Pradeep Kumar Songs from 1960 to 1963

I have taken a long time to return to some more good songs picturised on Pradeep Kumar.  My first post was full of songs by Hemant Kumar, Talat Mahmood, Mukesh and Rafi from the 50s.

In this post, I go to the 60s which had some really very good songs picturised on Pradeep Kumar.  To reiterate, he is not my favorite actor.  He was very adequate, I feel the word really fits him.  He played a solid middle- class man who looked dependable.  He even played a Nawab or a Prince very well.  He looked handsome enough (in a solid sort of a way). His dialogue delivery was adequate.

He was lucky to have worked in an era where the story was the king.   It was the songs that were the crowning glory of the movie experience.  A line up of good songs could make or break a film.  Even now, after five decades, the movies have achieved immortality because of the songs.

As I did in the earlier post, I am working through Pradeep Kumar's filmography on IMDB and picking songs that I like best.

Yeh Rang bhare badal from Tu Nahi Aur Sahi (1960)

The music is by Ravi and the lyrics by Asad Bhopali. The singers are Asha and Rafi.

The movie was kind of odd.  Usually, the heroines get cautioned that their lives could be spoiled forever if they did not choose a good boyfriend.  In this movie, it is the hero whose life is 'spoiled' horribly because he chooses to trust a wayward girl.

The movie was borderline tolerable but had good songs.  I love this carefree song picturised on Pradeep Kumar and Nishi as they are eloping.



Yeh Mausam Rangeen Sama from Modern Girl (1961)

Now this is exactly the kind of a song that will never let Pradeep Kumar fade from our memory.  It is a swinging song that makes you want to dance the minute you hear.  The flirty hero (Pradeep Kumar) is complemented perfectly by the coy yet acquiescing heroine (Saeda Khan).

The music is by Ravi and the lyrics by Rajinder Krishan.  The song is sung by Mukesh and Suman Kalyanpur.


Hai Zindagi kitni Haseen from Apsara (1961)

The movie seems to have been a mythological fantasy if we look at the poster.  The heroine is supposed to be Padmini.  She does not look like one of the Travancore sisters.  Or maybe the poster is not very good.

This song has no video, so I can only guess it was picturised on Pradeep Kumar.

The song is written by Qamar Jalalabadi and music provided by Husnlal Bhagatram, sung by Talat and Asha.

A lovely song.


Ik Manzil rahi do phir pyar na kaise ho  from Sanjog (1961)

With Madan Mohan's line up of lovely songs, it was hard to pick one.  I chose this peppy duet as it is one of the few happy songs from the film.

The movie was quite a weepy one.  Poor Anita Guha is run through a wringer emotionally.

The music was by Madan Mohan, lyrics by Rajinder Krishan.  You can enjoy all the songs of the film here.


Saaze dil chhed de from Passport (1961)

This song was famously referenced in Jawani Diwani which came out in 1972.  The song was used while a bunch of youngsters were playing antakshari.  The youngsters claim that the song was made up, which prompts the hero to start an original song 'Agar Saaz chheda tarane banenge'.

This made me aware of the original sweet song.  It is so romantic with lovely lyrics. Which were by Farooq Kaiser and music by Kalyanji Anandji.  Sung by Lata and Rafi. Madhubala and Pradeep Kumar cavort blissfully in a garden. Ah, sweet love.



Saiyan chhod de baiyan  from Rakhi (1962)

 Again our Pradeep Kumar is in a garden chasing a pretty Waheeda.  He is quite determined to hold on to her wrist while she demurs demurely.

Another lovely song that reminds us of the wonderful music of the era. The lyrics are by Rajindra Krishan and music by Ravi.  Sung by Lata and Mukesh.

The title of the film suggests that the dominating emotion here was love between a brother (Ashok Kumar) and sister (Waheeda). Poor Pradeep Kumar was just the consort, methinks.



Aapne yaad dilaya to mujhe yaad aaya   From Aarti (1962)

Aarti was the second movie starring Pradeep Kumar and Meena Kumari.  There were a good number of films (four I think, Aarti, Chitralekha, Bheegi Raat and Bahu Begam) where  Ashok Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, and Meena Kumari were in a romantic triangle.

This movie had lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri and music by Roshan.  And it was so good, all the songs are winners.

There is a flirty song in the film - baar baar tohe kya samjhaye - but it is not filmed on the couple, hence I chose this rather moody song sung by Rafi and Lata.


