Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs

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 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.

First order of the day – a thousand congratulations to Atul ji, on the completion of 9 years of this blog. And congratulations to all us members of the bandwagon, together making this such a pleasurable journey.

Today’s song is from film ‘Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo’ (1952). It is sung by Lata Mangeshkar and chorus. The music director is C Ramchandra.

The film’s name was very strange, unusual and for many people, it may be a mystery. The film is a fantasy love story just like Shirin-Farhad, Laila-Majnu etc. The only difference is it is imaginary and ends happily. The name entwines the girl’s name Shin Shinaki  with the lover boy’s name of Boobla Boo. The film was conceived, produced and directed by PL Santoshi, especially for the film’s heroine, Rehana (real name Mushtar Jehan). Santoshi’s obsession for Rehana was a matter of ridicule in the industry, because in spite of Santoshi spending lakhs on her, she never responded to him he became a pauper.

The film’s Hero was Ranjan. Now this persona was a unique phenomenon in the industry. When one learns about his achievements and multiple skills, one wonders if such a man could exist in this world ! Born on 2-3-1918 in a Tamil Brahmin’s family Ranjan (real name Ramnarayan Venkataramana Sarma), he was an expert violinist. He was a qualified dancer in Kathak, Kathakali and Bharat Natyam. He was an expert driver, swimmer and a swordsman of Olympic standards. He graduated in physics. After MSc he did his Doctorate too. Ranjan knew 12 Indian  and 4 foreign languages. He edited a dance and drama magazine and wrote several books on it. He earned a Fellowship of New York University.

Ranjan learnt and became an A grade flyer. He was the first to buy a Rolls Royce car and a Tiger Moth Aircraft, in the Indian film industry (later Motilal also owned an aircraft). He was a good painter and a Trained magician. He became Magician’s Association president for Bombay. P C Sorcar was All India president then. He was often invited by European and American Universities for lectures. Ranjan owned two big Hotels also. Ranjan was a good shooter. He played cricket and soccer frequently. Ranjan was a regular singer on Madras AIR.

In his first Tamil film, his heroine was Vasundhara Devi- mother of Vijayantimala. Ranjan entered Hindi films through his blockbuster film ‘Chandralekha’ (1948). He did 45 Hindi films in 50s and 60s. He was a script writer also. He wrote story and screen play of film ‘Munimji’ (1955). He was a choreographer also. In the 50s decade the quartet of Raj, Dev, Dilip and Ashok kumar was ruling Hindi film industry. Ranjan was not given any importance here. He was not even invited for the golden jubilee of talkie film celebrations in Bombay. He lived in his bungalow in Chembur Union Park.

Such an outstanding personality- he died in New York on 12-9-1983, where he had gone to deliver a lecture in New York university.

Another remarkable performer of international standards worked in this film. Her name is Sadhona Bose, granddaughter of Brahmakesari Keshab Chandra Sen. She was born in a prosperous Brahmo family on 20-4-1914 and received education as was common with Brahmo girls of those days. Her father was Saral Chandra Sen and she was the second of his three daughters. Her elder sister Binita was married into a royal family of Chittagong (now Bangladesh) and settled to household life, while the youngest Nilina pursued a career in Indian Classical music and earned herself a position of eminence and was known in record circles as Naina Devi.

Sadhona married Modhu Bose, film maker working in Bengal, British India, at a young age, and joined the Calcutta Art Players, a theatrical company owned by her husband. She took part as heroine in the plays produced by the unit. Later on Sadhona joined films and played Marjina in ‘Alibaba’ (1937), made in Bengali under the banner of Bharat Lakshmi Pictures. This film was a runaway hit and is remembered well by film enthusiasts. Modhu Bose had earlier directed a number of films but he tasted real success with ‘Alibaba’. For Sadhona this film meant a permanent place in the history of Bengali films. This was followed with ‘Abhinoy’ (Bengali-1938), another major success for the couple. They migrated to Bombay and again created history with the immensely popular ‘Kumkum’ (1940), made in two languages, Hindi and Bengali and thereafter went on to create the first triple version (English, Bengali, Hindi) film of India, ‘Raaj Nartaki’ (1941). Her other Hindi films were ‘Meenakshi’ (1942), ‘Vishkanya’ (1943), ‘Shankar Parvati’ (19430, ‘Paigham’ (1943), ‘For Ladies Only (1951), ‘Bhola Shankar’ (1951), ‘Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo’ (1952) and some uncredited films in her later years.

