UJAALE UNKI YAADON KE
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INTERVIEW OF MALA SINHA
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Excerpts where Mala Sinha talks about HFM Singers
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ML: Mala Sinha
KS: Kamal Sharma

Part 2

KS: Mala-ji, aapne Kishore Kumar, Kishore-da ke saath bhi kaam kiya
hai, unke baare mein kuchh bataaiye.

ML: arey baap re baap, Kishore-da to Kishore-da, ek 'minute' chup
naheen baiThne kaa, 'set' par sabki nakal utaarte the, 'actors'
ki, 'directors' ki, K N Singh ki bhi nakal utaarte the. K N Singh
ki 'picture' thi, shaayad usi mein ham saath mein the (KS keeps
laughing continuously), har ek ki nakal, ek 'minute' chup naheen,
bahut hi 'comedian', 'screen' mein bhi 'comedian', 'screen' mein to
aapko dikhta hai karte huye, bhaunwe upar neeche karna, uchhalna,
sabko hansaate rehte the 'set' pe. aur unke tarah 'tap dance' karte
huye maine kisi ko naheen dekhaa, ek 'foreigner' ko dekhaa 'tap
dance' karte huye aur unko dekhaa 'Taka Tak Tak Tak...'.

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Song: sach sach sach o dear sach sach (Bewakoof)
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ML: arey kya 'rhythm' aur kya karte the, arey har ek ko khush rakhte
the, woh mare bhi to sabko hansaake khush karke gaye.

KS: 'born artiste' jise kehte hain!

ML: 'what an artiste, what an artiste!' asli 'genius' bhi the.
arey 'producer', 'director', gaane likhna, 'emotional', arey unki
woh 'picture' dekhi thi, kya tha...

KS: Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein

ML: Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein, kyun, Naukri, 'great actor', aur kya
gaate the, woh aawaaz kisi ke paas naheen hai, woh jo daada gaye,
Kishore-da gaye, ab aanewaale naheen hain, par ham eeshwar se
praarthana karte hain ki agle janam mein hamaara beTaa banke, beTi ka
beTa banke paida hon aur yunhi gaana gaaye.

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Song: chhoTaa sa ghar hogaa baadalon ki chhaon mein (Naukri)
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ML: aisa lagtaa hai ki 'he is talking to you', jaise baat kar rahe
hain...

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Clip: Daakiya Daak laaya (Mamta Ki Chhaon mein)
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ML: Kishore-da jo the, jo hamaare Rafi saahab the, jo hamaare Mukesh-
ji the, ab naheen aane ka.

KS: aapki Rafi saahab se kabhi mulaaqaat huyi?

ML: arey woh to hamaare paDosi the yaheen Bandra mein jahaan pe aap
baiThe ho. par is ghar mein naheen, puraane ghar mein, jahaan main
pehli baar Kalkatte se aakar Theri thi. mere paDosi, ek 'building'
chhoDke, roz mulaaqaat hoti thi, unki riyaaz main sunti thi,
mere 'mummy, daddy', mera pora Khaandaan sunta tha, riyaaz bahut
karte the woh taanpure mein. aur ham log jab kabhi 'evening' mein
ghoomte the na, main to hamesha, mere khaandaan mein jaisa tha ki
mere baaba kabhi mujhe akelaa baahar naheen jaane dete the, baaba
baiThe baiThe ghar mein 'bore' ho gaye the, maine kahaa 'baaba,
chaliye na baahar', baaba le chalenge to le chalenge, meri Khud ki
himmat naheen, to ham nikalte the, ham log ghar se nikle, baahar
saDak par utre, aur saDak par utro to wohi Rafi saahab ki saDak hai,
baaju mein hi ghar. to woh bhi kabhi kabhaar nikalte the sair karne.
to hamaari mulaaqaat hoti thi. areyitna shareef insaan, itna eeshwar
ka, sahee, bahut naadaan, bahut 'innocent' bandaa, hamesha mukh pe
hansi, jo unke 'photo' mein dikhaaee dete hain na, kabhi 'violent'
yaa gussa naheen, dekhiye insaan ka jo dimaag hai na, woh insaan
ke 'personality' ka aaina hai

KS: bilkul sahi hai!

