Kaise kheloon main khel nahin bhaaye
Posted on: February 16, 2016
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a new contributor to this blog. This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
Forgotten Melodies of the 1940s – 10
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The history books of Maratha empire (1674-1818) tell us that the empire reached its zenith between 1720 and 1760 when about two-third of the Indian sub-continent was under their control. During this period, Madhavrao Peshwa, also called ‘Thorle’ (Senior) Madhavrao Pehswa or Madhavrao-I is credited with recovering the lost ground of the Maratha empire and for his administrative skills. During his reign, Madhavrao Peshwa appointed Ramshastri Prabhune (mostly known as Ramshastri) as ‘Mukhya Nyaayadheesh’ (Chief Justice) of the Peshwa court who was known for his honesty, impartiality and integrity. The highlight of his tenure was that he passed a judgement of capital punishment on Raghunathrao, the Peshwa-in-waiting, his involvement in the assassination of young Narayanrao Peshwa who was under his protection.
Based on the life of Ramshastri, Prabhat Film Company made the film RAMSHASTRI (1944), in today’s parlance, a ‘biopic’ in Marathi and Hindi with almost identical cast except a few changes in the character roles for the Hindi version. The Hindi version was directed by Gajanan Jagirdar who also acted in the title role of Ramshastri. Other cast included Meenakshi, Master Anant Marathe, Baby Shankutala, Sudha Apte, Lalita Pawar, Hansa Wadkar, Ram Singh etc. There were 7 songs in the film written by Qamar Jalalabadi which were set to music by G Damle.
Unfortunately, I could not locate the movie in Hindi version on the websites. However, Marathi version of the film is available on YT in a fairly good condition. Although I was aware of the legendary story of Ramshastri from the history books, I recently saw the Marathi version of film just to know as to how the character of Ramshastri was cinematically presented cinematically. I watched the film in one go as it was very absorbing.
The story of Ramshastri as depicted in the film is as under:
The child Ram (Master Ananth Marathe) stays with his widowed mother and his child wife (Baby Shankutala) and the main source of income for them is ‘dakshina’ (alms or donations) his maternal uncle receives as a brahmin priest. After a pooja in a temple, a representative of Madhavrao Peshwa distributes ‘dakshinas’ to brahmins and their siblings. The condition is that the siblings must be studying in the schools. The maternal uncle forces Ram to accept dakshina even though Ram is not a school going student. His honesty forces Ram to return the dakshina for which his maternal uncle is so furious that he abandons Ram’s family.
To support the family, Ram decides to become a scholar. But he has no money for education. So he starts doing menial work in a house. But the constant harassment faced by him in the house especially when he is chided by all for his aspersion for becoming a scholar, he decides to quit the job and leaves for Banaras without informing his family, for becoming a scholar. In Banaras also, odds are against him as none of the teacher he approaches is ready to take him as a student as he does not have the basic knowledge. He decides tht the only way he can educate himself is to learn from a teacher by overhearing him while teaching to other students.
Impressed by the boy’s determination, the teacher accepts him as his student. After 12 years of learning, the teacher is very much impressed by Ram’s exceptional progress. After completion of his studies, the teacher confers him the title of ‘Shastri’ to become Ramshastri. He returns home to know that his mother is seriously ill. The consolation for Ramshastri is that his mother is very happy when she sees her son who has become a scholar before her death. This is the end of the first part of the story.
The second part of the story starts with a auction of a ‘daasi’ (slave) named Shyama (Hansa Wadkar). Ranoji (Master Vithal) who is employed with the faction owing allegiance to Madhavrao Peshwa has a soft corner for Shyama and he bids for her. However, Tulaji who is from the rival faction owing allegiance to Raghunathrao, the uncle of Madhavrao Peshwa, outbids Ranoji. Seeing that his love interest is being outbid by his rival, Ranoji runs away with Shyama and gets married. However, Tulaji and his gang abduct Shayma which is watched by Ramshastri. The matter goes to Madhavrao Peshwa’s court.
Tulaji calls the marriage of Ranoji with Shyama as null and void as ‘daasi’ has no right to marry. He pleads for punishment to Ranoji for violating the law. Madhavrao Peshwa agrees with the contention of Tulaji and orders that Ranoji’s hand be cut for violating the rule. However, Ramshastri argues that sale and purchase of ‘daasis’ itself is illegal as this market has no authorisation from Peshwa administration. Furthermore, nowhere in the Hindu law it is stated that the marriage with a ‘daasi’ is invalid. Madhavrao Peshwa is impressed by the way Ramshastri has argued the case. He acquits Ranoji and appoints Ramshastri as ‘Mukhya Nayaayadish’ (Chief Justice).
The third and last part of the story in the film revolves around the over-ambitiousness of Raghunathrao’s wife Anandibai (Lalita Pawar) who wants to see her husband becoming the Peshwa. Madhavrao Peshwa is already suffering from tuberculosis and he is almost on a point of no recovery. In this milieu, Narayanrao, the teenage son of Madhavrao Peshwa is the next in line to become Peshwa. This is not a good news for Anandibai who walks out of the ceremonial coronation of Narayanrao Peshwa. She now plans for the murder of Narayanrao Peshwa by soliciting the help of soldiers owing allegiance to Raghunathrao.
