Because my Ravi tribute was swiftly turning into a Joy Mukherji tribute – and because I thought Joy merited a tribute all his own – I decided to do a Joy Mukherji post. My intention had originally been to review a Joy Mukherji film – until I realised that I’d already reviewed all my favourite Joy starrers.
Joy Mukherji (Feb 24, 1939-Mar 9, 2012) was the son of Shashadhar Mukherji, one of the founders of Filmalaya. Filmalaya, therefore, was the company which launched Joy in the 1960 film Love in Simla (which also marked the debut of Sadhana). Of all the aspiring young actors who tried to emulate the vastly successful Shammi Kapoor in the 60s, the tall and handsome Joy Mukherji was probably the best at projecting some of the effervescence, the joie de vivre, and the sheer attractiveness that made up Shammi’s onscreen persona. Where Shammi danced up a storm with Aaja aaja main hoon pyaar tera, Joy was joy personified with Duniya paagal hai. While Shammi oozed romance with Ae gulbadan ae gulbadan, Joy was tender in O mere shaahekhubaan, seductive in Aa jaa re aa zara aa.
You will be missed, Joy. Sorely.
So, here are the songs. Ten of them, all male solos (no duets, etc), from films that I’ve seen. And, for once, I’m making an exception to my self-imposed rule of not including more than one song per film – just because omitting some songs (you’ll see them in the list) would have been sacrilege for me; they’re just too wonderful.
1. O mere shahekhubaan, o meri jaan-e-janaana (Love in Tokyo, 1966): This list isn’t in any order. But, for the record, this is my favourite Joy Mukherji song. Because the music is so gentle, the lyrics are so tender (this is a song I’d have loved to have sung to me!), the Japanese garden is so tranquil and beautiful, Asha Parekh is so pretty – and Joy is perfect. I love the way he flits, just on the edge of his beloved’s vision, teasing her yet enticing her at the same time. He’s mischievous, but only a little – more than that, he’s amazingly tender, overflowing with love for his girl.
A little bit of trivia: This is one of two Joy Mukherji songs that include a line by famous Delhi poets. “Tum mere paas hote ho, koi doosra nahin hota” is from a work by Momin. (The other song is Zubaan-e-yaar-e-mann Turki from Ek Musafir Ek Haseena; the title line is Amir Khusro’s).
2. Aaja re aa zara aa (Love in Tokyo, 1966): Another romantic song from Love in Tokyo, but very different from O mere shahekhubaan. Aa ja re aa zara aa is blatantly seductive, and seething with passion (in fact, I rate it as the best male come-hither song I’ve ever come across). Rafi’s voice is gorgeous, of course – but Joy Mukherji really brings the song to life.
The purposeful (yet relaxed) way in which he follows Asha Parekh to the dance floor and across it. His intent look as he focuses only on her, ignoring everybody else around. The heavy-lidded eyes and the smile when he looks at her as the rain comes pouring down… Mmm.
I don’t think much of men in floral shirts, so that’s saying a lot.
3. Laakhon hain nigaah mein (Phir Wohi Dil Laaya Hoon, 1963): This is an ‘introducing the hero’ song. Wasti, playing the father of his long-lost (then infant) son, looks wistfully up at the baby’s photo, and wonders where that son is now, after all these years.
And then we – in a treat the father doesn’t get right now – get to see who that baby has grown up to be. Big and handsome, in a striking red sweater and white trousers, striding through the gardens of Kashmir with a guitar perched on his shoulder. And later, with the guitar beside him in a shikara.
He’s fun, he’s flirtatious, occasionally dreamy-eyed – and obviously unattached. No wonder all the girls look so interested.
4. Dil thhaam chale hum aaj kidhar (Love in Simla, 1960): This is the ‘introducing the hero’ song for Joy Mukherji – because it’s the first time Joy was seen onscreen. In his very first film, he travels in a train, headed for Shimla to meet his girlfriend’s family. And we are introduced to this young man through this delightful song. Joy is the fun hero here: romantic (since he’s singing to his absent girlfriend), but also clownish. He goes teetering across the compartment as he gets dressed, falling about between the berths, lurching and overbalancing, hitting his head on the roof, but not giving up on his song.
If you like your heroes dignified, this one isn’t for you.
5. Duniya paagal hai ya phir main deewaana (Shagird, 1967): …and neither is this. Duniya paagal hai is the absolute opposite of all the tender, romantic songs Joy Mukherji ever lip-synched to. He’s totally uninhibited in this one, deriding love and marriage (at someone’s engagement party, too!) His dancing is whacko, but actually pretty good too. And he’s a ball of energy as he leaps about and goes pretty nuts.
A bit of personal trivia: ages ago, when we were teens, my sister and I tried replicating that dance sequence where Joy is lying on the floor, raises his chest off it and shakes. It’s impossible. We girls were both pretty fit at the time, but we just couldn’t manage it. Since then, I’ve had a lot of respect for Joy Mukherji’s fitness and stamina: you can’t be a wimp and manage something like that.
6. Aanchal mein sajaane kaliyaan (Phir Wohi Dil Laaya Hoon, 1963): Another song from Phir Wohi Dil Laaya Hoon. This is a beautiful, romantic song, sung (unfortunately against a rather tacky ‘faux medieval’ set). It’s all about a brief ‘it-might-have-been’ encounter: two strangers spending a day together, a hint of chemistry – and then the unhappy realisation that it was all a fleeting moment in time. A few more minutes, and they will be separated for ever. (He’s fooling her, by the way).
Joy Mukherji does tender and regretful wonderfully. No wonder he has this lady – who’s not met him till a few hours before – crying at the thought of never seeing him again.
7. Dil ki aawaaz bhi sun (Humsaaya, 1968): Joy Mukherji, like Shammi Kapoor, was very good at both extremes of the spectrum: gloriously romantic and totally wild. This is an example of the former, though with shades of pleading, persuasion – even emotional blackmail. Joy here plays a man who’s been (thanks to some very convoluted spy plots) been alienated from his sweetheart (besides having his good name besmirched). Alongside having to clear himself with the powers that be, he needs to woo his girl back – and this is how he does it.
