Beqarar Hai Koi Aa Mere Dil Aa...

Beqarar Hai Koi Aa mere Dil Aa- Rafi & Lata Mangeshkar- Film Shama Parwana 1954-  Qamar Jalalabadi- Music Husnalal Bhagatram.

The advent of phenomenon called  Lata Mageshkar, signalled the gradual end of period when actors/actresses were singing their own songs on screen. Actresses-singers like Ameerbai Karnataki, Kanandedvi, Umadevi,  Noor Jehan went into oblivion as the taste of cine songs listeners had considerably changed.  However there were few female singers who were able to withstand the onslaught of Lata Mangeshkar. Suraiyya was one such actress singer. In Shama Parwana, released in 1954, she was in protagonist role opposite Shammi Kapoor. The songs of the film were penned by Qamar Jalalabadi and music given by eminent composer duo Husnalal Bhagatram.

This was a romantic film set in the background of medieval Indian subcontinent under Mughal occupation, with a story that ends in tragic (and grotesque) way.  Meherbano (Suraiyya), daughter of commander of Mughal Emperor, Afsar-Ud-Daulah (Ulhas), is also a proficient poetess. Once in a mushaira ,she sees Gul Mirza (Shammi Kapoor), a poet. She is charmed by his prowess as poet and his beauty as well. After initial hesitance, she falls in love with Gul. When her father return from the battle of Deccan, Gul Mirza impresses him by his swordsmanship, as a result, he is appointed as a commander of 25000 horsemen. However, when he notices the blosomming love between Gul and his daughter he is enraged. To separate them he send Gul to suicide mission to Kandahar in Afghanistan.

Gul goes to distant battle. Few days later, messengers come back to inform her father that Gul had been killed on battle field. Meherbanoo is shattered and devastated. Her health deteriorates. For a climate change her father sends her to a distant place, out of city, where she meets none other than Gul Mirza. He had been badly injured and supposed to be dead by the enemy and left to himself. He succeeds in escaping and coming back. Both are happy. After coming back to city, Gul continues to meet her in disguises as sufi saint.

During one such meeting, when they are together, there comes her father unannounced. In order to avoid the embrassment of getting caught red handed, she urges Gul to hide in a huge cauldron kept in the garden, for heating bathing water. A treacherous friend of Meherbanoo hears their conversation clandestinely and reports it to her father before he enters the garden. Seeing a cauldron, he asks Meherbanoo, about it's use . When Meherbanoo, informs that it is for heating bath water, he inquires , why it is not being used now, and orders to apply fire below it. The cauldron is fired from below. Panicked and terrified Meherbanoo , instead of confessing her love and brave the opposition and consequences, prostates before the cauldron and through singing, requests her lover to remain in cauldron , in order to protect her dignity and reputation. Gul also remains in the cauldron......The end.

This song comes in the film when after being appointed as commander, Gul soon gets a chance to impress Meherbanoo. Rehana her maid,arranges another meeting with Meherbano (by giving Meherbano a cock and bull story about a certain type of incense which when burnt can summon the spirit of one’s beloved). When Gul Mirza arrives in her garden, Meherbanoo believes it’s his spirit, and sings happily with him.

बेक़रार है कोई, आ मेरे दिलदार आ
है किसी की ज़िंदगी, आ इश्क़ है गमख़्वार आ

डसती है नागन सी, फ़ुरक़त की रातें
झुटी हैं बिन तेरे जीने की बातें
हाय कैसी बेबसी, आ मैं हूँ तलबगार आ
चुन लूँ ग़म तेरे, दुख-दर्द मिटा दूँ
होंठों पे नगमों की कलियाँ खिला दूँ
रो रही है बेक़सी, आ हुस्न है बीमार आ
हँसना है बस में, न रोना है बस में
महलों में रहकन, ???
मंज़िलों में प्यार की, आ तोड़ के दीवार आ.....

Shama Parwana 1954
Star Cast: Shammi Kapoor, Suraiyya, Ulhas, Rehana, Mubarak, Sundar, Roop Mala.
Lyrics: Qamar Jalalabadi.
Music: Husnalal Bhagatram.
Produced and Directed by D.D.Kashyap
A Kashyap Production Film.