ke Toofan Me Naiyya
Ho Re Lala Ho Mera Nanha Sa Dil
Humko Na Chhedo Balma Haar Gaye
Karke Aaj Aayi Hai Shola Singar
Mai Hu Bholi Bhaali Naar
Sitamgar (1954)
Aawaz De Hum Kaha Milta Nahi Hai
Jaan e bahar Hu Mai
Tujhe Kasam Hai Aa Ja
Mere Bhole Bhaale Dil Me Khila Hai
Saans Ukhadta Hai Dil Bigadta Hai
Jungle Ka Jaadu (1955)
Tumko Pa Ke Apna Bana Ke
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