Stage Performances at College or School Festivals

Our Hindi films always revolve around young generation. We usually don’t accept older main leads, though the scenario is changing for good, of late. But it was mandatory for old Hindi film heroes to be a college student, who would always pass B A with distinction. Even if they look old enough to have a school going child of their own.

Before we go the actual song list, let’s roam through the colleges from old Hindi films and hero-heroines’ houses.
“माँ, मैं बी ए पास हुआ” the hero would say, after reaching home with a box of sweets.
The mother, a widow, would look at her Raja Beta with tearful eyes. She had been sewing clothes, day and night, in spite of her health to make ends meet. She would say, “तुमने अपने बाबूजी का सपना पुरा किया, मेरे लाल! आज अगर तुम्हारे बाबूजी जिंदा होते, तो उनकी खुशी का ठिकाना नहीं रेहेता”
The camera would focus now, a photo with a fresh garland. The film would have at least a scene where the mother is shown sewing clothes while coughing! The camera would focus on the spinning wheel of the sewing machine and the movie would take a leap.

The scene would change for the heroine. She is a daughter of a Seth or businessman. She would burst into the home, with her friend. Her parents would happily look at her. After uttering a few clichés, the mother would suddenly say with tearful eyes, “गीता के बाबूजी, अब जल्दी से इसके हाथ पीले कर दो, बेटी तो आखिर पराया धन होती हैं”
Heroine would say with puffy cheeks, “ये क्या माँ? अभी तो मेरी पढ़ाई पूरी हुई हैं, इतनी जल्दी शादी!”
The scenario would change further if the heroine is not from rich family. Her father, a school teacher or an honest clerk, has a loan taken from a Sahukar. The Sahukar himself or his brother in law, has his eye on her.
Ok! Enough of this, before I entirely change the track and go tangentially off target.

In old Hindi films, the college scenes used to be sensible, much less outdoor shooting. Invariably the couple would run into each other, either walking or more frequently on bicycle.

The hero gets attracted to heroine’s उलझी बिखरी हुयी झुल्फे and would stare lunatically at her, instead of helping her collecting books or her belongings. The agitated heroine would curse him under her breath and go away with her bicycle.
Hero would sometimes help her collect the books and in the process holds her hand or touch unintentionally.

The heroine would withdraw her hand shyly and go away. She won’t forget to look back, before she turns around a corner. Meanwhile, their friends would gather round and tease him or her. Oh! I could actually feel the scene happening around me.

The song performance at the college festival usually starts or ends with a cat fight between the couple. They are not happy with the results, or they are not comfortable with each other. The songs are either of chhed chhad type or rarely announce the love, the performer has, for his or her love interest. In all, majority of such songs are of celebration, songs with happy mood, etc. Rarely we do come across a melancholic song.

If the film starts with the main lead, as a child, there is usually a song in school annual gathering, or a dance competition etc. Rarely the main lead has their child, and they attend the school festival to enjoy the child’s performance. My list covers a couple of songs from the latter category.

So let’s visit the list, the stage performances at college or school festivals, let it be annual gathering, or a competition or a farewell function! As usual the songs are from Pre-70s films, and are in no particular order………….

1. Tere Pyar Ka Aasra Chahta Hoon – Dhool Ka Phool (1959) Lata Mangeshkar & Mahendra Kapoor / N Datta – Sahir
This was obviously the first song that I thought of. The song was known to me since my school days (Thanks to Doordarshan), and for me, it was an obvious first choice for the list.
The cultural event of the college has come to an end, when the host (Mehmood) announces a surprise item. Boys and girls are supposed to present their point of view about love. The chosen representatives are (obviously) Rajendra Kumar and Mala Sinha. They are supposed to present it as a Mushaira, so that the event would become memorable. Both of them sing as if they are renowned singers. But the hero heroines of Hindi films are always ‘सर्व गुणसंपन्न’, so that should not surprise us.

2. Ek Sawal Main Karoon – Sasural (1961) Lata Mangeshkar & Rafi / Shankar Jaikishan – Shailendra
The film opens with a fancy dress competition in a college. The lead pair, Rajendra Kumar and Saroja Devi, are jointly announced as winners, but their supporters create chaos and claim each others superiority. So it’s settled that, they would compete in one more performance, that would decide the winner. The song follows, and the hero wins. The last verse is usually not a part of the audio song. Enjoy the beautiful Sawal Jawab competition.

3. Unko Yeh Shikayat Hai Ke Hum – Adalat (1957) Lata Mangeshkar / Madan Mohan – Rajendra Krishna
It’s a well known song, wonderfully sung, and appears in the later part of the film. But in the first half of the film this wonderful ghazal makes appearance as in a Mushaira, arranged as a part of inter collegiate festival. Nargis presents it as her poem, in front of Pradeep Kumar. And as love already starts budding between the couple, the ghazal gets etched in his memory. So much so that, when he hears it after a long long time, he identifies it as her ghazal. So in a way, this recital plays an important part in the film. And the lyrics suit both the occasions perfectly.
The recital is rendered excellently by Lata Mangeshkar, without the help of instruments.

