MASHALLAH MAHJABEEN

Songs 61-67


Today is the birthday of the iconic Indian actress Meena Kumari aka Mahjabeen Bano who ruled the 40s and 50s with her brand of poignant, sensitive and heart wrenching portrayals of the quintessential Bharatiya Nari. Always restrained and measured and sensitive and staid, Meena Kumari exemplified the silent tragedy queen who preferred keeping the tumult of her emotions well hidden from the world. Instead of anything shrill or shaky, she stood rock steady, taking it all in with nerves of steel and a mysterious Monalisa like smile. So needless to say most of her songs were sung by Lata. But there were songs in her earlier movies that were sung by Asha and Geeta. Meena Kumari definitely looks fresher in those songs, almost hopeful, almost optimistic and not as if carrying the burden of unspeakable agonies on her shoulders. Let's go though a journey of some of Meena's most memorable songs and capture her many moods, right from debutante to décolletage flashing, from mysterious to mystic, from flirtatious to enigmatic.

Here's the first pretty bold one for those times. Lo and behold it is a bathing song! Gosh, Meena and bathing song? Arre Meena Ji aap to aisi na thii? Well see it for yourself! She was all of 21 and a stunning beauty. Well what's the point of being 21 and not totally enjoying your looong shower!
KAISA JADU DALA RE
 

Now that the beauty was bathed and sussed, the next step was to adorn herself with solah singaar! In ancient Indian belief a beautiful belle had to partake of 16 essential beauty treatments to get ready for her amour to ensnare him. This adorable Geeta Dutt number from 'Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam' showcases Meena doing just that.


 PIYA AISO JIYA MEIN

But it was often Lata's voice that suited Meena Kumari to the T. Together they delved into emotions so undecipherable and complex that the result was staggering. There is unrequited love and there is unrequited love. I am sure everyone has had one such experience but still everytime such an experience happens, you are ill equipped to deal with it. Some take it head on and bang some crockery, some drown their sorrows in booze, some write caustic letters to let their betrayer burn in guilt. But not Meena Kumari. She simply lets that sinking feeling bottle up at the base of her throat, holds that tear right at the brim of her gorgeous eyelids and wishes her beau all the best in his new found happiness. Walking out of a love gone awry gracefully? Well learn it from Meena how to take a bow. And how! One of my all time favourite songs ever that I looove singing.

 AJEEB DASTAAN HAI YEH

Soon movies moved on to coloured climes, but do you think Meena Kumari's world became brighter? She was always this achingly beautiful figure. Madly in love, deep in her passions but never actualised. She searched and seeked that perfect love, that perfect life. People came and went. She lit up with hope but some twist of fate made sure her permanent companion was melancholy. Noone played the nautch girl or Tawaif with a heart of gold better than Meena. Pakeezah was her swan song and each one of the songs from this movie is a masterpiece. Starting with this one song that portrays so beautifully the circumstances and compulsions that force women into selling their bodies. I know today the politically correct thing to say is 'So what? It's her choice.' But as a woman one can well imagine that no one  would do it out of great sense of pride. It is a shame that is slowly internalised and desensitised. To sell your body every day must be like slow death every day. Kudos to the maker of this one song that with a riot of colours shows the magical allure as well as the pitfalls of the flesh trade. It in one breath shows the dazzle of this world and condemns the society that fails to give women better options to earn a living.


INHI LOGON NE
 

But while she was at it, she learnt all the tricks of the trade. She used men to get her way, she manipulated their weaknesses to survive in the jungle called life. Meena perfects the art of slow seduction in this song, Indian style. She leads on, she teases, she mocks, she cajoles, she flirts and literally has them curled around her little finger. The song is different from Meena Kumari's usual moods. Here she is someone who knows her power over men and flaunts it. The song is also steeped in Shringar Ras- the elixir of beauty and love according to ancient Indian texts. The power of mystery and subtle play rules.
THARE RAHIYO O BAANKE YAAR




Talk of these nautch girl movies, so they were rather long and sad and pretty hopeless. Just think 'Pretty Woman' with lot more heavy make up, dressy costumes, classical dancing, meaner pimps, lot more crying and then she doesn't even get Richard Gere in the end! People came and people went and walked all over her heart. All she could do was to recall the faint footsteps of her loved one and philosophise that she just met a stranger for no reason but she was still where she always was. Now this song is a study in rhythm and beats. The Kathak dance by the two side dancers is exemplary. Meena Kumari per se was not a trained dancer. Also she did not really have the agile body of a dancer but man does she emote with just a deft play of hands, a look and slight gesture. Her powerful face spoke volumes and there were many takers. The train sound in this song was a special leitmotif of this movie. All in all it is a stunning creation of Kamal Amrohi, well executed by Meena.
 

CHALTE CHALTE




It is believed she had a rather tragic life too. Born into a very impoverished family in Mumbai, she was forced to join films almost a child woman. Love eluded her, till she married the much married Kamal Amrohi who was many many years elder to her. Pakeezah was conceptualised in 1958. They had differences soon and the movie was shelved by mid 60s when they separated. The making of Pakeezah itself took so many years as she took to drinking heavily. She was supposed to have a very tender and loving relationship with a much younger and stunningly handsome Dharmendra but by then she had lost the strength or will to let it culminate into something more meaningful. She wrote lotsa pensive poetry and drowned her last days in booze and shairi in her reclusive boudoir. Finally Nargis and Sunil Dutt on seeing the rushes of Pakeezah convinced the duo to reconcile for the movie and finish the swan song.The last scenes of Pakeezah were shot when she was in a critical condition due to liver cirrhosis. Three weeks after the release of Pakeezah, Meena Kumari died almost in penury that she was born in.

She once wrote of Kamal Amrohi
"Dil saa jab saathi paya
Bechaini bhi woh saath le aaya"

But this song somehow is how one would like to remember her. Happy and content in her own imaginary little world, longing for her lover but at peace. Loving the idea of being in love, more than anything else. One can only wish such a warm and gentle soul is happy wherever she is today.

 MAUSAM HAI AASHIQANA