Mera Yaar Mila De (Saathiya)

As Gulzar often says, if a lyricist is devious and smart enough, he would build multiple layers into his songs. As you scratch the surface, another layer will reveal itself. And this way he would sneakily say the thing he wanted to say, along with the thing the director wanted him to say.

The song begins with an anguished cry - a cry of someone lost, someone in despair.

On the screen we see Adi (Vivek Oberoi) frantically looking for Suhani (Rani Mukherjee) - in the background the track begins - "Banjar hai sab banjar hai, hum dhoondhne jab firdaus chale / Teri khoj talaash mein dekh piya, hum kitne kaale kos chale". On the face of it, this song is a lover's search for his beloved.  And the deft picturisation by Shaad Ali makes us believe it is, indeed, about a lover's quest.

But if we strip the song off its picturisation, the words are all about the quest for God. Gulzar's desposition for the Sufi way often manifests itself in his songs and poetry. This one is no different. To him, God resides not in idols or stones ("kankad, patthar, but") - but in a loving and devoted heart. It's not by looking for firdaus (Eden/heaven) or looking at the stars ("maine tote-tote taare chune") that you can find Him. When your love for God becomes an obsession, and transcends even that; when you destroy your identity in that quest; is when you can truly find Him / be one with Him.

Lyrics and translation:

Banjar hai sab banjar hai hum dhoondhne jab firdaus chale

Teri khoj-talaash mein dekh piya, hum kitne kaale kos chale

Banjar hai sab banjar hai

[[Seeking heaven, all I see is this wasteland

How many joyless miles must I travel looking for you?

It's just wilderness all around ...]]

Mainda yaar mila de saaiyaan, ik vaar mila de saaiyaan

[[God, please unite me with my beloved. All I want is to see him but once.]]

Maine pota-pota falak chhaana, maine tote-tote taare chune

[[I have shattered the stars to pieces and searched through every inch of sky with my own fingertips]]
(Thanks Anurag Bhardwaj for correcting the Punjabi bits for me :) )

Taaron ki chamak ye subaho talak, lagti hi nahin pal bhar ko palak

[[The incessant starlight till the morning, doesn't let me sleep even for a second.
(even the gentle starlight is agonizing for someone in love)]]

Maine pota-pota falak chhaana, maine tote-tote taare chune

Sirf ek teri aahat ke liye kankad, patthar, but saare sune

Hun mende te ruswaaiyaan

[[I have shattered the stars to pieces and searched through every inch of sky with my own fingertip

Seeking the sound of your footsteps, I've borne the silence of pebbles, stones and idols alike.

And yet I find only disgrace and ridicule]]

[Mainda yaar mila de saaiyaan, ik vaar mila de saaiyaan]

Aa dekh meri peshaani ko taqdeer ke harfe likkhe hain

[[Come, and see the words of fate written on my forehead ]]

Pairon ke nishaan jab dekhe jahaan sau baar jhukaaya sar ko wahaan

[[Wherever I see even the hint of your footsteps, I bow my head a hundred times]]

Aa dekh meri peshaani ko taqdeer ke harfe likkhe hain

Main kitni baar pukaarun tujhe, tere naam ke safhe likkhe hain

[[Do you not see the words of fate written on my forehead?

How many times must I call out to you? Pages have been written only of your name.]]

Tera saaya kahin to bolega, main sunta raha parchhaiyaan 

[[In the hope of hearing your voice, I've spent my life listening to shadows]]

My two  three cents:

1. To Shaad Ali's credit, he absolutely nails the picturisation. "How many joyless miles must I travel looking for you?" - the way Adi travels through cities/village by whatever means - buses, trucks, tractors. And the way religious symbols keep popping up in the visuals - a saadhu showing him the way, a photo of Mother Mary in the hospital, an abandoned church in the back - it all ties up really well.
2. The line 'Tera saaya kahin to bolega main sunta raha parchhaiyaan' reminds me of 'Main hawa pe dhoondhoon uske nishaan' from Chhaiya-Chhaiya - Listening to something intangible, in the hope of finding some sign of his loved one/God.
3. Of course, both Chhaiya-chhaiya and this song are Sufi in nature - so the underlying theme is very similar - though the songs themselves are as happy and as despairing as can be. But one thing that I found very interesting is the line "Jinke sar ho ishq ki chhaon, paaon ke neeche jannat hogi" (for those in love, heaven is easily achievable) in Chhaiya-chhaiya. In turn, in this song, "Banjar hai sab banjar hai hum dhoondhne jab firdaus chale" (seeking heaven, all he finds are wastelands). So, it's not by looking for heaven that you find it, it's by being one with your loved one. And then the heaven is at your feet.

Naam Ada Likhna (Yahaan)

"Sugar and spice and all things nice, that's what little girls are made of", go the words to a famous nursery rhyme.

Human mind forms connections between two completely unrelated things at times. My mind has adopted this as a hobby. For one fine day, listening to "Naam ada likhna" reminded me of this little nursery rhyme. Specifically this line (and others of this metre):

"Kabhi-kabhi aas-paas chaand rahta hai

Kabhi-kabhi aas-paas shaam rahti hai"

"The moon perches by my side at times; and at others the colors of evening cloak me."

 

The heroine of "Yahaan" is Ada, a child-woman who, though caught right in the middle of the Kashmir conflict (her brother is an insurgent), somehow remains untouched by it. For her, the world still holds hope; and joys however small (such as getting to wear a pair of jeans) still make her jump about in delight ("Urzu durkut"). And it is perhaps this optimism, that allows her to fall in love with Aman, a captain of the Indian army.

This is a song of young love, the kind that fills hearts with hope, against all odds.  

"Barf pade to, barf pe mera naam dua likhna" 

(When it snows, right down my name on it as a wish.)

"Aao na, aao na, Jhelum mein bah lenge

Vaadi ke mausam bhi, ik din to badlenge"

(Let's float about in the Jhelum till love is allowed to blossom in the valley once again)

"Kal jo mile to maathe pe mere sooraj uga dena"

(If we get a future together, mark it with a red dot of sindoor)

Composed by Shantanu Moitra and sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Shaan; it is the kind of song that fills you with calm and puts a smile on your face. (Somehow I always assumed it was composed by Vishal Bhardwaj, Kashmir + Gulzar connection, I guess. Anyway, all credit to Shantanu Moitra for creating a timeless tune.)

