Badhe chalo bahaaduron badhe chalo dilaawaron
Posted on: March 29, 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 a less known film – Mansarovar-1946.
Made by Asiatic Pictures, Bombay, the film was directed by Mahesh Chandra and the music was by S.N.Tripathi – who was known for Mythological films. This was one of the few Social films for which he gave the music. The cast included Nishi Baran, Mazhar Huq, David, Kanhaiyalal, Gulab, Baby Nirmala, Sachin Ghosh and others. Except for David, Kanhaiyalal and Gulab, I do not know anything about the lead pair or other artists.
I have been writing on old films since 2012 and have written 1828 posts so far, of which more than 80% are on old films from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. During this period of 14 years, I have never heard about these artists or the director Mahesh Chandra. The film itself is obscure and only 2 songs have been posted here so far.
Today’s song is sung by mohd. Rafi and Chorus. In 1946, Rafi was still new. Till the end of 1946, he had not even sung 50 songs, though he started in 1944 with 3 songs (2 duets and 1 chorus). In 1945, he sang 11 songs in 7 films (5 solos and 6 Duets) and in 1946, his tally was 35 songs (16 solos and 19 duets). Total is 49 songs ! Very few and the real connoisseurs only had realised the singing power of Rafi in that period.
I have no information about the storyline of this film, but a look at the songs indicates that perhaps it was a patriotic film of some type.
Actor David (Cheulkar) was a Jew. In the early years of Indian films, including the Silent Era, contribution from the Jew Community was significant. The number of artists given by a single Non Indian community, in those days was the Jews. The Jews came to India in 562 BCE and in 70 CE in two lots. They settled in various parts of India. It was the first foreign religion to come to India, even before Islam or the Zorostrian. There were 8 types of Jews, based on their locations in India.
1. Cochin Jews
2. Madras Jews
3. Bene Israeli Jews in Bombay and Konkan areas
4. Baghdadi Jews-Gujarat, Bengal and Eastern India
5. South Asian Jews
6. Bnei Menashe- NE states
7. Bene Ephraim- Telugu and
8. Delhi Jews- Punjabi
Though the Jews mingled freely and adapted themselves to the local atmosphere- maintaining and following Judaism-, the Jews who took up to Film Industry were only the Bene Israeli and Baghdadi Jews. A point to note was that no Jews from Kerala or Madras even entered the film line. It was only the Hindi films and that too mainly Jew women joined films. The earliest recorded Jew girl to work as a Heroine in a film was Ruby Meyers ( Sulochana ). She acted in the silent film Veer Bala-1925, made by Mohan Bhavnani for Kohinoor Film company, Bombay. She went on working in films and became very popular. When the Talkie film age came, she contacted Imperial film co. to stake her claim, but was rejected as she was not fluent in speaking Hindustani. learning from this, she took one year off and became an expert in Hindi and learnt singing too. She made a thumping entry with the Talkie film Madhuri-1932, in which she sang 4 songs also ! Hats off to the dedication !
There were other Jew actresses like Ruby meyers (Sulochana), Rose Musleah (Miss Rose), Lilian Ezra (Lilian), Marcia Soloman(Vimla), Rachel Sofaer(Arti Devi), Esther Abraham (Pramila), Susan Soloman(Feroza Begum), Florence Ezekiel(Nadira) and many more. Among the males- David joseph Penkar wrote the story and dialogues of Alam Ara-1931, Actor David Cheulkar (David ), Ezekiel Penkar (Viju Penkar- Tarzan film Tarzan and the Cobra-88 and few more films) and Lily Ezekiel (Asha Bhende), Edvyn Meyers (Ezra Mir) and Pearl Padamsi are well known Jews. There were some male Jews in the Technical side also.
There are quite a few actors who were very lucky that they did not have to struggle at all to become a Hero in Hindi films. Actor Surendranath, B.A.LL.B is an excellent example. He joined Sagar Movietone straight as a Hero. Of course, he had the extra qualification that he could sing well. ( That is the reason Sagar was projecting him as a reply to Calcutta’s K L Saigal.). OK, Surendra had an asset, but what about Pradeep Kumar ? He came from Bengal and became a Hero in Hindi films directly. An exceptional case is that of Ashok Kumar. The Hero’s role was offered to him on a Silver platter ( not offered-thrust on him ! ) to start his Film career.
And yet there were actors who started directly as Character artists. For people like Kanhaiyalal, Asit Sen, S N Banerjee, A K Hangal or Harindranath Chattopadhyay etc, at least they were past their youth and hence took up character artist roles in films, but what about young, and good looking starting as an old man’s role to begin their film career ? One such actor was DAVID ABRAHAM.
