Shamsul Huda Bihari and Asad Bhopali: Two Forgotten Poet-Lyricists of Yore
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
28 May 2024
Recently, I
delivered a lecture on the contributions of Muslim singers, composers and
lyricists. I deliberately didn't dwell upon the five great poet-lyricists of
Hindi cinema, viz, Sahir, Shakeel, Majrooh, Kaifi and Hasrat (Jaipuri). All are
aware of them. The main objective was to highlight the works and contributions
of the lyricists such as Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Safdar 'Aah' Sitapuri (Dil Jalta
Hai Toh Jalne De Aansoo Na Baha Fariyaad Na Kar, Film: Pahli Nazar, 1945),
Shevan Rizvi (Dil Ki Aawaaz Bhi Sun Mere Fasane Pe Na Jaa, Film: Hum
Saya, 1968), S H Bihari and Asad Bhopali.
Lyricist
Shams-ul-Huda Bihari
------
I'll write
about Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, 'Aah' Sitapuri and Shevan Rizvi in a separate
article but what surprised me most was people's ignorance about all these
stalwarts, esp. when no one in the audience could tell the full name of S H
Bihari (Shamsul Huda Bihari) who wrote immortal songs like "Chain Se
Hum Ko Kabhi Aap Ne Jeene Na Diya" (Praan Jaaye Par Vachan na Jaaye,
1974; unfortunately, it's not in the film), "Hai Duniya Usi Ki Zamana
Usi Ka" (Film: Kashmir Ki Kali, 1964), "Na Jaane Kyon Humare
Dil Ko Tum Ne Dil Nahin Samjha" (Film: Muhabbat Zindagi Hai, 1966),
"Yahi Woh Jagah Hai " and "Phir Miloge Kabhi Iss Baat
Ka" (Film: Ye Raat Phir Na Aayegi, 1966), " Na ye chaand hoga na
taare rahenge " (Film: Shart, 1954), "Bahut Shukriya Badi
Meharbabi " and " Mujhe Dekh Kar Aap Ka Muskurana"
(Film: Ek Musafir, Ek Haseena, 1962), to name but a few. Yet, people
didn't know much about him.
A graduate
from the then most prestigious college (now a full-fledged University)
Presidency, Calcutta, Arrah-born S H Bihari also played soccer for a premier
club in Calcutta and translated Nazrul Islam's 16 Bengali mystical poems into
Urdu. Sadly, I could never find those translations despite my frequent visits
to Calcutta University and Presidency and their Urdu/Persian departments.
But
Rajshahi College in Bangladesh has a few papers in S H Bihari's handwriting. He
had a cursive handwriting in Bengali and Urdu! Arrah being a part of erstwhile
Bengal Presidency and Bihari's education in Calcutta, made him proficient in
spoken and written Bengali. But hardly anyone is aware of this facet of his
persona. His poetic side is also unknown to people. He wrote non-filmi ghazals
and couplets but I could manage just three couplets written by him. I stumbled
upon them in an old Urdu daily from Pakistan. Here're those three couplets, "Kyon
Kar Main Apni Neend Mein Khalal Daaloon/ Un Ke Aane Tak Zara Der Ko So
Loon" (Why should I disrupt my sleep/ Let me catch a cat's nap till
she comes), "Bade Khaufnaak Manzar Dekhe Hain Aankhon Ne/ Laashein
Bichhi Dekhi Hain Sadakon Pe" (My eyes witnessed harrowing and
shuddersome scenes of bloodshed/ Dead bodies were scattered on the roads). This
he wrote after the Partition and "Khauf-E-Havadis Nahin Mujhe/ Hayaat
Khud Ek Haadisa Hai" (I'm not scared of mishaps/ Life itself is an
accident). If any reader has come across S H Bihari's Urdu poetry and couplets,
do email them to me. My Id is: sumitmaclean@gmail.com, preferably in Urdu
script.
Asad
Bhopali
-----
The second
forgotten poet-lyricist is Asad Bhopali who wrote songs like, "Sau Baar
Janam Lenge" (Film: Ustaadon Ke Ustaad, 1963), "Hum Tum Se
Juda Ho Ke Mar Jayenge Ro-Ro Ke" (Ek Sanpera, Ek Lutera, 1965), "Dil
Ka Soona Saaz Tarana Dhoondhega" (Ek Naari Do Roop, 1973), "Woh
Jab Yaad Aaye Bahut Yaad Aaye" (Parasmani, 1963), "Ae Mere
Dil-E-Naadaan Tu Gham Se...." (Film: Tower House, 1962), among others.
He had a considerable corpus of Urdu poetry and many of his couplets from
ghazals are still popular like this one,"Jab Zara Raat Hui Aur
Maah-O-Anjum Aaye/ Baar-Ha Dil Ne Ye Mahsoos Kiya Tum Aaye" (When the
moon and stars appeared on the azure blue/ The heart often felt as if you
arrived).
Here, it's
not a matter of forgotten Muslim poets, lyricists and composers. Creativity is
beyond religion and petty sectarian considerations. Point is, we've forgotten
those we ought to have remembered.
----
A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in
comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed
articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including
Persian.
ew Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism