Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil Lyrics & Translation: Let’s Learn Urdu-Hindi

Posted on October 31, 2017 by mrandmrs55

Biswajeet looks dapper in a fedora even as he is haunted by a ghost in Bees Saal Baad (1962).

In honor of Halloween, today we are showcasing one of Bollywood’s spookiest songs “Kahin Deep Jale” from the film Bees Saal Baad (1962). Loosely based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Hound of the Baskervilles”, Bees Saal Baad is a textbook film in the study of Hindi film noir: ghungroo bells echo throughout a long-abandoned mansion. A sad woman’s song fills the night air. Something lurks deep within the marshes, beckoning the viewer closer with every haunting dolly shot through the tall grass. The scene set, Bees Saal Baad weaves an enticing murder mystery that torments us with the thematic imagery of shadows and light as chandeliers sway and silhouettes vanish into the night.

Like a moth drawn to a flame (note the classic Bollywood metaphor that plays a critical role in “Bees Saal Baad”), dapper Londoner Biswajeet cannot resist returning to his ancestral home in Chandangarh and seeking out the truth behind a series of crimes that has plagued the village for 20 years. As the mystery unravels, he falls in love with a local goat shepherdess (played by Waheeda Rehman) who is forbidden from marrying him due to the “curse” marring his family.

There are a number of shady characters who could be the culprit at the dark heart of this whodunnit. Is it the soft-spoken doctor who is next in line to inherit the family fortune? The bug-eyed servant? Or perhaps it is the creepy romantic rival with an oily mustache? None are more despicable than the hero’s own grandfather who had committed the crime of raping a beloved village girl 20 years prior to the film’s main action. Vaguely intrigued? You should be.

"Kahin Deep Jale" opens with a beautifully framed overhead shot of Biswajeet playing the piano moodily, literally engulfed by the flames in the chandelier (above). The camera then floats to eye level as he hears the sound of a woman singing in the distance (below).

“Kahin Deep Jale” opens with a beautifully framed overhead shot of Biswajeet playing the piano, symbolically engulfed by the flames in the chandelier (above). The camera then floats to eye level as he hears the sound of a woman singing in the distance (below).

“Kahin Deep Jale” is the film’s dangerous Siren song broken composed by Hemant Kumar in Ragaa Shivranjani. Other famous songs in this ragaa are Awaaz Deke, Dil Ke Jharoke Mein, and Mere Naina Saawan Bhado, and Shivranjani is a ragaa best performed at midnight (no kidding, right?). We compiled a list of the spookiest songs of classic Bollywood and “Kahin Deep Jale” rightfully made the top three (see which song made #1 here!). Lyricist Shakeel Bayaduni and playback singer Lata Mangeshkar won the Filmfare award in 1962 for their work on “Kahin Deep Jale”!

Director Biren Nag would go on to make Kohra released 2 years later in 1964 (a remake of Hitchcock’s Rebecca), also starring Waheeda Rehman and Biswajeet. Kohra is an even more gorgeously directed film that learned from the mistakes in timing and absent character nuance of Bees Saal Baad. I recommend you binge on all of these films today, we are not judging.

Waheeda Rehman finds herself at the center of a decades old mystery in Bees Saal Baad (1962).

We hope you enjoy the Halloween festivities safely with friends and family! Set the mood by following along with the video here. Fans of the song may be fascinated to hear that parts of the orchestration used in the movie after the chorus that is a full octave lower than the one heard in the recorded version! I find the whole atmosphere becomes even more frightening as a result. Check out our lyrics and English translation to “Kahin Deep Jale” below!

Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil Lyrics & Translation:

kahii.N diip jale kahii.N dil…
Somewhere a candle burns, somewhere a heart…
zaraa dekh le aa kar, parvaane
Come closer and take a look, moth
terii kaun sii hai manzil?
Which destiny is yours?
kahii.N diip jale kahii.N dil…
Somewhere a candle burns, somewhere a heart…

meraa giit tere dil kii pukaar hai
My song is the calling of your heart
jahaa.N mai.N huu.N, wahii.N teraa pyaar hai
Wherever I am, your love is there
meraa dil hai terii mehfil
My heart is your only company
zaraa dekh le aa kar, parvaane
Come closer and take a look, moth
terii kaun sii hai manzil?
Which destiny is yours?
kahii.N diip jale kahii.N dil…
Somewhere a candle burns, somewhere a heart…

