Challa (Jab Tak Hai Jaan)

I didn't like this album. I was angry that the combination of Rahman and Gulzar coming together for a Yash Chopra movie could produce such mediocre music. I mean, you don't expect this from a team that gave you Dil Se, Saathiya, Guru and Raavan. Even Fiza and Yuvvraj had better songs!

So I ignored the album. I never listened to it. And the number of times 9XM played Jiya Jiya Re made things even worse. I couldn't stand another minute of Anushka prancing about in her shorts sprouting words that seemed they were written almost half-heartedly.

And in ignoring this album, I also ignored Challa. Well, also because having heard Bullah Ki Jaana etc.; this song was a little underwhelming coming from Rabbi (plus it had Rahman's music so it should have been better, right?). And Rabbi's voice just didn't suit Shah Rukh Khan. All in all, the song had a lot working against it.

In any case; at a later date I happened to listen to this song without all these factors pulling it down, and realized that it's *just* the sort of song to bring together Rahman, Rabbi and Gulzar; all of whom seem deeply rooted in the Sufi way of love and devotion. It's a song about searching for that supreme power that guides, loves and protects us all - without manifesting itself in a physical form. It's a song about wondering if such a power really exists; and how we go about like mad men looking after it; as if it's a physical thing that could be seen, smelled, heard or touched.

It's this wandering of this mad man (jhalla, pronounced challa in Punjabi) that this song talks about. 

Lyrics and Translation:

Challa ki labda phire
Challa ki labda phire
Yaar oda ghar keda
Lokaan to ponchda phire

[[What do I search for, like a man gone crazy?
I go about asking people, if they know which house is His]]

[[Khuda ka ghar - mandir, masjid - Gulzar has written about this is many poems. How these houses of Gods have been unable to protect men when they needed it most - at the times of riots and such. So, to look for God's house is specially foolish of our challa.]]

Challa hansda phire
Challa ronda phire
Challa gali-gali rulda phire

[[At times laughing, crying at times
I go about, from street to street]]

Challe tu sabda
Challe tera koi nai
Challa gali-gali rulda phire

[[I belong to everyone, yet I own no one
And I go about, from street to street]]

Challa ki labda phire

[[What do I search for, like a man gone crazy?]]

Rang satrangi de
Bulbulan di boli
Dhop de paireen chale
Chhavan di le doli

[[I expect that He will have the colors of the rainbow
And the voice of a canary
And even when He walks in the sun
It's as if a shadow is following Him around]]

Oye kaale-kaale badlan ch chaand labda
Goongiyaan hawavan di aawazan sunda
Yaaron aas-paas vasda ae yaar mera
Vikhda ni odi khushbuvaan sunghda

[[And I look for the moon in the black clouds
I listen to the silent voices of the winds
I'm sure that He lives nearby
And though I haven't seen him, His fragrance always lingers nearby]]

[[You can see a lot of "Chhaiya-chhaiya" in this quartet and the one right above it. The essence is the same - looking for God, seeing him manifest himself in colors, smells and sights.

The thought behind"goongiyaan hawavan di aawazan sunda" can be traced back to many a Gulzar poem, specially this one

Wo jo shayar tha, chup sa rehta tha
Behki behki si baatein karta tha
Aankhein kaanon pe rakh k sunta tha
Goongi khamoshiyon ki aawazein!
Jama karta tha chaand k saaye]]

Challa ki labda phire...

[[What do I search for, like a man gone crazy?]]

Na visaal hoya kadi
Na judaai hoyi
Ishq de qaidi di
Na rehaai hoyi

[[I have never met Him, nor have we ever been separated
Afterall, what freedom does a prisoner of love seek?]]

Lokon sufne ch milne da vaada usda
Saari-saari raat na akh lagdi
Mere saa vi thode-thode ghatt aunde
Meri nabz vi thodi ghatt vajdi

[[It is his promise of meeting me in my dreams
That keeps me awake at night
My breath is becoming slower with time
And so does my heartbeat]]

[[The top two lines in quartet seem like a tribute to Ghalib:
taa fir  na  intezaar meiN neeNd aaye 'umr bhar
aane  ka 'ahad  kar  gaye  aaye  jo KHwaab meiN]]

Challa ki labda phire...

