One evening, at a dinner party in my house in New York, an Indian friend declared that nothing could capture human emotions like the lyrics of Hindi film songs. I scoffed then. I find cliché’s very disquieting. I did not want to believe or accept easily that lyrics of Hindi film songs were the only delivery mechanism for human emotions. What about Shakespearean sonnets or the wordsmithery of Wordsworth or even U2’s “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for? Surely, the ability to emotionally overwhelm with words was not confined to Hindi film songs only. We’ve also had to bear my adorable Govinda’s “meri pant bhi sexy”. Then, in December last year, the indefatigable Dev Anand passed on. TV channels carried tribute upon tribute and I became fixated. He was gorgeous, stylish and dare I say, a tad unhinged in the latter part of his career. But I went under an aesthetic and emotional tsunami when I saw the songs that were picturized on him. And then, the words of my friend from New York began to ring in my ears. Hindi film songs, especially from the decades of the 50’s and 60’s convey human emotions in nuances and avalanches like few other mediums and sometimes do so in the same 4 minute song! I started scavenging You Tube immediately and found treasure!
The innocent loving complaint of Sandhya from V Shantaram’s Do Anken Barah Haath “Saiyyan Jhooton ka bada sartaj nikla” where she calls the lover a King of liars and a cheat but still longingly laments that he doesn’t talk to her. The same film gave us ‘Ay Malik tere bande hum”, a song whose simple lyrics are set to a soulful mourning lilt that cuts through like an honest knife and surprisingly, is still sung in school assemblies across India! Guru Dutt singing “Chaudhvin ka chand ho ya aaftab ho” in the film Chaudhvin ka Chand describes his lover in possibly every manner known to the hindi lyricist. Her hair is dark clouds, her eyes are glasses of alcohol (though “maiy ke pyaale bhare hue” sounds infinitely superior!) and then she herself is described as a form of alcohol that has the excitement of love! There is no way in hell that I can translate this song into English that would convey the razor sharp emotional quiver or the fleshiness of feelings. The same film gave us the fabulous all female qawwali “Sharma key ye kyun sab pardanashin aanchal ko sawara karte hain”, a teasing, competitive gender joust. You hear - ” Ye Shokh Nazar Ke Khanjar Bhi Seene Mein Utaara Karte Hain “ or “Ye Husn Ki Izzat Rakhane Ko Har Zulm Gavaara Karte Hain´. The qawwalis as a genre have such power. They cut across demographics and hierarchies. While this genre has a rich history in the Indian subcontinent, Hindi films need to be applauded for bringing them to the common, every man. Cut to the lovely qawwalis of the film Barsat. One, “Nigah-e-naaz ke maaron ka haal kya hoga” is set in a contest between men and women. The women folk - coquettish, confident of the power of their beauty, pitying the men and their helplessness in the face of it sing -‘hamarey husn ki bijli chamakney vali hai – na jaaney aaj hazaaron ko haal kya hoga” The men reply with an emotional appeal ‘hamin na hon to nazaron ka haal kya hoga” that love outlives beauty, essentially, they challenge the women to bring it on! The same film gave us “Na to caravan ki talaash hai”, a qawwali whose lyrics are full of graciousness, sacrifice and the power of love that can destroy one and uplift another – “yeh ishq ishq hai ishq ishq / tera ishq hai meri aarzoo, tera ishq hai meri aabroo” making love both a matter of desire and honor at the same time! Then comes the all powerful invocation to that naughty god of flirtation – Lord Krishna! It does not stop here. Radha, Mirabai, Sita, Buddha, the prophet Mohammed are all invoked in this gem of a qawwali. I’m no expert but I’m pretty sure this weave of lyrics is rarely possible in any tapestry in the world of lyrics!
Every human emotion is rarefied like gold in lyrics of Hindi films. Raju rues the loss of love in Guide’s “Din Dhal Jaye hai, raat na jaye, tu to na aaye teri yaad sataye”. I’m pretty sure many a metrosexual Indian male has heard this song while sighing over an actual or perceived loss of love with a stout of black label! The same film gave us “Aaj phir jeeney ki tamanna hai”, a playful yet fragile thrust towards life by Rosy, an anthem of freedom if you will. Compare this to Gloria Gaynor’s “I will survive”, another anthem of the sisterhood or most recently, Beyonce’s “Who run the world…..girls” and I’m pretty certain that “kal ke andheron se nikal ke, dekhaa hain aankhe malate malate , Phool hee phool zindagee bahaar hai, tay kar liyaa” speaks to a higher something within us, more gentle than visceral and yet equally strong. In Mughal-e-Azam’s qawwali “Teri mehfil me kismet azma kar ham bhi dekhenge” , two women compete for the affections of the prince. One competes like she’s in a competition while the other pleads a surrender -“Teri mehfil me kismat aazamaa kar ham bhi dekhege - Gam-E-Dil se zaraa daaman bachaakar ham bhi dekhege” versus “Tere kadamo pe sar apanaa jhukaa kar ham bhi dekhege”. In both cases, the women display strength directly through the lyrics, one is modern and in your face while the other is confident that the loveliness of suffering will refine and guarantee her love. And then there is the whole gamut of songs on unrequited love, star amongst which is Pyaasa’s “Bichhad Gayaa Har Saathi Dekar Pal Do Pal Ka Saath,Kisko Phursat Hai Jo Thaame Deewane Ka Haath, Humko Apna Saaya Tak Aqsar Bezaar Mila - Jane voh kaise log they jinkey pyar ko pyar mila". These lyrics have a precision of a surgical tool. They hit you in the heart, mind and soul as an if invasive surgery is being performed.