ML: aap kaise hain, aapki aankh bataa degee aapka 'nature' kaisa,
tareeka kaisa, to unki aankhon se pataa lagta tha itna naram dil itna
haleem bolte hain na?

KS: jee haan jee haan

ML: bahut hi haleem, 'humble', aur mujhse jo bhi baaten karte the,
hanske, 'Mala-ji, maine sunaa hai aap bhi gaana gaati hain, aap
bhi 'practice' keejiye'. maine kahaa 'aap seekhaayenge to zaroor
gaayungi' (laughs), 'zaroor aaiye zaroor aaiye'. bahut hi
shareef, 'down to earth', bahut 'mature', aur poora hindustaan unka
deewana. arey unke deewaane to aaj bhi kitne unki aawaaz nakal karte
hain. unmein yeh 'feeling' kabhi naheen ki 'main kya hoon', unko
pataa hi naheen ki Rafi kaun hai, Rafi ki kya moolya hai, woh apne
moolya ko kabhi naheen samajh paaye. 'arey mera ek 'function' hai
bhoolna naheen haan', Rafi saahab ne 'invite' kiya. main 'by faith
Christian' hoon. main kisi 'religion viligion' mein vishvaas naheen
karti, Jesus Christ ki 'preachings' mujhe pasand hai. to main unko
maanti hoon, main Christian hoon. to hamaare 'church' ke liye
thoDaa 'fund raise' karna tha, uski 'painting vainting' ke liye.
hamne bhi kuchh 'donation' diya tha, tab hamko kya miltaa tha, hamne
paisa kabhi naheen dekhaa, aajkal bolte hain na karoD, karoD le rahe
hain, do naheen ek naheen chaar chaar bhi, ham to laakh ka mukh bhi
bahut mushkil se dekhe. to ham kya de sakte the 'donation' ke liye,
to hamne 'organize' kiya, maine kiya, 'church' ke liye, Indian
National Church, tab tha, abhi naheen hai. to maine Rafi saahab ko
vinti karne gayi ki 'saahab, aap hamaare 'church' ke liye, maine suna
hai ki aap daan dharam bahut karte hain, to aap gaana gaa denge?'. to
bole 'arey Mala-ji aisa kya ki aap kahen aur ham na gaayen'. aur
yakeen maaniye ki ek naya paisa unhone naheen liya, 3 ghanTe khaDe
hokar unhone 'stage' pe gaane gaaye, maine bhi unke saath ek gaana
gaaya.

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Song: mujhe kitna pyaar hai tumse (Dil Tera Deewana)
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ML: main "aapki nazron ne" kitna achchha gaati thi, kya bataayun
main, meri aawaaz bahut achchhi thi, maine bolaa na, Lata-ji jaisi
thi, sab khatam ho gaya. waise hi Asha-ji. Asha-ji ek baar hamaare
ghar 'party' mein aayeen, hamne bulaaya tha, 31st, jab 'daddy' zindaa
the to sabko bulaaya, ham ek hi biraadari ke to aayenge hi na! to
Asha-ji itni 'down to earth', jo pakaa zameen mein baiThke khaaee,
galati se mere naukar ne 'soap case' mein 'soap' naheen rakhaa haath
dhone ke liye 'bathroom' mein, woh 'kitchen' mein chalee
gayeen, 'bathroom' mein dekhaa saabun naheen hai woh 'kitchen' mein
chalee gayeen, aur haath mein le liya 'vim', woh 'vim' hai na 'vim'!,
haath mein le liya. maine bolaa 'Asha didi Asha didi, yeh kya kar
rahi hain, meri tauheen ho gayi, aap 'vim' se haath dho rahi
hain'. 'arey Mala-ji, yeh to apna ghar hai, ghar mein to main bartan
bhi maanjti hoon agar naukar naheen aaya to, khaana bhi pakaati hoon,
aur waheen pe main gaana bhi riyaaz karti hoon, gaati rehti hoon,
pakaati rehti hoon, 'they dont know what they are', aise hi log
ooncha hote hain, aise hi upar jaate hain, jo ghamanD karte hain,
eeshwar ne kahaa hai, jo ghamaD karegaa usko ham giraayega, jo
bachche ki tarah, phool ki tarah, jisko pataa hi naheen hai ki main
kya hoon, yeh "main" jo hai na, yeh main" sabse Kharaab cheez hai,
jisko is "main" ka pataa naheen usko main 'exhault' karoonga, matlab
ooncha karoonga. in log, in log sab 'examples' hain, udaahara hain,
Asha-ji, Kishore-ji, aur apne Rafi saahab. arey "main hon" mein kyaa
hai, jab tak tumko uparwaala naheen degaa, kyaa hai! hameshaa Lata-ji
aur Asha-ji 'arey main kuchh naheen hoon'. jab main kehti hoon 'Asha-
ji, aap woh gaana kitna achchha gaati hain', to woh kehti hain 'arey
main kahaan gaati hoon, sab eeshwar ki den hai'.