[[Yet, what do I search for, like a man gone crazy?]]

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.

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.

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.

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 ...]

O Humdum Suniyo Re (Saathiya)

A short post :)

This is what Gulzar has to say about the song, and it pretty much leaves no need for a translation: 

"Shaad Ali wanted this song during the credit titles. People criticised me for what they called ridiculous images like Nange paao chand aayega, but I was using the moon to symbolise the hero's character. The hero and heroine are secretly married and he goes stealthily to her house every night. The song was the storyline in a nutshell." (Source)

Lyrics, and English translation

O humdum suniyo re, o janiya suniyo re

O janiya shaam ko khidki se 

Chori-chori nange paaon chaand aayega

[[Listen, my love. When the night comes, the moon will come to be with you;  barefoot, stealthily from the window. (I'll come to secretly meet you at night.)]]

[Ho suniyo re, o janiya re

Ho suniyo re, o janiya re]

[Dheem-dheem tanana, dheem tananana]

Galiyon se aayega, 

[Dheem-dheem tanana, dheem tananana]

Seeti bajaayega

[Dheem-dheem tanana, dheem tananana]

Neem ke ped se

[Dheem-dheem tanana, dheem tananana]

Paas bulayega

[[Listen, honey. (The moon) will come from the street, whistling a tune. From atop the neem tree, it will ask you to come closer.]]

My two cents

1. In a interview, Kunal Ganjawala remembered how Himesh Reshammiya asked him to sing "Dil keh raha hai" (Kyon Ki...) the same he sang this song; because Himesh loved the way Kunal sounded in "O humdum".
2. This is one of my favorite road trip tracks :)

PS: Can someone give me the rap portion's lyrics? The one that's available online doesn't seem right.

Chhaiyya-Chhaiyya (Dil Se..)

In Banasthali, we had offs on Tuesday (yes, not on Sundays). So instead of Saturday nights we used to celebrate Monday nights. I had joined Banasthali some time in July 1998, when Dil Se.. was just about to be released. So on our first few Monday nights, half the time we ended up dancing to Chhaiya-chhaiya (the other half was taken up by Chhamma-chhamma). So this song still reminds me of those crazy (but well practiced) dance-steps from 13 years back.

All the dance memories aside, the lyrics are not typical for a dance track. Initially, Sukhwinder Singh had offered a Punjabi devotional track 'Thaiya-thaiya' (based on Bulleh Shah's verses) for this situation. Gulzar wrote Chhaiya-chhaiya drawing inspiration from the devotional undertones but essentially interpreting it in his own inimitable way. These devotional undertones are often present in his non-filmy poetry as well, where the beloved is depicted as almost sacred or divine. (Will update the blog with a few such lines soon - updated here).

Once again, I'll give the literal translation (shabdaarth) first, followed by my interpretation of the intended meaning (bhaavaarth), wherever required. Specifically, I've tried to explain the paragraphs which allude to faith etc. in detail. I've tried to do a little research before writing; but if I've interpreted something incorrectly, please do correct me. Because I do not want to hurt any religious sentiments here.

Lyrics, and translation

Jinke sar ho ishk ki chhaon, paaon ke neeche jannat hogi

Jinke sar ho ishk ki chhaon

[[Those, who have the shade of love over their head, will have heaven at their feet.

This world is not a pretty place to live in. And living here without love is like walking under the glaring sun, and it could get really unpleasant without (the shade of) love. But if you've loved someone, life becomes so beautiful it's almost as if you're in heaven - without any pain or suffering.]]

Chal chhaiya-chhaiya chhaiya-chhaiya

chhaiya-chhaiya chhaiya-chhaiya

Chal chhaiya-chhaiya chhaiya-chhaiya

chhaiya-chhaiya chhaiya-chhaiya

[[So, walk in this shade (of love).]]

Sar ishk ki chhaon chal chhaiya-chhaiya

Paaon jannat chale chal chhainya

[[Walk in this shade of love, and you'll feel like you're in heaven.]]

(Chal chaiya-chaiya...)

