Junglee-1961

The 1961 release Junglee can be rightly called as a milestone or a turning point in the history of Hindi cinema for many reasons. Produced and directed by Subodh Mukherji, the film was noted for its fresh pairing of Shammi Kapoor and Saira Banu. Lalita Pawar, Shashikala and Anoop Kumar also played some important roles.

The film also turned a defining moment in Bollywood by launching Shammi Kapoor into the role of a young rebel hero. The word meaning of Junglee is wild or ill-mannered like an animal. The protagonist here is prepared to enjoy every bit of life without bothering about the conventions and restraints posed by society.

Music was also a highlight of the film with the soundtrack composed by Shankar Jaikishan and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra. The title track “Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe” by Mohammad Rafi gave Shammi Kapoor the nickname ‘Yahoo boy.’ Other popular songs include Rafi’s “Ehsaan Tera Hoga Mujh Par”, Lata Mangeshkar’s “Jaa Ja Jaa Mere Bachpan” and their duet “Din Saara Guzara Tore Anganaa.”