Along with millions of fans across the globe, we mourn the loss of Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar (1929-2022). With an unmatched career that has spanned more than three generations, she is more than India’s most celebrated and prolific singer. She expresses the collective voice of the South Asian diaspora. In her voice, we find the full spectrum of our emotions – our joys, our sorrows, our prayers, and our love. She leaves behind an unforgettable legacy of musical artistry at its finest peak. Today, in her honor, we share the aptly suited lyrics and English translation from one of her most memorable performances in Kinara (1977).
With eternal admiration and gratitude, -Mr. ’55
Naam Gum Jayega: Lyrics and English Translation
naam gum jaayegaa
My name will disappear
chaharaa yeh badal jaayegaa
My face will change with time
merii aavaaz hii pahchaan hai
My voice is my identity
gar yaad rahe
If you remember it..vaqt ke sitam kam hasii.n nahii.n
The whims of time are no less beautiful
aaj hai.n yahaa.n, kal kahii.n nahiin
We are here today, tomorrow nowhere
vaqt ke pare agar mil gaye kahii.n
May we meet beyond the limits of time
merii aavaaz hii pahchaan hai
My voice is my identity
gar yaad rahe
If you remember it...
jo guzar gayii kal kii baat thii
What has happened is in our past
umr to nahii.n ek raat thii
It was only a night, not a lifetime
raat kaa siraa agar phir mile kahii.n
May we uncover the night's end again
merii aavaaz hii pahchaan hai
My voice is my identity
gar yaad rahe
If you remember it...din Dhale jahaa.n raat paas ho
Where the sun sets, the night is close by
zindagii kii lau uu.nchii kar chalo
Ignite the flame of life and go forth
yaad aaye gar kabhii jii udaas ho
Memories of the past may bring despair
merii aavaaz hii pahchaan hai
My voice is my identity
gar yaad rahe
If you remember it...
naam gum jaayegaa
My name will fade away
Portraying a man suffering a psychotic break, Sanjeev Kumar sings an appeal of love to Mumtaz in the ethically-fraught film “Khilona” (1970).
Today we are showcasing the poetic lyrics and English translation of “Khilona Jaan Kar” from the 1970 Filmfare Winner for Best Movie: Khilona. One of Mohammed Rafi’s iconic solo hits, “Khilona Jan Kar” is a deeply soulful appeal of a wounded man to a woman on the verge of leaving him.
Or at least that’s one way of looking at the song. I hadn’t watched Khilona (meaning “toy” in Urdu-Hindi) growing up, so hearing Anand Bakshi’s beautiful lyrics and seeing the music video, I was moved by the profound emotion only Rafi could imbibe so passionately into every reverberating “Ooooo khilona.” My father always burst into the song’s opening right after finishing up a satisfying vocal yawn. I think anyone can appreciate how that would transition quite smoothly.
Anyway, that’s my childhood in a nutshell. But now that I’ve seen the film, where, oh, where do I even begin?
In Khilona (1970), Mumtaz plays a pure-hearted courtesan who stumbles into the bizarre plot of a rotting patriarchy in order to help cure a stranger’s mental health crisis…at the cost of her own.
In Khilona, Sanjeev Kumar plays a famous poet who loses the love of his life in a traumatic incident, causing him to have a psychotic break. It’s hard to say precisely which disorder writer Gulshan Nanda was trying to convey here. Is it schizophrenia? Is it post-traumatic stress disorder? Sanjeev Kumar’s amalgamation of trope behaviors and unbridled basic instincts really underscore Bollywood’s overall troubling history portraying mental health disorders.
Speaking of Bollywood cliches, enter our courtesan with a heart of gold: Mumtaz. She is convinced to undergo a “fake” wedding ceremony and “pretend” to be Sanjeev Kumar’s wife in the hopes that this might help break his delusions. Then, using his psychosis as a shield, he rapes her and she is unable to seek restitution…partly due to the fact that she has gone full blown Stockholm Syndrome on the man who abuses her daily (another uncomfortable and relatively common theme in classic Bollywood films?). The lunacy of the plot is so stunning that it’s sad to believe it garnered Best Film of the year and really doesn’t reflect well on any of us.
Sanjeev Kumar reaches out to Mumtaz through a symbolic prison in Khilona (1970). The film won the FilmFare Award for Best Movie in 1970.
That said, Mumtaz deserves credit for accepting this difficult role, which had been rejected by other heroines who didn’t want to play such a controversial character. The role won her Best Actress that year and led to her starring in blockbusters like Aap Ki Kasam (1974) and Prem Kahani (1975).
