Movie: This song was featured in 1979 Bhojpuri family drama Balam Pardesiya (Beloved Stranger) produced by Mumtaz Hussain and directed by late Nazir Hussain. The movie starred late Nasir Hussain, Rakesh Pandey, Padma Khanna, late Leela Mishra, etc.
Young Kanhaiya likes to act in Nautankis. But, his father (Nasir Hussain), who plays the clarinet during celebrations, wants him to study. One day, Kanhaiya is drowned in the Ganga River, in a storm. His parents search for him all over the 2 banks of the river. The boy is found by a widow in another village. She calls him Pardesiya (Stranger) because he comes from a different village. Once, his father comes with a wedding procession playing the clarinet. Young Pardesiya is attracted to the sound. But, he cannot tell why.
Years later, Pardesiya (Rakesh Pandey) is good at playing the dafli and his foster mother is against it. She teaches him the lesson of being self-sufficient. Once, he overhears a few gamblers talking about stealing jewelry from a rich grocer. That night, he sings a song warning the people of the village. He, immediately, gets a job with the grocer. That way, he gets to be with his sweetheart Muraliya (Padma Khanna). Muraliya lives with her aunt (Leela Mishra), who is in a bid to sell her ward to the highest bidder. But, Muraliya is in love with Pardesiya.
Because Pardesiya warns the villagers about possible thefts at night and Muraliya is in love with Pardesiya, the villains work out a plan to frame Pardesiya. They create a scene as if a theft has been in progress. The police arrive. The people believe the villains and the police take Pardesiya away. Muraliya keeps pining for Pardesiya. An ascetic sings this song at this time.
Song: The lyrics of this song were penned by Anjaan and the music was scored by Chitragupt.
The man sings about the girl’s beloved leaving her to go to a strange land and having forgotten her.
Video: Cinematography is by R K Mishra.
The video opens with the camera panning the vast river Ganga. The camera goes to focus on an actor playing an ascetic. He is strumming a string instrument and also begins the song. There are shots of a boat moving in the vast waters of the Ganga and a scene in the fields. Padma Khanna is crying bitterly at her home. The ascetic moves about the village. The music peters out and the ascetic leaves the village. The video ends with a shot of the sorrowful Padma Khanna.
Artists: The playback of this song was sung by Mohammad Rafi and the onscreen performances are by Padma Khanna.
Cultural Influence: This typically filmi song has a firm basis in the Bhojpuri language. The song and the singer are fantastic. The video is watchable.
