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.]]

Raah Pe Rahte Hain (Namkeen)

Some Gulzar songs elevate themselves from the status of being mere songs, and turn into a life philosophy. Be it "Aane waala pal, jaane waala hai" (Gol Maal), "Musafir hoon yaaron" (Parichay), "Ye lamha filhaal jee lene de" (Filhaal), "Goli maar bheje mein" (Satya), "Aye zindagi, gale laga le" (Sadma) or the song that is the subject of this blog post - these are not just easy on your ears, they can well be life anthems for you or me.

At its most superficial, Raah pe rahte hain is the song of a truck driver (Sanjeev Kumar), who seems visibly pained and disillusioned with life. And even though Sanjeev Kumar's face conveys his despair and the song talks about how memories are all he has; it will find a connect with anyone who's a wanderer at heart. Because it's not a song about looking back; it's a song about forging ahead and making your peace with the journey (called life).

Raah pe rahte hain, combined with Musaafir hoon yaaron make me believe that deep down, Gulzar is also a wandering soul ... intent more on the journey than the destination.

Lyrics and translation:

Raah pe rahte hain, yaadon pe basar karte hain

Khush raho ahal-e-watan, hum to safar karte hain

[[We are the nomadic ones, spending our lives on roads and making do with memories

Hoping you find your happiness, as we have found our solace in this journey]]

Jal gaye jo dhoop mein to saaya ho gaye

Aasmaan ka koi kona odha, so gaye

Jo guzar jaati hai bas uspe guzar karte hain

(Raah pe rahte hain ...)

Whatever the journey throws his way, a traveler finds a way to grow and learn with it...

[[When burned by the sun, we became the shade that gives others shelter

(We don't need fancy hotels to sleep) Tucked under a corner of the sky, we sleep peacefully

Memories are what keep us alive ... ]]

Udte pairon ke tale jab bahti hai zameen

Mud ke humne koi manzil, dekhi hi nahin

Raat-din raahon pe hum, shaam-o-sahar karte hain

(Raah pe rahte hain ...)

[[When the road seems to flow under the speeding wheels

How does one find the time to ponder over what's left behind?

We find comfort in the roads; and this is where the sun rises and sets for us]]

Aise ujde aashiyaane, tinke ud gaye

Bastiyon tak aate-aate, raste mud gaye

Hum thahar jaayein jahaan, usko shahar karte hain

(Raah pe rahte hain ...)

[[We have seen the worst of times... Seen homes torn apart in shreds

Soon as we find ourselves nearing a town, a turn in the road would take us elsewhere

That's how we have learnt to make home wherever we stay

('Cause we are the nomadic ones, spending our lives on the roads and making do with memories...)]]

A little history of the lines "Khush raho ahle-watan, hum to safar karte hain":

Some time back Sandeep (@stwta) sent me this link, which has a long poem by Bismil, written when he was in prison following the Kakori Kand. The poem had this line "Khush raho ahle-watan hum to safar karte hain". Of course, it made me immensely happy, 'cause I love finding connections between pieces of literature/poetry.

Later on, I chanced upon this link, which chronicles Bhagat Singh's conviction and execution for the murder of Saunders. In addition to other details, it also has Bhagat's last letter to his brother Kultar; which again quotes the line "Khush raho ahle-watan hum to safar karte hain" (in addition to couplets from Iqbal and others).

So it made me think, may be Bismil and Bhagat Singh were both quoting someone else. So I searched some more, and found this page. Here I finally found out, that the line was originally written by Wajid Ali Shah. He wrote this couplet while being exiled from a place he loved, Lucknow:

"Dar-o-deewar pe hasrat se nazar karte hain

Khush raho ahle-watan hum to safar karte hain

Humne apna dil-e-naazuk to zafa ko saunpa

Qaisari bagh jo hai usko saba ko saunpa ...."

Hmm! So there it is, my little piece of research off the Internet, which has obviously made me happy enough for today :)

Plus it adds another name to the list of poets that Gulzar has quoted - Ghalib (Satrangi Re, Dil Dhoondhta Hai) and Khusrau (Zeehal-e-miskin). And I must confess, till some 10 years back I thought "Dikhaayi Diye Yun" (written by Mir Taqi Mir) was penned by Gulzar.

Here's a video to the poem written by Bismil, which was later used in the movie "Aandolan", and sung beautifully by the inimitable Bhupinder. (Again, thanks to @stwta)

(The movie Namkeen is also available on Youtube)

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]]

Tujhse naaraaz nahin zindagi (Masoom)

It feels stupid trying to translate one of Gulzar's most iconic and widely loved songs (It got him one of his 10 Filmfare awards for best lyricist (in 1984)). But stupidity is nothing new to me, so here it goes!

