Maan le maan le maan le
Posted on: November 23, 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 Aawara Shehzadi-1956.
It was produced and directed by Pyarelal, for his banner- Hind Pictures. Hind Pictures was established by the actor/director Nazir Ahmed Khan.
During the Partition riots, Hind pictures studio was burnt by the mob. Nazir Ahmed stood there, smoking a cigarette, watching his property turn into ashes. He must be glad, nobody recognised him. He knew that in Lahore, the same type of frenzied mob had burnt Dalsukh Pancholi’s studio to ashes and he had expected its repercussions in India too. After this, shortly, he left everything he had earned in India here only and with only worn clothes left for Pakistan. There he started from scratch again and became Pakistan’s successful producer/Director. This time he had his third wife, actress Swarnalata with him. His second wife Sitara Devi had eloped with his nephew K.Asif ( he ran a Tailoring shop then) to Delhi. Under the “Enemy Property law”-48, Hind picture studios must have been allotted to some person who had lost everything in Pakistan. Maybe this was Pyarelal. I do not know. He produced and directed 4 films under the same banner-Hind pictures.
There were 3 lyricists and 2 M.D.s – Jimmy and Nashaad. A lot is written and known about Nashaad, but very little is known about Jimmy. Composer Jimmy is one of those little known composers who never got fame or name in spite of their Talents. His real name was JAMES SINGH. He was a Christian sikh from Ludhiana. He was educated in Delhi.He started his career in Hindi films as a singer in Chorus. He sang 7 songs in 6 films (Imandar-39, Baghi-39, Pyar-40, Anjaam-40, Jadoo Nagri-40, and Maaya Nagri-44). He could play many western instruments, especially all types of Guitars.When he failed as a singer, he became assistant to many composers. Finally.he got his chance to compose few songs for film ‘Muqaddar-50’,though with Khemchand Prakash and Bhola Shreshtha. He composed 2 duets of Asha and Kishore. The credit of composing the First ” Yodelling ” song of Kishore kumar goes to Jimmy. Kishore ‘yodelled ‘ for the first time in this film.
Jimmy then gave music to 14 more films like, Shrimatiji-52, Smuggler-59, Awara Shehzadi-56, Sher e Baghdad-57, Nek khatoon-59, Pathan-62, Miss chaalbaz-61, Tarzan and Gorilla-63, Duniya hai dilwalon ki-66, Pyar ki Baazi-67, Tarzan in fairyland-68, Aakhir-84, Khoon aur sazaa-86 and his last film, Sachi Ibadat-1987. Inspite of giving sweet and melodious songs of a variety,Jimmy never came up to A class. He always remained a composer for C grade films. Anyway, as long as Kishore’s yodelling is heard,Jimmy’s name will be remembered. For singing,he used the name James Singh and as a Music Director he used Jimmy. (Like Chitalkar and C Ramchandra).
This film was released on the last day of 1956, i.e. on 31-12-1956.
1956 was the Silver Jubilee year of Indian Talkie Films. This year, 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 make 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.
The cast of the film was Meena Shorey, Daljit, Johnny Walker, Sheila Ramani, Shaikh, Azeem, Habeeb and many others. The film’s heroine was Meena Shorey, who had come from Pakistan to work in few Indian films. Till 1965, such traffic, both ways was quite normal, but in 1965, the Pakistan Government banned Indian artists and films. meena’s case is a typical ” Rags to Riches to Rags” story and all this due to her own follies !
Meena was born on 15-9-1921, as Khursheed Jehan, the second of four children, in Raiwind in a small rural household, in Punjab . She had two sisters and a brother. Wazir Begum was the elder sister. Rukhsana and Siddique were younger to her. Their father Mian Barkat Ali was an agriculturist from Multan. But due to his irresponsible ways, all lands had to be sold off one by one, and ultimately we shifted to Lahore. Here, he started a dyeing business, but this too failed. Money problems led to domestic squabbles and things became very very difficult. Her elder sister then got married to one Aslam, who was from Bombay and had some connections with the film industry. After some time, she called her mother and the other siblings to come over and live with her in Bombay. Rather than feel sad, her father was in fact happy at getting rid of his “liabilities”. Soon afterwards, he remarried.
