Ghazal in Golden Era of Bollywood (Part-1)

Ghazal has been an integral part of Bollywood music,The filmi-ghazal is a genre of filmi based on ghazal poetry in Hindi or Urdu. It’s a unique combination of poetry, melody and singing.In the 1940s ,50s, and 60s Hindi film industry attracted many well known poets and writers of Hindi/Urdu. Initialy  Ghazals were very similar to other Hindustani light classical forms such as the dadra or, thumri.later on the ghazal usually had a form which is not too dissimilar to many film songs. Some of the high quality ghazals like Ujdi Hui Hai Ishq Ki Duniya Tere Bagair,zinda hoon iss tarah ki gham-e-zindagi nahin, tumhaare bulaane ko jee chaahta hai, rehne laga hai dil mein andhera tere baghair are still remembered today.
I am starting with a ghazal Duniya e aarzoo ko mita kar chale gaye from the film Barsaat Ki Ek Raat
released in 1948 sung by Munawwar Sultana, Music was given by Ghulam Haider.It is said that Munawwar Sultana received musical training from Ghulam Haider in the 1930s when he was composing non-filmy songs for Jien-o-Phone record company. However, music director Pandit Amarnath gave her chance to sing in her first two Hindi/Urdu films – ‘Albeli’ (1945) and ‘Dhamki’ (1945).Readers should not confused with this singer Munnawar Sultana with the actress Munnawar sultana,both were different.The singer Munawwar Sultana (08/11/1924 – 20/05/1995) was a radio singer in Punjabi and Urdu songs on All India Radio, Lahore in the 40s.After the partition she remained in Pakistan,During her pre-independent filmy career, she sang about 20 songs.

Song from Barsaat Ki Ek Raat 1948  

The next Ghazal in my list is Ujdi Hui Hai Ishq Ki Duniya Tere Bagair from the film Refugee (1948) 

sung by Sulochana Kadam and written by Pt Faani, Music by – Ajit Merchant.This is a rare song

Song from Refugee 1948

Here I am presenting a rare Ghazal by Hemant Kumar under the Music Direction of Kamal Dasgupta in a film Manmaani(1947)

Song from Manmaani 1947

I am presenting here a ghazal ‘guroor-o-naaz se ghesu ka bal khaana nahin achchaa’ written by Aarzoo Lucknowi for the film PARAKH (1944).Only the audio clip is available but it is apparent that Kaushalya has sung this ghazal on herself.

Song from Parakh 1944

When we talk about Ghazal how can we not say about Ghalib.Over a period of years, many of his Ghazals became famous and were used in several films and were sung privately by many well known singers.Ghalib’s one particular Ghazal “Dil E Nadaan,tujhe hua kya hain ” is perhaps one of the most popular Ghazals used in films.This Ghazal was sung by many singers in different Hindi films so far,I am taking from the film Apna Desh(1949) Sung by Pushpa Hans music was given by Purushottam.Today's generation may be unknown of Pushpa hans but  old timer Punjabi readers will recall this name with Nostalgia.

Song from Apna Desh 1949

Here I am posting the same Ghazal in the voice of Talat Mahmood and Suraiya from the film Mirza Ghalib 1954

Song from  Mirza Ghalib(1954)

Momin Khan ‘Momin’ (1800-1851) was one of the prominent Urdu poets in the Mughal court during early 1800s. He  was the contemporary and a close friend of Mirza Ghalib.One of his most famous ghazals by which Momin Khan ‘Momin’ is known worldwide is ‘wo jo hum mein tum mein karaar thha tumhen yaad ho ke na yaad ho’. This ghazal has been rendered by many famous singers as well as upcoming singers.This ghazal was also sung in the film ‘Shikaayat’ (1948) by Kalyani, Manik Dadarkar ( aka Manik Varma) and Chorus. I have selected one sung  in a soulful voice by Begum Akhtar.

