Yash Chopra’s debut and his successful collaboration with lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi

Baldev Raj Chopra or BR Chopra came to Hindi cinema after initially working as a film editor of a film magazine in Lahore. BR saw films as an effective medium to bring about social change. Some of the filmmaker’s early works such as Naya Daur (1957) and Sadhana (1958) are good examples of BR’s efforts in this regard.

BR passed on this same ideology to his younger brother, Yash Chopra. To quote Rachel Dwyer, who authored Yash Chopra: Fifty Years in Indian Cinema, “BR wanted Yash to make social-issue films with strong stories.” Consequently, when Yash turned director, his very first film was Dhool Ka Phool, a film which dealt with the subject of an illegitimate child while also tackling the subject of communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims. The film had very good music, with some particularly soulful numbers such as ‘Daaman mein daag laga baithe’ and ‘Tu mere pyaarka phool hai’. But the pièce de résistance composition of the film was ‘Tu Hindu banegana Musalmaan banega’, which has since gone on to become an anthem of sorts for communal harmony in India. In the recent episode of The Golden Years: 1950-1975 ,Javed Akhtar said, “This song must continue to be heard and played. Hopefully, there will come a time, when we will become human beings.”

The film’s songs were written by Sahir Ludhianvi, who had also written the songs for BR’s Naya Daur and Sadhana. Yash was a big fan of Sahir’s poetry and so it was natural that when he turned director, he took Sahir on as lyricist. The Yash Chopra-Sahir Ludhianvi pairing is one of the most successful director-songwriter collaborations in Hindi cinema. Sahir wrote the songs of each of Chopra’s films – Dharmputra (1961), Waqt (1965), Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969), Daag (1973), Joshila (1973), Deewar(1975), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Trishul (1978) and Kala Patthar (1979) – right upto the time of Sahir’s death in 1980. In this time, Yash changed his composers, but not once did he work with anyone other than Sahir. Such was Yash’s sense of loss on Sahir’s death that he was left wondering how he would make films without his favourite songwriter.

A similar working partnership existed between the filmmaker Nasir Husain and Majrooh Sultanpuri. Husain had met Sultanpuri through some common family friends when the former came to Bombay. Sultanpuri had written the songs of Paying Guest, for which Husain had got his first independent writing credit for ‘Screenplay and Dialogues’. Perhaps, it was that association that led Husain to choose Sultanpuri as his preferred songwriter. Barring Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961), for which the composers Shankar-Jaikishen had given music, and so Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri came on board as songwriters, Sultanpuri worked on all other Husain films, including Dil Deke Dekho (1959), Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963), Teesri Manzil (1966), Caravan (1971), Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) and Hum Kisise Kum Nahin (1977). Even after Husain stopped directing, Sultanpuri was brought in as lyricist for  son Mansoor Khan’s two directorial ventures produced by Husain, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992).

Another successful working collaboration which Husain forged was with the actress, Asha Parekh. Parekh had earlier worked as a child artiste in films such as Bimal Roy’s Baap Beti (1954). She also played a cameo in Aasha (1957). Incidentally, Parekh was chosen as the lead heroine in Vijay Bhatt’s Goonj Uthi Shehnai, which also released in 1959, but was dropped from the film after two days of shooting.Parekh was replaced by Ameeta, the lady who starred in Husain’s first film Tumsa Nahin Dekha opposite Shammi Kapoor. However, when Filmalaya studios was casting for its first production and Husain’s second film as director, Dil Deke Dekho, Parekh landed the role opposite Shammi Kapoor.

Parekh was only 17 when the film released, but the film catapulted her into stardom as she became one of the most successful film actresses right through the 1960s and early 1970s. Parekh worked in every one of Husain’s films as the lead actress from Dil Deke Dekho to Caravan. Speaking on Parekh’s casting in Dil Deke Dekho, Akhtar said, “When she appeared in this film, nobody knew that for several years she would be the heroine in each of Husain’s successful films.” Her last film with the producer-director was Manzil Manzil (1984), where she played a mother. 

The next episode of The Golden Years: 1950-1975, A Musical Journey with Javed Akhtar will air on Sunday at 8 pm on Zee Classic!