Jeewan ka jug aaya
Posted on: November 2, 2025
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, 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, November 2nd is the 128th birth anniversary of the producer-director-actor, Sohrab Modi (02/11/1897 – 28/01/1984) who was one of the pioneers of Hindi film industry with sincerity embedded in his works. What all I know about him through the articles and interviews is that the filmmaking was his passion. He developed his own art of dialogue delivery in chaste Urdu, thanks to his childhood spent in Rampur where he did his early schooling. His dialogue delivery became his hallmark in the films.
After completion of his matriculation examination, Sohrab Modi sought guidance from the principal of his school as to what type of career he should persue. The principal said that hearing to the quality of his voice, he should either become a politician or an actor. He chose to be an actor. In this context, Sohrab Modi shared a trivia that when his film. ‘Sheesh Mahal’ (1950) was released at Minerva theatre in Mumbai, he observed that one of the persons seated in the audience had dozed off. He called the theatre manager to take him out and refund his ticket price assuming that he was not keeping well. However, the theatre manager reported back to him that the person was visually impaired and he had come to the theatre only to listen to Sohrab Modi’s dialogues. At that time, Sohrab Modi remembered what his school principal had said about his voice. [Source: Film Division documentary on Sohrab Modi].
Starting his career as a stage actor in Parsi Theatres, Sohrab Modi worked in silent films as an actor and graduated to become producer-director. Ever since he set up his film production company, Minerva Movietone, he produced and directed socially relevant films like ‘Jailor’ (1937), ‘Meetha Zahar’ (1938), ‘Divorce’ (1938), ‘Bharosa’ (1940), ‘Parakh’ (1944) etc. In between, he also produced and directed the trilogy of historical genre of films with grandiose sets and costumes – ‘Pukaar’ (1939), ‘Sikandar’ (1941) and Prithvi Vallabh (1943). Post-indepdence, his film, ‘Sheesh Mahal’ (1950) faired very well at the box office.
Sohrab Modi’s most ambitious film was ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’ (1953) which was made in Technicolour with Mehtab in the role of Rani Laxmibai and Sohrab Modi in the role of Rajguru. The film was released in Hindi and English versions. A few technicians from the Hollywood were hired. Despite the technical superiority and good performance by Mehtab and Sohrab Modi, the film miserably failed at the box office with a huge financial loss for Minerva Movietone. However, in the following year, Sohrab Modi bounced back with a grand success of his film, ‘Mirza Ghalib’ (1954) which won him the President’s Gold Medal.
In the next six years, Sohrab Modi produced and directed ‘Kundan’ (1955), Rajhathh(1956), ‘Nausherwaan-E-Adil (1957), ‘Jailor’ (1958) and ‘Mera Ghar Mere Bachchey’ (1960). However, none of these films could reach the height of the successes he had got from his earlier films. After ‘Samay Bada Balwan’ (1969), Sohrab Modi had virtually retired from the film making though he directed Meena Kumari’s biographical film, ‘Meena Kumari Ki Amar Kahani’ (1979). He continue to act in a few films until 1980.
For the film, ‘Parakh’ (1944), Mehtab was working as a lead actress for the first time under the direction of Sohrab Modi. They became close to each other during the shooting of the film. They eventually got married on April 28, 1946.
In an interview given by Mehtab in 1986 which appeared on cineplot.com Sohrab Modi’s only regret was that he could not make ‘Ashoka The Great’ which he had planned in a most meticulous way. Sohrab Modi had also revealed that while he was having meeting with his distributors, one of the distributors asked him as to who would play the role of King Ashoka. Sohrab Modi abruptly ended his meeting with distributors by saying that he has decided not to go ahead with the film becuase so far, none of the distributors had ever asked him about the lead pairs of his films while signing for the film distribution agreements as they had confidence in him as a producer and director. During this period, he had also faced financial constraint to make the film out of his own resources. His close relatives had deceived him to whom he had given power of attorney on the property and other assets owned by him when he was out of Mumbai for a long time. He did not get back anything as his relatives had mortgaged the properties.
