It’s Mehmood’s birthday!

Today’s Mehmood’s birthday. A legendary actor, director and producer. He will always be immortal, through his comedy, acting and also for the songs picturised on him. He had his own style of acting, comedy and dancing. At his peak, he was paid more than even the film’s hero and it’s easy to see why!

So the songs are remembered for his performance and of course for the musical value.
He was born on 29th September 1932. His father, Mumtaz Ali was a famous actor-dancer in 1940s.
I won’t write about is early days, his flamboyance, his cars and shoes, his passion for horses or his personal life.
My blog deals with the songs and today I will present a list of songs picturised on him and Shubha Khote, his most popular co star!
They made a popular comedy pair for nearly a decade (throughout 1960s), and were an essential part of the films to run successfully at the box office.

Their pairing began with Chhoti Behen, which turned out to be a hit and for next few years, films starring Shobha Khote, Mehmood and Dhumal were highly popular and did roaring business at the box office.

Sasural, Dil Ek Mandir, Dil Tera Diwana, Bharosa and several other films celebrated jubilees. Dhumal would play Shubha’s father and Mehmood her lover, the former being against the love, would create problems in their union.

Shubha Khote had once remarked that any of the films where Mehmood’s character was named Mahesh, always became a hit.
Chhoti Behen, Love in Tokyo, Ziddi, Tumse Achcha Kaun Hai, Do Kaliyan, Naya Zamana and Kunwara Baap are examples of this.
After working for six to seven years continuously, they stopped working together.
Shubha Khote said in an interview “we were together in so many films that people gossiped about us. But there was a wide cultural difference between us.
Of course, I knew him very well but we were nothing but co-stars. Though we were such a successful team, it all became too monotonous. It was just like changing clothes and doing the same thing again and again. The producers and distributors loved it because this team was a crowd puller and they could sell their films on this. But it became very boring.”
So let’s celebrate his birthday with their musical hits.
Nearly seventy percent of the songs on my list, are composed by Shankar Jaikishan, and no need to say all of them are master pieces. Interestingly majority of these songs are by Hasrat Jaipuri.
Let’s cherish their on screen chemistry with these memorable songs!

1. Ajhoo Na Aaye Balma- Saanjh Aur Savera (1964) Rafi & Suman Kalyanpur / Shankar Jaikishan- Hasrat Jaipuri
A classical based song in Raag ‘Sindh Bhairavi’, adorably sung by the singers. Mehmood is in disguise of an old man, but makes himself apparent soon and both of them enjoy each other’s company, singing this wonderful song.

2. Main Tere Pyar Mein- Ziddi (1964) Geeta Dutt & Manna Dey / S D Burman- Shailendra
Many of the songs picturised on this pair have a common situation that they can’t meet each other so easily and have to make lot of excuses and at times disguises.
In the song, he is telling her about it. The song has funny sounding interlude pieces.
Picturised in tea plantations and a garden, this song is worth watching too for picturesque scenery.

3. Apni Ulfat Pe- Sasural (1961) Lata Mangeshkar & Mukesh / Shankar Jaikishan- Hasrat Jaipuri
A romantic duet. The pair appears to meet secretly away from the world. Her father doesn’t approve of this relation and he comes to the scenes at very end of the song with a Danda, to beat the offender.
Both of them look cute and innocent in this melodious song.

4. Gori Chalo Na Hans Ki Chal- Beti Bete (1964) Asha Bhosle & Rafi / Shankar Jaikishan- Hasrat Jaipuri
He teases her about the ways; the world treats a beautiful girl. But she doesn’t care for the world and declares her love, and claims herself competent to overcome the difficulties, she might face in the course.
A song picturised in Goa (?), the places look familiar but I couldn’t place them correctly!

5. Woh Din Yaad Karo- Humrahi (1963) Lata Mangeshkar & Rafi / Shankar Jaikishan- Hasrat Jaipuri
The situation in this song appears to be different. They are married and have children and they miss pre marriage good old days, when they were free and the romance they had. The ending of the song is funny where we can see three children in the pose of three monkeys.

6. Pyar Ko Madhur Madhur- Phoolon Ki Sej (1964) Asha Bhosle & Rafi / Adi Narayan Rao- Hasrat Jaipuri
A song picturised in a beautiful garden, with flowers and fountains around. The song has O P style music in the interludes and is quite melodious and memorable.

7. Main Rangila Pyar Ka Rahi- Chhoti Behen (1959) Lata Mangeshkar & Subir Sen / Shankar Jaikishan- Hasrat Jaipuri
A ghoda gadi song, with wise use of metaphor! ‘Ye Rang Hai Tere Pyar Ka, Jo Khila Hai Banke Bahar’
A beautiful and romantic duet. The only thing I dislike is the laughter, which doesn’t at all sound natural and spontaneous!

8. Ja Ja Re Ja Deewane Ja- Grihasthi (1963) Asha Bhosle & Rafi / Ravi- Shakil Badayuni
This is a Chhed Chhad song. They are teasing each other, by giving different examples of own superiority, in a funny and sporting way.

9. Main Tere Pyar Ka Bimar Hoon- Love In Tokyo (1966) Manna Dey / Shankar Jaikishan- Hasart Jaipuri
The only male solo on my list. Picturised in Tokyo, a amusement park can be seen. A less popular song from the movie.

10. Pyar Ka Lekar Udan Kahtola- Tum Se Achha Kaun Hai (1969) Rafi & Sharda / Shankar Jaikishan- Rajendra Krishna
Not my favourite. But fits the theme. The quality of the song is also inferior, as compared to other songs on the list. But it’s picturisation is bit interesting! Sorry, but right now, the video of the song is not available on Youtube. So let me add the audio song. (as on 18/04/2020)

Which Song Would You Add?