Aaja sanam chhod sharam
Posted on: November 4, 2026
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.
| Blog Day : | 6683 | Post No. : | 20669 |
‘Baalak Aur Jaanwar’ (1975) was produced by K G Bhatt-Shantilal Soni and was directed by Nanabhai Bhatt. The cast included Baldev Khosa, Usha Solanki, Randhawa. Kanan Kaushal, Mahesh Desai, B M Vyas, Dulari, Mohan Choti, Sheel Kumar, Yunus Bihari, Master Alankar etc. It is a fantasy adventure film. This was the last Hindi film directed by Nanabhai Bhatt though he continued to direct Gujarati films.
This was the first released film of Usha Solanki in which she was in the lead role, though she had earlier signed ‘Maan Apmaan’ (1979) and ‘Premika (1980) which had delayed releases.
Usha Solanki is the duaghter of yester-year famed Gujarati and Parsi theatre artist, Saraswati Bai. Her father was a music director in theatres. She had interest in becoming a film actor from her childhood. So her parents got her trained in Kathak dance. She has worked in five Hindi films during 1975-82 and some Gujarati films during the same period. It is not known as to why she was not seen in films after her last released Hindi film, ‘Sant Gyaneshwar’ (1982) and a Gujarati film, ‘Sant Rohidas’ (1982).
The film’s director, Nanabhai Bhatt (12/06/1915 – 24/04/1999), also known as Batuk Bhatt (real name: Yeshwant Bhatt) has been known for directing low budget ‘B’ grade films covering mythology, fantasy, action/stunt genre. His elder brother, Balwant Bhatt was already associated with films during the last stage of silent films and he was working with Prakash Pictures. Nanabhai Bhatt joined Prakash Pictures as a sound recordist in 1930 when the cinema in India were on a transitory phase from silent to talky films.
Nanabhai got the opportunity to direct his first film, Wadia Movietone’s ‘Muqaabla’ (1942) jointly with Babubhai Mistry, a special effect wizard. His first solo directed film was Basant Picture’s ‘Hunterwaali Ki Beti’ (1943), a stunt film. In 1946, he set up his film production company, Deepak Pictures which produced a stunt adventure, ‘Lady Robinhood’ (1946) with Fearless Nadia. Side by side, he continued to direct other films, notably for Homi Wadia’s Basant Pictures. Later on, he concentrated mainly in directing mythological and religious films, some of which were for Basant Pictures. In his nearly four decades in the film industry, Nanabhai Bhatt directed 46 Hindi films and produced about a dozen Hindi films under different banners. The last Hindi film he produced was ‘Kabzaa’ (1988) which was directed by his son Mahesh Bhatt.
Nanabhai Bhatt passed away on April 24, 1999, at the age of 83. He has left his legacy with his children, Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt (sons of actress Shirin Mohammed Ali), writer and actor, Robin Bhatt, the son of his first wife Hemlata, his granddaughters Pooja Bhatt and Alia Bhatt. Another grandson, Mohit Suri (through Heena Suri, his daughter with Hemlata) is a well-known director. Sunil Darshan and Dharmesh Darshan (through Sheila Sabharwal, his daughter with Shirin Mohammed Ali) have also directed some films.
The highlights of ‘Baalak Aur Jaanwar’ (1975) is that some live wild animals like lion, tigers, leopards, crocodile, chimpanzee and a herd of elephants play their ‘roles’ in the film. The wild animals belonged to Apollo Circus as per the credit titles of the film. The story of the film is as under:
Raja Sangram Singh (Randhawa) has acquired immense magical power making him to believe that he has become a God and he expects all his subjects to believe as such. Those who defy him, he converts them into stone keeps them as displays in his palace. He has become a ruthless tyrant. He desires to marry Rani Roopmati (Kanan Kaushal) who is getting married to Prithvi Singh (Mahendra Desai), the ruler of Rajgadh. Sangram Singh fights with Prithivi Singh to abduct Rani Roopmati, during which Prithvi Singh gets injured. To save him from killing, the priest comes in Sangram Singh’s way during which he beheads the priest. Before the priest dies, he gives him the curse that the child born to Rani Roopmati and Prithvi Singh would be responsible for ending Sangram Singh’s tyrannical rule.
