Govida aala re aala zaraa mataki sambhaal brijabaalaa…
This Mohammad Rafi song has been a permanent fixture at every Janmashtami festival for many decades. What’s surprising is that even after 64 years, the song holds the same mania that it generated when the song was composed in 1963! Even today, as the song is played on public podiums, the youth and the children alike go fanatically dancing to its beat with all their vigor.
Bluff Master was shot live on the real streets of Khetwadi in Girgaon, Mumbai, rather than in a studio. Director Manmohan Desai grew up in Khetwadi and wanted an authentic look. He and legendary musical duo Kalyanji-Anandji lived in the area, so they chose these familiar lanes for the shoot. Before this film, no major Hindi movie song had focused on a real Dahi Handi celebration.
The people seen dancing and cheering in the background were not hired extras; they were Desai’s friends and residents of Khetwadi. Lead actor [Shammi Kapoor] was given total freedom to use his wild, high-energy style. Choreographer P. Raj only made minor adjustments to his steps. A massive, excited crowd gathered to watch the shoot. Residents and the police stepped in to control the enthusiastic mob so filming could finish.
Mohammed Rafi recorded the track with matching zest, turning the on-location shoot into an unforgettable piece of cinema history. The icing on the cake was that Mohammad Rafi sang the song with the same spontaneity and vigor that was portrayed by Shammi Kapoor on the screen; the result was that the song became a super hit and is still the most sought-after Janmashtami festival song.
Also, during an interview with Lehren, composer Anandji recalled his stunned reaction to how Balasaheb Thackeray helped shut down the entire Girgaon area for the song’s shoot.
And it is no secret that Janmashtmi celebrations are incomplete without the this evergreen Govinda Aala Re Aala, Zara Matki Sambhaal Brijbaala, always setting the festive mood right!
In choosing chaos over control, Bluffmaster gave Govinda Ala Re something money and choreography can’t buy — authenticity. And that’s exactly why, years later, it still feels less like a film song and more like a piece of the festival itself.
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 iconic track Govinda Aala Re Aala broke away from studio sets, capturing the raw energy of an actual Dahi Handi celebration to bring unmatched authenticity to the screen!){kind=link}