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.
Blog Day :
3765
Post No. :
14738
Movie Count :
4028
Today’s song is from the first decade of the Talkie films, viz 1930s. This song is from “Hum,Tum aur Woh”(1938). This was a film made under the banner of Sagar Movietone, a highly prestigious and famous film company of the times. This company was riding on waves of popularity and fame during those days of 1938.
Shri Biren kothari ji has written a wonderful book on Sagar Movietone. It is based on interactions with the surviving members of the Desai clan as well as several contemporary documents and is regarded as an authentic volume on Sagar Movietone. However, oday’s article is based on another book, “Mehboob Khan” written by Shashikant Kinikar, published in 2015, 2 years after Kothari ji’s book. This 300+ page book, in Marathi, has plenty of original photos and articles on Mehboob Khan written by Anil Biswas, Sitara Devi, Shamshad Begum, P.K.Nair, Wazahat Mirza, Naushad and Shakeel Badayuni and therefore it is full of several anecdotes which are unknown to many. The book also contains 4 articles by Mehboob Khan himself. The book is an excellent treatise on Mehboob Khan-the Director and the Human Being, with 230 pages dedicated on him and his films.
However, Mehboob’s story is incomplete without Sagar’s story.
Hindi film industry has produced some great directors who, besides having a commercial outlook, also served the society by making films on burning social issues. On their parts, they contributed their “Two Cents” to serve the Nation. Such directors included Raj Kapoor, V.Shantaram, Guru Dutt, Satyajit Ray and Mehboob Khan-to name a few.
Born as Ramzan Khan in 1907 in Bilimora, Gujarat, Mehboob was from a Gujarati Muslim family. He never got a formal education in his young age, but he was keen on two things-5 times Namaz and seeing films. His father being in Police Department, films were free for him. One day he ran away to Bombay to become an actor. However his father found him out and brought him back. He was immediately married off, with a belief that he would improve.
Two years after marriage and one child, he ran to Bombay again and worked in Imperial film co. as an extra for Rs.30 pm. This too after he worked without any pay for 5 months due to the mistake of the clerk ! He worked in crowd scenes and sundry roles-without a dialogue, of course, starting as one of the 40 thieves of Alibaba. He worked in several films uncredited. His first, big and credited role came in the film “Shirin Khushru”-1929.
In 1927, after the Talkie film “The Jazz Singer” was shown in US, the world started making Talkie films. India too jumped into the bandwagon. In 1931, Imperial-competing with Madon Theatres of Calcutta- wanted to make a Talkie and started work fast. Mehboob Khan was almost finalised as the Hero. Even his costumes were made ready, but he was destined for something different, and Master Vithal was made the Hero of India’s first Talkie. Ardeshir Irani’s safety valve of minimizing the risk of the first venture by selecting the existing popular Hero, scuttled Mehboob’s dream.
Meanwhile, Imperial started a new company,’Sagar Movietone’, along with Dr. Patel and Chiman Desai. Some artistes and techies were shifted to Sagar-including Mehboob- from Imperial. Mehboob continued to work in 12 silent films. Here, he met Faredoon Irani, Cinematographer and they became thick friends. Irani was with Mehboob till the end.
During this period, Mehboob wrote a film story and convinced the owners to allow him to direct this film. Owners were hesitant, naturally, to allow this young extra actor to direct a film. Lastly a deal was struck, that Mehboob and Faredoon should be allowed to shoot one reel film. If they like it, continue or else, scrap it and recover money from these two chaps. After one reel shooting the owners realised that they had struck Gold in the process and Mehboob completed his first Directorial venture ” Al Hilaal “-35. The film was a great success and Mehboob ‘chal pada’. Mehboob went on to direct 7 more films for Sagar. All his films were successful.
From film Jageerdar-37 Mehboob and Anil Biswas pair teamed up for 8 films-till Roti-42.
When Mehboob was making arrangements for his next film, Alibaba, the sudden news that Sagar is closing down hit them. Mehboob Khan contacted Imperial to allow him to shoot for his film in their studio, which Ardeshir gladly permitted. The film shooting proceeded til Sagar became National studios. Mehboob made 3 important films of his career in National studio, namely Aurat-40, Behan-41 and Roti-42.
