Yeh Raatein Yeh Mausam

My sketch of Nutan - Charcoal on Paper
My portraits of Bollywood legends can be viewed @ "Portraits - Legends of Bollywood"

Dilli Ka Thug, is a 1958 comedy film that is remembered to this day for its enchanting music (by Composer Ravi) with melodious tunes complemented equally richly by Majrooh’s lyrics.

Kishore (Kishore Kumar), a journalist turned gambler, tricks people for his earning.  On landing in Mumbai with a job in hand, he meets Asha (Nutan). The firm employing Kishore is run by Asha’s uncle, murderer of Kishore’s father and his friend. This uncle of Asha, Professor Amarnath by day is also known by the name Anantram, leader of a gang that distributes fake medicines. Kishore, engaged to Asha during childhood, but never met each other in their later years, now tries to win her back.
You may listen to the song here

It takes two to Tango goes a saying. So it was, sort of, in this waltzish song that starts with two -

Kishore and Nutan, not in a ballroom but on the terrace . The hitherto angry outward air of Nutan that preluded this song melts in less than a minute when Kishore repeats his first line “Yeh raatein yeh mausam….with arms wide open. Is it to invoke the night breeze on to the terrace or evoke Nutan into his arms for an embrace?  Why not take it as both when the feelings are same – pristine pure akin to nature.

The magic unfolds when Nutan springs a surprise. Hmmm she takes over humming the tune and singing a melody wherein she states about their hearts having said “We shall never part”. While she sings her say, one can’t miss noticing her palms feel the gentle sway of the leaves of palms to the blows of breeze. What follows next is justifiably their chorus “Yeh Raatein Yeh Mausam…..” praising the night and the clime, shine from the moon and breeze from the shore, all of these making them feel…well, at ease together, in love with each other. What a sea of emotions expressed in just a line! Woohoo, thanks to lyricist Majrooh.

They move on to sing rest of the song taking turns whilst they join back in chorus to sing the couplet

“Kaha do dilon ne, yeh milkar kabhi ham, na honge judaa

Yeh raatein, yeh mausam, nadi ka kinara, yeh chanchal hawa”

The emotions of both have been strongly captured in the song, thanks to brilliant picturisation.  Nutan’s mesmerising portrayal of emotions, in particular, is evident in this breezy musical. Is this why she is popular as the “Queen of Emotions” I wonder!

1/8 songs from the Film: Dilli ka Thug (1958)                        

Music Composer:  Ravi                 
Singers: Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhonsle   

Director: S D Narang      
Cast: Kishore Kumar, Nutan, Madan Puri, Iftekhar

Lyricist: S H Bihari, Shailendra, Majrooh Sultanpuri

Movie Masala:

It is believed that there was a joke in film industry that if you want to draw Nutan, just sketch a straight line. But the joke was shortlived, for, at 17, she was sent by her mother to a finishing school in Switzerland after which she gained a few pounds more!

Few other song reviews in this blog can be reached via "Bollywood Songs Review"

Image Link: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fpka_b4Hlas/hqdefault.jpg