na mai.N sapnaa huu.N, na koii raaz huu.N
I am neither a dream nor a secret
ek dard bharii aavaaz huu.N
I am a voice filled with sorrow
piiyaa, der na kar, aa mil
Beloved, do not delay, come meet me
zaraa dekh le aa kar, parvaane
Come closer and take a look, moth
terii kaun sii hai manzil?
Which destiny is yours?
kahii.N diip jale kahii.N dil…
Somewhere a candle burns, somewhere a heart…

dushman hai.N hazaaro.N yahaa.N jaan ke
Here there are a thousand enemies of life
zaraa milnaa nazar pehchaan ke
Just make eye contact and recognize them
kaii ruup mei.N hai.N qaatil
Murderers come in many colours
zaraa dekh le aa kar, parvaane
Come closer and take a look, moth
terii kaun sii hai manzil?
Which destiny is yours?
kahii.N diip jale kahii.N dil…
Somewhere a candle burns, somewhere a heart…

Glossary:

diip: candle; jalnaa: to burn; dil: heart; dekhnaa: to look; parwaanaa: moth; kaunsii: which; manzil: destination; giit: song; pukarnaa: to call out; pyaar: love; mehfil: company, gathering; sapnaa: dream; raaz: secret; dard: pain; bharaa: full; awaaz: voice; piyaa: beloved; der karnaa: to delay, to be late; dushman: enemy; hazaar: thousand; jaan: life; nazar milnaa: to make eye contact; pehchaan karnaa: to recognize; ruup: colour; qaatil: murderer

A shadowy figure haunts the mansion and surrounding marshes of Biswajeet’s ancestral home in Bees Saal Baad (1962).

Dying for a little more? The Bengali predecessor of “Kahin Deep Jale” from Jinghasa (1951) can be heard here, also composed by Hemant Kumar. There is a familiar echo of the eerie alaap that later made it to the Hindi version!

While “Bees Saal Baad” does have a handful of things that are scary for the wrong reasons (the bumbling detective hired to investigate the mystery, Waheeda Rehman’s cutesy village girl one-liners clearly written by a man, and the cheesy glove used in the murder scenes), the camerawork is mesmerizing and there is a legitimately satisfying plot twist at the end. Make sure to peruse our translation of Lata Mangeshkar’s creepy “Naina Barse” from that sublime noir film Woh Kaun Thi? (1964) if you dare!

– Mrs. 55

Beqarar Karke Humen Lyrics and Translation: Let’s Learn Urdu-Hindi

Posted on May 31, 2015 by mrandmrs55

Mysterious and beguiling, Waheeda Rehman catches the eye of Biswajeet, heir to a legacy of misfortune, in the film noir classic, Bees Saal Baad (1962)

Today we showcase the lyrics and English translation of Hemant Kumar’s “Beqarar Karke” from the film Bees Saal Baad (1962). We often talk about seductive songs and cabaret numbers in classic Hindi films, but invariably those songs are sung by bad girl Helen or a femme fatale who entices our hero down the wrong path. “Beqarar Karke” is different. Sung by that luscious and versatile vocal genius, Hemant Kumar, the song dangerously pulls our heroine into its spell of seduction in broad daylight. It’s not often that we get a song of temptation sung by a dude, and when we do, it’s heaven (no, literally, Hemant Kumar has the voice of God). The brilliance of Hemant Kumar’s composition are in its unexpected opening guitar chords. Set in the rural village of Chandanghat, the film’s atmosphere suddenly becomes infused with jazz and heart-pounding anticipation as Kumar’s voice dips through the first word of the song, leaving everyone as “beqarar” as he foretells. The surprising Western lilt marked Biswajeet as solid hero material! Bees Saal Baad was Biswajeet Bombay debut, and originally, it was Bengali superstar Uttam Kumar who had been the first choice as lead. Fortunately, singer-music director-producer Hemant Kumar lobbied for relative newcomer Biswajeet, and after working diligently to clean up his Bengali accent when speaking Hindi, launched his career!

Bees Saal Baad tells the eerie tale of a nobleman, played by the dashing Biswajeet, who returns to the village where his forefathers were mysteriously murdered. A staple of Bollywood film noir, Bees Saal Baad explores the darkness of the old feudal system with a satisfyingly sick twist ending. But no Indian film noir is complete without romance, and soon after arriving to his ancestral home, Biswajeet naturally falls for the coy village belle (acted superbly by Waheeda Rehman). Unused to his slick city ways, she falls hard for him when he surprises her with a flirtatious serenade in the countryside. With lyrics penned by Shakeel Badayuni, “Beqarar Karke” teases us with glimpses of innocent romance mingled with a fatalistic warning that defines the film. Biswajeet recalls:

I remember during the shooting of the song sequence, “Beqarar Karke Hame.N”, Biren Nag instructed me not to touch Waheeda Rehman, but ooze romance with my looks and smile. I followed him exactly and it was Waheeda Rehman’s regal and serene screen presence which lit up the silver screen during the shot.