The stage is set thus:
Indu (Shabana Azmi) and DK (Naseeruddin Shah) are happily married, with two daughters. The unexpected and unwelcome arrival of Rahul (the love child of DK) in the family shakes the very foundation of their lives. At different points of time in the movie, this song expresses the unspoken feelings of both the protagonists.

But more than that, it speaks for all of us ... of how life keeps throwing surprises our way, much to our bafflement and annoyance. Yet how important these roadblocks are, to maintain the delicate balances in  our lives - of smiles and tears, and of sun and shade.

Lyrics, and Translation:

Tujhse naaraaz nahin, Zindagi! hairan hoon main 

Hairaan hoon main

Tere masoom Sawaalon se, pareshaan hoon main

Pareshaan hoon main

[[Dear Life! I'm not mad at you, just a little weary ...
Stumped by the seemingly innocent questions you keep throwing at me*]]

Jeene ke liye socha hi nahin, dard sambhaalne honge

Muskuraayein to, muskuraane ke karz utaarne honge

Muskuraaun kabhi to lagta hai, 

Jaise hothon pe karz rakha hai

(Tujhse naaraaz nahin...)

[[Somehow I never thought, that I'll have to handle pains in order to live happily

Never realized that I'll have to pay a debt for each smile 

Now every time I smile, 

I am reminded of the debt that's weighing on my lips]]

Zindagi tere gham ne humein, rishte naye samjhaaye

Mile to humein, dhoop mein mile, chaaon ke thande saaye

(Tujhse naaraaz nahin...)

[[Dear Life! But it's not as if these pains are without purpose... because each pain makes me aware of things I never noticed before...

It is only in the scorching heat that we come to know of the relief a cool shade brings**]]

Aaj agar bhar aayin hain, boonde baras jaayengi

Kal kya pata, inke liye aankhein taras jaayengi

Jaane kahan ghum hua, kahan khoya

Ek aansoo chhupa ke rakha tha

(Tujhse naaraaz nahin...)

[[So today, if my eyes well up, I'll cry as long as I want to
Because who knows, tomorrow I may long for these very tears
And then, where will I look for this lone tear drop,
That I had hidden away for so long?]]

My two three cents:

* Earlier I thought the song was addressed not to "life", but to Rahul (Jugal Hansraj). Because just before the song, he asks a question that leaves Naseeruddin Shah totally stumped. I interpreted it as "Main hairaan hoon (ki meri) zindagi tujhse naaraaz nahin" = It amazes me that I am not mad at you  (just baffled by your innocent questions). 

** Something very similar to the lines "Mile jo humein dhoop mein mile, chhanv ke thande saaye" can be found in Gulzar's nazm "Chhaanv-Chhaanv" (from Pukhraj):

Ajeeb hai dard aur taskeen ka saanjha rishta

Milegi chhaanv to bas kahin dhoop mein milegi

(Strange is the relationship between pain and content,

The only place you'll ever find shade, is under the harsh sun)

*** In his album "Pancham: Gulzar Remembers RD Burman", Gulzar introduces this song with the following poignant lines:

"Yaad hai Pancham, jab bhi koi dhun bana kar bhejte the, to saath kah diya karte the, “The ball is in your court”... ye kaun sa ball mere court mein chhod gaye ho tum, Pancham! Zindagi ka khel akele nahin khela jaata... Humari to team hai, aa jao ya bula lo."

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.

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)

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)

Tere bina zindagi se koi (Aandhi)

'Tere Bina Zingadi Se Koi' from Aandhi (1975) is one of the all time classics, in the voice of Kishore Kumar (amazing how he could yoodley and sing such soulful songs with equal ease) and Lata Mangeshkar (IMO, the greatest singer of all time). This song is composed by R.D. Burman and written by Gulzar. 

The stage is set  thus:

Aarti Devi (Suchitra Sen) and JK (Sanjeev Kumar) are married, but estranged (mainly due to her political ambitions). During one of Aarti Devi's election rallies, they meet again after many years. It's then that they begin to ask themselves, that though they have been living apart for so long, have they really lived all these years, (or merely existed)? This song conveys regret at losing one's love, and raises the question if anything you gained after sacrificing your love was worth it.

Lyrics, and translation:

Tere bina zindagi se koi, shikwa nahin (shikwa nahin, shikwa nahin)

Tere bina zindagi bhi lekin zindagi to nahin (zindagi nahin, zindagi nahin)

[[There is not much to complain about, in a life without you.

But then, a life without you is hardly a life]]

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!

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.