Thhan thhanaa thhan thhan pe saaree duniya doley re
Posted by: Atul on: March 24, 2025
- In: "Money" song | "Paisa" related songs | Asha Bhonsle - Usha Mangeshkar duet | Asha Bhonsle songs | Duet | Guest posts | Post by Arunkumar Deshmukh | Rare song | Song sung by relatives | song sung by siblings | Songs of 1950s (1951 to 1960) | Songs of 1956 | Usha Mangeshkar songs | Yearwise breakup of songs
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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 the film Zindagi ke mele-1956.
This was a social film having an ordinary story, without any famous or top star. The only good thing about this film was its Music Director – Chitragupt, the king of melody. If at all the producer had got back all his money invested, he should be thankful to Chitragupt for his music, otherwise nothing special was there in this film.
1956 was the Silver Jubilee year of Indian Talkie Films. This year, the most successful films were entertainers. There were of course some films carrying social messages. One of them was ‘Jaagte Raho’ (‘Ek Din Ratre’ in Bangla), which tried to bring out the upper middle class hypocrisy in a metro city like Bombay. Initially, the film did not cause any ripples, but after it won International awards, it became very popular. (People of other nations have to tell us that our film is good !). A social message, excellent music and solid story – the hallmarks of an RK film were all there in it. Then, the film ‘Ek Hi Raasta’ tackled the issue of widow re-marriage and acceptance of a new father by the child. Comedy entertainer ‘Nai Dilli’ emphasized the need for inter language marriages in India. Satyajit Ray’s ‘Aparajita’- the sequel to ‘Pather Panchali’ (1955), hit the screens in India after winning accolades internationally.
Musical entertainers like ‘CID’, ‘Chori Chori’, ‘Basant Bahar’, ‘Rajhath’, ‘Bhai Bhai’, ‘Funtoosh’ and ‘Inspector’ were quite popular. Amongst all these, a powerful tear-jerker like ‘Toofan Aur Diya’ from Rajkamal stood out. It also brought actress Nanda into limelight and made her drop “Baby” from her name.
I had seen this film in Hyderabad, only for its songs. I had also written down all details of the film and its story in my diary, as per my habit. However, when the box of such diaries was opened after my retirement to check the diaries, I had found that many diaries were spoiled due to white ants. Many writings faded over the years and had become unreadable. The story of this film was also among the unreadable diaries. Only the film’s last 6-7 lines were intact.
I was trying to get the film’s story, but could not get it anywhere and the film was not available. So, finally, I wrote to Har Mandir Singh Hamraz ji, requesting him to send me a photo of the film’s story, if he has the booklet. Hamraz ji is a very helpful person. Within minutes, he sent me a photo of the film story on my WA. As per the usual procedure , the booklet gave the story without revealing the end part, to sustain the audience interest. But then I had that part of the story in my diary. Combining these two partes, here is the complete story of the film, for our readers…..
Madhoram was the Station Master of the Rajgad railway station. His family consisted of 2 sons and 2 grown up daughters. His brother-in-law also stayed with Madhoram and his wife. Madhoram was a very honest person, but his assistant-Varma, was a very corrupt and dishonest person. He wanted Madhoram should be removed and he should get that post.
Madhoram married his elder son and with the dowry he got, Madhoram got his elder daughter married. Similarly his younger son also got married, but his wife refused to five the dowry amount for the younger sister’s marriage. Without the dowry money the marriage got stuck.
At the same time, Fakirchand, a contractor needed to get extra wagons for delivery of his goods, but Madhoram refused to give anything more than the legal limit. Knowing that a marriage was stuck for money, Fakirchand offered Rs 5000 to Madhoram, in exchange for extra wagons. However, being an honest person, Madhoram refuses flatly. His daughter’s marriage gets cancelled for want of dowry.
His assistant Varma steals money from Madhoram’s safe, which is Government money for salaries. Same time Varma sends away Madhoram’s younger son to Bombay with a false promise of a film role. By then Madhoram had taken a loan of Rs. 5000, for daughter’s dowry. When the money is stolen Madhoram puts a dowry loan in its place and pays salaries.
Varma plays another trick. He takes Madhoram’s signature by deceit to issue some permits and informs the Police that the bribe is taken by Madhoram. In all this jhamela, Keshav, a clerk in their office, who secretly loves Bimla, the younger daughter, gets all the information about Varma’s theft and wrong issue of permits. He contacts the Police, gives all the proof. The police arrest Varma, recover stolen money and give it to Madhoram.
Now the younger daughter Bimla refuses to marry by giving dowry and wants to marry Keshav, without Dowry. Meanwhile Keshav is now promoted in Varma’s position. Happily, Madhoram marries Vimala with Keshav and all is well in the end.
