Movie – Rafoo Chakkar (1975)
Bhajan bina chainna aaye Ram appeared in 1975 House of Nadiadwala and M I Films’ hit comic caper Rafoo Chakkar (Run Away), produced by I A Nadiadwala and directed by Narender Bedi. The movie starred Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Paintal, Madan Puri, Rajinder Nath, Asrani, etc.
Dev (Rishi Kapoor) and Salim (Paintal) are musicians, out-of-work. They witness a murder and are seen by the villains. In an attempt to save themselves, they disguise themselves as girls and join a group of girls, of a singing band, on a train to Kashmir. It is here that they meet Ritu (Neetu Singh) and Kanhaiyalal Chaturvedi (Asrani).
Dev has fallen in love with Ritu and tries to woo her like a rich man because she has clearly said that she would like to marry an affluent person. This Dev does in between disguising as a girl within the band. Smaglani (Rajinder Nath) is in love with Salim, who goes around by the name of Salma. One day, Dev takes advantage of this fact and makes Salim in the female guise of Salma waylay Smaglani for a boat trip while Dev romances Ritu. Later, Salim brings hard facts to his friend’s notice that Dev is not so rich as Ritu desires. Dev realizes his mistake and informs Ritu that he has lost all his wealth, he had. She accepts him as he is.
Soon, Dev and Salim encounter the goons, whom they had seen killing and burying someone. They get ready to leave the hotel. Dev calls Ritu to inform her that he is leaving Kashmir and their relationship was over. Ritu cries her eyes out. Within minutes the goons catch up with Dev and Salim. After a hilarious chase sequence, Dev and Salim land inside a meeting room. They get to know more about the nefarious activities of the goons, who are chasing them. Ritu and the others belonging to the all-girls’ troupe perform a song and at the end of it, one of the goons kidnaps Ritu. It appears that Ritu is his (Madan Puri) daughter, who ran away.
Dev and Salim find Ritu and they escape to the houseboat of Smaglani. Ritu recognizes the houseboat as the one on which Dev had taken her, on a date. Unable to hide any more, Dev throws off his female disguise and she forgives him. In a bid to escape from Kashmir, the foursome, including Smaglani, goes to the airport. While checking in, they see Dev and Salim’s mothers (Sulochana and Mumtaz Begum) getting down from a plane and being hurried to a car, by some men.
Dev and Salim realize that the goons are trying to blackmail them by kidnapping their mothers. They follow the goons’ car and reach a secluded bungalow inside a forest. To rescue their mothers, they would have to use every trick in the book. They settle on disguising as hippies and sing this bhajan.
Song – Bhajan bina chainna aaye Ram
The music of Bhajan bina chainna aaye Ram was composed by Kalyanji Anandji and the lyrics were written by Gulshan Bawra.
The song goes, “We are not at peace without singing your praises.”
Video – Bhajan bina chainna aaye Ram
The cinematography is by Peter Pareira. Dance choreography is by Kamal-Sohanlal.
The video opens with Rajinder Nath, Neetu Singh, Rishi Kapoor and Paintal playing different musical instruments used in bhajans. They are wearing hippie clothes. Rishi Kapoor begins to sing this song. Neetu Singh also joins him in the song.
Actors, playing the henchmen, of the goons gather in the entrance of the bungalow, listening to the song. Mumtaz Begum and Sulochana are praying to God for their release from the goons’ den. The foursome performs some dance steps.
They give drugs to the goons’ henchmen, who begin to sway in tune with the song. One by one the henchmen fall down on the ground. Rishi Kapoor confirms that all of them are unconscious and the song rises to a crescendo, to end abruptly.
The video also ends as the foursome throws their disguise off.
Artists
Aziz Nazan and Kanchan have sung playback for Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh. Paintal and Rajinder Nath also perform this song and others look on.
Cultural Influence
This song has deep roots in the spirituality of Indian culture. The song and the artists are good. The video is watchable.
. The song has been analyzed on the basis of the context and visualization.){kind=link}