Posted on Trivia – The Spice of Life on 29/01/2022
The mention of Kavi Pradeep or Ramchandra Narayanji Dwivedi (06/02/1915 – 11/12/1998) at once reminds every music lover of his patriotic and didactic songs. No national festival is complete without patriotic songs penned by him being played. In fact, the inspiration to write this post can be attributed to the recently concluded Republic Day celebrations, where every radio and television channel played a number of songs written by him. It was then that I got curious about his other songs – essentially those which are neither patriotic nor inspirational.
He penned around 450 songs in his entire career. However, there are merely a handful of songs that would fall in the other category. It must be clarified here that it was not that he was incapable of writing ordinary love songs. It was more of a conscious decision made by him to explore other dimensions of love – the love for one’s motherland, the love for one’s mother and that for life in general. Another aspect that sets him apart is his usage of Sanskritised Hindi in many a song.
Nevertheless, there are enough songs for a post like this. I was also surprised to find a song or two which I would categorize as bold. He has even written two mujras. So here is my list of ten other songs of Kavi Pradeep. I must state here that I have not included songs of the vintage era. I have started from 1949 onwards.
1) Kaise Aaye Hain Din Andher Ke (Nastik, 1954) Music Director : C.Ramchandra; Playback Singer : Lata Mangeshkar. Who would imagine that Kavi Pradeep would have written a mujra? But there is indeed one. This movie is set against the backdrop of partition and the attendant trials and tribulations of a family with the protagonist’s sister being forced into prostitution. This mujra is picturized on Roopmala. Apparently, Kavi Pradeep felt tormented at the very thought of writing a mujra. However, he felt pity for the director who would have to go running from pillar to post for just one song. Thus, he relented. But the mukhda is typically how any Kavi Pradeep song would be – Kaise aaye hain din haye andher ke – lamenting the turn of events. He wrote at least two more mujras in his career – Ja Main Baaz Aayi Oh Saiyyan from Do Behne and Phul Bagiya Mein Bhawre Aaye from Zindagi Aur Khwaab.
Kaise aaye hain din haaye andher ke baithe balma hamaare nazar pher ke baat kya hain jo roothe badi der ke
2) Saiyan Pyaara Hain Apna Milan (Do Behne, 1959) Music Director : Vasant Desai; Playback Singer : Lata Mangeshkar. Featuring Shyama (in a double role) and Rajendra Kumar, this movie is not very popular. But the music of Vasant Desai is really enthralling. This is a typical romantic song, which Kavi Pradeep has written with great aplomb. The song also has a sad version.
Yeh mulaaqaat ye mel dekho, apni qismat kaa ye khel dekho, baat hi baat mein ek hi raat mein ban gayi main tumhaari dulhan sainyaa pyaaraa hai apnaa milan
3) Mere Jeevan Mein Kiran Banke (Talaaq, 1958) Music Director : C.Ramchandra; Playback Singers : Asha Bhosle & Manna Dey. As the name suggests, the plot explores the prospect of the couple divorcing because of the wayward behaviour of the heroine’s father. Featuring Rajendra Kumar and Kamini Kadam, the movie had a couple of romantic songs. The rest were didactic or patriotic. This is a beautiful romantic duet shot on a hill top with the lead couple enjoying the song and dance of another couple.
Is tarah aaj kyun lalcha rahe ho tum mujhko kidhar udaa ke liye jaa rahe ho tum mujhko baat wo kyaa hain jo samjhaa rahe ho tum mujhko chupke chupke meri duniya ko badalne waale bolo tum kaun ho mere jeewan mein kiran banke bikharne waale bolo tum kaun ho
4) Gori Ek Baat Sun Badi Mazedaar (Girls School, 1949) Music Director : C.Ramchandra; Playback Singers : Shamshad Begum & C.Ramchandra. This is a very light hearted duet where both pull each other’s legs. The lyrics are rather amusing. This was a movie that was co-produced by Kavi Pradeep but it failed miserably. After this, he focussed only on writing lyrics. Such songs show a very different aspect of his personality.
