Huzoor is kadar (Masoom)

Indian men are not known for their expressiveness. I'm not talking about writing novels or making movies (and recently, writing blogs) running over with emotions. I'm talking about them expressing their (soft) emotions (love, romance, happiness, sadness) in real life. Have you seen a middle-class, middle-aged Indian man tell his wife how beautiful she is, in public? I'm sure you haven't - because they just don't do that. 

Unless they're drunk.

We've often been to parties where a very disciplined and strict by the day uncle, after a peg or two, would suddenly go all soft, declaring his love for his wife, even singing songs for her. The shocked but amused wife will pretend to be angry and scandalized, though she's enjoying every minute of this attention.

All this has been perfectly captured in this song. Naseeruddin Shah and Saeed Jaffrey are at their suave but impish best, mirroring on screen the playfulness of Bhupinder and Suresh Wadkar's voice. This, in my opinion, is the ultimate grown-up party song :D

Lyrics, and translation

Huzoor is kadar bhi na itra ke chaliye

Khule aam aanchal na lehra ke chaliye

[[My lady, don't be so vain!

Don't walk with such a carefree, breezy attitude.

 In Indian society, women are supposed to cover themselves (in this case, in saree) and walk with care, so they wouldn't be considered promiscuous. So walking 'khule aam aanchal lehra ke' (with her scarf flowing away) would mean that she doesn't care what others are thinking about her. 

My translation might have made it look like it's said in a serious manner, but read it all as a playful banter - because that's how it is meant.]]

Koi manchala gar pakad lega aanchal

Zara sochiye aap kya keejiyega

Laga de agar, badh ke zulfon mein kaliyan

To kya apno zulfein jhatak deejiyega

(Huzoor is kadar...)

[[What would you do, if someone starts flirting with you?

If someone puts flowers in your hair, would you simply wrench it off your hair?

(That's why, my lady, don't walk with such an attitude..)]]

Badi dilnasheen hain haseen ki ye ladiyaan

Ye moti magar yoon na bikhraaya keeje

Uda ke na le jaaye jhonka hawa ka

Lachakta badan yoon na lehraya keeje

(Huzoor is kadar...)

[[Your smile is really divine, but don't waste these pearls so freely (on everyone who looks your way).

The way you seem to glide about, I'm afraid lest a gush of wind takes you away.

(That's why, my lady, don't walk so vainly...)]]

Bahot khoobsoorat hai har baat lekin

Agar dil bhi hota, to kya baat hoti

Likhi jati phir daastaan-e-mohabbat

Ek afsaane jaisi mulakat hoti

(Huzoor is kadar...)

[[Everything about you is beautiful, if only you also had a heart!

Then we'd have had a fairy-tale encounter, and stories would have been written about us.

(If only you were not so cruel and heartless, you would have noticed my love for you. And we might have even had a fairy-tale romance.]]

(Side note: As a kid I thought Javed Jaffrey was Saeed Jaffrey's son :D)