Lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re
Posted on: January 15, 2022
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 other sites without the knowledge and consent of the web administrator of atulsongaday.me, then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
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Today’s song is from a C grade film called Baghi Sardar (1956).
I remember once Atul ji had expressed his opinion that ‘many times the B and C grade films provide A grade music’. I tend to agree with his opinion on this issue. There are many examples of songs from costume, stunt, action and religious films which became very popular. Off hand I remember at least two songs. The first was “Zara Saamne To Aa O Chhaliye” from a religious film ‘Janam Janam Ke Phere’ (1957). It was sung by Lata and Rafi, written by Bharat Vyas and music was by SN Tripathi. This song not only became very popular, but it became the No. 1 song on Binaca Geet Mala for 4 weeks. The second was a Rafi song “Parwardigar e Aalam, Tera Hi Hai Sahara” from the film ‘Hatimtai’ (1956). There was another song also from this film”Jhoomti Hai Nazar Jhoomta Hai Pyaar” which too became very popular. This was a costume film.
Another example comes to my mind. A qawwaali from the film ‘Al Hilal’ (1958), a costume film. This qawwaali “Hamen To Loot Liya Mil Ke Husn Waalon Ne” became very famous. This song also had the prestigious honor of being the 5000th song for this Blog on 13-11-2011. Further, it had an unique honor of having write ups from 3 stalwarts, namely Atul ji, Sudhir ji and Raja ji. Incidentally, earlier in 1935 also there was a film Al Hilal, first directorial venture of the great Mehboob Khan. This was a film made by Sagar Movietone. The songs of this film also became very popular. However, since the playback had not yet started then, no records were issued for these songs.
I used to like watching religious films because of the trick scenes of the films. I liked stunt and action films for their death defying stunts by the actors and I saw costume films because of their King, Queen and evil Vazir stories. Children liking such films, for the reasons given here, is understandable, but I wondered how adults and grown up people came to see such films. Later I learnt that there is a child hidden in every adult.
This child in some adults gets excited with magic, supernatural strength and fighting. Such people constituted the audience of B and C grade films. The audience for religious films constituted old adults, and ladies, who believed in God’s power. Film makers all over the world have always taken such people as their targets and films were made to attract them and satisfy their emotions.
Right from the First Silent film ‘Raja Harishchandra’ (1913), films have been made on religious stories. A vast nation like India provides plenty of folk tales and all these have been used to make films. In addition, Arabian Night stories of 1001 was yet another bumper source of masala for making interesting films. The 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and to some extent the 60’s had been making stunt / action / costume / religious films. In early films, till film ‘Aan’ (1952), the actors working in the films used to do all the stunts themselves. From this film, use of doubles and fight masters/composers started being used. In film ‘Aan’, the fights and the horses were managed by Azim Bhai and Douglas took care of fight scenes involving fencing. Same year, in films like ‘Sinbad Jahaazi’ (1952) and ‘Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo) (1952), the south developed hero Ranjan (real name Ramnarayan Venkatraman Sarma) appeared on Hindi scene in Bombay and entertained us with his Olympic level fencing fights. Earlier he was seen in ‘Chandralekha’ (1948), ‘Nishan’ (1949) and ‘Mangala’ (1949) – remakes of their Tamil films. In the subsequent years these Fight Masters became ‘Action Directors’.
In the films from 1935 to the 1950s, Nadia and others used to perform the stunts themselves. In the 60’s – a decade dominated by romantic films, for heroes, the action was mostly relegated to the climax scenes to rescue the ‘Damsels in Distress’ ! The 60’s also saw the emergence of ‘The Action Hero’. The first film, where a hero dared to bare his chest for the first time, was in film ‘Phool Aur Patthar” (1966) and the action hero was born with Dharmendra !
The set of actors, directors, producers, banners and even the audience was fixed for such films. Certain theaters were earmarked to exhibit such films in every city and small town. Some heroes of these action films, later on, became directors for such movies e.g. Majnu, Kamran, Daljit, John Cavas etc. ‘Baghi Sardar’ (1956) was also directed by Majnu, who started his talkie film career with a parody film ‘Majnu’ (1935). Though his original name was Harold Lewis, he was branded as Majnu and he too continued with this name.
MAJNU – Harold Lewis was a Punjabi Christian. He was born on 2-11-1913. It is said that before joining films, Harold had worked in circus as a joker. He acted in 3 Silent films, including ‘Flames Of Flesh’ (1930).
He was the childhood friend of Roop K Shorey. When Shorey wanted to make his second film, he chose Harold as the hero. Majnu was introduced as a leading man opposite Shyama Zutshi by producer/director Roop K Shorey in film ‘Majnu’ (1935) — a musical comedy satirizing the old story of Laila Majnu, produced, directed and shot in Lahore with Ghulam Haider as music director. With daring motorbike stunts and special effects, audiences were thrilled at the sight of Majnu strapped on the railway tracks by the villain.
The film was a success and RK Shorey repeated Majnu as the leading man in his next film, ‘Tarzan Ki Beti’ (1938). ‘Tarzan Ki Beti’ was hailed as the best jungle picture ever produced in India at the time. Filmed in the snowy Himalayas, the film topped its predecessor in its action sequences and placed Punjab on the entertainment map of India and the world.