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Song: ab do dilon ki mushkil aasaan ho gayi hai (Pooja Ke Phool)
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KS: achchha kabhi aisa huya ki aapko gaane ka shauk hai, Lata-ji aa
gayeen hain, Rafi saahab aa gaye hain, Kishore-da aa gaye hain,
aisa...

ML: aisa kabhi huya hi naheen, sab 'busy, busy, busy', sab akele
akele, matlab Lata-ji se mil liya 'party' mein, kabhi ASha-ji aa
gayeen, Rafi saahab se to kabhi ghar pe mulaaqaat huyi hi
naheen, 'road' pe (laughs) aur kabhi 'recording' pe.
mujhe 'recording' mein jaane ka baDaa shauk tha, gaana sunne ka. main
Kishore-da ke 'recording' mein jaati thi, jab 'free' hoti thi na, to
mera yeh 'programme' hota tha ki kahaan kaun si 'recording' ho rahi
hai aur kaun gaa raha hai.

KS: aisa koi yaad hai?

ML: jaise Kishore-da ki, Mehboob mein ho rahi thi, ek baar Rafi
saahab ki Tardeo mein ho rahi thi, Lata-ji ki bhi ho rahi thi ek baar
Tardeo mein, wahaan bhi main pahunchee. haan, Kishore-da ka bataati
hoon Mehboob mein. arey Kishore-da ko dekho, 'artiste' jo 'singer'
hote hain, log kehte hain ki parhez karo, kismein, ThanDaa paani mat
peeyo, imli mat khaao, mirchi mat khaao, galaa bahut naazuk cheez hai
isko sambhaalna paDtaa hai. arey main to dang reh gayi 'rehearsal'
huya, 'with' baaja gaaja, un dino aisa naheen tha ki 'sound track'
alag ho gaya, phir na 'music' hai na baansuri hai na 'violin' hai,
bechaara 'singer' 'headphone' mein 'music' sunke gaa raha hai. isse
kuchh maahaul naheen bantaa na! lekin 'inspiration' ke liye woh sab
chaahiye na! un dino aisa naheen tha, bilkul seedha,
idhar 'musicians' baja rahe hain, idhar 'recordist' hai, idhar kaanch
ke peechhe 'singer' ga raha hai. 'OK take', to daada kya bolte hain
beech mein se ki 'arey mere liye 'lemon soda' laayo aur baraf Khoob
Daalke laayo' (both laughs). 'lemonade' peete the woh, woh 'ginger
waali' ki kya waali, aur bilkul ThanDaa. main daada ke paas gayi jab
unhone laane ka 'order' diya, main kahaa 'daada, aapni gaan gaaite
jaachchhen, aapni ThaanDaa shorbot khele aapnaar gaulaa baundho hoye
jaabe naa?'

KS: aap gaana gaane jaa rahe hain...

ML: aap gaana gaane jaa rahe hain, aap yeh ThanDaa sharbat lenge to
galaa... 'arey yeh sab vahen hai, kuchh naheen hota hai, jisko
uparwaale ka den hai, kuchh bhi khaao peeyo kuchh naheen hota hai'.
arey peeya, peeke phir gaana gaaya.

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Song: gale ko garm kar le
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KS: Manna Dey saahab ke saath koi gaana gaaya aapne 'stage' pe?

ML: haan, 'function vunction' bahut huya karte the un dino, aajkal
naheen hote. kaun saa gaana gaaya tha arey baaba, yeh "masti bhara",
haan "masti bhara" hi gaaya tha ham dono ne.