Lyrics and Translation:
Poochhe jo koi meri nishaani, rang henna likhna
Gore badan pe ungli se mera, naam ada likhna

[[If asked who I am, tell them I am "Ada",
The name scrolled on my fair body, in the color of henna]]

Kabhi-kabhi aas-paas chaand rahta hai
Kabhi-kabhi aas-paas shaam rahti hai

[[The moon perches by my side at times; 
and at others the colors of evening cloak me]]

Aao na, aao na, Jhelum mein bah lenge
Vaadi ke mausam bhi, ik din to badlenge

[[Let's float about in the Jhelum,
till love is allowed to blossom in the valley once again]]

[Kabhi-kabhi aas-paas chaand rahta hai
Kabhi-kabhi aas-paas shaam rahti hai]

Aaun to subah, jaaun to mera naam saba likhna
Barf pade to, barf pe mera naam dua likhna

[[When I arrive, see me as your morning; and if I leave, say I was a gust of wind
When it snows, right down my name on it as a wish]]

Zara-zara aag-vaag paas rahti hai
Zara-zara kaangde ki aanch rahti hai

[[She warms me like a blazing fire
There is a kaangdi-like glow about her]]

[Kabhi-kabhi aas-paas chaand rahta hai
Kabhi-kabhi aas-paas shaam rahti hai]

Shaamein bujhaane aati hain raatein
Raatein bujhaane tum aa gaye ho

[[The way nights come to put out evenings,
You have come to put an end of my nights]]

Jab tum hanste ho, din ho jaata ho
Tum gale lago to, din so jaata hai

[[Your smile makes the sun shine brighter
The comfort of your embraces make the days drift off]]

Doli uthaaye aayega din to, paas bitha lena
Kal jo mile to, maathe pe mere suraj uga dena

[[When the day comes, make me sit next to you
And if we get another tomorrow, make the sun rise on my forehead]]

Zara-zara aas-paas dhoop rahegi
Zara-zara aas-paas rang rahenge

[[We'll always have our bit of sunshine
And we'll always have our share or colors]]

Phir Se Aaiyo (Namkeen)

"Itna na mujhse tu pyaar badha, ki main ik baadal aawaara / Kaise kisi ka sahaara banoon, ki main khud beghar bechaara"

[From Chhaya (1961), lyrics by Rajendra Krishan]

How can someone who drifts about like a cloud, having no home or stable income, support someone else? Isn't one a fool for falling in love with such a man?

For Mithu, who has only known despair and loneliness all her life, this very drifter is the ray of hope, happiness and love. It matters not to her that Gerulal is a truck driver who is in her village for a few days in passing; it matters not to her that he doesn't even realizes she loves him. Perhaps it's not even her intent to make him know. Right now all that matters is that his presence is enveloping her life like the clouds envelop their village atop the mountain; making it look a bit less miserable; giving a semblance of serenity and even beauty to it.

Needless to say, the trio of Pancham-Gulzar-Asha has once again succeeded in creating a song full of pathos. Gulzar's words as well as Asha's voice are at once full of hope and longing. Pancham gives a haunting score like only he could. Like another of this trio's song (also my favorite), Chhoti Si Kahaani Se, this song is picturised in the hills - except that instead of dripping with rains, these hills are covered in mist - just the sort of place this song takes you to, even without the visuals.

But what indeed is much more stunning about the visuals here, is Shabana Azmi. Without uttering a single word, she manages to convey so much. The tiny smile constantly playing on her lips is a dead giveaway of the state of her heart. Roaming barefoot in the mist-covered valley, she looks content and happy - she couldn't care less if no one else listens to the tune of her heart - it's for her and it's for him, the cloud-like drifter that she awaits.

Lyrics and Translation:
Phir se aaiyo badra bidesi, tere pankhon pe moti jadoongi
Bhar ke jaaiyo humaari talaiya, main talaiya kinaare miloongi
Tujhe mere kaale kamli waale ki saun

[[Come again, O visiting cloud; and I'll embellish your wings with pearls
Make the pond full of water; and it's by its shore that I will meet you
I beseech you, in the name of God!]]

Tere jaane ki rut main jaanti hoon, mud ke aane ki reet hai ki nahin
Kaali darga se poochhoongi jaa ke, tere mann mein bhi preet hai ki nahin
Kachchi puliya se ho ke gujariyo, kachchi puliya kinaare miloongi

[[I know that you have to depart come the season, but would you promise to return as well?
I intend to ask the gods if you love me the way I do
Come by the narrow bridge, and it's here that I will meet you]]

Tu jo ruk jaaye meri atariya, main atariya pe jhaalar laga doon
Daaloon chaar taabeez gale mein, apne kaajal se bindiya laga doon
Chhoo ke jaaiyo, humaari bageechi, main peepal ke aade miloongi

[[If you promise to stay longer, I'll bedeck the terrace with frills and lights
I will put amulets around your neck and mark you with a black tikka with my kohl (to ward off evil)
When you come to touch my garden, it's by the peepal tree that I will meet you]]

My two cents:
Like Ijaazat's Maya and Aandhi's JK, Mithu writes poetry. In fact, as someone who cannot speak, her diary is her only outlet - It's here that she writes of her woes and fears; and of her dreams and hopes. Like Maya and JK, Mithu is all about sentiments and uses poetry to get away from the harsh reality that is her life.

Maya is in this on-again-off-again relationship with a married man, which she knows leads nowhere. JK was married to a woman who was poised to become (and indeed does become) much more successful and powerful than him, leaving him on the way up. Mithu has only known a life of poverty and misery, living with her senile mother and two sisters, while barely making a living.

All three are surrounded by uncertainty and heartache. Words are their escape. (Like Gulzar? Like all poets indeed?)

Watch the video here:

(You can watch the full movie on youtube here)

Seeli Hawa (Libaas)

[Contains spoilers] [Long post]

"Kitne kam logon ko ye baat samajh mein aati hai ki dhun bana lene se hi gaana nahin ban jaata. Tumhare apne lafzon mein, use nourish karna padta hai, uski parvarish karni padti hai. Ghanton aur pahron tak nahin, balki kai dinon tak gaate rahna padta hai. Tab jaakar uski chamak nikalti hai. Tumhari peeth peechhe kaha karta tha, aaj tumhare saamne kah raha hoon - tum jitne bade creative fankaar the, utne hi bade craftsman bhi the."

