Hothon Pe Beeti Baat Aayi Hai – Angoor – Moonlit Fib

Just as Shammi says at the end of the movie..Kaun soch sakta tha ki aisa bhi ho sakta hai?!! Yeah! none other than Shakespeare. Lots of stories are written on identical twins, but none has written it in the way that William Shakespeare has written in his timeless classic Comedy of Errors. And the credit of bringing this Saga of Mistaken Identities to the Hindi movie screen goes to – Yeah, none other than Gulzar. Year was 1968 when Gulzar used to work as Bimal Roy’s assistant. He adopted this brilliant plot and wrote dialogues and screen plays. Under Bimal Roy productions, this movie Do Dooni Chaar was directed by Debu Sen starring Kishore Kumar and Ashit Sen, both in double role as two twin pairs. But somehow this movie sank so badly on box office in spite of all great persormances! After 14 years, this man with Midas touch planned to remake this classic. How much faith he must be having in this plot! IMO he won half of the race from the beginning only when he selected the cast and composer for making Angoor. Most effortless actor ever – Sanjeev Kumar, an underrated comedian with great timings – Deven Verma, highly talented Dipti Naval and a very surprising yet stupendous Moushumi Chatterjee. In fact each of characters from Aruna Irani to Col. Trilok Kapoor. Together, all of them created a history. Angoor is the only comedy movie directed by Gulzar, but till date, no attempt of making a comedy could get a bit near to this supreme classic. Absolutely matchless. And one of the most lovable things in Angoor is its music. 3 songs created by the maestro.
Whenever Pancham and Gulzar have met, they have always created something beyond your imagination. Pancham has fulfilled the coolest and also the weirdest demands of Gulzar while composing for him in the most amazing ways. Together, both of them haven’t left even a single genre without​ leaving their classiest mark in it. They have cultivated in all “9 rasa” with sheer excellence and here, in this out and out comedy, they have concieved a classic shringaar rasa with this so soft and succulent melody.!!
Try to Google English translation of the word “shringaar rasa”. They would translate it as “love”. Now we know, how much different it is from Prem rasa. Bharat Muni had described all these 9 rasa in 500 BSE only in Natyashastra and till date they are unable to even translate it. Love – Prem rasa is not added in 9 rasa by him as for us, love is not essence of life. Love is life itself. Just see, the grandeur of our art and literature!
And this is what this song is. Pure and perfect Shringar rasa. Sensuousness added in sheer affection without making it a bit vulgar.! Such a height of art can be achieved only by them who know that for us, our God too is ” रसो वै सः।”
Kaun soch sakta tha ki aisa bhi ho sakta hai!!!
A beautious wife, clad in silken yellow night gown, in a silky night, lets her bangles drop from her wrist on the floor just where her husband is standing.. now amazed.. and Pancham catches those alluring vibrations on vibraphone. Blows in the bamboo flute to lift the magic up and Gulzar makes his camera move from the bangles and lift it a little to catch the expressions of that almost bowled husband. And right after that, it’s your turn now to bowled over completely by the most sensous and sweet voice ever.. “Hoton pe beeti baat aai hai..” Ashaji breezes in with such a lovely, leisurely notes and percussions and bass both start following her with same hasteless pace perfecting the mood of this romantic bedtime lilt.

Hothon pe beeti baat aai hai…
Vaada nibhaane ki raat aai hai..
Vaada… the word makes Ashaji take a little breath and Moushumi touch her neckline with her finger playing around it naughtily. Lethal. ? Both. Something changes at once. Bowled hubby now seems little bugged turning his face off. She fatches his attention back to her neckline and again he makes a wasted effort to move it from neck to bengles. Suddenly an ohh-so-mischievous bow hits right on his cheek and being quite astounded by this weapon, he leaves the field!!! It certainly feels strange to you that why this man is resisting himself to such an irresistible calls!! None except the vizards – Gulzar and Pancham – know the suspense finely fabricated by them till it is revealed in the next morning.
Just like prelude, vibraphone gives a soothing start to first interlude. Pair of Santoor and flute how brilliently portrays the moods of this pair on screen! Camera moves alternatively on their faces when both these instruments are played alternatively. Notes on santoor played by Pt. Ulhas Bapat sound impish and gleeful just like pretty and playful Sudha – Moushumi. And flute is blowing in so langvid manner depicting the mind state of Ashok – calm yet cautious. That two notes on Sarod played in between Santoor notes make it more naughty​ and saucy.
Ashaji breaks in beautifully for first stanza.

Yaad to hogi kuchh bhuli bisari..
Aise hi barsi thi chaand se misri..
Chaand ko chabaane ki raat aai hai…
If Sampooransingh would not have been ‘Gulzar’, then he must have been ‘chaand’. His most favorite chaand had dripped something sweetest at some night and Sudha tries hard to remind her husband about the same night of some commitment. At the same time, when she pulls the curtains, Pancham fills it with a marvelous breezy sound. What instrument it could be?! Absolutely mind blowing..! And later, that “chaand ko cha-b-baane ki raat aai hai”!! You feel as if Asha has actually gulped a piece of moon encapsulated in a sugar cube while listening her voice oozing with an utter antoxication. Who could have thought this? Gulzar? Pancham? Or both? It reminds me that “ta-pa-kka-taa paani” from Kinara song. These guys were killer.
Again soft vibraphone invites flute for second interlude. Hero is now out on terrace and flute sounds so fresh and breezy. Santoor again follows it with the notes as charming as Moushumi following her hubby on terrace too. Sarod has never sounded such a puckish erlier!!
Second stanza once again proves that Pancham was the first and last composer who knew the vastness of Ashaji’s range and who has utilized it so beautifully.
Yaad hai us din baarish bhi thi..
Chhat pe bheegi khwahish bhi thi..
Chhat pe jaane ki raat aai hai..
Gulzar’s pen is equally mischievous here. He doesn’t let the allure take a little break even when that glass of milk drops on the floor and breaks. That strums on guitar in both stanzas how brilliently synchronized with on screen activities!
Everyone seems committed to give their finest! Gulzar, Pancham, Ashaji, Sanjeev Kumar and of course, Moushumi Chatterjee. The song keeps you hanged somewhere between moon and earth while listening. Far far from your surroundings. Lost in a mesmeric and melodious Galaxy. amused..
Pure magic!!