Aao bachcho tumhein dikhayen jhanki….ki
Fill in the blank in ‘Aao bachcho tumhein dikhayen jhanki…ki’. We all know the answer – ‘Hindustan’. If you think of it, ‘Pakistan’ also fits in perfectly. It is quite befitting that this is so, because no two countries have such shared history, shared culture, language, musical tradition, dress and appearance. India and Pakistan both got independence on the same day (August 15/14) from the British rule by the same Act of British Parliament, ‘India Independence Act 1947’. This was more like a surgeon separating two children at birth, with the ‘surgeon’ Radcliffe cutting the land into two by drawing his scalpel on the map, creating two nation-states.
With such shared legacy, we must admire the people who decided to recreate the inspirational/ patriotic film, Jagriti (1954), on the other side as Bedari. Actor Ratan Kumar (Nazir Rizvi) was the common link. After getting fame for his roles in Boot Polish and Jagriti, he moved to Pakistan, where he played the same role of a differently-abled nice boy, who reforms the wayward boy in Bedari. Ratan Kumar went on to become a major star there.
Kavi Pradeep, the legendary singer-lyricist of patriotic-inspirational songs wrote the lyrics for Jagriti and Hemant Kumar composed its music. The lyrics ofBedari are credited to Faiyaz Hashmi. I believe he is the famous lyricist who wrote all those great non-film geets and ghazals of Jagmohan, Hemant Kumar and Talat Mahmood. Fateh Ali Khan is said to be the music director of Bedari,but his job must have been very easy as he had to simply fit in different words in a karaoke track.
Let us greet the two nations on their Independence Day with the songs fromJagriti and their versions with identical tunes from Bedari. This post also fits into one of the sub-sub categories of Ashok Vaishnavji’s omnibus Multiple Version Songs (patriotic songs from different countries having the same tune!), and if he agrees we can treat it as Multiple Version Songs (19): Patriotic Songs.
1. Aao bachcho tumhe dikhayen by Pradeep
This is one of the most recognizable songs of Kavi Pradeep, who was not only one of the greatest lyricists of Hindi films, but also a singer endowed with a uniquely powerful and attractive voice, ideally suited for patriotic and inspirational songs. Picturised on the idealistic teacher, Abhi Bhattacharya, the song is also a reference to Gandhi’s Bharat Darshan on the train to understand India, on his return from South Africa.
Aao bachcho tumhe dikhayen jhanki Hidustan ki: Film Jagriti
And here is the Bedari song
Aao bachcho sair karayen tumko Pakistan ki
Aao bachcho sair kareyen tumko Pakistan ki: Film Bedari
2. De dee humein azadi by Asha Bhosle
One of the most well known eulogies to Gandhi, credited with getting our Independence, with the sole weapons of truth and non-violence.
De dee humein azadi bina khadg bina bhaal: Film Jagriti
Qayad-e-Azam occupies the same place on the other side. So you have De dee humein azadi, on the other side, as a tribute to him. Said to be sung by Munawwar Sultana, lyrics are credited to Faiyyaz Hashmi.
De dee humei azadi…. ae Qayad-e-Azam tera ehsan hai ehsan by Munawwar Sultana
De dee humein azadi.. ae qayad-e-azam tera ehsan hai ehsan: Film Bedari
3. Hum layen hain toofan se kashti nikal ke by Rafi
This is another iconic song from Jagriti, sung by Mohammad Rafi. A sombre song, addressed to the children, explains the value of the hard-won independence and urges them that it is now upon them to preserve it.
Hum layen hain toofan se kashti nikal ke: Film Jagriti
As it turns out, preserving and protecting the nation was no less important on the other side. So you have its version song, said to be sung by Saleem Raza. The song has in the end K-rhetoric which belongs to the 1950s. Much water has since flown in the Chenab; and, hopefully, the two peoples can enjoy our rich common cultural and musical heritage.
Hum layen hai toofan se kashti nikal ke by Saleem Raza
Hum layen hain toofan se: Film Bedari
4. Chalo chale ma sapno ke gaon mein by Asha Bhosle
Jagriti also had an extremely melodious Asha Bhosle song, a loving mother-son song that talks of going to a dreamland.
Chalo chale ma: Film Jagriti
Dreams are no different on the other side; and, as Shahrukh Khan said in Veer Zara, mothers are equally lovely on both the sides. You have Chalo chalen mafrom Bedari, said to be sung by Nazir Begum. The child Ratan Kumar is the same in both the films, with different mothers though.
Chalo chale ma sapno ke gaon me by Nazir Begum
Chalo chale ma: Film Bedari
Since Bedari came three years after Jagriti, there is no doubt who got inspired by whom. Lest someone should think that it has been a one-way traffic, our music directors, too, have been hugely inspired by musicians from Pakistan right since the 1940s, when Lahore school of music (then part of India), led by Ghulam Haider hit Bombay. This tradition has continued all along. If Bedari can be seen as a tribute to Jagriti, Anu Malik and Bappi Lahiri have repaid the debt many times over. It is said that they were the most grief-stricken on the demise of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, even more than his family members.
Wishing the two peoples of India and Pakistan a great future on the occasion of our shared Independence Day, and also wishing that the musical bond between the two grow forever.