None of this is obvious when you listen to the words of “Khilona Jan Kar.” However, now that you know the backstory, you can appreciate the tragic irony of the shehnaii (an instrument typically reserved for wedding celebration) melody that punctuates a song dedicated to a disenfranchised woman who is embroiled in a delusional marriage. Suddenly, the prison-like scaffolding of the windows through which Sanjeev Kumar gazes make sense: as a mental health patient, he is outcast by Indian society, but he is also a literal criminal who has assaulted Mumtaz. After all, who is the real khilona here? Despite the lyrics’ dripping self-pity, it’s not Sanjeev Kumar. Toyed with by every self-serving member of the patriarchy, Mumtaz is the real khilona of the film. In that context, this song is just emotional blackmail.
That’s plenty to chew on, I think! Without further ado, we hope you enjoy our English translation to “Khilona Jan Kar” below!
Khilona Jaan Kar Lyrics and English Translation:
Khilonaa jaan kar tum to meraa diltoD jaate ho You consider it a toy, and break my heart Oooo mujhe is haal mei.N kiske sahaarechhoD jaate ho? Oh, with whose support do you leave me alone in this condition? O khilonaa jaan kar…
Khudaa kaa vaastaa dekar manaa luu.N duur huu.N lekin For God’s sake, I would mollify you, yet I am far away Tumhaaraa raastaa mei.N rok luu.N majbuur huu.N lekin I would stop you in your path, yet I am weak Ki mai.N chal bhii nahii.N saktaa huu.N, aur tum dauDh jaate ho For I am unable to even walk, and you run away O khilonaa jaan kar…
Gilaa tumse nahii.N koii, magarafsosthoDaa hai I have no complaint against you, but I do have a little regret Ki jis gham ne meraa daamanbaDimushqil se chhoDaa hai That the sadness which left my side with great difficulty Usii gham se meraa phir aaj rishtaajoD jaate ho Is the same sadness you are binding to me today O khilonaa jaan kar…
Mere dil se na lo badlaazamaane bhar ki baato.N kaa Do not take revenge upon my heart for a world of issues Theher jaao! Suno! Mehemaan huu.N mai.N chand raato.N kaa Wait! Listen! I am a guest for only a few nights Chale jaanaa abhii se kis liye muu.N moD jaate ho? You must go eventually, but why turn your face away from me right now? O khilonaa jaan kar…
Glossary:
Khilonaa: toy; dil: heart; toDnaa: to break; haal: situation, health; sahaaraa: support; chhoDnaa: to leave; Khudaa: God; [kisii ka] vaastaa: the sake [of someone]; manaanaa: to mollify; lekin: yet; raastaa: path; roknaa: to stop; majbuur: weak; chalnaa: to go, to walk; dauDhnaa: to run; gilaa: complaint; magar: but; afsos: regret; thoDaa: a little; gham: sadness; daaman: side; embrace; baDaa: big, very; mushqil: difficulty; rishtaa: relationship, alliance (often in reference to a marriage proposition); joDnaa: to join, to bring together; badlaa lenaa: to take revenge; zamaanaa: the world, earth; Theher: to pause, to wait; sunnaa: to listen; mehmaan: guest; abhii: now; muu.N: face; moDnaa: to turn
Compound verb creation with “jaanaa”: A quick lesson from your Urdu-Hindi grammar school junkie
This is a concept that I still find takes finesse to use well and “Khilona Jaankar” is filled with compound verbs so it’s a great place to start! In Urdu-Hindi, you can create a special type of compound verb by taking a regular verb, such as “toDnaa” (to break), and combining it with “jaanaa” (to go). So instead of saying “you break my heart” as “dil toDte ho,” you would say “dil toD jaate ho.” The addition of “jaana” adds a sense of completion and finality to the verb preceding it. In these scenarios, the “na” is removed from the primary verb and the “jaanaa” is subsequently conjugated according to the tense you want to convey. Other commonly used compound verb examples include “denaa” or “lenaa“!
I highly encourage you to contrast Sanjeev Kumar’s performance here with his role in Aandhi (1975), where he shined playing the estranged, ultimately supportive husband to a rising female politician. Unlike Khilona for which he was nominated, but lost), Sanjeev Kumar won the Filmfare Best Actor Award for Aandhi, redeeming us all!
– Mrs. 55
Sanjeev Kumar truly embodies the male gaze in Khilona (1970) as he emotionally blackmails Mumtaz into staying in their unhealthy relationship.
The untimely demise of Sridevi at the age of 54 on February 24, 2018 has struck fans of Indian cinema across the globe. Today, in honor of Sridevi’s legacy, we present the lyrics and English translation to “Nainon Mein Sapna” from her first superhit Bollywood film Himmatwala (1983).