Sadhona did come back to Calcutta for a double version Bengali movie ‘Meenakshi’ (1942) opposite to the handsome Jyoti Prakash as the hero. Going back to Bombay soon after the completion of this film where she starred in major films like ‘Shankar Parvati’, ‘Vishkanya’, ‘Paigham’ and others and firmly established herself as a heroine in her own right without the backing of husband Modhu Bose. In fact they had fallen quite apart by the mid forties and most unfortunately Sadhona started indulging in much too abandoned a life heavily engaged in drinks, parties and men and slowly lost her carefully earned position. She came back to Calcutta after a reconciliation with her husband, but by this time she had lost her magic hold over the audiences and acted in films again directed by her husband like ‘Shesher Kabita’ and ‘Maa O Chhele’, without any remarkable success.

Sadhona was a dancer in the first place and all her film successes were in dancing roles, although she was also a very fine actress and sang her own songs in some of her films including her first film ‘Alibaba’. With film offers becoming infrequent, she formed a dance troupe of her own and made all India tours with plays like ‘Whither Now’, ‘Hunger’ and others and met with success again as she was bound to be as a persona trained in dancing. She passed into oblivion slowly. Even in retired life she could not part with the bottle and without any income worth the name she found herself in the most difficult financial conditions. Modhu Bose was ill and it was difficult to get treatment for him.

She lost her husband in 1969 and had no money to sustain herself and thereafter came the greatest tragic period of her life when she had to resort to begging in the streets, in and around Park Street of Calcutta. It was during this phase of her life that passers by and street walkers came across an old lady, looking distinguished, dressed in clothes that were expensive at one time but now showing the wear and tear asking for help. Some recognised her and gave her enough to go on for some days while some others gave her a rude rebuff. She took all that with a smile.

Just before her death she got appointed as dance trainer in Calcutta’s prestigious Star Theatre, courtesy her one time boy friend Timir Baran. She trained junior artistes for the play ‘Janapad Badhu’ and once again her name featured in the newspapers in the advertisements of the play. However, the end had come very near and she passed away on 3rd September,1973. A very tragic and unfortunate way indeed for an all India star who at a time had captured the heart and imagination of millions. (Adapted and edited from a note by Dr. Jyoti Prakash Guha ji ).

Yet another less known actress, who started as a heroine, was Veera – one of the cast of this film. Not much information is available on Veera. Veera was from a Parsi family. Her full name was Veera Ankaleshwaria. Obviously, her family came from Ankaleshwar, a small industrial town (now), in Gujarat. She started her career in films as a heroine opposite Nasir Khan in film ‘Mazdoor’ (1945). Then came ‘Shikari’ (1946) and later ‘Eight Days’ (1946), both having Ashok kumar as the hero. Both the films were from Filmistan. Her last film as heroine was ‘Tohfa’, opposite to Rehman, and ‘Leela’ opposite to Agha, both films from 1947. Then she stopped getting heroine roles and shifted to side roles. In all she did 22 films.

Her other films were ‘Veena’, ‘Ziddi’, ‘Chanda Ki Chandni’ – all in 1948, ‘Saanwaria’ (1949),  ‘Hamara Ghar’ and Hamari Beti’ (1950), ‘Hamari Shaan, ‘Ram Janma’ and ‘Sagar’ – all in 1951, ‘Aasmaan’, ‘Izzat’, ‘Moti Mahal’, ‘Sanskar’ and ‘Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo’ – all in 1952, ‘Dana Pani’ (1953), ‘Boot Polish’ and ‘Sheeshe Ki Deewaar’ both in 1954.

She married Mohsin Abdulla, who had worked in Bombay Talkies as a writer. He was the younger brother of actress Renuka Devi (Begum Mirza). After the marriage, both migrated to Pakistan in 1955. There is no news about her after that.

Film ‘Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo’ is an entirely the fruit of the fertile imagination of writer PL Santoshi. The names were also invented by him. However the story was not liked by most of the audience. The film ran into difficulties at the time of production itself. Rehana used to take undue advantage of Santoshi’s obsession for her. Once she left after shooting with all the real jewellery, which had been borrowed from the market for sake of authenticity, and went home. Santoshi had to pay 50000 rupees to the jeweller.

The film’s plot revolves around Shin Shinaki (Rehana) who dreams of killing the man, Taishi, who had killed her parents. When the villain dies, she transfers her vengeful energies on to the man’s son. The story involves a fortune­teller, Chiang, who only surfaces publicly one day per year. The other key figure is her lover, the bandit Boobla Boo (Ranjan), who eventually falls in with her plans.

This orientalist fantasy with one of the most peculiar film titles was based on the modern dance ballets Sadhona Bose had been associated with on stage. Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo was one of the first films experimenting with Jazz and Latin American rhythms by PL Santoshi’s regular composer, C Ramchandra.  Classic songs include “Ye Khilti Kalee Koi Lai, Ye Hanstee Kalee…Haan Dayi, Takaa Lai“ (Lata and C. Ramchandra) in a kind of question-answer mode using a fast-paced chorus, Shin’s number “Arey Baba, Ye Hansi Baba, Ye Khushi Baba” (Lata) and her duet with Boobla, “Kuchh Chuhale Hon, Kuchh Charche Hon” (Lata and Kishore Kumar).

