Bekhudi Mein Sanam Lyrics and Translation: Let’s Learn Urdu-Hindi

Posted on June 11, 2012 by mrandmrs55

Whoa there, Babita. Are you sure a Santa hat is appropriate for this occasion?

Our next Hindi lyric translation is the classic Rafi-Lata duet “Bekhudi Mein Sanam” from the film Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1968). The movie soundtrack is probably the only reason you would ever want to watch this film. Sure, the plot description is intriguing: two men (who happen to both be Shashi Kapoor) fall in love with the same woman (the unbearable Babita). One Shashi Kapoor is soft-spoken and romantic, while the other is an aggressive jokester who is spurned by our heroine. But then! War with China! Both men are called to duty, and when only one returns, Babita can’t tell if he is truly the man she loves–or his rival!

So you’re lured in, egged on by a few other vaguely recognizable Rafi numbers (“O Dilbar Janiye,” anyone?), and think you’re getting yourself in for a long Hum Dono-esque genre twin film with a swinger bent.

Oh, but how wrong you’d be.

Shashi Kapoor and Babita play two college students in love in Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1968).

Haseena Maan Jaayegi is a painful free-falling bucket of awkward sauce that is weighed down by Babita’s insufferably thick voice, static characters, and an unfocused plot that never quite pulls together it’s obvious loose ends. I mean, seriously Babita? We need to spend two hours watching you try to decide if there is nothing unique about the man you married? Furthermore, what the heck, Shashi? Couldn’t you have convinced the scriptwriter to at least throw in just one line explaining why you guys look so similar? At least turn out to legitimately be twins separated at birth! There’s no way God would just magically make two Shashi Kapoors in this world. A lot of Indian women would be a lot happier if so.

Shashi Kapoor is entranced by Babita’a teal Santa suit from “Bekhudi Mein Sanam.”

Really, nothing gets my goat more than a twin movie that doesn’t acknowledge that they’re supposed to actually be twins. Do yourself a favor by skipping this cheese-flavored package of dry histrionics, and just youtube the songs because they’re awesome. Of particular note in “Bekhudi Mei.N Sanam” is Babita’s puffy white fur Santa hat and teal blue jumpsuit. This is just in case any audience member had lost their mind and started to make the mistake of taking her seriously. Check out the youtube link for the song here and follow along with the lyrics and translation below to this this otherwise beautiful ode of love!

Bekhudi Mein Sanam Lyrics and Translation

Bekhudi mei.N sanam, uTh gaye jo qadam
Unaware of my self, as I started walking
Aa gaye, aa gaye
I arrived
Aa gaye paas hum, aa gaye paas hum
I arrived nearer to you

Aag yeh kaisii man mei.N lagii hai?
What kind of fire is aflame in my mind?
Man se badhii to tan mei.N lagii hai
Yet, even bigger than that in the mind, is the one burning my body
Aag nahii.N yeh dil ki lagii hai
This is not a fire, its the heart’s desire
Jitnii bujhaayii, utnii jalii hai
However much you try to put it out, it will keep burning

Dil ki lagi na ho to, kya zindagii hai?
Without this desire of the heart, what is life?
Saath hum jo chale miT gaye faasle
When we walk together, all that separates us disappears
Aa gaye, aa gaye
I arrived
Aa gaye paas hum, aa gaye paas hum
I arrived nearer to you

Khoyii nazar thii, soye nazaare
The vision was lost, and the sights were asleep
Dekhaa tumhe to jaage yeh saare
On seeing you, all of them were awakened
Dil ne kiye jo dil ko ishaare
As one heart signaled to the other
Milke chale hum saath tumhaare
We met and walked together

Aaj khushii se meraa dil yeh pukaare
Today my heart calls out with joy
Teraa daaman milaa, pyaar meraa khilaa
In finding your embrace, my love has blossomed
Aa gaye, aa gaye
I arrived
Aa gaye paas hum, aa gaye paas hum
I arrived nearer to you