4. Chanda Mama Mere Dwar Aana – Lajwanti (1958) Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey & Chorus / S D Burman – Majrooh
Coming to a school festival song. The parents watching their child performing on stage. Though here, the child is a teenager, the couple watches her with great admiration. It’s parent’s day at her school, and all parents can be seen gathered in a hall, waiting for the program to begin. Kavita (Nargis) is meeting her daughter, after a long time. She hasn’t seen her as a grown up girl, and the happiness on her face is quite eloquent. Renu (Baby Naaz) has been told that her mother is no more, and once gone to the God, no one returns. Kavita is unaware of this reality. She is brought back by her husband by emotional blackmail.
Only the first part of the song is popular, that has only one stanza. But here we can enjoy the full song with Manna Dey’s part as well. Asha uses a child like voice here, much different than her other songs in the film.

5. Tang Aa Chuke Hai – Pyaasa (1957) Rafi / S D Burman – Sahir
Vijay offers a recitation of one of his ghazals. He is no more a college student, but is attending a Jalsa, taking place in his college. He is a poet, and has been invited there by one of his friends (Tuntun). He is not comfortable with his old clothes, and seeing his ex girlfriend in the audience, he is less at ease. He offers recital of one of his ghazals, depicting agony. When asked to sing a happy song, he simply says, he’s returning sorrows to the society, that he received from it.
The ghazal was chosen from Sahir’s book of ghazals, and wasn’t actually written for the film. Rafi has sung it, without any instruments, but on a tune, popularly chosen for such recitations. Later it was also included in one more film, Light House.

6. Mere Mehboob Tujhe – Mere Mehboob (1963) Rafi / Naushad – Shakeel Badayuni
I think the song is also an obvious inclusion on the list. Rajendra Kumar remembering his first meeting with Sadhana. They run into each other and their books splash away on the ground. His hand accidentally touches hers, and he can’t forget the touch of her soft tender fingers. Only her eyes visible through her veil, but had dramatic impact on him, who experiences sleepless nights. He simply can’t get over her and want to meet her just once, to convey his feelings. A beautiful composition, just having Tabla and Santoor to accompany the singer.

7. B A, M A, Ph D – Adhikar (1954) Asha Bhosle & Chorus / Avinash Vyas – Prem Dhawan
Usha Kiran acts in a play to raise a fund for her college building. She comes to Kishore Kumar’s home to sell tickets for the show. KK is already enchanted with her voice, which is very similar to his wife, who’s no more. The similarity makes him feel a rush of attraction towards her.
Usha Kiran sings the song, that talks about women liberation, through literacy. May women have a degree, but after marriage, they are reduced to household duties, their zeal for a particular profession is usually not fulfilled.
In my opinion, all women do help the country move forward by their small contribution. Even being a housewife is a full-time job with many responsibilities, and it should not be underestimated.

8. Bolo Woh Hai Kiska Desh – Pyar Ki Pyas (1961) Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey, Geeta Dutt & Baby Ranu / Vasant Desai – Bharat Vyas
A song full of patriotic spirit and unity among diversity, a unique feature of Indian culture. Honey Irani performing with children and adults as well on stage.
The song has various parts sung in prominent Indian languages, like Bengal, Marathi, Rajasthani, Gujrathi, Punjabi, Tamil etc. And it talks about the ultimate truth of union, and need to see beyond the boundaries of religion, language and geographic states, etc. It stimulates the spark of patriotism in listeners minds. A good song for the list.

9. Badal Rahi Zameen Badal Raha Hai Aasman – Fashinable Wife (1959) Geeta Dutt / Suresh-Talwar – Bharat Vyas
This is perhaps a college festival performance. I couldn’t actually find any clue to support my assumption. But she’s performing in front of a sizable ladies audience. She appeals to the audience to keep away from male chauvinism and look for her own identity. We should not let the scientific advances overpower ourselves or the nature. A song supporting women empowerment, was a fortunate addition to the list. I came across the song, while I was researching for the songs of Bharat Vyas, during January this year.
Look at the lyrics, by Bharat Vyas, sixty years back, he had thought of these bad effects of scientific revolution.

10. Mausam Aaya Hai Rangeen – Dholak (1951) Sulochana Kadam, Satish Batra & Chorus / Vinod – Aziz Kashmiri
Dholak was a full entertaining film, with bubbly girl, Meena Shorey in main lead with,  then handsome Ajit. The lead pair studies together in a college in Shimla. After completing the graduation, destiny brings the pair back to their college for a music competition.
They offer a mind blowing performance and win the prize, worth rupees five thousand. The song appears at the climax of the film, and was a grand attraction. It’s also one of the most popular songs by Sulochana Kadam. The catchy prelude and interlude with excellent use of Dholak are really worth listening to and make it a foot tapping number. Enjoy the wonderful song.

Would you add a song?

Disclaimer –
Mehfil Mein Meri, claims no credit for any image, screenshots or songs posted on this site. Images on this blog are posted to make the text interesting. The images and screenshots are the copyright of their original owners. The song links are shared from YouTube, only for the convenience of music lovers. The copyright of these songs rests with the respective owners.