The song’s a lovely one, and while Joy’s eyes (“Meri nazron ki taraf dekh” – “Look at my eyes”) – don’t look especially expressive, he does the pleading and the wooing well. And that slow, calculated prowl (see Aaja re aa zara aa, above) is sexy.
8. Jaanoon kya mera di lab kahaan (Ziddi, 1964): This is the height of being lively and animated. Joy Mukherji serenades his reluctant lady love (a wild tomboy with a fiery temper) with a mad exuberance – but he keeps everybody guessing about who his girl really is. He dances, he somersaults, he slides down hillsides, he flirts with two women – and he’s unbeatably attractive. Again, he’s in a printed shirt. I’m beginning to think there’s something about Joy Mukherji that makes me like him even in a printed shirt.
9. Mujhe dekhkar aapka muskuraana (Ek Musafir Ek Haseena, 1962): Ek Musafir Ek Haseena was another Joy Mukherji film with a fabulous score (other favourite songs of mine from this film include Bahut shukriya badi meherbaani and Aap yoon hi agar humse milte rahe). Mujhe dekhkar aapka muskuraana sounds – if you don’t watch it – like a slow, teasingly sweet romantic song. It is that, even onscreen. But it’s also more.
Joy takes it to greater, more endearing levels with his antics. How many men do I think are fun to watch wearing a matka? Or with a dupatta wrapped around their heads? Or dripping wet, in a torn sweater and tumbling over the undergrowth? Very few.
10. Hum chhod chale hain mehfil ko (Ji Chahta Hai, 1964): Finally, a change of mood from every other song in this list. This one’s a truly sad song (oddly, just from the point of view of lyrics, it bears a resemblance to Aanchal mein sajaa lena kaliyaan, though that is actually a farce). A young man discovers that the woman he loves (and who loves him in return) is already married – she was a child bride, though her husband has been missing for years now.
This is all emotion, lots of deep sorrow at a parting one hadn’t anticipated.
It’s also a fitting farewell to a very pleasant, likeable leading man of the 60s. RIP, Joy Mukherji.
Dustedoff 
Shallow me of course but I think of Joy Mukherji as the only non-Punjabi hero who was good looking.
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:-)
I tend to agree – though Dilip Kumar, in his younger days (I’m thinking Aan and Kohinoor) appealed to me, too. And Uttam Kumar, in the sole Hindi film he did in his heyday – Chhoti Si Mulaqat. Later, of course, by the time Anand Ashram and Amanush happened, he was too pudgy to be good-looking, but he looked great in 1967.
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If fellow-Peshawari childhood friend Raj Kapoor was Punjabi then Dilip Kumar is Punjabi too!
And I’ve heard him speaking Punjabi
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You have a point, there.
Later, I realised that I’d forgotten to list two other non-Punjabi actors who I think were very good looking: Sanjeev Kumar (before he put on weight!) – he was Gujarati. And Sanjay Khan (of Afghan origin, though born in India).
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Manoj Kumar too was good looking in the 60s.
Joy and Biswajeet were known as chocolate heroes in those days. Don’t know why…..
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Somehow to me, he always come to my mind as a nephew of Ashok Kumar. I am not sure if Joy was his real name??
With his demise yet another veteran actor is faded out.
May his soul rest in eternal peace, Sayonara,,,Joy…we will miss you.
OM SHANTI.
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His name was Jai pronounced as ‘Joy’ in the bengali way. He was a bengali as we all know.
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thank you …pacifist….his other four brothers are (1) Rono (2) Deb (3) Shomu (4) Shubir.
So I was wondering why his name was Joy.
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As pacifist says, ‘Joy’ is the Bengali pronunciation of ‘Jai’. For a speaker of Hindi, he’d probably be correctly called Jai Mukherji (just as most Hindi speakers end up pronouncing a lot of Bengali names – Swapan, Saugata, Partha, etc – all wrong!) :-D
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Pacifist, I can totally understand that, but why on earth were his sons named Boy Mukherjee and Toy Mukherjee? (Really!) Atleast, the latter’s realname is Monjoy. I wonder what ‘Boy’ Mukherjee’s real name was, and why they allowed their families to saddle them with such atrocious nicknames. :(
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Anu, darling – what’s a Bengali who’s not saddled with an atrocious pet name? Honestly. My mum’s side of the family is Bengali, and while my grandparents were kind enough not to give their children weird pet names, some of my mum’s cousins have the most horrendous pet names ever. The same goes for my brother-in-law’s family. All have beautifully lyrical Bengali names, but they’ve been completely swamped by awful pet names. Bhebli, Gaga, Gulgul, Puttoo… can you imagine?
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My son was dumbfounded when he first came in contact with some Bengali students here and found out about their pet names, which had nothing in common with their real names. There were no further complaints from him about my shortening his name at times – all I did was call him by the first half of his name, sometimes the first syllable, but it was still his name! I’ve also had friends with pet names like Montu, Munmun, Tiya, and so on, and their real names would be something really pretty. What’s behind this custom, anyway?
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I haven’t a clue, Lalitha! What’s worse, those frightful pet names follow people into old age. So, while it’s (sort of) acceptable to have a chubby little toddler called Putloo or Joojoo, it does get a bit awkward for the poor person when he/she is old and otherwise respectable – but still called, by all and sundry (including much younger relatives and friends) that.
My brother-in-law was telling us about somebody he’s related to, who is known almost universally only by his pet name. When his daughter was getting married, they ended up having to get the invitation cards printed with the father’s name followed by his pet name (within brackets), just so people would know who this was!
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Anu – watch “Kahaani” (2012) if you haven’t watched it yet. It brings to the fore Kolkata and the Bengali traditions. Actual and pet names are typically given to a Bengali.
