By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On Her Death Anniversary
“ये आज का रंग और ये महफ़िल
दिल भी है यहाँ दिलदार भी है
आँखों में कयामत के जलवे
सीने में सुलगता प्यार भी है
इस रंग में कोई जी ले अगर मरने का उसे ग़म क्या होगा
जब रात है ऐसी मतवाली
फिर सुबह का आलम क्या होगा
फिर सुबह का आलम क्या होगा “
Sohrab Modi raises an abducted Roman girl as his own child who later falls in love with a Roman prince played by Dilip Kumar whom Princess Octavia ( Nigar Sultana ) loves. Helen, a young nubile teenage dancer was a pleasant nay welcome surprise in the film which won Shailendra a Filmfare Award for his sad song “Ye Mera Deewanapan Hai, Ya Mohabbat Ka Saroor”. Dilip Kumar & Meena Kumari play the lead roles in “Yahudi” ( 1958), supported by Sohrab Modi, Minoo Mumtaz, Helen, Baby Naaz, Murad & Nazir Hussain.
Nigar Sultana , born 21 June 1932 in Hyderabad, India is known for playing ” Bahaar” in K. Asif’s epic “Mughal-e-Azam” ( 1960). The actress was chosen to play a role in films by one of her father’s close friend Jagdish Sethi ( of “Chaudhary Karnail Singh” fame, a National Award winning Punjabi film). A princess in her own right & an exceptionally beautiful woman, Nigar as ‘Bahaar” loves Salim (Dilip Kumar) & is jealous of his intimacy with Anarkali.
Nigar, undeniably, was almost at par with Madhubala in beauty & exuberance, winning hearts with her wiles & guiles during Qawaali songs “Ye Dil Ki Lagi Kam Kya Hogi, Ye Ishq Bhala Kam Kya Hoga Jab Raat Hai Aisi Matwali Phir Subah K Alam Kya Hoga”. She was dominant nay masculine in her gestures in another duet as under:
मोहब्बत करने वालों
का है बस इतना ही अफ़साना
तड़पना चुपके चुपके
आहें भरना घुट के मर जाना
किसी दिन ये तमाशा मुस्कुरा
कर हम भी देखेंगे
अजी हां हम भी देखेंगे
The actress appeared in a number of films like “Aag”( 1948), “Patanga” ( 1949), “Mirza Ghalib” ( 1954), “Yahudi” ( 1958 ) “Mere Hamdam Mere Dost ” ,”Do Kaliyaan” ( 1968), “Bansi Birju” ( 1972), “Jumbish” ( 1986) to mention only some.
“Mirza Ghalib”, produced & directed by veteran moviemaker Sohrab Modi was a super-hit film featuring Bharat Bhushan & Suraiya. It was adjudged the fourth highest grossing film of the year & won two Awards including a National Award for best Feature Film. The film had some soulful lovely numbers like” Dile Nadaan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai ” & Nukta Cheen Hai Game Dil ” rendered by Surayia & Talat under the music score of veteran Ghulam Mohammed. Married to a Pakistani film director S. M. Yusuf in late 1940s, the actress was rumoured to have an affair with a Pakistani actor Darpan Kumar which she later denied in a press conference. Her daughter Heena Kausar also worked in many films.
Interestingly, Dilip Kumar & Madhubala were not on talking terms during the making of epic Mughal-e-Azam. Yet, K. Asif completed the film, and so successfully, too. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was not interested to lend his voice in a film. K. Asif was adamant to make him sing. Khan demanded a too unbelievably exorbitant amount, thinking it would stop Asif from approaching him. K. Asif gladly agreed to part with Rupee 25000 per song to Khan’s surprise when Ace singers like Lata Mangeshkar & Mohammad Rafi were barely paid rupee 150 per song.