As per plan, Narayanrao Peshwa is murdered in front of Raghunathrao and Anandibai to whom he was looking for protection. Since Narayanrao has no issue, Raghunathrao is set to become the next Peshwa. However, once again Ramshastri rises to the occasion and comes out with the proof which nails Raghunathrao Peshwa for his involvement with the murder of Narayanrao Peshwa and pronounce the capital punishment for Raghunathrao Peshwa. His judgement is hailed by all those stood for the traditions of earlier Peshwas. The film ends with Ramshastri and his family leaving Poona as he does not expect the new regime to uphold the rule of law and justice.
The Marathi version of the film had 3 directors – Raja Nene, Vishram Bedekar and Gajanan Jagirdar. Three parts of the story which I have mentioned, probably may have been directed by three different directors. Keshavrao Bhole composed the music for he Marathi version.
The Hindi version of the film has 7 songs. But I could not locate the audios of any of the songs on YT or other websites. However, mp3 clips of all the 7 songs are available on Surjit Singh’s website. I have converted mp3 clip of the song ‘kaise kheloon main khel nahin bhaaye’ into a new video using the screen shots of the equivalent song in the Marathi version ‘don gadicha daao’ (The game that lasts only for a couple of moments). I have also given the video link of the equivalent song in the Marathi version as I am sure that almost same picturisation may have taken for the Hindi version song also. I liked the picturisation of the song because though they are child husband-wife, their behaviour is that of playmates. That is what one would expect them to at that age.
http://www.myswar.com mentions Baby Shakuntala and Anant Marathe as singers. However, I feel that the female voice is that of Manju for two reasons. First, I have heard Manju’s voice in ‘Holi main kheloongi unn sang dat ke’ from the film ‘Gaali’ (1944) which, more or less, matches with the female voice in the song under discussion. Secondly, the female voice in the equivalent song in Marathi version is sung by Manju.
It is to be noted that while it is a ‘play’ song in both the versions, they differ in the sense that while the Hindi version is the ‘feeling of heart’, the Marathi version is a philosophical one.
Enjoy the song.
Audio
Song-Kaise kheloon main khel nahin bhaaye (Ramshashtri)(1944) Singers-Manju, Anant Marathe, Lyrics-Qamar Jalalabadi, MD-G Damle
Both
Lyrics
hmm
hmm
kaise kheloon
haan
kaise kheloon main khel nahin bhaaye
kaise kheloon main khel nahin bhaaye
khel nahin bhaaye
khel nahin bhaaye
mohe khel nahin bhaaye
soona soona khel hamaara
deepak jaise bina ujiyaara
deepak jaise bina ujiyaara
jiya naahin laage hamaara lagaaye
jiya naahin laage hamaara lagaaye
kaise kheloon main khel nahin bhaaye
kaise kheloon main khel nahin bhaaye
khel nahin bhaaye
dekh rahi hoon baat tihaari
kyun nahin aaye shaam bihaari
dekh rahi hoon baat tihaari
kyun nahin aaye shaam bihaari
Mohan ko Raadha bulaaye
bulaaye
Mohan ko Raadha
Mohan ko Raadha bulaaye
bulaaye
Mohan ko Raadha bulaaye ae
Mohan ko Raadha bulaaye ae
khel nahin bhaaye
khel nahin bhaaye
mohe khel nahin bhaaye
kaise kheloon main khel nahin bhaaye
kaise kheloon main khel nahin bhaaye
khel nahin bhaaye
khel nahin bhaaye
mohe khel nahin bhaaye
roothhi ho kyun Raadha Raani
roothhi ho..oo kyun
Raadha Raani
aao khelen khel sayaani
aao khelen khel sayaani
Raadha ko Mohan manaaye manaaye
Raadha ko Mohan manaaye manayye
haan haan haan haan
manaaye
Raadha ko Mohan manaaye ae ae
khel nahin bhaaye
khel nahin bhaaye
kaahe khel nahin bhaaye
haan aa aa aaan
kaanhaa khelo re
khel mohe bhaaye
ae ae ae ae ae
khelo re khel mohe
khel mohe bhaaye
khel mohe bhaaye
khel mohe bhaaye
kaanha khel mohe bhaaye
kaanha khelo re khel mohe bhaaye
hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm hmm
aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa
aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa
aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa
aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa
aa aa aa
aa aa aa
aa aa aa
aa aa aa
o o o o
aa aa aa
aa aa aa
aa aa aa
aa aa aa
o o o
aa aa aa
aa aa aa
aa aa aa
aa aa aa
hmm hmm
aa aa aa aa aa
hmm hmm
aa aa aa aa aa
hmm
3 Responses to "Kaise kheloon main khel nahin bhaaye"
February 16, 2016 at 9:41 pm
Sadanandji,
Very very nice post. I was driven to Kohinoor theatre in Dadar ( now Nakshatra) in May 1945, where I saw this movie (the first in my life) in Marathi.This song was so popular that the whole theatre was reverberating with the tunes (naturally the response was from multiple times viewers ).
A small mistake is in the quotation. ( I know it cannot be corrected )
Narayanrao Peshwa was younger brother of Madhavrao and not son.
D Samant
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February 16, 2016 at 10:41 pm
Samant ji,
Yes, I stand corrected. In the film, Narayanrao says to his uncle Raghunathrao – “Kaka mala vaachwa” ( Uncle, save me).
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
February 16, 2016 at 4:13 pm
All the same the voice beautiful
Anant Marathe
Bachpan Tu Mera Daaman
with Shalini K Datta, VA Balsara Shiv Kumar Rang Mahal (1948)
Radhe Bhajo Krishna Bhajo
with Sudha Ghosh, Baby Shant Saraswati Devi Safdar Aah Bhakta Raidas (1943)
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