During his filmy career, Sohrab Modi produced 29 films, directed 26 films and acted in 32 films. In 1980, Sohrab Modi received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
I had read somewhere that in his early 20s, Sohrab Modi was initiated in Ramakrishna Mission by Maa Sharda Devi (wife of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa). I was not aware of this event in the life of Sohrab Modi. Just to check the veracity of this event in Sohrab Modi’s life, I made searches on google. I got an extract from a book, ‘Sri Sri Mayer Padaprante’ – edited by Swami Purnamananda, (Vol. 3:1997 p: 591-92)) which was reproduced on a Google Group which is as under:
Sohrab Modi related his reminiscences to Swami Nirmayananda:
It was 1918. I was then a young man. My elder brother was a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna and from him, I first heard about Sri Sharda Devi. My brother sent me from Bombay to Calcutta to meet Holy Mother. After arriving in Calcutta, I went to Baghbazar to see the Mother, who was then very ill. I had heard that no devotees were allowed to see her. I bowed down to Swami Sharadananda and said: “I have come from Bombay to see the Mother and I want initiation from her.” Observing my passionate appeal, his mind softened. He asked a monk to escort me to the Mother and asked me to seek blessings from her. After bowing down to the Mother, I expressed my desire for initiation. Out of compassion, she immediately initiated me. Although she did not understand my language and I also did not know Bengali, we communicated well without any difficulty. The Mother spoke in Bengali and I answered in Hindi. While taking leave from her, I said, “Mother, I am going.” The Mother said: “My son, don’t say ‘I am going,’ rather say, ‘I am coming.’” When the Mother’s attendant translated her words to me into English, I was amazed. I was unaware of the Bengali custom that one should speak that way while leaving. However, I returned to Bombay with a sweet memory of the Mother. She was wonderful and beautiful.
Many years have passed and now I am an old man. I almost forgot the Mother all these years (as I was busy with the movie industry). Now I am waiting for the call from above and that call can come any time. I have no attraction for this world anymore. Now the forgotten Mother is coming to my mind again and again. Now those words of her – “My son, don’t say ‘I am going,’ rather say, ‘I am coming.” – are ringing in my ears. Now I realise what was then inscrutable to me: I wanted to go away from the Mother but could not succeed. No one can go away from the Mother. Everyone will have to return to the Mother. This is the last realisation of my life: I am coming to my Mother.
Sohrab Modi’s connection with Ramkrishna Mission is borne out by the fact that in 1937, he produced and directed ‘Atma Tarang’ (1937) which was based on the philosophy of Ramkrishna Mission. In the interview of Mehtab referred to above, she had mentioned that when Sohrab Modi had to be operated for cataract, he had insisted and had got it done at Ramakrishna Mission hospital in the suburbs while she had suggested to be done by one of the top specialised surgeons of that time. Unfortunately, his cataract operation was not successful.
On the occasion of 128th birth anniversary of Sohrab Modi, I have selected one of the songs from ‘Prithvi Vallabh (1943) which I will revert to later. The film was produced and directed by him in which he also acted in the title role. The main characters in the film were performed by Sohrab Modi, Durga Khote, K N Singh, Al Nasir, Sadiq Ali, Sankata Prasad, Meena Shorey, Navin Yagnik and Jahanara Kajjan. The film belongs to the genre of historical romances. I had already discussed the film’s story in detail in my article while covering one of the film’s songs, raam naam dhan paayaa maine. However, to get a feel of the film, the gist of the story of the film is given below:
There is the long-standing feud between the King of Malwa, Munj (Sohrab Modi) and the King of Telangana, Tailap (Sankatha Prasad). Both the kingdoms have fought many battles. On the 18th occasion, the King of Telangana is once again defeated by King of Malwa. His dominant widowed sister, Mrinalwati (Durga Khote) is upset with him. She takes an oath of celibacy and spends her life as a ascetic until King Tailap takes a revenge against King Munj. She instigates King Tailap to make King Munj to come to Telangana for the battle during which the King Munj is defeated and imprisoned. During the imprisonment of King Munj, Mrinalwati occasionally visits the prison to see how much of his pride has been hurt. Instead, she falls in love with him and is ready to elope with him when he reveals to her the escape plans made by his aides. True to her character who is always in dilemma, she reveals the secret to King Tailap who issues the order of execution of King Munj. It was a subtle romance between two middle-aged persons – Mrinalwati and King Munj and her stubbornness always prevailed over her incipient love which led to her unintended betrayal of King Munj. Mrinalwati realises her folly. As King Munj is about to be crushed under the foot of an elephant as ordered by King Tailap, Mrinalwati runs from her seat and covers King Munj with herself. Both are crushed to death by the elephant.