(Few people understand that creating a tune alone doesn't make a song. In your own words, a song has to be nourished. A few hours won't make it, it has to be sung for days - only then does it really shine. I used to say this behind your back, today I say this to your face - Not only were you a creative artist, you were just as big a craftsman!)

[-Gulzar, about RD Burman]

And thus a song was nourished for days, and allowed to ripen; so that when we reaches us, it lights up not only our brains, but our very hearts. And like a fine wine, it has not only stood the test of time, but gotten better with it. RD Burman, boss, what a musical genius you were indeed! And knowing how you had the perfect tune, not letting it go overboard with instruments, but allowing the mellow voice of Lata Mangeshkar transport us to the neeli nadi and letting us go inside the happy-yet-pained heart of the heroine - brilliant indeed. 

I have wanted to do this song for a long, long time; but was avoiding as I had not watched Libaas. Fact is, I have still not seen the movie, and I'm basing my interpretation of this song on the short-story Seema (also by Gulzar) on which the film is based. (available in a book called "Raavi Paar").

The stage is set thus:
Sudhir (Naseer) and Seema (Shabana) are married - Seema to Sudhir, and Sudhir to the theater. So devoted is Sudhir to his theater that he views Seema first as an actress and then as his wife. ("Seema, theater sirf tumse hi nahin, mujhse bhi jyada important hai.. Hum donon baad me aate hain, aur theater pahle"). Seema ends up finding love in TK (Raj Babbar), Sudhir's happy-go-lucky friend. But is she really in love with TK or just running from the unrelenting demands of Sudhir?

The way I see it, it's the story of Seema as she tries to come to terms with herself and find peace within. Sudhir and TK are just instruments in taking her journey forward. She loves Sudhir, but feels suffocated by his overbearing persona. When she is with him, it feels as if her own identity is fading away. And while TK lets her be, she finds herself thinking of Sudhir more and more. Like a lot of us, she is not absolute. She is still sorting out her confusions and that's what makes her so real

"Ghar mein rahti thi to ghar bore karta tha, theater mein ho to theater bore karta hai.. Hamesha wahaan rahna chahti ho jahaan nahin ho, aur jahaan ho usse kabhi khush nahin ho. You always want to be somewhere else, not where you are... and you don’t even know where you want to be!"
[-Sudhir, about Seema]

Anyway, I was hugely disappointed when I saw in the trailer (posted below), that my favorite song was picturised on Seema and TK. In my mind, I always thought that the song would be picturised while Seems thinks of Sudhir ( + admittedly, I don't much care for Raj Babbar)

So, now that my year-old belief has been turned on its head, I try to interpret this song as well as I can.

Lyrics, and translation:

Seeli hawa chhoo gayi, seela badan chhil gaya
Neeli nadi ke pare, geela sa chaand khil gaya

[[A dampened moon blooms beyond the blue river
At a time like this, even a misty breeze chafes my skin]]

Tumse mili jo zindagi, humne abhi boyi nahin
Tere siwa koi na tha, tere siwa koi nahin

[[I have not shared with anyone the life that you've given me
There was no one but you, there is no one but you]]

Jaane kahan kaise shahar, le ke chala ye dil mujhe
Tere bagair din na jala, tere bagair shab na bujhe

[[Where does this heart of mine takes me to?
Neither a day lights up, nor does a night put itself out without you]]

Jitne bhi tay karte gaye, badhte gaye ye faasle
Meelon se din chhod aaye, saalon si raat le ke chale

[[The closer I try to come, the farther away I feel
Leaving behind days long as miles, I carry with me nights that feel like years]]

[[Kanu's comments: This antara I feel reflects Seema's inner turmoil. The more she's trying to get in touch with herself, the harder it seems. When she was with Sudhir, each day seemed to go on forever under Sudhir's tyranny; but now the nights seem to last forever without him. Earlier she didn't have the peace of mind, now she can't find the peace in her heart.]]

Aye Udi Udi Udi (Saathiya)

Saathiya is one of those movies that I can watch any time. It makes me put my cynicism aside, and brings a smile to my lips. This is all the more true for its soundtrack, which is one of my all time favorites.

This particular song is picturised on the newly married couple, played by Rani and Vivek. Quite expectedly, all their time is spent making love and doing goofy things together - and the moments of resentment are few and far between. What makes it work so well is the sparkling chemistry between the lead pair - they make every frame shine with their madness and sudden smiles. It makes me want to fall in love all over again!

And the job of putting this young love to words was given to Gulzar, who was close to 70 years old at that time. One sometimes wonders what keeps his words so fresh, even though the situations in our movies remain more or less the same. The thought he gives while writing songs comes through here --  Vivek plays a character (Adi) who is very much in love and not at all shy about showing it. Rani's Suhani, on the other hand, is more mature and cynical. While they're both in love, it's quite obvious that Adi's is the head-over-heels kind; but Suhani's, not that much.

Lyrics, and translation:

Aye udi udi udi
Aye khwaabon ki pudi
Aye ang-rang kheli
Aye saari raat holi

[[The wrapper that held my dreams has come undone, giving them wings
Entire nights I now spend, soaked in colours of desire]]

Halki, ae halki, kal raat jo shabnam giri
Akhiyaan-vakhiyaan bhar gayin kal to; haath pe dab-dab giri
Pahli-pahli baarish ki boondein
Pahli baarish bheegein
[Ho-ho-naageena-naageena-naageena-ho-o-o-naagaare-naagaare-naageena]

[[As if the light dewdrops from last night
Filled my eyes; And on my hands fell
The first droplets of rains
And I feel drenched, as if in the first rain of the season]]
((My life is suddenly full of freshness (like dewdrops) and joy (such as brought on by rains).))

Uljhi hui thi, khul bhi gayi thi, lat wo raat bhar barsi
Kabhi manaaya, khoob sataaya, thi sab yaar ki marzi

[[Twining and untwining, that strand of your hair rained down on me all night long
A little cajoling, a lot of teasing around - whatever my beloved wanted (she did)]]

[Aye udi udi udi ...]