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Actually, it’s quite prevalent in a lot of India, no? Even Punjabis. My husband is a Punjabi and is the exception in his family because he’s the only one who doesn’t have a pet name.
I have to admit that even I (my father’s from UP, though my mum’s half-Bengali) have a pet name I don’t like being called by!)
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I liked the “Sayonara Joy” bit, derubala. Very sweet.
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I wish that was your header :)
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Yes, I’m wishing I’d thought of that! It was inspired. :-)
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Love the way You write Madhu! So sad all the Best are leaving us slowly but surely! I am so pleased that I knew & worked with most if not all of them They will never really die because they will live in the Hearts of Many!!! RIP Joy Mukherji My Heart feels saddened!
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Edwina, thank you so much. I did think of you, by the way, when I was writing the section on Duniya paagal hai, because you looked so pretty in it. And that bit when you beckon to him – I don’t even need to watch the song to remember it!
You are lucky to have worked with most of these people. And yes, they may die out, but never really – because fans like us will continue to love them and enjoy their films!
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In the beginning he was not at all on the Shammi-emulating trip, more like emulating Dev.
Watch dil tham chale (Lovein Simla) and mujhe dekh kar (EHEM).
As long as we hav ehimin his movies and such beautiful songs, he will always live for us. Thank you Joy, for bringing joy in our lives!
raat nikhri huyi zulf bikhri huyi aaj subah nahin hone wali – Hum Hindustani [1961]
Thank you, Madhu for the well-written tribute!
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Ooh, harvey! You have just made my day with that song! : -) Thank you, thank you!
Was Joy one of the first major actors to go shirtless? I don’t remember Dev Anand or Shammi Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, etc in barechested mode. But Joy Mukherji looks delectable here. There’s also a very alluring unbuttoned-shirt scene with him and Asha Parekh-as-a-sardarji in Love in Tokyo.
I guess I’d agree about him in Mujhe dekhkar aapka muskuraana resembling Dev Anand in style – but I can’t imagine Dev Anand being a total lunatic and letting himself fall all about the place in a train in Love in Simla. Dev Anand did indulge in some looniness (Haai haai haai yeh nigaahein? Ae meri topi palat ke aa?) – but this somehow reminded me of the sort of stuff Shammi would do.
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Am always happy to contribute! ;-)
Dev Anand did go shirtless in Baazi and Jaal (see http://harveypam.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/jaal-1952/) and maybe other films too but not in a song. I hazily remember a scene where Raj Kapoor goes topless as well, but am not that sure!
I do think that Dev started the lunatic thing and Shammi perfected it.
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Hmm… but Dev Anand doesn’t look half as good without his shirt as Joy Mukherji does. ;-)
I’m sure I’ve seen a later film – black and white, but neither Baazi nor Jaal – too in which Dev Anand takes off his shirt, but I can’t remember which one.
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Now to some songs, which you haven’t listed, which are somehow hummable!
nateeja ye pyar ka from puraskar
kahan se lai ho jaan-e-man from dil aur mohabbat
zulf bikhrati chali aayi ho from ek kali muskayi
kis ne mujhe sada di from saaz aur awaaz
masha-a-allah tum jawan ho from yeh zindagi kitni haseen hai
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Thank you for all of those! I’d never heard any of these songs, except for the one from Dil aur Mohabbat. Maybe also the one from Saaz aur Aawaaz. That latter song, and the one from Yeh Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai, make me want to see both the films – I liked the songs very much!
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Another one, this time with Nanda
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I love this song! :-) Haven’t seen the film, so I didn’t put it on my list – but it would definitely have been at least in the shortlist if I had seen this film.
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here is one song
He also became a ‘matador’ at one point in that film, may be only Indian to do so?
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This was on my shortlist! I like the song very much. :-)
Yes, the end of this film was really a bit weird – an Indian being a matador? I remember being baffled when I saw that in Aao Pyaar Karein, when I was a kid. Wasn’t Saira Banu tied up and the bull unleashed at her or something of the sort? I don’t recall the details.
But yes, I’ve certainly not come across any other matadors in Hindi cinema.
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Love the intor and the write-up to the songs, Madhu. And surprisingly, we’ve only repeated four songs, and not all of the same films either. (http://anuradhawarrier.blogspot.com/2012/03/remembering-joy-mukherjee.html)
Aa jaa re aa zara is one of my favourites! I prefer Humdum mere khel na jaano though that is a duet, and you’ve stuck to the solos.
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I’ve been busy as a bee all of the weekend, so I’ve not had the time to go check any of my friends’ blogs, but I’m looking forward to reading your post, Anu!
I love Humdum mere khel na jaano (one reason I like it in particular is the way the song starts off slow and easy, and then picks up pace – plus the picturisation is good, of course).
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Rest in peace Joy.
Thank you, DO for giving us another opportunity (after Anu’s) to
express our appreciation of him.
Ek musafir ek hasina tops (along with some others) my list of good music not only of his, but in general.
His printed shirts were such a trademark (and sometimes coloured trousers – yellow or dark pink :-)
BTW, I was able to do the shaking of shoulders while lying on the floor and lifting them. But then I do yoga :-)
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“BTW, I was able to do the shaking of shoulders while lying on the floor and lifting them. But then I do yoga :-)”
Wah! I am impressed, pacifist! Maybe Joy Mukherji did yoga, too. Or was just very fit anyway (which explains why he could take off his shirt without appearing ridiculous).
Yellow trousers? Dark pink? I don’t remember. Don’t even want to remember. ;-)
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I don’t think any other actor had the same freshness and boyishness (Shammi Kapoor did not), without any narcissism or flamboyance (thinking of Dev Anand). I also think his acting was underestimated. It rarely hit a wrong note.
Fortunately all the glorious songs will make sure he is never forgotten. My top 10 Rafi songs would certainly include Mujhe dekhkar aapka muskurana and I just love Teri talaash mujhko (zabaan-e-yaar man turki). Both these songs have somehow dropped off the radio.
