Karna Tha Inkaar, Magar Iqraar Tumhi Se Kar Baithe (medley)
Posted on: July 30, 2019
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.
| Blog Day : | 4029 | Post No. : | 15146 |
Songs Repeated in Hindi Films – 8
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The previous post in this series was delayed by about a week or so. And today’s post, I have been saving this medley song to write about this person, but not sure about which date to bring it on. A chance reminder three days ago, brought up this song and this post, almost immediately. But then, other priorities intervened as usual, and this post is late by three days. 🙂
The person I write about, in this post, is Ravi Baswani. Yes, the sidekick companion of Naseeruddin Shah in the cult classic ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’ of the year 1983. Coincidental that the posts for these two friends are coming up one after the other. And both are in the same series, and both posts are a medley of songs from the earlier years. One difference is the nature and the composition of the medley of songs – I will come to this point again a little later in the write up. And the second difference – for Naseer we celebrated a birthday anniversary, but for Ravi, the occasion is his remembrance day. Yes – 27th July in the year 2010, he suffered a massive cardiac arrest, quite unexpectedly, and was no more. He was in Haldwani, on the way back to Delhi from Nainital, where he had gone for location scouting for his first full length feature film, as a director. In the prime of his health, and on the top with his career in cinema and theatre – leaves a regret in the mind, that it was not a time to go.
Ravi was born on 29th Sept in the year 1946, in the city of Bulandshehar in UP. His father, Balram Singh, was a doctor by profession, and his mother, Shingaar Kaur, a homemaker. Practically everyone who knows him or knows about him, always presume him to be a Sindhi – Baswani <> Vaswani and so on. Interestingly, he is not. He belongs to a Jat family, whose correct family name is Baswan. How this surname got transformed into Baswani is an interesting tale by itself. It is a case of a clerical zeal.
As per his own description, his father applied for a passport sometimes in the late 1930s. His application form was processed by a Bangla person. It just came to his mind and he decided that the surname ‘Baswan’ is spelt incorrectly. He assumed in his mind that the correct surname should be Vaswani – a name that one is more familiar with. And being a Bengali speaking person, he decided that the spelling of the surname should be Baswani – i.e. the Bangla version of the pronunciation of Vaswani. The passport got processed, and Ravi’s father’s name was transformed to Balram Singh Baswani for good. All for the zeal of a processing official to set right the name of the applicant. As his father appeared for and got selected for study of medicine, his name was taken from the passport as a reference. And surely enough, the doctor’s degree pronounced his name as Baswani. Beyond that point, his father then made no attempts to get the name rectified. And Baswani got carried into the next generation. Of course, all his uncles and cousins were not so affected – the rest of the clan still continues to be Baswan.
He further says that he could have made a choice to revert to his original family name, when he started his filmi career. But then, when he signed up for his debut film – ‘Chashm e Baddoor’, his father had then passed away just a few weeks earlier. Somehow emotionally he felt compelled not to desert his father’s surname, and decided to keep it. And that is the name he signed up for life then.
The family moved to Delhi in 1946-47 and settled down in the Connaught Place area. Ravi’s education happened at St Columba’s School and Kirori Mal College (Delhi University). As per his own declaration, there is nothing in his lineage before him remotely connected with stage and acting. But inside him, there was an actor that expressed itself, both at school and at college. He made his debut on stage at the age of six, in a school play. As per his own admission, he fell in love with acting and dramas during his years at the Kirori Mal College.
The dramatics society at the Kirori Mal College, called simply ‘The Players’ is one of the most vibrant, and famous theatre groups in Delhi. Founded by the legendary dramatist, Frank Thakurdas in 1957, this theatre group boasts of some of the biggest names in theatre and cinema, who learned their craft here. The list will impress you – Amitabh Bachchan, Dinesh Thakur, Shakti Kapoor, Satish Kaushik, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, and many more names of the current TV and cinema scene. During his college days, he won the Delhi University’s Best Actor award, at the university lever drama competition.