My favorites though, are all those beautiful songs that have a playful, teasing sensuality where the lyrics are so simple yet so effective that the instant happiness they bring upon hearing carries a lifetime guarantee. “Mana Janab ne pukara nahin, kya mera saath bhi gavara nahin?” or “Khoya Khoya Chand” or “Abhi na jao chod kar ke dil abhi bhara nahin” or “Zindagi bhar nahin bhulegi voh barsat ki rat”. Then there is a movie from 1973 called Hanste Zalkhm. If there ever was a collection of songs with a boiling pot of feelings, rendered in a highly modern, experimental way with fantastic use of orchestra, this film must get a special mention. ‘Yeh mana meri jaan mohabbat saza hai, maza isme itma magar kis liye hai”,a qawwali that epitomizes a man’s surrender to his lover, rendered especially poignant since she is a prostitute. They both find solace in each other from a world that’s bound and gagged by mores and sing ‘Tum jo mil gaye ho to yeh lagta hai ke jahaan mil gaya”. This is a song that has an amazing undulation of singing tone and volume and the great Rafi and Lata oblige beautifully. There is also “Betab dil ki tamanna yahi hai” or “Aaj socha to aansoo bhar aaye, muddate ho gayi muskuraye”. I can only sigh in wondrous rapture.
I end with RashtraKavi, Kavi Pradeep, the man who gave us “Aey Mere Vatan ke logon”, “De di hamen azaadi bina khadag bina dhal” and “Ao bachon tumhey dikhaen jhanki Hindustan ki”. He wrote a song in the film Nastik in the year 1954. It goes as under.
Dekh tere sansar ki haalat kya ho gayi bhagwaan
kitnaa badal gayaa insaan…
aayaa samay badaa bedhangaa
aaj aadmi banaa lafangaa
kahin pe jhagdaa kahin pe dangaa
naach rahaa nar ho kar nangaa
chhal aur kapat ke haathon apnaa
bech rahaa imaan,
kitna badal gaya insaan…
raam ke bhakt rahim ke bande
rachte aaj fareb ke phande…
kitne ye makkar ye andhe
dekh liye inke bhi dhandhe
inhin ki kaali kartooton se
huya ye mulk mashaan,
kitna badal gaya insaan…
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me be honest. If I had not mentioned the year the film Nastik was released and if some of you hadn’t already heard this song at some point in your life, would not all of us have believed that these lyrics were written recently? Such is the power of the hindi film song, it transcends, uplifts, provokes, seduces, saddens and most of all makes us thankful that the hindi film exists!
The innocent loving complaint of Sandhya from V Shantaram’s Do Anken Barah Haath “Saiyyan Jhooton ka bada sartaj nikla” where she calls the lover a King of liars and a cheat but still longingly laments that he doesn’t talk to her. The same film gave us ‘Ay Malik tere bande hum”, a song whose simple lyrics are set to a soulful mourning lilt that cuts through like an honest knife and surprisingly, is still sung in school assemblies across India! Guru Dutt singing “Chaudhvin ka chand ho ya aaftab ho” in the film Chaudhvin ka Chand describes his lover in possibly every manner known to the hindi lyricist. Her hair is dark clouds, her eyes are glasses of alcohol (though “maiy ke pyaale bhare hue” sounds infinitely superior!) and then she herself is described as a form of alcohol that has the excitement of love! There is no way in hell that I can translate this song into English that would convey the razor sharp emotional quiver or the fleshiness of feelings. The same film gave us the fabulous all female qawwali “Sharma key ye kyun sab pardanashin aanchal ko sawara karte hain”, a teasing, competitive gender joust. You hear - ” Ye Shokh Nazar Ke Khanjar Bhi Seene Mein Utaara Karte Hain “ or “Ye Husn Ki Izzat Rakhane Ko Har Zulm Gavaara Karte Hain´. The qawwalis as a genre have such power. They cut across demographics and hierarchies. While this genre has a rich history in the Indian subcontinent, Hindi films need to be applauded for bringing them to the common, every man. Cut to the lovely qawwalis of the film Barsat. One, “Nigah-e-naaz ke maaron ka haal kya hoga” is set in a contest between men and women. The women folk - coquettish, confident of the power of their beauty, pitying the men and their helplessness in the face of it sing -‘hamarey husn ki bijli chamakney vali hai – na jaaney aaj hazaaron ko haal kya hoga” The men reply with an emotional appeal ‘hamin na hon to nazaron ka haal kya hoga” that love outlives beauty, essentially, they challenge the women to bring it on! The same film gave us “Na to caravan ki talaash hai”, a qawwali whose lyrics are full of graciousness, sacrifice and the power of love that can destroy one and uplift another – “yeh ishq ishq hai ishq ishq / tera ishq hai meri aarzoo, tera ishq hai meri aabroo” making love both a matter of desire and honor at the same time! Then comes the all powerful invocation to that naughty god of flirtation – Lord Krishna! It does not stop here. Radha, Mirabai, Sita, Buddha, the prophet Mohammed are all invoked in this gem of a qawwali. I’m no expert but I’m pretty sure this weave of lyrics is rarely possible in any tapestry in the world of lyrics!
