A musical match for the ages: Lata Mangeshkar and Madan Mohan
The collaboration between Lata Mangeshkar and Madan Mohan has produced some of the most cherished songs in the musical history of Hindi cinema. Think of gems such as “lag jaa gale,” “nainaa barse rimjhim rimjhim,” or “tu jahaa.n jahaa.n chalegaa,” to name a few. Today, I’m going to share the lyrics and translation for a ghazal from Anpadh (1962) that is widely considered to be one of this duo’s finest: “aap kii nazaro.n ne samjhaa.” Penned by Raja Mehndi Ali Khan, the lyrics of this song are an equal match for the beauty of the musical composition and rendering. The beauty of the lyrics, however, is perhaps best appreciated once you can get over the whole slave-master dynamic that is going on as Mala Sinha sings to Dharmendra in the film. Although I admit that it is bizarre to refer to your lover as “banda-parvar” (master, lord), it is important to remember that these lyrics were written for the society of 1960s India: gender norms from that era differ dramtically from those established in modern times. At this time, the ideal Indian woman was expected to be submissive to her husband, and this sentiment is reflected in many songs like this one from the period.
An interesting piece of trivia: after the ghazals from Anpadh were released, it is said that composer Naushad supposedly told Madan Mohan that he would trade all of his own compositions for this one song! Although Madan Mohan rarely got his due from audiences back then, it’s nice to hear that his fellow music directors recognized his talent.
-Mr. 55
P.S. Please, for my sake, go to YouTube and give a thumbs-down to Bally Sagoo’s atrocious remix of this song. I don’t understand how these people sleep at night after they ruin the classics (seriously, how did they just change the taal here from 7-beat rupak to 8-beat kaharvaa?)
Mala Sinha expresses her devotion to the handsome Dharmendra in Anpadh (1962)
Aap Ki Nazaron Ne Samjha Lyrics and Translation
aap kii nazaro.n ne samjhaa pyaar ke qaabil mujhe
Your glances deemed me worthy of love.
dil kii ai dhaDkan Thahar jaa, mil gayii manzil mujhe
Oh stop, my heartbeats, for I have found my destination.
jii hame.n manzuur hai, aap kaa yeh faislaa
Yes, this decision of yours is acceptable to me.
kah rahii hai har nazar, bandaa parvar shukriyaa
My every glance is saying, “Thank you, oh lord!”
ha.nske apnii zindagii me.n, kar liyaa shaamil mujhe
As you brought me into your life with a smile.
aap kii manzil huu.n mai.n, aur merii manzil aap hai.n
I am your destination, and you are mine.
kyo.n mai.n tuufaa.n se Daruu.n? meraa saahil aap hai.n
Why shall I fear the storm? You are my shore.
koii tuufaa.no.n se kah de, mil gayaa saahil mujhe
Someone tell the storms that I have found my shore.
paD gayii.n dil par mere aap ki parchhaaiiyaa.n
Your shadows have cast upon my heart.
har taraf bajne lagii.n saikDo.n shahnaaiiyaa.n
In every direction, hundreds of shahnaiis are playing in celebration
do jahaa.n kii aaj khushiyaa.n, ho gayii.n haasil mujhe
Today, I have enjoyed the happiness of both worlds.
aap kii nazaro.n ne samjhaa pyaar ke qaabil mujhe
Your glances deemed me worthy of love.
Glossary
nazar: glance; qaabil: worthy; manzil: destination; manzuur: acceptable; faislaa: decision; bandaa parvar: master, lord; haasil: achieved, obtained; saahil: shore; parchhaaiiyaa.n: shadows; saikDo.n: hundreds; shahnaaiiyaa.n: traditional Indian instrument resembling a clarinet (associated with weddings); shaamil: present.
Mr. & Mrs. 55 - Classic Bollywood Revisited! 
I agree, this is one of Lata’s finest moments. She was remarkable in this song. I didn’t know there was a remix but I will not be listening to it for sure. They can never do the original justice and always lessen their own talent in the attempt.
I agree, we don’t approve of any modern remixes of classic songs here at Mr and Mrs. 55. They fail to recreate the magic of the originals and end up ruining songs that we have have cherished deeply for years.
