Movie: This song appears in 1964 super hit award-winning social drama Dosti (Friendship) produced by Tarachand Barjatiya under the banner of Rajshri Productions and directed by Satyen Bose. The movie starred Sudhir Kumar Sawant, Sushil Kumar Somaya, Baby Farida, Sanjay Khan (debut), Uma Rajoo, etc.
Ramnath or Ramu’s (Sushil Kumar) father dies during an accident in the factory where he worked. The factory refuses to pay compensation and Ramu faces another disaster of losing his mother as well. In the process of trying to find a doctor for his mother, he gets injured in an accident and loses a leg. Crippled and penniless, he is thrown out of his rented home as well. He roams around the streets of Bombay (Mumbai now). He, then, saves blind Mohan (Sudhir Kumar) from coming under a large four-wheeler.
Mohan is on the lookout for his sister, who had left their village to join a hospital as a nurse in the city so that she could pay for the treatment of her brother’s blindness. She had left him with a caretaker in the village. But, Mohan had to leave the village because floods take him away from his shelter.
Ramu is skilled with the harmonica and Mohan is a good singer. They come together to sing songs on the road to earn money from people passing by. They soon meet a small girl Manjula (Baby Farida), who has a rheumatic heart. She is the sister of a rich man Ashok (Sanjay Khan). She also strikes a sibling-like friendship with both of them.
Ramu wants to finish his studies and they need Rs.60 as the fees. They decide to take a loan from their little sister, Manjula. But, when Ashok gets to know about it, he gives them Rs.5 and sends them off, telling them not to return again. Ramu is sad and is dejected. Mohan immediately tells him not to lose hope and begins to sing this song.
Song: The lyrics of this song were penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri and the music was composed by Lakshmikant-Pyarelal. The music of this movie won the composers their first Filmfare Award. The harmonica part of the music was played by R D Burman. Some part of the instrumental music of this song is also played during the credits.
The boy says that no one stays with us always. Similarly, sorrow also will leave us soon. Acceptance is the key to happiness because once sorrow is accepted when it leaves us we will not feel sad about it. He insists the sorrow is their friend and its presence should be accepted. Happiness is like the shade. It keeps coming and going.
Most important thing to be remembered by his friend, the boy says, is that he is there for him, where there is no one else during sorrow. Thus, even if their destination is far and the path is filled with thorns, the path would be walked together and not alone. During sorrow, the lights on their path come on as the lights of hope for them. Even though this world is big and the path to their destination long, they are together and that is what matters most.
Video: Cinematographer is Marshall Braganza.
The video begins with Sudhir Kumar standing up from his seat and moving toward his friend Sushil Kumar. He traces his friend’s face with his hand and wipes his tears. Sudhir has already begun the song. Sushil looks at his friend and stops crying. They move away from the place and Sudhir continues the song. Both are wearing simple white dhoti and kurta.
They visit different places and crowds collect to listen to Sudhir. Sushil begins to smile and takes out his harmonica. As he begins to play the musical instrument, people start placing coins on Sudhir’s palm. They again move elsewhere and Sudhir sings the same song. Again a crowd collects around them. The video ends with the people placing coins on Sudhir’s palm again.
The cinematographer has picturized the streets of Mumbai of those times very well albeit on black and white film.
Artists: The playback singer is Mohammad Rafi and the onscreen performances are by Sushil Kumar, Sudhir Kumar and others.
Cultural Influence: This song depicts pure unadulterated friendship between 2 boys. The song is very meaningful and touches the heart. Mom remembered that my granddad would make all his children listen to this song whenever it would be broadcast on the radio and would tell them that life is not a bed of roses. There are thorns as well on the path. If you learn to walk on the rose petals very carefully, the thorns will not hurt much. The video can be watched several times every day.