Ravi says that of course, he had no intention of pursuing acting as a career. After college, he quite dutifully joined the sales department of a large company. He worked there for two years. During the later part of these two years, something happened. Ravi came down with a case of jaundice, which he himself attributes to excess of alcohol, and was resting up, away from work. During this time, he went to see a play one day. The play was the iconic ‘Evam Indrajeet’, by the famous dramatist Badal Sircar. It was directed by Shyamanand Jalan and Kalyan Chatterjee played the title role. The play is based on the legend of Sisyphus from the Greek mythology. Sisyphus is cursed with the task of pushing and rolling a large rock up a hill. When he reaches the top, the rock rolls down the other side, and he starts all over again, pushing the boulder up the hill now from the other side. This lifelong curse simply continues forever without any respite.
Ravi says, it suddenly struck him right between the eyes – that is what his life was all about. And he asked this question of himself – is that all that there is to life? As soon as he was well enough to go the office, he went into his manager’s room and tendered his resignation, bidding a good farewell to a budding corporate career, once for all.
With no plan for the future in mind, and very little finances to support himself, he took on free lancing in the Delhi theatre circle. He remembers with fascination, the privilege that he had to work with stalwarts of the theatre world such as BM Shah, Mohan Upreti, Om Shivpuri, MK Raina, Joy Michael, Bansi Kaul and Ebrahim Alkazi!
Realizing that acting alone would not support a life, he also started training himself to be stage designer and director. During this time, he got together with some other free lancers like himself and set up a theatre group which was, quite interestingly named Non-Group. In a matter of a short time, this group became a force to reckon with in Delhi’s theatre circuit. Their crowning achievement was organizing non-stop 24 hour play festivals on the leap day (29th Feb) in the years 1976 and 1980, which included dance, drama, music, films and the fine arts.
Ravi notes that the turning point in this wayward journey as a freelancer came his way close to the end of 1970s. Naseeruddin Shah, a very old and close friend on the theatre circuit, landed in Delhi with the script of the film ‘Sparsh’ (1980) in his hands. As Ravi went over the script with Naseer, he writes that he was convinced – here was a National Award in the making for Naseer. His gut feel did pan out as reality a couple of years down the road, as Naseer bagged his first National Award as the best actor, for his sensitive portrayal of a blind man’s challenges in the apathetic world of the normal people.
Ravi writes that after going through the script, he was quite sure it had no role for him, but being the buddy of Naseer, he would have been quite content to even be his light boy. As the things unfolded, Sai Paranjpye, the producer director of this film, assigned the task of props design and management for the film to Ravi. This was his first real introduction to the world of cinema. The one great positive outcome of this endeavor was establishing a great relationship with Sai Paranjpye. So much that when Sai started work on ‘Chashm e Baddoor’ (1981), this time around Ravi had a very meaty role – his debut in the film world, in front of the camera this time.
His role in ‘Chashm e Baddoor’ was nominated for the Filmfare’s Best Comedian award. This was followed up with two more nominations in 1983, for – oh so quite expectedly – ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’ and ‘Ab Aayega Mazaa’. He bagged the award for ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’ in face of stiff competition against himself (for ‘Ab Aayega Mazaa’), and Satish Shah (for ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’). That does create a record of sorts – three nominations for Filmfare award for the first three films of his career; quite so.
Quite early one might say, but he moved into the small screen in 1984 with the comedy serial ‘Idhar Udhar’. And very soon, turned a director for TV serials with ‘Hakke Bakke’ in 1988, and more with ‘Kisse Miyan Biwee Ke’ and ‘Panchhi’. And then on to Sony channel with ‘Just Mohabbat’ and ‘Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin’.
Twenty five feature films in about three decades. He picks the following as his best performances – ‘Ab Aayega Mazaa’ (1983), ‘Yaatna’ (1985), ‘Monsoon’ (2005) and ‘Yun Hota To Kya Hota’ (2006). He worked with children theatre a lot – about 400 plays he directed for children of ages from 5 to 17. Best of my work, he says – it left him being a child, permanently.
And then, at the peak of his active life, and in the midst of numerous projects, he was gone – just like that, nine years ago.
