Tujhe kya bataaoon ye kya justju hai
Posted on: February 5, 2026
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 stunt film- Circus ki Sundari aka Circus Queen-1941.
The Film was made by producer Kikubhai Desai for his own banner Paramount Movietone, Bombay. It was directed by a veteran of such films, Balwant bhatt. The Music Director was Hafiz khan Mastana. The cast of the film included Miss Moti, Jal merchant, Gulab, puri, agha, A Kareem and others. The songs were written by P.L.Santoshi and A.Kareem.
1941 was the first year in the second decade of the Talkie Era and it was the beginning of the emergence of a New film industry. When Talkie started in 1931, for many years after that, the films were made by the people who had done work in the Silent films. These films had a spill over for the silent era artistes. Once the films started talking,most silent artists who could not speak Hindi or Urdu automatically disappeared. Thus started the influx of new actors who could speak Hindi and sing songs, in whatever way they could. Intelligent directors like V Shantaram,Bhavnani, Sohrab Modi, Chandulal Shah, Himanshu Rai, B N Sircar, L V Prasad and a host of Gujarati directors understood that the Talkie needs a different treatment than silent films. Music directors from stage dramas tried their hand in composing film music.
In the next 8-9 years, there was a perceptible change in the film making, acting, singing, and composing music in the films that were made. Quality artistes from the silent era continued for some more years – finally giving way to the new artistes. The 30s and the 40s mostly differed in film music and story contents. The new blood composers like Anil Biswas, C Ramchandra, Naushad, Ghulam Haider, K Datta, Hansraj Behl, Bulo C Rani, Gyan Dutt and many more replaced the Parsi, Marathi and Gujarati drama music to more acceptable lilting songs. Many musical films were made and some everlasting songs were composed by these people. At the end of the 1940s, one more major change in the film industry took place due to Partition. Let us see some important films.
JBH Wadia became Chairman of the Film Advisory Board. He produced the First Sindhi film of the United India- ‘Ekta’-1940. His film Court Dancer was also in English.
Asra- Debut of actor director N A Ansari.
Behan- Mehboob directed this film having an incest suggestive story.
Beti- 8 songs of Khursheed in this film. She was on top in the early 1940.
Chandan- Debut of S N Tripathi as an MD.
Chitralekha- First big success of Kidar Sharma. Mehtab’s bath scene caused a ripple.
Dhandhora- Actor comedian Charlie directed the only film.
Doctor- Pankaj Mullick gave excellent songs. First popular song with woof beats-‘ Chale pawan ki chaal’.
Jhoola- One of the most successful films like kangan and bandhan, starring Ashok Kumar and Leela Chitnis.
Kanchan- First composed song of Naushad-” Bata do koi.”
Khazanchi- A milestone in musical revolution with Punjabi Theka, by Ghulam haider. Debut of Shamshad Begum in Hindi films.
Lagan- Saigal, as usual, gives good songs.
Mala- was remade as ‘ Amar-55’ with music again by Naushad only.
Naya Sansar- Story of Newspaper world. A novelty. Ashok Kumar’s famous cigarette smoking in films started from this film, solving his problem of ‘what to do with the hands during acting’ !
Nirdosh- Mukesh sings his first song.
Padosi- Last film of V Shantaram before leaving Prabhat. A Landmark film. ” Kaisa chhaya hai ujala” is a popular chorus song.
Pardesi- Debut of actress Anjali Devi (not the southwali) with real name ‘Durgesh.’
Radhika- Debut of Nalini Jaywant.
Raj Nartaki- Ambitious Wadia film in English , Bangla and Hindi. Released in the USA by Columbia Pictures of Hollywood.
Sangam- Amritlal nagar’s first film as a writer. He did 18 films as writer and Lyricist.
Sikandar- A Magnum-Opus from Minerva. Chorus song- ” Zindagi hai pyar se” is very popular.
Taj mahal- Debut of Baby Suraiya as an actress.
Sasural and Ummeed were 2 films in which Noorjehan senior acted and sang. However these films are usually wrongly included in the filmography of Malika E Tarannum Noor jehan. She entered Hindi films only with the film Khandan-1942 at Lahore.