This film was the unlikely first victim of the central government’s authority to overrule the censor board, an action enabled by the Indian Cinematograph Act passed that year. Given a ‘U’ (Universal) certificate by the censors, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting banned the film because of its ‘low moral tone’ and because it `throws the glamour of romance and heroism over criminal characters, treats sacred subjects irreverently and is, in consequence, opposed to the interests of public decency and morality’. The ban was later revoked but ruined the film’s commercial chances.

Lyricist/Director PL Santoshi who directed this film was so infatuated with Rehana, that one cold night he spent the entire night outside her door. Rehana did not reciprocate his feelings. The disheartened and dishevelled Santoshi went home and penned one of his most memorable songs based on this experience – “Tum Kyaa Jaano Tumhaari Yaad Me Hum Kitna Roye” (You wouldn’t know how many tears I shed remembering you…), one of the finest thumris sung by Lata.

Out of 7 songs of the film today’s song is the 5th song on our blog. The songs and the music was based on western Jazz and Latin style. The title song of the film was based on Western style. It was a Lata – Chitalkar duet. For the first time Kishore Kumar sang for C Ramchandra in this film. Later of course,they worked together in films like ‘Lehren’ (1953), ‘Pehli Jhalak’ (1954), ‘Asha’ (1957), ‘Dal Mein Kaala’ (1964) and ‘Paayal Ki Jhankaar’ (1968). Today’s song is a fun song by Lata and chorus.

Song – Arey Baba. . Ye Hansi Baba. . Ye Khushi Baba. . (Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo) (1952) Singer – Lata Mangeshkar, Lyrics – PL Santoshi, MD – C Ramchandra
Unidentified Male Voice (possibly C Ramchandra himself)
Chorus

Lyrics

arey baba
arey baba
ye hansi baba
ye khushi baba
sab kuch hai mojud yahaan
phir kyon ye bebasi baba

arye baba
arey baba
ye hansi baba
ye khushi baba
sab kuch hai mojud yahaan
phir kyon ye bebasi baba
arey baba
arey baba
arey baba re baba re baba re baba re baba re baba re baa..bbaa

ishq ke bandon ne
kahaa kha ke ye kasam
aji ishq ki sharaab
kabhi hoti nahin kam
ishq ke bandon ne
kahaa kha ke ye kasam
aji ishq ki sharaab
kabhi hoti nahin kam
pee lo pee lo ek baar
mitey laakhon gham
pee lo pee lo ek baar
mitey laakhon gham
arrey bandhu isi liye to
haan baba
abi baba
aba baba
hans le baba
sab kuch hai mojud yahaan
phir kyon ye bebasi baba

arey baba
arey baba
ye hansi baba
ye khushi baba
sab kuch hai mojud yahaan
phir kyon ye bebasi baba
arey baba
arey baba
ye hansi baba
ye khushi baba
sab kuch hai mojud yahaan
phir kyon ye bebasi baba
arey baba
arey baba
arey baba re baba re baba re baba re baba re baba re baa..bbaa

———————————————————
Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
———————————————————

अरे बाबा
अरे बाबा
ये हंसी बाबा
ये खुशी बाबा
सब कुछ है मोजूद यहाँ
फिर क्यों ये बेबसी बाबा

अरे बाबा
अरे बाबा
ये हंसी बाबा
ये खुशी बाबा
सब कुछ है मोजूद यहाँ
फिर क्यों ये बेबसी बाबा
अरे बाबा
अरे बाबा
अरे बाबा रे बाबा रे बाबा रे बाबा रे बाबा रे बाबा रे बा॰॰ब्बा

इश्क़ के बंदों ने
कहा खा के ये कसम
अजी इश्क़ की शराब
कभी होती नहीं कम
इश्क़ के बंदों ने
कहा खा के ये कसम
अजी इश्क़ की शराब
कभी होती नहीं कम
पी लो पी लो एक बार
मिटे लाखों ग़म
पी लो पी लो एक बार
मिटे लाखों ग़म
अरे बंधु इसीलिए तो
हाँ बाबा
अबी बाबा
अबा बाबा
हंस ले बाबा
सब कुछ है मोजूद यहाँ
फिर क्यों ये बेबसी बाबा

अरे बाबा
अरे बाबा
ये हंसी बाबा
ये खुशी बाबा
सब कुछ है मोजूद यहाँ
फिर क्यों ये बेबसी बाबा
अरे बाबा
अरे बाबा
ये हंसी बाबा
ये खुशी बाबा
सब कुछ है मोजूद यहाँ
फिर क्यों ये बेबसी बाबा
अरे बाबा
अरे बाबा
अरे बाबा रे बाबा रे बाबा रे बाबा रे बाबा रे बाबा रे बा॰॰ब्बा