Street Singer | |
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Directed by | Phani Majumdar |
Produced by | New Theatres |
Starring | K. L. Saigal Kanan Devi Jagdish Sethi Bikram Kapoor |
Cinematography | Dilip Gupta Sudish Ghatak |
Music by | R. C. Boral |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 135 min |
Country | India |
Language | Hindi |
Street Singer is a 1938 Hindi film directed by Phani Majumdar. It was produced by New Theatres Calcutta and was Phani Majumdar's first Hindi film as a director. [2] The film was made in Bengali as Sathi in the same year. [3] It starred K. L. Saigal, Kanan Devi, Jagdish Sethi and Bikram Kapoor. [4] The music was composed by R. C. Boral with lyrics written by Arzu (Arzoo) Lucknavi. [5] Two street urchins dream of singing and making it big in the glamorous world of theatre in Calcutta. They grow up with the girl being employed while the boy is not. The story follows them through first their enchantment and then the disillusionment with the theatre. Finally both choose to return to their roots in the village.
Bhulwa helps Manju escape from a burning orphanage and from the care of the tyrannical manager of the orphanage. The two street urchins go from village to village, singing and making money. Bhulwa’s big dream is to someday sing in a theatre in Calcutta. Several years later both are singing on the streets in Calcutta and Manju is employed by a theatre to sing. Bhulwa encourages her through her nervousness and she becomes a popular singer. However her attitude towards servants and other people changes and Bhulwa is disappointed and tells her off. Bhulwa is still struggling but manages to get a chance to sing on the radio. Manju learns of his singing assignment when she listens to him sing on the radio. Feeling slighted she decides to sing Bhulwa’s song in a new style, the way the actor-manager Kailash wants. She leaves a message with the servant asking him to send Bhulwa to the theatre. Bhulwa gets drenched in the rain and is feverish but he goes to listen to Manju. On hearing the new tune given to his favourite song he gets aggressive on the stage and then leaves from there. Manju by now is repentant and decides to search for him. She asks the manager-actor Kailash to drive her and searches the roads by which both had travelled to come to the city. She spies Bhulwa in a boat which is being tossed around due to the wind and storm. The boat crashes against the banks. Manju rushes to Bhulwa and cradles his head on her lap. Kailash leaves them, while both look towards the road leading to the village.
Street Singer. was Phani Majumdar's first and most famous Hindi film. [2] Saigal and Kanan Devi were a sensation nationwide following this film. [6] The film helped establish Kanan Devi’s popularity and her ‘melody queen’ status. [7] It is also ranked as one of Saigal’s greatest hits, where his rendition of Wajid Ali Shah’s Bhairavi thumri "Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaye" is considered a classic. [8] Majumdar considered Saigal an exceptional artist. He felt he could pan the camera on his face irrespective of who was giving the dialogues. When Saigal sang "Babul Mora', he requested Majumdar not to use recording and playback (his own song) on him, but to let him sing live on the sets. He sang the song pacing the streets with the harmonium.
The songs became popular making K. L. Saigal and Kanan Devi a craze in India. [6] Saigal's song Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Hi Jaaye is associated with him as "an immortal singer". [3] The music was by R. C. Boral and lyrics by Arzu Lucknavi. The bhairavi thumri "Babul Mora" is by Wajid Ali Shah.
# | Title | Singer(s) |
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1 | "Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Hi Jaaye" | K. L. Saigal |
2 | "Suqun Dil Ko Mayassar" | K. L. Saigal, Kanan Devi |
3 | "Lachhami Murat Daras Dikhaaye " | K. L. Saigal, Kanan Devi |
4 | "Jeevan Been Madhur Na Baaje" | K. L. Saigal |
5 | "Sanwariya Prem Ki Bansi Suna " | K. L. Saigal, Kanan Devi |
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Phani Majumdar was a pioneering Indian film director, who worked in Hindi cinema, most known for his film Street Singer (1938) starring K.L. Saigal noted for its song, Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaye, Meena Kumari classic Aarti (1962) and Oonche Log (1965). He also worked in Singapore, where he notably made Hang Tuah (1955) in Malay, which was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival.