Wo yaar hai jo khushbu ki tarah, jiski zubaan Urdu ki tarah

Meri shaam-raat, meri kaaynaat, wo yaar mera saiyaan-saiyaan

[[My beloved, who's sweet like a fragrance; and whose voice is like a beautiful poetry in Urdu language,

The one who is my day and night, who's the whole world for me - only she can be my lover.

Khushbu ki tarah - like a fragrance: sweet and pure, but cannot be caught or held down.]]

(Chal chaiya-chaiya...)

Gulposh kabhi itraaye kahin, mahke to nazar aa jaaye kahin

Tabeez (Taveez) bana ke pahnoon use, aayat ki tarah mile jaaye kahin

[[She, who's clad in flowers, loves to flaunt (her beauty); her fragrance is so bewitching that you can find/recognize her by her fragrance alone.

She's sacred like an aayat (a verse from Quran). I wish I come across her (by a miracle), then I'll wear her like a amulet.

Aayat is the plural of aayah which means a verse from the Quran but it can also mean signs, revelations, miracles, etc. (source). 

Tabeez is an amulet with Quranic inscription, which protects you from evil.

So the second line could mean that "If I meet her, I'll treat her as a sacred verse from Quran, and always keep her close to me." Also, she's like his good-luck charm.]]

Wo yaar hai jo imaan ki tarah, mera nagma wahi mera kalma wahi

(Mera nagma-nagma, mera kalma-kalma)

[[She's like my faith, she is my song and my Kalma from Quran.

In this line as well as in the previous lines, the devotional, almost reverential allusions are pretty apparent. There are six Kalma's in Quran (Please correct me if I'm wrong), the first one being "Laa ilaaha illal Lahoo Mohammadur Rasool Ullah", considered very sacred by in Islam.]]

Yaar misaal-e-os chale, paaon ke tale firdaus chale

Kabhi daal-daal, kabhi paat-paat, main hawa pe dhoondhoon uske nishaan

[[My beloved walks like dew-drops, it's as if she's walking with the paradise under her feet

I keep looking for her everywhere, I search for her signs in the air.

Misaal-e-os - Like dew-drops. One moment she's there, and the next she has disappeared.

Paaon ke tale firdaus chale - Again referring to 'paon ke neeche jannat' line, perhaps?

Hawa pe dhoondhoon uske nishaan - Could refer to the first line 'misaal-e-os' where she has disappeared like a dew-drop and now I'm looking for her in the air. Or could refer to a previous line 'mahke to nazar aa jaaye kahin' - he's searching for her fragrance in the air. In all, he's hoping that the air will whisper to him about her whereabouts or give him a clue about how to find her.]]

(Sar ishk ki chhaon chal chhaiya-chhaiya...)

Main uske roop ka shaidaayi, wo dhoop-chhaon sa harjaayi

Wo shokh hai rang badalta hai, main rang-roop ka saudaayi

[[I'm an admirer of her beauty, but she's elusive like sun and shade.

She is playful and keeps changing her colors, and I deal in beauty and colors.

Rang badalta hai - Changes colors. Doesn't stay the same. Is fleeting and deceptive.

The other recurring theme in this song is the elusive nature of this beloved. She's been referred to as fragrance, dew drops, sun-and-shade at various points in this song - basically she's not easy to catch or pin down. She's like an enigma, which makes her all the more desirable to this saudaayi (derived from 'sauda' (trade).]]

(Jinke sar ho ishk ki chhaon...)

Totally unrelated: Watch SRK's jump atop the train at 3:30 minutes in the video.

Saathiya (Title track)

So I was on the road today, when some FM channel started playing 'Do pyaar karne waale' from Jungle. And I thought, there are some songs that I could listen simply for Sonu Nigam's voice. Now add AR Rahman and Gulzar to the mix, and the song is sure to feature in my all-time favorites (think 'Satrangi Re' from Dil Se). Saathiya title track is no different. So it was a happy moment for me when it won a Filmfare Award each for its musical trio of Sonu, Rahman and Gulzar (Filmfare has often disappointed me in the past).

