Jab Jab Phool Khile

Jab Kab Phool Khile- Talat Mahmood & Lata Mangeshkar-Film Shikast 1953- Lyricist Shailendra- Music Shankar Jaikishan.

Produced and directed by Ramesh Saigal, Asha Deep’s “Shikast” was released 1953, was based on good story by Wajahat Mirza, “Shikast” comparatively lacks color in as much as the characters in it lack the precisely defined qualities and traits which people always possess and by which their behavior is governed.

The screen-play, which should revolve round the romance which is so well suggested in the first few reels, suffers a severe set-back in the rest of the film during which the love affair, a revival of the childhood dalliance between Dilip and Nalini, becomes merely a series of jarring, frustrated lovers’ meetings, the tone and dialogue of which are too incredibly immature and undecided for adult people. Plenty of dialogues don't take the movie narrative ahead but stagnate it. Unimaginative direction and poor cinematography, poor development of characters and abrupt end makes the movie boring.  Only sparkling aspect of the film is composer Shankar Jaikishan's splendid music. 1953, apparently was most creative year for the composers. The music in their films like Aah, Aas, Naya Ghar, Patita and Shikast was well admired and appreciated.

The story is about Doctor Ram (Dilip Kumar), who revisits his village for a brief period to sell his land. Earlier he had been in love with Sushma (Nalini Jaywant). The match was declined due to inter-family rivalry.  Sushma is married elsewhere and Ram embittered leaves village. Now he wants to snap the last thread attaching with village by selling his land.

He is shocked to know that widowed Sushma lives in village and and executes the zamindari authority with cruelty. aggrieved Ram tries to reason with her in vain. He abandons the idea of going back and address the grievances of poor. Sushma also wants the same. Once, during the epidemic of plague, Ram saves Sushma's son from certain death. Her heart begins to melt. The flame of love begins to rekindle in her. However in a small village, the love between a youth and a widow can be scandalous. Therefore they express the feelings of love without coming face to face with each other , through this song......

जब-जब फूल खिले
तुझे याद किया हमने, जब-जब फूल खिले

देख अकेला हमें
हमें घेर लिया ग़म ने, जब-जब फूल खिले
मन को मैंने लाख मनाया पर अब तो है वो भी पराया
ज़ख़्म किये नासूर
तेरी याद के मरहम ने
जब-जब फूल खिले ...
मिलने के हैं लाख बहाने लेकिन मन का मीत न माने
दिल तोड़ा हर बार
मेरे भोले हमदम ने
जब-जब फूल खिले ...
पत्थर दिल तक़दीर मिली है पैरों में ज़ंजीर मिली है
राज़ मेरे दिल के
कहे रोके शबनम ने
जब-जब फूल खिले

Both are caught in their own dilemma. He complains about his unsuccessful attempts to reconciliations with her. His every attempt is rebuked by her resulting into his broken heart. Now every time he sees blossoming of nature, his heart is grief stricken. On the other hand, she rues the bizarre circumstances,  which have put shackles in her feet. The shackles of norms and traditions of society which forbid their union. Every time she sees blossoming nature, her heart bleeds and more she reminisces about her forbidden love, more it hurts her. What a meaningful lyrics. Shailendra excels in such situations.  Every word expresses the pains of separation and miseries of loneliness. The subdued performances of Nalini and Dilip enhances the beauty and effect of the song. The music of Shankar Jaikishan is clam , serene and soulful. A song which remains behind with you, even after it ends.....

 

Shikast 1953
Starcast: Dilip Kumar, Nalini Jaywant, K.N.Singh, Om Prakash, Leela Mishra, Durga Khote
Lyrics: Shailendra
Music: Shankar Jaikishan
Cinematography: K.H.Kapadia
Produced and Directed by Ramesh Saigal