Posts Tagged ‘Dhoomketu’
Dil miley kyun kar miley
Posted on: July 14, 2023
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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Blog Day : |
5474 | Post No. : | 17894 |
Today’s song is from the film Dhoomketu (1949).
There was one more film having the same title in 1985, but that film had a credible story dealing with some scientific research etc. However today’s film was only a C grade stunt film and had nothing to do with Astronomy or any other science. It was a plain, simple, predictable stunt film. Dhoomketu (Comet) is the name of the film’s Hero. In my entire life I have never come across such a name in any language or any state of India. Hats off to the story writer of this film. Let us first take a look at the film’s story….
“After India’s Independence, for some years, Black marketing was in full swing. It was partly due to the ‘Rationing’ of essential items like Food grains, sugar, Kerosene, Petrol etc., by the Government and partly due to the free activities of antisocial elements who took advantage of the un formalised condition of political and social structure firmly.
Seth Dharamdas ran a ” Sewa Ashram” for destitute and poor women and also ran a hidden ‘Black’ business of food grains and selling helpless women. Inspector Dayal, Inspector Comet (Dhoomketu) and Seargent Sunder had taken a vow to bring Dharamdas to books. Shanti- daughter of Dayal and Mohini- fiancee of Comet also joined them in this.
As soon as Dharamdas got a hint of this group he first murdered Dayal and also tried to suppress the efforts to book him. He had a girlfriend Phulzadi, whom he had cheated by giving false promises of marriage and using her. She was against him. Phulzadi helped Comet and co. with proof against Dharamdas, but she was also murdered.
Now Comet and his group made a foolproof case against him and finally arrested him. Seth Dharamdas went for life imprisonment and Comet and Mohini got married. “
This film was made by Basant Pictures, Bombay – owned by the director of this movie, Homi Wadia. The seven songs of this film were written by Rajjan (4) and A.Kareem(3). This lyricist A. Kareem was also this film’s Music Director. 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 and a Lyricist. 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 was a singer too and sang songs in some films, including film “Dhoomketu”(1949).
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 ” in film Chaar Chaand-1953. He wrote 146 songs in 20 films.
The cast of the film was Fearless Nadia, John Cavas, Dalpat, Rajani, Shyamsunder, Boman Shroff, Habeeb, Azeem and other regulars of Wadia brothers. Two almost unknown actors in this cast are Boman Shroff and Dalpat. These are actually specialised artistes of Wadia, featuring in their films, till the studio system was in vogue. In spite of this hardly any information is available about them. Boman Shroff was born in Kalyan-Bombay. He joined films in 1922. After doing many silent films, he joined Wadia Movietone. His first Talkie film was “Laal E Yaman-33”. He was known as a Dare Devil stuntman and master of make up.His role was usually of a comedian. His best performance was in Toofani Tarzan-37. He worked in 17 films. His last film as an actor was Stunt King-44. Boman Shroff also directed two films. One was film Toofani Tirandaz-47 and the other was Sher Dil-54.
Dalpat (Joshi) was a stunt artiste. A tall, sophisticated and suave person mostly appeared in negative roles . Dalpat was a part of Wadia’s unit since its inception and played the role of villain in the stunt movies, which used to have Fearless Nadia and John Cawas or occasionally some other hero, apt in performing stunts .
Owing to the unprecedented popularity of Miss Nadia, other filmmakers also cast her along with Mr John Cawas and Mr Dalpat in their similar type of stunt movies for which she was known. After her era was over, Basant Pictures concentrated their energies in making Mythological and Arabian Night movies, in which Dalpat always had a role. Later in the 50s, the studio system came to an end and actors and technicians who learned their art from their benevolent master Homi Wadia, looked for assignments from other producers.
One may call it destiny or lack of initiative on the part of Mr Dalpat Ram , he was offered only costume /stunt/religious movies by outside producers. Dalpat, who did a stint as production controller for a few movies, was reverentially called Dalpat Kaka owing to his age, seniority and status by film folks. Age did not affect his appearance and he looked as suave as he was many decades earlier. He started his career by acting first in Hoor E Baghdad-1934. He worked in 120 films. His last film was Toofani Takkar-1978. ( Thanks to M.N.Sardana ji in Voh Din Yaad Karo for some information and my notes ).