Produced by Prem Pictures, Bombay, film Zindagi ke mele-1956 was directed by K.B. Lall. This was the last film of producer-director KB Lall (1911 – 25.8.1975). The other films he directed were, ‘Lal Haveli’ (1944), ‘Samrat Ashok’ (1947), ‘Lal Dupatta’ (1948), ‘Hanste Aansoo’ (1950) and ‘Angaarey’ (1954).
The cast of this film consisted of Chitra, Jagirdar, Dulari, Chandrashekhar, KN Singh, Kum Kum, Rashid Khan, Jankidas and many others. There were 3 lyricists – Manohar Khanna (father of music director Usha Khanna), Shevan Rizvi and Tanvir Naqvi. Today’s duet is written by Manohar Khanna.
The title of the film ‘Zindagi Ke Mele’ is actually very apt for the film industry. Film Industry is the only association of people which is truly secular from the beginning. Like a mela has all types of people, the film industry too has people from all over India, males and females and even a transgender. All religions merge into One Community – Community of Artistes, in this industry.
The film industry worked like a magnet, from the day it started. People of all religions, regions and colours joined here. Some made their mark, others just came, survived and left. The magnetism of the film industry attracted people from all walks of life – doctors, engineers, architects, dentists, teachers, police officers, military persons etc. – all came here to try their Luck. One such person was music director Chitragupt Shrivastav, double MA, lecturer in a Patna College. It is worthwhile to take a look at his life story again here.
Chitragupt was born on 16-11-1917 at village Karmaini in Gopalganj district of Bihar. He was brought up and educated in Bihar. He was perhaps the most educated composer of his times. He had done a double MA in Economics and Journalism from Patna University and also taught for a few years. He came to Bombay in 1945 and having learnt classical music wanted to become a composer. He started as an assistant to SN Tripathi. His first break came in 1946 with ‘Lady Robinhood’, with the help of its director Ramnik Vaidya. Initially he got only stunt and devotional films to do. In 1952, the film ‘Sindbad The Sailor’ songs became famous. In 1955, Dada Burman recommended him to AVM for ‘Shiv Bhakta’. This was a landmark film for Chitragupta, because he used Lata for the first time. Later Lata and Chitragupt had very good relations, till the end.
Actually Chitragupt should be counted as No 1 composer who gave very melodious songs to Lata, but this is forgotten because like Madan Mohan, Roshan, S-J, C. Ramchandra or SD Burman, he never got big banner films (at least not very often), which became a reason to discuss only their Lata songs frequently. Chitragupt always got only B and C grade films, which were not famous, but he was in no way less capable of composing good tunes for Lata.
Chitragupt was a very homely family man with a middle class mentality. He had a fun group composed of Lata, Usha, Meena, Dilip Dholakiya, Prem Dhawan and Chitragupt. They used to have a lot of fun at the home of Chitragupt. Lata liked their food very much. Chitragupt Shrivastav was a Kayastha (‘Lalaji’ as they are called in Bihar ) and their non veg food was excellent.
In the late 1980s, I came in personal contact with Chitragupt, when my close friend’s daughter married his elder son. When Chitragupt learned that I liked ‘sattu ki poori‘ (a Bihari veg dish) very much, he called me to his house and we ate sattu puris and aaloo sabji, to our heart’s content !
His house in Prabhat building on Khar Road, Bombay had a music room on the ground floor, where he composed most of his tunes during 1959 to 1990. During the early 1960s up to 1965, he was so busy with work that – according to his son Anand – at one time 4 lyricists were writing lyrics in his home, Anand Bakshi in the garden, Majrooh in a room, Rajendra Krishna in the music room and Prem Dhawan under a palm tree and Chitragupt would visit one by one to see their progress !!
Chitragupt was such a simple person that when S-J demanded 5 Lakhs per film, he hesitated to ask for 50000 !
He remained a typical gentleman till the end. He was expert in using Bihari folk tunes in his songs. He became the MD of the first Bhojpuri film ‘Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo’ (1962). His main singers remained Lata, Rafi and Mukesh.
As far as singing songs is concerned, it was his hobby. He had sung 29 songs in 16 films in his career. Most songs were for SN Tripathi, who was his guru in film music. He gave music to 149 Hindi films, composing 1036 songs- from ‘Lady Robinhood’ (1946) to ‘Shiv Ganga’ (1987).
He suffered a heart attack in 1968 and a paralytic stroke in 1974. He died on the 14th of January 1991. His children, Anand and Milind (who can forget their song from QSQT, “Papa Kehte hain Bada Naam Karega” which launched Amir Khan into incredible stardom!), the composer duo have also made an impact on the film world.
One can understand that people in India, with whatever vocation they followed, were attracted to the film industry. But even a person with exceptional achievements at international levels, one who represented India 3 times in international games and established records – he too? Yes, surprisingly one gentleman of this description and calibre, was keen to join films. His name was JANKIDAS MEHRA.
