O betaji, o babuji, kismat ki hawa

Kabhi kaali ratiya, kabhi din suhaane
Kismat ki baate toh, kismat hi jaane

O betaji, o betaji
Are o babuji,
Kismat ki hawa, kabhi naram, kabhi garam
Kabhi naram naram, kabhi garam garam
Kabhi naram garam, naram garam
O betaji
Kismat ki hawa, kabhi naram, kabhi garam
Kabhi naram naram, kabhi garam garam
Kabhi naram garam, naram garam
O betaji

Bade akad se beta nikle ghar se actor hone
Wah ri kismat, wah ri kismat
Kismat mein the likhe bartan dhone
Are bhai likhe bartan dhone
O betaji
Jeene ka mazaa kabhi naram, kabhi garam
Kabhi naram naram, kabhi garam garam
Kabhi naram garam, naram garam

O betaji, arre o babuji
Kismat ki hawa, kabhi naram, kabhi garam
Kabhi naram naram, kabhi garam garam
Kabhi naram garam, naram garam
O betaji

Duniya ke iss chidiya ghar mein
Tarah tarah ka jalwa
Mile kissi ko sukhi roti, kissi ko puri halva
Arre bhai, kissi ko puri halva
O betaji
Khichdi ka mazaa kabhi naram, kabhi garam
Kabhi naram naram, kabhi garam garam
Kabhi naram garam, naram garam

O betaji, arre o babuji
Kismat ki hawa, kabhi naram, kabhi garam
Kabhi naram naram, kabhi garam garam
Kabhi naram garam, naram garam
O betaji

Dard diya toh thoda thoda
Khushi bhi thodi thodi
Wah re maalik, wah re maalik

Dukh aur sukh ki khoob banaayi jodi
Are wah, khub banaayi jodi
O betaji
Jeevan ka nasha kabhi naram, kabhi garam
Kabhi naram naram, kabhi garam garam
Kabhi naram garam, naram garam

O betaji, arre o babuji
Kismat ki hawa, kabhi naram, kabhi garam
Kabhi naram naram, kabhi garam garam
Kabhi naram garam, naram garam
O betaji

Movie: Albela (1951)
Director: Bhagwan Dada
Singer: Chitalkar
Lyricist: Rajinder Krishan
Music Composer: C. Ramchandra

Today’s song selection is the result of a search that began with a podcast where I heard someone talk in passing about Rajinder Krishan. I must confess that he is not a lyricist I knew much about. So, I went down a rabbit hole, exploring his work. Then, I realised that his repertoire spanned the spectrum of ‘Yun hasraton ke daag’ to light and fun numbers like this one and ‘Eena meena deeka’ and more. This particular number was also featured in Anurag Basu’s 2020 film, Ludo. The original song also has the distinction of being sung by Chitalkar, which was the name used by music composer C. Ramchandra (who also composed the score for the movie) when he undertook playback singing. ~ R