When I posted my ‘Khwaab/Sapna’ songs list, Anu commented that, by reading the title of the post, she thought it was about dream sequences. It wasn’t, of course—it was a list of songs which literally contained the word ‘dream’ in the first couple of lines of its lyrics. And while I did write in that post about the different links between songs and dreams in Hindi cinema, I didn’t mention that I had another post lined up to follow the ‘Khwaab/Sapna’ songs list: the dream sequence songs list.
A ‘dream sequence’ is part of a cinematic production that is separated from the rest of the story—by devices such as graphics (think spiraling), fogging, music, etc—to depict an event that does not really happen but which a character may imagine. Dream sequences allow, in Hindi cinema, all sorts of interesting possibilities: grand spectacles, enormously enlarged sets, things that aren’t possible in real (or reel) life. Lovers who are forbidden, relationships that cannot be.
There are dream sequences aplenty all through Hindi cinema, ranging from the very opulent one in Aan, where Nadira’s character sees herself switching places with her rival, played by Nimmi—to the many songs that take the form of a dream sequence.
In this list, besides my usual self-imposed restriction of the song being from a pre-70s film that I’ve seen, I’ve added one more criterion: the song should not be something linked to a person actually sleeping and dreaming (that would be an altogether different list). Yes, I agree this is what most people would call an arbitrary rule (since it rules out possibly the most iconic dream sequence in Hindi cinema, Ghar aaya mera pardesi), but hey, this is my blog. In other words, what I’m listing here are people day-dreaming.
And yes, only one song per film.
Here goes, then, in no particular order, though some of my favourite songs are at the top of the list:
1. Hum aapki aankhon mein (Pyaasa, 1957): To begin, a song from one of Hindi cinema’s most acclaimed films, and one which had a stellar score as well, with lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi and music by SD Burman. The general cynicism and despair that characterizes the bulk of the songs of Pyaasa is briefly put aside in Sar jo tera chakraaye and in Hum aapki aankhon mein, a teasing, playfully romantic song which, however, has more depth and more irony in its lyrics and its picturization than is evident at first glance.
Guru Dutt’s character keeps trying to entice his sweetheart (who has literally ‘descended’ to him down a sweeping set of steps) but to each of his enticements, she has some excuse to offer. Playful, but in hindsight—which is the vantage point from which this song is seen, long after she has left him and married a wealthy, successful man—prophetic. As is the way she leaves him, at the end of the song, and goes back up the stairs to her own dream world.
2. Ek ghar banaaoonga (Tere Ghar ke Saamne, 1963): Drunks imagining things is one of the most interesting examples of dream sequences in Hindi cinema, and Dev Anand’s here is an absolutely delightful turn as a tipsy architect caught between his sweetheart (whose father has appointed him to design his house) and his own father (who has also appointed him to design a house). Driven nuts by the subterfuge he’s had to resort to, and unable to figure out how to juggle the two assignments—as the men in question are arch rivals—and woo his girl at the same time, he takes to drink.
Not in a big way, fortunately, but just to the extent of being happy. Of imagining that he’s singing to his girl about building a home in front of hers. Great lyrics, great music, and fabulous picturization. The fun thing here, of course, is that it’s only our hero who sees this as a dream sequence: for everybody else, it’s just a drunk singing to a glassful of whatever tipple he’s got.
3. Paraayi hoon paraayi (Kanyadaan, 1968): Another drunk, another woman, but the situation couldn’t be more different. Instead of the upbeat playfulness of Ek ghar banaaoonga, there is here despair and anguish and complete despondency. Asha Parekh plays a village girl who was married to someone in her childhood and hasn’t seen him in all these years; grown up, she falls in love with Shashi Kapoor’s character, and—oh, well: complications ensue, since this Sati Savitri pativrata will not accept another man in marriage, even if her childhood ‘husband’ is actually married to someone else now. So she insists on telling the man who loves her that she isn’t his. Never can be his. Even when he’s in his cups, drunk to the gills and smoking like a chimney, she wanders into his imagination and dances about the ash tray, through an Arabian Nights-ish setting, a tableau of her wedding, and finally, in multiple images of herself, all urging him to forget her.