Sridevi’s acting career began at the age of four and would go on to include 300 films over the span of more than four decades. As an actress in South Indian language films, Sridevi’s early performances highlight her capacity to portray nuanced roles without the glamor and glitz that pervaded the Bollywood industry. Sridevi’s first foray into the world of Hindi cinema as a leading lady occurred in Solva Sawan (1979), but her rise to Bollywood stardom occurred as the heroine in K. Raghavendra Rao’s Himmatwala (1983), a Hindi remake of the Telegu film Ooruki Monagadu.
Regarding her early success with Himmatwala, Sridevi has said in a 1987 interview:
In Tamil films they love to see me act naturally. But in Hindi films all they want is lot of glamour, richness and masala. My bad luck was that my first big hit in Hindi films turned out to be a commercial one (Himmatwala). When I did a character role in Sadma, the picture flopped. So people started casting me only for glamour roles. But one day I’m going to prove to everyone that I can act also.
Following Himmatwala, Sridevi had a string of Bollywood hits in the 1980s and ’90s, soon becoming one of the most sought after actresses in the industry. Some of her most notable works include Mr. India (1987), Chandni (1989), Chaalbaaz (1989), Lamhe (1991) and Khuda Gawah (1992). After a 15-year hiatus following her controversial marriage to Boney Kapoor, Sridevi made an endearing comeback in English Vinglish (2012) as a Hindi-speaking housewife who takes on learning English for the first time in Manhattan. Most recently, Sridevi starred in Mom (2017) as a vigilante mother who avenges the rape of her daughter, which was the actress’s 300th and final appearance on screen before her death.
With her unparalleled charisma and signature big eyes, Sridevi won the hearts of millions of fans across the world. Given her massive popularity and exceptional body of work, she is widely considered to be Bollywood’s first female superstar. As we mourn the untimely loss of an icon, we send our heartfelt condolences to Sridevi’s family during this difficult time.
Do you have a favorite song featuring Sridevi? Let us know in the comments!
-Mr. ’55
Nainon Mein Sapna: Lyrics and English Translation
LATA: naino.n me.n sapnaa In my eyes, there is a dream.
sapno.n me.n sajnaa In my dreams, I see my beloved. sajnaa pe dil aa gayaa My heart has fallen for my beloved. kyo.n sajnaa pe dil aa gayaa? Why has my heart fallen for my beloved?
kaii albele dekhe I have seen many unique sights javaanii ke rele dekhe I have seen processions of youth. hasiino.n ke mele dekhe I have seen gatherings of beautiful women. dil pe tu hii chhaa gayaa But it is only you that reigns over my heart.
KISHORE: naino.n me.n sapna In my eyes, there is a dream. sapno.n me.n sajnii In my dreams, I see my beloved. sajnii pe dil aa gayaa My heart has fallen for my beloved. ki sajnii pe dil aa gayaa My heart has fallen for my beloved.
LATA: tuu nahii.n, mai.n nahii.n There is not just you or just me. ab dil ik hai Our hearts are now united as one. do tan ik praan, do dil ik jaan Two bodies with one soul, two hearts with one life. manzil ik hai We now have the same destination.
KISHORE: arre ang se ang mile Oh! As our bodies unite, armaa.nkhil gaye our desires have blossomed. purabpaschim se, paschim purab se From West to East and East to West, kaise mil gaye we have met in strange ways.
pyaar ke zamaane mile I have been given a new world of love, husn ke khazaane mile I have been given a beautiful treasure, jiine ke bahaane mile I have been given a reason to live, man me.n jo tuu aa gayaa Once you entered my heart.
LATA: saanche me.n tere hii In your mold, mai.n to Dhal gayii I shaped myself. tuu ne toDaa hai, aisaa moDaa hai You broke and twisted me ho gayii mai.n nayii to give me a new shape.
KISHORE: arre saa.nso.n me.n ho.nTho.n pe Oh! In my breaths and on my lips, teraa hii naam hai only your name resides. lenaa denaa hai kyaa mujhe duniyaa se? I have nothing to give or take from this world, tujh se kaam hai for I am only attached to you.
rangii.n nazaare mile I have seen colorful sights, tuufaa.n me.n kinaare mile I have found the shore amidst a storm, dil ke sahaare mile I have found comfort for my heart, dil me.n jo tuu aa gaya Once you entered my heart.
LATA: naino.n me.n sapnaa In my eyes, there is a dream.
sapno.n me.n sajnaa In my dreams, I see my beloved. sajnaa pe dil aa gayaa My heart has fallen for my beloved. kyo.n sajnaa pe dil aa gayaa? Why has my heart fallen for my beloved?
