Showing posts with label Ijaazat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ijaazat. Show all posts

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Khaali Haath Shaam Aayi Hai (Ijaazat)

[Find the other songs of Ijaazat here]

Evenings are beautiful. Probably the second most beautiful part of the day for someone in love (other than dead at night, when the silence underscores every act of intimacy (think साँसों में उलझी रहे मेरी साँसें)) and magnifies it tenfold.

But the same evening can also be a time of suffering. If you have ever been in love and spent an evening waiting futilely for that someone, you'll know the pain it brings. Not a stabbing pain either, just a dull ache accompanied by a feeling of being deserted. Now imagine this happening to you day after day. This is what the song is about.

Gulzar himself has introduced this song thus, "रात और दिन कितने खूबसूरत दो वक़्त हैं, और कितने खूबसूरत दो लफ्ज़। इन दो लफ़्ज़ों के बीच में, एक वक़फ़ा आता है, जिसे शाम का वक़्त कहते हैं। ये वो वक़्त है, जिसे न रात अपनाती है, न दिन अपने साथ लेकर जाता है। इस छोड़े हुए, या छूटे हुए लावारिस वक़्त से, शायर अक्सर कोई न कोई लम्हा चुन लेता है, और सी लेता है अपने शेरों में। लेकिन कोई-कोई शाम भी ऐसी बाँझ होती है, के कोई लम्हा देकर नहीं जाती।"

The Song is Set Thus:

Sudha (Rekha) is waiting for her husband Mohinder (Naseer) to come back; while he is in the hospital, tending to his sweetheart Maya (Anuradha Patel) who has tried to commit suicide. Day after day, as Sudha waits for Mohinder, we see him spending time with Maya to help her recover. The song plays.

Lyrics and translation:

Khaali haath shaam aayi hai, khaali haath jaayegi
Aaj bhi na aaya koi, khaali laut jaayegi

[[Empty-handed this evening has come, and would end the same way
Seeing that no one has come, it'll leave feeling deserted yet again]]

Aaj bhi na aaye aansu, aaj bhi na bheege naina
Aaj bhi ye kori raina, kori laut jaayegi

[[Yet I find myself devoid of tears
And so the evening will return blank, just the way it came]]

Raat ki syaahi koi, aaye to mitaaye na
Aaj na mitaayi to ye, kal bhi laut aayegi

[[Wouldn't someone come and erase the ink of this black night?
Because if left unerased, it'll surely come to haunt me tomorrow as well]]



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Aadat (Ijaazat / Pukhraj)

This nazm written by Gulzar was also used by him (partially) in the very poetic movie Ijaazat. As it happens, one of the protagonist (Maya) is a poetess. And the hero (Mohinder), besotted by her, also keeps reciting her poems frequently (in this scene, for example). How one wishes our day-to-day conversations were as lyrical.

This poem talks about how one keeps on living even when there is nothing worth living for. It is as if we were living out of habit, just for the sake of it. "Aadatein bhi ajeeb hoti hain!"
_______________________
आदत 

साँस लेना भी कैसी आदत है
जिये जाना भी क्या रवायत है
कोई आहट नहीं बदन में कहीं
कोई साया नहीं है आँखों में
पाँव बेहिस हैं, चले जाते हैं 
इक सफ़र है जो बहता रहता है
कितने बरसों से कितनी सदियों से
जिये जाते हैं, जिये जाते हैं

आदतें भी अजीब होती हैं
_______________________
Habits

What a strange habit breathing is!
Such a peculiar custom - this thing called life!
Not even the slightest stirring in the body
Or so much as a shadow in the eyes...
Yet the feet keep walking senselessly
A purposeless journey that's been in motion
For many years, many centuries.
(And) we have kept on living (out of habit)

Habits are such strange things!
_______________________
[रवायत = Ravaayat = Custom
बेहिस = Behis = Unconscious]


Monday, November 28, 2011

Qatra-qatra milti hai (Ijaazat)

Dear readers, let me warn you on the outset, that I expect this to be a long post. But I hope you'll bear with my raves and rants for the sake of this beautiful song.

This is my favorite composition by Pancham, coming from an all-time favorite album Ijaazat (1987). The movie has just four songs, 'Chhoti si kahaani se', 'Qatra-qatra', 'Mera kuchh saamaan' and Khaali haath shaam aayi hai' - all sung by Asha Bhosle, making her the sole singer for the entire album. This particular song makes extraordinary use of Asha's dual vocals - one on a slightly lower note than the other - and the outcome is just spectacular. Pancham has given so many great songs, but if he had composed nothing but this song, I'd still consider him a genius.

The stage is set thus
Mohinder (Naseeruddin Shah) loves Maya (Anuradha Patel), but is forced to marry Sudha (Rekha) because of his grandfather's wish; and also because Maya, the free spirited woman that she is, has disappeared  for a few months without so much as a word to Mohinder. 

Sudha, though aware of Mohinder's love for Maya, is too much in love with him to let Maya's presence in his heart affect her. She just wishes to live and enjoy each moment as it comes, even if it is not hers alone. This is her song.

Lyrics, and translation
Like a kid translating a poem with 'shabdaarth' (word-by-word translation) and 'bhaavaarth' (interpretation); I'll give the literal translation first, followed by my interpretation of certain parts.