4. Phir aane laga yaad wohi pyaar ka aalam (Yeh Dil Kisko Doon, 1963): Like Paraayi hoon paraayi, this song too features Shashi Kapoor, and (like the ash tray in the previous song) among super-big versions of everyday objects. And, as in both Paraayi hoon paraayi and Ek ghar banaaoonga, this is the imagination of a drunk at work. Shashi Kapoor’s character, tipsy on ‘English liquor’ (obviously stuff too heady for him) imagines his girl dancing about between an outsized ash tray, goblet, decanter and more, with him joining in for a duet celebrating their love. A beautiful song, and I love the unusual and interesting way in which Usha Khanna sings only that very brief refrain—“pyaar ka aalam”—while Rafi sings the rest of the song.
5. Kya jaanoon sajan hoti hai kya (Bahaaron ke Sapne, 1967): Another common element behind dream sequences is that of someone poor imagining how life would be if—well, whatever. If life were easier, if they were rich, if their enemies were gone, etc. As in Kya jaanoon sajan, where two poor lovers (so poor that even going on the Ferris wheel at a small mela is a big treat) have a respite. Imagining a world in which they are no longer in rags, but stylishly attired. Where there are glittering trees and giant diyas, where nothing is like the biting poverty and harsh reality of everyday life.
6. Hum kaale hain toh kya hua dilwaale hain (Gumnaam, 1967): I will admit that this song is on this list because it’s a fairly iconic example of the dream sequence; I personally don’t like it that much. But yes, it is popular enough: I remember once, years ago when VCDs had first started to take the place of VHS tapes, I happily bought the VCD of Gumnaam, mostly because I like the songs of the film so much: Jaan-pehchaan ho, Gumnaam hai koi, Jaan-e-chaman shola badan… to my horror, it turned out that somebody at the video production company had gone berserk chopping off chunks of songs, leaving—in almost all the songs—only one verse. The one song that was there in its entirety was Hum kaale hain toh kya hua dilwaale hain. Mehmood, flirting—in his imagination—with a gorgeous Helen and telling her how much he loves her. Helen is lovely and Mehmood is over the top.
7. Tere khayaalon mein hum (Geet Gaaya Pattharon Ne, 1964): An unusual example of a dream sequence that meshes in with something very practical. A sculptor, played by Jeetendra, is inspired so suddenly—by the face of a woman, played by Rajshree—that he rushes out into the middle of the night, carrying his tools and setting to work on a boulder. As he carves a monolith, labouring into the night, his work is overseen by the dancing, singing figure of his muse. She eggs him on through the night; she wakes him from an exhausted sleep at dawn, and it is her song that sees him finish his work even as the sun sets. A beautiful song.
8. Mehbooba teri tasveer kis tarah (Ishq Par Zor Nahin, 1970): Dharmendra and Sadhana, I’d thought, would have made for a good lead pair for a film. But Ishq Par Zor Nahin was a very forgettable film, marked only by a few good songs, in particular the very popular Yeh dil deewaana hai. It also had this other Rafi hit, in which Dharmendra’s character (who, nonsensically enough, is able to paint a portrait of his dream woman, in such a way that she is the spitting image of Sadhana’s character—all without ever having seen her). Here, sitting out in a fake-looking garden, he serenades his unseen, yet-unmet love, and imagines that she’s arrived, that she’s dancing before him, in a fake-looking palace.
9. Tu chhupi hai kahaan (Navrang, 1959): Navrang, by its very theme, was ripe for dream sequences. A poet, very much in love with the wife who is also (unknown to her) his muse, finds himself separated from her because she believes him to be in love with another woman. But the husband, pining for his wife, imagines her as the heroine filling his every dream, dancing to every verse of his songs.