Low Angle Shot Bees Saal Baad Bekarar Karke

Above: Director Biren Nag constructs a clever low angle shot of Waheeda Rehman teetering on the edge of a cliff as Hemant Kumar aptly croons, “Yuu.N qadam akele na aage baDhaaiye.” Below: Seconds later, Biswajeet smoothly slips in for the rescue hug, staring down at the viewers in triumph.

He sort of broke his rule there when he went in for the rescue hug, but we know you’re going to swoon over this song as much as Waheeda! Try to grab control of your beating heart and check out the video for “Beqarar Karke” here as you follow along with our English translation and lyrics below!

Beqarar Karke Humen Lyrics and Translation:

Beqaraar karke hame.N yuu.N na jaaiye
Please do not go away like this and make me restless
Aap ko hamaari qasam lauT aaiye
For my sake, please come back
Dekhiiye woh kaali kaali badaliyaa.N

Look at those small dark clouds above
Zulf kii ghaTaa churaa na le kahii.N
May they not steal away the clouds of your hair
Chorii chorii aake shokh bijliyaa.N
The mischievous lightening comes secretly
Aap kii adaa churaa na le kahii.N
May they not steal away your elegance
Yuu.N qadam akele na aage baDhaaiye
Do not walk forward alone like this
Aap ko hamaare qasam lauT aaiye
For my sake, please come back

Dekhiiye gulaab kii woh Daaliyaa.N
Look at those rose branches
BaDh ke chuum le na aap ke qadam
May they not come and kiss your feet as you walk
Khoye khoye bha.Nware bhii hai.N baagh mei.N
Bumblebees are also hidden in this garden
Koi aap ko banaa na le sanam
May one of them not make you their own
Bahakii bahakii nazaro.N se khud ko bachaaiiye
Save yourself from their roving gazes
Aap ko hamaare qasam lauT aaiye
For my sake, please come back

Zindagii ke raaste ajiib hai.N
The paths of life are strange
In mei.N is tarah chalaa na kiijiiye
Please do not walk across them like this
Khair hai isii mei.N, aap ki huzuur,
For your welfare, your majesty
Apnaa koi saathii DhoonDh liijiiye
Please find yourself a companion
Sun ke dil kii baat yuu.N na muskuraaiiye
Please do not smile upon hearing these words of my heart
Aap ko hamaare qasam lauT aaiye
For my sake, please come back

Beqaraar karke hame.N yuu.N na jaaiye
Please do not go away like this and make me restless
Aap ko hamaare qasam lauT aaiye
For my sake, come back

Glossary:

beqaraar: restless; yuu.N: like this, in this manner; [kisi ke] qasam: [for someone’s] sake; lauT aanaa: to come back; kaalii: dark; badalii: [small] cloud; zulf: hair; ghaTaa: cloud; churaanaa: to steal; chorii chorii: quietly, sneakily; shokh: mischievous; bijlii: lightening; adaa: elegance, style; qadam: footsteps; aage: forward; baDhaanaa: to advance; gulaab: rose; Daal: branch; chuum: kiss; khoyaa: lost; bha.Nwaraa: bumblebee; baagh: garden; bahakaa: flowing, roving; nazar: glance, gaze; khud: self; [kisii ko] bachaanaa: to save [someone]; zindagii: life; raastaa: path; ajiib: strange; is tarah: in this manner; khair: welfare, good; aap ki huzuur: my honor, your majesty; saathii: companion; DhoonDhnaa: to search; dil: heart; baat: words; muskuraanaa: to smile

A quick note for the Hindi-Urdu grammar aficionados: Did you know aap ki huzoor has the same significance as mere huzoor? Bizarre, right?! Both statements confer a title of respect and superiority, despite opposite possessive pronouns (similar to “your honor” versus “my lord”). Huzoor, deriving from the Arabic hudoor denoting royal presence and still written in Nasta’liq with a zuaad, is a formal address found in many Urdu lyrics of Bollywood’s golden age (remember “Huzoor-e-wala” from Yeh Raat Phir Na Aaayegi (1965)?).

Like a dark cloud in a black turtleneck, Biswajeet glistens against the sky in Bees Saal Baad (1962).

Big shout-out to fans Ravi Shankar and Sundar who requested this game-spitting winner! For another inspiring Hemant Kumar composition and solo masterpiece, don’t miss “Tum Pukar Lo” from Khamoshi (1969).

– Mrs. 55