Tora naaheen Kanhaiyya
Posted by: Atul on: August 29, 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 very old film Anath Ashram-1937.
In the early era, when silent films were made, it was Maharashtra – especially Bombay which led the new medium as the production centre for silent films. Of course, some films were also being made in other places like Poona, Kolhapur, Coibtor, Nashik, Bangalore, madras, Calcutta and other occasional towns.
After the Talkie films started, Calcutta came up with one of the most organised, well equipped and big studios, making films in Bangla, Hindi and some other eastern languages. That was New theatres, Calcutta. In those days, Calcutta quickly rose as a busy centre for filmmaking in several languages and many studios and production houses came up, but no one could match the magnificence of New Theatres in terms of consistency, number of star actors, actresses and directors along with technicians. New Theatre ruled supreme till the rise of Bombay Talkies and Ranjit Studios in Bombay.
During the period from 1931 to 1955, New Theaters was one of the premiere film production companies of India. This was not only a commercial organization, but also a school for developing new talents in the fields of acting, direction, cinematography, editing, sound recording, costume designing and other departments of filmmaking. Almost all who learnt from here, became big names in their later careers. It was here that the artists were encouraged to become editors from cinematographers, and directors from editors. Names like Nitin Bose and Bimal Roy are enough to prove this point.
The company also invested a fortune in developing new techniques and new traditions in every field of film making. Because of these, this premiere Bengal studio became a veritable institution and a promoter of talents that largely influenced the whole course of Indian films. In addition to this, New Theaters gifted the style of film songs introducing the Prelude and the Interlude.
Its biggest contribution, however, was the ‘Playback System’ of songs in the films. Birendranath Sircar, founder proprietor of New Theaters sustained it for 35 years, holding a record of making 177 films under this banner. The nearest ever to come was Sardar Chandulal Shah’s Ranjit Movietone, Bombay with 175 films ! New Theaters was also making films in Hindi and other languages from the beginning.
In 1928-29 BN Sircar founded International Filmcraft and made two silent films. Then the company closed. He then established New Theaters in February 1931 as a family concern, holding all shares within the family and becoming its Managing Director. He employed artists and technicians on monthly salaries. His first success was ‘Chandidas’ (1932). In the same month he and IA Hafiz ji (who later married actress Ratan Bai) went on an all India tour to appoint distributors for his Hindi films to capture the Indian market. In this tour, he appointed distributors in Madras, Madurai, Trichinapally, Erode, Bangalore,Poona, Bombay, Cawnpore (now Kanpur), Lucknow, Kangra Valley and Lahore. The entire Eastern India and the North East was already in his pocket. Such was his vision !
The film business in Bengal was dominated by Marwadi and Gujarati communities. Some of them were – Lal ji Haridas had distribution rights of all major Bombay film companies, Bajranglal Khemka owned East India Film Company, Radha Kishen Chauria owned Radha Film company, Babulal Chowkhani had Bharat Laxmi pictures. All of them realized that making only Bangla films was not enough, making films in Hindi and other languages was necessary for survival and growth. However, BN Sircar had an upper hand here, being ahead in multi language films !
Films based on famous and popular novels and the film songs and music were the strengths of New Theaters. Ms Panna Raii ji, the first one to do Ph.D on Indian films wrote that “Though I did not know Bangla, I loved to listen to the film songs”. New Theatres popularised Rabindra Sangeet throughout India, which otherwise rotted in Shanti Niketan walls, till then. This was also a tough winner on Bombay’s stale stage and drama songs. Audience soon chose film songs from New Theaters films and discarded Bombay songs in preference.
Directors like Pramathesh Barua, Phani Mujumdar, Debaki Bose etc made films which became hits. New Theaters was on the top during 1932 to 1940, holding the uncontested No.1 position. The first blow came to New Theaters when the second World War broke out in 1939. Due to rationing, the raw film was allowed only for 6 films a year. At that point of time expenses of only the salaries of New Theaters studio was in the range of 45000 to 50000 rupees per month. Imagine how much it would be today at the current inflation rate. It would be about 11 lakhs per month !
In 1940 there was another blow to New Theaters in the form of the exit of Pramathesh Barua from the studio. Then on there was a string of actors, directors and Music Directors leaving New Theaters to join Bombay. Prithviraj Kapoor, Kedar Sharma, Nitin Bose, Debaki Bose, Kanan Devi, Uma Shashi (she ran away while shooting on sets to elope with her future husband), KL Saigal and many more left New Theaters. Added to it was the communal riot in 1946 in Bengal and India’s Partition in 1947. Many stalwarts left the company due to disputes with BN Sircar. Only Pankaj Mullick stayed there with him.
