Main albelee ghoomoon akelee
Posted on: April 30, 2025
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 Zubeida-2001.
Firstly, this is a post that I am doing today, is for a film of 2001, and NOT an old film, as I usually do.
Secondly, this will be my 30th post in the month of April 2025. I have written 30 posts, one each from the 1st April to 30th April, everyday ! For this Blog, this must be a Record ! A guest Contributor writing 30 posts continuously for 30 days, without a gap, must be the First instance in this Blog’s History !
It was not easy. I had to plan atleast 2-3 posts in advance. I know it is not possible for those who are still doing some work, or have a family and other engagements to follow. But it is not just a “Living Alone” advantage, it also required dedication, planning, commitment, a will to slog and sustenance of purpose, which helped me !
Zubeida-2001 was a film made on the life of an actual actress who worked in a few Hindi films during 1937 (2 films) and the late 40’s (3 films). This was only the second such film on an actress – with her name. The First such a film was first made in Marathi and later in Hindi on the autobiography of an actress – Hansa Wadkar. Her autobiography in Marathi was titled ‘ Sangte Aika’ ( सांगते ऐका ), which means in English ” Listen to what I am saying”. The Hindi film name was Bhoomika-1977. The lead actress was Smita Patil. The film had won many awards.
Zubeidaa-2001 was a film (one of the only 2 such films in India ), made on the life of actress Zubeida, who operated from 1937 to 1949. This Zubeida is NOT the Alam Ara fame Zubeida. That Zubeida had left films in 1935, after marrying a very rich Jahagirdar-Raja Dhanraj Gir ji from Hyderabad (Deccan).
The Director of this film, Shyam Benegal, vehemently claimed that this film was a fiction and not based on the life of any actress, But Khalid Mohammed, son of this actress Zubeida himself wrote the story and screenplay and declared that it was a film on her mother’s life !
In film line, actresses getting married and leaving the film world is not uncommon. On the contrary,there are very few cases where married actresses continued in films,when their husbands were not from the film line. Both these Zubeidas married rich people from Royal Heritage and stopped acting. While one Zubeida had a very long-53 years- of a happy married life, the other Zubeida was not so fortunate and died within 3 years after her marriage,but atleast she was with her husband while dying together in an Air accident !
Artistes of the same names and operating in almost the same period cause a lot of confusion. Even these Zubeidas too were such cases of ” Same Name Confusions”.
Now let us see how these 2 Zubeidas were different….
Zubeida (sr.) was born in 1911 and acted in the silent film Veer Abhimanyu-1919, but debuted as a Heroine in Gul Bakavali-1922. She acted in 41 silent films and then she became the Heroine of India’s first Talkie AALAM ARA-1931. In this film she sang one song also.
In 1935, she converted to Hinduism and married Raja Dhanrajgir Narsing Girji Gyan Bahadur, a very rich Jagirdaar from Hyderabad state. She stopped working in films, after 21 films, in 1935.
She lived peacefully with her husband in Bombay. In 1982, one of her legs was amputated due to severe Diabetes and she spent her remaining life in a wheelchair, yet till the end in 1988, She used to look very beautiful and gracious. She died on 21-9-1988, at Bombay. I was lucky to meet her once in the late 70s.
The other actress ZUBEIDA (jr.) was born to Qassimbhai Mehta and Faiza Bai, Bohra Muslims,on 15-12-1920. Faiza Bai was a famous Muslim singer. Zubeida, who was extremely beautiful, started her film career with Aurat ki Zindagi and Kiski Pyari, both in 1937.( Remember, Alam Ara Zubeida had stopped acting in 1935 and her last film was released in 1936 itself.) In these two 1937 films, she was credited as Zubeda Bano.
Zubeida was forced to marry a Muslim person, who gave her Talaq when she refused to go to Pakistan with him, after the Partition. She had one son from him. His name is Khalid Mohammed, a well known film critic and writer of repute. (He himself had written the story of film Zubeida-2000, a film loosely based on his own mother). She again continued to act in films.
While doing Nirdosh Abla-1949, a love affair developed between her and the maharaja Hanwant Singh of Jodhpur. The maharaja was also married. They decided to get married. Zubeida left films after Nirdosh Abla-49. Being a Muslim she was not accepted in the Jodhpur family.
She converted to Hinduism. Mr. Brijraj Arya, an eye witness to this conversion ceremony states that it took place secretly and under security of pehelwans, on 17-12-1950,at Arya Samaj Mandir, Beawar and Zubeida became VIDYA RANI.
She and the Maharaja got married the same day and they entered Ummeed Bhavan palace from there. From this marriage also she had one son-RAO RAJA HUKM SINGH, born at Bombay on 2-8-1951.
Vidya Rani aka Zubeida and Maharaja Hanwant Singh of Jodhpur died in a plane crash in 1952.
