Ye Raat Ye Chandani Phir Kahan

Ye Raat Ye Chandani Phir Kahan-Film Jaal 1952- Hemant Kumar/Lata Mangeshkar- Lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi- Music S.D.Burman

Jaal, released in 1952, was a second film of Gurudutt,after Baaz 1951, with same cast.The film was was inspired by Italian film "Bitter Rice". Till the time, Christian fisherfolk community was usually depicted as immoral in respect of sex and drunkard. Jaal, first time shattered this image and instead portrayed the image of the community comprising of  God fearing and amiably innocent , hard working people.

The story of the film revolves around peaceful Christian community in Goa. Their life is disturbed by an arrival of gold smuggler Tony (Dev Anand). Fisherwoman Maria (Geeta Bali) falls prey to his charms. Her blind brother Carlos (K.N.Singh) and friend Simon (Ramsingh) and Lisa (Purnima).  However Maria believes that no one is evil by birth, and he can be reformed. Tony however has plans to sell her to Arabs. When the cops catch up with him, he abandons her at sea. Finally Maria convinces Tony that no one is totally evil and Tony surrenders to the police knowing that Maria would be waiting for him when he returned.

Dev Anand's stellar performance in depicting charming as well as dark negative traits of Tony's personality is commendable. Geeta Bali as usual is effervescent and bubbly  Other acors like Purnima, K.N.Singh and Ramsingh give adequate support to main characters of Maria and Tony. You can see Guru Dutt himself in a little cameo as a fisherman in the Zor Lagake Hai Haiya song.The whole film was picturized in Malvan, in the Sindhdurg District of coastal Kokan in Maharashtra State.

This song comes in the film when Maria, unable to resist the call from Tony, inevitably comes to him and responds to his love , despite all the advises by her brother, friend and Lisa, Maria makes her way onto the beach following the song, she is caught in a fishing net – symbolic of her being caught in web of love and intrigue spun by Tony. Scenes like these show Guru Dutts command over the script and camera work. In this song, while Tony sings, Maria is caught in dilemma, whether to respond to his love or not. Her confusion is effectively reflects in Geeta Bali's face and eyes. She wants to heed the advises of his brother, friend and Lisa, but Tony's chocolate boy charm has mesmerized her.

ये रात ये चाँदनी फिर कहाँ
सुन जा दिल की दास्ताँ
ये रात...
पेड़ों की शाखों पे सोई सोई चाँदनी
तेरे खयालों में खोई खोई चाँदनी
और थोड़ी देर में थक के लौट जाएगी
रात ये बहार की फिर कभी न आएगी
दो एक पल और है ये समा, सुन जा...
लहरों के होंठों पे धीमा धीमा राग है
भीगी हवाओं में ठंडी ठंडी आग है
इस हसीन आग में तू भी जलके देखले
ज़िंदगी के गीत की धुन बदल के देखले
खुलने दे अब धड़कनों की ज़ुबाँ, सुन जा...
जाती बहारें हैं उठती जवानियाँ
तारों के छाओं में पहले कहानियाँ
एक बार चल दिये गर तुझे पुकारके
लौटकर न आएंगे क़ाफ़िले बहार के
आजा अभी ज़िंदगी है जवाँ, सुन जा...

This songs comes in Hemant Kumar-Lata version also, wherein Maria inevitably surrenders herself to Tony's love even if she knows the dark side of his life. This was the first time Hemant Kumar Sang for Dev Anand. In this film, two voices were used for Dev Anand...ie. Hemant Kumar for "Ye Raat Ye Chandni Phir Kahan" and Kishore Kumar for naughty and peppy song, "De Bhi Chuke Hai Dil Najarana" with Lata Mangeshkar.

ये रात ये चाँदनी फिर कहाँ, सुन जा दिल की दास्तां
चाँदनी रातें प्यार की बातें खो गयी जाने कहाँ
ये रात ये चाँदनी फिर कहाँ, सुन जा दिल की दास्तां
आती है सदा तेरी टूटे हुए तारों से
आहट तेरी सुनती हूँ खामोश नज़ारों से
भीगी हवा, उमड़ी घटा कहती है तेरी कहानी
तेरे लिये बेचैन है शोलों मे लिपटी जवानी
सीने मे बल खा रहा है धुआं, सुन जा दिल की दास्तां
ये रात ये चाँदनी फिर कहाँ, सुन जा दिल की दास्तां
लहरों के लबों पर हैं खोये हुए अफ़साने
गुलज़ार उम्मीदों के सब खो गये वीराने
तेरा पता पाऊं कहाँ सूने हैं सारे ठिकाने
जाने कहाँ गुम हो गये जाके वो अगले ज़माने
बरबाद है आरज़ू का जहाँ, सुन जा दिल की दास्तां
दास्तां दास्तां दास्तां........



Jaal 1952
Starcast: Dev Anand, Geeta Bali, K.N.Singh, Purnima, Johny Walker, Ramsingh
Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi
Music : S.D.Burman
Cinematography: V.K.Murthy
Written by Guru Dutt
Produced by T.R.Fatechand
Directed by Guru Dutt.