When National studio also closed down all workers came on road. However, Mehboob decided to start his own company. One Mr. Lalaji of Manoranjan Distributors of Delhi promised capital. National studio was renamed as Central studio by the owner, K.K.Modi-elder brother of Sohrab Modi. He allowed Mehboob to use the studio till his own studio came up. Mehboob took a place nearby to start his office. In this period there was a rift between Mehboob and Anil Biswas and they separated for ever-albeit bitterly.
Mehboob wanted a Logo for Mehboob Productions. He selected a sher written by Agha Jani kashmiri for film “Al Hilal”….” Muddai lakh bura chahe to kya hota hai, vahi hota hai jo manjur e Khuda hota hai”. It was recorded in the voice of Rafiq Ghaznavi with appropriate prelude music and sound of lightening and clouds. He also took Sickle and Hammer for the Logo, and clarified that because he respected workers and certainly he was not a communist.
His first film Najma-43 ( his daughter’s name was Najma), with Ashok Kumar and Veena was a Hit film. It was followed by Taqdeer-43, Humayun-45,Anmol Ghadi-46, Elaan-47, Anokhi Ada-48, Andaaz-49, Aan-52, Amar-54 and his Magnum Opus Mother India-57. After the high of Mother India, Mehboob aimed to fly even higher with Son of India (1962) but the film was a total misfire and, in fact, his weakest film. Mehboob had been neglecting health inspite of suffering Heart attacks. In May 1964, he suffered another attack but survived. His financiers were after him for repayment and he was worried. He called Rajendra Kumar and asked for a loan of 4 lakh rupees against his studio to be made in his name. Rajendrakumar refused to take the studio and promised to give him the amount next day at 11 am, without any mortgage. In the evening, news of Nehru’s heart attack came. Mehboob became restless. Soon the death news came and Mehboob became grief stricken. Akhtar gave him sleeping pills, but he had to be admitted to Nanavati Hospital. He too died at 2 am on 28th May 1964. At the time of his death, Mehboob Khan was harboring ambitions to make a film on the life of Habba Khatoon, the 16th century poetess-queen of Kashmir.
Mehboob Khan directed 8 films for Sagar, 3 films for National and 11 films for Mehboob productions.( based on information from Upperstall, Mehboob Khan by Shashikant Kinikar and my notes).
One advantage of reading a Biography is that you get to know the person’s version on controversies. As far as Mehboob and Anil Biswas’s split is concerned, Mehboob’s version is 180 degrees opposite to what Anil Biswas gave. Difficult to side anyone. But this split did help first Rafiq Ghaznavi and then Naushad.
In the cast of the film, one finds a name Sunalini Devi. Now let us know something about Sunalini Devi, the actress. She was born on 1-1-1896 in Hyderabad Deccan. Her father, Aghornath Chattopadhyay-a Bengali settled in Hyderabad – was a Sanskrit scholar, was proficient in 27 languages and was the first Indian to get the D.Sc. honour. Sunalini was the elder sister of Sarojini, who became Sarojini Naidu after her marriage, and Harindranath Chattopadhyaya-renowned poet.
Sunalini learnt Music and Dance from her third year of age itself. Due to her sweet voice, she was called ‘ Kokila ‘. It is to be noted that her younger sister Saojini naidu was called ‘ Nightingale of India’ ! It is unfortunate that the film industry did not use Sunalini’s music skill in her films and she sang just one song in her career in film ‘ Raja Rani-42’.
Sunalini started acting in stage dramas from 1918. her first movie was ” Light of Asia”-released initially in Germany and Poland in 1925 ( its restored version was released on 5th July 2001, in India. This film was made by Himanshu Rai. The film was shot in Lahore. It was a silent film on Gautama the Buddha. Her first Talkie film was ‘ veer Kunal-32’. She acted in 56 films. Mostly she was known for motherly roles only. She had, like her more eminent sister, married a south Indian- mr.A.S.Rajan, a writer from Madras.
Some of her more known films are, Aurat, Lalaji, Inkaar, Nai roshni, Talaash, Bairam khan, Tamasha, Dilruba, Malhar etc etc. She retired from films in 1956.
Let us now listen to the song of today. It is sung by Maya Banerjee and Harish. The music was by Anil Biswas. I find the tune of this song a little unusual. It looks like the lady is stressing her point with fists hammered on a desk.
With this song, this film “Hum Tum aur Woh” (1938) makes its Debut in the Blog.