Chhed doon main kabhi, pyaar se to tang hoti hai
Chhod doon rooth ke, to bhi to jang hoti hai 
Chhed doon main kabhi, pyaar se to tang hoti hai
Khwaamkhaah choom loon, to bhi to jang hoti hai

[[Sometimes, it's my flirting that annoys her
But there's bound to be a war, if I leave her, sulking
Sometimes, it's my flirting that annoys her
And my unwarranted kisses are sure to begin a fight]]

Zindagi, aakhon ki aayat hai zindagi
Palkon pe rakkhi hai, teri amaanat hai
Zindagi ye zindagi ye zindagi
[naageena-naageena-naageena-ho-o-o-naagaare-naagaare-naageena]

[[My life - a verse written by my eyes,
Held dear by the eyelids,
I'm trusting it all to you]]

 [Uljhi hui thi ...]

Lad-lad ke, jeene ko, ye lamhe tode hain
Mar-mar ke seene mein, ye sheeshe jode hain
Tum kah do, sab la dein, bas itna socho to
Ambar pe pahle hi, sitaare thode hain

[[We've fought everyone to snatch these moments away, (to live (with one-another))
We've put these pieces together, giving it all that we had
Just say the word, and I'll bring it all to you... but then
The sky only has a few stars left, as it is!]]

Zindagi, aakhon ki aayat hai zindagi
Palkon pe rakkhi hai, teri amaanat hai
Zindagi ye zindagi ye zindagi
[naageena-naageena-naageena-ho-o-o-naagaare-naagaare-naageena]

[[My life - a verse written by my eyes,
Held dear by the eyelids,
I'm trusting it all to you]]

 [Uljhi hui thi ...]

1. As I was going through some reviews of Saathiya yesterday, one thing that almost every reviewer noted was how Vivek Oberoi was the next big thing. A few even went on to say that Shah Rukh shouldn't have given a special appearance in the movie, given how it starred his rival. I really liked Vivek Oberoi at that time (specially in this movie), and think that he could have been so much more. I hope that both he and Rani can find their footing once again.
2. Back in Banasthali, we used to watch this movie a lot. Not the entire movie, just a scene or two whenever we felt like. It was full of very witty sort of dialog (such as, शादी के बाद हर आदी इत्यादि बन जाता है जाता है). It was years later that I realized that the dialogs were written by Gulzar, who also won a Filmfare for it.

Khaali Samandar (Raat Pashmine Ki)

A while back I did this post (which finds a man describing his ladylove in the terms of the sea, sunset, the moon etc (the kind of exquisite imagery that we have come to associate with Gulzar)). 

The poem in this post also features almost the same set of elements, yet it takes the imagery a step further in that one is not sure till the end if the man is talking about his sweetheart or the tide (yes, that same high-tide, low-tide, ज्वार-भाटा वाली tide).

Anyway, here is my interpretation of the poem, which deeply appeals to me as a hardcore romantic and a sea-lover.

ख़ाली समंदर  (An Empty Sea)

उसे फिर लौट के जाना है, ये मालूम था उस वक़्त भी जब शाम की -

सुर्खोसुनहरी रेत पर वह दौड़ती आई थी 

और लहरा के -

यूं आग़ोश में बिखरी थी जैसे पूरे का पूरा समंदर -

ले के उमड़ी है 

[[She had to go back - we knew this even as 

She came --

Running on the evening-sand rendered crimson

And swaying, broke into my arms like the billowing ocean]]

उसे जाना है, वो भी जानती थी, 

मगर हर रात फिर भी हाथ रख कर चाँद पर खाते रहे कसमे 

ना मैं उतरूँगा अब साँसों के साहिल से,

ना वो उतरेगी मेरे आसमाँ पर झूलते तारों की पींगों से 

[[Even knowing that she had to go,

We kept swearing on the moon, night by night

That I won't descend into this sea of breathlessness

And she won't come swooping down from the stars fastened to my sky]]

मगर जब कहते-कहते दास्ताँ, फिर वक़्त ने लम्बी जम्हाई ली,

ना वो ठहरी --

ना मैं ही रोक पाया था!

[[Oblivious to these vows,

When the time yawned in between telling its eternal tale

Neither she stopped --

Nor was I able to make her stay!]]

बहुत फूँका सुलगते चाँद को, फिर भी उसे 

इक इक कला घटते हुए देखा 

बहुत खींचा समंदर को मगर साहिल तलक हम ला नहीं पाये,

सहर के वक़्त फिर उतरे हुए साहिल पे 

इक डूबा हुआ ख़ाली समंदर था!

[[No matter how hard we tried to keep the moon aflame

We saw it dying, one phase at a time

We couldn't pull the sea any closer to the shore,

By dawn, all that there was on the shore

Was a sea -- sunken and empty]]

My two cents:

1. It's not just the metaphors used in the two poems (this one and this one) that are similar; even the flow is quite alike. The lovers meet as the evening is descending upon the sea shore, and they have to part ways as the night ends. The poems are both very beautiful but in a tragic way, leaving you with a wistful heart and an unfathomable yearning. At least that's what happened with me on both occasions.

2. I was not justifiably able to translate the "ना मैं उतरूँगा अब साँसों के साहिल से / ना वो उतरेगी मेरे आसमाँ पर झूलते तारों की पींगों से" part. I think he is talking about how, every night, the shore and the tide vow to never leave each other; but they're helpless in the hands of the time. Your comments?

O Saathi Re (Omkara)

आज-कल बहुत कम ही फ़िल्मी गीत ऐसे बन पा रहे हैं जो दिल को छू सकें और दिमाग़ में ठहर जायें।ओंकारा फिल्म का गीत 'ओ साथी रे' उन चुनिन्दा गीतों में से एक है।तो जब इस ब्लॉग पर कई महीने बाद लिखने की बात आई (वो भी गुलज़ार साब के जन्म दिन पर), तो इसको चुनना लाज़मी था।(पर इसे चुनने की उससे भी बड़ी वजह हैं रोहन देसाई जी, जो कई बार मुझसे इस गीत पर लिखने को कह चुके हैं।)

(Longish post)

Gulzar calls Vishal Bhardwaj and extension of himself, and this harmony is quite apparent in the songs they have produced together. Out of my favorite romantic numbers in recent times, quite a few come from this collaboration. Be it the utterly beautiful "Bekaraan" from 7 Khoon Maaf, the playful "Dil to Bachcha Hai Ji" from Ishqiya, the soulful "Aur Phir Yun Hua" from Striker or "Pehli Baar Mohabbat Ki Hai" from Kaminey - they manage the strike a chord with you.