Teri akal se das guni hain gori mujh mein akal zara sheeshe mein dekho apni shakal zyaada bak bak mat kar bas ho jaa chupchaap baap re baap ghadi ghadi mujhko sata mat lagega paap baap re baap mere bhagwaan bata ye kya chamtkaar hain mera baalam hain ya police ka jamadaar hain teri takraar mein bhi pyaar hain
5) Mohe Laga Solvaa Saal (Mashal, 1950) Music Director : S.D.Burman; Playback Singers : Shamshad Begum & Arun Kumar Mukherjee. This movie is known for one of his best philosophical/spiritual film songs – Upar Gagan Vishaal – which was flawlessly rendered by Manna Dey. However, this song at hand picturised primarily on Cuckoo is a lovely dance number with Arun Kumar Mukherjee also singing a few lines. Kavi Pradeep describes the predicament of a girl who has turned sixteen and fears going to her Sasuraal! The music director S.D.Burman later on composed another song for the movie Solva Saal with almost similar opening lyrics – dekho mohe laaga solva saal.
Mohe laaga solvaa saal haaye main to mar gayi ho ab jaana padega sasuraal haaye main to mar gayi
6) Jawaani Mein Akelepan Ki Ghadiyan (Paigham, 1959) Music Director : C.Ramchandra; Playback Singers : Asha Bhosle & Md.Rafi. This was the first movie where Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar acted together. This was also the fourth successive movie in which Dilip Kumar and Vyjyantimala played lead roles. This movie had didactic songs like Insaan Ka Insaan Se Ho Bhaichaara, but it also had some light romantic songs. This particular duet features the lead pair. Kavi Pradeep’s lyrics are spot on.
Ye dhadkan kyun ye tadpan kyun dard meethaa saa kyaa hain ye jo sach maano to ham keh den jawaani ki sazaa hain ye binaa kaaran ye jurmaanaa aji ham kyun na ghabraayen ijaazat ho to ham aayen jawaani mein akelepan ki ghadiyaan hamko naa bhaayen ijaazat ho to ham aaye
7) O Dildar Bolo Ek Baar (School Master, 1959) Music Director : Vasant Desai; Playback Singers : Talat Mahmood & Lata Mangeshkar. This was a movie which was very popular down south and was re-made in Hindi as well. Featuring Raja Gosavi and Saroja Devi, this is a sweet duet where both profess love for each other. Both Kavi Pradeep’s lyrics as well as Vasant Desai’s music scintillate. I love the usage of the words sukumaar (delicate) and sarkaar (boss!!) in the song by Pradeep.
O dildaar, bolo ek baar kyaa meraa pyaar pasand hain tumhen o gori sukumaar, hamaari sarkaar badaa teraa pyaar pasand hain hamein
8) Ga Rahi Hain Zindagi (Anchal, 1960) Music Director : C.Ramchandra; Playback Singers : Asha Bhosle & Mahendra Kapoor. This is yet another lovable duet penned by Kavi Pradeep. The music of C. Ramchandra only enhances the beauty of the song. The frequent changes in the tune of the song make it very lively. Nanda and Sudesh Kumar are a happy couple basking in love, on screen.
Ga rahi hain zindagi har taraf bahaar mein kis liye chaar chaand lag gaye hain tere mere pyar mein is liye
9) Na Jaane Kahan Hum The (Zindagi Aur Khwaab, 1961) Music Director : Dattaram Wadkar; Playback Singers : Suman Kalyanpur & Manna Dey. This was perhaps the only film where Pradeep wrote for music director Dattaram Wadkar. This is another soulful duet penned by Pradeep featuring Rajendra Kumar and Meena Kumari.
Kitne dino par mili hain nigahein ab tum na jaana chudakar ye bahein tumhara ye saath pyaara ham kyun na chaahe na jaane kahan tum the, na jane kahan hum the jaadu ye dekho hum tum mile hain
10) O Meri Saas Ke Ladke (Chakradhari, 1954) Music Director : Avinash Vyas; Playback Singers : Asha Bhosle & Md.Rafi. What a novel way of addressing your husband!! This is a duet – a song and dance performance in a fair(?). This is apparently a part of four songs sung in quick succession in a fair. Though the movie appears to be didactic, this song is rather rustic. The movie also explored the theme of bigamy among Hindus. Wonder how Pradeep could whip up such lyrics as well!!
Are o meri saas ke ladke dur hat re mera dil dhadke ari o mere sasur ki ladki bijli ki tarah kahe tadke dur hat re mera dil dhadke
This brings me to the end of my post. I found that Kavi Pradeep’s personality had a dominant aspect and a dormant one. The songs of this post can perhaps be associated with the latter. He wrote more of the religious, philosophical and patriotic songs by choice. But he was capable of writing songs of different genres – be it a mujra, a romantic duet, a saucy dance song or his quintessential didactic kind. He also appears to have shared a special equation with C. Ramchandra as the songs above would indicate. All in all I enjoyed exploring a completely different dimension of Kavi Pradeep!!