Even here, when he’s a broken wreck, taken to the king’s court, he begins to sing of her—and imagines her pining, too, for him. Singing, first in a desolate landscape, then in a wide space, with tall pillars (each surmounted by a dancer) and then under a collection of outsize bells. While Sandhya, in bronze wig and bad makeup, looks none too great, the set—especially with the dancers on the bells—is very impressive. And the song itself, the music and rendition and lyrics, is excellent.
10. Mera dil ab tera o saajna (Dil Apna Aur Preet Paraayi, 1960): In what was possibly the most popular nurse-and-doctor romance ever made in Hindi cinema, Raj Kumar plays the doctor who, despite being attracted to the nurse played by Meena Kumari, gets married to another, convinced that she is the right woman for him, that this is going to be the right marriage, and basically trying to please everybody other than himself and the woman he really loves.
With, naturally, disastrous consequences, since it doesn’t take the new wife much to realize that her husband doesn’t love her, and that they are nothing alike. As the marriage goes rapidly downhill, our hero, who is professionally still beside his true love, finds himself imagining—as he watches one of those village dance troupes that so suddenly break into dance around a campfire—what it would be like to be actually with the one he loves. Meena Kumari is lovely, Raj Kumar’s dancing is cringe-worthy, but the song is a good song.
Which songs would you suggest for this list (remember, not songs where somebody’s who’s sleeping dreams of the song)?
Dustedoff 
I would suggest two:
mehfil mein meri- Albela
Tere bina aag- Awara
But your first selection is the best ever. And your comments bring out the finer point.
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I would have suggested one more: ‘Dil dil se keh raha hai’ from Parchhain. But I am not sure whether it is a dream or some sort of vision!
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It’s a dream, I think. Right at the start of the song, you see her lying on her back, apparently asleep. So, not a vision or a day-dream, which is what I was looking for in this post.
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Isn’t Mehfil mein meri a stage performance? Then while the set is opulent enough etc (not that that’s necessarily a criterion for a dream sequence), I wouldn’t classify it as a dream sequence since nobody’s imagining all of this. It’s just staged.
Tere bina aag/Ghar aaya mera pardesi, as I mention in my post, doesn’t apply here, since he’s dreaming it all. And those are songs for another post. ;-)
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I am not sure if I understood “the song should not be something linked to a person actually sleeping and dreaming” this completely, but if I have then Yaar bina chaen kahan re, from Saheb , kind of fits the bill. What is nice is the incredulous, wide-eyed-wonder of the pair that is ‘watching’ :)
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This is exactly what I meant! A daydream; it’s not actually happening, but the person (or in this case, two) are imagining it.
(BTW, I am actually listening to this song – there’s a certain something to it that I’ve always enjoyed). Thank you for that. :-)
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Madhu, I don’t understand the part about ‘…the song should not be something linked to a person actually sleeping and dreaming . ‘
Unless… what you’re getting at here is not exactly ‘dream’ sequences, but ‘imagined’ sequences. Because neither Tere ghar ke saamne nor Hum aap ki aankhon mein are ‘dream’ sequences, exactly. The protagonists in both are wide awake and ‘imagining’.
Am I completely off track here?
That aside, love some of the songs on the list. My ‘fall asleep and dream’ list would include (apart from Ghar aaya mera pardesi) the iconic Paanch rupaiyya baarah aana.
In the imaginings list, I would include (well past your blog’s time frame, but oh-so-lovely) Main aur meri tanhai.
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I actually went by the definition of ‘dream sequences’ which I came across somewhere (now I’ve forgotten where – most of this post was written many months back). That clouds, larger-than-life imagery, Dali-esque stuff etc are not essential in dream sequences, but what sets it apart is… well, the definition I’ve provided in the introduction. I suppose ‘day dreams’ would be a more appropriate way of describing it? Maybe I should add that in the post.
The ‘fall asleep and dream’ list is a completely different one, which I’ll post next week. And guess which songs feature in it? :-)
Main aur meri tanhaai is a lovely song; thanks for reminding me of it.