In the same line, another favorite is "O Saathi Re" - with its haunting melody and exquisite imagery, the memory of this song lingers on long after it has ended. Props to Shreya Ghoshal and Vishal Bhardwaj for making the song even more ethereal with their fervent and touching voices.

In Omkara, all the leads characterize a facet of human nature. (Posters displaying the leads and their basic underlying nature can be seen in the picture above (spoken like a school student)).

This song features Omi (Ajay Devgn), who is driven by passion and Dolly (Kareena Kapoor), who is the face of innocence - both deep in love. As it happens in love, time simply flies. And like any other couple in love, they just don't want the day to end, ever.

Lyrics, and translation:

O saathi re, din doobe na

Aa chal din ko rokein, dhoop ke peechhe daudein

Chhaon chhue na

O pihu re

[[O dearest, wish the day never ends!

Come, let's stop the day; let's run after the sun

Lest the darkness catches up with us

Come, O beloved!]]

Thaka-thaka sooraj jab, nadi se ho ke niklega

Hari-hari kaai par, paaon pada to phislega

Tum rok ke rakhna, main jaal giraaun

Tum peeth pe lena, main haath lagaaun

Din doobe na

[[When the sun, tired after its day's hard work, reaches the river

It might slip on the moss-covered stones

You stop it from drowning, while I drop the net to fish it out

You carry it on your back, and I'll give you a hand

(Whatever we do) let's stop the sun from setting]]

[[Typical Gulzar imagery here at work.]]

Teri meri atti-patti

Daant se kaati katti

Re jaiyo na

O pihu re

[[Let's make this pact that we will never leave one another

O, my dearest!]]

O pihu re, na, jaiyo na

[[Never leave me, my love!]]

Kabhi-kabhi yun karna, main daatun aur tum darna

Ubal pade aankhon se, meethe paani ka jharna

[[At times, pretend that you are afraid of me

Then if I scold you, act scared and start crying rivers]]

[[Lovers are often seen to reflect each-others' nature. Here, the usually grave Omi agrees to play along with the impish Dolly's whims, to see a smile on her face.]]

Tere dohre badan mein, sil jaaungi re

Jab karvat lega, chhil jaaungi re

[[Let's be so close as if we are stitched together

So much so, that if you so much as turn side, I'll get bruised]]

Sang le jaaunga

Teri meri angni mangni

Ang sang laagi sangni

Sang le jaaun, o pihu re

[[You will be with me wherever I go

We are inseparableu

You will be by my side

And wherever I go, you will go with me]]

(O saathi re, din doobe na...)

Three bonus bullet points :)
1. Gulzar talks about the musical form of this song (Excerpt from the book - In the company of a poet by Nasreen Munni Kabir):

"Sanchaari is a Bengali form of music that he (Vishal Bhardwaj) and I have discussed many  times. He used it in the Omkara song, 'O Saathi Re'. The Sanchaari allows you to go away from the antara [the second stage of a musical composition] and later return to it."

2. In an imagery similar to the first antara - in the poem "Sun Set" by Gulzar (from the collection Pandrah Paanch Pachhattar), the sun slips on moss covered clouds. Excerpts:

बिदक के हट गया था वो (सूरज) / बहुत फिसलन थी और काई जमी थी बादलों की / पकड़ के आसमां, कोशिश भी की थी उसने संभलने की 

 3. In this youtube video, Gulzar speaks about how if we choose "Bidi jalai le" over "O saathi re" from the same film, he cannot be questioned about writing songs of the commercial kind.

My favorite lines from the song:

तेरे दोहरे बदन में सिल जाऊँगी रे / जब करवट लेगा, छिल जाउंगी रे 

O Saathi Re video:

Matka Bharke Sooraj Ulta... (Pandrah Paanch Pachhattar)

While browsing through Gulzar's book 'Pandrah Paanch Pachhattar' (Fifteen Fives are Seventeen Five), I suddenly came across this beautiful nazm. I say suddenly, because I had read the book before, and it was like I had completely skipped this poem. And what a poem it is! 

Somewhat similar in sentiments to the lines 'Tu ab se pahle sitaaron mein bas rahi thi kabhi' by Sahir Ludhianvi (incidently, one of Gulzar's favorite lyricists); this nazm goes one step further and weaves the entire persona of the leading lady and her meeting with the poet around the universe and its miracles. 

And since I've always been in love with seas, seashores, sunsets and such; the fact this meeting takes place after sunset and before sunrise makes it all the more alluring to me. How I long for a romantic night-out by the sea!

Not surprisingly at all for a Gulzar poem, it once again makes stellar use of similes and metaphors.

मटका भरके सूरज उल्टा, शाम ने दूर समंदर की दहलीज पे जाकर 

रात का पश्मीना पहने तुम आई थीं !

You came!

When the evening was pouring a pitcher-full of sun at the far end of the sea

You came, wearing the pashmeena of the silken night

रात तुम्हारे जिस्म से फिसली पड़ती थी 

जिस्म तुम्हारा एक जलते सय्यारे सा 

दूध और धूप से गूंधी मिट्टी 

एक फ़लक भर खुश्बू थी आवाज़ तुम्हारी !

The silken night kept sliding off your body

Your body, like a smoldering celestial object

Molded from clay kneaded in milk and sunshine

Your voice, like a sky-full of fragrance!

तुम बोल रही थीं 

होंठ तुम्हारे चाँद की काशें काट रहे थे !

मैं हैरां ...

हैरां हैरां ...

As you spoke,

Your lips sliced slivers off the moon

I was disconcerted ...

Bewildered, amazed ...

मटका भर के सूरज का, एक और सहर निकली पानी से 

उँगली थाम के सुबह की तुम पानी पर चलते-चलते एक और उफ़क को लौट गईं !

And when another morning emerged from the sea, with a pitcher-full of sun

You went back to another horizon, holding the morning's finger in your hand

वक़्त के पुरइसरार किसी 'कॉमेट' की तरह 

क़ायनात से आईं तुम और क़ायनात में लौट गईं !!

Time-bound, like a comet

You went back to the universe you came from !!