Actress Rajani was the daughter of comedian Bhudo Advani’s brother and Azeem became a Fight Master in the period 50’s to 70’s and was called Azeem Bhai. He also worked in the films made by Master Bhagwan.
Wadia Movietone was into filmmaking since the Silent film era. In 1942, the Wadia brothers split into Homi Wadia’s Basant Pictures and J.B.H.Wadia’s Wadia Movietone. The star actress fearless Nadia went with Homi Wadia and later she married him after Homi’s mother died, because she was against their marriage. When the brothers split, their actors and actresses also chose their masters and went with the respective owners. Besides the human actors , some trained animals as well as a car and a motorcycle were also fixtures in stunt films. What’s more, these non-living and non -human participants too were named. So, you had Punjab ka Beta (Horse), Gunboat (Dog), and Austin ki Beti (car) in films made by Wadia Movietone. For Basant Pictures, it was Rajpoot (Horse), Moti (Dog) and Austin ki Bachhi (Car), even the Motorcycle had a name-Runniyo !
Today’s song – a duet – is sung by Uma Devi (later named TunTun) and A. Kareem.
Song- Dil mile kyun kar mile (Dhoomketu)(1949) Singers- Uma Devi, A Kareem, Lyrics-Rajjan, MD-A Kareem
Both
Lyrics
dil mile ae kyun kar mile
dil mile ae kyun kar mile
jab hum yahaan tum wahaan
dil mile ae kyun kar mile
wo bhi din thhe
pyaar se
dil ki gali aabaad thhi
wo bhi din thhe
pyaar se
dil ki gali aabaad thi
bhoolkar sab kuchh kahaani
prem ki batiyaa bhi thi
ab kahaan wo silsile
ab kahaan wo silsile
jab hum yahaan tum wahaan
dil mile ae kyun kar mile
kya yoonhi apni jawaani
qaid mein kumhlaayegi
kya yoonhi apni jawaani
qaid mein kumhlaayegi
khilne se pehle hi kya
dil ki kali murjhaayegi
gul khilen kaise khilen
gul khilen kaise khilen
jab hum yahaan tum wahaan
dil mile ae kyun kar mile
laakh chaaha mil sake na
kis kadar mazboor hain
laakh chaaha mil sake na
kis kadar mazboor hain
paas hain sabki nazar mein
phir bhi tumse door hain
kaash jag ka dil hile
kaash jag ka dil hile
jab hum yahaan tum wahaan
dil mile kyun kar mile
jab hum yahaan tum wahaan
dil mile kyun kar mile
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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Blog Day : |
5158 | Post No. : | 17121 |
Today’s song is from the film Dhoomketu-1949.
No,no, this film is not on any Astronomical topic. The name Dhoomketu is the name of the film’s Hero, whose name in the film is Inspector Comet ! This was a regular stunt film from the stable of Homi Wadia’s Basant pictures. It featured Fearless Nadia, John Cawas in the lead along with the usual stunt film actors like Boman Shroff, Azeem Bhai, Dalpat, Habeeb, Rajani, Sona Chatterjee and others. The film was directed by Homi Wadia, the music was by A.Kareem and the songs were by Kareem and Rajjan.
Most of us like to see films, be it on a TV, in a cinema hall, or through DVD. Some like old films, some like new films. Did you ever see films like, Khooni Khanjar, Dagabaj Doctor, Shaitan ka paash, Char chakram, Daku Rani Talwarwali, Jaadu ka dandaa, Zinda Laash, Revolver Rani, Sinbad-Aladdin-Alibaba, Flying man, Fighter Sheela, Khooni Darinda, Tarzan aur Jadugar, Tarzan aur Jadui Chiraag, Golden Gang, Murde ki jaan khatare mein, or Jadui putli ?
I bet none of these movie names have been even heard by you ever. These are all STUNT FILMS or in other words ‘C’ grade films. In India I really wonder how the classification or Grading of films is done, or who is the person or the body authorised to do it. Because Censor Certificates do not label A, B or C grades at all.
