The film Rattan, released in 1944 and starring Amir Banu, Karan Dewan and Swarnalata was a landmark movie in more than one way. First, it catapulted music maestro Naushad to the top and perhaps for the first time the use of folk percussion instruments like dholak etc. instilled a new sense of rhythm into film music which until then was more melody and less rhythm. Rattan was a huge success and it enabled Naushad to charge Rs 25,000 per film, a big amount those days. It also brought singers like Amirbai Karnataki and Zohrabai Ambalawali amongst the top-notch female singers of their time.
Zohrabai Ambalawali – Ankhiyan Milake : ![]()
Zohrabai Ambalawali – Rumjhum Barse Badarwa : ![]()
Amirbai Karnataki & Shyam Kumar – O Janewale Balamwa : ![]()
Karan Dewan – Jab Tum Hi Chale Pardes : ![]()
indianraga


हिमांशु कमार पाण्डेय said,
March 3, 2010 at 7:45 am
25,000 thousand was really a big amount those days.
Heard first time the name of singers as ‘Amirbai Karnataki and Zohrabai Ambalawali’.
Good post. Thanks.
Surendra Bhimani said,
July 28, 2010 at 12:36 am
Rattan’s heroine was Swarnlata, and not Amirbanu or Amirbai.
om said,
August 28, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Great collection and a commendable work to upload them on the net; I thought my ‘records’ had been broken, so I would never have a chance to hear them ever again; your attempt has made these singers immortal. Congrats.
rajkumar singh said,
November 6, 2010 at 10:57 am
what a beautiful & universal song was at that time, it is really heart touching song today also
Shreyas Pandya said,
December 12, 2010 at 6:11 am
Rattan was a super duper hit in those days. People arguably consider 50s and 60s as the glorious era of Hindi cinema but I think it all comes down to movies like Rattan which planted the seeds for the music to follow. Beautiful songs. And 25000 is a fair bit of money even today so I think that would have been a monstrous figure in those days. Well done Naushad sir.
Kallan Jagdish Mohan said,
December 24, 2010 at 3:57 pm
It was great movie of that era .I had the opportunity watch this movie in dec.1977 in the chilly winter of Pnjab in the last show 9.30 to 12.30.It was really inconveneince worth taking.The marriage of my7 friend was fixed for the next day.We enjoyed the film and its melodious songs.By preserving the songs you have done a great service to the film.
virendra singh verma said,
December 26, 2010 at 7:00 am
what i appreciate equally with the music
is the dialogue delivery
and the purity of pronunciation
zrohit said,
December 30, 2010 at 12:22 am
Anyone know what the word “Bharammaa” means?
अखियाँ मिलाके जिया भरमा के
akhiyaa.N milaake jiyaa bharamaa ke
thanks
indianraga said,
December 30, 2010 at 12:32 am
भरमा is derived from the word भ्रम (illusion). The former is in Bhojpuri dialect.
zrohit said,
December 31, 2010 at 1:15 am
So what does the line “अखियाँ मिलाके जिया भरमा के” translate to?
thanks in advance..
virendra singh verma said,
January 9, 2011 at 7:46 am
this is directed to..zrohit
after seducing me with love through your eyes
and making my heart full of illusions of love
do not go away leaving me alone…discarded
this is what can be translated loosely
Dr Mahadev Patil said,
January 16, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Hi,
Just wonderful, I lost my sense and mind was in the air for a while. Hats off to your so much of work.
om prakash srivastava said,
November 21, 2011 at 2:18 pm
wonderful collection of melody
P RAVINDER LAL said,
November 25, 2011 at 1:33 pm
P.RAVINDER LAL
RATTAN MOVIE IS REALY VINTAGE MOVIE
I AM WATCHING MANY TIME OF THIS MOVIE SONGS ON MY MOBILE
VIA INTERNET
dhawal said,
December 19, 2011 at 6:05 pm
rumzum barse badrwa realy sweet song n nice words
jitesh said,
January 19, 2012 at 4:59 pm
o jane wale balamwa laut ke laut ke aa……….damn good ……..all songs are really outstanding………