Being a crazy fan of Mohammad Rafi, anybody cannot say that they do not like this song. Every time I watch this or any Shammi Kapoor song, I regret that I could not meet and interview Shammi Kapoor in his lifetime. I feel the same thing about late Mohammad Rafi Sahab as well. 🙁
Movie: This song was featured in the hit Kashmir Ki Kali (Bud of Kashmir), a 1964 movie produced and directed by Shakti Samanta under the banner of Shakti Films. The story of the movie was adapted from Come September (1961), without giving them credits. The Hindi movie starred late Shammi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore (debut), late Pran, late Madan Puri, late Dhumal, late Nazir Hussain and late Anoop Kumar.
Rajiv Lal (Shammi Kapoor) is the only pampered son of the widowed and rich Rani Maa. During the silver jubilee celebrations of his father Sanjiv Lal’s mill, he proclaims that a bonus of 5 lakhs would be distributed among the workers. His mother is annoyed. Karuna (Mridula Rani), the servant of the house, suggests that if he is married, he would stop his immature antics. Rani Maa agrees and decides that he should marry a girl of her choice. Her manager Shyamlal (Madan Puri) arranges a meeting with some girls. When Rajiv comes back home, he realizes that Rani Maa wants to marry him with one of the girls present there. He starts pretending that he is mute and limps to chase the girls off. Though his plan succeeds, he is in a tight spot, since his mother directs her fury at him. On a friend’s suggestion, he decides to go to their bungalow in Kashmir, where his mother does not go at all.
When he reaches Srinagar, he finds that his estate manager Bholaram (Dhumal) has converted the bungalow into a hotel and has rented out some of the rooms for the season. Bholaram tells the tenants that he himself is Rajiv Lal. When Rajiv meets Bholaram, he informs his boss that Rani Maa had called and told him not to let him stay there, if he came. Rajiv convinces Bholaram to tell her mother that he did not come there. Bholaram informs the tenants that Rajiv is mad and thinks that he is the real owner of the estate.
The next day Rajiv on meeting Champa (Sharmila Tagore), a flower seller, and buys flowers worth Rs.5 in Rs.20. He also tells her that he is not the owner but the driver.
It is around this time that Rajiv sings this song for Champa.
Song: The music of the song was composed by O P Nayyar and the lyrics were written by S H Bihari. Initially, the pair of Shankar-Jaikishen was supposed to compose the music. But when Shammi Kapoor heard some of O P Nayyar’s compositions, he was chosen to compose the songs of this movie.
The man praises the girl and tries to get her attention. The man begins the song as, “This face, which is bright like the moon. The hair is golden (blond). The eyes those are blue like the lake. There is a deep secret inside it. What kind of praises do I heap on the Creator, who has made you?”
The girl’s face is being compared to the moon. Then her hair is called golden. The color of the eyes is directly compared to the blue of the lake. Also, he says that there is a deep secret inside the eyes. He then wants to praise the Creator of this girl. And he has no words for that.
Video: Cinematography is by V N Reddy.
The video opens with the whole Kashmir’s beauty being captured on the color camera film. The mountain, the sky, the blue of the Dal Lake and the boats on it and Shammi Kapoor sitting on the Gondola are very pleasantly picturized. Sharmila Tagore has been made-up exactly as the title of the movie says, Kashmir Ki Kali.
Shammi Kapoor shows that he is Raj Kapoor’s younger brother because Raj Sahab’s acting are seen in glimpses in him too. Shammi Kapoor’s own monkey tricks are also seen. It feels as if there is no bone in his body. That is how he dances. He is known for such antics.
Towards the end, the boat with Sharmila Tagore and the Gondola with Shammi Kapoor surrounded by the other boats look beautiful. The formations that the boats make surrounding the 2 boats are innovative, different and impressive.
Artists: Playback singer is Mohammad Rafi and Shammi Kapoor lip-synchs, while Sharmila Tagore and others look on.
Cultural Influence: People say that Kashmir is the heaven on earth. This song depicts the saying and we feel that it is right. This song gives a glimpse of Kashmir in brief to the viewers. The song is good and the video is watchable several times.