The decade of the 1950’s is considered as a part of the ” Golden Era ” of Hindi films for its musical films. It was also the Treasure House Decade for Religious and Mythological films, with 124 such films in 10 years. This fact almost everyone knows. But do you know what was the speciality of the 1940’s decade ?
The 1940’s decade was the peak period for Stunt and Costume films. As many as 212 Stunt and Costume films were released in this decade, averaging about 21.2 films in every year of 1940’s decade. The year 1946 takes the cake for the highest number of such films. It had 51 Stunt and Costume films in one single year, averaging 4.3 films per month.
Circus ki Sundari-1941 was the first ever Talkie film having a story with a background of a Circus atmosphere. On checking the film list of silent films, I did not find any film title connected with Circus. From 1941 to 2007, I found 6 film titles in which the word Circus is there. They are….
| Name of movie | Year of release | Heroine of the movie |
|---|---|---|
| Circus ki sundari | 1941 | Miss Moti |
| Circus Girl | 1943 | Miss Brijrani |
| Circus king | 1946 | Miss Brijrani |
| Circus wale | 1950 | Fearless Nadia |
| Circus Queen | 1959 | Fearless Nadia |
| Cirkus | 2007 | Jacqueline Fernandes |
The last film, Cirkus-2007 had nothing to do with Circus. I have seen its trailer.
Fearless Nadia working in a film having a Circus backdrop is understandable. She had actually worked in a circus before joining the film line. However, about the other Heroines, I have absolutely no information about the actress Miss Moti ( 13 films from 1934 to 1943) and Miss Brij Rani’s biodata is with me, but she was never connected with any circus in her life.
The film was released on 28-11-1941. As per Film India magazine review, the entire film was shot inside a circus. I wonder how Miss Moti must have managed, when she had no experience of being in the company of wild animals like lions, tigers or elephants ! The story of the film was a typical stunt film story. The film was produced by Kikubhai Desai – father of the potboiler maker Manmohan Desai. Unfortunately Kikubhai died just 2 days before this film was released.
The film was made by Paramount Movietone, famous for making Stunt films, before Wadia Movieone surpassed it ! Perhaps this was their last film too. The film was directed by Balwant Bhatt – the elder brother of Nanubhai Bhatt, another director of stunt films. Balwant directed only B or C grade films in his career. Balwant Bhatt (13-1-1909 to 7-2-1965) directed 33 films. He also directed many Gujarati films. He was famous in Gujarat for his film Divadandi-1952 in which Dilip Dholakia sang the iconic song ” Taari aankhni affini”. Balwant also helped MD Narayan Dutt by giving him the Debut opportunity for film Mordhwaj-1952.
The cast of the film was Miss Moti, Jal Merchant, Gulab, Agha, Puri, Rekha, A. Kareem and many others. The dialogues and songs were written by P.L.Santoshi and A. Kareem. There were few artistes in the Film Industry who were ‘all- rounders’. These artistes achieved excellence in many departments of film making. A. Kareem was one such artiste. He was brother of Music Director Ghulam Mohammed. He was an Actor, Producer, Director, Composer, Lyricist, writer, s/play and dialogue writer and a Costume designer ! In my opinion, he can be compared with only Badri Prashad, who was Actor, Producer, Director, Composer, Singer, Character artiste and a Choreographer too !..
In the early era, there were many such artistes who did many things-sometimes out of necessity or compulsion or to sustain jobs. But they were known for ONE main activity. Similarly A. Kareem was known as a Lyricist. He started his career with Aaj ki Duniya-40 as an actor. He also acted in Jagat mohini-40, Meri Khwaish-041, and Circus ki Sundari-41. He wrote s/p and dialogues, with P L Santoshi for films Circus ki sundari-41 and Bombay Calling-42. He composed music for 5 stunt films like Kashmir ki kali-46, Toofani Teerandaz-47,Atom Bomb-47,Dhoomketu-49 and Maya Mahal-49. He had composed 35 songs.
He directed 13 films like Kalakar-42,Talash-43,Badmash-44,Jeewan swapna-46,Parbat ki Rani-48,Rangeele Musafir-50,Josh-50,Gazab-51,Char chand-53. Maharani-57,Mehfil-57,Tilasmi Duniya-62 and Mehbooba-65.