Coming to the song – another unlisted repeat song, or rather a medley of songs, from the film ‘Chashm e Baddoor’. This film is one of the most memorable comedies in my listings. It is funny tale of three very close friends, college going students, who live through the most normal college going life and activities for singles of the male species i.e. pursuing girls to strike a relationship. The three friends – Siddharth (Farooque Sheikh), Jomo (Ravi Baswani) and Omi (Rakesh Bedi), share an apartment. There are fun capers of sharking cigarettes on loan from the corner pan-beedi waala (role played by Saeed Jafrey), biking around aimlessly – three on a mobike, efforts to catch attention of ladies, who would be less than interested in their types, etc. Then one day, a new family moves into the neighborhood. There is a young lady Neha in that family (role played by Deepti Naval). And once having seen her, they, or at least the two – Omi and Jomo, are desperate to contact her, and try to build a friendship. With great difficulty they are able to locate her address. And then there is a wager. They will each make an effort to strike a friendship with the lady, and may the best man win.
Omi goes in first, he is mistaken for plumber, asked to make plumbing repairs. Of course he does not know the right end of the tap or the wrench, and has to escape from the house with his dignity and physical features intact.
Jomo goes in second. He masquerades as the younger brother of a Bombay film producer who has come to Delhi in search of fresh talent. He gets into the house, but his outcome is worse than Omi – watch the video clip.
The fun part is that both of them, on return to their penthouse apartment (called a barsaati in Delhi – a single isolated room on the terrace of a house), both of them spin a false yarn on how they were able to impress the lady, and have a initial go ahead for a relationship.
The clip that I have uploaded, gives the Jomo episode from start to finish – the way he loses his dignity and also physical features, and the tall tale that he tells to his friends on return. This clip is a favorite – vintage Ravi Baswani at his best.
And in the bogus and fictitious tale that he spins for his friends, he falls back on a string of old Hindi film songs, to create and convey the lovey-dovey mood of success in setting up a friendly relation with the lady.
Unlike the previous episode, where we had a typical set of songs – all Rafi-Shammi Kapoor songs – this medley has a mix of male, female and duet songs, with multiple singing voices. The treat in this medley is Ravi Baswani, taking on the mantle of Dilip Kumar, Rehman, Joy Mukherjee, Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, Sanjeev Kumar, Feroze Khan, Dev Anand, and Sunil Dutt – all short cameos of a few seconds each. My personal favorite is the imitation of Dev Anand – one just has to see to believe it.
Closing this episode and also bringing to close the brief bio on this multi-talented actor and comedian – he never pursued a career. It was the career that kept hounding after him all his life. Alas, gone too soon. Good bye Ravi. . .
[Author’s Note: A fair part of the material for the write up on Ravi Baswani is taken from Ravi’s personal website, which, interestingly, is still active.]
Song – Karna Tha Inkaar, Magar Iqraar Tumhi Se Kar Baithe (medley) (Chashm e Baddoor) (1981) Singers – Female Voice, Male Voice [Multiple], Lyrics – [multiple], MD – [multiple]
Female Voice + Male Voice
Lyrics
karna tha inkaar
magar iqraar
tumhin se kar baithe
na na karte pyaar
tumhin se kar baithe. . .
pyaar kiya koi chori nahin ki
chhup chhup aahen bharna kya
jab pyaar kiya to darna kya
pyaar kiya to darna kya
jab pyaar kiya to darna kya. . .
hum chhod chaley hain mehfil ko
yaad aaye kabhi to mat rona
is dil ko tassalli de dena
ghabraaye kabhi to mat rona
hum chhod chaley hain mehfil ko. . .
na jaao sainyaan
chhuda ke bainyaan
kasam tumhari main ro padungi
ro padungi. . .
sheesha ho ya dil ho..oo..oo
aakhir . . . toot jaaata hai
toot jaata hai
toot jaaata hai
toot jaaata hai
o o aa ja
aa aa aa ja
a a a aa ja
aa aa aa ja
a a a aa ja
aa aa aa ja
a a a aa ja
aa aa aa..aa. . .
tum ne pukaara aur
hum chale aaye
dil hatheli par ley aaye re..ea..ea
tum ne pukaara aur
hum chale aaye. . .
aap jaisa koi meri zindagi mein aaye
to baat ban jaaye
haan haan baat ban jaaye
aap jaisa koi meri zindagi mein aaye. . .