The lyrics of this song are hardly what you'd call linear or simple. In fact, I feel they are less like Gulzar's Bollywood work, and more like his poems - metaphors, allegories and analogies galore! But the thought is pretty simple - it's a love song from a boy to girl. A boy with a pretty vivid imagination too! Such is his love, that his entire world revolves around this girl. 

Lyrics, and translation

Translating this song literally will kill its beauty. So please ignore the literal translation, and focus on the feelings behind it.

Saathiya, saathiya, maddham-maddham teri geeli hansi

Saathiya, saathiya, sun ke humne saari pi li hansi

[[Literally: My beloved, your laughter is soft and fluid, which I drank upon hearing it.

'Geeli' (wet) is not an adjective used very often for laughter. These lines could could mean that our hero drank up the laughter like someone who has been thirsty. Or it could mean that he is drunk on (intoxicated by) this girl's laughter. Or it could mean that like a liquid seeps inside surfaces, the laughter has soaked his soul. You prefer!]]

Hansti rahe tu hansti rahe, haya ki laali khilti rahe

Zulf ke neeche gardan pe, subah-o-shaam milti rahein

Saundhi si hansi teri, khilti rahe, milti rahe

[[May you keep smiling forever, your cheeks blushing

May the mornings and evenings keep meeting at the nape of your neck, under your hair.

May your fragrant laughter keep blooming for ever.

I wish more poets would think beyond the eyes and lips of a girl! How sensuous is the description of the dark hair brushing the fair neck of the girl - how beautiful is its comparison to the meeting place of mornings and evenings! The blush of the girl's cheeks is like the redness of sky at dusk or dawn.]]

Peeli dhoop pahan kar tum, dekho baag mein mat jaana

Bhanvre tumko sab chhedenge, phoolon mein mat jaana

[[Don't go out in the garden, dressed in (yellow) sunshine

All those insects will bug you, don't go near the flowers

(PS: Bhanvra is a black insect that eats flower nectar. What's it called in English?)]]

Maddham-maddham hans de phir se

Sona-sona phir se hans de

[[Smile that soft, beautiful smile of yours yet again]]

Taaza gire patte ki tarah sabz laan* par lete hue

Saat rang hain bahaaron ke, ek ada mein lapete hue

Saavan bhaadon saare tumse

[[Like a freshly fallen leave, lying still on the green lawn.

Yet containing all the shades of spring in every glance

(It's as if) all my seasons are because of you


*Laan = lawn]]

Mausam-mausam hanste rahna

Maddham-maddham hanste rahna

[[Keep smiling that soft smile of yours in every season]]

Saathiya, saathiya ...

Kabhie neele aasmaan par, chalo ghoomne chalein hum

Koi abr mil gaya to, zameen pe baras lein hum

[[Some time, let's go on a stroll through this blue sky

And rain down on the earth, when we come across a cloud

(At times, I wish it was just you, me and the sky and the rain - we would be one with each-other, and one with the nature)]]

Teri baali hil gayi hai

Kabhie shab chamak uthi hai, kabhie shaam khil gayi hai

[[A flicker in your earring

Makes my nights glitter, makes my evenings bloom]]

Tere baalon ki panaah mein, ye siyaah raat guzre

Teri kaali-kaali aankhein, koi ujli baat utre

[[I wish I could spend these dark nights in the shade of your hair

And see your dark eyes sparkle when a bright idea flits through your mind]]

Teri ik hansee ke badle, meri yeh zameen le le

Mera aasmaan le le

[[I could sacrifice my earth and sky in exchange for even one of your smile]]

Saathiya, saathiya ...

Barf giri ho vaadi mein, oon mein lipti simti hui...

Barf giri ho vaadi mein, aur hansi teri goonje

Oon mein lipti simti hui, baat kare dhuaan nikle

Garm-garm ujla dhuaan, narm-narm ujla dhuaan

[[Some time, when the valley is snow-clad; shivering despite being clad in woolen clothes...

