Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai - a tribute to Farooq Sheikh

I was intending to post another of Rajesh Khanna & Pancham song - as a run up to his birth anniversary tomorrow, till the morning came with the news about sad demise of one of the finest actors of Hindi cinema - Farooq Sheikh.

We have been fortunate in seeing him in his varied avtaars.

In his variety of roles - a disillusioned Muslim youth in Garam hawa, an innocent collegiate with sparkles to match Chamko Washing Powder in Chashme baddoor, a street-smart Casanova - like the proverbial hare - in Katha, a poor guy who loses his lady love to money in Bazaar, a guy who loses his principles to become rich in Saath-Saath...

On stage matching histrionics through voice modulation with Shabana Azmi in Tumhari Amrita; 

One of the most charming host on TV screen in Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai.. 

and finally him reciting Rumi to a spell-bound audience in the show conceived by our friend Jai & Taru Kapoor Talwar..

His career was on a track which was far different from the commercial movies where Pancham reigned - and hence there was almost no possibility for him to be in a movie with Pancham as the composer. Almost.. till Hrishikesh Mukherjee casted him in "Rang Birangi" - one of the best - or perhaps the only Hindi movie which was a take off on another Hindi movie - BR Chopra's Pati Patni aur Woh.

Here is a song from Rang Birangi with Farooq Sheikh & Deepti Naval sharing the screen together, not singing though, looking so adoringly at the romance of an aged couple - Om Prakash & Chhaya Devi. 

The song itself is a semi classical Thumri - so unusual from Pancham's normal style but composed perhaps with some assistance from the singers themselves - Pt Vasantrao Deshpande & Kumari Faiyaaz. The verse were by another unusual lyricist - a Hindi poet known for his satirical poems - Kaka Hathrasi.

Here is the song - a tribute on this page to Farooq Sheikh - for whom one can say - Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai..

O Mrignayani..