Dil kii kahaanii pahunche zubaa.N tak
The story of my heart is on my tongue
Kisko khabar ab pahunche kahaa.N tak?
Now who knows where it will reach?
Pyaar ke raahii aaye yahaa.N tak
Travelers of love have arrived here
Jaaye.Nge dil ki had hai jahaa.N tak
They will go to the limits set by their hearts

Tum paas jo to chale hum aasmaan tak
With you at my side, we will reach the sky
Dil mein armaan liye laakh toofaan liye
With a heart full of desires and beset by storms

Aa gaye, aa gaye
I arrived
Aa gaye paas hum, aa gaye paas hum
I arrived nearer to you

Bekhudi mei.N sanam, uTh gaye jo qadam
Unaware of my self, as I started walking
Aa gaye, aa gaye
I arrived
Aa gaye paas hum, aa gaye paas hum
I arrived nearer to you

Glossary:

bekhudi: unaware of oneself, in a trance; qadam: footsteps; aag: fire; man: mind; tan: body; faasle: separation, distance; ishaaraa: signal; daaman: embrace; zubaa.N: tongue, language; khabar: news, knowledge; had: limit; aasmaan: sky; armaan: desire; toofaan: storm

I can’t really explain it, but I’ve always really liked with the way Shashi Kapoor starts his first line walking forward toward her with his hands folded behind his back. It’s bashful, the way Indian men in love were meant to be.

Shashi Kapoor Twins Haseena Maan Jaayegi

I know, I know. It’s almost irresistible–TWO Shashi Kapoors on ONE screen! Look at that handsome cricket jacket, those form-fitting white pants. But restrain, my friends. Haseena Maan Jaayegi will suck out your Shashi-gushing capacities and infect you instead with confusion and hatred of Babita.

This song translation was done by request from our reader “Beloved”! We hope you enjoyed, and if you’d like to see your name on our blog, send us an email with your burning Bollywood request or leave us a comment on our “Requests” page!

– Mrs. 55

In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke Lyrics and Translation: Let’s Learn Urdu-Hindi

Posted on June 6, 2012 by mrandmrs55

Rekha gives a career-defining performance as a courtesan and poetess in Umrao Jaan (1981)

I recently rewatched Muzaffar Ali’s masterpiece Umrao Jaan (1981), a film that is so brilliantly crafted that it deserves multiple posts on this blog like Pakeezah and Mughal-e-Azam. The film is based on an Urdu novel written by Mirza Muhammad Hadi Ruswa that recounts the life of one of South Asia’s most influential literary figures: Umrao Jaan. Born in Faizabad, a young girl named Amiran is kidnapped and sold to a brothel in Lucknow. As she grows older, Amiran is grooomed by the brothel’s madam until she becomes Umrao Jaan (played by Rekha), one of Lucknow’s most desirable courtesans. Misfortune after misfortune falls upon Umrao Jaan, but the film ultimately portrays her as a resilient woman whose beautiful mujras and poetry serve as a lasting legacy to her indomitable spirit.

In addition to Rekha’s stunning performance as the tawaif Umrao Jaan, this film is especially memorable for its portrayal of the richness of Lucknow’s cultural heritage. The indulgent life of nawaabs around the turn of 20th century is visually apparent in the film’s costumes, artwork, and set design, but the luxurious atmosphere in the film is taken to a new level by the soundtrack composed by Khayyam and penned by Shahryar. Here, I’ve chosen to translate one of the unforgettable mujra numbers from this film: in aa.nkho.n kii mastii.

