While watching this movie, I reached this song Jab badal leheraya and it began raining in Mumbai. What a coincidence! 🙂
Movie – Choo Mantar (1956)
Jab badal leheraya was featured in Sadiq Productions and Shree Sound Studios’ romedy Choo Mantar (1956) directed by M Sadiq and produced by P B Billimoria. The movie starred Johnny Walker, Anita Guha, Gajanan Jagirdar, Shyama, etc.
Baijnath or Baiju (Johnny Walker) is an unemployed, slacker and flirt. He sings beautifully and all women from his village are attracted to his singing. The men always complain to his father and often, beat up Baiju for his supposed troublemaking. One day, the village Panchayat decides that they would boycott the entire family and burn down their house if Baiju is not thrown out of the village. Baiju himself decides that it is time for him to leave the village and leaves the place bag and baggage.
As he travels through a forest, he catches 2 dacoits trying to loot the belongings of an elderly stranger (S N Banerjee) and saves the older man. Baiju travels to another village with him protecting the old man and his belongings. They part ways at the outskirts of the old man’s village and he takes off further, on his own. Within minutes, he hears a girl (Anita Guha) singing a song. The girl is Princess Ratnavali of the kingdom and as usual, Baiju has fallen in love with her. He keeps looking at the balcony of the princess’ room. When the King (Gajanan Jagirdar) finds out that this stranger is watching the princess’ room, he gets Baiju beaten up and thrown in the jungle. But, Baiju returns and sings a song.
Again, Baiju is beaten up and this time he is thrown in the river. The elderly stranger, he had helped turns out to be a fisherman and the old man catches the unconscious Baiju while fishing. The old man has a daughter Sawli (Shyama) and she is in love with Mahesh (Karan Dewan), the son of a rich man, who is always ill. As Baiju recovers, he begins to call Sawli as his sister. It turns out that Mahesh’s father is in the process of marrying his son to Princess Ratnavali for the big dowry she is expected to bring.
On the wedding day, Baiju and Sawli visit the venue with a plan. But, they are caught. The king challenges the penniless, non-earner Baiju to get 10 lacs (1 million) rupees to prove that he is eligible to marry the princess. Baiju counter challenges that he would get 15 lacs (1.5 million) in 3 months. The princess’ marriage is stalled for the time being.
However, the minister is not happy with the turn of events. He orders Baiju, Sawli and her father to be arrested and thrown into the dungeon. Somehow, the brother and sister escape. But, Sawli’s father is caught and tortured. However, Mahesh supplies him with food. Having escaped imprisonment, Sawli loses her will to accomplish the task they had taken up. On the other hand, Baiju keeps his positive thinking intact. Right then, they find a group of gypsies, who earn money by performing in front of crowds in markets and fairs. Baiju and Sawli join them. The leader of the gypsies takes them to a theater owner in the city. This is Sawli’s first song with the theater.
Song – Jab badal leheraya
O P Nayyar and Jan Nisar Akhtar have been credited with the music and lyrics of Jab badal leheraya…
The gist of the song is, “The rain clouds are here. My heart is swaying in happiness. O Darling, please come. I am waiting for you.”
Video – Jab badal leheraya
Cinematography is by Minoo Bilimoria. Dance choreography is by Surya Kumar.
The video opens with some girls running on to the stage dancing. Shyama enters the stage, singing and dancing. Johnny Walker appreciates the stylish entry of his sister. A man from the audience looks at Shyama with lust. Soon, the song peters out and the video ends as the performance also ends.
Artists
Geeta Dutt sang Jab badal leheraya… for Shyama. Johnny Walker and others look on.
Cultural Influence
This is a typical O P Nayyarian song for a Bollywood movie. The rainy season and love are often connected in Bollywood lyrics. The beloved, who is often out-of-town, is requested to meet the singing heroine. The same thoughts are expressed here, too. The song and the artists are good and the video is watchable for the same.
