Muslim social dramas have always been one of my favorite genres of old Bollywood films. It is truly difficult to beat the classiness and sophistication that exudes from films such as Mere Huzoor (1968), Chaudhvin ka Chand (1961), or Bahu Begum (1967). The combination of beautiful costumes, intricate use of Urdu, and riveting drama makes watching these movies a truly memorable experience. Here, I’m going to a share with you what is considered to be one of the most romantic songs in the history of Hindi cinema: the title song from Mere Mehboob (1963), a film that embodies the essence of Lucknowi splendor as one of the best-known examples of the Muslim social.

In this film, student poet Anwar (played by Rajendra Kumar) writes this nazm after catching a brief glimpse of the aptly named Husna (played by Sadhana). One look at Husna’s eyes through her burkha is enough to make Anwar’s heart melt, and he is convinced by his friend to sing this piece at the university’s Urdu poetry competition (seriously, why do these not happen anymore?). Smitten by this handsome poet, Husna instantly feels a connection to Anwar but is too shy to make a move. I’ll save a full review of this movie for a later post, but I can tell you that this 3.5-hour film has the right mix of over-the-top melodrama, ironic plot twists, and beautifully constructed songs.

Composed by Naushad, penned by Shakeel Badayuni, and rendered by Mohammed Rafi, this song is a true classic that should be familiar to all the hopeless romantics out there who are obsessed with Hindi cinema like us. One of the most striking things about Mere Mehboob is the formality of the courtship between Husna and Anwar, and the lyrics of this song reflect the conventions (e.g. the practice of purdah) that were followed by lovers when pursuing one another in those days. It might just be the old-fashioned side of me, but anyone who can dedicate a poem like this to me is a total keeper in my book. So, the next time you’re around your favorite crush, why not try quoting a few lines from this gem? You never know what could happen…

-Mr. 55

P.S. The movie also contains a female version of this song rendered by Lata Mangeshkar. I am the self-proclaimed president of the Lata fan club, but even I must concede here that the Rafi version is unbeatable. What do you guys think? Let us know in the comments

Lyrics:

mere mahbuub tujhe, merii muhabbat ki qasam
phir mujhe nargisii aa.nkho.n kaa sahaaraa de de
meraa khoyaa huaa rangiin nazaaraa de de
mere mahbuub tujhe.

ai mere khvaab kii taabiir, merii jaan-e-ghazal
zindagii merii tujhe yaad kiye jaatii hai
raat din mujhko sataataa hai tasavvur tera
dil ki dhaDkan tujhe avaaz diye jaatii hai
aa mujhe apnii sadaao.n ka sahaaraa de de
[meraa khoyaa huaa rangiin nazaaraa de de
mere mahbuub tujhe]

bhuul saktii nahii.n aa.nkhe.n voh suhaanaa manzar
jab teraa husn mere ishq se Takraayaa thhaa
aur phir raah me.n bikhre thhe hazaro.n naghme
mai.n voh naghme terii avaaz ko de aayaa thhaa
saaz-e-dil ko unhii.n giito.n kaa sahaaraa de de
[meraa khoyaa huaa rangiin nazaaraa de de
mere mahbuub tujhe]

yaad hai mujhko merii umr ki pahlii voh ghaDii
terii aa.nkho.n se koii jaam piiyaa thhaa mai.ne
merii rag-rag me.n koii barq-si leheraayii thhii
jab tere marmarii haathho.n ko chhuu.naa thhaa mai.ne
aa mujhe phir unhii.n haatho.n kaa sahaaraa de de
[meraa khoyaa huaa rangiin nazaaraa de de
mere mahbuub tujhe]

mai.ne ek baar terii ek jhalak dekhii hai
merii hasrat hai ki mai.n phir tera diidaar karuu.n
tere saaye ko samajh kar mai.n hasii.n taaj mahal
chaa.ndni raat me.n nazaro.n se tujhe pyaar karuu.n
apnii mahkii huii zulfo.n kaa sahaaraa de de
[meraa khoyaa huaa rangiin nazaaraa de de
mere mahbuub tujhe]