Every human emotion is rarefied like gold in lyrics of Hindi films. Raju rues the loss of love in Guide’s “Din Dhal Jaye hai, raat na jaye, tu to na aaye teri yaad sataye”. I’m pretty sure many a metrosexual Indian male has heard this song while sighing over an actual or perceived loss of love with a stout of black label! The same film gave us “Aaj phir jeeney ki tamanna hai”, a playful yet fragile thrust towards life by Rosy, an anthem of freedom if you will. Compare this to Gloria Gaynor’s “I will survive”, another anthem of the sisterhood or most recently, Beyonce’s “Who run the world…..girls” and I’m pretty certain that “kal ke andheron se nikal ke, dekhaa hain aankhe malate malate , Phool hee phool zindagee bahaar hai, tay kar liyaa” speaks to a higher something within us, more gentle than visceral and yet equally strong. In Mughal-e-Azam’s qawwali “Teri mehfil me kismet azma kar ham bhi dekhenge” , two women compete for the affections of the prince. One competes like she’s in a competition while the other pleads a surrender -“Teri mehfil me kismat aazamaa kar ham bhi dekhege - Gam-E-Dil se zaraa daaman bachaakar ham bhi dekhege” versus “Tere kadamo pe sar apanaa jhukaa kar ham bhi dekhege”. In both cases, the women display strength directly through the lyrics, one is modern and in your face while the other is confident that the loveliness of suffering will refine and guarantee her love. And then there is the whole gamut of songs on unrequited love, star amongst which is Pyaasa’s “Bichhad Gayaa Har Saathi Dekar Pal Do Pal Ka Saath,Kisko Phursat Hai Jo Thaame Deewane Ka Haath, Humko Apna Saaya Tak Aqsar Bezaar Mila - Jane voh kaise log they jinkey pyar ko pyar mila". These lyrics have a precision of a surgical tool. They hit you in the heart, mind and soul as an if invasive surgery is being performed.
My favorites though, are all those beautiful songs that have a playful, teasing sensuality where the lyrics are so simple yet so effective that the instant happiness they bring upon hearing carries a lifetime guarantee. “Mana Janab ne pukara nahin, kya mera saath bhi gavara nahin?” or “Khoya Khoya Chand” or “Abhi na jao chod kar ke dil abhi bhara nahin” or “Zindagi bhar nahin bhulegi voh barsat ki rat”. Then there is a movie from 1973 called Hanste Zalkhm. If there ever was a collection of songs with a boiling pot of feelings, rendered in a highly modern, experimental way with fantastic use of orchestra, this film must get a special mention. ‘Yeh mana meri jaan mohabbat saza hai, maza isme itma magar kis liye hai”,a qawwali that epitomizes a man’s surrender to his lover, rendered especially poignant since she is a prostitute. They both find solace in each other from a world that’s bound and gagged by mores and sing ‘Tum jo mil gaye ho to yeh lagta hai ke jahaan mil gaya”. This is a song that has an amazing undulation of singing tone and volume and the great Rafi and Lata oblige beautifully. There is also “Betab dil ki tamanna yahi hai” or “Aaj socha to aansoo bhar aaye, muddate ho gayi muskuraye”. I can only sigh in wondrous rapture.
I end with RashtraKavi, Kavi Pradeep, the man who gave us “Aey Mere Vatan ke logon”, “De di hamen azaadi bina khadag bina dhal” and “Ao bachon tumhey dikhaen jhanki Hindustan ki”. He wrote a song in the film Nastik in the year 1954. It goes as under.
Dekh tere sansar ki haalat kya ho gayi bhagwaan
kitnaa badal gayaa insaan…
aayaa samay badaa bedhangaa
aaj aadmi banaa lafangaa
kahin pe jhagdaa kahin pe dangaa
naach rahaa nar ho kar nangaa
chhal aur kapat ke haathon apnaa
bech rahaa imaan,
kitna badal gaya insaan…
raam ke bhakt rahim ke bande
rachte aaj fareb ke phande…
kitne ye makkar ye andhe
dekh liye inke bhi dhandhe
inhin ki kaali kartooton se
huya ye mulk mashaan,
kitna badal gaya insaan…
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me be honest. If I had not mentioned the year the film Nastik was released and if some of you hadn’t already heard this song at some point in your life, would not all of us have believed that these lyrics were written recently? Such is the power of the hindi film song, it transcends, uplifts, provokes, seduces, saddens and most of all makes us thankful that the hindi film exists!