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Makes sense now. :) Don’t mind me – I’m totally bonkers these days.
Yes, ‘day-dreams’ is a fabulous way of putting it. I would add Jaaneman jaaneman tere do nayan from Chhoti Si Baat to the list. It fits with Ava’s point about ‘imagining yourself and your squeeze’ in the latest song. :)
The ‘fall asleep and dream’ list is a completely different one, which I’ll post next week. And guess which songs feature in it? :-)
Ha! :) Looking forward to it.
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Not a problem. I can see some others got confused too, so the fault likes with me, not with you! And thank you for the Jaaneman jaaneman addition. I love that song! :-)
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Jaaneman jaaneman is an absolute favorite of mine too!
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There are lots of day dreaming sequences, especially dance songs. A hero looks at his girl on stage and imagines himsel& dancing with her. There was one in Jeene ki rah, where a crippled Tanuja day dreams about dancing with Jeetendra. Will have to look up the song.
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The song was aa mere Hamjoli aa. In fact I think there are quite a few day dream songs. I think I have day dreamed myself and my squeeze of the moment into beloved songs very often. 😉
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:-D Me too!
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I had forgotten about that one! Yes, there are loads of songs about people daydreaming.
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Hi,
What a excellent song list!
Like other readers, I too got confused after reading the criteria.
But after I read your responses and others comments, I think the confusion is cleared.
I’ve not thought of two different song lists, day dreaming and sleeping dreams.
But yes, it would be more appropriate to call this a day dreaming song list.
🙂
I can’t off hand remember much songs to add.
Certainly not within the time line.
What I remember is,
Are re are ye kya hua from DTPH.
In some parts of the song at least, they imagine themselves in a day dream.
Again,
Crossing the time line,
Mera dil bhi kitna pagal hai from Sajan
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Both these songs, even though beyond my timeline, are nice ones (far better, at least, than most of the other songs being made at the time). Mera dil bhi kitna paagal hai is a particular favourite of mine when it comes to that period – to listen to, that is, not to watch. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever watched this one before. :-)
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Hi Madhu, I haven’t seen these songs in a long time so not sure if they will make the cut. But sharing my 2 cents. ( I had commented the Waqt song …Maine ek khwab sa in the other post.)
1)Aayi pari rang bhari.. from Do Phool (1958). 2)Daiya re daiya laaj mohe lage and Aaj hai pyar ka faisla ae sanam, both from Leader (1964).
3) Payaliya bawari ..Saaz Aur Awaaz (1966)
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4) the Raagmala dream sequence from Baiju Bawra (1952).
5) Suno chhoti si gudiya ki….Seema (1955)
6) Ga mere man ga…..Lajwanti (1958)
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Gaa mere man gaa doesn’t really fit, does it? This is a stage performance – it might look as if it’s being imagined by someone, but it’s all happening on stage.
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Yes, Maine ek khwaab sa dekha hai fits right in here. :-)
I had forgotten about the songs from Leader, though I’ve seen the film. Saaz aur Aavaaz – I wasn’t able to find a video of the song you mention, sadly. Have just finished watching Aayi pari rang bhari – nice song, thanks for this!
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I love your vivid descriptions in every listicles/reviews.
Regarding the ‘Gumnaam’ song, if I can remember correctly, a character was bumped off before the song. So I was quite taken aback by the timing and that’s why this one dream sequence is so memorable to me.
One of my fav dream songs is “Jisse dhundta hoon main har kahi” from Dil Chahta Hain (I think it fits your criterion).
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Oh, yes, Jise dhoondta hoon main fits in perfectly! (and a good song, too! – I like this one a lot). Thanks for this, and for the appreciation. :-)
Because I like this one, let me embed it here.
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What a fantastic theme !!!