Yeh Kisne Geet Chheda  from Meri Surat Teri Ankhen (1963)

The movie was a bit like The Phantom of the Opera.  The main protagonist was Ashok Kumar, the older son who is shunned because he is ugly.  He falls for pretty Asha Parekh who is not disgusted by him.  But she is in love with Pradeep Kumar already and cannot reciprocate.

This song is written by Shailendra and set to music by SD Burman.  It takes me away to another place altogether when I hear it.  It is sung by Suman and Mukesh.



Milte hi nazar unse ham ho gaye diwane from Ustadon ke Ustad

This was a crime thriller which starred Sheikh Mukhtiar, Ashok Kumar, Pradeep Kumar and Shakila.  I saw it quite a while back, as far as I remember, I was not bored.

I was really hard pressed between this song and Sau Baar Janam Lenge which is so haunting.

The music is by Ravi, lyrics by Asad Bhopali.  The qawwali is sung by Manna Dey, Asha and Rafi.  It is picturised on Sheikh Mukhtiar, Pradeep Kumar and famous Qawwal Shakila Bano Bhopali.



Paon choo lene do phoolon ko inayat hogi  from Taj Mahal (1963)

This was a lavish film about the great love between Khurram and Arjumand.  This is no legend, these people really did exist and there seems to be ample evidence that the couple was very fond of each other.

The lovely Bina Rai played Arjumand, later known as Mumtaz Mahal.  Pradeep Kumar stepped into the shoes of Shah Jahan.

The movie has a line up of memorable songs, a big achievement by Roshan.  The lyrics were by Sahir.  Among all the songs of the movies, I had no trouble picking this intensely romantic number.


I have completed 10 songs, each from a different film and yet reached only 1963 in Pradeep Kumar's filmography.  I will cover the next four years, until 1967 in the next post.  After 1967, Pradeep Kumar was playing mostly character roles, also, the standard of songs was going down.

10 Splendid movies

A year or so ago, I happened to watch  Curse of the Golden Flower on the television.  I was captivated by the splendor of the film, the exotic and extremely colorful sets and the rituals of the house of an Emperor.  The movie was about an imperial family, palace politics and ancient rituals.  The movie was re-run often during the course of the next month or so, and I would watch it every time, despite its grim story, drawn by its magnificence.

It set me thinking about a lot of Hindi movies that had a similar kind of a look.  Grand stories of Kings and Nawabs, sprawling marble hawelis, opulent decor, rich clothes and jewellery, fine language, and a bonus that a Hindi film has, beautiful songs.

I am not usually good with lists.  They are compiled on the spur of the moment and consist of the things I can remember at the time.  These are the movies I have seen and can remember.  All of them are a big favorite of mine and I can watch them any number of times.

I have listed the movies in the order of their release for the sake of avoiding having to rank the films.  Though I love Mughal-e-Azam and Pakeezah the most, I can watch any of these movies at any time.

Rajhath - 1956

This Sohrab Modi film stars Madhubala and Pradeep Kumar.  The story is kind of Romeo-and-Juliet-ish with the children of two rival Rajput kings falling in love.  Sohrab Modi plays Madhubala's father.  On his wife's deathbed, he had promised never to cause his daughter any grief.  His second promise was that he would never entertain any relations with his rival king, who happens to be Pradeep Kumar's father.  When he finds out that his daughter is in love with his rival's son he knows he will have to break one of these promises.

The movie is fun, full of pretty songs.  Madhubala looks like a dream.




Mughal-e-Azam - 1960

This is the big daddy of all grand films.  It hasn't gotten any grander than this, and never will.  Saleem (Dilip Kumar), Anarkali (Madhubala) and Shehenshah Akbar (Prithviraj Kapoor) work their magic with splendid dialogues, the best ever.  Naushad pulled out all the stops with the music.  Each frame of the movie makes you gasp.  All you can do is keep saying 'Wah Wah' or 'Subhan Allah!"




Taj Mahal - 1963

If you are looking for a grand romance, what story can be better than that of Taj Mahal and of course, Mumtaz and Shah Jahan.  There is a lot of palace politics, battles and betrayals.  In midst of it all blooms the love between Mumtaz and Shah Jahan.  The legendary lovers are played onscreen by Bina Rai and Pradeep Kumar.  The movie has it all, courtly elegance, grand palaces, lovely ladies AND a qawwali that Minoo Mumtaz dances to.  Chandi ka badan.



