Archive for the ‘Motilal song’ Category
Ghar apna ye kursee apnee
Posted on: April 4, 2024
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 film which is almost 90 years old – 300 Days and after-1938.
1938 was an interesting year in the early life of the Talkie films. The film making studios had firm footing with a studio system and they tried a variety of subjects in their films. In the 88 Hindi films produced in 1938, one finds almost every Genre of film subjects, except perhaps the usual Folk stories and Historical themes. Comedy, Tragedy, Fiction, Jungle stories, Costume, Socials, Musicals, Mythologicals, you name it and you had it. Content and technical expertise had improved as films on famous novels were made.
Well known studios like Imperial, Sagar, New Theatres, Prabhat, Ranjit, Bombay Talkies, Praksh, Vishnu Cinetone, Huns Pictures, Wadia Movietone, Saroj Movietone etc. were very active bringing out 3 to 4 films each. Huns and Prabhat continued bilingual films in Hindi and Marathi, while New Theatres made Hindi and Bangla films. Many new actors debuted. Many new actors matured and the old scrap from silent films slowly disappeared giving way to new entrants. The Imperial film company, which had the honour of making India’s first Hindi Talkie film – Alam Ara in 1931, downed its shutters in 1938. The last remaining Southern language without a talkie, Malayalam, produced its First Talkie film BALAN in 1938. Film Industry celebrated its Silver Jubilee -from 1913 to 1938 and several programmes were held all over India.
Let us take a look at some of the films of 1938….
ABHAGIN – Debut film of actor Chaman Puri (eldest brother of Madan puri and Amrish Puri).
ADHIKAR – Music Director Timir Baran Bhattacharya. After Independence, he was invited to West Pakistan and East Pakistan to give music to their films. Film Adhikar was on the importance of how bringing up makes a person.
BAGHBAAN – Debut film of Ram Avtar.
BAHADUR KISAN – First directorial venture of Master Bhagwan. During this film’s making he developed a lasting friendship with C.Ramchandra, who assisted Meer Sahab, the M.D.
BHABHI – Renuka Devi’s second film and first with Jairaj.
BILLI – Based on P.G.Wodehouse novel ” Damsel in Distress.”
BHAMHACHARI – Debut film of Minakshi Shirodkar. She appeared in a swimming suit, first time in Hindi films. It created a sensation.
DHARATIMATA – Complete film was shot outdoors. Saigal and Pankaj Mullick created havoc with this musical film. The song ” Duniya rang rangeeli baba’ is still popular.
DIVORCE – Minerva’s film on Husband – Wife relations.
DUNIYA KYA HAI – Lalita Pawar’s production. Based on Tolstoy’s ” Resurrection”.
GRAMOPHONE SINGER – Sagar’s musical with Bibbo and Surendra. Zohrabai sings first time for Anil Biswas.
GOPAL KRISHNA – Hit film from Prabhat. Trick scenes were superb.Ram Marathe as Krishna,lifting Govardhan Parvat on a finger produced clapping from audience for several minutes.
HIMALAY KI BETI – Bhavnani production with Enakshi Rama Rau-his wife.
JAILOR – Minerva’s film on a Psycho-Neurotic person. Remade in the 50’s again.
MERA LADKA – Story of an unwed mother. Marathi and Hindi versions from Prabhat.
MR. X – Stunt film with Rattanbai , from Prakash.
NIRMALA – Bombay talkies. Devika rani- Ashok kumar. After this film, the Germans In Bombay talkies, including director Franz Osten were arrested by the British as Nazis and jailed in Igatpuri during the Second World War.
PROF. WAMAN, M.Sc. – Ranjit presents a Sci Fi fiction film about travels into the future.
SAATHI – Durga Khote and Mubarak produced in Hindi and Marathi (as Sawangadi).
STREET SINGER – Saigal’s musical feast from New Theatres.
VASANT BENGALI – Last film from Imperial film co., after 109 Silent films and 52 Talkie films in several languages. Just one year ago, i.e. in 1937 Madon Theatres of Calcutta- once a giant in film production, had closed down with their last film ‘Zinda Laash’.
Today’s film 300 DAYS AND AFTER – 1938 is one film, which I had seen in Hyderabad, may be somewhere in 1949 or 1950 or so, or may be a little later-not very sure.
This film was based on or in today’s language ”inspired” by MGM’s ” A Billionaire’s story” in which Edward Arnold and Mary Nash had acted under the Direction of the legendary Howard Hawks.
This was the first comedy film of Sarvottam Badami, the director.
Badami was born in Bangalore and worked as a Car mechanic ,though he was attracted towards films. He was called to Bombay to organise and help in the sound recording of a Tamil film from Sagar Movietone. Seeing his interest in films and the knowledge of languages, he was offered the chance to complete the direction of a half made Tamil film. He grabbed the opportunity and succeeded. His first few Hindi films were social like Chandrahas, Grihlaxmi and Dr.Madhurika.
“300 days and after” was his first comedy film. When he did a good job of it he got Aap ki Marzi-1939 and Ladies Only-39. After this film Badami left Sagar and started his own Sudama films and went back to social films again.