An interesting aspect of this film is the complexity in two main characters in the film. The character of Mrinalwati (Durga Khote) is depicted as a stubborn, power-conscious and always keeps King Tailap under her control. In short, she is the de facto ruler of Telangana. With the successive defeats in the hands of Munj, she has taken an oath of celibacy and of an ascetic life until her brother, King Tailap takes a revenge against King Munj. Her dilemma as a dominant personality in the Kingdom of Telangana vis-à-vis her suppressed desires creates uncertainty in her decisions. Durga Khote has wonderfully performed her complex character.
The character of King Munj (Sohrab Modi) has been depicted as a powerful leader and fighter with his multi-faceted personalities. His persona does not require him to portray as a dominant person like Mrinalwati. His nature is that of ‘que sera sera’ (whatever will be, will be). His approach to life is philosophical. It is quite interesting to watch the scenes of the long dialogues between him and Mrinalwati whenever she visits him to see his pride getting hurt. In fact, with his philosophical talks with her (more like in the song, sansaar se bhaage phirte ho in the film, ‘Chitralekha, 1964), Mrinalwati falls in love with King Munj and momentarily decides to give up her ascetic life.
The film had seven songs written by Pandit Sudarshan which were set to music by Rafique Ghaznavi. Five songs have been covered on the Blog. I present the sixth song, ‘jeewan kaa jug aayaa’ rendered by Ameerbai Karnataki on herself.
The context of the song is that Mrinalwati (Durga Khote) has fallen in love with King Munj and she is going to accompany him in his escape from the prison. On this, Jahanara Kajjan says, ‘love at this age?’ and starts laughing. Soon, the song picturised on Charini (Ameerbai Karnataki) plays while Mrinalwati who has been living a life of an ascetic is getting ready with new costumes in her palace to escape with King Munj. But she is in a dilemma. The lyrics of the song act as the motivation for Mrinalwati to shade her ascetic life if she is really in love. For, when in love, one does not think deeply the repercussion of it.
Video Clip:
Audio Clip:
Song-Jeewan ka jug aaya (Prithvi Vallabh)(1943) Singer-Amirbai Karnataki, Lyrics-Pandit Sudarshan, MD-Rafiq Ghaznavi
Lyrics:
jeewan kaa jug aayaa
haan
jeewan kaa jug aayaa
jeewan kaa jug aayaa
andhiyaare ne sooraj dekhaa
dekh dekh kar mann lalchaayaa
andhiyaare ne sooraj dekhaa
dekh dekh kar mann lalchaayaa
jeewan kaa jug aayaa
aayaa
jeewan kaa jug aayaa
murjhaa kar bagiyaa mahkee hai
phir iskee rag rag chahkee hai
sotee dhartee jaag uthhee hai
sotee dhartee jaag uthhee hai
kaisaa sundar saaj sajaayaa
kaisaa sundar saaj sajaayaa
jeewan kaa jug aayaa
aayaa
jeewan kaa jug aayaa
jeewan kaa jug pyaar kaa jug hai
jeewan kaa jug pyaar kaa jug hai
pyaar mein soch vichaar na kar tu
pyaar mein soch vichaar na kar tu
soch vichaar ko aag lagaa de
apnaa paanv aage dhar tu
aage jeetaa jaagat jeewan
aage jeetaa jaagat jeewan
peechhe kaalee jeewan chhaayaa
peechhe kaalee jeewan chhaayaa
jeewan kaa jug aayaa
haan haan
jeewan kaa jug aayaa
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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