Times were hard. Bombay was a much costlier city. Meena wanted to join the film industry. Once she accompanied her brother-in-law Aslam to attend the muhurat of a film. It was Sohrab Modi’s “Sikandar”. One of her friends had loaned her a beautiful dress to wear. Though she was only about 12 years at the time, she looked a little older and was the cynosure of all eyes at the studio set which was very crowded. Some people even thought that she was the heroine of the film. Actually, Vanmala had been cast in this film opposite Prithviraj Kapoor. Sohrab Modi was busy arranging the lights etc. but, seeing the commotion, he came to where they stood, looked her over, and straightway told Aslam that he wanted to cast her in his next film. He said that he was in fact on the look-out for a beautiful girl like her, who could pose a worthwhile challenge to Naseem Banu, who was renowned for her beauty. Meena was of course overjoyed and succeeded in persuading her mother to let her join films and thus her career began. Sohrab modi gave her the name Meena.
Modi, taken in by her beauty, offered her a supporting role in the film and bound her to a contract to work exclusively for him. He also gave her the name Meena. Sikandar did extremely well and Meena was on her way. Modi then cast her as the second lead in Phir Milenge (1942)and Prithvi Vallabh (1943). In the last name, she was paired opposite Al Nasir, whom she later married. The marriage did not last very long due to Nasir’s womanising ways.
Meena first met the Lahore based filmmaker Roop K Shorey, when he came to Bombay to look for a heroine for his forthcoming film, Shalimar (1946). Though he wanted Meena as the heroine of the film, Sohrab Modi’s rigid contract came in the way. According to Meena, the contract again prevented her from doing Mehboob Khan’s Humayun (1945) as well. Further, on a visit to Lahore, she met producer Dalsukh Pancholi, who signed her on for two films Shahar se Door (1946) and Arsi (1947). Immediately, Sohrab Modi took her to court asking for damages of Rs 3 lakhs. According to Meena, taking advantage of her illiteracy, Modi bound her for three years whereas the contract was supposed to be for a year only. She added that Modi then demanded Rs 60,000 to release her and seeking help from Modi’s wife, Mehtab, the matter was finally settled for Rs 30,000. ( Modi had cheated C.Ramchandra also when he joined him.) Meena was now free. She returned to Lahore and fulfilled her contractual obligations by starring in Shahar Se Door and Arsi.
Meena’s last film in Lahore was Pathjad (1948). Following the Partition of India, she came to Bombay where she did films like Actress (1948) and Dukhiyari (1948). In this period she heard that Roop K Shorey had also moved to India following partition. His studio having burnt down in Lahore, he was financially hard up in Bombay. Meena and Karan Dewan got together and helped him make his first film in India, Chaman (1948) in Punjabi. The film, with music by Vinod, was the first ever Punjabi film in which Lata Mangeshkar lent her voice. Her songs in the film like Galiyan Che Firdey Dhola Nikke Nikke Baal Wey and Chan Kithe Guzare-e-Raat Wey were highly appreciated.
Meena hit the apex of her screen career with Roop K Shorey’s Ek Thi Ladki (1949) co-starring Motilal. The film, a comedy thriller, looks at a girl (Meena) on the run after she witnesses a murder and shows a new facet of Meena exploring her comic talents, which were considerable. But above all it was the popularity of the song Lara Lappa Lara Lappa that was chiefly responsible for the film’s success. The song was hummed in every nook and corner of the country and as mentioned, Meena became known as the ‘Lara Lappa girl!’ She also got married to Roop K Shorey, becoming Meena Shorey.
After Ek Thi Ladki, Meena did a steady lot of movies, mostly with Roop K Shorey, but none measured up to Ek Thi Ladki. Perhaps, the best of the lot was Ek Do Teen (1953) re-uniting the Shoreys with Motilal. By the mid 1950s though she was still doing the odd film or two every year, it was obvious her career was in decline. She acted in 25 films in India. Her first film was Sikandar-41 and the last film was Rang Reliyan-62. Meena Sang one song in the film Prithvi Vallabh-43.
At this point, the Shoreys were invited to come to Pakistan and make a film. The result was Miss 1956 (1956), a copy of Guru Dutt’s Mr and Mrs 55 (1955) starring Meena Shorey, Santosh Kumar, Aslam Pervez, Shamim Ara, Zarif and Charlie with music by the great GA Chisti. Though the film did just average business, the adulation that Meena got on returning to Lahore was tremendous. She decided to relocate to Pakistan, even at the cost of her marriage.