For Joy Mukherji at his best – Bade miya deewane, Duniya paagal hai, Woh hain zara khafa khafa, Yun zindagi ke raaste, Gaal gulabi kiske hain, Dil thaam chale, Hum bhi agar bache hote, … and all the others you have listed
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I like the songs you’ve listed, Sunny – all good ones, though I think of Hum bhi agar bachche hote as a Johnny Walker song rather than a Joy Mukherji one.
I also liked what you pointed out about Joy Mukherji’s boyishness and lack of narcissism – yes, he certainly wasn’t obsessed with himself, and his own personality didn’t swamp his onscreen persona (which is what happened to Dev Anand, and I’d also say to some extent with Shammi Kapoor – in both their cases, the men became such huge stars, that they got typecast. That didn’t happen to Joy Mukherji). His roles were similar, but you did see a character, not just Joy Mukherji.
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You’re right of course that Hum bhi agar bachche hote is a Johnny Walker song. I include it because Joy Mukherji is so natural and believable as the young father & husband (judging only by the song, I haven’t seen the film)
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Yes, you’re right about him being the father and the husband. It’s actually an interesting plot (at least what I remember of it). Hum bhi agar bachche hote was the best-known of the songs of Door ki Aawaaz, but it had a couple of other nice songs. This one, Dil mera aaj kho gaya hai kahin, is a particularly nice one:
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@ Sunny – So mean! :(
Joy Mukherjee was one of my favorite heroes too, just like Shammi and Dev. Now I need to check out Love in Tokyo! :D
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:-D
You must see Love in Tokyo. It’s total paisa vasool (and, frankly, I find the forced comic sideplot very irritating), but the songs are awesome, and both Joy Mukherji and Asha Parekh look out of this world.
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Will come back after watching it! :D
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Good! Tell me what you think of it. :-)
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Watched it on YouTube! I love it! :D The comic subplot was a little annoying, but yeah, really funny! Awesome movie!
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I’m glad you liked it! It’s one of my favourite Joy Mukherji films. :-)
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Sorry! Just pointing out how Joy Mukherji was different. I’m a huge fan of both Shammi Kapoor & Dev Anand too
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Though I agree Dev got… narcissti- (I dunno how to spell that word) in the 70’s, he was great in the 50’s and 60’s!
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I agree that he wasn’t narcissistic in the 50s, but later… actually, you can see it in films like Guide. The Dev Anand persona has taken over: he’s the superstar Dev Anand all over, not really Raju the guide (who’s a very different person, in many ways – I remember having to study the novel back in school, and thinking, “Goodness! This man is so different from Dev Anand!”)
But anyway, we’re all entitled to our own opinions!
P.S. Something odd is happening over at your blog, bombyanoir. I left two comments on your latest post, but neither is showing up. :-(
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In Guide, I think it was only a star persona at first, but in the 70’s… he became narcissistic and… Sorry Dev, but I have to say this.
He lost his mind. x_x
Really, what did he think he was doing with all those atrocious films? God knows how I managed to sit through watching Amir Garib all those years ago!
And cool, you got to study the novel? If my school ever does that I’d probably be dancing around the classroom in glee! And make my teacher show the class “Gaata Rahe Mera Dil” and dance more! :DDDDDDD
Okay, I think I got a little carried away with that. O_O Anyway, I just posted one test comment over at my latest post. Can you see it? :( And what did you intend to say? -curious- :D
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Despite his narcissism in the 60s, I still found Dev Anand’s films from that period mostly enjoyable – but yes, the 70s onwards, they were totally bizarre. I hated them.
Yes, we had to study the novel, in Class XI. We never got to watch the movie as part of the study course (in any case, I think all of us had already watched it on TV – they’d show Guide every now and then). But it’s really quite different in tone and setting from the movie.
P.S. I’ve posted my comment – successfully – over at your blog. :-)
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Yeah, the 60’s were fun! Especially the early sixties (i.e. Guide and before). I think it was all okay until Johny Mera Naam. After that everything fell apart at the seams. He could’ve, like, continued producing (but not directing! Again, sorry Dev, but he’s a horrible director! Leave Goldie to the magic!), but… UGH. I don’t know. It’s terribly hard to imagine him retiring so early, but acting/directing was terrible too…
I’m in Grade 7 now, and all we have to do is this dumbo novel that I can read in half an hour. And the only story that interests me (Five Hours to Simla; how could you NOT expect me to like that?) will be done NEXT year. Damn.
I haven’t read the novel (though I was considering reading it – what was so good about it that made Dev want to do this film so badly?), but I read about how the author was all unhappy because Goldie shot it somewhere else, changed the story, et cetra et cetra.
And yes, I saw! -goes off to reply-
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My reply’s at the end of the comments on this page…
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As dad’s colleagues leave this world one by one, I feel dad is moving further away from us; slowly but surely the film world is now becoming an alien world for me. Hope the two major stars from dad’s time Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna are blessed with a fairly long time in this world.
Anyway your song selection has once again filled me with nostalgia, bombarded as we are with the present day numbers, I get all stirred up by these songs.
Here is one song that I would like to add to the list.
and watch the Bangali Babu do a boisterous Punjabi bhangra in this one
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I like Champakali dekho jhuk hi gayi too – nice song! Thank you for that, Shilpi.
That song from Mujrim was totally new to me. I’d never even heard of the film before, let alone the song. Joy Mukherji’s bhangra moves are spot on (or at least as far as I can see), considering he’s not a Punjoo. ;-)
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Really, some of the best songs have beenpicturised on Joy. I love to call him “Always the Joy-ful lover boy”. Yes, love his movies, so entertaining!!
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That’s a sweet epithet for Joy Mukherji, Sharmi! Yes, “Always the Joy-ful lover boy”, indeed!
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dustedoff ji,
There is a popular belief that Joy mukherjee was launched by his father,Shashdhar Mukherjee-owner of Filmalaya Studios,in LOVE IN SIMLA,but the fact is different.
