This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a contributor to this blog.
What is the meaning of the word Bandish ? It is very funny that we use many Urdu words without understanding their real exact meanings. We have some vague idea about its meaning and we sincerely use it with that intended meaning. I have come across people frequently using wrong words, causing humour or pity. From the childhood, I always remembered what our English teacher had told us. He had said that when in doubt, immediately refer to the dictionary and get the right meaning. A habit from that time helped me always and I became careful in using the correct words. This helped me in my education as well as career. Same case is with pronunciation of certain words. English or Urdu is not our mother tongue, and hence the right pronunciation of words is as important as using the right words.
Again, how many of us know the real, exact meaning of the word Bandish ? Those of us who are Music oriented, we know that ' Bandish ' is a fixed, melodic composition in Vocal or Instrumental music. However, Bandish has some other usages or meanings like ' Binding Together ' or even 'Restriction'. Dictionary gives these words, बंधन , रुकावट , शब्द योजना, रचना etc. Looking at the story of this film Bandish-55, the most appropriate meaning would be 'Binding Together'.
This film was having a FIRST and a LAST about it. This film was the FIRST or the Debut film of the child artiste Daisy Irani. In this first film, she enacted a Boy's role ! Daisy Irani was the sister of Menaka and Honey Irani and her brothers were Sarosh and Bunny. Her parents were Perin and Noshir Irani. Their grandfather ran an Irani restaurant ' B.Merwan'. Her father was looking after the cafe and their greedy mother Perin irani employed all 5 children to work as child artistes in Hindi and other language films. Thus their childhood was an abnormal one. Out of 5 children, Bunny acted in only 2 films,Sarosh in 5 films, Menaka even did few films as Heroine, but Daisy with 69 films and Honey with 22 films acted as child actors till they grew enough till not to look like children anymore. All got married and settled. Menaka married actor director Kamran (father of Farah Khan- Choreographer), Daisy married K.K.Shukla-a writer and Honey married Jawed Akhtar-writer, ex MP and a pseudo secularist.
This film was the LAST film as an assistant music Director for Ravi (who had been working as an assistant to Hemant Kumar). After this film, he debuted in film Vachan as an independent Music director He, however, continued relations with Hemant Kumar by offering him songs to sing in his films, for a long time.
Film Bandish-55 was made by Basu Chitra Mandir. It was directed by Satyen Bose and Music was by Hemant Kumar (assistant-Ravi Shankar Sharma). The cast of the film was Ashok Kumar, Meena Kumari, Daisy Irani-credited as Roop Kumar, Bipin Gupta, Sajjan, Nazir Hussain and many many more. Master Bhagwan was a Guest Artiste and sang a song " Le lo Gubbare" in this film.
Director Satyen Bose was my favourite director. I had first heard the name Satyen Bose when I saw the film Jagriti for the first time in 1954. That time I realised that this director is too good to miss anytime. His successive films confirmed my opinion about him and I made it a point to see all his films, as far as possible.
SATYEN BOSE was born on 22-1-1916 at Goya Bazaar, Calcutta. (some sources claim that he was born in Purnia, Bihar). He graduated in commerce from Vidyasagar college,Calcutta in 1941.He did jobs in Railways and Bank. He set up National progressive Pictures and made 3 films in Bangla. His Film PORIBORTAN-1949 was a grand success. He also acted as Principal Shishir babu in it. He then shifted to Bombay. He first made Parichay and then made Jagriti-54,a remake of his own PORIBORTON-49. Abhi Bhattacharya played the role of the new Superintendent Shekhar Babu in this film. Film Jagriti became a landmark movie in Hindi and won many awards including Filmfare and a national award. He directed 34 films till Woh din aayega-86.
He also did a Malyali film, Jeevita Samaram-71. His film Dosti gave name and fame to the L-P duo. Rakhi Gulzar debuted in his Jeevan Mrityu and Nargis got her National Award for his Raat aur Din-68. He did many films for Rajashree Productions and had good relations with Tarachand Barjatya. He was very friendly with Mukesh Sharma, Director of Bombay Doordarshan, in those days.
Satyen Bose died on 9th June 1993 at Bombay. His last rites were done by Mukesh Sharma, as per the wishes of Satyen Bose. Only 2 people from the Film Industry-Tarachand Barjatya and Anup Kumar attended his funeral. A great film director who gave hits like Jagriti, Raat aur Din, Girl Friend, Jeevan mrityu, Chalti ka naam gaadi etc,died Unsung and Unwept by the same industry !
Here is the filmography of Satyen Bose- FILMOGRAPHY (* also act): 1949: Paribartan*; 1951: Barjatri*; 1953: Bhor Hoye Elo; 1954: Jagriti; Parichay; 1955: Rickshawala; Bandish; 1957: Bandi; 1958: Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi; Savera; Sitaron Se Aage; 1960: Masoom; Girl Friend; 1964: Daal Mein Kala; Dosti; 1966: Aasra; Mere Lal; 1967: Bhagya; Raat Aur Din; 1968: Jyot Jale; 1969: Wapas; Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool; 1970: Jeevan Mrityu; 1972: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa; Anokhi Pehchan; Mere Bhaiya; 1977: Mastan Dada; 1978: Anmol Tasveer; 1979: Saanch Ko Aanch Nahin; Bin Maa Ke Bachche; 1980: Payal Ki Jhankaar; 1982: Tumhare Bina; 1983: Kaya Palat; 1986: Woh Din Aayega.