DhuunDhtaa huu.n tujhe har raah me.n har mahfil me.n
thhak gaye hai.n merii majbuur tamanna ke qadam
aaj kaa din hai merii ummiid kaa aakhrii din
kal na jaane mai.n kahaa.n aur tu kahaa.n ho sanam
do ghaDii apnii nigaaho.n kaa sahaaraa de de
[meraa khoyaa huaa rangiin nazaaraa de de
mere mahbuub tujhe]

saamne aake zaraa pardaa uThaa de rukh se
ek yahii.n mera ilaaj-e-gham-e-tanhaayii hai
terii furqat ne pareshaan kiyaa hai mujhko
ab to mil jaa ki merii jaan pe ban aayii hai
dil ko bhuulii huii yaado.n kaa sahaaraa de de
[meraa khoyaa huaa rangiin nazaaraa de de
mere mahbuub tujhe]

Glossary:
mahbuub: beloved; muhabbat: love ; qasam: vow; nargisii: daffodil; sahaaraa: support; rangiin: colorful; nazaaraa: sight, vision; khvaab: dream taabiir: interpretation, meaning; jaan-e-ghazal: soul of poetry; sataanaa: to pester; tasavvur: imagination, thought; sadaa: voice, call; suhaanaa: pleasant; manzar: sight, vision; husn: beauty; Takraanaa: to collide; bikhre: scattered; naghmaa: song; saaz-e-dil: the instruments of the heart; ghaDii: moment; jaam piinaa: to drink wine; rag-rag: veins; barq: electricity; marmarii: soft, delicate; chhuunaa: to touch; jhalak: a glimpse; hasrat: desire; diidaar karna: to catch a glmpse ; mahkii huii: fragrant; mahfil: a gathering/evening of poetry, music, or dance; thhak jaanaa: to become weary;  majbuur: helpless; tamanna: desire; qadam: footsteps; ummiid: hope; nigaahe.n: eyes; pardaa: veil; rukh: face; ilaaj-e-gham-e-tanhaayii: cure for the sorrow of solitude;  furqat: separation; pareshaan: anxious, concerned

Rough Translation:

My beloved, in the name of my love,
Please, once again, lend me the support of your daffodil-like eyes,
And please return the colorful vision that I have lost.

You are the meaning of my dreams and the soul of my poetry.
My existence continues to remember you,
And thoughts of you pester me day and night
Please come and lend me the support of your voice.
And please return the colorful vision that I have lost.

My eyes are unable to forget that beautiful sight
When your beauty collided with my love,
And scattered on the path remained a thousand melodies
That I had gifted to your voice.
Please lend me the support of those songs to the instruments in my heart
And please return the colorful vision that I have lost.

I remember the first moments of my life
When I had drunk some wine from your eyes.
A flash of lightning surged through my veins,
As I brushed upon your velvet-like hands.
Please come and lend me the support of those hands,
And please return the colorful vision that I have lost.

I have caught a glimpse of you just once,
But my desire is to behold the sight of you once again.
Mistaking your shadow for the beautiful Taj Mahal,
I have been making love to you on moonlit nights with my glances.
Please lend me the support of your fragrant tresses,
And please return the colorful vision that I have lost.

I seek you in every path and in every gathering,
As the feet of my helpless desires have become weary.
Oh beloved, who knows where you and I will be tomorrow?
Please lend me the support of your eyes for a few moments today,
And please return the colorful vision that I have lost.

Please come in front of me and lift the veil hiding your face,
This is the only solution for the sorrow of my solitude.
Being separated from you has made me anxious,
Now come meet me because this separation is threatening my existence.
Please lend the support of forgotten memories to my heart,
And please return the colorful vision that I have lost.