Qatra-qatra milti hai, qatra-qatra jeene do
Zindagi hai (zingadi hai), bahne do (bahne do)
Pyaasi hoon main, pyaasi rahne do
(Rahne do, na)

[[Translation: It's given to me a moment (drop) at a time, let me live it like that
Such is life (such is life), just let it flow (let it flow)
If it leaves me thirsty, let that be so
(Just let it be)

Interpretation: 'Qatra' means drop. Here ,since Gulzar is referring to time, so it means a drop of time or a moment. Sudha knows that Mohinder is not hers completely, but she's grateful for every moment she gets to spend with him, even if it leaves her thirsty (asking for more); because those moment are what's keeping her alive.]]

Kal bhi to kuchh aisa hi hua tha
Neend mein thi, tumne jab chhua tha
Girte-girte baahon mein bachi main
Sapne pe paaon pad gaya tha
Sapnon mein, bahne do
Pyaasi hoon main, pyaasi rahne do

[[Translation: Do you remember what happened yesterday? I was deep in sleep when you touched me.
It made me start, and I almost fell in your arms on stumbling upon a dream.
Just let me live in this dream, and if it leaves me asking more more, let that be so!

Interpretation: Your touch makes me start even in my sleep. It's as if I stumbled upon a dream. And I want to live this dream-like life forever.]]

Tumne to aakaash bichhaaya
Mere nange pairon mein zameen hai
Paa ke bhi tumhari arzoo ho
Shayad aise zindagi haseen hai
Arzoo mein, bahne do
Pyaasi hoon main, pyaasi rahne do

[[Translation: You have given me the sky to walk on, but my bare feet are still on the ground.
Life is a lot more beautiful, when I still long for you when you're with me.
Let me live in this desire. And if it leaves me thirsty, so be it!

Interpretation: Though the time spent with you has taken me to cloud nine (given me hope of our future together), I'm still aware of the ground reality (that you love someone else). 
And I feel that it's much more beautiful to desire you than having you all for myself. So let me enjoy this yearning.]]

Halke-halke kohre ke dhuen mein
Shaayad aasmaan tak aa gayi hoon
Teri do nigaahon ke sahaare
Dekho to kahaan tak aa gayi hoon
Kohre mein, bahne do
Pyaasi hoon main, pyaasi rahne do

[[Translation: (Walking) in this soft mist of fog, looks like I've touched the sky.
Guided by your eyes, look where I've reached.
Now just let me float in this mist, and if it leaves me thirsty, so it be!

Interpretation: Being with you is as if I'm on sky (cloud nine).  I trust you (with my eyes closed) to take me to a beautiful place, even if I don't know where I'm going.]]


Though the video of original song (from the movie) is available on youtube, I'm sharing the one from the album 'Pancham : Gulzar remembers RD Burman'. Even though this version doesn't contain a video, it's worth sharing simply for listening to Gulzar's words as he remembers his dear friend Pancham. Pancham's vocals, as he hums notes from the song, sound out-worldly.


"Yaad hai baarishon ke din the woh, Pancham! Aur pahaadi ke neeche vaadee mein dhundh se jhaank kar nikalti hui rail ki patariyaan gujarti theen. Aur dhundh mein aise lag rahe the hum, jaise do paudhe paas baithe hon. Hum bahut der patariyon pe baithe us musafir ka zikr karte rahe, jisko aana tha pichhli shab, par uski aamad ka waqt talta raha. Hum bahut der patariyon pe baithe hue train ka intezar karte rahe. Train aayi, na uska waqt hua, aur tum yoon hi do kadam chalkar dhundh par paon rakhke gum ho gaye. Main akela hoon dhundh mein, Pancham! "
- Gulzar, from the album 'Pancham' by HMV
To read other posts about Ijaazat songs on my blog, click here.
(On Swati's request)

Friday, September 16, 2011

Mera Kuchh Saamaan (Ijaazat)

Surely nothing new could be written about a song as legendary as this. So let's begin with an anecdote about the song, by Gulzar himself:
"When I gave him (Pancham) ‘Mera kuCH saamaaan tumhare paas paDa hai’, he waved the lyric aside and said, “Huh, tomorrow you’ll bring me the front page of *The Times of India* and expect me to compose a tune around it. What is this blank verse you’re giving me!” Ashaji was sitting there, she started humming the phrase, “Mujhe lauta do.” He grasped it immediately; from that one phrase he developed the song, which was quite a feat! This time Ashaji and I got National Awards. Poor fellow, he did all the work and we enjoyed the ‘kheer’." (Source)
'Mera kuchh saaman' earned Gulzar his first National Award for best lyrics. There were songs before and after, but this probably best defines the Gulzar way of writing them - understated, yet breathtakingly poetic.

In a movie where every dialogue is lyrical, and every character is nothing short of being a poet; the songs had to be extraordinary. They are. And how!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Chhoti si kahaani se (Ijaazat)

Since most of the comments on my previous post wanted the next post to be more Gulzar-esque, here we are, with a song that defines the 80's Gulzar that we all fell in love with.

This song is so much more than the sum of the beautiful, beautiful lyrics, music and voice. It is a perfect introduction to the movie Ijaazat, which is poetry in itself. Ijaazat is arguably Gulzar's best screenplay till date - and the dialogues should find a place in every cinema-lover's bookshelf.

The movie sets off against the magically surreal beauty of rain-soaked Konkan (or is it North-east?). And playing in the background is 'Chhoti si kahaani se' in Asha's heart-achingly beautiful voice. The song transports you to a different world altogether - pure and passionate, yet melancholic. It also makes you long for something, someone.

The song is pure liquid magic in the ears. And that's why it is impossible to 'translate' it. It can only be felt.

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