Tumhe yaad ho ke na yaad ho by Begum Akhtar

When we are discussing the !940s ghazals ,how can we forget this immortal Ghazal of Mukesh Ji from the film Aag 1948 zinda hoon iss tarah ki gham-e-zindagi nahin

Song from Aag 1948

Mazrooh Sultanpuri was a great Urdu poet who gave us many immemorable Ghazals in hindi films,one of which was Ae dil mujhe aisi jagah le chal (Aarzoo) (1950) sung by Talat

Song from Aarzoo 1950

 If ‘deewaana banaana hai to deewaana banaa de’ (1925) heralded the arrival of Begum Akhtar as a ghazal singer, ‘ae mohabbat tere anjaam pe ronaa aayaa’ (early 1950s) consolidated her position in ghazal singing paving the way for her to be bestowed upon the title of ‘mallika-e-ghazal’ This was written by shakeel Badayuni and composed by Begham akhtar is a Non Filmy Ghazal

Ae mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya

 It was Talat’s reign in Hindi film Ghazal. People were mesmerised with his quivering velvety voice and the ‘ dard ‘ with which Talat sang his numbers.

His voice belongs to an era when gentleness was a virtue. His songs fall on ears like soft petals on wet earth. His melody was ‘ felt ‘ rather than ‘ heard ‘. He was named the King Of Ghazals.Talat became Dilip kumar's voice initially His flawless Urdu Diction and the way he articulated the poetry in the song enhanced the song’s appeal. Dilip Kumar insisted for Talat. However a slight misunderstanding with Naushad gave way to Rafi in Deedar,He was Dilip’s voice in different composers’ films. ‘Mera jeevan saathi’ for Naushad(Babul-50), ‘seene mein sulagte’ for Anil Biswas(Tarana-51), ‘ye hawa ye raat’ for Sajjad(Sangdil-52), ‘Aye mere dil kahin’ for Shankar Jaikishan(Daag-52) and ‘Shaam e gham ki kasam’ for Khayyam(Footpath-53).Here is my one of his favorite

Song from Tarana 1951

 Lataji vocalized her first ghazal – the mind-blowing Dil-e-naashaad ko jeene ki hasrat ho gayee tumse under the baton of Hansraj Bahl in Chunariya (1948). Her superb rendition of this none-too-easy a number with expression, enunciation and mastery on its many murkis in all octaves is just breath-taking.

Song from Chunariya (1948)

A Majrooh Sultanpuri Ghazal Uthaaye jaa unke sitam aur jiye jaa  from Andaaz, (1949) consolidated Lata ji's Position as a leading Playback singer of bollywood

Song from Andaaz, 1949

After Lata Mangeshkar automatically the name of Asha Bhonsle appears in our mind,Asha ji’s career in Hindi films gets launched by the hands of Hans Raj Behl. in the year  1948. the film was ‘Chunariya’. In this film, Asha made her debut as part of a trio of singers (along with Geeta Roy and Zohrabai).A year latter she was given a solo by the same Music Director,one of this was a Ghazal.It is a rare song of Asha ji

Song from (Raat Ki Raani)(1949)

Here is one of the most popular ghazals of Mirza Ghalib ‘ hazaaron khwaahishein aisike har khwaahish pe dam nikley’ sung by G M Durrani from the film GHAYAL(1951)

Song from GHAYAL(1951)

Here is one of Sulochana Kadam’s little known song ‘wo aayen hai dil ko kararaa gaya hai’ from the film MALIKA SALOMI (1953).This may be the only ghazal she sang in her Hindi film playback singing career. 

Song from Malika Salomi 1953

 Aah ko chaahiye is probably is the  favourite Ghazal of most of the people, though, simply because everything – Ghulam Mohammad’s music, Suraiya’s superb rendition, and Ghalib’s poetry – fits together perfectly. 

Song from Mirza Ghalib, 1954

Humse aaya Na Gaya Tumse Bhulaya Na Gaya very famous Ghazal by Talat mehmood from the film Dekh Kabira Roya written by Rajendra Krishan and composed by Madan Mohan

Song from Dekh Kabira Roya 1957