Let me add some songs,
1) In movie Hare Kaanch Ki Chudiyan , Naina Sahu is day dreaming in this title song
” Dhani Chunari Pahan ”
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Thank you! And yes, Dhaani chunari pehen fits right into this post. Thanks for this. :-)
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In movie ” Mujhe Jeene Do ” Wahida Rehman is day dreaming
” Maang mein bhar le rang sakhi ri ”
” Bawarchi ” has got a very nice Manna Dey song , in which Jaya Bhaduri is Dreaming
” Tum bin jeevan kaisa jeevan ”
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This is a bit of a coincidence – because, over the past few days, I’ve been telling myself I need to rewatch Bawarchi; it’s been so many years since I last saw it that I’ve pretty much forgotten most of it. Perhaps this is the impetus I needed.
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But U haven’t answered whether the above given songs of Mujhe jeene do & Bawarchi fit in the post or not ?!!!
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Yes, of course they do.
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It’s a bigger coincidence because someone just posted this very song on my blog. :)
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Anu G , its me only ,I hv Signed it in last 2 lines with regards.
I found that song befits in both themes.It has a day dreaming as well as sung by male , showing female feelings.
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You and me, Anu. Soul sisters, after all! :-)
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My contribution to this very nice post :
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Yes, nice song. Thank you!
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Hi,
Couldn’t reply to the last post. Actually had time to read both the posts just now.
I don’t have much to add to this one but maybe “Unke khayal aaye to” from Lal Patthar might fit your last post (1971).
That’s all I can come up with for now.
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I watched Laal Patthar years back, as a child, so I remember nothing of it. Is this the song you mean (or is there a different version?):
… because while there’s a brief glimpse of Hema Malini’s face in the drink, the rest of the song isn’t really imagined.
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This of course is a natural follow-up to your previous post but surprisingly a little harder for me to find appropriate songs for – or more accurately, find songs that I *like*. :-)
Still here a couple of songs that I’m very fond of:
The first is a mesmerizing Suraiya number from “Shama.” The hero (Vijay Dutt), a poet, asks Nimmi to sing the poem he believes Suraiya composed for him and as she sings, he imagines Suraiya herself singing. I think this maybe the only example of Suriya semi-play backing for someone.
Dhadkte dil ki tamana ho – Shama (1961)/Ghulam Mohammed/Suraiya/Kaifi Azmi
The second features the heroine summarily and hilariously rejecting the suitor her parents have selected for her while imagining and describing the kind of dashing and handsome man it would take to win her heart before finally realizing that she’s already met that man – Shashi!
Isi shehar ke kisi gali mein – Mr.Romeo/R.D. Burman/Asha Bhonsle/Anand Bakshi
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Oooh, I want to watch Mr Romeo now! That was fun, Shalini – thanks for it. I hadn’t heard this song before.
… and I hadn’t heard the Shama song, either. Nice: and you solved a question I’ve often wanted answered, about Suraiya having ever sung playback for another actress. Yes, this isn’t completely another actress, as you mention, but still.
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Mr. Romeo (1974) is not what one would call a “good” movie, but I’m nevertheless very fond of it because it has elements that appeal to me. Namely – great music, a fiesty rather unconventional heroine, Shashi Kapoor, and Ranjeet in an atypical role. It *is* a fun watch.
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That’s enough for me! A fun movie is just what I need right now. And one with Shashi Kapoor plus an unconventional heroine – and great music – absolutely.
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Dhadakte dil ki Tamanna is what hooked me to Suraiya and I have stayed hooked!
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Some very nice songs here, as always. Madhu, I like that you included the song from Yeh Dil Kisko Doon, though you didn’t mention the best thing about this song, which was the dancing by Ragini. (In fact, you mentioned everyone involved in this song except for Ragini – whom you only referred to as “his girl” :( .)
