Nargis' 96th Birth Anniversary: From Baby Rani To Bollywood's Queen; Look At Her Legacy In Cinema
Sunday, June 1, marks the 96th birth anniversary of Nargis. After starting off as child star Baby Rani, she did her first lead role in 1943 when she was only 14, with the comedy Taqdeer. From the musical viewpoint, she was picturised on the biggest hits of the 1950s. Many of them were from Raj Kapoor films or co-starred him, and the bulk was sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Naturally, a Nargis playlist would be filled with classics.
Interestingly, even before Lata made a mark with the 1949 film Barsaat, Shamshad Begum sang a few songs for Nargis. These included her numbers in Taqdeer. In 1948, the singer also had Kaahe Koyal Shor Machaaye Re in Aag, with music by Ram Ganguly, and Gham Ka Fasana and Taqdeer Bani Bankar Bigdi with Naushad in Mela.
The year 1949 flagged the Lata-Nargis combination. Though the Melody Queen also sang for Nimmi and Bimla Kumari to Shankar-Jaikishan’s music in Barsaat, Nargis’s appearances with Raj Kapoor on Mujhe Kisise Pyaar Ho Gaya and Meri Aankhon Mein Bas Gaya Koi Re were memorable. The same year, Lata worked on the Andaz song Uthaye Ja Unke Sitam, composed by Naushad in raag Kedar.
The following year, Shamshad Begum continued her partnership with Nargis in Babul, which had the hit Chhod Babul Ka Ghar. Geeta Dutt gave the actor some great songs in Jogan, including the Meerabai-penned Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol. Nargis also appeared, but did not lip-sync, with Dilip Kumar in Mohammed Rafi’s Bachpan Ke Din in Deedar, composed by Naushad.
Up until 1956, nothing could match her teamwork with Lata, Raj Kapoor and music directors Shankar-Jaikishan, with lyrics being divided between Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. In 1951, Awara had Ghar Aaya Mere Pardesi, Ab Raat Guzarne Waali Hai and Dum Bhar Jo Idhar Mooh Phere. Two years later, Aah had Yeh Shaam KI Tanhaiyan and the Mukesh duet Aaja Re Ab Mera Dil Pukara. Lata was at her peak during that period, and her voice perfectly matched Nargis’s screen personality.
The biggest success of that combo came from Shree 420 (1955) and Chori Chori (1956). The former had Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua, Ichak Daana and Ramaiyya Vastavaiyya, which are all hummed till today. Because of its picturisation, Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua is associated with the rains. Chori Chori had three Lata-Manna Dey duets – Aaja Sanam Madhur Chandni Mein Hum, Yeh Raat Bheegi Bheegi and Jahaan Main Jaati Hoon – besides Lata’s Panchhi Banoon Udti Phiroon and the raag Shuddha Kalyan classic Rasik Balma. Raj Kapoor and Nargis also appeared together on Lata’s Jaago Mohan Pyaare from Jagte Raho in 1956, though this time, the music was by Salil Choudhury.
The Nargis ‘discography’ will be incomplete without the 1957 epic Mother India, which had music by Naushad and lyrics by Shakeel Badayuni. Again, Lata shone on Nagari Nagari Dwaari Dwaari, Duniya Mein Aaye Ho To and the Rafi duet Matwale Jiya Dole Piya. There are other group songs where Nargis appears on screen, but doesn’t mime.
The 1958 film Adalat was a huge musical success, with Madan Mohan and Rajendra Krishan combining to create ghazals sung by Lata. The timeless tunes included Jaana Tha Humse Door, Yun Hasraton Ke Dagh and Unko Yeh Shikayat Hai, composed in the rare raag Malgunji The expressions of Nargis on each song were immaculate.
One may wonder how Asha Bhosle’s name hasn’t come up so far. Though she sang few songs for Nargis, she had some really beautiful numbers in Lajwanti (1958). These included Koi Aaya Dhadkan Kehte Hain, Gaa Mere Man Gaa and the lullaby Chanda Re, Chanda Re, Chhupe Rehna, all composed by S.D. Burman. Her last film was Raat Aur Din in 1967, where she played a split personality, had music by Shankar-Jaikishan. Appropriately, Lata sang for her, coming out with winners like Awaara Ae Mere Dil, Na Chhedo Kal Ke Afsane, Dil Ki Girah Khol Do (with Manna Dey) and the title track. On her birthday, listeners have plenty of choice and variety. The magic flows.
news