Kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
Posted on: July 28, 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 a failed, potent comedy film Andher Nagari Chaupat Raja-1955.
The film was made by Chitramahal, Bombay and produced by Ashalata Biswas- ex wife of Music Director Anil Biswas. Though she had separated from Anil Biswas in 1954 itself, she continued using his surname till she was in films. The film was directed by Shamim Bhagat, about whom my guess is that he may be Ashalata Biswas’s brother. Her name before marriage was Meharunnisa Bhagat. The Music Director of this film was Avinash Vyas, ably assisted by Sanmukh babu Upadhyaya, who later on became an independent MD for film Lalkar-1956. He gave music to only 7 Hindi films, mostly B and C grade films. The cast of the film was Chitra, Amarnath, Gope, Umadevi and many others.
In Hindi cinema there were so many popular Genres like Comedy, Tragedy, Historicals, Mythologicals, Family, Social, Mystery, Crime etc. Out of all these, the less known genre of “Imaginary” was which produced films on most uncommon stories coming out of the writer’s imagination. Today’s film was also one such film. Though it had a lot of scope of making it an interesting film, the writer and the director failed miserably and made it a forgettable and unbelievable film. The whole film was a Dream sequence. The story, dialogues, screenplay and the lyrics were by Bharat Vyas.
Andher Nagari Chaupat Raja or ‘taka ser bhaji taka ser khaja’ are some of the phrases/muhawaras that are used in our languages. There are some stories behind them and this is also one such story.The whole film is actually,a dream sequence. In fact it is a social satire.
Many times when something goes wrong,we feel,if I were there…..
But everytime this doesn’t work.’Jeno kaam teno thay’ ie, letting the right man do the job is always true. The story of this film was….
There is a villager who has an ugly daughter.He is unable to get her married.She had no looks and he had no enough money as dowry,which he thinks would have got her married.One day he sees the king’s daughter getting married with pomp and show and he starts dreaming…………..
He becomes the king of Andher Nagari and tries to bring radical changes in the law and order,social and political structures.”Equality” and “Justice” for all, is his Mantra.So,as per his order everything in the market is equally priced.Gold or Gobar(cow dung),Elephant or Donkey all are same price.All crimes get the same punishment.For murder or spitting the punishment is Death equally.Everybody’s pay is same etc etc.With this kind of Equality and justice,there is chaos in the kingdom. King arranges Swayamvar of his ugly daughter. Even his power or riches can not get her married. He is enraged and gives order that if his daughter can not get married, no one in the kingdom will get married.
There is a couple,Madho and Imrati whose marriage is kept on hold. They start a rebellion and together, the king is thrown out of his golden heaven to the muddy earth……………….
The villager realises that making laws alone can not make a good kingdom. Similarly for everything ”if I were there” does not work. You must let the right person do the job.
The story had plenty of scope for fun and laughs, but the direction was not upto the mark and the film did not click,though the idea was great.
The hero Amarnath (Bharadwaj) is one of the “same name confusions” victims. There were two Pt. Amarnath Music Directors, one actor Amar, one actor Amarnath and one actor/Director (K.) Amarnath. I have discussed all of them in my books.
Amarnath was born in Hafizabad, in Gujranwala district of Punjab (Now in Pakistan) on13-10-1923. After Matriculation, he joined a Bank. However after some time he left the bank job and joined the film industry. He started acting in 1939 with Kidar Sharma’s “Dil hi to hai”. From Calcutta, he came down to bombay and did a small role in the film Naghma E sehra-1945. Then he shifted to Lahore. Graduating from doing small roles he was made the Leading Man in Dalsukh Pancholi’s film “Patjhad”, started in 1947 opposite Meena (Shorey). Pancholi had to flee Lahore due to Partition riots, but he carried the negatives of Patjhad. Though the film was censored in India in 1948, it seems it was never released.
Amarnath starred as Hero/ side Hero in many other films,like Papiha re-48, Barsat ki ek raat-48, Swayam sidha-49, Nai Bhabhi-50, Kamal ke phool-50, Sheesh Mahal-50, Jalte Deep-50, Johri-51, Nai zindagi-51 , Lachak-51, Nirmohi-52, Nirmal-52, Izzat-52, Bahu Beti-53, Nav Durga-53, Toofan-54, Danka-54, Gun Fight-60 etc. Then he switched over to side roles. In all, he worked in 81 Hindi films. In addition he also acted in many Punjabi films, initially as a hero and later in other roles. His first Punjabi film was Kamli-1946. Some other Punjabi films were Murtiyan-50, Posti-51, Vanjara-54, Lara Lappa-53,Astalli-54,Jagga-64 etc. His last Hindi film was Kaun ho tum-70.
Today’s song is sung by Sudha Malhotra and Shankar Dasgupta.
Born in 1927 in Bengal, Shankar Dasgupta started singing from childhood. He was a trained singer. In 1946, he got a break with Anil Biswas in his film Milan-46. His first song itself became very popular. Then he sang in films like Anjana, Didi, Girl’s school, Jeet, Aahuti, Izzat, Do Raha etc. He sang about 50 songs in 31 films.