Anyway, it was difficult to think of a sequence not covered here already in which the character does not actually fall asleep and dream in that sense. I thought of “Jahan Main Jati Hoon” from Chori Chori because I wasn’t sure if Nargis’ character actually fell asleep. But I watched it again and I realized that since Raj Kapoor’s character has to shake her to revive her, that had to be the case. (Still, it is strange that she fell asleep standing up, even if she was leaning against a haystack. And if she was asleep, she was singing in her sleep, which is also rather odd.)
There’s the “Assalam Alekum” song in Kalpana (1960) which seems as though it’s someone’s daydream because the dance become surreal, but there’s no character whom we see drifting in thought, so I assumed it couldn’t count as anyone’s daydream. (I think there are probably quite a few scenes like that in HIndi films. Naturally, dance sequences can become less than realistic, but this one was deliberately picturized like a dream, yet no one was shown dreaming or daydreaming.) As I recall, though, the best dance scene in that film is an asleep dream, so I am hoping that will appear on the next list – or else someone can add it in the comments. :)
Anyway, I thought of a daydream sequence, which I think can be a dream sequence as you defined them for this post because the character sees something in his mind that isn’t really there – which is the replacement of the girl in front of him with someone else – and so he obviously is daydreaming. But there are none of the “dream sequence” trappings that you mentioned – nothing at all fantastic about the scene. It is actually grittily realistic and short as well, but it is also heart-wrenching – with the daydream and even without it – and since the first time I saw this scene in Boot Polish, it’s been etched in my memory.
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Arrgh! I wish I’d remembered Chali kaun se desh, Richard. That should have featured in my list – it’s a lovely song. Thank you for adding it in your comment.
Yes, well. I did forget to mention Ragini. But you know me… I’m not a huge fan of the Travancore Sisters. And my father sort of spoiled Ragini’s dancing for me by remarking, “She has this way of leaping about which always puts me in mind of a pony”.
Assalam aaleikum is a song which needs to feature in some sort of ‘impossible songs’ list. It’s definitely not imagined or anything of the sort, and yet it cannot happen. As for Jahaan main jaati hoon, my take on that was that she doesn’t really go to sleep but just closes her eyes and drifts into a realm of imagination – and that conclusion I reached mainly because of the same reason you gave for being sceptical about her sleeping: you really can’t sleep standing up against a haystack. :-D
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In the introduction of the theme U hv warned
” And yes , only one song per film ”
Still I m adding one more from ” Navrang ” , as it is having a totally different mood from the first one that U hv posted.
While watching his wife Jamuna { Sandhya ) doing the household work , hero Mahipal day dreams her 2 b Mohini ( with all ” Latkas ” nd ” Zhatkas ” of Sandhya 4 which she was very popular ( !!!??? )
” Shamal shamal baran , Komal komal charan ” by Mahendra Kapoor
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Glad you added this! It was on my shortlist, but I picked the other song instead.
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Hi
As always,a great list. Brings back memories of seeing these songs on chitrahar on Doordarshan!!
Mala Sinha and Guru Dutts ‘pyasa’ had some great songs and that dream song is so nice!!
Thanks for the memories and the melodies.
Girish Vaidya
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Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked this post. Incidentally, if you like the songs of Pyaasa, you might find this post interesting:
https://madhulikaliddle.com/2011/07/14/some-thoughts-on-the-songs-of-pyaasa/
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Hi
I read that post, and from there on to the list of Sahir Ludhianvi list of ten songs. Nice write up and I can only echo your thoughts,(as mentioned at the end of the post) geniuses, they all were indeed.
I collect postage stamps as a hobby and all the persons on that post (S D Burman, Sahir Ludhianvi, Rafi, Hemant and Geeta Dutt ) as also Guru Dutt have been honored by a commemorative postage stamp by the Govt of India!
Girish Vaidya
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Thank you! And yes, I am glad that India Post recognize the importance of these people. :-) Several actresses, too – Madhubala among them.
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Now we are in daydreams/imagination/hallucination territory. Okay. Here’s a Motown classic – “Just My Imagination” by The Temptations:
As a bonus, here’s its more bluesy-rock cover version by The Rolling Stones. Studio version:
& the Live version here:
Warning: Around 3:56 there is one instance of swearing.
