New Book Links Pakistan’s Urdu Popularity to Nargis
Image credit The Browser
‘Romancing the 50s’ Claims Bollywood Made Urdu Popular in Pakistan
By Amit Kumar
New Delhi, October 30: A book tracing the film career of Raj Kapoor and Nargis claimed that it was Bollywood that made Urdu popular in Pakistan. Harjap Singh Aujla in his book — Romancing the 50s: Nargis, RK Studio, Radio, and a Wistful Indian – credited films of Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar for making Urdu popular in Pakistan.
“During those early years after the Independence of India, speaking chaste Urdu was considered a fashion statement. Jaddab Bai (mother of Nargis) was a highly accomplished orator of Urdu. Thus, since Nargis’ childhood, she groomed her thoroughly to speak Urdu authoritatively,” stated Aujla in the book.
He stated that the influence of Nargis on Raj Kapoor was also in Urdu in the films made by the legend. “In a country like Pakistan, where more than 50 per cent of the people speak Punjabi, Urdu was popularised tremendously by Hindustani films like the various Nargis-Raj Kapoor starrer hits as well as movies of actors like Dilip Kumar with Madhubala and Meena Kumari among others,” added Aujla in the book.
Also Read: The midwifes confession retraces dark age tales from rural Bihar
He also wrote that only Meena Kumari could match the command of Urdu by Nargis.
Nargis and Her Fluffy Hair-styling
Aujla further writes that Nargis was uncompromising in her hair-styling. “After shooting scenes depicting heavy downpours and stormy weather, where she was drenched, and her hairstyle was spoiled, she preferred to rush to her hairstyle expert to restore the original look,” added Aujla.
Raj Kapoor-Nargis Break-up
Aujla gave an account of the manner in which the lead on-screen couple of the Bollywood broke up. “Nargis sincerely wanted to marry Raj Kapoor. Once, she even dared to meet Mumbai province’s Chief Minister Morarji Desai to find a way out for Raj Kapoor to marry her and stay married to two women simultaneously. However, after receiving a blunt rebuff, she gathered the courage to break her professional relationship with Raj Kapoor too. It was a bold decision, which hurt both of them equally and resulted in the ruin of their health too,” wrote Aujla in the book.
Also Read: Harivansh recalls why ‘I shouldn’t become Naxalite’ letter to editor
A Pakistani refugee waited 32-year for payment of ₹17000 for work done before partition
A new book has given an account of the wish of an old man who desired for payment of a construction work done in Pakistan before partition for which had had to wait for 32 years. The Pakistani refugee made it a mission to get his payment for building a wall in Pakistan before he had to leave the country due to partition.
Harjap Singh Aujla in his book – Romancing the 50s: Nargis, RK Studio, Radio, and a Wistful Indian – wrote that a wall was built in Sargodha in Rawalpindi just before India was partitioned. Aujla worked as an executive engineer in the Public Works Department (PWD) in Patiala in Punjab. The book has been published by The Browser.
One day Aujla saw the old man sitting outside his office and when he enquired about him his peon said that the person had been making rounds of the government offices for several years. Aujla recalled that the old man told him about his 32 years of ordeals to get his payment.
Also Read: When Persia Iran attacked India for insult of envoy
“He used to be a building contractor who built the boundary wall of a school in Sargodha (Rawalpindi). The work was finished well before August 1947,” wrote Aujla in the book.
The author stated that “while the bill for the final payment was in the process, the creation of Pakistan was announced”. “Rather than getting his payment, he was forced to leave Pakistan, virtually penniless. He reached Indian, tired and battered,” stated Aujla in the book.
But the man never gave up on claiming his payment. After the situation stabilized in Pakistan, he went back to Rawalpindi to claim his final payment. “The Public Works Department of West Punjab Authorities in Sargodha told him that in accordance with the mutually accepted arrangement, those Hindus and Sikhs who had worked in Pakistan and had migrated to India were to be paid in India, and those Muslims who had worked in India and had migrated to Pakistan, their claims were to be settled in Pakistan,” wrote Aujla in the book while detailing the ordeal of the old man.
But the refugee was asked to submit the original records when he applied for payment in India. “He went back to Pakistan. The authorities there reluctantly agreed to give him the original records barring the original measurement book,” added Aujla.
Also Read: Bong Joon Ho back with mickey7 after parasite
But the old man was refused payment in India for lack of producing the original measurement book. “He went back to Pakistan again and contrary to the regulations the authorities there gave him the original measurement book as a goodwill gesture,” added Aujla.
The old man expressed his desire to get this final payment before his death, added the author. “I sent it (the bill) to the concerned office superintendent,” wrote Aujla.
The author recalled that the office superintendent sought to further delay the payment for not getting bribe, saying that the files had been lost. “I called the record keeper; she was a young girl, fresh out of the college and untainted by corruption. She informed me that the file was not lost and that it was in the drawer of the concerned office superintendent,” wrote Aujla in the book.
Afterwards, Aujla recalled confronting the office superintendent to release the files and following up with seniors to get the final payment of ₹17000 cleared to the old man.
Join WhatsApp channel of The Raisina Hills
About The Author