He gave music to 4 films, Sadma-1954, Sheeshe ki deewar-1954, Hotel-1956 and Pehli mulaqat-1957. He assisted Anil Biswas and Jaidev for many years.
He did work on TV and in News reviews too. He settled in England after retirement, but was active on TV there too. On one of his routine visits to India in 1992, he met with a tragic accident on a Local Railway station platform in Mumbai on 23-1-1992 and died on the spot.
The co-singer of today’s song is Sudha Malhotra. She was born on 30-11-1936 at Delhi. She started singing in films from the early 50s. She sang 265 songs in 160 films,as per one statistics. Her last song was in jwala-70. There is a controversy about her first song. In every interview,she claims that her first song in Hindi films was “Mila gaye Nain”from Arzoo-50,under the baton of Ace composer Anil Biswas.
I reproduce here a mail from shri Girdharilal Vishwakarma,famous music historian and song collector of eminence-
” Maine sudha malhotra ke kuchh interview sune unmen wo yahi kahati hai ki unhone pahali baar film- arzu_1950 main anil biswas ke music direction main gaya tha…jabki unki film last message 1949 main aa gayi thi…records series dekhen to bhi saaf lag raha hain ki last message ke record pahale bane the..fir kyun wo arzu ko pahali film bata rahi hai…is duvidha ko door karne ke liye main unka contect no. hasil karke unko phone kiya…maine unko poocha ki aapko yad hai ki aapne film last message main gane gaye the..kuchh sochkar boli han yaad hai..maine kaha ye film to arzu se pahale bani thi..unhone kaha han ye gane maine arzu se kafi pahale gaye the tab main bahut chhoti thi…aapne yad dilaya to mujhe yad aa gaya…maine kha phir aap har interview main arzu ko pahali film kyun batati hai…unhone kaha arzu main bade music director anil biswas the isliye unka hi jikra karti hun aurlog last message ke bare main nahi janate hai aur kabhi kisini is film ke bare main mujhe poochha bhi nahi isliye maine bataya bhi nahi…phir main last message main unke gaye teenon geet ek ek karke unhen sunaye…to wo awak rah gayi ki main in geeton ko recording ke baad aaj pahali baar sun rahi hun ye to bahut achhe gane hai.. aapne meri bachpan ki yaden taja kar di…ek bada sawal ye uthata hai ki kalakar kyun apni B aur C gred ki filmon yaad nahi rakhate…kuchh had tak wo log bhi jimedar hain jo kalakaron ka interview lete hai…jo aisi baten unhen poochate hi nahi hai [ kai mauko par to interview lene wale ko bhi pata nahi hota hai] wo to sirf kalakar ki baton main han se han milate jate hai…. isase research karane walon ke sath bada confusion ho jata hai ki wo kis baat ko sahi maane ”
Of course Sudha Malhotra is not the only artist to hide her early foray into films or music through less known or unknown films. There are many others. More about that sometime later.
Enjoy today’s 70 year old song sung by 19 year old Sudha Malhotra and 28 year old Shankar Dasgupta…..
Song- Kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen (Andher Nagri Chaupat Raja)(1955) Singers- Sudha Malhotra, Shankar Dasgupta, Lyricist- Bharat Vyas, MD- Avinash Vyas
Chorus
Lyrics
maat pita vyaakul bhaye
dukhee huye parivaar
ghar ghar shaadee byah ka aa
band hua tyohaar
?? gayee
beete baras apaar
chaupat ne chaupat kiya aa aa aa
sab ka ghar sansaar
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare
ho kab tak kunwaare
ho kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
nadiya kinaare baithhe
gagan ke ginte ye taare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
chhaayee ghataayen aayee bahaaren
gungun hawaayen kisko pukaaren
ho jee kisko pukaaren
chhaayee ghataayen aayee bahaaren
gungun hawaayen kisko pukaaren
kisko pukaaren
man ke chaman mein bhanwre ye
kab tak kaliyon ke nyaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kab hoga jagmag diyon se aangan
kab hamre ghar mein aayega baaman
aayega baaman
kab hoga jagmag diyon se aangan
kab hamre ghar mein aayega baaman
aayega baaman
kab honge haldee se haath peele
o o o o
kab honge haldee se haath peele
preetam ke dwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
o o o
sunlo ae raaja aa
sunlo ae raaja
arzee hamaaree
raaja arzee hamaaree ee
o o o o
hamko na bhaayee marzee tumhaaree
raaja marzee tumhaaree
kab tak hamaare maa baap chinta karte bechaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
o o o
dekho jee
dekho jee hum bhi rakhte fikar(?) hain
jee rakhte fikar(?) hain ae
lekin hamaara dulha kidhar hai
jee dulha kidhar hai
hum bhee kisee kee aasha mein
kab tak maala sahaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
kaho jee hum kab tak kunwaare rahen
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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