As a Costume designer he worked for Naya Daur-57, Dil apna aur Preet Parayee-60, Mere Mehboob-63,Kaajal-65, Main vohi hoon-66 and Dastak-70. As a Lyricist his most famous song was Talat’s “Hai ye vohi aasman, aur vohi zameen, par meri Taqdeer ka ab vo zamana nahin “. He wrote 146 songs in 20 films.
Nowadays, it is impossible to find such All rounders in the film industry. Among the cast members, Jal Merchant was from the Parsee Community. In the 30’s and the 40’s there were many Parsee actors in Hindi films. Initially they rolled over to Talkie films from the silent era, when the silent films stopped being made from 1934. Later on many parsees joing films willinglky too. Some parsee artistes were Sohrab Modi, Billimoria brothers, Shammi etc.
Jal Merchant was a typical Parsi born on 15-1-1920 and brought up in the Parsi Colony area in Bombay. Though his family had a business, he did not join it as he was keen to make a career in films. Bombay being the centre of filmmaking he had plenty of chances. He did not have a masculine, wide chested body, but he compensated with his superb acting skills. He could also sing in his soft voice.
It was a colorful stellar team that Jal Merchant formed with Zubaida in the early talkies. But it was in mythological roles, and not romantic parts, that they first won the hearts of cinegoers. The first picture that made them a rage everywhere was Sagar’s “Veer Abhimanyu,” in which Jal played Abhimanyu to Zubaida’s Uttara. In the next one- Subhadra Haran-32, Jal was Arjun, Abhimanyu’s father, while Zubaida played Subhadra.
Like Zubaida, Jal Merchant joined films in the “silent days”. It was a change of medium for him, for he had been playing female roles on the Gujarati stage! His performance as the heroine of “Shankit Hriday,” a Gujarati play, proved a hit, and Nagendra Majumdar, who directed the play, induced him to switch over to screen acting. Jal joined the Imperial Film Company, and among his early films the most notable was “Vasant Bengali,” a social picture directed by R.S. Chowdhury. In those days, the screen hero generally had more brawn than brains, but the lead player of “Vasant Bengali” was called upon to show more intelligence than physical prowess. Jal did just that – and won instant fame.
After the advent of sound, Jal’s first four films for Sagar were mythologicals – “Veer Abhimanyu-1931,” Subhadra Haran-1932,” “Pandav Kaurav-1933” and “Mahabharat-1933”. For close-ups of these pictures, Jal used to wear trousers and only the upper part of his body was made up for his role. But in one close-up his pants were also visible! The shot was cut on the first day of screening in Bombay.
Gifted with a fine voice, he also delighted cinegoers with his singing. He sang 33 songs in 7 films-Meerabai-32, Pandav Kaurav-33, Mahabharat-33, Grihalaxmi-34, Aaj kal-34, Sone ka Shahar-35 and Toofan Express-1938.
In “Zarina,” written and directed by Ezra Mir, he was the tongawallah who falls in love with a dancing girl at a carnival. This poignant romantic tragedy won plaudits for both Jal and Zubaida. It was their last picture together for Sagar. Zubaida left Sagar and Sabita Devi took her place. Sabita and Kumar were the first stars imported from Calcutta. Sabita co-starred with Jal in “Phantom of the Hills,” directed by Ezra Mir, in which he played a dashing Pathan riding a white charger. In “Educated Wife” (Grihalaxmi), directed by Sarvottam Badami, he played a modern educated youth. In this role the versatile Jal revealed a genial personality. Sabita was again his co-star.
Jal and Zubaida played stellar roles together once again in “Aaj Kal,” directed by R.S. Chowdhury. This was the last important picture for both stars. Jal acted in about n15 Silent films and 29 Talkie films. His first Talkie film was Veer Abhimanyu-1931 and his last Talkie film was Armaan 1953.