Sangram Singh takes the curse lightly as he is proud of his magical power. His elder brother, Swami (B M Vyas) often gives him advice to desist from wrongdoings but Sangram Singh is so much intoxicated with his magical powers that he does not heed to Swami’s advice. On the contrary, he expels him from his kingdom.
After few days, Sangram Singh comes to know that Rani Roopmati and Prithvi Singh have got married. Through his magical power, Sangram Singh drowns them while they were boating, and they are presumed dead. With this act, he is free from the curse. However, Rani Roopmati and Prithvi Singh land in Matsyalok where Lord Varun takes care of them. They are advised to stay in Matsyalok until a son is born to them to avoid Sangram Singh’s evil design to eliminate them. A son named Sooraj is born to them who is blessed by the divine power of supernatural abilities, including the power to walk on water and become completely invisible.
After some time, Roopmati and Prithvi return to the earth. On the way to their house, Sangram Singh intercepts them asking to hand over the son to him, which they refuse. Through his magical power, he makes Prithvi Singh completely disfigured with no strength even to stand properly. He snatches the son and throws in a flowing river. The child is rescued by an elephant and a chimpanzee takes care of him. Other wild animals gives a protective ring. His childhood has been spent playing with wild animals.
Rani Roopmati faces lots of problems in taking care of her handicapped husband. People in the vicinity sarcastically comments about him comparing with his beautiful wife. In Prithvi Singh’s house, his mother (Dulari) is bedridden due to the shock from the sudden disappearance of her son and daughter-in-law. Prithvi’s brother, Chander (Baldev Khosa) promises her that he would go in search of them.
In the meanwhile, Chander confronts with princess Sunanda (Usha Solanki) and her friends for damaging his crops while riding their horses through his agricilutral field. In the skirmishes, her security guards are beaten. She is impressed with Chander who alone fights with her security guards and get them beaten. The princess turns out to be the daughter of Sangram Singh.
One day, Princess Sunanda with her friend go to a nearby forest for a stroll. She encounters a leopard. Chander, who was also in the forest in search of his brother and sister-in-law saves the princess from the leopard. Princess Sunanda is very much impressed with his fighting skills and she falls in love with him.
Sooraj (Master Alankar) is grown up in his teens completely raised by the wild animals. One day, he saves Roopmati from a molester by bringing his army of animals. It is for the first time Roopmati meets Sooraj without each of them knowing that they are mother and son. After hearing Roopmati’s sad story, Sooraj promises her that he will do something to make Prithvi Singh normal. He goes away walking over the waters of a lake when Roopmati suddenly remembers the boon according to which her son will walk on the water like walking on the path. She recognises him to be her missing son.
Meanwhile, the secret meetings of Chander and Sunanda takes place. Obviously, one day they are caught red handed by Sangram Singh who orders his security guards to beat Chander to the pulp and puts restriction on Sunanda’s movement within the palace. An unconscious Chander is picked by an elephant and drops him in front of Sooraj. During this period, Sooraj comes to know that Chander is the brother of Prithvi. He takes him to Prithvi and Roopmati and Chander is happy that his assurance to his late mother has become true. Swami, who was passing through the forest, meets all of them and reminds Roopmati that the time has come to end Sangram Singh’s tyrannical rule and that purpose they must get the ‘Suwarn Kamal’ (Golden Lotus) from a cave to nullify the magical effects of Sangram Singh on Prithvi Singh.
One day, Sunanda escapes from the palace to clandestinely meet Chander. On the way, she is kidnapped by a magician Betal by his magic power and brought to his palace with the intention of marrying her. Chander, after searching for Sunanda, finds her in the palace. He enters the palace where he comes to know of the magical power of Betal. He presents himself as an enemy of Sangram Singh which Betal likes. With his flattering talks, Chander is able to get from Betal the location of the cave to bring the golden lotus. After making him fully drunk, Betal is killed and both Chander and Sunanda escape to get the golden lotus. Sooraj joins them with his magical ring given to him by Nagdevta.