No doubt,Shashdhar Mukherjee had decided to make Joy an actor,but the timing was not decided.LOVE IN SIMLA was essentially being made to launch SADHANA with a bang.Sadhana had already done a small role of sister of Sheila Ramani in India’s first Sindhi film ABANA in 1958.
.
The Hero’s name was not finalised.RKNayyar considered many newcomers.He even thought of Dharmendra at that time.One day he saw JOY MUKHERJEE in Filmalaya studios.He was wearing white pants and white shirt and was looking very smart.RKNayyar immediately met Shashdhar Mukherjee and proposed Joy’s name.He asked for some time.
Later when the father agreed,RKNayyar,met Joy,who was just 21 years old that time and convinced him to start his career.
His chcolate Boy looks and Sadhana’s Audrey Hepburn hair style catapulted them to fame and name with LOVE IN SIMLA.
For additional info on this, here is a link-
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/A-tribute-to-Bengali-babu-Joy-Mukherjee/Article1-822844.aspx
-Arunkumar Deshmukh
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Thank you for that anecdote, Arunji! Didn’t know it. Interesting, that it was actually RK Nayyar and not Joy’s father who actually managed to get Joy that break.
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I read some where that it was Aghajani Kashmiri, who suggest Sheshadhar M. for Joy to star in Love in Simla.
As we know Agajani worte Junglee, Love in Simla and Humsaya.
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Here Joy is praising Agajani…for his carrier.
http://www.thegoldenpen.ca/category/buzz/
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That was far too short! I do want to see more of this. More of Shammi Kapoor, more of Joy, more of Aghajani Kashmiri – I hadn’t known, by the way, that he wrote Yeh Raaste hain Pyaar Ke and Parwana. Am I mistaken, or was he also the occasional lyricist? I seem to recall seeing his name listed among the credits for lyrics in some films…
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dustedoff ji,
What derubala ji says may be true also.
When S.Mukherjee asked for some time to take a decision,he might have asked some friends and some friends might have advised him too,helping him to come to a conclusion.
Syed Wajid Hussain Rizvi(1908-1998) also known as AGHA JANI KASHMIRI was a prolific writer of film stories,dialogues and screenplay.He did this work for more than 50 films.This,he had learned when initially he was with Bombay Talkies in the 30s.He is credited with acting in few films too,even as a Hero in his early days.later,he decided not to act anymore.
There is no record of his writing Lyrics of any films.
-Arunkumar Deshmukh
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Yes, I’d read about him acting in a few films to start with, but not really succeeding.
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Hindi film songs were particularly good during the Joy Mukherjee phase. They were melodious, fun, peppy and romantic, all these things Joy was really good with. He looked really really handsome, with his broad chest, good height, swept back hair, straight nose, large eyes, full smiling lips (somebody stop me!).
It did not occur to me that he grown old and was ill, it was a blow to hear he is no more.
I am sure you had a tough time selecting just a few of his songs, but I am glad you picked the dreamy numbers. He really knew how to romance his heroines, like Harv says, he was more Dev than Shammi.
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“He looked really really handsome, with his broad chest, good height, swept back hair, straight nose, large eyes, full smiling lips (somebody stop me!).”
It won’t be me stopping you, Ava! Go on – I agree with all of that. :-)
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LOL Ava. Do go on. Don’t stop. You speak for many of us I’m sure :-D
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>It did not occur to me that he grown old and was ill, it was a blow to hear he is no more.
I never thought of that either. I guess because I had never seen any latest pictures (like we do of others) nor heard anything about him. He didn’t seem to have been in the news.
Others I had heard nothing of were Sadhana and Nanda, but recently a friend sent me a picture of them with Waheeda and Asha.
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I did read – perhaps about a fortnight back – that Joy Mukherji was ill. I think it was a small snippet tucked away in the newspaper. But yes, he did stay out of sight, pretty much.
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Thanks Pacifist. I remember watching Hum Hindustani where he co-starred with Sunil Dutt and thinking how handsome both the men looked, so tall and wholesome.
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Wonderful write up as usual! Your and Anu Warrior’s list and the comments virtually cover all the great songs of Joy Mukherji. One song which is completely missing, and which is my top favourite, I would like to add:
Dil ki mehfil saji hai chale ayiye by Rafi from Saaz Aur Awaaz
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Saaz aur Aawaaz seems to have wonderful music (harvey posted Kisne mujhe sada di, above). This one’s a good song, too.
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I have yet to see a Joy Mukherjee as actor film, can I contribute a Joy Mukherjee as director ?
@pacifist :
His yellow & dark pink trousers were probably converted to vests for Rajesh & Zeenat ;)
@Ava :
“They were melodious, fun, peppy and romantic, all these things Joy was really good with. He looked really really handsome, with his broad chest, good height, swept back hair, straight nose, large eyes, full smiling lips (somebody stop me!).”
ROTFL !!!!
Joy Mukherjee, RIP.
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>His yellow & dark pink trousers were probably converted to vests for Rajesh & Zeenat ;)
Hahahaha Samir. Yes, I recognize these vests.
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When pacifist mentioned the yellow and dark pink trousers, the first image that came to my mind was Rajesh Khanna in The Train – there’s one particular song, Ne soniye, where his costumes are really bright.
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I love all the songs you’ve mentioned, Madhu especially the ones from Ek Musafir Ek Haseena and Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon but here is a little heard (or seen) song from a latter-day Joy Mukerhjee film – Sanjh Ki Bela which incidentally was a remake of “Kati Patang” or more accurately, Barbara Stanwyck’s “A Man Of Her Own.”
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Actually both the films (Barbara’s and Asha’s) were based on a novel by Cornell Woolrich called ‘I married a dead Man’ which she wrote under her pseudonym William Irish.
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I’ve been trying to get hold of the Stanwyck movie for a while (never with great perseverance, I must admit). Anyone here seen it?
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Mrs. Winterbourne (1996) …also loosely based on Cornell Woolrich’s novel “I Married a Dead Man”.