Meena’s most successful film in Pakistan was Sarfarosh (1956) co-starring Sabiha Khanum and Santosh Kumar. According to Meena, she was signed on to play the lead role of a princess in the film, but later on Sabiha was given the role and Meena was asked to play the ‘lesser’ role of a bandit queen. She says she walked out of the film but on the pleading of the director, Anwar Kamal Pasha and his father, she relented. Nevertheless, she still made a strong enough impact in the film and perhaps the best song in the film, Teri Ulfat Mein Sanam, sung by Zubaida Khanum was picturised on her. She also became the first Pakistani actress to model for Lux Soap, thus becoming the ‘Lux Lady of Pakistan.’
Meena lived the last few years of her life in abject poverty in Pakistan. She had no savings and was reduced to living in a couple of rooms in Lahore’s Mohni Road. There was no one to look after her and she subsisted on a small stipend paid to her by the Pakistan Arts Council and sometimes the Rotary Club. It is said she compared herself to a dried up tree in a grove full of green young saplings that everyone was out to destroy and burn. Meena Shorey died on 3-9-1987, a lonely and poor actress. Her burial was arranged with charity money and few came to attend her funeral.( Adaptation based on Meena’s Memoirs from the book “ye un dinon ki baat hai” by Yasir Abbasi, and an interview appeared in RMIM, with thanks.)
The story of the film Aawara Shehzadi-1956 was a typical one. The lead pair was Meena Shorey and Daljit. Daljit ( real name Jogender Puri) was born on 17-9-1931. He acted in 43 films and directed 2 films. All Stunt and action films. He had done 11 films with Chitra.
Meena is an unfortunate princess, who was abandoned by her father, because she was declared as a girl with a lot of misfortune. A loyal maid took her and brought her up for 20 years. When she comes to know the truth, she decides to regain her position and heads to the Capital of the kingdom.
On her way, she meets a dancer. She takes her costume and proceeds. She meets the hero, who is like a Robin Hood. They fall in love. After completing the mandatory songs around trees etc, they proceed to the city. There are a series of funny and daring incidents. They are arrested as thieves, jailed, put in mental asylum and also sentenced to death. However with the help of good luck, friends and the team of Director and script writers they finally reach the king and reveal their identity. Everything is fine after that and the lovers sing a song before the film closes.
Here is a song from this film, sung by G.M.Durrani. Enjoy….
Song- Maan le maan le maan le (Aawaara Shehzaadi)(1956) Singer- G.M.Durrani, Lyricist-Khawar Zamaan, MD- Jimmy
Lyrics
Maan le ae ae
Maan Le ae ae
Maan le ae ae
Maan maan maan maan le
mere dil kee haalat jaan le
arre maan
o bhaiyya maan
arre maan le maan le maan le ae
Maan maan maan maan maan le
mere dil kee haalat jaan le
arre maan
o daada maan
arre maan le maan le maan le
mere dil ko maut ka khatka
qismat ne kahaan laa patka
mere dil ko maut ka khatka
qismat ne kahaan laa patka
mujhe patka patka arre khatka khatka
main latka latka latkaa
maan le maan le daada maan le maan le
daada maan le
maan le maan le ae ae
maan le ae ae
ek to maan le bhai
pyaar mat kar arre mere baap
maan le pyaar mein kuchh naheen rakha
kyun meree jaan se khel raha hai
maan maan maan maan le
mere dil kee haalat jaan le
arre maan le maan le maan le
ulfat ka pyaare silsilaa
hota hai bilkul pilpila
ulfat ka pyaare silsilaa
hota hai bilkul pilpila
arre pilpilaa pila pilpila pila
pilpila silsila
maan le maan le daada maan le
maan le daada
maan le maan le maan le ae ae
maan le
ab to maan le
arre tu khaam khaa shehzaadee banee
arre mere liye naheen to
meree laila ke liye maan le
Laila ke liye naheen to
mere hone waale bachchon ke liye maan jaa
haa aa
maan maan maan maan maan le
mere dil kee haalat jaan le
arre maan le maan le maan le
Laila mar gayee Majnu mar gaya
Shirin aur Farhad marey
Baamak Azra is duniya mein
hokar sab barbaad marey
soch le
pyaar karega
main bhee maroongaa
tu bhee maregaaa
haan
na muft mein meree jaan le
ik baat meree tu maan le
arre maan le maaan le maan le
maan maan maan maan maan le
mere dil kee haalat jaan le
arre maan le maaan le maan le
maan le maaan le maan le ae ae
maan le ae
hey hey
he ae ae aa aa
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
December 1, 2025 at 4:07 pm
Good Evening,
Only one thing, God given life may not be enough to listen and enjoy all these super songs.
Thanks for sharing this very amusing song.
Blessings
Uma🙏
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