Majnu appeared in almost all of Shorey’s films. He was also doing films with other producers. In 1942 he did a double role in ‘Nishani’ and in 1943 he directed his first film ‘Paapi’. Shorey also gave him a film ‘Badnami’ (1946) for direction and it was here that Majnu met IS Johar who wrote the story and dialogues of ‘Badnami’.
Majnu paired with IS Johar in ‘Ek Thi Ladki’ (1949), the debut film of Johar. Later they made a comedy pair in 10 films, including the hit ‘Hum Sab Chor Hain’ (1956). His last film with Johar was ‘Akalmand’ (1966).
Majnu acted in 77 films. His first film was ‘Majnu’ (1935) and his much delayed and released last film was ‘Shri Krishna Bhakti’ (1973). He acted in many Punjabi films also. He directed 8 films including ‘Paapi’ (1943), ‘Badnami’ (1946), ‘Son Of Alibaba’ (1955), ‘Tatar Ka Chor’ (1955), ‘Malika’ (1956), ‘Basre Ki Hoor’ (1956), ‘Baghi Sardar’ (1956), and his last film – ‘Chandu’ (1958).
Harold Lewis aka Majnu died on 26-3-1974.
The cast of this film consisted of Daljit, Chitra, Majnu, Ameeta, Amarnath, Prithvipal, Shaikh, Helen, Kammo, Satish Batra, Ramesh Thakkar, Shakuntala, Kanchanmala, Jugal Kishore etc. The music for this film was given by composer BN Bali. He was one of those small time composers, who got only the B and C grade films. First of all, let us know who this BN Bali is. There was yet another composer Bali, in the early era of Hindi films – HCBali or Harishchandra Bali (20-3-1906 to 24-6-1976), the expert classical singer who changed into a successful composer is credited with discovering KL Saigal in the early 30s.
BN Bali or Baldev Nath Bali too was a good singer and was a composer restricted to mostly religious or low budget films. He gave music from ‘Bedard’ (1949) up to ‘Do Dilwaale’ (1973), a total of 24 films, including one unreleased film ‘Bahut Door’ (1940s). He also gave music to a Haryanvi film in 1973. Though he composed music with a variety, somehow he lacked what it takes to make it to the Big league. On the contrary, BN Bali is known for copying the popular tunes of other composers blatantly.
“Jab Un Ka Khayal Aata Hai”, sung by Rafi in ‘Pehla Pehla Pyar’ was a copy of Rafi’s “Jin Raaton Mein Neend Ud Jaati Hai” by Hansraj behl. “Sapne Meine Saiyan Tum Aaya Na Karo” – Asha / Manna Dey song was a true copy of OP Nayyar’s “Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya”, and “Tu Us Ka Kar Bhala” – Rafi in ‘Raja Vikram’ sang the same “Bhagwaan” tune as in “O Duniya Ke Rakhwaale” etc.
Today’s song also resembles some song, but I am unable to recollect exactly. If some reader recognizes the original song, please mention as your comment here.
Song – Lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re (Baaghi Sardaar)(1956) Singers- Geeta Dutt, Satish Batra, Lyricist- Bharat Vyas MD- BN Bali
Unidentified Male Voice
Lyrics
hey ae
lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re
lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re
lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re
meri mehfil mein hai bheed lagi
main kis’se kis’se pyaar karoon
hai dekh rahi aankhen kitni
main kis’se aankhen chaar karoon
haay kis’se aankhen chaar karoon
lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re
ye kehte mere ghar aao
wo kehte dil mein bas jaao
in mein kisko ghayal kisko zakhmi kisko beemar karoon
haay kis’se aankhen
haaye kis’se aankhen chaar karoon
lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re
lafde mein pado na jaane jigar
jhagde na karo yoon shaam pahar
paam papa pam paam papa pam
haahi hi hahai hi
are hum bhi hain tere deewaane
zara dekh lo humko ek nazar
bakta hai
tu bakta hai
ho o o o o
sab yoon hi bakne wala hai
mai kis kis ko aetbaar karu
haay kis’se aankhen
haay kis’se aankhen chaar karoon
haay kis’se aankhen chaar karoon
he lagi re lagi re lagi lagi lagi re
farhad ki kasmein khaayi hain
majnu ki mujhe duhaayi hai
teri mehfil mein maine dilbar
dil ki kaaleen bichhaayi hai
ae husn ki mallika haan kar do
apna dil bhi gulzaar karo
haay kis’se aankhen chaar karoon
lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re
ooh haaye
samjho to ishaare akl ke hain
budhhu
abey chup be
ulfat ki hain ye lalkaaren
kya samjhe
aap ik saath nahi tik sakti hain
ek myaan mein do do talwaaren
hat be
abe ja bey
o o
main jaan tumhaari hoon pyaare
lo tum se main ikraar karoon
haay kis’se aankhen
haaye kis’se aankhen chaar karoon
haaye kis’se aankhen chaar karoon
lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re
lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re
meri mehfil mein hai bheed lagi
main kis’se kis’se pyaar karoon
hai dekh rahi aakhen kitni
main kis’se aankhen chaar karoon
haay kis’se aankhen chaar karoon
lagi re lagi re lagi lagi re
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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