Jankidas was born on 14th June 1916. He completed his MA from Punjab University. He was an athlete and a cycling champion. By the age of 22 years, he represented India in 3 international meets and in 1938 had established a record for 1/2 mile race. He was the first and the only Indian to win the British Empire Games Distinction Medal.
Jankidas was also an author. He wrote and published books like, ‘Mahatma Gandhi In His Own Words’, ‘Extinction of Tasmanian Race’, ‘From Brothel To Victory Stand’, and ‘My Sports Ventures’. He was described as “. . . a rare combination of student, sportsman, idealist, aristocrat and democrat” by Australia’s leading weekly ‘Smith Weekly’, dated 22nd January 1938!
Jankidas was keen to join the film industry. His first role was in Pancholi’s ‘Khazanchi’ (1941). On coming to Bombay, he found that his high qualifications and achievements were deterrents for most illiterate producers, to get him roles. Frustrated, he told a lie to a producer that he was illiterate and he got a role in the film ‘Her Highness’ (1946), but he was not credited. Disgusted, by some friend’s advice, he contacted V Shantaram. Here he got a role in the films ‘Jeevan Yatra’ (1946) and ‘Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani’ (1946).
Jankidas went on to do 344 films in his career of 60 years. In the later stage of his career he became India’s first ‘Production Designer’. (Nowadays, this is a very important post in the industry). Jankidas always remembered what his dear friend Dalsukh Pancholi told him, just minutes before his death, he had said, “Jankidas, never put your children in the film industry”. Pancholi died on his shoulders in the car itself.
Jankidas expired on 18th June 2003.
Let us now enjoy today’s, almost 70 year old, song by Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar….
Song-Thhan Thhana Thhan thhan pe saaree duniya doley re (Zindagi Ke Mele)(1956) Singers- Asha Bhonsle, Usha Mangeshkar, Lyricist-Shevan Rizvi, MD- Chitragupt
Lyrics
Thhan Thhana Thhan thhan
Thhan Thhana Thhan thhan pe saaree duniya doley re
Thhan Thhana Thhan thhan pe saaree duniya doley re
tu na boley baaboo tera paisa boley re
tera paisa boley re
ho o o o o o
tu na boley baaboo tera paisa boley re
tera paisa boley re
bhaaree paackit dekh ke duniya jhuk jhuk kare salaam
duniya jhuk jhuk kare salaam
bhaaree paackit dekh ke duniya jhuk jhuk kare salaam
duniya jhuk jhuk kare salaam
jeb hai jiskee khaalee uskaa duniya mein kya kaam
jeb hai jiskee khaalee uskaa duniya mein kya kaam
ho o bina rupaiyya
bina rupaiyya joroo meethhee bol na boley re ae
tu na boley baaboo
tu na boley raajaa
tu na boley baaboo
tera paisa boley re
tera paisa boley re
ho o o o o o
tu na boley baabu tera paisa boley re
tera paisa boley re
paise hee ke bal pe baaboo bana phire tu raajaa
ho bana phire tu raajaa
paise hee ke bal pe baaboo bana phire tu raajaa
ho bana phire tu raajaa
jhhalak dikha ke paise kee tu
kahe hai mose aajaa
o
jhhalak dikha ke paise kee tu
kahe hai mose aajaa
ho o o
haathh badhha ke
haathh badhha ke tu jo meraa ghoonghat kholey re ae ae ae
tu na boley baaboo
tu na boley raajaa
tu na boley baaboo
tera paisa boley re
tera paisa boley re
ho o o o o o
tu na boley baabu tera paisa boley re
tera paisa boley re
thhan thhan se insaan khareedo
thhan thhan se imaan baaboo
thhan thhan se imaan
thhan thhan se insaan khareedo
thhan thhan se imaan baaboo
thhan thhan se imaan
chaandee ke in tukdon se hee
milta hai Bhagwaan
ho o o
beech bajariyaa
beech bajariya ek gujariya kehtee ??
tu na boley baaboo
tu na boley raajaa
tu na boley baaboo
tera paisa boley re
tera paisa boley re
ho o o o o o
tu na boley baabu tera paisa boley re
tera paisa boley re
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2 Responses to "Thhan thhanaa thhan thhan pe saaree duniya doley re"
March 25, 2025 at 12:03 pm
Thanks.
I am glad that you concur with my feelings on Chitragupt.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
March 24, 2025 at 2:36 pm
Thanks for an excellent write up on Chitragupta and also on Janakidas and in fact the year 1956 was a great year for the HFM with a series of excellent compositions and I fully agree in the write up that Chitragupta was the number one in providing melodious music during the fifties and sixties.
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