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 very old -88year old – film, His Highness-1937.
I somehow like to write about old films. Names of old actors, directors and the composers bring many memories. Listening to songs from old films gives you an idea how cine music evolved and reached today’s state. In the beginning, the films were totally dependent on stage drama stories, Folklore and Mythology. Afterwards, they started using social themes, comedy and stunts. There was no problem with the stories. For talkie films in the early era, there were 3 sources of film stories…..
1. from Ramayan, Mahabharat, Puranas and other religious stories, social evils and family dramas
2. Using and copying themes from foreign and English films
and
3. Remakes of popular Silent films. About 30 to 40 % silent films were remade into Talkie films.
The year 1937 was a year of Revolution for the newly started Talkie Film. Initially the films were mainly based on Folk tales, Parsi dramas and Mythological stories. 1937 was a year in which the Film industry was trying to drop its old skin and don a New Avtar. From this year, a variety of subjects were used to make films. If we briefly look at some path breaking, landmark films using Novel themes, we will understand how the film industry was attempting to change itself.
The newly established Minerva Movietone made a film on the importance and benefits of Celibacy in the film ‘Atma Tarang‘.
Some artistes made their Debuts in 1937, like Ghulam Mohammad, MD for film Banke Sipahi, Comedian V H Desai in film Captain Kirti Kumar, Kishore Sahu in film Jeevan prabhat, the eternal Mausi of Hindi films, Leela Mishra debuted in film Gangavataran. This was also a Debut film for Dadasaheb Phalke in making a Talkie film. David made his Debut in ‘Zambo-the ape man‘.
Prakash films tried their hand at Stunt films with ‘ Challenge‘ and ‘His Highness‘, using Veterinary actors like Dogs, Horses and a Motorcycle. Prabhat’s iconic film ‘ Duniya Maane na‘ shook All India audiences with its story. Shanta Apte sang an English song in it. Bombay Talkies made its first and last Mythological film ‘ Savitri ‘ with Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani.
Gangavataran was a film made by Dadasaheb Phalke. It was his First, the only and his last Talkie film too.
Imperial made India’s first indigenously made First colour film-Kisan Kanya. With this film, however, Master Nissar ended his ‘Hero’ ship as an actor.
Wadia Movietone made India’s first songless talkie film,’ Naujawan ‘, facing the ire of its audience for ‘cheating ‘ them !
‘Zambo – The Ape man ‘ became the first Tarzan type Indian talkie film, beginning a new Genre !
Maadan theatres Calcutta pulled its shutters down with their last Talkie film’ Zinda Bhoot ‘.
1937 was real path breaking for 2 solid reasons….One, for the first time, Playback singing started in a Bombay film with ‘Mahageet /’. The song was sung by Anil Biswas, its MD and it was filmed on Hiren Bose, in the role of a beggar, near a crematorium (Shamshan Bhoomi), as per book ‘ Music without Boundaries’ by Dr. Ashok Ranade, pp183-186.
Secondly, for the first time, in an Indian film successful special effects were used in film ” Khwaab ki Duniya ” -a film by Prakash Pictures, based on the popular novel “The Invisible Man” by H G Wells. A Hollywood film by the same name was made in 1933. The trick scenes in this Indian film were as good as the Hollywood film. Credit goes to Babubhai Mistri for creating the actions of an Invisible man , on the screen. He was nicknamed ” Kala Dhaga ” after this film.
Here are some more films of 1937….
Atma Tarang…. Minerva movietone’s first film. A resounding flop. Only 20 people for the first show !
Anath Ashram….By New Theatres, Calcutta
Asian Sitara….By Haribhai Desai. Remake of his own silent film of the same name. Jenabai Pawar, wife of actor Zunzar Rao Pawar, an Anglo Indian (Jena Lawson) was Heroine and she sang few Hindi songs also.
Banke Sipahi… Debut of Ghulam Mohd. as M.D.
Bhishma….First remake of a Tamil film of 1936.
Bulldog….Indurani as heroine and singer.
Captain Kirti Kumar….Debut of comedian V.H.Desai
Dharam veer and Prem Veer….Both films by Huns Pictures of Master Vinayak.
Duniya Na Maane…. Prabhat film on social evil.
Gentleman Daku…Double role of Leela Chitnis.
Guru Ghantal…. Debut of Om Prakash (Uncredited)
Hurricane Hansa…. Nadia in Wadia’s stunt film.
