Ye Lo mai Haari Piya...

Ye Lo Mai Hari Piya- Geet Dutt-Film Aar Paar 1954-Lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri- Music O.P.Nayyar

When watching Aar paar , one always rues that, had GuruDutt alternated between Comedy and tragedy, the viewers might have been gratified. However in his later years, his movies like Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Kagaj Ke Phool, Pyasa were set in melancholic mood.   This also may have influence in changing his persona into despondent and desolate man.

The film Aar Paar is all about a taxi driver Kallu (Guru Dutt), who wants to reform after being jailed for rash driving, but unfortunately is sucked into the vortex of crime. While working in Lalaji's (Jagdish Sethi) garage, he falls in the love of his daughter Nikki (Shyama).  When Lalaji notices the increasing intimacy between Kallu and Nikki , he hits the roof and boots Kallu out.

Here at this stage, Kallu meets a mysterious Captain, and lured into the world of crime. The lure is brand new taxi and brand new job. The job is bank heist. When Nikki comes to know Kallu's shady background, she spurns him, but eventually acquiesces when he shows her the character certificate obtained from a kindly jailor.

A cabaret dancer (Shakeela), who has secret crush on Kallu, advises him to elope with Nikki. Kallu flips a coin to make the decision, saying 'Aar ya Paar' (I think that's why the name of the film). Nikki agrees to elope with him, but fails to turn up. Kallu's male ego is bruised and he insults Nikki. In the meanwhile in order to compel Kallu to participate in Bank heist, the Captain keeps Nikki as hostage. After a lot of car chasing, Kallu rescues Nikki, they unite after happy ending.

It is not the story, cinematography or acting that fetched success for the film on Box office, but O.P.Nayyar's lilting, fast, and rhythmic music, which was trend setting. Hither to Indian film music had heavy influence of Bengali Ravindra music, which was soulful and slow. This film's music, broke the shackles and heralded the era of  foot tapping racy music. The film industry was so smitten with this kind of music that many forthcoming film repeated the pattern. In at least two cases, the eminent music directors had to bear the brunt of this onslaught. Roshan was removed from the project of Mehbooba and Mohammad Shafi was sacked from the project of Mangu, midway. In both cases, they were replaced by O.P.Nayyar. That was the magic of O.P's music.

This song is picturised in Kallu's Taxi, when she teases him and simultaneously request him to accept her love. She pretends to loose the battle of ego and agrees to surrender everything in lieu of his love. Very light, lilting song with a touch of comedy thrown in. Shyama with naughty expressions and Guru Dutt with his expressions of initial reluctance and final falling prey to her charm, add beauty to the song. The song is audio-visual treat . Geeta Dutt excels in her sonorous and mischievous voice making the lyrics and song lively. Guru Dutt's camera gives the endearing rare glimpses of calm and quiet Bombay, without any hustle and bustle.

The success of the film shaped the career of actresses Shyama and Kum Kum, the singer Geeta Dutt , Director Guru Dutt the composer O.P.Nayyar. In a way , therefore the film was instrumental in changing their destiny, hence may be aptly called path breaking one.

ये लो मैं, ये लो मैं

ये लो मैं हारी पिया, हुई तेरी जीत रे
काहे का झगड़ा बालम, नई नई प्रीत रे
ये लो मैं...

नये नये दो नैन मिले हैं
नई मुलाकात है
मिलते ही तुम रूठ गये जी
ये भी कोई बात है
जाओ जी माफ़ किया
तू ही मेरा मीत रे
काहे का झगड़ा ...

हुई तिहारी संग चलोजी
बैयाँ मेरी थामके
बाँध बलम किस्मत की डोरी
संग तेरे नामके
लड़ते ही लड़ते मौसम
जाये नहीं बीत रे
काहे का झगड़ा ...

चले किधर को बोलो बाबू
सपनों को लूट के
हाय राम जी रह नहीं पाये
दिल मेरा टूटके
देखो मैं गाली दूँगी
छोङ ये रीत रे
काहे का झगड़ा ...

   

Aar Paar 1954

Filmcast: Guru Dutt, Shyama, Shakila, Johny walker, Toontoon, Rashid Khan, Jagdeep, Jagdish Sethi, Ameer Bano, Noor Jehan.
Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Music: O.P.Nayyar.
Produced and Directed by Gurudutt
A Gurudutt Films Combine Production.