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Ah, yes. I’ve seen that one. Ricki Lake, Brendan Fraser and Shirley Maclaine. It’s more comic than dramatic, actually. Even the romance is rather too sudden and a little unbelievable.
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I saw that movie too on Zee Studio and was struck by its resemblence with Kati Patang. Kati Patang was based on a novel of the same name by Gulshan Nanda who must have lifted the story. The novel was darker than the film.
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You can see “No Man of Her Own” on You Tube:
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Thank you, Shalini! Will try and fit it in this weekend. :-)
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I’d never heard of this film (or the song, for that matter) – it’s nice (though I must admit Joy is looking his age). I’d no idea there was a remake of Kati Patang, either.
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What a great tribute, he’ll surely be proud of this ;). I loved your anecdotes too, especially the ones about the floral and printed shirts, I’m going through a phase of loving all things floral and printed right now.You know he’s someone who I haven’t seen enough of, I think I’ve only seen 3-4 films of his, he had me a shagird, which is where I really took notice of him, I’ll surely be getting more of his films.
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Thank you, bollywooddeewana!
I suppose I’m rather conservative in my tastes when it comes to men’s clothing! Stripes, yes; plain, yes; even checks (within limits) – yes. But prints and florals, no. In movies, Joy Mukherji is the only one who manages to carry them off as far as I’m concerned. :-) (I guess it’s probably because I’m too busy looking at his face)! Plus, teamed with a pair of dark trousers, a somewhat subdued floral shirt looks fine, I think.
Hmm. I think Joy just made me change my mind about men’s clothing…
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What a wonderful tribute to Joy Mukerji! He always got such wonderful songs in his movies, and I had the best time today listening to all the songs here and on Anu’s post, one by one. Then I found Ek Musafir ek Hasina on Youtube, so I watched that in the afternoon, while I was making dinner. Each song is so good in that movie, I would find it difficult to pick one over the other. Rafi’s soft, sensual voice, and Joy’s good looks (Ava has done the raving, so I will stop with calling him good looking!) and Sadhana looking drop dead gorgeous – I was lost in another world!
RIP, Joy sahib!
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Thank you, Lalitha! I’m glad you liked this post. It was easy to come up with, actually – just because his movies had such wonderful songs. Plus he was so watchable. :-)
I think I want to see a Joy Mukherji film today… I just might.
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A wonderful choice of songs,Between you and your readers,you people have almost covered all his beautiful songs.i too liked Joy a lot and found his height and physique very impressive.Also i liked his shayarana style of dialogue delivery a lot. i Remember that hospital scene in Ek Musafir Ek Haseena,where he tells Sadhana ‘Kya Tumhe is baat ka Ikhtiayar hai ki iss poori duniya mein tumhare siva aur kisiko nahin janta’.That line and his style of saying that line has stayed with me forever.
My Fav Joy film is Shagird.I mean i like all his other films Like PWDLH,EMEH,LOVE IN TOKYO,LOVE IN SHIMLA,ZIDDI etc.But compared to others,i find Shagird the best as it has quite a different,interesting and entertaining yet not typical storyline.Also barring it’s last 30 minutes,it’s supremely comic and genuinely funny.Also,as a film i think,it allows Joy to showcase his comic acting talent whereas his other movies don’t allow him to show any kind of acting prowess other than his damn good looks and romantic image.
By the way,I answered your Hrishikesh Mukherjee query in a comment in your Prempatra post.
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Thank you, Raunak! I’m glad you enjoyed this post. Yes, we’ve managed to cover quite a few songs of Joy Mukherji’s, both in the post and in the comments – I found some ‘new’ Joy Mukherji songs in the comments, and wish I could get hold of the movies they’re from.
Shagird is fun, (and I like I S Johar in it – one of his funniest roles, in my opinion). The one thing I would have changed is the villainous scheme and how it plays out. I think the film would’ve been better if it had remained a more or less pure comedy, rather than introducing that element. Still, it’s a good entertainer, and the songs (plus Joy Mukherji) are fabulous.
I’ve read your comment on Prem Patra – thanks for reminding me – and have responded. :-)
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It seems Saira Banu was a very good friend of his, had get togethers, and even visited him in hospital, .
She talks about how he went on a training for fitness for ‘shagird’. So there you are DO :) he was really fit when doing that dance.
Here’s a link to hers and Asha’s comments about Joy.
http://www.pinkvilla.com/news/bollywood/205910/ashasaira-working-joy-mukherjee-was-joy
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I’m not being able to open that link right now. :-( Will try later….
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Finally read it. Nice nostalgia about him… he sounds like such a fun person to work with. I loved that comment he made to Saira after she married Dilip Kumar! :-D
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Thanks for the link, pacifist! It was sad to read that he too, like so many others, took to eating junk food and let his body go, to the point where he had to be carried in to Saira Banu’s house! How I wish somebody had been forceful enough to tell these guys to take care of themselves! Well, at least Dev Saab took care of himself in that respect, even if his shirts were too loud!
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That was a lovely link Pacifist. I just posted it on facebook.
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I love being reminded of the depth and extent of my ignorance – I’d never heard of Joy Mukherji until seeing the death notices, and even assumed Joy was a she. Had his name been Anand, I would not have made that mistake, but thanks again for showing me how much I have to learn and experience from the Golden Oldies era, Madhu!
Speaking of joy, I can share how delighted I was to find that bookdepository.co.uk is now stocking “The Eighth Guest” – really looking forward to having my copy soon!
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Thank you for telling me you’re going to be reading The Eighth Guest, Stuart – I hope you enjoy it (and that Book Depository delivers, this time!)
Your comment reminded me of someone I used to know. His name was Anand, but his family used to affectionately call him ‘Joy’ – which was a cute pun, I thought.
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No worries about Book Depository letting me down this time:
“The Eighth Guest and Other Muzzaffar Jang Mysteries
By Madhulika Liddle Item status Dispatched on 14 Mar 12”
YAY!