I simply wonder how people get confused between these two Zubeidas ! One can understand if ordinary mortals get confused, but experts on Indian Cinema and authors of books on film music history also making this mix-up is beyond comprehension!
Mr.Rajiv Vijaykar’s name is well known as a writer on films. His book(with 2 wonderful CDs), ”The history of Indian Film Music” mentions that Zubeida of Aalam Ara, who also sang a song in the film, was the Zubeida on whom film Zubeida is made !
Film Zubeidaa-2001, written by Khalid Mohammed and directed by Shyam Benegal was based loosely on the life of the other Zubeida-aka Vidya Rani-who died in a Plane crash with her husband.
Can you imagine what Dainik Bhaskar.com comments on Aalam Ara Zubeida ? ”Zubeida was the daughter of the Nawab of Sachin, Maharaja Narsing Gir Dhanraj Gir and Fatima Begum. She had 2 sisters,Sultana and Shehzadi.” Just unimaginable, but how absurd and misleading !!! Dhanraj Gir was her husband and NOT father !
Even IMDB has a wrong entry, stating that Khalid Mohammed is the son of Alam Ara Zubeida !
So, let us remember, Aalam Ara Heroine Zubeida Dhanrajgir died a natural death in 1988 and actress Zubeida aka Vidya Rani died in a Plane crash along with her husband maharaja Hanwant Singh of Jodhpur in 1952.
They were Two different actresses !
Film Zubeida was appreciated by the general public as well as the critics. I saw this film simply out of curiosity and was bowled over to see the treatment the Director had given to the story. Shyam Benegal is otherwise also my favourite director and I have not missed any of his films so far.
The Zubeidaa film was censored in 2000 and released in 2001. The film had 8 songs. It won the National Award for ”Best Feature Film” and actress Karishma Kapoor got the Filmfare Critics award for ” Best Actress”. The cast includes karishma kapoor,Rekha,Surekha Sikri,Amrish Puri,Farida jalal,Lilette Dubey and others from the new wave group. The story of the film is as follows-
Zubeidaa is the story of Riyaz’s (Rajit Kapoor) search to understand his mother, who is not known to him, as he was brought up by his grandmother in the absence of his mother. His mother’s name was Zubeidaa (Karisma Kapoor) and she was the only daughter of a filmmaker named Suleman Seth (Amrish Puri). Zubeidaa acts in films secretly, but when her father finds out he forbids her to carry on and quickly arranges her marriage to Mehboob Alam (Vinod Sharawat). Things seem happy for her when she gives birth to Riyaz. However, a disagreement arises between Suleman Seth and Mehboob’s father, and Mehboob divorces Zubeidaa a few days after she gives birth.
Zubeidaa then meets Maharaja Vijayendra Singh of Fatehpur (Manoj Bajpai). Vijayendra is already married to Maharani Mandira Devi (Rekha) and is the father of two children. Nevertheless, he falls in love with Zubeidaa and they get married, but there is continuous turmoil in their relationship. Riyaz learns through Zubeidaa’s journal that though she loved Vijayendra dearly, she was unable to follow the stifling customs of the palace. She was also uncomfortable because of her brother-in-law Uday Singh’s sexual advances towards her, and his demands of her to have an extra-marital affair with him.
Riyaz travels to Fatehpur and asks many people about his mother. However, all except Mandira, whom Zubeidaa called “Mandy Didi”, either deny that his mother ever existed, or say that she was a horrible woman who seduced their king and caused his death in a plane crash.
On reading the journal, Riyaz finds out that Vijayendra had become a politician, and was about to go to Delhi for an important meeting. Zubeidaa felt frustrated that whenever her husband needed help he looked to Mandira for support, and at the last minute she insisted that only she would accompany him for the meeting. Zubeidaa tries to control the small plane which is shown to crash thus killing Zubeidaa and Vijayendra. In the end, Riyaz and his grandmother watch a tape of his mother’s film. The movie ends with a screen shot of Zubeidaa dancing happily with Riyaz and his grandmother shedding tears of happiness.
Today’s song “Main Albeli” is actually a song for a film set within Zubeidaa where Karisma Kapur is secretly trying to be an actress without her father’s approval. In this meta song sequence, the dance master is Shakti Kapoor who is enthusiastic about Zubeida’s talent before the shoot is interrupted by her father, Suleman Seth, who drags her off the film set with threats of gun fire after ignoring the appeals of the film producer.
Sung by Kavita Krishnamurthy and Sukhwinder Singh, The music of A.R. Rahman and the lyrics by Javed Akhtar suit each situation and setting, representing the traditions and culture, while also reflecting the emotions and turmoils of the characters. Zubeidaa (2001) is directed by Shyam Benegal and written by Khalid Mohammed. Along with Karisma Kapoor & Manoj Bajpai, it stars Rekha, Surekha Sikri, Rajit Kapoor, Lillete Dubey, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, and Shakti Kapoor. The film garnered the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and won Karisma Kapoor a Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics). The film is still available on YouTube.