Insaaf…. First film of total 7 films with the same Title.
Izzat, Jeevan Prabhat, Khan Bahadur, Khudai Khidmadgar, Kisan Kanya, Mahageet, Moti ka Haar, Naujawan, Pratibha, President, Qazzaq ki Ladki, Shadi ka mamla, Toofani Tarzan, Vidyapati and Wahan.
Just before the advent of Talkie films, Parsi theatre and other drama companies were the only Entertainment sources. Parsi Theatre was famous and most successful because it travelled all over India to perform. They used special reserved Trains to carry people and sets, drapery etc for their company from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Gujarat to Rangoon. The success of Parsi Theatre was attributed to Pt. Narayan Prasad Betaab, Pt. Radheshyam Kathavachak, Agha Hashra Kashmiri and Master Fida Hussain – called the four Pillars of Dramas.
Film His Highness was made by Prakash Pictures, Bombay. Before Prakash discovered that Gold was hidden in Mythological films, they were making only B and C grade stunt, Costume and Action films. This film was directed by Balwant Bhatt and the music was by 2 M.D.s – Shankar Rao Vyas and Lallubhi Nayak. Lyricist was Pt. Anuj. The cast included
Jayant (father of Gabbarsingh- Amjad Khan), Sardar Akhtar (Later on, wife of director Mehboob Khan), Gulab (First Kashmiri woman to work in films), Shirin bano ( wife of director Nanubhai Bhatt and mother of Mahesh Bhatt), Umakant (known for doing the role of Laxman in 7 films), M. ismail, M.Zahoor, jal Writer, basheer Qawwal and many others. The story of the film was…..
When the king of Rajnagar dies, the Queen (Gulab) discovers that he had bequeathed the throne not to her mad son Pratap (Umakant), but to their nephew, the young Prince Kirit (Madhav). This made the queen very angry.
Captain Dilip (Jayant), Kirit’s bodyguard, takes the boy and his animal pals, Tiger (Dog Tiger) and Bahadur (Horse Bahadur), on an outing along with servants Ram (Lekhraj) and Rahim (Chhotejan). A group of ruffians surround Dilip and Kirit and attack them, knocking Dilip unconscious, and kidnapping Kirit. Bahadur gallops away to inform Ram and Rahim while Tiger takes off after the goons. Meanwhile, back at the palace, the aged prime minister (Jal Writer), Princess Asha (Sardar Akhtar), and Asha’s maid Kala (Shirin), are told of the kidnapping. Kala then overhears the queen planning to place the blame on Dilip for the kidnapping, thus doing away with him. Kala finds and informs Dilip that it is safest if he stays away from the kingdom for the time being.
Tiger finds Kirit but is unable to free him. However, the dog is able to lead Dilip, on horseback, to the cabin where the prince is being held. Dilip, Tiger and Bahadur put up a good fight against the ruffians, but the crooked Jalim Singh has Dilip arrested. Jalim attempts to take off with Kirit, but Ram and Rahim are able to rescue him.
The queen learns that the prince has been saved by some unknown persons and arranges that the boy should be found and killed, and that the killer will be appointed Prime Minister. Her plan is foiled by a masked man and eventually Kirit is returned safely to the palace.
But with Dilip having vanished, the minister must find someone else to play bodyguard. The Queen suggests her loyal follower Captain Ajaya (M. Zahoor), but the minister disapproves of that choice. When the Queen starts to form another dastardly plan, the mysterious masked man makes an appearance and cautions her to take no actions against Kirit. But the Queen soon ignores the warning and arranges a plot to frame the minister for some crime, thus leaving Kirit with no protection. But she didn’t count on the involvement of Asha, Kala, Tiger, Bahadur and Tommy (Dog Tommy) in trying to save the life of the child prince. (Thanks to pedrotheapebomb.com)
As the Talkie films started, the number of Anglo Indian Girls rapidly went down as most of them did not know Hindi nor could they sing. Only a few hard working Anglo Indian girls survived and progressed from silent to Talkie films,like Savita Devi (Iris Gasper)-who learnt Hindi/Urdu and singing,with efforts, Sulochana (Ruby Myers),Indira Devi(Effie Hippolet),Lalita Devi(Bonnie Bird),Pramila(Esher Abrahams),Seeta Devi(Renee Smith), Madhuri(Beryl Classen),Manorama(Winnie Stewart) etc. Since singing was an important requisite,the field was now open to singing girls from Kothas,Tawayafs and professional singers.Reasonably good looks and singing ability was what made them actresses. These girls,who came from Kothas and professional singer families used the suffix ” Bai” to their names to differentiate their specialty. Thus you had Jaddan bai,Amir bai,Johrabai,Rattan bai etc etc.
