Movie – Ek Phool Do Mali (1969)
The song, Tujhe Suraj kahoon ya chanda, was featured in the Goel Cine Corporation’s blockbuster fam-socio-drama Ek Phool Do Mali (1969), produced and directed by Devendra Goel. The movie starred Balraj Sahni, Sadhana, Sanjay Khan, etc.
Kailashnath Kaushal (Balraj Sahni) loses his ability to become a father in an accident, after his wife and newborn die during childbirth. Looking for peace, he goes to the mountains. He begins to teach mountaineering to young men.
Amar (Sanjay Khan) from Africa is one of his students. This man picks up a fight with the village girl, Somna (Sadhana) and after a game of some one-upmanship between them, they fall in love with each other.
In the meantime, Kailashnath is lonely. His doctor (David) asks him to get married again to beget children. But, he tells the doctor in a roundabout manner that he cannot become a father anymore. On being told that he could adopt a kid, he replies that he did not want his bad luck to brush off on someone else’s child.
Kailashnath realizes that Amar and Somna are in love and broaches the subject of their marriage to her mother (Durga Khote). Amar also gets the approval of his parents for the alliance. It is decided that they would get married after his upcoming mountain-climbing trip. However, fate has other designs on them. Amar and his teammates disappear in an avalanche, believed to be dead and meanwhile, Somna realizes that she is pregnant with his baby. In a fit of self-pity, Somna is about to kill herself when Kailashnath offers to marry her only to shield her from defamation that comes to an unwed mother. He promises that he would not touch her. In any case, he was impotent. We need to understand that during those times, women were expected to be chaste.
After the avalanche, a couple of ascetics find an unconscious Amar and take him to the hospital. Only Amar is alive from the group. Amar recovers and his parents come down from Africa to be with him. He sends Somna a telegram that he is fine and will be there soon to marry her. Somna’s mother goes to the hospital and tells him that Somna died the moment she heard of Amar’s death. Amar returns to Africa and lives a depressed life, though his parents try to convince him to overcome his grief.
Somna gives birth to a son, who is the beloved of Kailashnath. One day when the child cries and Somna is unable to calm him, Kailashnath sings this song.
Song – Tujhe Suraj kahoon ya chanda
The song, Tujhe Suraj kahoon ya chanda, was written by Prem Dhawan and set to tune by Ravi.
The man says, “What should I call you, the sun, the moon, lamp or star? My prince is going to bring fame to my name, in this world.”
Video – Tujhe Suraj kahoon ya chanda
Director of photography is Keki Mistry. Operative Cameraman is Rustam Engineer. Dance choreography by B Sohanlal (South).
The video opens with Balraj Sahni beginning to hum and swing the child in his arms. He performs a few dance steps with the child and places him on the carpet with some toys. Balraj Sahni picks up the child and gives him to Sadhana. They move to the balcony as he continues to sing. Outside, Balraj Sahni makes the child walk and then takes him on his shoulder. The song and the video end abruptly at this point.
Artists
Manna Dey sings this song for Balraj Sahni. Sadhana and others are also seen in the video.
Cultural Influence
There could be some influence of Pahadi culture on this song. The song and the artists are good. The video is watchable for the same.
