V. Manohar

Haathi Mere Saathi

Thursday, December 6, 2012 5:53:47 AM

Super Star Rajesh Khanna's Haathi Mere Saathi - 1971

Introduction :

Haathi Mere Saathi (English: Elephant My Partner) is an Indian film and a favourite with children in the early 1970s. The movie has a Disneyesque appeal with an Indian twist. Haathi Mere Saathi was the biggest hit of 1971 going by box office collections eclipsing the Raj Khosla-made Mera Gaon Mera Desh and was critical acclaimed film. Super Star Rajesh Khanna was the biggest star of that period, and Haathi Mere Saathi ranks high among the biggest ever hits of his career. But the film ranks as a classic because it is still unequalled as the complete family fare in its genre for kid. The film at that point in time was the biggest hit ever made by a South producer in Hindi.

The story was written by producer Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar, who overviewed the film and played a small cameo in it. The story is a reprisal of MGR's successful film Vettaikkaaran. Directed and edited by his brother M.A.Thirumugham, it had screenplay by Salim Javed, dialogues by Inder Raj Anand, music by Laxmikant Pyarelal and lyrics by Anand Bakshi. The film was also the first collaboration of Salim Javed, who were officially credited as screenplay writers.

Summary :

Orphaned Raju, in the company of four elephants, has to perform with them at street corners, in order to keep alive. The back-story is that as an orphan, they have saved his life from a leopard. In time, he makes it big, and starts Pyar Ki Duniya (The World Of Love), a zoo in which various wild animals reside along with his elephants, among whom Ramu is closest to him. Slowly he amasses a fortune, and is able to build his own private zoo, housing tigers, lions, bears, and of course the four elephants. He treats all the animals as his friends. He meets with Tanu, and both fall in love. Tanu's dad, Ratanlal, is opposed to this alliance, but subsequently relents, and permits the young couple to get married.He falls in love with Tanu (Tanuja), but her rich dad () agrees to their marriage only after some persuasion. However trouble looms soon after as Tanu feels neglected. Things worsen when their child is born, and Tanu, fearing physical harm to her child from the elephants, tells Raju to choose between the elephants and his family. Tanu is unhappy with the amount of time Raju spends with his animal friends, and this causes some bitterness between them. Things do not improve when a child is born, as Tanu fears that one day the child will be harmed by one of the animals, and hence Raju is told to make a choice between his animal friends or his wife and son.When Raju chooses his lifelong friends over wife and son, Ramu decides to bring the estranged couple together, but thanks to the villainous Sarwan Kumar (K.N.Singh), he has to sacrifice his life.

The original name of "Haathi Mere Saathi" was "Pyaar Ki Duniya ".

Star Cast :

Super Star Rajesh Khanna
Tanuja
Madan Puri
K.N. Singh
David
Junior Mehmood
Sujit Kumar

Film Crew's :

Directed by M A Thirumugham
Produced by Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar
Written by Salim Javed
Music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Release date May 5, 1971
Language Hindi

Music Soundtracks :

S.No. Song Title Singer(s)

1) "Chal Chal Chal Mere Saathi" - By Kishore Kumar
2) "Dilbar Jani Chali Hawa Mastani" - By Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar
3) "Meherbano Qadardano" - By Kishore Kumar
4) "Sunja Aa Thandi Hawa" - By Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar
5) "Nafrat Ki Duniya Ko Chhod Ke" - By Mohammed Rafi
6) "Dhak Dhak Kaise Chalti Hai Gaadi" - By Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar

Awards :

Earlier titled Pyar Ki Duniya, the film also won a special award from the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for lyricist Anand Bakshi and the rest of the team (including producer Devar, termed then as India’s answer to Walt Disney) of the song Nafrat ki duniya ko chhod kar pyar ki duniya mein khush rehna mere yaar.Its music on HMV (as Saregama was known then) won a Silver Disc for its sales, making it the first-ever Indian gramophone record to do so.

Reception :

Times Of Oman noted that 40 years down the line, Haathi Mere Saathi remains unmatched in its enduring magic, and Hindi cinema has yet to make another children’s feature to match its stature and success.
Quotes on the film

Tanuja said in an interview, “I showed them the film when Kajol was six and Tanishaa around three years old, and for two weeks Kajol did not speak to me!! ‘Mummy, you killed the elephant! Because of you, he had to die!’ screamed Kajol! And Tanishaa was annoyed too!” Tanuja loved working with the elephants after some initial apprehensions. “They really began to like me, especially the she-elephant who played Ramu. There is a sequence where he had to push me through a door and fight a snake that was about to bite the baby, but the elephant had got so fond of me that he refused to do so! Finally, they had to shoot separate close-ups of the elephant and my back and of me falling down!”

