Against the stunning backdrop of the Lake Palace in Udaipur, Sunil Dutt mourns the loss of  his deceased wife in Mera Saaya (1966)

Today, we present the lyrics and English translation to the title track from Raj Khosla’s Mera Saaya (1966): tuu jahaa.n jahaa.n chalegaa. This timeless classic is embedded within the hearts of Hindi film music fans as an ode to love and its ability to provide strength and support during the most trying of circumstances.  

Unlike many songs from this era, tuu jahaa.n jahaa.n chalegaa is not used exclusively as a playback song in Mera Saaya. One version of this song plays in the background while a tormented Sunil Dutt sulks in confusion after an accused dacoit resembling his deceased wife (double role played by Sadhana) claims to be his wife weeks after her death. As he trudges around the beautiful Lake Palace (now one of India’s most luxurious and romantic hotels!) in Udaipur, Sadhana is nowhere to be found but we hear this song sung in full by her saayaa (shadow). Later in the film, tuu jahaa.n jahaa.n chalegaa is reprised in full when Sunil Dutt is listening to a record of his wife’s singing and a joyful flashback occurs to a party where Sadhana sings this song for guests along with his accompaniment on the piano. Interestingly, since Sunil Dutt taped his wife’s singing over an existing record, we hear a snippet of vah bhuulii dastaa.n, another haunting Lata-Madan Mohan gem from Sanjog (1961), during this version of the song.  

Mera Saaya (1966) has some beautiful shots of the Lake Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

The title track from Mera Saaya epitomizes the magic that resulted from the collaboration between playback singer Lata Mangeshkar and music director Madan Mohan. An interesting anecdote about this song’s creation really brings this fact to life! After lyricist Raja Mehndi Ali Khan had completed the words, Madan Mohan had great difficulty composing a melody to finish the song. When Lata arrived on the day of this song’s recording, he told her the tune was not yet ready. Lata asked to see the lyrics and after humming a few lines, she said, “bhaiyaa, is me.n nand raag kaa istamaal kyo.n nahii.n karte?” Lata’s suggestion was enough to get Madan Mohan’s creative juices flowing, and he finished composing the tune in a jiffy. Decades later, this exquisite and gentle melody is still remembered as the textbook example of Raga Nand (a.ka. Anandi Kalyan) being used in Hindi film music!

Before tuu jahaa.n jahaa.n chalegaa was recorded, Raj Khosla was planning to release this movie under the name of Saaya. After listening to this song, he was so struck by its poetry that he decided to change the film’s title to Mera Saaya upon Madan Mohan’s suggestion. In my opinion, this type of camaraderie and rapport shared between artists of the Golden Era of Hindi films played a key role in producing cinema and music that has everlasting appeal. 

In a flashback, Sunil Dutt reminisces fondly about accompanying his wife on the piano to the title track of Mera Saaya (1966).

Does your shadow follow someone special in your life? If so, don’t forget to share this song and translation with that person! Thank you to one of our readers Ayla for sending in a request for this post. Until next time…

-Mr. 55

Tu Jahan Jahan Chalega: Lyrics and Translation

tuu jahaa.n jahaa.n chalegaa, meraa saayaa saath hogaa
Wherever you go, remember that my shadow will be with you.

kabhii mujhko yaad kar ke jo bahe.nge tere aa.nsuu
Whenever you shed tears in my memory,
to vahii.n pe rok le.nge unhe.n aa ke mere aa.nsuu
my tears will come and stop them in their tracks.
tuu jidhar kaa rukh karegaa, meraa saayaa saath hogaa
In whichever direction you face, remember that my shadow will be with you.

tuu agar udaas hogaa to udaas huu.ngii mai.n bhii
Should you ever become sad, then I will also partake in your sorrow.
nazar aauu.n yaa na aauu.n tere paas huu.ngii mai.n bhii
Whether you see me or not, I will always be by your side.
tuu kahii.n bhii jaa rahegaa, meraa saayaa saath hogaa
No matter where you are going, remember that my shadow will be with you.

mai.n agar bichhaD bhii jaauu.n, kabhii meraa gham na karnaa
Should I ever become separated from you, never mourn on my behalf.
meraa pyaar yaad kar ke kabhii aa.nkh nam na karnaa
Never moisten your eyes with tears in memory of my love.
tuu jo muD ke dekh legaa, meraa saayaa saath hogaa
Whenever you turn back to look at me, remember that my shadow will be with you. 

meraa gham rahaa hai shaamil, tere dukh me.n tere gham me.n
My sorrow has always remained present in your sorrow.
mere pyaar ne diyaa hai tera saath har janam me.n
My love has always accompanied you in every birth.
tuu koii janam bhii legaa, meraa saayaa saath hoga
In whichever birth you take, remember that my shadow will be with you.

tuu jahaa.n jahaa.n chalegaa, meraa saayaa saath hogaa
Wherever you go, remember that my shadow will be with you.

Glossary

saayaa: shadow; kisii ke saath honaa: to be with someone; bahnaa: to flow; aa.nsuu: tears; rok lenaa: to stop; rukh karnaa: to face; udaas: sad; nazar aanaa: to be seen; bichhaD jaanaa: to be separated; gham karnaa: to mourn; aa.nkh nam karnaa: to moisten eyes with tears; muD ke dekh lenaa: to turn back and look; shaamil rahnaa: to remain present; dukh: sorrow; kisii kaa saath denaa: to accompany someone;  janam: birth.

Sunil Dutt’s portrayal of a grieving husband haunted by past memories in Mera Saaya (1966) is bold and compelling.