After facing lots of obstacles on the way, Chander gets the golden lotus. While Sunanda goes back to the palace in the solitary confinement for helping Chander in getting golden lotus, Chander and Sooraj go back to Prithvi and Roopmati only to be outsmarted by Sangram Singh through his magic power. He not only gets hold of golden lotus but also he kidnaps Roopmati and Prithvi Singh and put them in the lock up in his palace. He also magically ties Chander and Sooraj to a tree.
Sooraj’s companion, a chimpanzee and a group of elephants searching for him reach Sangram Singh’s palace. Chimpanzee frees Chander, Sooraj and Sunanda. The combines forces of elephants smash the main door of the palace. They enters the palace and injure many security guards. Rest of them is tackled by Chander. Sooraj retrieves the golden lotus from Sangram Singh after becoming invisible to him. He kills Sangram Singh with a dagger. Roopmati and Prithvi Singh are freed from the lock up and with the help of golden lotus, Prithvi Singh is brought to his original shape. The tyrannical reign of Sangem Singh is over.
The film had six songs written by Bharat Vyas which were set to music by Chitragupt. One song has been covered on the Blog. I present the 2nd song, ‘aajaa sanam chhod sharam’ rendered by Asha Bhosle who sings for Usha Solanki. Baldev Khosa and Yunus Bihari are also seen in the picturisation.
The context of the song is that Princess Sunanda (Usha Solanki), the daughter of Sangram Singh (Randhawa) has escaped from the palace to meet her beloved Chander (Baldev Khosa). On the way, she is magically drawn into the palace of magician Betal (Yunus Bihari) who wants to marry her. Chander, who is in search of Sunanda, suddenly finds her in Betal’s palace. He enters the palace and meets Sunanda who apprises him of the situation. They decide to fool him by saying that on the eve of their ‘marriage’, there should be a dance performance. The idea is to make him fully drunk to escape from the palace after getting from him the location to find the golden lotus which will facilitate to bring back Prithvi Singh to his normal shape. After the end of the dance, a sword fighting takes place between Chander and Betal in which Betal gets killed.
Video Clip:
Audio Clip:
Song-Aaja sanam chhod sharam (Baalak aur Jaanwar)(1975) Singer-Asha Bhonsle, Lyrics-Bharat Vyas, MD-Chitragupta
Lyrics (Based on Video Clip):
aajaa sanamchhod sharam
sulagee badan mein jwaalaa
aajaa sanam
chhod sharam
sulagee badan mein jwaalaa
main hoon jawaan
aur mast samaa
aa pee le chhalaktaa pyaalaa
aajaa sanam
chhod sharam
sulagee badan mein jwaalaa
aajaa sanam hmm
sabse bachaa ke
laai dil kaa fasaanaa
chupke se le le piyaa
karoon nazaraanaa
sabse bachaa ke
laai dil kaa fasaanaa
chupke se le le piyaa
karoon nazaraanaa
baahon mein jhoom le
nazron se choom le
beetegaa raat
ban jaaye baat
tujhko meree kasam
aajaa sanam
chhod sharam
sulagee badan mein jwaalaa
main hoon jawaan
aur mast samaa
aa pee le chhalaktaa pyaalaa
aajaa sanam hmm
mann madira hai
meraa tan hai suraahee
matwaale pee le
tujhe kiskee manaahee
mann madira hai
meraa tan hai suraahee
matwaale pee le
tujhe kiskee manaahee
girte ko thhaamne
saathhee hai saamne
mastee kaa jaam
haathon mein thhaam
duniyaa kaa bhool gham
aajaa sanam
chhod sharam
sulgee badan mein jwaalaa
main hoon jawaan
aur mast samaa
aa pee le chhalaktaa pyaalaa
aajaa sanam
Leave a Reply