Tohfa qabool hai hamen sarkaar aap kaa
Posted on: December 10, 2023
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, 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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In the hierarchy of Hindi film actors, apart from lead and supporting actors, there is one category of actors who falls between supporting actors and extras. One may call them ‘small role actors’. I found it difficult to identify many actors in this category especially when some of them would be uncredited in the films. One such actor is Ram Sethi whom I had seen in some films of 1970s and 80s. It is only when I joined this Blog in 2011, I came to know that Pyarelal of ‘Muqaddar Ka Sikandar’ (1978) was Ram Sethi. I have also seen him with Amitabh Bachchan in some more films like ‘Laawaaris’ (1981), ‘Yaaraana’ (1981), ‘Kaalia’ (1981), ‘Namak Halaal’ (1982) and ‘Jaadugar’ (1989).
The filmy career of Ram Sethi (Born 15/11/1938) was like a roller coaster ride. Keen on career in Hindi films, he came to Mumbai for the first time in 1962 and again in 1964 but failed in his efforts to get any work in the films on both the occasions. But his third visit to Mumbai turned lucky for him when Prakash Mehra saw one of his Hindi plays. Impressed hy his performance, Prakash Mehra made him as his assistant when the shooting of the film, ‘Ek Kunwaari Ek Kunwaara (1973) started in 1971. Ram Sethi was a clapper boy, an assistant director and also an actor in a small role in this film. He assisted Prakash Mehra in script writing, direction apart from doing small roles. Over a period of time, Ram Sethi became a close confidant of Prakash Mehra assisting him in every aspect of film making.
It was a smooth ride for Ram Sethi till about early 90s by which time he had already worked in about 50 films as an actor. However, sometimes after Mumbai blast in 1993, he was out of work for a couple of years. He also faced some family problems because of which he had to stay in Delhi for about 2 years. When he came back to Mumbai in 2000, things were changed in film industry so much that he felt uneasy to work. He went into depression. When he recovered, Ram Sethi and Prakash Mehra worked on a script for a new film with Amitabh Bachchan. But the project did not go beyond the script writing. Probably, because of some health issue with Prakash Mehra, the project could not be followed up. After the death of Prakash Mehra, Ram Sethi lost interest in acting and started advisory services in the film making. He did get a few small roles in Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘Khelen Hum Jee Jaan Se’ (2010) and ‘PK’ (2014). (Note: Ram Sethi’s life sketch is mainly based on his interview which appeared on http://www.rediff.com on September 12, 2012).
I personally feel that Ram Sethi’s unstinted devotion and loyalty toward his mentor, Prakash Mehra was at the cost of furthering his filmy career as a director which he was very keen to and his desire to start his own film production company. He was also keen to do some serious roles but he did not get any opportunity while he was with Prakash Mehra. Finally, he got his first serious role, though small, in ‘Khelen Hum Jee Jaan Se’ (2010).
‘Ghunghroo’ (1983) was the only film which Ram Sethi directed under the banner of Prakash Mehra Productions with four main actors who worked in ‘Namak Halal’ (1982), viz Amitabh Bachchan, Smita Patil, Shashi Kapoor and Waheeda Rahman. However, Amitabh Bachchan met with an accident while shooting for ‘Coolie’ (1983). So, he was replaced by Suresh Oberoi. The other cast included Padmini Kapila, Ranjeet, Kunal Goswami (debutant), Komal Mahuvakar (debutant), Yunus Pervez, Sudhir etc.
The film is about the relationship between a diwan of a royal family and a courtesan whose relationship is frown upon by the Rani Maa, the head of the royal family. The Dewan, who is also the adopted son of Rani Maa is forced to marry a girl from the royal family. When Rani Maa comes to know about a love child born to the courtesan from her relationship with Diwan, Rani Maa forces the courtesan to go in exile with her child. The history is repeated when Rani Maa’s younger son loves the daughter of the courtesan. In the end, after a lot of duals between Rani Maa and Diwan and with with her younger son, the courtesan and her daughter are honourably adopted in the royal family. The story in details is as under:
Vikram Singh (Shashi Kapoor), the adopted son of Rani Maa (Waheeda Rahman) and the Diwan of the Royal family has pledged his allegiance to Rani Maa after the death of the King. So, he would not do anything against the wishes of Rani Maa. Vikram falls in love with a courtesan, Kesarbai (Smita Patil) when she is invited in the royal palace to give her dance performance on the occasion of the young prince’s birthday. They clandestinely meet very often and promises Kesarbai to get her out of the stigma of a courtesan by marrying her.
Virat (Ranjit), the brother of Rani Maa who has the ambition of holding power in the royal family to match with that of Vikram, plans to sabotage Vikram’s marriage with Kesarbai. He reveals Rani Maa the intention of Vikram to marry Kesarbai. Rani Maa forces Vikram to marry London-returned Princess Priya (Padmini Kapila). In the engagement ceremony, Kesarbai is invited. She arrives at the royal palace fully dressed up for the occasion thinking that it is her engagement ceremony with Vikram. However, she is shocked to learn that Vikram is getting engaged to someone else and she has to give a dance performance for the occasion.
Vikram is not happy with his married life with Princess Priya who is also not happy that her husband heart is with Kesarbai. Kesarbai. gives birth to a baby girl. Suraj (Suresh Oberoi) the admirer of Kesarbai is released from the jail. He comes to know that Kesarbai has left her usual place. In the meanwhile, Vikram on a visit to a Women’s Shelter set up by the royal family, finds here Kesarbai with an infant girl who is none other than Vikram and Kesarbai’s love child. Vikram assures Kesarbai that he would decide to find place to stay in a house. Again, Virat becomes a spoilsport and tells Rani Maa of Vikram’s plan. Rani Maa orders Kesarbai to get out of Women’s Shelter. Ultimately, Suraj gives her shelter and her daughter in his house treating them as his family members. In the meanwhile, Princess Priya drowned herself in alcohol for her doomed marriage. Virat plans to kill Vikram by loosening his car’s door. However, in the car accident, it is Princess Priya who gets killed and Vikram survives.
Years passes. Kesarbai’s daughter, Renu (Komal) has grown up and studies in a college where Rani Maa’s grown-up son, Rajkumar (Kunal Goswami) also studies in the same college. While Renu is tomboyish in nature, Rajkumar does not believe in royal pomps but behaves like a commoner. They fall in love with each other. Again. Virat brings the budding love affairs of Rajkumar with Renu. But unlike Vikram, Rajkumar confronts with Rani Maa to have his way. She locks Rajkumar in a room. Virat helps him to escape just to put blame on Vikram so that he is deprived of his royal position which can come to Virat. Vikram comes to know that Renu is his daughter. After a lot of verbal duals between Vikram and Rani Maa and again between Rajkumar and Rani Maa, there is happy ending with Virat gets punished but at the cost of the sacrifice of Suraj.
The film is the usual mainstream Hindi film, the story of which belongs to the genre of films like ‘Umrao Jaan’ (1982). So, there is not much novelty in the film’s story. I, however, found the film to be interesting to watch because of the fast-paced screenplay and good dialogues. Also, the villainous role of Ranjeet is subtle. The duration of the film could have been easily reduced in the second half by a tight editing and avoiding a couple of songs picturised on Kunal Goswami and Komal. Shashi Kapoor as a timid Diwan and the adopted son of Waheeda Rahman has given a good performance. Smita Patil as a courtesan is excellent. This film is one more proof that she is not only one of the greatest actress of off-beat films but also of mainstream commercial films. The film was not a box office hit in the standard of Prakash Mehra’s super hit films like ‘Namak Halaal’ (1982) and ‘Sharaabi’ (1984).
‘Ghunghroo’ (1983) had six songs including a multiple version song which were written by Anjaan (3), Prabha Thakur (2) and Prakash Mehra (1) and set to music by Kalyanji-Anandji. I am presenting the first song from the film, ‘tohfa qabool hai hamen sarkaar aap ka’ rendered by Asha Bhosle. The lyrics are written by Prabha Thakur who is a Hindi poet and politician belonging to Congress Party. She was a once elected to Lok Sabha and was a member of Rajya Sabha for two terms. She is also associated with Rajasthani films as producer-director-writer-singer. She has written lyrics for a few Hindi films and was a playback singer for one song.
The song is picturised on Smita Patil who comes on an invitation to the royal palace assuming that she has been invited for her engagement ceremony with Shashi Kapoor. But on reaching the royal palace, she comes to know that Shashi Kapoor is getting engaged to someone else (Padmini Kapila) for which she has to give her dance performance for the occasion. It is a shocking event for her which she has excellently brought out in her dance performance with a faster dance movement and the facial expressions mixed with her emotional turmoil and the happy occasion. I have seen her dancing in ‘Bhumika’ (1977) and ‘Angaarey’ (1986), but her dance performance for this song has to be the best that I have watched in her films.
And kudos to Asha Bhosle, Kalyanji-Anandji, the Choreographer and the set designer for an excellent audio-video presentation.
Video clip:
Audio Clip:
Song-Tohfa qabool hai hamen sarkaar aap kaa (Ghunghroo)(1983) Singer-Asha Bhonsle, Lyrics-Prabha Thakur, MD-Kalyanji Anandji
Chorus
Lyrics (based on video clip):
ye jashn-e-mohabbat
ho mubaarak huzoor ko
kaise chhupaaun…oon
aaj khushi ke suroor ko
itni khushi mili
ke ye aansoo machal padey ae ae
main khush hoon
maaf keejiye mere qusoor ko
tohfa qabool hai hamen sarkaar aap kaa
tohfa qabool hai hamen sarkaar aap kaa
le aaya phir wahi hamen
le aaya phir wahi hamen
lo pyaar aap kaa aa
tohfa qabool hai hamen sarkaar aap kaa
le aayaa phir wahi hamen
le aaya phir wahi hamen
lo pyaar aap kaa aa
tohfa qabool hai hamen sarkaar aap kaa
tohfa qabool hai hamen
anjaam hai…….