And now, let us enjoy today’s song, which is only 24 year old….
Song – Main Albelee ghoomoon akelee (Zubeidaa)(2001) Singers – Kavita Krishnamurthy, Sukhwinder Singh, Lyrics-Javed Akhtar, MD- A R Rahman
Chorus
Lyrics
rangeelee ho
sajeelee ho o o
rangeelee ho
sajeelee ho o o
tu albelee o
tu albelee o o
main albelee ghoomoon akelee
koyi pahelee hoon main
ho o
main albelee ghoomoon akelee
koyi pahelee hoon main
paglee havaayen mujhe jahaan bhee le jaayen
in havaaon kee sahelee hoon main
tu hai rangeelee ho ho ho
tu hai sajeelee ho ho ho
hirnee hoon ban mein
kalee gulshan mein
shabnam kabhee hoon main
kabhee hoon shola
shaam aur savere
sau rang mere
main bhee naheen jaanoon
aakhir hoon main kya
tu albeli
ghoome akelee
koyee pahelee hai tu
paglee havaayen tujhe jahaan bhee le jaayen
in havaaon kee sahelee hai tu
tu albelee
ghoome akelee
koi pahelee ee
pahelee ee ee
mere hisse mein aayee hain kaisee betaabiyaan
mera dil ghabraata hai
main chaahe jaaoon jahaan
hmm hmm hmm
mere hisse mein aayee hain kaisee betaabiyaan
mera dil ghabraata hai
main chaahe jaaoon jahaan
meree bechainee le jaaye mujhko jaane kahaan
main ik pal hoon yahaan
main ik pal hoon yahaan
main hoon ik pal vahaan
tu baavlee hai
tu manchalee hai
sapnon kee hai duniya
jis mein tu hai palee
main albelee
ghoomoon akelee
koyee pahelee hoon main
ho o main albelee
ghoomoon akelee
koyee pahelee hoon main
paglee havaayen mujhe jahaan bhee le jaayen
in havaaon kee sahelee hoon main
tu hai rangeelee
ho ho ho
tu hai sajeelee
ho ho ho ho ho
hirnee hoon ban mein
kalee gulshan mein
shabnam kabhee hoon main
kabhee hoon shola
shaam aur savere
sau rang mere
main bhee naheen jaanoon
aakhir hoon main kya
aa aa aa
o o o
tu hai albelee o o o
hmm
main vo raahee hoon jiskee koyee manzil naheen
main vo armaan hoon jiska koyee haasil naheen
main hoon vo mauj ki jiska koyee saahil naheen
mera dil naazuk hai
mera dil naazuk hai
patthar ka mera dil naheen
tu anjaanee
tu hai deevaanee
sheesha leke patthar kee duniya mein hai chalee
tu albelee
ghoome akelee
koyee pahelee hai tu
paglee havaayen tujhe jahaan bhee le jaayen
in havaaon kee sahelee hai tu
main hoon rangeelee ho o o
main hoon sajeelee ho ho ho ho
hirnee hoon ban mein kalee gulshan mein
shabnam kabhee hoon main kabhee hoon shola
shaam aur savere haan
sau rang mere haan
main bhee naheen jaanoon aakhir hoon main kya
rangeelee ho sajeelee ho
rangeelee ho sajeelee ho o
rangeelee ho sajeelee ho o
rangeelee ho sajeelee ho o
6 Responses to "Main albelee ghoomoon akelee"
May 5, 2025 at 2:35 pm
reading posts after a gap.
and what a pleasant surprise, a post about an actress of the late 1940s, and whose “BIOPIC” was made about 25 years back (that itself is a long time).
the lady who played Zubeida (Karisma Kapoor) herself has crossed 50 and Mandydidi (Rekha) is past 70
a very good lively song, one that I used to like to see
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May 5, 2025 at 9:22 pm
Arunji,
Thanks a lot for clarifying the same name confusion. The fault lies in the film not crediting correctly that it was based on the life of so and so.
AK
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May 6, 2025 at 12:11 pm
Thanks.
This is clarified in my First book- ‘ Forgotten artists…..’ also earlier.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
April 30, 2025 at 5:53 am
Arun Ji
Thanks a lot for the post on Zubeida (Jr). Clarifying same name confusion.( I, of course, did not have any 🙂 )
I liked Shyam Benegal’s Zubeida very much and was moved by the story telling. Todays song is one of my favourites too.
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April 30, 2025 at 7:17 am
Thanks.
I am happy that you liked the post.
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