I like both versions. The Temptations’ original of course has that wistful, longing quality to it, be it the orchestration or the harmonies. The Stones’ cover may not have that and go full upbeat in contrast to the lyrics, but it’s still The Stones. Gotta love ’em when they’re truly on.
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Interesting. For someone reason I couldn’t fathom, the original version just kept buffering and never got around to playing despite several tries, so I ended up listening only to the Rolling Stones ones. I don’t think I’ve heard this one before.
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Maybe this link will work better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71iFRPjgeqM
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This worked! Thank you – I liked that. Better than the Rolling Stones. ;-)
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Let me introduce a very very popular dream song of Marathi Cinema.
” De Re Kanha ”
It is from one of the top marathi movie ” PINJRA ” ( 1972 )
Meaningful Lyrics by Jagdish Khebudkar , Excellent tune in raaga Piloo by Ram Kadam .
Note d picturisation directed by V. Shantaram , watch d expressions of Sandhya ,
Good support of chorus in singing as well as in performance
nd above all d heavenly voice of Lata Mangeshkar.
i m pretty sure that U will like this excellent piece of work of ” PINJRA ”
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Wow! Very good. I don’t usually like Sandhya, but her expressions here are superb. Thanks for this one.
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Thnx 4 d appreciation Madhu G.
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Is this the only song of Pinjra sung by Lata Mangeshkar?
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Yes. All other songs were sung by Usha Mangeshkar.
But in d hindi version of ” Pinjra ” , released in 1973 , all songs ( 6 ) were sung by Lata G.
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Few years back, Richard drew my attention to the Hindi version. I can’t say that I liked them much. I prefer the Marathi version much better.
By the way, do you know the reason behind the preference of Usha Mangeshkar over her more famous sister(s) for this score?
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Well , I think d song ” de re kanha ” was nt a typical ” Tamasha / Laavni ‘ style of a song , it had a philosophical touch , somewhat for classses nd nt for masses , So they must hv chosen Lata G 2 sing it .
Whereas all other songs were in Laavni style , an appeal for the masses for which Usha G’s voice was perfectly suitable.
Nd now same is the reason why hindi version songs did nt clicked as they had Lata G’s voice for which we were nt used 2 hear in such songs .
In hindi most of d nautanki songs were popular in Asha G’s voice.
Don’t know d reason why they did nt go for Asha G in Hindi .
Usha G must hv been thought 2 b underrated by them 2 sing hindi Pinjra songs.
Hindi Pinjra resulted as a big flop in 1973.
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Well there could be another list, which is a juxtaposition of a day-dream into real life, say like Janam Dekh Lo Mit Gayi Dooriyan from Veer Zaara
to Dil Dhoondta ha pair what fursat ke rat din , from Mausam
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Oh, yes! That’s a nice duo of songs. :-)
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An amazing idea of dream sequence alias day dreaming. I am contributing a song from Duniya Na Maane, picturised on Mala Sinha. A fine composition of Madan Mohan.
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Nice! I had never heard Sitaaron chhup jaana before. Very good.
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Thank you, Madhu, for the day-dreaming song-list.
At the second song itself, I was thinking that this can’t be a dream-song list. Your explanation at the end cleared my doubts.
I feel hum aapki aankhon me is a nice song because it feels good to see Guru Dutt dancing and prancing around and that also so elegantly. We need more dancing Guru Dutt.
I think, that ek ghar banaunga should be in the list of one of the best picturized song in Hindi film history with ye mehlon ye takhton ye tajoon ki duniya heading the list. I would include waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam also in it. Coming back to ek ghar banaunga, it is also one of the few songs in Hindi films, where the hero is drinking not because he is sad or dejected or rejected and being quite happy about it and feeling optimistic. Moreover Nutan looks just fabulous in it.
