Films that owed their titles to Anand Bakshi hits

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Born on July 21, 93 years ago, as a lyricist, Anand Bakshi was not just one of a kind but a visionary. Padma Shri poet and lyricist Neeraj, himself considered the greatest Hindi poet of the 20^th century, has once told me that among all the lyricists, Anand Bakshi was unmatched for his grasp of a situation. The late poet Nida Fazli once said that thanks to his grasp of folk, Bakshi and his work were way ahead in depth of even the great poets who became songwriters in Hindi cinema.

Anand Bakshi’s work, in about 600 films between 1957 and 2012 (a few were released after his death in 2002) is legion. But the amazing part is that the always-young-at-heart Bakshi’s words fitted a situation as good as the proverbial glove. A top filmmaker had once remarked, “It almost seems as if the situation was derived from his songs!”

The crème-de-la-crème from the cream (!!) of his work include Jab Jab Phool Khile, Milan, Aradhana, Do Raaste, Ishq Par Zor Nahin, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Haathi Mere Saathi, Dushmun (1972), Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Amar Prem, Bobby, Amar Akbar Anthony, Sargam, Karz, Ek Duuje Ke Liye, Hero, Chandni, Saudagar, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Pardes, Gupt and Gadar—Ek Prem Katha.

Among others, he was the songwriter for the first film to be awarded the Silver Disc (Haathi Mere Saathi), the first Gold Disc (Bobby) and also the biggest hit in the history of Indian cinema—Sholay.

Today, when almost every angle of Anand Bakshi’s work has been explored, let us look at the sole uncharted aspect of his phenomenal output—some (all would be impossible here!) of his hit songs that have become subsequent film titles.

His blockbuster scores, Aradhana, Bobby, Sargam, Karz and Ek Duuje Ke Liye alone spawned over 20 titles between them. The first one gave rise to Roop Tera Mastana (the 1972 musical that also had Bakshi’s lyrics), Mere Sapnon Ki Rani and Kora Kagaz from the other Kishore hits. Sargam spawned Hum To Chale Pardes and Parbat Ke Us Paar, while Ek Duuje Ke Liye gave us Solah Baras Ki Bali Umar, Ek Naya Itihaas and Tere Mere Beech Mein.

His lyrics in Bobby led to Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai, Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate, Hum Tum (from two Bakshi lyrics, Hum tum yug yug se from Milan and Hum tum ek kamre mein band ho from this film) and Pyar Mein Sauda Nahin.

The record was however set by his songs in Karz that have since led to seven film titles! The films are the 2007 blockbuster, Om Shanti Om, which subtly reworked the plot of Karz too, Ek Hasina Thi, Ek Deewana Tha, Dard-e-Dil, Paisa Yeh Paisa, Main Solah Baras Ki and last, but not the least, Aashiq Banaya Aapne. In a tangy connection, the last movie made Himesh Reshammiya a star-singer, and soon, he was inspired to act, sing and compose in the official remake of Karz!

Bindiya Chamkegi (from Do Raaste), Mehndi Lagake Rakhna (DDLJ) as a super-hit Bhojpuri film and the same song’s second line, Doli Saja Ke Rakhna, Dum Maaro Dum (Hare Rama Hare Krishna—this later 2011 film even re-created the iconic song), One Two ka Four and Mere Do Anmol Rattan (Ram Lakhan), Waada Tera Waada (Dushmun—this film too had Bakshi writing the songs) and Tirchhi Topiwale (Tridev) were more examples of films named from Bakshi’s songs. A blockbuster named after Bakshi’s title hit from Jawani Diwani was the 2013 film starring Ranbir Kapoor, the former film’s hero Randhir Kapoor’s son.

Sholay’s climax song became the title of Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Yash Chopra’s swan song—Bakshi had done 8 films with him! Maa Tujhe Salaam, the iconic Jagjit Singh anthem from Khal-Nayak became a film name again in 2002. Dil Kya Kare from Julie was a 1999 film that also had Bakshi writing its lyrics. The 1999 Bakshi hit, Dil pardesi ho gaya from Kachche Dhaage gave the title to a 2004 Saawan Kumar film as well. Ankhon ankhon mein, the hit he had penned for Mahal (1969) became the title of a film in 1972.

Anand Bakshi’s first of many associations with Hema Malini came in the music-rich Sharafat, in which all five songs were filmed on her. That filmmaker’s next, which repeated both of them, was Raja Jani, named after a song in the earlier film, while Sharafat Chhod Di Maine, the cult title-song of Sharafat, became the title for her 1978 film produced by her relative.

There were two unique cases. Bakshi’s cult song, Main jat yamla pagla deewana from the 1975 Pratiggya became the name of a super-hit movie, Yamla Pagla Deewana, featuring Dharmendra, along with sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol in 2011. The actor’s wish to re-use this song as it was and film it on his sons and him had to be abandoned as T-Series, the music label, was then not a part of the Indian Music Industry (IMI) association, After due permission from original music label Saregama, the song was re-created by rapper RDB and sung by Sonu Nigam for the new film! But the title became a big draw and two sequels—Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 and Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se followed.

This re-creation, however, set a record. In a first, at the insistence of the filmmakers (Dharmendra unofficially bankrolled the film), composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal (who have worked with Bakshi in a record 302 films!) and Bakshi got top credits for the song among the varied music makers on the posters and the music inlays. This was the first time that a re-creation got this well-deserved honor!

The other happened a year later: in 2012, derived from Bakshi’s hit song, Yeh jo mohabbat hai from Kati Patang in 1971, its filmmaker Shakti Samanta’s son made a film of that name. For the record, one unused song of Bakshi was also used here and composed by Anu Malik in two versions, Pyar karna na tha, sung by Mohit Chauhan in the male and Shreya Ghoshal in the female versions, the only time these young singers got to sing the late legend’s lyrics. And Shreya made her debut in 2002, the year Bakshi passed away!

There will be so many other cases, and Bakshi held sway long enough to himself write songs for two films each named Warrant, Jyoti, Kucche Dhaage (Kachche Dhaage—the English spelling of the later film), Dushmun (Dushman), Aamne Saamne (Amne Samne) and Raja (Raaja). Of course, Bakshi also penned lyrics for Hero and The Hero!