Dushman is a 1939 Hindi social romantic drama film. It was directed by Nitin Bose for New Theatres Calcutta Production. The film starred K. L. Saigal, Leela Desai, Najmul Hassan, Prithviraj Kapoor, Nemo and Jagdish Sethi. The music was composed by Pankaj Mullick and the lyrics were written by Arzu Lucknavi. Nitin Bose besides directing also wrote the story and wielded the camera for the film. The dialogue writer was Sudarshan. The story subject about tuberculosis was suggested as a propaganda film by Viceroy Lord Linlithgow and his wife, who were then the Chairman and Patron of King George’s Tuberculosis Fund.
Vidyapati is a 1937 Bengali biopic film directed by Debaki Bose for New Theatres. It starred Pahari Sanyal as Vidyapati. His costars in the film were Kanan Devi, Prithviraj Kapoor, Chhaya Devi, Leela Desai, K. C. Dey and Kidar Sharma. The music was by R. C. Boral and lyrics by Kidar Sharma. Debaki Bose and Qazi Nazrul Islam wrote the story, screenplay and dialogues. The story is about the Maithili poet and Vaishnava saint Vidyapati. The songs of the film became popular and the lyrics though encapsulating Vidyapati's poetry were considered bold for its time. This however ensured the film garnered crowds at the theatres making it a big success of 1937.
Mohabbat Ke Ansu is a 1932 Indian Urdu-language social romantic film. It was directed by Premankur Atorthy for New Theatres Ltd. Calcutta. The music for the film was directed by R. C. Boral. The film starred K. L. Saigal in his debut role with Akthari Muradabadi, Mahajabeen, Ansari and Sadiq. According to reports the film was not successful however Nevile claims that the "debut was successful beyond expectations" as it led to Saigal acting in several New Theatres films.
Rajrani Meera is a 1933 Hindi devotional film. It was directed by Debaki Bose for New Theatres Ltd. Calcutta. The cinematographer was Nitin Bose with music composed by R. C. Boral. The film was a bilingual, made in Bengali as Meerabai and directed by Hiren Bose and Basanta Chatterjee. The film starred Durga Khote, Prithviraj Kapoor, K. L. Saigal, Pahari Sanyal, Molina Devi and Indubala. K. L. Saigal had a small part that of a devotee in the film with Prithviraj Kapoor playing the male protagonist role. The film made Prithviraj Kapoor who played the role of the King of Mewar, Mirabai's husband, a big star and is cited as one of his career's best films.
Karodpati is a Hindi 1936 comedy film directed by Hemchander Chunder. The film was produced by New Theatres Ltd. Calcutta, and the music was composed by R. C. Boral with the assistance of Pankaj Mullick. The lyrics were written by Kidar Sharma who also acted in the film. The film starred K. L. Saigal, Sardar Akhtar, Molina Devi, Pahari Sanyal, Nawab, Trilok Kapoor, Rajkumari, and Kidar Sharma. The film showcased K. L. Saigal performing a farcical-comedy role which was a different format from his normal tragedy based stories. The story revolves around a cinema-crazy young man who wins a lottery, leading to a series of comedic situations when his friends join him.
Sathi is a 1938 Indian Bengali film directed by Phani Majumdar and produced by New Theatres. It was the Bengali version of Street Singer and the film was the debut of Phani Majumdar as a director. The film's cast includes K. L. Saigal, Kanan Devi, Boken Chatto, Amar Mullick, Sailen Chowdhury, and Shyam Laha. The story involves two young street children growing up together, singing on the streets and hoping to make it big in the show world. The film was one of Saigal's "most famous films" and a "classic" as far the music and songs of the films were concerned. The music was composed by R. C. Boral with lyrics by Ajoy Bhattacharya.