She’s not lying when she says her eyes are intoxicating…

In this song, Umrao Jaan engages in some self-indulgent vanity. She mildly chides her lover Nawab Sultan (played by Farooq Shaikh) by saying there are thousands of other madmen in Lucknow that admire her charm and beauty. In the third verse, she continues to brag by saying that all the taverns in the world cannot serve wine as intoxicating as the wine that she serves from her glances. Finally, in the last verse, Umrao makes a warning against those that attempt to suppress her grandeur using a common symbol found in Urdu-Hindi poetry: the moth. Like moths to a flame, she claims that there are thousands of admirers in the city who would sacrifice their lives to protect her. The poetry in this song is not overly complex, but there is a subtle beauty to it that is enhanced by Asha Bhonsle’s beautiful rendition and Rekha’s graceful expressions on screen. I managed to find a very high-quality print of this song on YouTube, so please do watch the link provided above and follow along with the translation/glossary–enjoy!

–Mr. 55

P.S. Whatever you do, please do not waste three hours of your life (like I did) watching J.P. Dutta’s 2006 remake of this movie starring Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bacchan. It is a travesty of a film that completely disrespects the beauty of the original. I think one of the worst parts is the atrocious Urdu pronunciations. I mean, even I can get the guttural khe sound right when I say “khudaa haafiz,” and they don’t pay me the big bucks. Why can’t Aishwarya or Abhishek? And let’s not even get started on Anu Malik’s tired and stale soundtrack…

The camera adds to the meaning of the lyrics here by bringing candles into the shot when Rekha sings “is shamm-e-farozaa.n…“

In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke Lyrics and Translation

in aa.nkho.n kii mastii ke mastaane hazaaro.n hai.n
The intoxicating beauty of these eyes attracts thousands of admirers.
in aa.nkho.n se vaabastaa afsaane hazaaro.n hai.n
Indeed, there are thousands of stories associated with these eyes.

ek tum hii nahii.n tanhaa ulfat me.n merii rusvaa
You are not the only one disgraced by your love for me,
is shahar me.n tum jaise diivaane hazaaro.n hai.n
There are thousands of madmen like you in this city.

ek sirf ham hii mai ko aa.nkho.n se pilaate hai.n
It is only I who can serve you wine with my eyes,
kahne ko to duniyaa me.n maikhaane hazaaro.n hai.n
Though it is said that there are thousands of taverns in this world.

is shamm-e-farozaa.n ko aa.ndhii se Daraate ho
Although you attempt to scare this bright candle with a storm,
is shamm-e-farozaa.n ke parvaane hazaaro.n hai.n
The light from this candle attracts thousands of moths.

in aa.nkho.n kii mastii ke mastaane hazaaro.n hai.n
The intoxicating beauty of these eyes attracts thousands of admirers.

Glossary

mastii: intoxication; mastaane: admirers; vaabasta: associated with; ulfat: love; rusvaa: disgraced; mai: wine; maikhaane: taverns; shamm-e-farozaa.n: bright candle; aa.ndhii: storm; parvaane: moths.

Farooq Shaikh, as Nawab Sultan, watches the mujra in admiration.

Which Actor Did Hemant Kumar Sing For Best?

Posted on June 3, 2012 by mrandmrs55

Hemant Kumar (1920-1989) was a legendary Hindi and Bengali film music composer and singer.

In classic Bollywood cinema, playback singers could make or break the career actor. Famous actor-singer pairings are legendary. The voice of the singer became the soul of the actor and once a perfect match was made, it was hard to separate them without upheaval. Who could imagine anything but the manly voice of Kishore Kumar with the face Rajesh Khanna? Or the playful sweetness of Mohammed Rafi with fun-loving Shammi Kapoor? When Mukesh passed away, Raj Kapoor (for whose career Mukesh lent his illustrious talent) famously burst into tears and announced, “I have lost my voice.”

But occasionally we find a rogue player in Hindi film music. Hemant Kumar stands out as a unique character, a difficult man to place in the rankings. For he was not merely a singer, but a legendary music director as well in both Hindi and Bengali cinema. Hemant Kumar was heavily influenced by Rabindrasangeet (like his contemporary S.D. Burman!), and first broke into the Bengali industry as a music director in 1947, the year of Indian independence. Hemant Kumar’s unmatched virtuosity led him to not only sing many of the hit songs of the 50s and 60s in Bombay himself, but he actually formed his own production company that made classics such as Bees Saal Baad (1962), Kohra (1964), and Khamoshi (1969). In the 70s he even dabbled as a film director with moderate success.