Song-Hamen preet kisi se nahin karni (Ham Tum Aur Wo)(1938) Singers-Maya Banerjee, Harish, MD-Anil Biswas
Lyrics
hamen preet kisi se nahin karni
hamen preet kisi se nahin karni
hamen preet ki reet bataao nahin
hamen preet ki reet bataao nahin
hamen preet kisi se nahin karni
hamen preet kisi se nahin karni
hamen likh likh chithhiyaan mat bhejo
hamen likh likh chithhiyaan mat bhejo
hamen jamuna kinaare bulaao nahin
hamen jamuna kinaare bulaao nahin
hamen preet kisi se nahin karni
hamen preet kisi se nahin karni
ham likhh likhh chithhiyaan bhejenge
tumhen apne paas bulaayenge
ham likhh likhh chithhiyaan bhejenge
tumhen apne paas bulaayenge
ham roothhenge
ham jhagdenge
ham roothhenge
ham jhagdenge
ham dor se kheench ke laayenge
ham dor se kheench ke laayenge
in baaton se hamko daraao nahin
in baaton se hamko daraao nahin
hamen preet kisi se nahin karni
hamen preet kisi se nahin karni
hamen preet ki reet bataao nahin
hamen preet ki reet bataao nahin
hamen preet kisi se nahin karni
hamen preet kisi se nahin karni
It can safely be concluded that most of the Film Stars who migrated to Pakistan, came out the worse off, compared to those that remained behind in India. An exception is the case of Mehboob Khan. Lured by a mirage created by Jinnah, he too went over to Pakistan, leaving his sprawling Studio behind. But he was astute enough to realise that it was false dream, and returned to India just as soon as he could. On return, he found to his horror that the Bombay Govt. had taken possession of his Studio in Bandra. No one came forward to help him. In desperation he turned to Baburao Patel, Publisher of “Film India” magazine, feared by Film Stars and Politicians alike.
One word from Baburao to his fellow-Gujarati MORARJI DESAI (then Chief Minister of Bombay), and not only the entire Studio and the attendant Properties, but also all the ownership papers were restored to Mehboob Khan – a favour he did not forget till his dying day.
At the height of their friendship, Mehboob and Anil-da were thick as thieves. They would go for long drives in Anil-da’s brand new De-Soto car, often as far as Lonavla and beyond, in search of exotic eateries.
Ironically, it was on the sets of Roti (1942) that the break took place.
History says that Music Directors who migrated to Pakistan prospered and did much much better in Pakistan than in India. Same case with Directors too. However, Lyricists,story writers and actors/actresses did not do well. This is a generalisation.
Many big stars and directors did try to migrate. For example Dilip Kumar wanted to go there and he is said to have sent feelers.
Actors like N M Charlie went there, worked in few films and came back to India, wanted to settle here, but did not get citizenship and had to go back to Pak.
Many actresses like Meena Shorey and Ragini did come back to do some films here. In fact till 1965 this type of traffic was there, but then it stopped completely.
One point. In your second para of comment you say ” to his fellow-Gujarati”. Perhaps you are not aware that Baburao Patel was actually a Maharashtrian-Baburao Patil and Not Gujarati Patel. He had taken this pseudo name for business purpose only.
Thanks for new information on Mehboob, which I had never known or read anywhere.
-AD
Thanks Arunji, I stand corrected on Baburao’s surname which I was not aware of. One person who made it twice across the border was Dilip Kumar’s younger brother Nasir Khan and in the process his career suffered.
Did Meena Shorey come back? We had heard that she left husband Roop devastated by her sudden migration. Which Film did she do after returning?
Partha ji,
Meena returned to Pakistan in 55 and worked in film Miss 1956. Then she came back and worked/completed films Shrimati 420-56 and Awara Shehzadi-56. She went back to Lahore to do another film then came back to Bombay to do film Chandu-58. This was her last film here.
Everytime she came back to India, she always stayed with Roop K Shorey in his flat. Roop never gave her divorce till he died, hoping that she will come back to him one day.
This blog discusses Bollywood songs of yesteryears. Every song has a brief description, followed by a video link, and complete lyrics of the song.
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November 8, 2018 at 11:48 am
Arunji,
Can we have both the versions by Mehboob and Anil Biswas, for their split?
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November 8, 2018 at 6:26 pm
If you are keen, I can send it to you on email.
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