Jal Merchant, who already had a family flourishing business, retired from the screen. Later, he started to live a quiet life in Bandra. Jal was an excellent shikari in his younger days. His screen associates also remember his soft voice, gentle manners and sensitive, handsome face. His pairing with Zubeida and Sabita Devi was very popular. He had all the gentle Parsee manners and was a popular co-star for the heroines.
I have read somewhere that Jal Merchant died in 1963 in Bombay. He was unmarried till the end, like many Parsis. ( information from an article by V.P.Sathe in Screen, ‘Screenplay’ by Isak Mujawar, Harish Raghuwanshi ji, HFGK, muVyz and my notes have been used in this post, with thanks.)
The film was shot inside a real circus with its complete paraphernalia of artists and the wild animals. Probably, it was for the first time in India that a film was shot in the actual lions and tigers cages of a circus. Miss Moti must be a courageous girl to do the shooting in the midst of lions and tigers. The story of the film runs more or less on the same lines which has been used in many stunt films of that time.
The story was….
There is a weak King (S L Puri) who has a popular younger brother-prince named Pratap (Jal Merchant). There is a good prime minister and a wicked woman called Shyama Devi (Gulab) who lives with the King. Lastly, there is a gang of ruffians to complete the ingredients for a stunt film.
A circus is camped in the King’s capital in which an artist named Sundari (Miss Moti) acts with wild animals including lions and tigers. King is impressed with Sundari and wants her to be his mistress. He assigns this task to his henchmen. It so happens that Prince Pratap, King’s brother accidentally meets Sundari and they fall in love.
Now comes a third angle in the guise of Shyamla Devi who though lives with the King but likes to flirt with Prince Pratap. She hatches a plot to overthrow the King but on each occasion, the wise prime minister frustrates her efforts. So it is a three-way war for the supremacy – the King and his henchmen for bringing Sundari for him, Prince Pratap and Sundari to turn their love into a marriage and Shymala Devi and her ruffians to overthrow the King. All the three groups work simultaneously to achieve their respective goals. The end result is that Shyamla Devi dies in a large pot of burning oil. Prince Pratap gets Sundari with the blessings of the King. The prime minister becomes victorious. (based on the review of the film published in January 1942 issue of ‘Film India’ magazine).
Here is a qawwali from this film, sung by M.Sharif Qawwal. Enjoy….
Song- Tujhe kya bataaoon ye kya justju hai (Circus Queen)(1941) Singer- M.Sharif qawwal, Lyricist- A Kareem, MD- Hafiz Khan Mastana
Lyrics
haa haa haa aa aa aa
haa aa aa aa
haa aa aa aa aa
Tujhe kya bataaun
ye kya justju hai ae ae ae
jise dhoondhhta phir raha hoon
wo tu hai
haay
jise dhoondhhta
phir rahaa hoon wo tu hai
jise dhoondhhta phir raha
kisee din mere
hey ae hey
kisee din mere haal pe raham khaa ke
zara apne chehre se parda hata ke
dikha ke jhalak
meree hastee mitaa de
yehee dil kee hasrat
yehee aarzoo hai
yehee dil kee hasrat
yehee aarzoo hai
yehee dil kee hasrat
yehee aarzoo hai
yehee dil kee hasrat
yehee aa
piye jaam par jaam
haan aan aan
piye jaam par jaam
maikhaana saara
tarasta rahoon main
bhala kyun akela
pilaa saaqiyaa
kab se baithhaa hoon pyaasa
tere haathh ab to meree aabroo hai
tere haathh ab to meree aabroo hai
tere haathh ab to
o o o o
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa
waah waah
tere haathh ab to meree aabroo hai
tere haathh ab to meree aabroo hai
tere haathh ab to meree
mujhe qatl karke ae ae ae
ae ae ae
mujhe qatl karke
to qaatil na ro yoon
magar khauf hai tujh par
ruswa na kar doon
mere paas aa
aansuon se main dho doon
laga tere daaman pe mera lahoo hai
laga tere daaman pe mera lahoo hai
laga tere daaman pe
o o o o
haa aa aa aa aa
haa aa aa aa
waah
laga tere daaman pe mera lahoo hai
laga tere daaman pe mera lahoo hai
tujhe kya bataaoon
ye kya justju hai
tujhe kya bataaoon
ye kya
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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