This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a contributor to this blog. This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
This is his 500th article in the blog.
Oh my God !
I can not believe that this is my 500 th article on this Blog ! How time flies ! It seems just like yesterday that my first post appeared here. But it was 3 years 6 months and 11 days ago on 1-10-2012 that my first post had come up.
This Blog has given me lot of things. Firstly it gave me a sense of satisfaction. It proved that there is nothing like Retirement in life. It taught me to get pleasure by sharing what I know. It ensured that what I had gained will not be lost with me. It will remain here for the use of future students of Hindi Film History.
It has given me new friends, opened up a new world where you get pleasure by being in the company of like minded people sharing the same passion. A world full of Music and Old Glory !
All this was possible only because of one person-ATUL JI. He has not only supported and encouraged me, but also helped me by writing Lyrics of the songs that I present here on my name. But for him, I doubt if I could have rediscovered myself ! THANK YOU ATUL JI.
This world is surely a strange place. What we may consider as normal, may not be that normal for some people. Can you call them abnormal ? Certainly not. They may be right in their own way. Recently I met one of my very old friends, who was in USA for the last 10 years. He looked at me and said, “you look fine and fit. What are you doing these days ?”
I said proudly,” I am on the Board of Directors of one of the biggest pharma companies in India .”
He deflated my ego with a brush of hand, “Thats ok, it is not a full time job. I am asking how do you spend your spare time ? ”
With renewed enthusiasm, I said, “Nowadays I am very busy. I write articles on Internet on old films, music and related things. ”
He frowned, ” But you owned a Consultancy ? ”
I said, “yes,but I was fed up. I gave up everything and now I am enjoying my new work.”
He asked, “do you get paid for it ? ”
Me- “No, no. I do it as a hobby or call it my passion. All those who are in it do labour of Love. ”
He looked unconvinced, gave me a painful look with a tinge of Pity for me. I knew he felt what a waste of time. He could not say so openly but said sarcastically, ” old films ? Who would read that stuff ?”
At that point, I changed the topic.
Really, come to think of it, how many people must be reading these articles, which we prepare with great effort, time and research ? ATUL JI’s Blog is read in 198 countries, as per the report of WordPress itself. It has been visited so far by 8 million visitors approximately. That is, on an average, one million per year since the Blog started in the middle of 2008. This means almost 83000 visitors per month (E & OE).
Even if 10% of these visitors read my articles, I think the effort is worth it. Additionally, there are indirect readers too. Like those who receive direct mails daily from the Blog and those who receive these articles mailed to them religiously by some enthusiastic volunteers. Overall, if the articles are read by about 10,000 people every month, I feel that my work is more than worth it.
On this occasion, I wish to discuss an exceptional star of the bygone era, who was not only a beautiful singer actress, but an extraordinarily wise woman of substance with great foresight. Hindi film industry is replete with stories of actors,singers and other artistes who died in penury, neglect,and poverty-unsung and unattended. This was seen more in the artistes of the 30s and the 40s. However there was one star who was clever and understood the uncertainties of this Maya-nagari and acted wisely. That star was INDURANI, singer actress of the 30s and the 40s.
ISHRAT JEHAN IMAMUDDIN aka INDURANI was born in a middle class family of Delhi, on 22-6-1922. Her mother Munawar Jehan was one of the first female students of the then newly opened Hakim Ajmal Khan school of Jamia Millia University of Delhi. After graduating from the school as a Lady Doctor and Hakim,she had worked in the princely states of Zanzira and Tonk. Her father Shaikh Imamuddin was the owner of a fleet of 17 Horse Carriages ( Victorias and Tongas) and one of his contracts was for transporting Girl students to the Mission Girls Urdu School in Delhi. Therefore, Ishrat,her sisters Afroz and Roshan got good education in that school. They were 7 children in all. Ishrat was the third child. Naseem Bano ( real name Roshan),mother of Saira bano also studied in the same school for a short period.
Roshan was adventurous and she corresponded with a film studio and sent her Photo. They wrote back offering her a job of Rs.300 pm. When their father came to know this, he first admonished and bashed her. At that time,due to his gambling habit,he was in debts and financial difficulties, he thought that these girls can earn money for him, as film stars.
