Nain Se Nain Naahi Milao...

Nain Se Nain Naahi Milaao- Hemant Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar- Film Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje 1955- Lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri- Music Vasant Desai.

The art and beauty of Indian classical dance is manifest in it's myriad forms like katthak, Bharatnatyam and Manipuri. Being extremely proud of this rich legacy of classical dance, producer Director , under his Rajkamal banner, created a song and dance extravaganza that turned out to be money spinner. By using techni-colour format for the film, he became one of the few early producers to initiate it in Hindi films. The film opens with enraged Guruji , dance Master (Keshavrao Date), tearing posters of his earlier disciple, because she performs dance for money His anger is fueled by yer another dancer Neela's (Sandhya) dismal dance performance. He sends his disciple Girdhar (Gopi Krishna), to impress upon her the art and beauty of classical dance. The ashamed Neela, asks Guruji to accept her as disciple and mould her dancing skills in classical manner.He expects her total dedication for which she readily agrees. The guru toils hard to prepare Neela as Girdhar's dance partner for a prestigious competition where he wants Girdhar to win the coveted title of Bharat Natarajan. Young love, however, is not to be denied. While Neela's feet learn to move rhythmically to the guru's taal, her heart begins to pulsate for Girdhar. Her wide-eyed admiration is instantly reciprocated by the equally-smitten Girdhar. But Mani Babu (Madan Puri), who has financed Neela's passion for dancing because he wants to marry her, is incensed; he promptly squeals to the guru. The infuriated guru, already upset with Neela for encouraging Girdhar to join him in a Western dance performance earlier, accuses Neela of derailing Girdhar from his goal. Neela's pleas of 'pavitra prem' go unheeded. In keeping with the demands of the guru-shishya tradition, Neela decides to keep her guru happy and abandons Girdhar, presumably for her patron, Mani Babu. In a series of dramatic twists --- the least engaging part of this otherwise fluid film --- she incurs Girdhar's wrath, leaves Mani Babu in the lurch and makes a futile attempt to end her life by jumping into the river. When all else fails, she embraces the life of a mendicant. The destiny however has other plans for them.Their paths again cross, when during the competition, Girdhar's partner suddenly deserts him. It is Neela , who saves Guruji and Giridhar from embarrassment by donning ghungroos on her feet, to the astonishment of both. A Tandav dance suffused with zest and fervour follows.Mangal realizes that she spurned Girdhar to help him win the competition. He then convinces his son to give her a second chance. With the help of Neela, Girdhar wins the competition and Mangal gives the couple his blessing to marry. The role of dedicated dancer who has lost her heart to her dancing companion, fitted with Sandhya, like a glove. Her acting is sans with her usual mannerism of rolling eyes and neck twisting. Therefore she excells in her performance in this film. As a choreographer and dancer Gopi Krishna is spell bounding.

The who's who of the film industry attended the premiere of Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje. Most were sceptical about the film's success as it starred an non-established heroine, Sandhya, opposite a classical dancer, Gopi Kishen. However, when the screening ended, there was a standing ovation for Shantaram.

Shantaram and his third wife Sandhya had done Parchhain and Teen Batti Chaar Raasta earlier but after this superhit, the director-actress made a team in several films: Do Aankhen Barah Haath, Navrang, Stree, Sehra, Pinjra and Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli.

Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje won the President's Gold Medal for best film and was also adjudged Best Film of the year by Filmfare.

Since Sandhya was not a trained dancer, she was made to rehearse from morning to night with Gopi Krishna for months on end.

Music: Vasant Desai who had been collaborating with Shantaram since the Shakuntala-Dr Kotnis in the 1940s, made a comeback with Jhanak... which later led to memorable scores for Do Aankhen Barah Haath, Gunj Uthi Shehnaii and Guddi.

नैन सो नैन नाही मिलाओ 

देखत सूरत आवत लाज,
सैय्यांप्यार से प्यार आके सजाओ
मधुर मिलन गावत आज,
गुइयांनैन सो नैन ... 

आ ...खींचो कमान मारो जी बाण
रुत है जवान ओ मेरे प्राण...

रुक क्यों गये?
तुमने चोरी कर ली कमान
कैसे मारूं प्रीत का बाण,
गुइयांनैन सो नैन ... 

रिम झिम झिम गाये झरनों की धार
दिल को लुभाये कोयल पुकार -
नहीं! - तो फिर?
झरनों की धारों में तेरा संगीत
गाये कोयल तेरा ही गीत,
गुइयाँनैन सो नैन ... 

नीले गगन पे झूमेंगे आज
बादल का प्यार देखेंगे आज
बादल नैय्या है बिजली पतवार
हम-तुम चल दें दुनिया के पार,
सैय्यां ...नैन सो नैन ...

Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje 1955
Star Cast : Sandhya, Gopi Krishna, Keshavrao Date, Madan Puri, Bhagwan, Nana palshikar,
Mumtaz Begum, Manorama.
Story by Dewan Sharar.
Cinematography : G.Balakrishna.
Edited by Chintamani Borkar.
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri.
Music Vasant Desai.
Produced and Directed by V.Shantaram.
Rajkamal Film Studio Film.