Javed Akhtar on being questioned as to how the film came about, said "One day, he(Super Star Rajesh Khanna) went to Salimsaab and said that Mr. Devar had given him a huge signing amount with which he could complete the payment for his bungalow Aashirwad.But the film was a remake and the script of the original was far from being satisfactory. He told us that if we could set right the script, he would make sure we got both money and credit. ‘I can’t do such a terrible script,’ he said. ‘And I can’t leave it because I need the money!’”Salim Khan said that the film came to them thanks to Super Star Rajesh Khanna, who had become a superstar and was approached by Mr. Devar directly and was signed for a huge amount, and had struck up a friendship with Salim and Javed who were associate writers on Ramesh Sippy’s under-production Andaz.

On its 40th anniversary on 5 May 2011, Pyarelal recalled,"Laxmi (Laxmikant) and Devar got along fabulously well! Devar had an innate music sense and a feel for rhythm, and he loved our title-track. But the tussle came up over the sad song, "Nafrat ki duniya", which was the only song sung by (Mohammed) Rafi saab in the film. I recall voicing my doubts. But Laxmi, the director and Super Star Rajesh Khanna were staunchly in favour of keeping that song. And the audience cried with the song and Anand Bakshi saab’s lyrics.”

The film was remade in Tamil in the year 1972 as 'Nalla Neram' (Good Time or Auspicious time) under same production banner 'Devar Films' directed by M.A.Thirumugam again with M. G. Ramachandran in the lead.

Video Songs & Lyrics :

1) Song Title : Chal Chal Chal Mere Saathi

http://youtu.be/yajLqafTFPc
Singer : Kishore Kumar
Lyricist : Anand Bakshi
Music Director : Laxmikant Pyarelal
Song picturised on Tanuja and Super Star Rajesh Khanna.

Lyrics :

Chal chal chal mere saathi, o mere haathi
Chal le chal khataaraa khinch ke
Chal yaar, dhakkaa maar
Band hai motar kaar
Chal yaar dhakkaa maar
Chal chal chal ...

Phoolon si naazuk hai vo, motar mein baithi hai jo
Aahistaa aahistaa chal, usako na takalif ho
Haay haay, khaa na jaye
Haay haay, khaa na jaye usaki naazuk kamariyaa bal, chal
Chal chal chal ...

Hai hai oho ho ...

Khidamat teri kaam de, shaayad vo inaam de
Kar us hasin ko salaam, aankhon se paigaam de
Paas aja, o sun raajaa
Paas aja, o sun raajaa
Aisa mauka na jaye nikal, chal
Chal chal chal ...

Tu yaaron ka yaar hai, kitanaa vafaadaar hai
Jhoothaa hai saaraa jahaan, sachchaa tera pyaar hai
Tu pagalaa, na badalaa,
Tu pagalaa, na badalaa
Sari duniya gayi hai badal, chal
Chal chal chal ...

2) Song Title : Dilbar Jani Chali Hawa Mastani

http://youtu.be/7x6slckUkcw

Singer : Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar
Lyricist : Anand Bakshi
Music Director : Laxmikant Pyarelal
Song picturised on Tanuja and Super Star Rajesh Khanna.

Lyrics :

Ki :dilabar jaani chali havaa mastaani
A haan haan dilabar jaani chali havaa mastaani
Hansate-khelate guzare ye zindagaani
La :dilabar jaani chali havaa ...
Do :dilabar jaani chali havaa ...

La :pyaar mein din aise bite jaise bite pal -2
Ki :jaane kab shaam hui dip gaye jal
La :sun mere pyaare
Ki :hoon
La :oohoon hoon aa haa haa
Sun mere pyaare ye hai teri meharabaani
Hansate-khelate guzare ...

Ki :saare soye too kyon jaage saathi kyaa baat hai -2
O jangal ke raajaa aajaa sojaa ho gai raat
Mithe-mithe sapane le aai nindiyaa raani
Hansate-khelate guzare ...
Do :dilabar jaani chali havaa ...

3) Song Title : Meherbano Qadardano - Duniya Mein Rehna Hai Toh

Singer : Kishore Kumar
Lyricist : Anand Bakshi
Music Director : Laxmikant Pyarelal
Song picturised on Tanuja and Super Star Rajesh Khanna.

Lyrics :

Meharabaano qadaradaano dosto yaaro
Are khel dekho khel one two three up

Duniyaa mein rahanaa hai to kaam karo pyaare
Haath jod sabako salaam karo pyaare
Varanaa ye duniyaa jine nahin degi
Khaane nahin degi pine nahin degi
Khel koi nayaa subah-shaam karo pyaare
Duniyaa mein rahanaa ...