When Ishrat was about 12-13 year old and was studying in Eighth standard, her father brought her and her elder sister Roshan Jehan, to Poona to find work in films. The Talkie films had just started and and film makers were on the look out for good looking Boys and Girls who could speak Urdu/Hindi fluently. The sisters got work in Dadasaheb Torne’s Saraswati Cinetone. They both were renamed as Indurani (Ishrat Jehan) and Sarojini (Roshan Jehan). In those days, most Muslim artistes took Hindu names- for obvious reasons. While in Poona, the sisters were getting Rs 300/- pm as salary. Their father took 3 months’ advance payments and left for Delhi, leaving the sisters in the care of their Nani ( maternal grandmother). in Poona, they became quite friendly with a co-actor Vasantrao Pehelwan ( who did Villain’s roles in Master Bhagwan’s stunt films, later on). They called him ‘uncle’ji.
In Poona, Indurani first worked in a Marathi film,uncredited,”Savitri”, in a minor role of an younger sister. Unfortunately the Marathi film of Dadasaheb Torne flopped and his studio closed down. The sisters decided to shift to Bombay to seek work prospects. Vasantrao Pehelwan got them a flat on rent in Dadar’s Hindu Colony in Bombay.
While in Bombay, Indurani got work in films of Daryani Productions and she acted in films like Fida E Watan-36,Pratima-36, Bulldog-37 and Insaaf-37 . While doing films Pratima and Insaaf, she fell in love with her handsome co-star Prem Adeeb. However, when it became clear that he could not marry her as he could not muster enough courage to go against the family opposition ( he was a Hindu Kashmiri Pandit and she was a Muslim), she refused to continue the relations. She was a very strong woman indeed.
Soon the word spread around that two sisters were available for work. The sisters did not know much of anything in Bombay and could not go anywhere. So producers came to them. First was V.Shantaram who offered Indurani a job at Rs.300 pm.She insisted that her sister and Úncle’ji should also get the jobs. Shantaram agreed for Sarojini but refused Vasantrao pehelwan. So the matter did not materialise. ‘Uncle’ji went away soon after that. One day Sohrab Modi and Keki Modi came looking for them. Sohrab Modi offered them contracts for Rs. 450 pm and invited them to the studio. When they reached Minerva Movietone, they saw Leela Chitnis smoking with a long holder. Young Indurani was impressed and also tried to copy her,but Sohrab Modi, who treated her like his daughter told her that it did not suit her and she gave up.
One day Ramniklal Shah of Mohan pictures and his friend Nanabhai Bhatt( father of Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt) came calling. By that time Nanabhai Bhatt had already got involved in his star Shirin Bano. Ramniklal offered them a salary of Rs. 500 pm. This was more than Minerva, so the offer was accepted. In the process. Indurani lost a chance to work in a prestigious company like Minerva. Their old schoolmate Naseem Bano was in Minerva and came to prominence with film Pukar-39 made by Minerva. The sisters did not have anyone to advise them, so they lost chances of Prabhat and Minerva. Thus from 1938 onwards, Ramniklal Shah took them under his wings.
At the age of 17( 1939 ), Indurani got married to Ramniklal Shah, secretly. Her elder sister Sarojini also married Nanubhai Vakil, the lead Director of Mohan Pictures.. Azra is their daughter. Indurani had six children. One of them died in child birth. The shock was too much for her and after 1943, her career started slowing down. By 1949, her last film was released.
In my opinion, Indurani was ‘one of a kind’ woman. In those days and for her age, she showed exemplary planning, foresight and had the right priorities for future. Being from an educated family, she knew and understood the importance of education. She ensured that all her children got the best possible education to enable them to lead a comfortable life. Her children went to the prestigious Missionary school of santacruz, All her children settled successfully and lived in USA.
She understood the three basics of life-Food, Shelter and Clothing. She did work in double shifts and saved enough money to build her own Bungalow in Santa Cruz-a western suburb of Bombay, in 1940-at the age of about 18 years ! The Times of India, in a Front page story, called her the youngest house owner in Bombay in those days. The house was designed by the famous Architect Noorani.
She also saved enough to spend her twilight years happily. She spent her last 35 years in USA, enjoying life with her entire family. This, when we have hundreds of stories of artistes who died in penury and neglect.!