Chupke Se (Saathiya)

"All happy families are alike. Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." - Begins the novel Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. The same could be said of couples as well. And if you follow closely the lyrics and poetry by Gulzar, you'll notice a lot of non-perfect couples, and very few perfectly happy ones.

So there is someone who has been just a touch unfaithful (Hazaar raahein mud ke dekhin), someone very much in love but forced to part ways with their loved one (Mera kuchh saamaan), a wife waiting, in vain, for her husband who doesn't show up (Khaali haath shaam aayi hai), a hero yearning for a woman who refuses to be with him (Aye Ajnabi, Satrangi Re), a couple living separately but still in love (Tere bina zindagi se koi), or even a ghost wondering if he will be able to stay with the woman he loves, forever (Dheere Jalna). The same pattern of less than perfect relationships can be traced throughout his non-filmy poetry as well. It's as if his universe is populated with these couples, living apart but constantly striving to come together.

This particular song features a star-crossed couple - married, but forced to live separately due to circumstances. And needless to say, anyone who has ever been in love can identify with what Gulzar has said about separation pangs.

Lyrics, and English Translation:

Doston se jhoothi-moothi doosron ka naam le ke,

teri-meri baatein karna

Yaara, raat se din karna

 Lambi judaai teri bada mushkil hai,

aahon se dil bharna

Yaara raat se din karna

(The hero says -)

 [[Every time I talk about us, I have to use the false cover-up of others' names

And with each passing day, it is becoming more and more difficult to fill the empty space in my heart with sighs and wait for another night to turn to day]]

 [My comments: It's quite uncanny how Gulzar takes something very usual amongst youngsters (at least of yerster-years) and slips it into his songs - namely, covering up one's secret love life by hiding behind others' identities. I have always loved this line the most, for saying so much in so few words!]

Kab ye poori hogi door ye doori hogi

Roz safar karna - Yaara raat se din karna

[[When will this distance go away

When will this journey that I have to make everyday, the journey of turning another night into day, end?]]

Chupke se, chupke se, raat ki chaadar tale

Chaand ki bhi aahat na ho, baadal ke peechhe chalein

Jalein katra-katra, galein katra-katra

Raat bhi na hile aadhi-aadhi, 

Raat bhi na hile aadhi-aadhi aye

Chupke se, chupke se, raat ki chaadar tale

(The heroine says -)

[[Hush, my love, let's meet secretly under the veil of the night

Let's hide behind the clouds, lest the moon comes to know and creates a scene

Let us burn together and melt bit by bit

While the night waits with bated breath]]

[My comments: Gulzar's association with the moon is legendary. Almost as noticeable in his songs is the recurrence of lovers meeting under the moon light. Right from his first song Mora Gora Ang Lai Le, where the heroine begs to be made darker, so she can easily meet her lover at night; to a more recent O Humdam Suniyo Re, where the moon (hero) frequents his lover's street at nights.] 

Farvari ki sardiyon ki dhoop mein

Moondi-moondi akhiyon se dekhna

Haath ki aad se

Nimmi-nimmi thand aur aag mein

Haule-haule maarwa ke raag mein

Meer ki baat ho

[[(I wait for the day when) In the soft sunlight of February, you would look at me, shading your half-open eyes with your palm

When the mild winter meets fire, I wish we could sit together and talk about Mir, with the Raag Maarwa playing in the background]]

[My comments: For a beautiful interpretation of this paragraph, I must guide you towards this amazing post by the equally amazing Pavan Jha who is an encyclopedia of anything and everything Bollywood.

I must also mention how it reminds me of the para "Jaadon ki narm dhoop aur aangan mein let kar" from "Dil Dhoondhta Hai"] 

Din bhi na doobe, raat na aaye, shaam kabhi na dhale

Shaam dhale to subah na aaye, raat hi raat chale

 [Chupke se ...]

[[(When we are together) I wish the day would never end, the night never come, and the evening stays with us

And even if the evening ends, I wish the next morning doesn't come and the night goes on and on]]

[My comments: Who else is reminded of "O Saathi Re, din doobe na" from Omkara?] 

Tujh bina pagli ye purwai

Aa ke meri chunri mein bhar gayi

Tu kabhie aise hi gale lag jaise ye purwai

Aa gale lag jaise ye purwai 

[[Without you, even the winds go crazy

I wish that some day, you will embrace me like this breeze

Come, engulf me completely like the crazy winds...]]

Saathiya sun tu

 Kal jo mujhko neend na aaye paas bula lena

God mein apni sar rakh lena, lori suna dena

[Chupke se ...]

[[Listen, my love!

I wish a day comes when, if I am unable to sleep, you would make me lie next to you

Or sing a lullaby to me, with my head in your lap

Till that day comes, meet me secretly under the veil of the night ...]]

Of course, I need not talk again and again on how I love the movie and its music! The coming together of ARR and Gulzar has always spelled magic, well may be except in JTHJ.

 

For my take on other songs from the movie Saathiya, click here.

Phir Raat Kati (Paheli)

Today being Gulzar's birthday, I think I owe it to this blog to come out of my 2-month long hiatus and bring the blog back to life.

"Phir raat kati" is a quirky little composition by M.M. Kreem and Gulzar, capturing and underlining the fact that "Paheli", in its heart, is a folklore brought alive on screen. The mood of the song is just as beautifully executed by choreographer Farah Khan on screen, bringing out the magic of a folk tale using puppet-like moves.

It's slightly ironic that the stunning cinematography and choreography work so well for the song that the lyrics and the imagery it paints get somehow sidelined. So I thought I'll attempt translating the song, steal some limelight from the dance and put the focus on the lyrics :). 

Lyrics, and Translation

Phir raat kati, aur din nikla

Jab din nikla to raat chadhi

Phir preet ki aisi peeng badhi, rab raakha beliya 
(heyyy-ho, heyyy-ho)

[[Like any other story, this one begins simply enough. The days and nights are succeeding each other like they're meant to, and life is moving at its natural pace.

When one sudden day, this love story is set in motion. And what a love story it is, may God be our saviour!

Kanu's comments: "Peeng badhana" is a term usually used in reference to swings (jhula), and it means pushing the swing to increase its pace and set it in motion.]]

