Song of the Day

Let’s start Sunday with one of my favourite, Subhash Desai’s 1963 drama film *”Bluff Master”* directed by Manmohan Desai. 

The film starred Shammi Kapoor and Saira Banu. They were supported by Lalita Pawar, Mohan Choti, Jugal Kishore, Tun Tun, Rashid Khan, Laxmi Chhaya and Pran. 

Though Saira Banu and Shammi Kapoor had issues while working in Junglee 1961.They agreed to be part of this film.

There were stories of Dilip Kumar interfering in the film due to Saira Banu. He would keep making demands. The budget kept getting higher by further delays and demands. When the film was half way thru, Dilip and Saira wanted the film shot in technicolor. Manmohan Desai swore to keep away from Dilip Kumar for the rest of his career.

The credits express the producer's "sincere thanks to C.P.W.A. and their General Secretary, Shri Panna Kapoor with whose co-operation and efforts we have been able to complete this picture". Several members of the crew including the Art Director, Production Manager and all four Dance Directors mark their allegiance to the C.P.W.A. by having those initials appended to their names in the credits.

What a racy number. So archtypically Rafi on Shammi Kapoor. Listening to ths song without any additional information, one would tend to believe that the music is composed by O P Nayyar. But then I put my Sherlock Holmes cap on and deduced that it could not be O P Nayyar. Reason, the female voice is unmistakably Lata, and O P Nayyar never worked with her in his career. An O P Nayyar composition would have Asha Bhonsle instead.

So who was this music director who so effectivey cloned O P Nayyar’s style ? Well, it was the music director duo of Kalyanji Anandji. And they have come up with such a foot tapping, racy number. Hats off to them. And the lyrics are by that amazingly versatile lyricist Rajinder Krishan.

The song is picturised on Shammi Kapoor and a very young Saira Bano. Later, Pran the villain, also joins them and shakes a leg or two in the song. Pran doing a jig ! Well, now I have seen everything.

What a wonderful song!!!

*"Husn Chala Kuchh Aisi Chaal"* lyrics by Rajender Krishan, composed by Kalyanji Anandji and sung by Lata Mangeshkar & Mohammed Rafi 🎤🎵🎶🎧