aah
chhod do aanchal
zamaana kya kahega
oo oo oo
chhod do aanchal
zamaana kya kahega
ha ha ha
in adaaon ka
zamaana bhi hai deewaana
deewaana kya kahega
oo oo oo
chhod do aanchal
zamaana kya kahega. . .
logo. . .
na maaro isey
yahi to mera
dildaar hai. . .
ab chaahe sar phoote ya maatha
maine teri baanh pakad li
ab chaahe sar phoote ya maatha
maine teri baanh pakad li. . .
hum tum
yug yug se ye geet milan ke
gaate rahe hain
gaate rahenge..ea..ea
hum tum
jag mein jeevan saathi ban ke
aate rahe hain
aate rahenge..ea..ea
hum tum. . .
———————————————————-
Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
———————————————————-
करना था इंकार
मगर इक़रार
तुम्हीं से कर बैठे
ना ना करते प्यार
तुम्हीं से कर बैठे॰ ॰ ॰
प्यार किया कोई चोरी नहीं की
छुप छुप आहें भरना क्या
जब प्यार किया तो डरना क्या
प्यार किया तो डरना क्या
जब प्यार किया तो डरना क्या॰ ॰ ॰
हम छोड़ चले हैं महफिल को
याद आए कभी तो मत रोना
इस दिल को तसल्ली दे देना
घबराए कभी तो मत रोना
हम छोड़ चले हैं महफिल को॰ ॰ ॰
ना जाओ सैंयां
छुड़ा के बैंयां
कसं तुम्हारी में रो पड़ूँगी
रो पड़ूँगी॰ ॰ ॰
शीशा हो या दिल हो
आखिर ॰ ॰ ॰ टूट जाता है
टूट जाता है
टूट जाता है
टूट जाता है॰ ॰ ॰
ओ ओ आ जा
आ आ आ जा
अ अ अ आ जा
आ आ आ जा
अ अ अ आ जा
आ आ आ जा
अ अ अ आ जा
अ अ आ॰॰आ॰ ॰ ॰
तुम ने पुकारा और
हम चले आए
दिल हथेली पर ले आए रे॰॰ए॰॰ए
तुम ने पुकारा और
हम चले आए॰ ॰ ॰
आप जैसा कोई मेरी ज़िंदगी में आए
तो बात बन जाये
हाँ हाँ बात बन जाये
आप जैसा कोई मेरी ज़िंदगी में आए॰ ॰ ॰
आह
छोड़ दो आँचल
ज़माना क्या कहेगा
ओ ओ ओ
छोड़ दो आँचल
ज़माना क्या कहेगा
हा हा हा
इन अदाओं का
ज़माना भी है दीवाना
दीवाना क्या कहेगा
ओ ओ ओ
छोड़ दो आँचल
ज़माना क्या कहेगा॰ ॰ ॰
अब चाहे सर फूटे या माथा
मैंने तेरी बाँह पकड़ ली
अब चाहे सर फूटे या माथा
मैंने तेरी बाँह पकड़ ली॰ ॰ ॰
हम तुम
युग युग से ये गीत मिलन के
गाते रहे हैं
गाते रहेंगे॰॰ए॰॰ए
हम तुम
जग में जीवन साथी बन कर
आते रहे हैं
आते रहेंगे॰॰ए॰॰ए
हम तुम
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
July 31, 2019 at 7:31 am
😁😁this is the response this actor generates in me. And this movie also brings 😆😆😆. And whenever I see this segment 🤣🤣🤣🤣.
What I love about the segment is how Sai Paranjpe chose her songs and put them in a particular order to climax with “hum tum yug yug se yeh geet milan ke gaate raahein hai”. And how the songs chosen explain the bandages he sports after a visit to Neha’s house. Hats off to her!
Ravi Baswani – bless his soul.🙏
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July 31, 2019 at 11:19 am
Aa ha,
Good to know. . . apne jaisa beemaar. 😀 😀
Yes, bless his soul.
Rgds
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July 31, 2019 at 11:24 am
of cousre sir!!!
“birds of a feather” kahavat toh suni hogi aapne
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