Lyrics and Life

The world of Bollywood songs, to me, is a mystery, an enigma. Almost every film is adorned with songs. It may be sung by any character in the film. It may just be a background score, sharing deep feelings or taking the story forward. Most of them are romantic numbers but in reality they convey eternal truths. Once you transgress from the reel,  you will realise that there's a song you can relate to, in each and every situation in real life. 

When did I start listening to Hindi Film music? I have no idea at all. Initially I came to love the voice of singers and then I could identify the music directors. But I know this much- what endeared me to the songs was the timelessness of the lyrics. I would never play the song in the background as some music lovers do. For me listening to these songs is  an activity in itself. But the writers of the impactful lyrics have rarely found mention, many have been lost in oblivion, leave alone find name and fame. 

I had once, made a note of what Ghalib identifies as four markers of a beautiful poem: Saadgi (simplicity), Purkaari (skillfulness), Bekhudi (intoxication), and Hushiaari (prudence or wisdom). He says, "When these criteria are met, the poem becomes a complete paragon of beauty and it steals the heart of the reader." 

This is specially true of the songs of the bygone era, nostalgically referred to as the Golden Oldies!  One finds such soulful paragons of beauty in the form of lyrics, set to music by creative music directors in the films. They are timeless classics, popular even today among the young and the old. The imagery, the message, the lyrics, the melody, is all so unique. Many of them have been remixed and adapted to modern beats, more than half a century after they were created.

I'm amazed and shocked that I came to read about Bollywood Lyricists at such a late date in my life. But that has only increased my respect for lyricists in general and Sahir Ludhianvi in particular. What they have penned is sheer poetry. How I wish some of these inspirational lyrical poems could have been incorporated in text books. Or even offered as a paper to study in college as part of Hindi literature. 

I'm so elated to discover Bollywood songs for every emotion I feel! How could the lyricist have experienced them all! Did they really live through all this emotional turmoil? The poetry which emanates is simply astounding and I think that's what makes them evergreen. Here's my favourite inspirational song, from the film, Hum Dono, released in 1961, sung by Mohammad Rafi, penned by Sahir Ludhianvi and composed by Jaidev. The song is a toast to the spirit with which one should take hard times and failures in one's stride and keep moving on…I have tried to provide a transliteration below: 

मैं ज़िंदगी का साथ निभाता चला गया

हर फ़िक्र को धुँएं में उड़ाता चला गया

I moved on, keeping apace with life
Blowing away every problem as rings of smoke....

बरबादियों का सोग़ मनाना फ़िज़ूल था 

बरबादियों का जश्न मनाता चला गया

मैं ज़िंदगी...

Mourning the failures was a waste of time
So I moved on, celebrating and learning from my failures...

जो मिल गया उसी को मुक़द्दर समझ लिया 

जो खो गया मैं उसको भुलाता चला गया

मैं ज़िंदगी...

What I achieved, I believed, was in my destiny
Whatever I couldn't, was best forgotten! 

ग़म और खुशी में फ़र्क न महसूस हो जहाँ 

मैं दिल को उस मुक़ाम पे लाता चला गया

मैं ज़िंदगी...

Where Happiness and Sorrow, are no different from one another
I kept directing my heart to reach that attainable state!

How can I not mention the romantic soulful numbers which have the power to bring me out of my blue mood every time I listen to them! What makes them so attractive and loveable is probably the incredible nature of love they allude to, steeped in impossible idealism, and wishful thinking! I like to believe that they provide a moment of incomparable ecstasy. How hollow the sweet nothings sound !! My favourite song in this genre is from the film, Safar, released in 1970. The lyrics by Indevar were set to music by Kalyanji Anandji and sung by Mukesh. An ode to love, the lover sings to his beloved about his willingness to always, prioritize the preferences and happiness of the loved one and to remain forever devoted ......! 

जो तुमको हो पसंद, वही बात कहेंगे

तुम दिन को अगर रात कहो, रात कहेंगे

जो तुमको ...

चाहेंगे, निभाएंगे, सराहेंगे आप ही को

आँखों में दम है जब तक, देखेंगे आप ही को

अपनी ज़ुबान से आपके जज़बात कहेंगे

तुम दिन को अगर रात कहो, रात कहेंगे

जो तुमको हो पसंद ...

देते न आप साथ तो मर जाते हम कभी के

पूरे हुए हैं आप से, अरमान ज़िंदगी के

हम ज़िंदगी को आपकी सौगात कहेंगे

तुम दिन को अगर रात कहो, रात कहेंगे

जो तुमको हो पसंद ...

As with everything else in life, change is the only constant. And one can feel it in the nature of modern day lyrics, which sometimes border on the absurd. To me, they often seem senseless and preposterous . Yet they have takers and admirers. I don't find myself in that league. And so Retro Bollywood and Bollywood Gaane Purane air my kind of songs. And they find a loyal listener in me!