The film 300 days and after was from Sagar Movietone. The cast of this film was Motilal, Sabita Devi, Miss Bibbo, Yakub, Sankata Prasad(elder brother of character artist Kanhaiyalal), Pesi Patel etc.
Sudhir (Motilal) is a bachelor billionaire, doing nothing and enjoying life to the fullest with wine, women and gambling. As a result, his health starts falling prematurely when he is just 25-26 yrs only.
One day he falls down and a Doctor is called. After many tests and inspection of everything his family doctor tells him that because of his wayward living and uncontrolled lifestyle he is suffering from many ailments. If he treats them now, he may get all those again and again. The only remedy is Sudhir should do hard manual work, exercises and lead a simple living, which, the doctor says, Sudhir will never be able to do.
Sudhir is angry. He challenges the doctor that he will leave all his wealth, go out in the world, do physical work and earn money for himself. The doctor takes a bet with him and the deal is Sudhir should go out for 300 days without using a single paisa from his existing wealth for himself. Sudhir is ready for this.
Next day Sudhir goes out with few ordinary clothes, little money and a strong will to face the big bad world.
The film is full of funny situations when Motilal gets different jobs and does not know how to do them. First he tries to work as a Vegetable vendor, but he does not know the names of any vegetables.
He even takes some fruits as vegetables to sell. Next he tries to work as an assistant in a Barber shop, where he shaves off half of a customer. He tries to work as a car driver and a Tram ticket collector also.
Finally, he joins as a worker in a Soap factory, where he has to sometimes drive Seth’s wife -Ramola devi(Bibbo), who tries to entice him. Sudhir starts liking a typist girl in the factory Sharada(Sabita Devi). Sharada teaches music to Ramola, wife of Seth Laxmi Das. Motilal takes her everyday to the tuition. They start loving each other. Motilal stays with a kind hearted Vegetable vendor woman as a tenant. She tends to him , feeds him well and takes his care as her son.
Suddenly the Factory must close down due to some loss. All workers are worried. Motilal secretly sends his own money to Sethji as an anonymous partner. The Factory is saved.
Now in this jumble, 300 days come to an end. Surprisingly Motilal finds himself absolutely fit, healthy and understands the meaning of true life and Love. He goes back to the doctor to claim his bet money, which he donates to a school.
Sudhir marries Sharada and brings the kind vegetable vendor lady as his family member to live with him forever.
Motilal was one of my favourite actors. He was what I call “The accidental actor”. The story goes that Motilal came to Bombay to appear for a test to join the Navy, but he fell sick and missed it. After recovery, he went to see a film shooting and was spotted from the crowd by the director, who offered him a role in a film. Thus started his film career. He is also one of the rare actors, who started career as a Hero directly, without any struggle.
There are few more such “accident” stories for actors, actresses, directors and even singers. Some of them are….
Ashok Kumar was a lab technician in Bombay Talkies, where his sister’s husband, Shashadhar mukherjee was already working. When Devika Rani eloped with the handsome Hero najamul hasan, Ashok kumar was selected as his replacement as a hero.
Actor Ranjan was picked from a Bus queue in Madras by a producer and director and offered him a film role. Similar stories are for Pran, E.Billimoria, Nirupa Roy and Geeta Dutt. In the case of Nirupa Roy her husband had approached a studio to get a film role, but instead of him, his companion wife Kokila was offered a film role. Her name was changed to Nirupa Roy. Without getting any film roles, her husband changed his name to Kamal Roy himself !
Motilal was one of the 3 Natural actors of Hindi films. The others were Ashok Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar.
Born in Shimla on 4 December 1910, Motilal Rajwansh came from a distinguished family. His father was a renowned educationist, who died when Motilal was one year old. He was brought up by his uncle who was a well-known civil surgeon in Uttar Pradesh. At first, Moti was sent to an English school at Shimla and later, in Uttar Pradesh (UP). Thereafter, he shifted to Delhi where he continued with school and college.
After leaving college, Motilal came to Bombay to join the Navy, but he fell ill and could not appear for the test. Fate had other choices charted out for him. One day, he went to see a film shoot at Sagar Studios, where director K. P. Ghosh was shooting. Motilal, even then, was quite the man about the town and he caught Ghosh’s eye. Motilal described this event in his inimitable style,in one of his interviews….” The director Ghosh Babu looked towards me and said,” please come here”. I first thought he was calling someone standing behind me. I looked back and moved to one side. Nobody came forward, but Ghosh Babu came to me and pointed his finger at me and said, ” Yes, I am talking to you. Please come here.” I went with him .” In 1934 (aged 24), he was offered the hero’s role in Shaher Ka Jadoo -1934 by the Sagar Film Company. Sabita Devi and Motilal’s first movie as a pair in the famous Sagar Movietone, the movie Lure of the City (aka Shaher ka Jadoo) released on 29 th September 1934 at the Imperial Cinema, Bombay.