Then how does this happen ?
My guess is that films are graded on 2 counts- One, The cost of production or Budget and the class of stars in it and Two, The class of people for whom the film is made or directed, like the Rich, middle and the Poor class. Whatever the basis, there is a very thin line between A and B grade films, while between these two and the C grade films, the line is very Bold and thick indeed !
Stunt films, Costume films, fantasy films and purely Religious films are normally treated as C grade films. These film do not carry any prestige, the actors working in them are exclusive to C grade films, the production values and the budget is quite low and most important, they are ALWAYS shown in theatres situated in older parts of the town, single screens, or only for Morning shows or in Theatres generally frequented by lower strata of society. A person seeing/loving or craving for such films is generally considered a ‘Low’ creature and a person with ‘child brain’.
In India ,this is the fate of C grade films. Actually these films have everything that A and B grade films have, like, story, songs, dances, fights etc, but still, the treatment given to handling of the story etc. in the films is very poor or lacking in expertise.
Stunts have improved, Technology has evolved but the participation of Zippy the Monkey, Tiger the Horse, Moti the Dog, parrots, snakes and khatara cars named Rolls Royce ki beti and Austin ki Bachhi is missing ! The contribution of Fearless Nadia in making Stunt films popular can not be denied, but then she had the backing of companies like Wadia Movietone. Basant pictures, Ranjit, Sagar, National etc. When you read the stories of these films please don’t employ Logic or common sense to it. This is a different world altogether. The set of actors is fixed, many times the composers are unheard of or they are known composers now in bad shape, the Directors are typical and the production houses are exclusive to churn out such films.
It is, nevertheless, a fact that many well known and famous actors and actresses of the 40s and 50s evolved from the stunt films of yore. Examples are Jairaj or Master Bhagwan.Can you believe that this roly-poly Bhagwan dada was a great body-builder when he started in stunt films in the late 30s ? Lalita Pawar(Amboo), Madhuri, Rampyari, Miss Moti, Sabita Devi, and Sulochana (Ruby Myers) are some female examples who graduated to Social films via Stunt films.
C grade films were those films which were made by not so famous banners, almost unknown actors, directors and composers. Usually C grade films used to be action/stunt films, made on shoestring budgets, having a fixed storyline resembling Tarzan, Hercules or Hollywood action films of Robin Hood, with the background of a jungle, Tribal people, King-Queen-wicked Vazir and similar stories. C grade films were always quickies, made on shoe-string budgets. During the late 30s and 40s, Master Bhagwan action films used to be completed in about Rs. 50,000 only- including studio rent, sets, artistes’ fees and other expenses. C grade films had a captive audience comprising factory workers, daily wagers, Low grade earners and students. However, such films used to rake in big profits to the film makers. Therefore, even top class banners sometimes made C grade films, to make up for their losses in big film flops.
There were certain production houses specialised and thriving on such films, like Paramount films, Jagriti films, Mohan pictures, Wadia Movietone etc etc. The actors and actresses of such films were fixed. Since the studio system was in vogue, the film studios usually had their actors and directors fixed. Music directors were of no consequence, so anybody would do. Well known composers like C.Ramchandra used to take another name while composing music for C grade action films. Music assistants of famous composers used to give music to such films. Well known composers falling on bad days also gave music to such films. C grade films rarely made Commercial records for their film songs, so such songs are a real rarity even with big collectors.
Some common and regular names one found in Action/Stunt films are, Nadia, Boman Irani, Sayani, Bilimoria bros, Cooper sisters, Zohra Khatun, Ameena Khatun, Khatun Bai, Prakash, Adjania, Noorjehan (sr.), Moosa Pehelwan, Vasantrao Pehelwan, Baburao Pehelwan, Marutirao Pehelwan, Azim bhai, Basheer, Ali, Bachha, Chandra Rao, Harishchandra Rao, Shankar Rao, Master Bhagwan, Mirajkar, Jamshed, John Cavas, Lalita Pawar, Navin chandra…and many such names. Barring a few names like Lalita Pawar, Bhagwan, Nadia etc, all the other action film actors remained unknown. No one knows anything about them.Actors like Baburao pehelwan, Marutirao Pehelwan ( He was the Hero in the First Gujarati Talkie film ‘ Narsi Mehta ‘), Chandra Rao, Sayani etc were quite famous in their times, but except their Filmography (thanks to HFGK), nothing more is known about them. All of them ended with only mere names !
