Duniya musaafikhaana
Posted on: December 14, 2023
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.
|
Blog Day : |
5627 | Post No. : | 18114 |
Today’s song is from the Stunt film Bhedi Bangla-1949.
The tradition of making stunt/action films is as old as the birth of Silent films. During the silent era, due to the lack of sound -dialogues or music – the visuals had all the importance. The effect of forceful dialogues had to be put in visuals, which is extremely difficult. Imagine the famous scene of film Deewar-1975 (mere paas ‘Maa’ hai) without the superb voice modulation of the dialogue. Would it give the same effect on the audience ? Certainly not !. So, the best way was to give visuals which are self explanatory. A man hitting a blow to another man does not require dialogue or superb histrionics !
That is the reason stunt and action films were popular since the days of the silent era. This went on till the early 50’s, when films started using popular music and strong story contents in the films.This slowly pushed the stunt films, its actors, directors and producers as well as the audience in the far background.
From the advent of stunt films, the name of Master Vithal was famous. An entire generation spent their childhood seeing his stunt films. The next one to capture the stunt audience was Fearless Nadia from 1935 to almost 1946 or so. The staggering and waning stunt films were practically revived by Master Bhagwan and the Kadam brothers, Harishchandra and Chandrarao (Marathi actors,directors and producers born in Kutch, Gujarat) in the 1940s decade.
Master Bhagwan played a stellar role in producing and promoting films after films in the stunt Genre creating a special set of audience in All India, through his own set of actors. This went on till about the beginning of the 50’s decade, when Bhagwan entered the Social film genre with his blockbuster film ” Albela”-1951. Incidentally, this was also the beginning of the slow demise of the stunt films in the ensuing period.
Bhagwan Abaaji Palav,son of a lower middle class mill worker was born in Bombay on 1-8-1913. He was not much interested in studies but was keen to get a muscular body-just like Master Vithal, his Idol till the end. Bhagwan was successful in gaining a very muscular physique and on the strength of this alone got entry in films.He joined films in 1931 Though the First Talkie film came in 1931, still silent films were being made till 1934. Thus Bhagwan worked in many silent films till 1933. His films were mostly stunt and action films.
Those days most of the popular silent films were stunt or action films. Social films were very few. There were plenty of Mythological films too. There was a good demand for Bhagwan. Like Bhagwan, some other actors of the silent era were Bilimoria brothers-Dinshaw and Eddie, Jal Khambata, Ganpat Bakre, Kadam Brothers- Chandrarao and Harishchandra Kadam, Baburao Pahilwan, Nandram Pahilwan, Vasantram Pahilwan, Marutirao pahilwan, Yeshwant Dave, Boman Shroff, Sayani, Master siraj, Navinchandra, Madhav Kale, Manohar Ghatwai, Khalil, Raja Sandow etc. etc. There was a crop of stunt actors calling themselves ‘Pahilwan” because it was synonymous with strength and power.
When the Talkie films started, Bhagwan had no problems like some other actors, because he was fluent in Hindi/Urdu. He rarely spoke in Marathi. In his initial films, he would even sing his own songs. He dreamt of becoming a Director and finally he got an opportunity of directing a film-Bahadur Kisan-38, though as a co-director with Chandrarao kadam, who was owner of the production company. Bhagwan was also acting in the film and he had some songs to sing in the film. The film had music by Meer Sahib, and C. Ramchandra was his assistant. During rehearsals and recordings, CR and Bhagwan became friends.
When in 1941, Bhagwan was offered a Tamil film to direct, he offered the film’s music to CR. The film was being made in Bombay itself. After this film, Bhagwan was invited to direct yet another Tamil film, “Van Mohini”-41 in Madras. Here too Bhagwan called CR as a Music Director. Luckily, the music of this film became very popular in Madras region.