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…though I must admit to a flutter of nervousness when anybody gets excited at the thought of reading my book. Will they like it? Will they hate it? I hope the former, Stuart!
Happy reading. :-)
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@bombaynoir: The novel is very similar to the movie in its basics – storyline, etc (I don’t remember the exact details, now), but the tone is very different. Firstly, the book is set firmly in South India rather than in the North (which was what Navketan did). Plus there are other pandering-to-Bollywood-tropes business that’s been introduced into the film, which weren’t there in the book. I believe the English-language version of the film was closer to the essence of the book than the Hindi one was.
It’s not one of my favourite books by R K Narayan, though – I far prefer his fabulous Malgudi Days series!
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I think one main difference was that in the novel, Raju woos Rosie, but in the movie, Rosie was already unhappy with her marriage and after seeing her husband with another woman, goes to Raju.
But I’m glad that Goldie did decide to take it to the North (Imagine. Raju Guide with Kannada-speaking people?!) Actually, I don’t think Guide is Dev’s best film. He excels in other playful, urban roles like Tere Ghar Ke Samne and Nau Do Gyarah. Problem solved. :D
Have you seen the English version? I saw the trailer on YouTube a while back. (Frankly, I didn’t understand anything. Uranium… what? Seriously, Dev, Goldie, WHAT?) I managed to find a review about it (and laughed so very hard over the part where the reviewer was like, “wearing his hats on the back of his pompadoured hairstyle and prancing about in a boyish fashion”. DEV’S STYLE = TOO MUCH FOR AMERICAN REVIEWERS.
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Yes, you’re right about the movie showing Rosie as having a good reason to leave her husband – trying to justify her affair with Raju, actually.
Even though I’m from the North, I don’t like the idea that the original setting was tampered with. But, as Sidhart Bhatia mentions in his Navketan book, that was probably done because the India of Rajasthan – all those forts and palaces and elephants – was more familiar to the West than was South India.
I haven’t seen the English version – it’s very rare; only a few prints (and bad ones at that) remain. By the way, it wasn’t directed by Goldie – Tad Danielewsk directed the English version.
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I am way too scared to go near the English version now. I always thought of Dev as the awesomely-handsome city-dweller with the awesome puff, sometimes morally ambiguous, but NOT the type of person he played in the English version.
Really, why (I haven’t read the novel) will he try to woo Rosie? Even his character in Jaal wasn’t as bad as this. And in one interview, Goldie was like, “I can’t start my movie with Rosie and Raju jumping into bed hours of Rosie disembarking from the train.”
Eww. e_o
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“And in one interview, Goldie was like, “I can’t start my movie with Rosie and Raju jumping into bed hours of Rosie disembarking from the train.”
Eww. e_o”
Don’t read the novel, then! If you like Guide (the movie) a lot, then you’re probably better off not reading the novel and imagining how the movie could have been. ;-)
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Ah Malgudi Days – great stories and very well adapted to TV, too. They were my introduction to Narayan, and I also love his prose summary of the Ramayana, especially for his decision to omit the Agni Pariksha, and his reasons for doing so.
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I have no clue about all that. O_O
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Malgudi Days is a wonderful set of books. You should certainly keep an eye out for them. I adored them when I was younger, and still love them just as much. Yves wrote a great review about them, here:
http://www.letstalkaboutbollywood.com/article-swami-and-friends-68908806.html
The TV series is available as a set of DVDs, plus you can watch them online:
http://www.malgudidays.net/
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I’ll try to check them out! :D
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Malgudi Days – the TV series, not the books – were my introduction to RK Narayan too, and when I got around to reading the books, I was even more enchanted! I love those books.
I haven’t read his summary of the Ramayana – must look out for it.
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Great post Madhu!Sorry I am on vacation with sporadic access to the net. I love all your selections and one more, “Muqaddar Azmana Chahta hoon”. Anchal me sajaa lena is my favourite. I also love “Phir tere shehr me lutne ko chala aaya hun”and “Humdum mere” from PWDLH.
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Thank you, Karthik! I like the songs you’ve listed too, especially Humdum mere khel na jaano (I’d have included that, if only it wasn’t a duet):
And I might have included Phir tere shahr mein, but there were other songs from the film that I like more. (Incidentally, I like the way part of the lyrics of the refrain there form the title of another Joy Mukherji film).
Anyway, since I’ve added the links for these songs, I might as well add the one for Muqaddar aazmaana chaahta hoon:
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A great selection of some of my favourite songs and Joy was special to me.
It was December 1968, I was 15 years old and had got my first pay on Friday. On Saturday, I was off to the movies ( a luxury for me), the movie was “Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon. I promptly fell in love with Asha Parekh, and became a fan of Joy. In the next 12 months I’d see Love in Simla, Ziddi, Shagird and Love in Tokyo. Always felt he was no less than Shammi Kapoor, who was more popular.
Saw a youtube video couple of months ago where he was talking about Durga Pooja and he looked so old.
Thanks for sharing your tributes guys. Shammi, Dev Anand and now Joy gone.
RIP
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That’s a very sweet memory. Thank you for sharing it with us. What a great way to have spent your first salary – I don’t even remember what I did with mine.
I haven’t seen any recent videos of Joy Mukherji, but I remember watching Tabassum interview him back in the late 80s on her TV series Phool Khile Hain Gulshan-Gulshan, and even then, he looked pretty bloated, and certainly not the handsome hero I was used to seeing in the 60s films. I remember being very shocked.
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Hello,
I love the song from “Bahot Shukriya Badi Meharbani from the Ek musafir Ek Haseena. When i was a kid, probably in school, this was one sure song of Sunday’s Rangoli on DD. I loved it that time and still loves it.
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Thank you for commenting, Shiwani! Yes, when I was a kid too, Bahut shukriya bai meherbani used to come a lot on both Rangoli as well as Chitrahaar. They were very fond of that song. I love it too – love all the songs of Ek Musafir Ek Haseena, actually.