In Hindi cinema 2 actresses were famous as " Eternal Weepers". In almost every film these actresses wept at least 10 times ! Seeing them smiling or laughing used to be a matter of challenge and the cine-goers used to bet on these moments in their films ! They were NIMMI AND MEENA KUMARI-who was called The Tragedy Queen. Do you know even among the male actors, there was one such actor who wept in the majority of his films ? He also had 3 pet dialogues to be used in all his films. It was jokingly said in the industry that he would not sign a film till he was assured of at least one weeping scene in the film. His name was NAZIR HUSSAIN.
Nazir Hussain, an educated, multifaceted character actor, producer, director, writer and a social worker. Nazir Hussain was born on 15-5-1922 at village Usia Dildarnagar, Kamsaar, dist. Ghazipur-U.P. His father Shahabzad was a Guard in Railways. Being a tall and healthy person, Nazir joined the British Army for some time, but soon he left and joined the Indian National Army of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. In 1950,Bimal Roy was planning his film on Netaji,"Pehla Aadmi". He needed a person who could act and have the knowledge of Netaji's army details. He approached Nazir Hussain and after some pressure, he conceded and acted in the film. (HFGK however does not show his name in the cast, maybe the list is incomplete or he must have been in the film credit list).
Thus started a career spanning a period of more than 3 decades. He was one actor who started with doing character roles and continued throughout his career. He worked in over 200 films. He was a permanent fixture in Bimal Roy films, next he worked in almost all films of Dev Anand and Dharmendra also. His typical style of acting and delivery of dialogues got him weeping roles mostly. It is generally believed that Nazir did only weepy roles of helpless, poor farmers, poor girl's father, worker of low level, coolie etc etc, but it is not true. He is probably one of those actors who excelled in doing a variety of roles like Murderer(Baazi),Professor(Tapasya),Doctor(Khamoshi/Abhinetri), Police Commissioner( Jewel Thief), Advocate( Mohabbat zindagi hai),Police Inspector( Kala Pani), doting/smiling father (Sharmilee), Riksha Puller ( Do bigha zamin), Seth ji( Naya Daur) etc etc. However, because of his weepy roles in hit films, he was nicknamed "Aansuon ka canister" in the film industry. The equation was, "Nazir does not accept a role unless he is allowed to weep on screen".
Besides being a major character actor, the service he has rendered to the Bhojpuri Film industry can not be forgotten. In one of the Film Award functions, Nazir was introduced to President Rajendra Prasad. On learning that Nazir came from Gazipur, the President asked him why he should not produce Bhojpuri films. Taking inspiration from this, Nazir wrote, produced and directed the first Bhojpuri film "Gnaga maiya tori piyari chadhai bo"-1962. Later he kept on making several hit Bhojpuri films.
He was often a subject of ridicule for his weepy roles. His favourite dialogue was,"Beti / Beta, aaj agar tumhari Maa zinda hoti toh....". Yet another was,"Ab main duniya ko kya munh dikhaun "? One more was, ''Tumne mere saare armaan choor choor kar diye". Nazir Hussain was an actor,producer,director and also a writer. He used to write and direct all his Bhojpuri films. He shot many of his Bhojpuri films in and around his village and helped develop that area for employment.
His last film as an actor was Vali E Azam-1987. He died on 25-1- 2014 at the age of 92 years, in Malad, Mumbai. ( Thanks to Mr. M N Sardana ji and wiki ji).
The story, dialogues and screenplay of the film Bandish was by Jyotirmoy Roy. BANDISH was a remake of a successful Bengali film Chhale Kaar-1954.
In the film, story happens with all the cast bearing Bengali names. Nasir Hussain is Mahender Babu who is bringing up an orphan ‘Tomato’ (Daisy Irani),since he was a small baby. Now that he is unable to rear him any further due to bad health, he leaves Tomato in a park, where Kamal Roy(Ashok Kumar) is sitting alone on a bench and he tells Tomato to call him his father hereafter. Kamal Roy brings Tomato home and keeps him as his son. Kamal Roy’s marriage is fixed with Usha Sen(Meena kumari). The entry of Tomato is resented by Kamal’s Mother(Protima Devi) and father(Bhanu Bannerjee) who advise him to get married immediately, as the neighbours and other people in their social circle are whispering about Tomato’s parentage-accusing silently Kamal himself. In this situation Usha supports Kamal fully.
The story further details how Tomato brings cheers and sorrow in their lives with the end being very happy.
Here is the 4th song from this film, sung by Asha Bhosle.
Song-Mohe apna bana lo saajan (Bandish)(1955) Singer- Asha Bhonsle, Lyricist- Prem Dhawan, MD- Hemant Kumar (asstt. Ravi)
Lyrics
mohe apna bana lo saajan
mohe apna bana lo
mohe apna bana lo saajan
mohe apna bana lo
mere nanhe se naazuk man ki dekho batiyaan na taalo
ho o o
mohe apna bana lo saajan
mohe apna bana lo
sambhle na aaj piya
jaane kyun mera jiya
ghir ghir main jaaun haaye
tumne kya jaadu kiya
sambhle na aaj piya
jaane kyun mera jiya
ghir ghir main jaaun haaye
tumne kya jaadu kiya ho o
zara aa ke sambhaalo saajan
zara aa ke sambhaalo
mohe apna bana lo saajan
mohe apna bana lo
baahon mein teri piya jhoola main jhooloon
tu mujhko bhoole na main tujhko bhooloon
baahon mein teri piya jhoola main jhooloon
tu mujhko bhoole na main tujhko bhooloon oon oon
ye kasam aaj kha lo sajan
ye kasam aaj kha lo
mohe apna bana lo saajan
mohe apna bana lo
mere nanhe se naazuk man ki dekho batiyaan na taalo
ho o o
mohe apna bana lo saajan
mohe apna bana lo
mohe apna bana lo saajan
mohe apna bana lo
