By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On Her Birth Anniversary
बाबूजी धीरे चलना
प्यार में ज़रा सम्भालना
हाँ बड़े धोखे है
बड़े धोखे हैं इस राह में
बाबूजी धीरे चलना
Shakila, born Badshah Begum was an Indian actress best known for her role in Guru Dutt’s “Aar Paar” singing “बाबूजी धीरे चलना ” to enter straight into the hearts of the viewers. The charisma of the number under reference continues even after more than six decades. It was followed by Dev Anand starrer suspense movie “C.I.D.” produced by Guru Dutt & directed by Raj Khosla, a box-office success with many hit numbers to boast like- “Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar”, “Aankhon Hi Aankhon Mein”, “Kahin Pe Nigaahen Kahin Pe Nishaana” & “Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re” to mention.
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She later worked in “Baraat” opposite Ajit with a lovely song “मुफ्त हुए बदनाम, किसी पे हाय दिल को लगा के” & “Ustadon Ke Ustaad” (1963) opposite Pradeep Kumar. One of the songs “सौ बार जनम लेंगे, सौ बार फ़ना होंगे,ऐ जाने वफा फिर भी-हम तुम ना जुदा होंगे” was pick of the lot Waheeda Rehman who was her rival in the beginning , later became her close friend. She later became close to Guru Dutt resulting his differences with wife Geeta Dutt.
Shakila, on the other hand, mistakenly accepted a fantasy film titled” Alibaba and Forty Thieves” in 1954 to be typecast as an Arabian princess because of her pert and streamlined physique & looks. She was offered roles in mythological and fantasy films like “Lalpari” (1954), “Veer Rajputani” (1955), Roop Kumari (1956), “Agra Road” , “Paristan” (1957), “Al-Hilal” & “Chaubees Ghante” both in 1958. “Hatim Tai” (1956), however, was a successful film. She also worked opposite veteran Motilal in “Hahkadi’ (1958) also starring Jabeen who was also close to her.
In “Roop Kumari” (1956) , “Sim Sim Margina”-(1958) & “Abdulla”-(1960), she was opposite Mahipal. She was also cast opposite Raj Kapoor in family drama “Shriman Satyawadi” .Towards the fag end she was cast in Shakti Samant directed “China Town” opposite Shammi Kapoor with a popular number -“बार बार देखो हज़ार बार देखो, के देखने की चीज़ है हमारी दिलरुबा” .
She worked opposite Ajit in few films-including “Baraat” (1958) with a lovely song-“मुफ्त हुए बदनाम, किसी पे हाय दिल को लगा के” . I watched this movie at Defence cinema near West Patel Nagar, New Delhi in 1960. In “Tower House” (1962), too she was paired with Ajit also starring Nazima, Edwina & Madhumati. The film also had a few lovely songs like- “मैं खुशनसीब हूँ मुझको किसी का प्यार मिला’ & ‘ऐ मेरे दिल-ए-नादां, तू ग़म से न घबराना’ under the music score Ravi.
It would be injustice ,if I did not mention her another musical hit “Post Box 999” (1958) starring Sunil Dutt with many foot-tapping #songs like – ‘मेरे दिल में है इक बात, कह दो तो भला क्या है’, ‘नींद न मुझ को आये दिल मेरा घबराए ,चुप के चुप के कोई आके सोया प्यार जगाये’ and ‘बिछड़े हुए मिलेंगे फिर, क़िस्मत ने अगर मिला दिया’ under the music score Viju Shah.