In 1942, Bhagwan was directing a film, ‘Sukhi Jeevan”. He decided to give a break to C. Ramchandra in a Hindi film and offered him this film. Thus CR made an entry in Hindi film composing. When C Ramchandra became very popular as a Music Director he repaid this gesture from Bhagwan by giving iconic music to Bhagwan’s first social film, “Albela”-51…FREE of charge.
Though the exact number of films Bhagwan acted is different everywhere, it is sure that he acted in more than 300 films. From 1942 to 1966 he directed 34 films, most of which were stunt and action films. One unusual thing about his stunt films. Contrary to what people thought, Bhagwan never acted as a Hero in his stunt/action films. In most films, the Hero would be Baburao Pahilwan. Another funny thing was, for all his films , the story would be the same, with little variation in each film, but the main plot would remain the same.
Two vagabond young friends from a village come to Bombay to do something spectacular, so that their villagers would know that they were not just”good for nothing” fellows but great achievers. Baburao pehelwan and Bhagwan used to be these two friends. In Bombay, they would meet a rich Seth ji ( role reserved for Azimbhai-who later on became a famous fight master in Hindi films). The Seth ji is harassed by a villain ( Vasantrao Pehelwan-always). Seth ji wants protection from him and appoints these two friends for this purpose. Seth ji has a young daughter who has a Maid ( these roles were done by Shanta Patel, Chanchal, Leela Gupte, Usha Shukla, Vitha lohkare etc by turns ). Hero Baburao loved Seth ji’s daughter and Bhagwan loved the Maid.
Now, the same story plot would be in all his stunt films like Badala, Jalan, Laalach, Bhedi Bungala. Madadgaar or some such title. Whatever the title, the story would be more or less the same. Bhagwan and his team had a captive audience who came to the theatres to see the fights and were least bothered about the story, histrionics etc. His films would be made on a budget of about 60 to 70 thousand rupees only.(Later on, directors like Manmohan Desai and Nasir Hussain did many films on just one story and succeeded.)
Actor Shyam was Bhagwan’s good friend. Once Shyam said, ” I want to work in your films.” Bhagwan said,”First you see the shooting of our films and then we will talk.”
It was decided that Shyam would visit Jagriti studios of Bhagwan to see the shooting of film Laalach-48. Next day Shyam and Munawar Sultana came to see the shooting. A fight scene was being shot. Baburao Pehelwan was single handedly fighting with 3-4 gundaas. During the shooting Baburao got a forceful hit from a fighter and he fell down from the First floor gallery on a glass table below. The table was in peces. Seeing this, Shyam and M.Sultana shouted in horror,thinking that Baburao would die from this fall. They hurriedly left.
Luckily, Baburao was safe with some scratches. He tied a hankie and started the fighting again. When Shyam returned,he was astonished to see Baburao doing the shoot. Bhagwan asked Shyam, ‘so Shyam, do you still want to work in my films ? “Shyam shuddered and said, “No Baba, who wants to die doing stunts ? ” Ironically, Shyam did die doing a Horse riding stunt in the film Shabistan-51 !
Master Bhagwan made “Albela-51” and became famous all over India, as the film and its music became very popular. However, after ‘Albela’, Bhagwan could never repeat this success in any of his subsequent films. Not only that, he lost heavily in his productions. He had to sell his 25 rooms, sea facing bungalow at Juhu, sell all his 7 cars ( which he would use one per day of the week), sold his studio and stayed in a 2 room tenement in a Chawl at Dadar. All his friends left him except, C Ramchandra, Omprakash and Rajinder krishna, who used to visit him in his chawl also till they died. When Bhagwan died, all his friends had died before him. He died on 4-2-2002. Bhagwan was a case of “Rags to Riches” as well as “Riches to Rags”.