Oontni par jab chaand chale, aur chaand ke peechhe raat chale
Aur taaron ki baaraat chale, rab raakha beliya 
(heyyy-ho, heyyy-ho)

[[(The story is set in the deserts of Rajasthan, about a newly-wed bride on the way to her in-laws place. The baaraat (marriage procession) halts at a baoli where a ghost falls in love with the bride, enchanted by her beauty. This is their love story.) 

I like to believe that "Oontni pe jab chaand chale" is a reference to the beautiful (moon-like) bride travelling by camel through the desert. So the story starts when the bride, along with the baaraat is on her way to the sasuraal.]]

Har raat kahaani chalti hai
Kabhi hawa sunaati hai baatein, kabhi baat zubaani chalti hai
Rab raakha beliya 
(heyyy-ho, heyyy-ho)

[[Ever since then, the story has travelled far and wide; at times taking the wings of the wind, at others by word of mouth.

I love this reference to the beautiful custom of how at nightfall, stories are exchanged - whether on a chaupaal; or as bedtime stories told by mothers and grandmothers to children. And before one knows it, these stories have travelled to far away places, and become lores.]]

Deh ki reti ud jaavegi, preet sada rah jaavegi
Arey samay gujar jaavega babu, lok katha rah jaavegi
Baat puraani ho jaavegi, naam sada rah jaavega
Arey maaroothal mein baalu tab tak unka naam rahega
(Phir raat kati...)

[[Even after the sand of our bodies has flown away (we are long dead), love  remains.

Time passes, dear sirs, but these folk lores stay behind.

The stories may get old, but the names are never forgotten...

As long as there is sand in the desert, their names will live on ... 

(Maaroothal is a tadbhav of the word "marusthal" meaning desert.)]]

Bahut baras jab gujar gaye aur laakh chaand jab utar gaye
Peepal par ek padaav hua, aur phir janme ka chaav hua
Tab se har ek kahaani mein, wo aate hain aur jaate hain
Arey maaroothal mein baalu tab tak unka naam rahega
(Phir raat kati...)

[[(Again the song gives a glimpse of the story...)

The ghost had been dead many years, many moons had passed;

When one day a procession halted under his peepal tree. And it was on this day that he wanted to be born again and have a mortal body (because of the beauty of the bride)...

And ever since then, these characters keep popping up in various tales...

(And I'm telling you,) as long as there is sand in the desert, they will live on]]

I hope you enjoyed the translation and it took you back to the time when you were kids and heard bedtime stories under a star-lit sky.

I also have two very personal reasons to like this song - first, since I've spent 8 years in Rajasthan, the place is very dear to me. The people are so warm and the place so colorful... it's like living in a story. And second, because this dance was  performed by my juniors in college, and those days are very close to my heart...

Raat Ka Nasha Abhi (Asoka)

For an industry obsessed with love, Bollywood music industry has pretty little to show for love's carnal side. Even less so, something that is sensuous without being vulgar. Songs such as this one are few and far between.

The music by Anu Malik is very fresh, and for a change doesn't seem copied from anywhere. Lyrics penned by Gulzar describe beautifully the tale of the night of togetherness and the yearning of the day after, when the lovers are apart. One wishes though, that someone else with a more seductive voice had sung it.

Lyrics, and translation:

Raat ka nasha abhi, aankh se gaya nahin

Tera nasheela badan baahon ne chhoda nahin

Aankhein to kholi magar, sapna wo toda nahin

Haan, wahi, wo, wohi

Saanson pe rakha hua tere hothon ka sapna abhi hai wahin

[[The ecstasy of the night before, has not yet left my eyes

My arms have still not let go of the intoxication of your body

And though my eyes are wide open, that dream is still there

Yes, the same one ....

The dream that your lips told my breath still lingers within me]]

Tere bina bhi kabhi, tujh si machal leti hoon

Karvat badalti hoon to, sapna badal leti hoon

Tera khyaal aaye to, bal kha ke pal jaata hai

Paani ki chaadar tale, tan mera jal jaata hai

[[At times I pretend that it's you I'm sulking with

For every night spent tossing and turning, I invent a new dream to console me

When I think of you, that moment just refuses to leave

And even inside a veil of water, my body burns]]

[Haan, wohi, wo, wohi

Saanson pe rakha hua tere hothon ka sapna abhi hai wahin]

Tere gale milne ke mausam bade hote hain

Janmon ka waada koi, ye gham bade chhote hain

Lambi si ik raat ho, lamba sa ik din mile

Bas itna sa jeena ho, milan ki ghadi jab mile

[[Oh, such beautiful lines! I wouldn't even try to translate them word for word.

When compared to how eternally momentous the time we spend together is; these small things such as being apart in this lifetime don't even matter. Because I know we are destined to find each other in every single life.

As for this life, I only ask for one prolonged day and one lasting night of togetherness - I don't need anything else.]]

[Haan, wohi, wo, wohi

Saanson pe rakha hua tere hothon ka sapna abhi hai wahin]

Is Mod Se Jaate Hain (Aandhi)

Here is one song that always stumped me when I was younger. I wasn't able to make a head or tale of it. It was after I read the script of the movie (I haven't watched it yet) that the song really started to make sense. A bit delayed, but here it is on my blog :)

About the movie:
Though the movie (Aandhi, 1975) gained much notoriety (and a ban) for bearing a similarity to the life of a certain Ms Gandhi; in my opinion the whole political background was incidental to the movie which is essentially a story about love, ego and personality clashes. But mostly about love. 

The movie traces the love story (and marriage) of an ambitious daughter of a politician (Aarti) and a hotel-manager-by-profession but poet-at-heart guy JK. Aarti's political ambitions prove to be a bit too much for JK and his ego; and they decide to go their separate ways. The movie (constantly switching between flashes from past and present) revolves around what happens when a chance encounter brings them back.

The stage is set thus:
The song occurs at two very important junctures in the movie. First is a mod (turn) in their lives - JK and Aarti have just gotten married and are all starry-eyed about their future. [Spoiler alert!] The second time the song occurs at the climax of the movie; when they finally decide to go their own ways and marks the second mod of their journey.

With this background, let's move ahead to the translation part :)

Lyrics, and English translation:

Is mod se jaate hain

Kuchh sust kadam raste

Kuchh tez kadam raahein

[[From this turn walk by, 

Some lazy paths, 

And a few fast paced lanes.