Hemant Kumar recording a song with Lata Mangeshkar

Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar during the studio recording of “Nain So Nain” from Janak Janak Paayal Baaje (1955).

But for me, it was as a singer that Hemant Kumar always shines and also the category in which history has given him the shaft. His voice was absolutely unlike any other in the industry–a deep and soulful richness that no one could touch. Interestingly, for a man whose talents were so diverse, Hemant Kumar never took to acting and singing his own songs on screen (à la Kishore Kumar). Instead, he sang for a myriad of rising and great actors across the decades–never branding himself with a single artist. Hemant Kumar remained a maverick, and for it, is often brushed aside.

So I now pose to you the question–which actor do YOU think Hemant Kumar sang for best? His voice graced the images of many men, but did it work for all of them? Your contestants are Guru Dutt, Dharmendra, Biswajeet, Dev Anand, and Shammi Kapoor. We present five songs below that illustrate some of Hemant Kumar’s finest collaborations with these actors and the cinematic chemistry that ensued.

1. Guru Dutt: Jaane Woh Kaise

The voice of tragedy, Hemant Kumar sings for Guru Dutt in this timeless lament from Pyaasa (1957). Guru Dutt, who often played the tragic poet, seems a natural choice for the resonant tones of Hemant Kumar in this song that has become iconic for all awkward dinner party songs.

2. Dharmendra: Tum Pukar Lo

Discussed in a previous post, Khamoshi (1968) is a heart-wrenching film about love, loss, and insanity. Although you don’t see much of Dharmendra’s face in this sequence, his subtle performance matches the song’s patient yearning with a hint of a Western flair. But to me, as an actor Dharmendra is somehow too shallow to be worthy of a Hemant Kumar solo. Maybe that’s just me?

3. Biswajeet: Yeh Nayan Dare Dare

A tender sequence from the film Kohra (1964), this song embodies the sweet side to Hemant’s voice that comes in the middle of a spooky film noir. I’m not going to pretend that Biswajeet is anything but a joke, but for me this pairing works–Hemant’s sweet vocals and Biswajeet’s confident, but appeasing motions to Waheeda are a pleasing combination.

4. Dev Anand: Yeh Raat Yeh Chaandni Phir Kahaan

God, I love it. I’ll be the first to tell you that no one sang better for Dev Anand than Mohammed Rafi, but this song is something else. I’ve discussed this sequence already in our earlier translation of the song, but let me just repeat that Hemant Kumar in a seductive mood blends beautifully with that longing gaze of Dev Anand’s. It’s just so exciting and rare, not to mention compliments Dev Anand’s semi-gravely voice in this film.

5. Shammi Kapoor: Aye Dil Ab Kahin Lejaa

This is another beautiful Hemant Kumar tragedy with a touch of mystery. Shammi is clearly giving it his all in this song, but somehow, I think it just doesn’t come together. Shammi Kapoor is too much of a hot mess for me to believe anything but Mohammed Rafi coming out of his mouth–the resonant voice of Hemant seems incongruous with those histrionics, despite its unarguable beauty.

And the winner is…?

I’m gonna have to say Guru Dutt–that song is just sublime on every level, but I’m open to discussion. Who do you think matched Hemant Kumar’s voice best? Let us know YOUR opinion in the comments!

-Mrs. 55

P.S. Wondering why we didn’t mention female playback singers here? It’s because the female side of things worked very differently, ie., it was Lata and Asha or bust. Every actress had them, and with the occasional Geeta Dutt or Shamshad interlude, there was no room for a “signature” playback artist per actress (although Lata will argue she “changed” her voice depending on the actress–more on this to come!)