Many young singing girls found Cinema as a place where they could get (catch ? ) a good Husband from a better family background, earning respectability(forget religion). Many starlets married Producers, directors,Actors,Singers and Composers,left acting and settled as respectable housewives. Some girls got Husbands from Nawabs and the Royalties,as they were patrons of Arts. Many examples from early era can be cited in this connection like
Gulab bai alias Kamla devi married S.Fatelal-Director in Prabhat Films.
Jaddanbai married a Medical student and a Jahagirdar-Uttamchand
Fatima bai(mother of Alam Ara fame Zubeida) married nawab of Sachin,Guajarat
Sultana married Yusuf Laljee, Businessman and chief of Bombay Municipal corporation.
actress Sarojini(Roshan) married Nanubhai Vakil-producer/Director (Their daughter was actress AZRA)
actress Indurani (Ishrat)-sister of Sarojini- married Ramniklal Shah-Producer/Director.
actress Shirin bai married Nanabhai Bhatt (Their sons are Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt).
the other actress Zubeida (on whose life, film Zubeida was made) married Maharaja Hanwant Singh of Jodhpur etc.
This trend continued in the industry even after things changed and educated and respected family people entered the industry. Now, one could see marriages were taking place between people of film industry itself like Rattanbai and Director Hafiz, Jyoti and Durrani, Nalini Jaywant and Virendra Desai, Noorjahan-Shaukat hussain rizvi, Meenakumari, Sardar Akhtar, Snehprabha Pradhan, Anil Biswas, Lalita Deulkar etc.
In recent era instances were Waheeda Rehman, Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle, Hemant Kumar, Manik Verma, Premlata, Geeta Dutt, Rishi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachhan and Abhishek Bachhan etc.
In the cast you find the name Shirin Bano. Yes, she too is one of the above listed artists who joined films to get a suitable husband and lead a respectable and comfortable life. Shirin, Shirin Bai or Shirin Bano was from a Tawayaf mother from Lucknow. Her father was a Tamil Brahmin- Ram Seshadri Aiyar, who worked as an Accountant with Kikubhai Desai ( father of Manmohan Desai) in his Distribution department.They were 5 sisters and 1 brother. Shirin joined films at an early age. Her first film was Maharani-34 in the same year she worked in Vehmi duniya, Sewa sadan and Bala Joban. In 1935 he films were Shamsher e Arab, Pardesi Sainya and Bambai ki Sethani. In 36, she worked in Top ka gola, Snehlata, Passing show and Azad veer. Khwab ki duniya, His Highness and Challenge from 37, State Express and Purnima in 38, Leather face and Hero No.1 from 1939. Total 18 films only.
Her youngest sister Meher Bano also joined films with the name Purnima ( she also married a Producer Director Bhagwandas Varma). Shirin married Producer Director Nanabhai Bhatt, who already had a wife and 9 children. They had 2 sons- Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt.
Let us now enjoy this almost 90 year old song….
Song- Bharat hai sukh chain hamaara (His Highness)(1937) Singer- Basheer Qawwal, Lyricist- Sampatlal Shrivastav ‘Anuj’, MD- Not known ( One of Shankar Rao Vyas and Lallubhai Nayak)
Lyrics
aa aa aa aa aa aa
haan aan aan aan
aan aan aan
aan aan aan
Bharat hai sukh ee ee ee
chain hamaaraa
apna watan hai sabko pyaaraa
Bharat hai sukh chain hamaaraa
apna watan hai sabko pyaaraa
apna watan hai sabko pyaaraa pyaaraa
apna watan hai sabko pyaaraa pyaaraa
apna watan hai sabko
Hindu Muslim Sikh Isaai
aapas mein hain bhai bhai
Bharat maataa sab kee maayee
jhagda kahaan ka kaisee lagaayee
Bharat hai sukh chain hamaaraa
apna watan hai sabko pyaaraa
aapas ke sab bair mitaa do
desh ka bedaa paar lagaa do
jhanda ooncha jag se uthhaa do
saare zamaane ko dikhlaa do
Bharat hai sukh chain hamaaraa
apna watan hai sabko pyaaraa aa aa