In the 1950’s New Theaters started going downhill. In 1954 New Theaters, due to the financial crisis, was handed over to Aurora Film Company. In January 1956 the company closed down and in 1962 it went into liquidation. It was the End of a Giant ! (based on some information from Sharmila Gooptu’s article ‘The Glory that was New Theaters’ and my notes ).
Film Anath Ashram-1937 was made by New theatres. It was directed by Hem Chander. The cast consisted of Uma Shashi, Najamul Hassan, Prithviraj Kapoor, Nemo, Manorama, Trilok Kapoor, Kalyani, Harimati etc etc. The music was given by the grand old man of film music – R.C.Boral.
Raichand Boral (R C Boral)’s place amongst the early composers is on the Top. In fact he is the Music Director who introduced the concept of Playback singing in India in 1935. Thus his name is written along with Dadasaheb Phalke, Ardeshir Irani and Phirozshah Mistry,in the annals of Indian Film History as an early pioneer.
Raichand was the son of a famous singer and Pakhawaj player-Lalchand Boral. He was born on 19-10-1903 in a family where Music was the staple food. Though the conditions were very conducive and favourable,the sudden and unexpected demise of his father changed the situation. He had to depend on his elder brother. He was taught music by Pt. Vishwanath Rao, Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan and Ustad Majid Khan. His Tabla playing became the toast of many Mehfils and soon he was invited by Indian Broadcasting Co. (which later became A.I.R.) as the Head of their Music Department.
Later he joined New Theatres on a call by B N Sarcar, where he gave a new look to their orchestra conduction. He used Flute,Organ and other western music instruments to make Rabindra Sangeet and Traditional Thumri and Gazal,as simple as possible for the common man. Thus the early songs of Hindi films made in Calcutta’s new Theatres had hummable and simple tunes. He dispensed with the classical way of singing in films.
That is the reason why Hindi songs in films made in Calcutta from 1931 to say 1940 were superior and more popular on All India basis than those made in Bombay-which still depended upon classical and Natyasangeet base.( Examples are ALL Saigal songs, ALL Pankaj Mullick songs and songs from New Theatre Hindi films made in this period.)
In those days, when almost every Music Director sang songs in films, R C Boral was one who kept away from singing songs. One reason was that his singing base was weak and secondly his voice was not that good.
R C Boral used to look almost like Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, with the same heavy build, height and large fearsome moustaches. His looks were exactly opposite to the melodious music that he gave !
According to the famous Film Music Historian Dr. Ashok D. Ranande, Boral made a significant contribution to Film Music. First, he gave a lot of importance to Background Music to enhance the effectiveness of screen images. Secondly, he developed the concept of Prelude and Interlude in film songs. Thirdly, he is credited with the introduction of playback singing in films. Boral gave the present tune to the National Anthem ‘ Jana gana mana ” in his film Hamrahi-44
R C Boral made many actors/singers STARs like Sehgal, Kanan Devi, Uma Shashi, Pahadi Sanyal, Asit Baran etc. He made Saigal Hero in his first 3 films- Muhabbat ke Aansoo, Subah ka tara and Zinda Laash all in 1932. Saigal sang many songs in these but I believe, none of these are available now. The first major break came to Saigal in Pooran Bhagat-1933.
R C Boral gave such classics as Rajrani Meera, Chandidas, Daku Mansoor, Rooplekha, After the Earthquake, Devdas(Bangla),Dhoop chhaon (First Playback), Maaya, Anath Ashram, Mukti, President, Vidyapati, Abhagin, Street Singer, Jawaani ki Reet, Sapera, Haar jeet, Lagan, Saugandh, Waapas, Hamrahi, Wasiyatnama, Anjangarh, Pehla Aadmi, Dard e dil, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.Swami Vivekanand-55 was his last Hindi film. He gave music to 33 Hindi films. Most of them were bilinguals made in Bangla and Hindi, in Calcutta.
He left films in 1960, but he was connected to A.I.R. and as a consultant to Sangeet natak Academy, which also honoured him with an award. Dadasaheb Phalke award came to him in 1979. R C Boral-the doyen of Hindi film music, died on 25-11- 1981.