In my younger age I was fond of stunt films and used to travel to theatres in the Old city part of Hyderabad, to watch films featuring Kamran (father of famous choreographer and Director Farah khan and Director, comedian, Anchor Sajid Khan), Naazi, Bhagwan and many such actors.” Adventures of Captain Marvel” and “Trip to the Moon” were my favourites from Hollywood’s Republic Serial productions.
In the 50s and 60s, some respectability to these stunt films was brought by actors like Mahipal, Ranjan, Dara Singh, Azad, Hemant Birje etc. The set of Heroines was also set to Mumtaz, Tabassum,Vijaya Chaudhary, Indira, Nishi etc. Mumtaz started with Stunts and graduated to greater heights and was counted in Top actresses of her days. Costume and Stunt films like Baaz, Insaniyat and Azaad etc were made respectable by the stars acting in them. Over a period the picture changed and nowadays every alternate film has breath-taking stunts done by almost all top Heroes, thanks to SFX, of course !
This film featured Fearless Nadia. There are plenty of articles on her on the internet. Even the Grandson of J.B.H.Wadia- Roy Wadia has written on her. So I will only give a short bio of Nadia here, without many small details. ‘Circus Queen’-1959 is almost the last film of Fearless Nadia. After this film, she just did one more token film, ‘Khiladi’ in 1968. Starting from the 1933 film ‘Laal e Yaman’, Nadia did about 43 films. Most of them were for Wadia Movietone and later for Basant pictures of Homi Wadia. Here is a short note on Nadia…
In the 1930s, when the silent era was giving way to the Talkie films, there appeared on Hindi Film screens a dashing young woman who ruled over men and told them “Don’t ever take women for granted. If the nation is to be freed, the women have to be freed first.” (dialogue from the film ‘Diamond Queen’ (1940).)
Mary Evans (Fearless Nadia’s real name) was a devout catholic. She was born on 8-1-1908 to a Scottish father and a Greek mother, in Perth, Australia. The family later traveled to India. Her father, a British Army soldier, was based in Bombay. She wanted to be a singer and a dancer. She learnt dancing from father and singing from mother. She sang in the local church choirs on Sundays. In 1915, when her father died in WW I action, they shifted to first Peshawar and then returned to settle in Bombay. She joined a dancing troupe.
One Mr. Eruch Kanga, owner of Lahore cinema saw her performance in the troupe and told the Wadia Brothers, who were looking for a heroine. They called her for an interview. After seeing her, the brothers realized the difficulty in making a white woman a Heroine in Hindi films. In the interview, JBH Wadia said, “I have never heard about you before”, to which she retorted,”I too had not heard your name till this morning”. The brothers were impressed and she was appointed in Wadia Movietone. To test her, she was given small roles in films which were in the making, like Lal e yaman and Noor e yaman, while she studied speaking Hindi.
She was launched with the film ‘Hunterwali’ -1935, a dramatic story of a princess trying to rescue her kidnapped father and salvage his empire. It was an unconventional role and a new subject for the Indian audience.
The film opened in Super cinema on Lamington Road, Bombay and became an instant hit. It was like a revolution. Audience was thrilled to see a white woman, donning a mask and cracking a whip at her tormentors. They were awed, happy and mesmerised, wanting more of it .She was named NADIA based on an astrologer’s advice. They added FEARLESS for her in the ads. Hunterwali was only a prelude to a remarkable career. Encouraged by the success of ‘Hunterwali’, films were made on the cause of social injustice, women’s emancipation, corruption, land grabbing and exploitation of the poor. She always played roles like King Arthur and Robin Hood.