Disclaimer
anitamultitasker.wordpress.com claims no credit for any image, screenshots or songs posted on this site. The images and screenshots are the copyright of their original owners. The song links are shared from Daily Motion, YouTube and other platforms only to make the post audio visual. The copyright of these songs rests with the respective owners, producers and music companies.
Trivia 
Indeed, Kavi Pradeep is known mostly for his patriotic or otherwise inspiring songs, but he had his fair share of ‘other songs’ as well, and you’ve chosen some great ones. I especially like Na jaane kahaan hum thhe, not just for the wonderful music and rendition, but also for the lyrics. Here’s another, a lullaby: Dheere-dheere aa re baadal from Kismet:
By the way, in the first song, while the actress is Roopmala, she’s not portraying the protagonist’s sister. That role is played by an actress I don’t recognise, but whom you can see here, in another mujra with a difference:
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Thanks, Madhuji! I agree that he did have other songs to his credit but many of them I noticed are from the same film (like say Zindagi aur Khwaab). Also, quite a few of the movies that he wrote songs for had philosophical/patriotic songs. I had not included the vintage era in my post.
The song from Kismet is so adorable. I love the use of the word intezaari which is very rarely used in songs. Also the latter half of the song turns it into a romantic duet from a lullaby.
As regards the mix-up about Roopmala, the culprit is Wikipedia. I shall modify my post accordingly. Thanks for pointing this out.
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Good list of songs.
I’ll add,
Jhuk gayi gardan
Ye jawani phir na aani from Harishchandra taramati. I had come across it in my female dance duet list. Bela bose and Madhumati dance to it
Hum rang birangi jobanvan ki titaliya, which was Suman Kalyanpur’s first song with C Ramchandra.
And to end,
A lawani
Badan mora lachake re
Thank you for the post.
Anup
🙂
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Thanks a lot, Anupji, for adding these wonderful songs. The song from Talaaq is a real delight to watch. I had wanted to include Meghava gagan from Harishchandra Taramati but some websites attributed the song to Prem Dhawan. All these songs show how versatile he was even though he chose to write more songs of a particular genre.
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Anita,
Pradeep is associated with patriotic, devotional and inspirational songs, but it is difficult to believe that his ‘other’ songs are lesson number. One song I absolutely like is from the film ‘Mashal’ sung by Arun Kumar.
AK
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Thanks for reading, AKji! Well, an exact count can probably be given by readers like Hansji who are very good at number crunching. Many a movie that he wrote for would have a song or two of the didactic/religious/patriotic/ philosophical kind. He identified himself more with that genre. But yes, he was adept at writing different kinds of songs.
The song that you have added from Mashaal is so melancholic yet soothing. Arun Kumar’s voice is so clear and loud. The words used by Kavi Pradeep also are so rustic – galbayya. It is so rare a word and a pleasure to listen to. This is a perfect rendezvous song.
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I think the only lyrics of Pradeep’s that I have heard are from “Jagriti,” which are all very much in the moralistic/patriotic vein. Based on those, I would not have thought he would be so successful at writing humorous songs like the ones you include from “Girls’ School” and “Mashal.” “Ga Rahi Hain Zindagi” is lovely, too.
“Talaaq” has been on my watchlist for some time now. The one couple observing/overhearing the other in that picturization is charming, and makes me more eager to see the film.
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Thanks for reading and commenting! Your comment vindicates my stand that Kavi Pradeep is largely known and considered as one who wrote only a particular genre of songs. But he had a romantic and lighter side too which I have tried to highlight.
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A nice post.
Kavi Pradeep’s patriotic and devotional songs have an instant recall unlike his other songs.
But he does have a fair share of them,
Zindagi aur Khwab is a perfect example as there are different numbers for different situations in the film.
Here’s Mera bandar chala hai sasural from the film…
And one from Chandi Pooja (1957) – Bachpan hua khatam lagne lagi sharam lo aa gayi jawani
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Thanks for these lovely sonmgs, Dr.Deshpande. I was particularly impressed with the song from Zindagi aur Khwab. There is Mumbaiyya slang (khali pili) and English (darling) used so aptly by Pradeep. I would rate his songs for Zindagi aur Khwab very highly too.
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