Mere Mehboob -1963

Nawab Bulund Akhtar Changezi (Ashok Kumar) is a good, kind man.  He happens to have a thing about his family honor which does not allow him to own his love for the dancer Najma (Nimmi).  He is not likely to look kindly upon a romance between Najma's brother (Rajendra Kumar) and his sister (Sadhna).  This is another of those musical romances that is breathtaking and captivating and full of lovely songs.




Jahan Ara - 1964

Shah Jehan (Prithviraj Kapoor) has forgotten all about his own grand romance, and forbidden his daughter Jahan Ara (Mala Sinha) to love anyone, much less the court poet Mirza Yusuf Changezi (Bharat Bhushan).  Jahan Ara promises to never ever look upon Mirza again.  He is banished from the palace and wanders about the country composing lovely poetry while an equally heartbroken princess Jahan Ara pines for him.  The film had scintillating music by Madan Mohan who used Talat's voice to great effect.

The movie fared a terrible fate at the box office.  I saw it on the television long time back, during the 80s.  It has since been one of my favorites and I never pass up a chance to watch it again.






Chitralekha - 1964

The movie depicts the tussle between dissolute indulgence on one hand and duty and abstinence on another.  Chitralekha (Meena Kumari), the court dancer is on one side and Yogi Kumargiri (Ashok Kumar), the ascetic is on the other.  The king, Bijgupt (Pradeep Kumar)  is seduced by Chitralekha's charms.  Will Chitralekha sacrifice her love for the good of the king?

The movie is chock full of all things gorgeous.  There are some lovely dances and songs.




Amrapali - 1966

This is the story of Amrapali and Ajatshatru.  The movie was based on the story written by Acharya Chatursen, Vaishali ki nagarvadhu.  Ajatshatru (Sunil Dutt), the king of Magadh, finds it hard to win over his neighbouring country Vaishali.  The denizens of  Vaishali are extremely patriotic, and rise up to defend their country.  On one of his forays into Vaishali Ajatshatru runs into the beautiful court dancer Amrapali (Vyjayantimala).  They fall in love, but Amrapali is not aware of who the handsome soldier really is.

Vyjayantimala looks like an apsara in the film, and dances like one too.  Sunil Dutt is magnificent as the arrogant Ajatshatru.



Bahu Begam - 1967

Zeenat (Meena Kumari) is the daughter of a Nawab who has fallen upon hard times.  She is in love with another nawabi fellow Yusuf (Pradeep Kumar) who is, luckily, rich enough to marry.  There is no impediment in their union as such.  But Yusuf has a greedy uncle who tries to break up the couple by deceit as he will have to relinquish his claims as Yusuf''s guardian once he gets married.

In steps Nawab Sikander Mirza, who falls for Zeenat and sends an offer of marriage to her father.  The plot is pretty interesting and keeps you engrossed.  There are gorgeous women in silks and shimmering jewellery mouthing chaste urdu and singing songs that are out of this world.  Lajawab geet presented by Roshan.  It is really hard for me to pick one song to display here.

I choose this song - ham intezar karenge - as it is full of the hope of love.



Mehboob ki Mehndi -1971

Shabana (Leena Chandravarkar) is a beautiful, accomplished young lady who has the misfortune of being the daughter of a semi retired courtesan.  When her tout tries to induct Shabana into the trade, she runs away from Bombay to Lucknow along with her guardian.


In Lucknow Shabana runs into Yusuf (Rajesh Khanna) who promptly falls for her.  She is ready to marry him and settle down to a respectable life, but will her old secrets come tumbling out of the closet just when she is ready to apply Mehboob ki Mehndi to her hands?



Pakeezah - 1972

In grandeur, this film is beaten only by Mughal-e-Azam.  This was the opus of Kamal Amrohi, his dream project that nearly got wrecked due to his estrangement from Meena Kumari.  Luckily for us, she consented to complete the film.  This turned out to be her last.

There is no accounted for tastes.  This movie opened to a lackluster box office.  The ticket sales picked up, it is said, after the death of Meena Kumari.  There are a lot of people who do not like the film.  But it ties with Mughal-e-Azam as my most favorite film.  I love each and every frame of the film.

Shahbuddin (Ashok Kumar), the cowardly son of  Hakim Sahib (Sapru), fails to stand by the courtesan Nargis (Meena Kumari) who he loves and intends to marry.  Nargis dies of a broken heart and her daughter, Sahib Jaan (Meena Kumari) is brought up by her aunt (Veena).  As fate would have it, Saleem (Raj Kumar), a nephew of Shahbuddin, runs into Sahib Jaan and falls for her.  Unlike his uncle, he is a brave man and capable of fighting with the world for his love.