In “Mere Jeevan Saathi” (1972), a film that is peak Rajesh Khanna, our dashing hero serenades us all with “O Mere Dil Ke Chain.”

Today we present the lyrics and English translation to the palpably romantic Kishore Kumar hit “O Mere Dil Ke Chain” from Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972).

Starring silver-screen gold Rajesh Khanna and Tanuja, Mere Jeevan Saathi will scar you  for life if you are not careful. Along with Pakeezah and Kabhi Kabhi, Mere Jeevan Saathi  was one of the favorite films my sister and I watched on the daily as two perfectly normal, socially-adept kids in suburban America. Although often billed as a romantic-comedy, the film at times foreshadows the Stephen King novel “Misery” and in the finale, showcases a miraculous eye surgery with horrific POV shots that is probably the reason I can never wear contacts.

These necessary warnings aside, I highly recommend this film for the sublime music and superstar Rajesh Khanna’s hypnotizing performance, which kept luring me and my sister back despite our PTSD. R.D. Burman’s creative soundtrack with Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar at the helm is precisely the type of music that makes your parents sigh at dinnertime and wonder where the good olden days have gone.

Rajesh Khanna’s billowing puffy sleeves fail to deter Tanuja from biting the sweet bait in Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972).

For a hot minute,  I was tempted to describe this song as evergreen, and then checked myself. “O Mere Dil Ke Chain” has unquestionable timeless appeal, but the blaring hallmark of the 1970s steamrollered this song. Do I love it even more because of it? Obviously. Jim Morrison himself would have smiled from heaven had he lived to hear R.D. Burman’s genius use of the cathedral-like organ as a primary instrumental. And sure, the size Rajesh Khanna’s shirt collar warrants its own zipcode and maybe Tanuja could easily hide a dead body in the folds of her ginormous wigs, but one smoldering wink is all it ever takes to forgive and forget the excesses of that psychedelic decade.

Tanuja’s perfectly wing-tipped eyeliner punctures the romantic tension in “O Mere Dil Ke Chain.”

“O Mere Dil Ke Chain” is undeniably one of Rajesh Khanna’s most seductive and romantic hits, nestling into history amongst the likes of “Roop Tera Mastana” or “Woh Shaam Kuch Ajeeb Thi.” Without further ado, check out the lyrics and English translation of “O Mere Dil Ke Chain” below! And please describe how much you love Tanuja’s cat-eyeliner in the comments!

O Mere Dil Ke Chain Lyrics and English Translation:

O mere dil ke chain
Oh, one who calms my heart
Chain aaye mere dil ko duaa kijiye
Pray that calmness comes to my heart

Apnaa hii saayaa dekh ke tum, jaan-e jahaa.N, sharam aa gaye
Seeing your own shadow, my dear, makes you shy
Abhii to yeh pehlii manzil hai, tum to abhii se ghabaraa gaye
Now is merely the first destination, and you have already become nervous
Mera kyaa hogaa? Socho to zaraa
What will happen to me? Think about that a little bit
Haaye, aise na aahe.N bharaa kijiye
Sigh, do not sigh like this

O mere dil ke chain…
Oh one who calms my heart…

Aap ka armaa.N, aap ka naam, meraa taraanaa aur nahii.N
Your desire and your name, my song is about nothing more than these things
In jhuktii palko.N ke sivaa, dil ka Thikaana aur nahii.N
Beyond these lowered eyelids of yours, my heart has no other dwelling
Jachtaa hii nahii.N, aankho.N mei.N koii
It does not seem right to behold anyone else in my eyes
Dil tumko hii chaahe, to kyaa kijiye?
My heart wants only you, so what should I do?

O mere dil ke chain…
Oh comfort of my heart…

Yuu.N to akelaa bhii aksar, gir ke sambhal saktaa huu.N mai.N
I am alone often, and can steady myself when I fall
Tum jo pakaD lo haath meraa, duniyaa badal saktaa huu.N mai.N
But if you were to hold my hand, I could change the world
Maa.Ngaa hai tumhe, duniyaa ke liye
I asked for you in exchange for the world
Ab khud hii sanam faislaa kijiye
Now you yourself make a decision, my darling

O mere dil ke chain
Oh, one who calms my heart
Chain aye mere dil ko duaa kijiye
Pray that calmness comes to my heart

Glossary:

chain: rest, calmness; duaa: prayer; saayaa: shadow; jaan-e jahaa.N: life of the world [an Urdu-Hindi term of endearment]; sharam aanaa: to become shy, to feel embarrassed; abhii: now; pehlaa: first; manzil: destination; ghabaraanaa: to become nervous, to feel worried; zaraa: a little bit; aah: sigh; armaa.N: desire; naam: name; taraanaa: song; jhuknaa: to lower; palke.N: eyelids; Thikaanaa: shelter; jachtaa: correct; aa.Nkhe.N: eyes; akelaa: alone; aksar: often; girnaa: to fall: sambhalnaa:  to steady [oneself]; haath pakaDnaa: to hold hands; duniyaa: world; badalnaa: to change; maa.Ngnaa: to ask; khud: self; faislaa karna: to make a decision

Tanuja feels shy as Rajesh Khanna croons to her in Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972), wondering if anyone noticed her ringlets are the wrong length.

This song was requested by obsessed fans Mohandas and Venkatesan! Thank you both for giving us an excuse to deliver a little extra Rajesh Khanna to people’s lives this holiday season.

-Mrs. 55