David Abraham Cheulkar (21 june 1909 – 2 january 1982), popularly known as DAVID, was a Jewish Hindi film actor and he was a member of Mumbai’s Marathi speaking Bene Israel community. In a career spanning four decades, he played mostly character roles, starting with 1937 film “Zambo”, and went on to act in over 110 films, including memorable films like, Gol Maal (1979), Baton Baton mein (1979) and Boot Polish(1954) for which he was awarded the 1955 FilmFare Best Supporting Actor Award.
David graduated from the University of Bombay with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the year 1930. After a six year unsuccessful struggle to land himself a job, he decided to try his luck in the Hindi film industry by becoming a professional actor. During these years of struggle, he also managed to obtain a degree in law from the Government Law College.So, he was B.A.’, L.L.B.
Finally, on January 15, 1937, with the help of his close friend Mr. Nayampalli, a veteran character actor, he managed to land himself his first role in a movie. The movie wasZambo and it was being produced and directed by Mohan Bhavnani who was the Chief Producer of the Films Division of the Government Of India.
The role was that of an old man. David had sported ” Ërol Flynn” like moustache,which he had to shave off and put on a grey moustache and beard for the role. Thus his first role itself was of an old man. His second role in the film Double cross-38 was also of a senior Professor.
From 1937 to 1940 he was working in Bhavnani Productions in different capacities like Prodn. Manager,continuity clerk, Assistant Director, Clapper Boy, Telephone operator and as an Actor. He lost his job on 1-2-1940 and started work on a freelance basis.
David was actively associated with IPTA, a theatre organization and went on to be part of many Khwaja Ahmed Abbas’s films, including, Palme dór nominee Pardesi (1957),Shehar aur Sapna (1963), which won the 1964 National Award for Best Feature Film, Munaa and Char Dil Char Raahein.
Strongly associated with friendly uncle roles, David is best known for his portrayal of “John Chacha” in the 1954 hit and FilmFare Best Film Award winner and Palme dór nominee, Boot Polish, directed by Prakash Arora, for which he won the 1955 Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award. The song “Nanhe Munne Bachche” from the film, picturized on him became a memorable song of that era.
In his prime, in the period 1959-1975, David was one of the best and the well-known anchors, Compère and a host of prominent award shows and other functions. In one of the speeches Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister, had said that any events of such nature would surely be incomplete without David’s speech.
He was involved in promoting sports, and later became India’s Olympic Games representative. He was awarded the Padma Shri award in 1969 by the Government of India.
His last film was Pavitra Ganga-84, released after his death. He never married and died on 2 January 1982 in Toronto, Canada of a heart attack at the age of 73.
Today’s song is sung by Mohd. Rafi and Chorus. It seems to be a marching song or a song for a large group of people fighting for a cause. Enjoy this early Rafi song….
Song-Badhe chalo bahaaduron badhe chalo dilaawaron (Maansarovar)(1946) Singer-Rafi, Lyricist-Deepak, MD-S N Tripathi
Chorus
Lyrics
Badhe chalo
badhe chalo
badhe chalo bahaaduron
badhe chalo dilaawaron
badhe chalo bahaaduron
badhe chalo dilaawaron
badhe chalo
badhe chalo
baandh lo sar pe kafan
baandh ke hona dafan
baandh lo sar pe kafan
baandh ke hona dafan
sang sang gaate huye
badh chalo dilaawaron
sang sang gaate huye
badh chalo dilaawaron
badhe chalo
badhe chalo
badhe chalo bahaaduron
badhe chalo dilaawaron
badhe chalo
badhe chalo
uthho jawaanon ???
ye maata kee tasweer hai
uthho ???
ye maata kee tasweer hai
uthho ??
ye kheton kee tasweer hai
uthho ??
ye kheton kee tasweer hai
ye neer naheen
ye neer naheen
ismein bhara aansuon ka neer hai
ye neer naheen
ismein bhara aansuon ka neer hai
ek ek boond par
gardanen chadhhaayenge
ek ek boond par
gardanen chadhhaayenge
apnee mittee ke liye
mittee mein mil jaayenge
apnee mittee ke liye
mittee mein mil jaayenge
aandhee se ladte jaayenge
ham aage badhhte jaayenge
aandhee se ladte jaayenge
ham aage badhhte jaayenge
aaj apnee haddiyaan
har kadam bichhaayenge
aaj apnee haddiyaan
har kadam bichhaayenge
badhe chalo
badhe chalo
uthh chale hai ye kadam
ruk naheen sakte hain ham
uthh chale hai ye kadam
ruk naheen sakte hain ham
maut se ab mat daro
desh ke liye maro
maut se ab mat daro
desh ke liye maro
badhe chalo
badhe chalo
badhe chalo bahaaduron
badhe chalo dilaawaron
badhe chalo
badhe chalo
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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