Kya janoon sajan is a lovely song, isn’t it. The fact,that it is in colour, in a film that is starkly black-and-white, makes it dreamy character more obvious.
“Helen is lovely and Mehmood is over the top.”
Very!!
Rajshree is looking very beautiful in tere khayalon me ham, isn’t she? That is some accomplishment considering the very baroque-coloured costume she has to wear in it.
I like the score of Ishq Par Zor Nahin.
I have an ambivalent relationship to tu chhupi hai kahan, the song itself is good, although the shehnai is too blarring for my taste. Sandhya and the for-my-taste over dramatization of the situation make me cringe a bit, but the composition and even the filming has a certain attraction, which is hard to resist.
“Meena Kumari is lovely, Raj Kumar’s dancing is cringe-worthy, but the song is a good song.”
Agree!
I don’t know if this could classify itself as day dreaming, it is more of day-nightmaring, but I think, it should fit the bill here. Kya se kya ho gaya from Guide
It can’t get more day-dreaming than this. Amol Palekar is imagining himself in the shoes of the hero of the film he is watching: jaaneman-jaaneman from Chhoti Si Baat (1975)
Kaida todke from Khoobsoorat is a nice song too.
This is one song, which I like to hear. Ek din tum bahut from Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se. It is sort of a day-dreaming song or at least happening in a time-warp.
Tina Munim dreaming and singing of a better life in Man Pasand and singing the Hindi version of Wouldn’t It Be Loverly.
Geeta Bali and Johnny Walker doing the same thing some 20 years before the above song
o daata o daataa from Aji Bas Shukriya 1958
Unfortunately, I can’t find the link to this song
I think, that should be enough for now, I have been hogging too much space here.
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U hv rightly remarked about Guru Dutt’s dancing skill.
He had a training of dance at d Uday Shankar academy.
Prabhat film co.appointed him as a choreographer.Guru Dutt choreographed film ” Hum ek hai ”
The dance sequences in his films might have been choreographed ( though not mentioned in d credits ) by Guru Dutt.
However we cud nt get d chance 2 c him dancing except the one U hv mentioned ” Hum aapki aankhon mein ” nd a little bit in ” Ye zhuke zhuke naina ” of movie ” Bharosa “
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Thank you for the appreciation, Harvey, for the thoughtful comment (yes, Rajshree’s costumes in the Geet Gaaya Pattharon Ne song are really baroque!), and for the songs you’ve suggested. Yes, there are actually so many songs that do follow this theme, all through Hindi cinema. Actually, when I was doing this post, it also struck me how many songs follow a similar but distinct style: that of the memory. Somebody remembers a situation (usually with a loved one, now separated) and a song starts. Either it’s the person singing in the present, with intercuts to the past (rather like Main jab bhi akeli hoti hoon, though that is a background song, not Mala Sinha doing the lip-syncing), or it’s a song actually sung in earlier, happier times (Gumsum sa yeh jahaan).
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The theme this time kept me rest less till I discovered another song of my choice only from film Albela, picturised on Bhagwan Dada & Geeta Bali. Mere Dil Ki Ghadi Bole Tik Tik Tik, composed by C.Ramchandra. sharing with you.
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It’s been so long since I watched Albela, I’d forgotten about this one. I hadn’t realized it was a daydream; I was under the impression it was a stage performance.
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I absolutely adore your lists! And though I pride myself on my knowledge of Hindi movie/music trivia (though, maybe not so much pre-1970s), I’m usually unable to add anything to your lists; they’re so comprehensive. I’m amazed as I read the comments and find others adding to it. Hats off to them.
But most of all, hats off to you…this is awesome. I will check out the Sahir Ludhianvi list next.
BTW, I do not like Sandhya much either. And so totally agree with “Raj Kumar’s dancing is cringeworthy”. He is equally bad in Milo na tum toh hum ghabraayein, from Heer Ranjha.
Keep writing!
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Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed this list. And yes, the people who comment on this list – I am so glad to have them here, because I invariably end up learning so much from them! :-)
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