KS: yeh Parvarish ka gaana hai?

ML: haaaan, "masti bhara hai samaa"

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Song: masti bhara hai samaa (Parvarish)
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ML: bahut se aise gaane gaaye 'functions' mein, 'I am basically a
singer' kyunki 'acting' se bhi pehle main gaati thi.

KS: aur kya kehna chaahenge un dino ke 'singers' ke baare mein?

ML: un dino ke 'singers' mein jo 'dedication' thi na, woh paise ke
peechhe naheen bhaagte the. paisa to har kisi ko chaahiye, lekin
jitna chaahiye utna hi, usse aage naheen. har 'artiste' yahi sochtaa
ki kaise woh apni kalaa duniya ko de. unkaa lene mein naheen dene
mein zyaada dhyaan tha, aur aajkal sab lene mein aage hain dene mein
Thengaa.

KS: Mala-ji, Mukesh saahab ne bhi aapki ek film Phool Bane Angaare
mein ek bahut Khoobsoorat gaana gaaya tha, Anand Bakshi ka likha
huya, aur Kalyanji Anandji ka sangeetbaddha kiya huya.

ML: haaaaan

KS: "chaand aahen bharegaa phool dil thaam lenge"

ML: "husn ki baat chali to sab teraa naam lenge"

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Song: chaand aahen bharegaa phool dil thaam lenge (Phool Bane Angaare)
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ML: "chaand aahen bharegaa phool dil thaam lenge, agar husn ki baat
chali to sab teraa naam lenge", ab kahaan hai aisaa gaana
baaba, "tujhe mirchi lagi to main kya karoon, teri naani mari to main
kya karoon" (KS laughs loudly), aajkal yeh chal raha hai. haaye re
haaye, woh zamaana, 'golden era' tha woh.

KS: Mala-ji, ab aap un cheezon ko 'miss' to karti hain, woh din aapko
yaad aate honge!

ML: yaad aate hain, mujhe Balraj-ji yaad aate hain, daadaamuni mujhe
bahut hi yaad aate hain, mujhe Rafi saahab yaad aate hain, haan
Kishore-da, unke saath to main kaam bhi kiya, kitna hansaate the,
itna zindaa dil insaan to maine naheen dekhaa. 'artiste' bhi naheen
dekhaa, ghar ke aaju baaju mein bhi naheen dekhaa. gumsum rehne ko
denaa hi naheen. matlab, koi dukhi hai to use hansaa hansaa
ke 'normal' banaane ka. aur unki apni zyaati zindagi zaraa 'sad' thi.
maine yeh dekhaa hai ki apni Khud ki zindagi mein jo dukhi hota hai
na, woh dikhaata hai ki 'main bahut khush hoon', hansaata hai, woh
aise insaan the, andar kuchh baahar kuchh, matlab woh sabko hansaana
chaahte the. doosron ko hansaakar woh apne Gham ko bhulaana chaahte
the, aisa mujhe lagtaa hai.

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Song: koi hamdam na rahaa (Funtoosh)
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ML: koi bhi kalaakaar dekho, jab tak choT naheen khaata woh kalaakaar
naheen bantaa, woh chaahe 'painter' ho, chaahe 'actor' ho, chaahe
patthar ko taraashnewaala ho, gehraaee tabhi aati hai jab insaan ko
choT aati hai. chot sirf mohabbat mein naheen, zindagi mein, bhaai
bhaai ko choT detaa hai, baap beTe ko, beTaa baap ko choT detaa hai,
kabhi kabhi sochti hoon to dukh hotaa hai, kaash ki main phir se usi
umar mein, usi peeDhee mein, usi 'age' mein chali jaayun aur yeh sab
main phir se karoon jo maine kiya. aaj 'boredom' lagtaa hai, jaise
zindagi Khatam ho ho gayi hai, kuchh naheen hai karne ko dharne ko,
ek hota hai na aage, to woh ek umar hoti hai jo bachpan se lekar
jawaani tak hotaa hai na safar, usmein umang, kya kya karne ko
tamanna, kya kya chaahna, aur jab sab haasil ho jaata hai na, tab
lagtaa hai ki 'aur kya hai jeevan mein!'