Mehboob Khan was earlier selected for the lead role and was later replaced by Motilal. This was actor Motilal’s debut film and Motilal – Sabita made the best pair in the Sagar Film Company. They acted together in many other movies under the banner of the Sagar like, Silver King -1935, Dr Madhurika -1935, Lagna Bandhan -1936, Jeevan Lata -1939, Kulvadhu -1937, Kokila -1937, Three hundred days and after -1938 and later at Sudama Films in Ap Ki Marzi -1939 and Minerva’s Prarthana -1944. He worked with Mehboob Khan in Jagirdar -1937 and Hum Tum Aur Woh -1938 under the Sagar Movietone banner, in Taqdeer -1943 for Mehboob Productions, and Kidar Sharma’s Armaan -1942 and Kaliyan -1944. He also acted in S. S. Vasan’s film Paigham -1959 (Gemini Studios), and Raj Kapoor’s Jagte Raho -1956. In 1965, he also acted in the Bhojpuri film Solaho Singar Kare Dulhaniya.
Perhaps the role for which he received the most critical appreciation was that of the gentleman crook in S. S. Vasan’s adaptation of R K Narayan’s book Mr Sampat -1952. He is most remembered for his role as “Chunni Babu” in Bimal Roy’s Devdas -1955, for which he won his first Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award. Actor Naseeruddin Shah once described him as one of three all-time best actors of Hindi cinema, others being Balraj Sahni and Yakub.
Motilal was very suave and polished, and moved in high society, though towards the end of his life he was in financial difficulty. Although a thorough gentleman, he enjoyed gambling and races, and died almost penniless on 17th June 1965.
Motilal was an excellent Pilot and owned a small aircraft. He rarely travelled by train and always liked to fly. His family life was happy. His wife was a doctor.
He was in a relationship for several years with the actress Nadira. He was later involved with actress Shobhna Samarth after she separated from her husband, and he played Samarth’s real-life daughter Nutan’s father in Hamari Beti, Shobhana’s launch movie for Nutan. He also played her guardian in Anari, though this time the role had a villainous touch to it.
Motilal and Ashok Kumar were popular stars at the same time. Ashok Kumar was employed by Bombay Talkies and Motilal was employed by Ranjit. It is said that Sardar Chandulal paid Rs. One lakh to Motilal in those days. Motilal was a gambler. Once Chandulal Shah paid his debt of 75000 rupees which Motilal had lost in gambling, just to keep Motilal with Ranjit ! It is surprising that Ashok Kumar never worked with Motilal’s Heroines-Shobhana Samarth or Khursheed and Motilal never worked with Ashok Kumar’s heroines- Devika Rani or Leela Chitnis !
Actor Chandra Mohan treated Motilal as his son. During the last days of Chandra mohan, once Motilal had gone to meet him. Chandra Mohan was drinking from a costly foreign Whisky bottle, but he did not offer it to Motilal. Motilal was feeling bad and then Chandra Mohan said, “I know you must be feeling bad that I am not offering you this Whisky, but trust me it is not whisky- I am drinking Bewada (country liquor) from this bottle and I don’t want my son to drink this dirty stuff ! ”
Motilal was the winner of Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for Devdas -1955 and Parakh -1960. He is credited with being among Hindi cinema’s first natural actors.
He also directed the film Chhoti Chhoti Baatein -1965, but died before its release. At the 13th National Film Awards, it won the award for Certificate of Merit for the Third Best Feature Film and he posthumously won the Certificate of Merit for the Best Story Writer. ( adapted from some information from Vithal Pandya’s book-Asli Nakli Chehere, wiki, Star portraits, nett4you, the book Sagar Movietone, and Shirish Kanekar’s book- Yaadon ki Baaraat, with thanks and my notes.)
Today’s song is a very rare song. I thank shri Syed Zafar Shah, for making this song available to me from his huge record collection. Initially I had requested him for this song in July 2023. That time he was shifting his collection from one godown to another one. He promised me that after all the rearrangements he will give me the song. It took him more than 6 months, but he remembered it and he on his own informed me after uploading this song for my use. He is a very kind soul and one of the rare breeds who selflessly makes rare songs available to music lovers freely. Thanks a Million, Zafar ji.
The song is typically sounding like the 1930’s decade but is sung nicely by Motilal, with good music from Anil Biswas. Enjoy….
Song- Ghar apna ye kursi apni apna sab saamaan (300 days and after)(1938) Singer- Motilal, Lyricist- Zia Sarhadi, MD- Anil Biswas
Lyrics
Ghar apna ye kursi apni
apna sab saamaan
haan
ghar apna ye kursi apni
apna sab saamaan
tu meri aur main tera mehmaan
main tera aur tu meri mehmaan
tu mera
main teri
main tera
tu meri
mehmaan
ha hahahaha
ghar apna ye kursi apni
apna sab saamaan
ghar apna ye kursi apni
saara saamaan hamaara hai
aao baithho
karen ham aap ki sewaa
aao
baithho
karen ham aap ki sewaa
kursi khaao
table khaao
kursi khaao
table khaao
ghar ke ham maalik hain
ghar ke ham maalik hain
hamen jaanat hai darbaan
hamen jaanat hai darbaan
haan aan aan
ghar apna ye kursi apni
apna sab saamaan
ghar apna ye kursi apni
apna sab saamaan
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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