Rajesh Khanna and Rakhee express their sizzling love in the rain in Shehzada (1972).
It’s monsoon season again in India and, naturally, love is sparkling in the air. At last we present our list of the best rain songs from classic Bollywood! We all adore these moments–the iconic cuddling beneath an umbrella, the splashing around in a wet garden, or of course, Zeenat Aman in a drenched saari. It seems now that singing in the rain is the epitome of Bollywood romance, and a marvelous way to introduce a new song. But this phenomena did not occur overnight, and indeed, the meaning of rain itself in a film has shifted over the years with shifting cultural expectations. Let’s take a look at rain songs in Bollywood over the years!
Raj Kapoor and Nargis huddle close together beneath an umbrella in Shree 420 (1955).
We being in the earlier days of cinematic magic. As India awoke to freedom and liberty in the 1950s, so too did the country rapidly begin to shift gears away from pure agriculture and toward industrialization. Many of the best rain songs from that era embody a sense of wonder in urban environments and, matching the film censorship boards, an innocent just-got-struck-by love. In these songs, rain seems to act as that enchantment in the air–that driving force bringing a loved one into contact or sight. Rain too acted as that shimmering veil of restraint that both parties hesitate to cross. “Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si” from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) is one of the most beloved rain songs of that era!
Raj Kapoor prances about the city streets singing “Dum Dum Diga Diga” from Chhalia (1960).
With the advent of the 60s, came a new meaning of being caught in a rainstorm. No longer was rain an innocent effector of love at first sight, but rather a clever and well-understood pretext for full out passion. To clarify, by passion, I mean, symbolic wet dancing that means much more than actual physical contact. The Bollywood rain songs of the 60s exude a sense of joy, independence and confidence. The onset of a rainstorm had an understood implication for overt displays of affection that both parties are eager to demonstrate. Say hello to bouffant hairdos, tight and wet salwar qameezes, and men doing some very special attempts at a courtship dance.
Shammi Kapoor and Mala Sinha get drenched in Dil Tera Deewana Hai Sanam (1960)
Gone were the days of “Do Bigha Zameen” style agricultural celebration! While the setting of the village recurred, rain ceased to be a blessing for economic survival–instead, it brought the blessing of love between newly liberated men and woman of a new age. Check out our translation of “O Sajna Barkha Bahar” from Parakh (1960) and listen how music directors cleverly incorporated native Indian instruments into creating the sounds and moods of rain. Indeed, the trickling melodies of sitar have graced the introductions of many a great rain sequence–even famously with Ravi Shankar’s solo for Satyajit Rai’s Aparajito!
Dressed as a village belle, Asha Parekh delights in the first rain of the season in “Aaya Sawan Jhoom Ke” (1969).
At last the 70s arrived, and the Bollywood rain song explored new territory. Yes, Zeenat Aman in a wet white saari is crossing some obvious lines and certainly deserves a mention on this list, but the rain song did not merely degenerate into a male fantasy. Instead, as the political atmosphere changed, the rain song adopted a meaning to suit its people. With government dissatisfaction in the air, rain songs were (while maintaining something of a romantic undertone), also a means of escape and hope.
Jeetendra and Leena Chandavarkar exhibit some of the strangest and wildest dance moves to date in the famous rain love song of Humjoli (1970)
Did you know in the early days of cinema, rain scenes were not actually filmed in the rain? Because of the nature of unforgiving black-and-white film stock, even heavy pounding natural rain does not appear clearly in the camera–much less the gentle puhaare of many a romantic Bollywood setting. As such, the production staff needed to literally dump buckets of water or spray dozens of hoses above the set for “rain” to actually appear so on screen! So the next time you watch these songs, just imagine the total chaos going on outside the frame among the frantic, water-pouring production assistants!
Zeenat Aman sets the rain on fire in “Haye Haye Yeh Majboori” from Shor (1972).
But enough talk. Now that you know the history, here is our list in chronological order of Bollywood’s greatest rain songs! These all-time classic give an entirely new meaning to “Singin’ in the Rain!”
Rajesh Khanna cuddles Zeenat Aman to keep warm in the spicy rain song “Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Mein” in Ajnabi (1974).
And there you have it, the 15 best classic Bollywood rain songs over the ages! What are YOUR favorite rain songs from classic Bollywood–and tell us how they’ve influenced your own love stories!
You’ve probably never heard of Mani Rabadi, but I’ll bet you’ve seen her work before. A behind-the-scenes legend, Mani Rabadi was a fashion designer to the stars. This woman was the final word in costume design for Bollywood films of … Continue reading →
Mr. & Mrs. 55 - Classic Bollywood Revisited! 