Indurani’s sister Sarojini (Roshan Jehan) worked in the films at the same time. She worked in about 17 films,as per HFGK and sang a few songs. Sarojini and Indurani worked together in 3 films,namely Jadui Kangan-1940, Hatimtai ki beti-1940 and Tajmahal-1941.
Indurani acted in 21 ( including one Marathi) films, as per the information of HFGK and as researched by both Salim ji ( her son) and Harish ji. She was credited variously as Indu, Indurani and as Indubala. There was another Indubala also, but she worked in films made in Calcutta and by Calcutta producers. Those films are excluded from this List, based on Salim ji’s information.
Indurani worked with several well known Heros of her times, like Prem Adeeb, Jayant, Jeevan, Yaqub, Mubarak, Sushil Kumar, Yusuf Efendi, Nazir, Navin Yagnik, Yashwant Dave etc. She had good Directors for her films, like G R Sethi, Ram Daryani, Dwarka Khosla, J P Advani, K.Amarnath, Mohan Sinha, Nanubhai Vakil etc. She had training in classical music while she worked in Daryani productions and with this background, she sang two songs each in three films. She sang four songs under the baton of Anil Biswas and two songs under Madholal Master.
In the early 60s, Salim ji and his other siblings left for USA for studies one by one and then they all settled in US. Ramnikbhai Shah died in 1973. Later Indurani also shifted to US and stayed with her sons by turns. She spent her time happily with 12 Grandchildren and 6 Great grand children. Indurani died in US on 18-2-2012 at the ripe age of 90 years, after a fruitful and contended life. Her grave is in Ventura county town of Camarillo in USA. Her favourite saying was “Ilm sab se badi Daulat hai” ( Knowledge is the greatest wealth)”. This saying is written on her Grave also. ( Thanks to Salim ji and Harish Raghuvanshi ji for this information.)
Today’s song “Bedard tujh ko pyaar kiya” is from the film Tajmahal-1941,sung by Indurani. This rare song was made available to me by my music collector friend, Deepak Chowdhari ji, who has confirmed the singer’s name also.
Films on the theme of Tajmahal have a shaded history. Film Shahjehan-46 on Tajmahal was released and within few months the lead actor K.L.Saigal died. Film Mumtajmahal-44 had Jahanara kajjan. She too died within months of the film’s release. David korda , Hollywood producer announced making of Tajmahal in Hindi and English and soon died of heart attack. Film Tajmahal-63, started with Nandlal jaswantlal as its director,but halfway through the film, he died and M. Sadiq completed the film.
Tajmahal-41 was, however, was without any hiccups. It was directed by Nanubhai Vakil and in the cast was Sarojini-his wife, Indurani, Mubarak,M.Kumar,S.Nazir, Baby Suraiya etc. There were 3 Lyricists-Shahzad Lucknwi, Pt. Anuj and S.Khall but we do not know who has written which song. Madholal Master was the music director. Enjoy this vintage song from an extraordinary star-Indurani.
Song-Bedard tujh ko pyaar kiya haaye kya kiya(Tajmahal)(1941) Singer-Induraani, MD-Madholal Master
Lyrics
bedard tujhko o pyaar kiya
haaye kya kiya
bedard tujhko pyaar kiya
haaye kya kiya
khud apne dil pe waar kiya
haaye kya kiya aa
khud apne dil pe waar kiya
haaye kya kiya
hamne to tumko seene se ae ae ae
apne laga liya
aa aa aa aa
gham ne hamen shikaar kiya
gham ne hamen shikaar kiya
haaye kya kiya
gham ne hamen shikaar kiya
haaye kya kiya
dil ki inaayaten hain
hamaari tabaahiyaan aan aan
kyon dil pe aitbaar kiya
kyon dil pe aitbaar kiya
haaye kya kiya
kyon dil pe aitbaar kiya
haaye kya kiya
ab dil ko intezaar ki
aadat si ho gayi ee ee ee ee
kyon tera intezaar kiya
kyon tera intezaar kiya
haaye kya kiya
kyon tera intezaar kiya
haaye kya kiya aa
bedard tujhko pyaar kiya
haaye kya kiya
khud apne dil pe waar kiya
haaye kya kiya