Paise binaa duniyaa mein roti nahin milati
Roti nahin milati langoti nahin milati
Haath jod sabako salaam karo pyaare
Duniyaa mein rahanaa ...

Ek din tere-mere kvaab honge poore
Aisi koi baat kar chal o jamoore
Rah jaayen sab dil thaam kar o pyaare
Duniyaa mein rahanaa ...

Taange mein lagi jaisi ghodi chali jaaye
Rassi pe gori aisi daudi chali jaaye
Chal ghar chalen raam-raam karo pyaare
Duniyaa mein rahanaa ...

4) Song Title : Sunja Aa Thandi Hawa

http://youtu.be/5Dgz6e57pjU

Singer : Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar
Lyricist : Anand Bakshi
Music Director : Laxmikant Pyarelal
Song picturised on Tanuja and Super Star Rajesh Khanna.

Lyrics :

La :(sun jaa aa thandi havaa
Ki :aahaa tham jaa ai kaali ghataa
Kuchh pyaari-pyaari baaten hamaari aa jaate-jaate too bhi sun jaa) -2
Tham jaa ai kaali ...

Ki :ham aaj donon akele hain sun baavari
Yoon hi shor machaanaa naa too
La :jo nind aa jaaye saiyaan ki baiyaan mein
To zindagi bhar jagaanaa na too
Ki :dhire-dhire haule-haule
La :man ki kahaani aa ri divaani
Chhupate-chhupaate too bhi sun jaa
Ki :tham jaa ai kaali ...

La :par yaad rakhanaa ye baaten
Kisi aur se jaa ke bairan too kahanaa nahin
Ki :nainon mein nindiyaa nahin aaj bas
Aaj hamare jiyaa mein bhi chainaa nahin
La :chori-chori chupake-chupake
Ki :ek doosare se ham jo kahenge
Hansate-hansaate too bhi sun jaa
Tham jaa ai kaali ...

5) Song Title : Nafrat Ki Duniya Ko Chhod Ke

http://youtu.be/4kBLExOafhQ

Singer : Mohammed Rafi
Lyricist : Anand Bakshi
Music Director : Laxmikant Pyarelal
Song picturised on Super Star Rajesh Khanna.

Lyrics :

Nafarat ki duniyaa ko chhod ke, pyaar ki duniyaa mein
Khush rahanaa mere yaar
Is jhoothaki nagari ko chhod ke, gaataa jaa pyaare
Amar rahe teraa pyaar

Jab jaanavar koi, inasaan ko maare
Kahate hain duniyaa mein, vahashi use saare
Ek jaanavar ki jaan aaj inasaanon ne li hai
Chup kyoon hai sansaar

Bas aakhiri sun le, ye mel hai apanaa
Bas katm ai saathi, ye khel hai apanaa
Ab yaad mein teri bit jaaenge ro-ro ke
Jivan ke din chaar

6) Song Title : Dhak Dhak Kaise Chalti Hai Gaadi

http://youtu.be/ghVtDxEcXt8

Singer : Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar
Lyricist : Anand Bakshi
Music Director : Laxmikant Pyarelal
Song picturised on Tanuja & Super Star Rajesh Khanna.

Lyrics

La : Dhak Dhak Dhak jaise chalati hai gaadi chhak-chhak
Ki :jaise karataa hai ye dil dhak-dhak dhak-dhak
La :kal kal kal kal
Ki jaise bahati hai nadiyaa chhal chhal chhal chhal
La :mere man mein machi halachal

Ki :teraa kanganaa khanake khan khan khan khan
La :tere pyaar mein dole meraa tan man tan man
Sun-sun meri paayal bole chhun chhun chhun chhun
Ki :main pyaar ki chhedoon dhun

Chhum chhum meraa haathi naache rumajhum jhum jhum
La :meraa jhumakaa ho gayaa gum zaraa dhoondh ke laa_o tum
Ki :main
La :haan tum tum tum
La :chhup chhup chhup chhup
Ki :shi chup chup chup chup
La chori-chori chhup-chhup ham baant len apane dukh-sukh

Tham tham tham tham thak gaye hain zulmi ham-tum
Main sharam se jaa_oon mar
Ki :kar too pyaar na jag se dar
La :main sharam se jaa_oon mar
Ab jaane de
Ki :jaane doon kaise jaane doon
La :aahaa aise
Jaane de jaane de mujhako ghar ghar ghar
Ki :chhak chhak chhak chhak
La :chhak chhak chhak chhak
Ki :turoo turoo roo roo
La :turoo roo roo roo