Some time, when the valley is snow-clad, I wish it was echoing with your laughter

And I can see you clad in woolen clothes, smoke coming out of your mouth as you speak

A warm, bright, soft smoke]]

My three cents

1. The line 'Teri ik hansi ke badle, meri yeh zameen le le, mera aasmaan le le' is by far my favorite line of the song. So simple, yet all-giving. He's ready to give everything up just to see his beloved smile once. That's how deeply a girl wants to be loved. Plus, this line is sung with such intensity by Sonu Nigam, it's as if he really means it. Wow, I get goosebumps every time I listen to it!
2. My favorite part - Gulzar's use of colors throughout the song - haya ki laali khilti rahe (red), peeli dhoop pehen ke tum (yellow), taaza gire patte ki tarah (green), kabhie neele aasmaan par (blue), yeh siyaah raat guzre (black), barf giri ho vaadi mein (white), saat rang hain bahaaron ke.
3. The song is picturised (and performed) well. Even Manish Malhotra's costumes for Rani are in tandem with the colors (see 2 above).

Aye Ajnabi (Dil Se)

Rahul, this one's for you -
Because it's like I'm only half-alive when you're not here.
Because I miss you so much everything else seems unimportant and uninteresting.
Because even this festive season seems like a drag without you.
Because without you, even breathing seems like an effort.
Because I miss you so much, it's as if my whole being is aching to be with you.
Because, if it weren't for you, I'd never have realized that all these clichés I was so quick to diss were actually true.

Honestly, I had no intentions (as yet) of posting this song on this blog. I have always loved this song, but today it's been playing on a loop in my head, and it's today that I fell in love with it all over again. How fitting are the words of this song! It's a song of separation, of yearning, but above all of love. And how haunting is the melody! I'll go on to say, at the risk of sounding redundant because I've said this already, that Dil Se is one of A.R. Rahman's finest albums.

Do read the translation too, there are some 'Words of wisdom' inserted here and there :P. Yes, they break the flow of the song. Yes, I'm sorry about that. :-|

Why 'Jai Ho' deserved an Oscar

(+ Jai Ho Hindi and Spanish lyrics with English translation)

Whether or not Slumdog Millionaire (2008) deserved the 8 Academy Awards it got will always be a question that could lead to much heated discussions. The movie was good. But was it good enough? Mere rhetorical questions now. But in my mind, there are no such questions about 'Jai Ho' winning its Oscar (or Grammy).

It has a breathtaking soundtrack

I have heard many say, that by this time, A.R.Rahman had already hit his lean patch, and that Slumdog Millionaire had a pretty average soundtrack when compared to his previous work. I disagree, specifically when the song in question is 'Jai Ho'. While there's no denying the fact that Rahman has given some outstanding soundtracks before and since Slumdog Millionaire, it surely doesn't take away from the breathtaking arrangement of this masterpiece.

Chori pe chori (Saathiya)

[Do read the actual translation, because it's not word for word; and I've tried to express my interpretations of the lines. Especially a few paras in between.]

Saathiya (2002) is amongst one of my all-time favorite Hindi movies. Though hundreds of romantic dramadies are churned out by Bollywood every year, this one stands out - mostly because it begins where most other movies end, with the two protagonists getting married against the wishes of their parents. But also because it gets its basics right - a very believable story, backed by first-rate cinematography, amazing music (AR Rehman and Gulzar) and witty, witty dialogs (again by Gulzar). Readers, if you haven't watched Saathiya lately, I suggest you do so once more, if only for its dialogs. Of course, the story is beautifully executed by the cast, with both Vivek Oberoi and Rani Mukherjee pitching in one of their best performances. A word must also be put in for Sandhya Mridul.

Though I can (and most probably, will) write a separate post for each one of Saathiya's songs (I love them all), let's do the shubharambh with one of its least celebrated songs - 'Chori pe chori'.

Satrangi Re (Dil Se)

In my opinion, Satrangi Re's distractingly beautiful cinematography and a stunning Manisha Koirala take away from it. Because the song in itself is so incredibly exquisite, it ought to be heard in isolation as well.

At the hostel in Banasthali, we used to shut all doors and windows of our room and make it pitch black. Then we played this song on full volume. That took the song to another dimension altogether. Today before writing the post, I recreated that atmosphere. And I must tell you, we were not crazy back then. Go, give it a try!

A 'Satrangi Re' montage.