Her films had a set of characters. There was her pet horse – Punjab Ka Beta, Gunboat the Dog and her jalopy was called Rolls Royce Ki Beti (later when Homi Wadia started Basant Pictures with her, there was Horse Rajput, Dog Moti and the car – Austin Ki Bachhi). In her films, usually the villain was Sayani (his stock line was “Dekha Jaayega”). John Cawas and Boman Shroff – the heavyweight bodybuilders usually played the Heroes. Her stunts became more dangerous and death defying with every film. She did all her stunts herself, breaking her bones many times while performing them. From 1933 to 1968 she did about 43 films. Her pet name in many films (starting with ‘Hunterwali’) was Madhuri.
She had married and divorced early and also had a son. Later she was in love with Homi Wadia, but could not marry him due to the opposition of his mother. They married in 1961 after his mother died. She was 53 years old by then. In her last days she was frequently seen in the lanes of Colaba in Bombay, taking her dogs for walks. I remember going to Colaba in the early 1980s with a friend, only to see her. In 1993, her great grand nephew Riyad Vinci Wadia made a documentary on her, in which she had appeared.
She died peacefully on 9-1-1996.
I met NADIA !
Nadia has a special place in my memories. Sometime in 1972, one of my friends, Mahesh Sharma, who lived in Colaba, Bombay, told me that he frequently sees Nadia in a Garden where he went for his morning walks. She lived near his apartments. Anxious to meet her and talk to her, I stayed with Sharma ji overnight. Next day morning, we both went to that garden. Sure enough, after some time Nadia entered the garden with two of her dogs. She sat on a bench and her servant took the dogs for their walks. Mahesh had a casual acquaintance with her. He greeted her and said ” this is my friend Mr. Deshmukh. He is your great fan “. I greeted her and recited names of her 10-15 films which I had seen. She looked suitably impressed . She smiled and we talked for a few minutes and left. Alas ! In those days, there was no Mobile phone, otherwise I would have had my photos with her as a prize possession. Anyway, I will never forget my meeting with her- the great Stunt Queen, The Fearless Nadia !
Today’s song is a duet. After hearing this song I felt that this tune is familiar, but I could not pinpoint the song. In case you get that song’s name please do inform me.
Song- Tu hai mujh se door main tujhse door (Dhoomketu)(1949) Singers-A Karim, unknown female voice, Lyricist- Karim, MD- A Karim
Lyrics
Aao o o o
aao o o o
Tu hai mujhse door
main tujhse door
jiya ghabraaye
ghabraaye
bhala ab kaise dil ki baat ho
Tu hai mujhse door
main tujhse door
jiya ghabraaye
ghabraaye
bhala ab kaise dil ki baat ho
tu Poona main Agra
mere dil se nikle haaye
haaye ke kaise tera mera saath ho
tu Poona main Agra
mere dil se nikle haaye
haaye ke kaise tera mera saath ho
ya to tu aa jaa ya mujhko
apne paas bulaa le
ya to tu aa jaa ya mujhko
apne paas bulaa le
paas na aana
door hi rahkar dil ki dheer bandhaa le
paas na aana
door hi rahkar dil ki dheer bandhaa le
dil ki dheer bandhaana ho to
muhko apna bana le
dil ki dheer bandhaana ho to
muhjko apna bana le
hum donon mil jaayen
to itni mere paas aa jaaye
mere haathhon mein tera haath ho
Tu hai mujhse door
main tujhse door
jiya ghabraaye
ghabraaye
bhala ab kaise dil ki baat ho
khade khade photo khinchwaana
hade khade photo khinchwaana
hanskar dil par teer chalaana
tujhe yaad rahe
door door se baaten banaana
door door se baaten banaana
jalti dhoop mein dil ko jalaana
tujhe yaad rahe
koi jalaa karey
mara karey
gala karey
sadaa karey
jalne waale jalaa karen
ho jalne waale jalaa karen
jab kismat apne saath ho
Tu hai mujhse door
main tujhse door
jiya ghabraaye
ghabraaye
bhala ab kaise dil ki baat ho
tu Poona main Agra
mere dil se nikle haaye
haaye ke kaise tera mera saath ho
This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
Searching for songs from as yet unrepresented movies is an important activity for me. As we keep adding more and more movies to the blog, searching for songs from as yet unrepresented movies becomes increasingly difficult, especially for movies from the earlier decades.
Read more on this topic…
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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