The hero of the film was Najam aka Najmul Hassan. He was born on 5-9-1910, into a noble family of Lucknow. He was tall and very handsome and was bitten by the urge to act in the films. He left his law studies and headed for Bombay. He met Sarojini Naidu, who was a family friend. She strongly recommended his name to Himanshu Rai. His screen test was taken in which he passed. Though at first sight, Himanshu Rai was not impressed with his manner of behavior, he still selected him for the first film of Bombay Talkies, opposite Devika Rani in ‘Jawani Ki Hawa’ (1935).
During ‘Jawani Ki Hawa’ (1935), which was loosely based on Agatha Christie’s ‘Murder On The Orient Express’, published in 1934, Devika Rani fell in love with Najmul Hasan and they decided to elope. Their second film, ‘Jeevan Naiyya’ (1936) went on floors and the love birds flew to Calcutta. There was a great commotion in Bombay Talkies. Shashdhar Mukherji, the production manager, was close to his Bengali boss Himanshu Rai. Mukherjee traced the couple to Calcutta, met Devika Rani and convinced her to return to Himanshu. Devika Rani returned and Himanshu Rai pardoned her, but not Najmul Hasan.
Najmul Hasan did not come back to Bombay. He joined the New Theatres in Calcutta and did films like ‘Anaath Ashram’ (1937), ‘Dushman’ (1938), ‘Kapaal Kundala’ (1939), ‘Jawani Ki Reet’ (1939), and ‘Nartaki’ (1940). Even in Calcutta, Najmul Hasan had a rocking affair with superstar Jahanara Kajjan. After doing the film ‘Meenakshi’ (1942), Najmul Hasan did some films like ‘Daasi’ (1944) , ‘Ragini’ (1945) and ‘Kaise Kahoon’ (1945) in Lahore and then he decided to settle in Pakistan in 1947. In Pakistan he did some films like ‘Eid’ (1951), ‘Ashiyana’, ‘Doctor’, ‘Mirza Jatt’, ‘Taxi Driver’ and ‘Heer Ranjha’ etc.
Najmul Hasan, a very bitter man for the treatment he received in Pakistan, died in 1980 in Pakistan. [Based on Film Diary-46, my notes and Pak sites].
The story of the film ‘Anaath Ashram’ was ….
It is a reformist melodrama about widow-remarriage. Jai Narain (Jagdish Sethi), owner of a colliery, forms a happy family with his wife (Manorama), his daughter Saroj (Uma Shashi), son-in-law Kailash (Trilok Kapoor), an engineer at the colliery, and their son Nannha (Master Satu). Kailash dies in a colliery accident caused by Jai Narain. Nannha is sent to an orphanage and Saroj marries Ramesh (Najamul Hasan), who loves her but is unaware of her previous marriage or of being a stepfather, while Saroj misses her dead husband and longs for her absent son. A former suitor, Ranjit (Prithviraj Kapoor) appears, knowing her past history. Repeated scenes show Nannha pining for his mother. She requests him not to reveal her story to her husband,but he wants revenge. So he brings the child to their house. Seeing own child, Saroj breaks down and confesses everything to her husband. Ramesh, having a big heart, pardons her, gets the child from the orphanage and hands over Ranjit to the Police. All’s well that ends well.
This story has resemblance to the film story of Prabhat’s ‘Mera Ladka’ (1938) (‘माझा मुलगा’ in Marathi). In this film all the Mangeshkar siblings are seen in one song.
Here is an 88 year old song, sung by Harimati Devi, with a typical long prelude introduced by Boral, in an old style….
Song- Tora naaheen Kanhaiya (Anaath Ashram)(1937) Singer- Harimati Devi, Lyricist-Kidar Nath Sharma, MD- R C Boral
Lyrics
Kanhaiya aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa
tora naaheen Kanhaiya
tora naaheen Kanhaiya
sun ree Yashoda maiya
sun ree Yashoda maiya
tora naaheen Kanhaiya
tora naaheen Kanhaiya
pyaar chhipaaye na chhupe
yatan karo laakh baar
kal wo hogaa Devki nandan
aaj jo nand dulaa aar
aaj jo nand dulaa aar
aaj jo nand dulaa aar
aaj jo nand dulaar
tora naaheen Kanhaiya
tora naaheen Kanhaiya
sun ree Yashoda maiya
sun ree Yashoda maiya
tora naaheen Kanhaiya
tora naaheen Kanhaiya
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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