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Joy’s contemporaries Dharmendra, Manoj Kumar and Shashi Kapoor all worked with each other over a period of time. I never got to know why he didn’t get a chance to work with any of them in two-hero movies. For that matter he never worked with Raj, Dilip, Dev, Shammi or Rajendra Kumar either who were his seniors.
Biswajeet was considered his rival and I know so many rivals working with each other. But even with him, Joy never got to work.
I think the only actors with whom he worked were Sunil Dutt in his debut movie and Deb, his younger brother.
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One thing I disagree with that Shammi was Joy’s senior. In years, of course, but hardly in the period they were at their prime. Shammi’s first hit film – Tumsa Nahin Dekha – was just 3 years before Love in Simla, and both men touched their peak as heroes around approximately the same time.
If I think back over the sort of films that the other actors you’ve mentioned with starred together in, I’m reminded of films like Shaadi – where Dharmendra and Manoj Kumar were still very raw, not really hero status – and the focus was on an older, more mature actor (Balraj Sahni, in that instance). It’s sort of the same situation in Hum Hindustani – Joy Mukherji definitely plays second fiddle to Sunil Dutt.
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Here’s my favourite:
(Aap yun hi agar humse milte rahe) from Ek Musafir Ek Haseena…
In fact its one of my eternal favourites.
And I agree with some of the earlier comments-Joy was fun in this chocolate-boy avatar and Manoj Kumar in his earliest films was also cute and even, fun.
Cheers!
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I am so glad to find someone else who thinks Manoj Kumar was cute and even fun in his earliest films! I agree completely: stuff like Shaadi, Woh Kaun Thi? and Nakli Nawab are very entertaining, and he’s really good in them.
Aap yoon hi agar is a fabulous song. Nothing there that I don’t like. :-)
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Yippee! I guess some people do think Manoj was cute. I think he was really cute in Woh Kaun Thi – he DANCED! But Sadhana stole the show. :D
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Sadhana was fabulous in that. I must watch it all over again. I love that movie, plot holes and all.
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I did love to see joy in love in Tokyo and shagird. But you can never compare him with dev.Dev deliberately developed his persona to suit to the celluloid immiage which was immensely liked by people.infact he is a very good actor too.but it was underplayed for various reasons. The film guide is the cinematic adoption of the novel brilliantly directed by vijay anand. If Raju character is presented as it is in the novel. Many would not have seen the movie. That is why English version was not a sucess.
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Wish I’d seen this post before… a great tribute to a wonderful entertainer, many thanks DO and other contributors.
I adore Joy’s lively songs and bearing in mind your points about Joy’s wild sense of fashion, I hope you don’t me submitting the following songs:
1) Dilbar Dilbar – Aao Pyar Karein (1964) – Joy in tribal headgear and a leopard skin kilt!
2) Ae Meri Jaan-e-Chaman – Mujrim (1970) – His wardrobe for this song consists of a floral shirt with yellow trousers, a purple shirt with orange trousers and finally a yellow shirt and light tan coloured trousers.
3) Tauba Yeh Adaein – Ehsaan (1970) – I just love the way he prances about in this; his matching short-sleeved shirt and shorts are just revolting!
Reading through the responses above, DO you were trying to recall where you may have seen Dev Anand topless; was it in the Hum Dono song, Main Zindagi Ka Saath? I’ve seen most of Dilip’s films and can’t ever recall him taking his shirt off. However, in Aan during the song Aaj Mere Mann Mein Sakhi, we see him topless in a river, although only his bare back is visible. I’ve heard from old-timers, being a very hairy man, Dilip was reluctant to show off his body, particularly as in those days hairy chests weren’t quite the rage they became in the 60s and thereafter. Hence, you find his tops buttoned right upto his neckline in films. This I hear was a mitigating factor in him turning down Baiju Bawra, but this might just be an urban myth…
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Eww. :-D Even Joy Mukherji can’t carry off stuff like this! I have seen Aao Pyaar Karein, so remembered that tribal outfit, but the others were new to me – and are so repulsive, I ended up only listening to them rather than watching them. :-)
Yes, you’re right about Dev Anand being shirtless in Main zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya – just briefly, but he is.
Didn’t know that story about why Dilip Kumar never appeared barechested, but I can find the explanation believable enough!
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Always enjoyed watching Joy’s films. Lost count of the number of times I’ve seen Ek Musafir Ek Haseena, love each and every song in there. Most of Joy’s films had ‘to die for’ songs in them. Couple of my favourites are:
Dil beqarar sa hai from Ishaara 1964
and
Tere is pyar ka shukriya from Aag aur Daag 1970, which interestingly stars Mrs Shatrughan Sinha!
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Lovely songs! Thank you. :-)
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Hello dustedoff , thank you for your tribute for Joy , written on the 11th March 2012 .
Absolutely befitting to his personality , the choice of his 10 best songs , very near to my choice too .
Today , 3rd Dec . 2017 , I have read the tribute and gone through the comments . I am not a net person hence rarely browse , today was one of those nights , I started reading about Joy and kept on from one site to other ….. sorely missed golden times of Hindi cinema , the golden era of music , golden actors and golden sunshine handsome man Joy Mukerji ! !
He went away early but left behind a trail of golden memories …….
Baba’s golden boy was my husband……
Joy Deb Mukerji .
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My goodness! I am – well, quite overwhelmed, Thank you so very much for commenting, and I am so glad you enjoyed this post. Joy Mukherji has been one of my favourite actors since I was a little girl and began watching movies on Doordarshan – he was so handsome, and I still remember pretty much swooning over him in Love in Tokyo and Phir Wohi Dil Laaya Hoon. I also remember my sister and I getting down on the floor and trying to do that bit of dance he does in Duniya paagal hai and having to give up, because it was so difficult! It was so terrible that he went so before his time. RIP.
If you should come back to my blog, and if you should be inclined to do so, would you like to write us a guest post about your wonderful husband? As a person, as an actor, whatever. I would be honoured. If you’d like to, just leave a comment here and I’ll contact you through e-mail.
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