anjaam hai
anjaam hai ye pyaar kaa
ye pyaar ka silaa
kya aap se shikaayaten
kya aap se gilaa aa
fariyaad kya sunega
sunega
fariyaad kya sunega ye
darbaar aap ka
le aayaa phir wahin hamen
le aaya phir wahin hamen
lo pyaar aap kaa aa
tohfa qabool hai hamen sarkaar aap kaa
tohfa qabool hai hamen
aa aa aa aaa
aa aa aa aaa
aa aa aa aaa
aa aa aa
aaa aaaa
jee chaahta hai aap ko jee bhar ke dekh le
phir zindagi mein aap se mil paaye na miley ae
shaayad yahi ho aakhari
shaayad yahi ho aakhari
deedaar aap kaa
le aaya phir wahin hamen
le aaya phir wahin hamen
lo pyaar aap kaa
tohfa qabool hai hamen sarkaar aap kaa
tohfa qabool hai hamen
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa
dil maange dil de doon
jaan maange jaan de doon
tere liye jaan-e-jaan..aan
sun le o dil jaani main teri deewaani
mere liye tu khudaa
aa aa aa aa
ashkon ko peenaa hai
tanhaa hi jeenaa hai
tanha hi jee lenge ham
aa aa aa aa
teri khushi hai to ye zindagi hai to
zakhmon ko see lenge ham
aa aa aa aa
ye shamaa jalane do
shole machalane do
hai saamna yaar kaa
aa aa aa aa
ghunghroo bikharne do
ye rang jharne do
bikhare lahoo pyaar kaa
alavida..aa
alavidaa
alavida ..aa
alavidaa
alavidaa
alavidaa….aaaaa
9 Responses to "Tohfa qabool hai hamen sarkaar aap kaa"
December 10, 2023 at 4:39 pm
Waah !! kya post hai? aaj kal jo gaana mere khayalon mein aata hai wo aap ki post ke saath blog par aa jaata hai 🙂
Thank you Sir jee. Just two three days back I had noted that this song or even this movie has yet to make its debut on the blog. This particular song was frequently heard then and likened by many. But one other song from this movie i.e. ‘pyaar ke dhaage dhaage dhaage’ was more heard which I do not like then and not listened since many years now. However none of the songs from this movie made it to the Annual List of Binaca Geetmala of 1983. I have not watched this movie, but vaguely remember that this movie was discussed and many from our senior friends liked it.
Regards,
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December 10, 2023 at 6:29 pm
Avinash ji,
Thanks for your appreciation.
This film was on my radar for a long time to write about Ram Sethi. When I browsed to select one of the songs from the film for the article, I was surprised to know that this song was not covered on our Blog.
As I had mentioned, though there is nothing new in the film, it is interesting to watch.
By the way, the film was originally titled ‘Pyaar Ke Dhaage’. Hence there was a song with this title.
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December 10, 2023 at 4:50 pm
Impressed hy his performance, Prakash Mehra him as his assistant ….
(one typo ‘by’ to be corrected , and one missing word after Prakash Mehra…. to be added please)
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December 10, 2023 at 6:35 pm
Thanks for pointing out.
Atul ji,
Please correct and add ‘made’ after Prakash Mehra’
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December 10, 2023 at 7:53 pm
What a post !
Sadanand ji, you are doing a great service to the Indian film history by writing about various newartistes and new films.
It is true that comparatively, it is easier to find information about artistes in films after 1970, but no one writes about them and their films as you are doing.
Reading your articles on recent films, has helped me change my opinion about Newer films and artistes. The film contents are much varied and stronger, based on facts and highlighting the hidden truths.
I thank you from my heart for bringing these films and their contents to our notice and introducing newer and talented artistes connected with these films.
Well done. Keep going.
-AD
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December 10, 2023 at 8:38 pm
Arun ji,
Thank you very much for your encouraging comments.
Paragraph 3 of your comments gives me a great pleasure in that the purpose of my writing articles on new films and artists has been vetted by you.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
December 10, 2023 at 2:57 pm
Thanks Sir for the detailed post on Ram Sethi,ghunghroo, and I used to like songs of this film,
There are 2 duets by younger singers and one more asha Bhosle mujra song and 2 part song by sadhana sargam,
Thanks for information which I didn’t know about prabhat thakur ,
And those days I remember Smitha Patil ‘s interview about her inability to to dance steps …..,
DD showed this film at its evening slot after a lot of censor work,
Thanks for reviving all those fond memories…
Regards
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December 10, 2023 at 2:59 pm
Sorry please read it as Prabha thakur
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December 10, 2023 at 6:38 pm
Thank you, Prakashchandra ji.
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