This song is truly magical. Very few songs transport us to another realm like this. I agree with your comments with non-PC tones of master/lord etc. in the lyrics, but even today you can put someone on a mental pedestal. A this could be true for men and women..!
There is a very interesting story behind this song. This I heard in a radio program on Vividh Bharti. Raja Mehndi Ali Khan wrote this song to express his gratitude towards his guru.
It seems that in early days Raja was not getting any work in film industry and he was planning to return to his home town with a broken heart. He visited his guru in a totally frustrated mindset and asked his permission to leave Mumbai. His guru listened to him and then blessed him saying “You need not return. From now-on you will never be short of work”. And it seems that Raja started getting work in film industry from that point onwards and never ever looked back . Raja wrote this gazal to show gratitude to his guru.
When you here this gazal with this background in mind, it reaches a new height. This explains slave-master dynamic, this explains the real meaning of saikDo.n shahnaaiiyaa. Listen to this song with that perspective and you will love it more.
Later, when they thought of including this gazal in the movie, Raja was not willing to allow as it was written and dedicated to his guru. However, it seems, his guru permitted him to use this gazal in the film.
There is a very interesting story behind this song. This I heard in a radio program on Vividh Bharti. Raja Mehndi Ali Khan wrote this song to express his gratitude towards his guru.
It seems that in early days Raja was not getting any work in film industry and he was planning to return to his home town with a broken heart. He visited his guru in a totally frustrated mindset and asked his permission to leave Mumbai. His guru listened to him and then blessed him saying “You need not return. From now-on you will never be short of work”. And it seems that Raja started getting work in film industry from that point onwards and never ever looked back . Raja wrote this gazal to show gratitude to his guru.
When you here this gazal with this background in mind, it reaches a new height. This explains slave-master dynamic, this explains the real meaning of saikDo.n shahnaaiiyaa. Listen to this song with that perspective and you will love it more.
Later, when they thought of including this gazal in the movie, Raja was not willing to allow as it was written and dedicated to his guru. However, it seems, his guru permitted him to use this gazal in the film.
Wow, what an interesting story–thanks so much for sharing! I have never heard this one before, but it certainly allows us to appreciate this song in a new light.
Yes…Even i have heard the same….
Truly devotional that was…
thanks
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you miss the point about bally sagoo; either because you are american or more likely from india, studying in the us. Artists like bally were intrumental in creating a voice and thus an identity in the broader cultural and political landscape in the Uk. This then transferred to other groups of mainly disenfranchised asians in canada, US and elsewhere. The discourse of racism-of denial, of colour blindness, of cultural superiority is what those of us raised in the UK have experienced and fought using whatever weapons were at hand. Music being one, education another. For those of us interested in music as a rarified cultural commodity, the pleasure has always been in the art form. But to democratise the music, to make it accessible and thence to enable a “homeless youth’ to go back to an authentic culture producers like ballly have been key. Not everyone has had the privilege or the opportunity to engage with the musicanship of the indian classical tradition. Those who have, in the Uk, have also inevitably politicised their music or dance. Everything is about communication, breaking boundaries, seeking to create a legitimate space in our country for a different discourse. Today, indian elites from the iit’s etc turn up and work with other elites out of economic necessity: I look at (for example) mckinsey and co’s discussion about hiring with great amusement. At the same time, those of us who have grown up politicised, and authentic, may be a part of the same elite. But the journey has been considerably different and thus the class affiliations are quite different. Bally sagoo represented a disenfranchised voice. Sure, i wouldn’t listen to some of his stuff but would I put it on the dancefloor when running a nightclub? Yes. I introduced Raag todi played on the shehnaii over a jungle track in london. The response? What is this instrument….what is the mix…..and for people of all races, an introduction to a subtle, double reed instrument, and to the whole shehnaii/wedding culture. Where previously, a response may be-and often was-when I was practising tabla “what is this awful noise”. Why doesn’t your music have harmony. The rhythms make no sense. The voices sound like gargling or will break windows…..anyway, I just wanted to put bally in a slightly different context even as I agree that a lot of these remixes are absolutely disgraceful musically. Then again, i can say the same about some of the rabindrasangeet coming out of kolkata these days…..
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it’s that lata-madan magic………………………………….with great help from a poetic raja mehdi ali khan
to think that neither MM or RMAK ever won filmfare awards
Sanam does a beautiful version of this song