This is the beginning of a new phase in the relationship of JK and Aarti. Life could take the turn towards the unhurried life that JK dreams of; or could end up in the expressway of Aarti's ambitions. 

Even when de-referenced from the movie, this line sets the tone for the highly abstract yet deeply meaningful lyrics coming ahead.]]

Patthar ki haveli ko

Sheeshe ke gharaundon mein

Tinkon ke nasheman tak

Is mod se jaate hain

[[Towards a mansion made of stones,

In a house of glass

Or a nest of mere twigs

Can we go from this turn

The song further talks about how this turn could lead them towards an everlasting relationship (patthar ki haveli), a brittle one (sheeshe ke gharonde), or one which even the slightest of wind (of trouble) could wreck (tinkon ke nasheman).]]

Aandhi ki tarah ud kar ek raah guzarti hai

Sharmaati hui koi qadamon se utarti hai

In reshmi raahon mein, ik raah to wo hogi

Tum tak jo pahuchti hai, is mod se jaati hai

[[A road, like a raging storm, passes by

And one takes the steps demurely 

Of these silken roads, I look out for the one

That'll take me to you, when I take this turn

The song further speaks of the various tones this relationship could take - volatile like a gale, or a timid one. "But whatever form it takes, of the many enticing options I want to choose the one that'll lead me to you."]]

Ik door se aati hai, paas aa ke palatti hai

Ik raah akeli si, rukti hai na chalti hai

Ye soch ke baithi hoon, ik raah to wo hogi

Tum tak jo pahunchti hai, is mod se jaati hai

[[One road comes from far away and then suddenly takes a U-turn

And there's this lonely road, which neither stops not goes anywhere.

I sit here thinking, there must be a road out there

That'll take me to you, when I take this turn

You're quite sure of the direction of your life, and then it suddenly takes a U-turn. And at times you spend too much time down a road that won't lead you anywhere. 

"But I will sit here and wait for these roads to pass, till the one comes along that'll take me to my lover, my destination.]]

My Two Three cents:

1. This song was written as a nazm, and adapted in the movie. The nazm is not specific to marriage and  its consequences though. Neither is it a love ballad. It simply talks about how one turn could make you end up at a completely different place. Some lines from the nazm:

सहरा की तरफ़ जाकर, इक राह बगूलों में खो जाती है चकराकर

रुक-रुकके झिझकती-सी, इक मौत की ठंडी-सी वादी में उतरती है

इक राह उधडती-सी छिलती हुई काँटों से, जंगल से गुज़रती है -

इक दौड़ के जाती है और कूदके गिरती है, अनजानी ख़लाओं में 

Thanks to @stwta for giving the youtube video of the nazm by Bhupinder Singh.

2. In the movie Aarti tells JK "तुम्हारे पास ये कविता न होती तो तुम बहुत ऑर्डिनरी आदमी होते". I read somewhere that this was something that actually Rakhi told Gulzar. In fact, to me JK's character feels quite similar to Gulzar. His sense of humor and poetic sensibilities are trademark Gulzar. But then, he created the character!

3. Here, Gulzar talks about Sanjeev Kumar and the making of Aandhi.

Tere Bina (Guru)

The stage is set thus

Gurukant Desai (Abhishek Bachchan) and Sujata (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) are newly married. But the ambitious Gurukant is just a notch more in love with his work than his wife. So much so that Sujata feels Guru's work is like the other woman in his life.

This song, though picturised as a 'happy' song, is actually Sujata's reproach on the frequent absence of her husband.

(As pointed out very helpfully by soloescapes, this song comes up when Sujata goes away when she learns that Guru married him because of the dowry. The song shows glimpses of their happy times and the current "crisis". (Thanks!))

Lyrics, and translation

[Dum-daara dum-daara mast-mast dum 

Dum-daara dum-daara mast-mast dum 

Dum-daara dum-dum]

O humdum bin tere kya jeena

[[My love, what is a life without you...]]

Tere bina besuaadi-besuaadi ratiyaan o sajna (x2)

Rookhi re o rookhi re

Kaatoon re, kaate kate na

[[Without you, my nights are bland and monotonous, sweetheart. These dull and dry nights are impossible to go through.

Kanu's comments: 'Be-suaadi' is a very rarely used word, but very appropriate and effective here. Gulzar's lyrics often have a word that makes you to fall in love with itself; and for me in this song, it's definitely besuaadi.]]

[Dum-daara dum-daara mast-mast dum ...]

Na ja chaakri ke maare

Na ja sautan pukaare

Saawan aayega to poochhega, na ja re

[[Don't go away for your job; which, like a mistress, keeps calling you. What will I say when the rain comes and asks for you?

Kanu's comments: Love how these lines subtly imply that Guru is always on the beck and call of his job (na ja sautan pukaare), even if it means ignoring his wife and spending less time with her. Rains are often considered the romantic season, and to desert your newlywed wife in such a weather for your job will no doubt leave her feeling unloved. 

(Blast from the past: Tere do takya di naukri, ve mera laakhon da saawan jaaye)]]

Pheeki-pheeki besuaadi ye ratiyaan 

Kaatoon re, kate na kate na

Ab sajna tere bina, tere bina, kaate kate na

Kate na kate na tere bina

Tere bina besuaadi-besuaadi ratiyaan o sajna 

[[These bland and insipid nights are impossible to go through.]]

[Dum-daara dum-daara mast-mast dum ...]

Tere bina chaand ka sona khota re

Peeli-peeli dhool uda de jhootha re

[[Without you, even the the moon seems to be fake - instead of showering gold it's blowing yellow dust at me.

Kanu's comments: 1. Love the use of khota (counterfeit) here. Gulzar's love of the moon is legendary, and could make for a long post in itself. The plethora of adjectives he has used to describe the moon can run into hundreds.]]

Tere bina sona peetal

Tere sang keekar peepal

[Aa ja katein na ratiyaan]

[[Without you, gold is like copper; while when you are with me even a Kikar tree is like Peepal. 

Kanu's comments: Love these lines. Very poetic, and have a nice musical ring to them.

Without you, even the most expensive things hold no value to me. - Gold and jewelry can't compensate for your absence.

With you, even a common tree like Kikar becomes sacred like Pipal (which is considered very sacred in Hindu and Buddhist mythology).]]

[Dum-daara dum-daara mast-mast dum ...]