The film Bhedi bangla-1949 was the first of its kind Mystery-cum-Horror film. At that time Bhagwan was at the zenith of his successful career. Everything he touched turned into Gold. The film was produced by his brother Shankar Palav, for his own banner Jagriti Films, Bombay. The music was by P.Ramakant. This was a name used by C Ramchandra, because he was under contract with Filmistan and could not give music in his own name. It started with Raja Nene’s film Shadi Se Pehle’ in 1947, in which he first used his assistant’s name Paingankar (the joint MD was Karnad). His name was Ramakant Paingankar and was assisting Chitalkar for a long time. Later, for Bhagwan’s films like ‘Bhedi Bangla’, ‘Bhole Bhale’ (1949), ‘Babuji’ (1950), and ‘Bakshish’ (1950) also, Chitalkar used the pseudonym P Ramakant as MD (information from Marathi Chitrapat Sangeetkar Kosh by Madhu Potdar). The cast of this film was Baburo, Bhagwan. Leela Gupte, Usha Shukla, Azeem,Tarabai (sister of Sitara devi) and other regulars.
The story of the film Bhedi Bangla-1949 was….
Shyam (Baburao Pehelwan) and Manglu (Bhagwan) are friends and good for nothing. They come to Bombay to look for easy money. They pretend to be lame and blind and start begging. However, after a few days, their secret is out and the enraged public of Bombay gives them a sound thrashing. An onlooker calls them and asks if they would do a good job, instead of this nonsense. They agree and they are appointed as watchmen for a deserted haveli. It is owned by a Sethani (Tarabai – elder sister of Sitara Devi and mother of dancer Gopi Krishna). Her daughter is Prema (Leela Gupte). There is an estate manager also (Azeem Bhai – who later became a famous fight master in Hindi films), who does not like their coming there.
One day the friends find the dead body of the haveli’s maali (gardener) (Inamdar) in the premises of the haveli. The estate manager complains to the police. Police start investigations. Maali had a good looking daughter – Champa (Usha Shukla). While Manglu tries to take care of her, the estate manager tells police that he suspects this duo of murdering the maali. In absence of any proof, police do not arrest them but keep an eye on them.
Suddenly, the friends start seeing ghosts in the haveli. First few days, they are scared, but realise that this is all bogus and they try to reach the bottom of the matter. Finally, they unearth a plan of the estate manager to scare everybody, so that no one will remain there and he can conduct his gold smuggling business from there. He only has murdered the maali. After solid stunts and fighting scenes, the culprits are arrested and Shyam and Prema and Manglu and Champa are united.
Today’s song is the 6th song to feature here. It is sung by Chitalkar, i.e. C.Ramchandra. Enjoy….
Song- Duniya musaafirkhaana (Bhedi Bangla)(1949) Singer- Chitalkar (C.Ramchandra), Lyricist- Ehsan Rizvi, MD- P.Ramakant (C.Ramchandra)
Lyrics
duniya musaafirkhaana ho
duniya musaafirkhaana
duniya musaafirkhaana ho
duniya musaafirkhaana
aaj aaye kal huye rawaana
duniya musaafirkhaana ho
duniya musaafirkhaana
bachpan budhaapa jawaani
teen dinon ki hai ye zindgaani ho
bachpan budhaapa jawaani
teen dinon ki hai ye zindgaani
ek din aaye
ek din thehre
teesre din hai uthh jaana aa
duniya musaafirkhana ho
ho ho
duniya musaafirkhaana
hoy
duniya musaafirkhaana ho
duniya musaafirkhana
aaj aaye kal huye rawaana
duniya musaafirkhaana ho
duniya musaafirkhaana
bachpan ki rut neend suhaani
arre andhe ban kar kati jawaani
dekh budhaapa rone ko baithhe
pada hai ab pachhtaana aa
duniya musaafirkhaana ho
duniya musaafir khaana
duniya musaafirkhaana ho
duniya musaafirkhaana
aaj aaye kal huye rawaana
duniya musaafirkhaana ho
duniya musaafirkhaana
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
December 14, 2023 at 9:20 pm
Arun ji
Thanks for another post full of rare information, Thanks again enjoyed reading very much…….
LikeLike
December 14, 2023 at 10:12 pm
Thanks, Prakash ji.
LikeLike