Navketan Films | Mr. & Mrs. 55 – Classic Bollywood Revisited!

Dev Anand entrances the audience with “Hum Bekhudi Mein” in Kala Pani (1958).

We now present our complete translation to “Hum Bekhudi Mein Tumko Pukare,” one of Mohammed Rafi’s finest solos. The song, and in fact the film Kala Pani (1958), is a considerable break from Dev Anand’s previous work, transforming him from the debonair urbanite to a meditative, black kurta pajama-clad member of the traditional intelligentsia. “Hum Bekhudi Mein” bears the unmistakable hallmark of S.D. Burman’s finest compositions—a hauntingly powerful melody that is so captivating, instrumental ornamentation is close to entirely abandoned. There is something reminiscent of his earlier composition, “Dekhi Zamaane Ki Yaari“–with an emphasis on reflection, the purity of Mohammed Rafi’s voice engulfs the listener in the qawwal-like trance of his yearning, the feeling of entering a dream where time loses its meaning. Indeed, the “bekhudi” or loss of self as described by the singer is precisely what lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri aims to induce in the listener.

Nalini Jaywant believes she has found love at last in the mysterious stranger with a haunting voice in Kala Pani (1958).

The nuance of the lyrics is an exceptional example of the multi-faceted levels of interpretation of Urdu poetry. Each line returns to the refrain’s lingering “chale gaye”—a verb tense indicating continuity of the hero’s past actions, and his current obsession with reliving them. However, Mohammed Rafi’s very deliberate pause before singing “chale gaye” with each line allows for an additional dimension to the song’s interpretation, as if a forlorn reference to the woman herself who has left him (“woh jo chale gaye”). I love this song for every person that hears it will understand it in a slightly different way. If you can’t get enough of this melody, lovers of trivia will be delighted to discover that S.D. Burman actually recorded the original Bengali version of this song in his own voice, “Ghum Bhulechi Nijhum”!

In the Hindi version, hero Dev Anand elaborates on two forms of intoxication—first, the spell cast by his former lover, and second, alcohol to which he has resigned himself. In the evocative final line of the song, “Sheeshe mei.N aap ko bhi utaare chale gaye,” the hero reconciles their duality and his escape from reality. With the oblivion granted by alcohol, he regains the very woman who has left him in a state of bekhudi—a philosophical wanderer in fugue-like search of a connection.

Despite biting his fingernails throughout the song, Dev Anand is simply too attractive to handle in a black kurta and matching traditional hat.

We hope you enjoy our English translation to the lyrics of this beautiful poem “Hum Bekhudi Mein” from Kala Pani (1958). Check out the video in which Dev Anand woos the lovely courtesan Nalini Jaywant with his artistic depth! Did you know that after this song was released, Dev Anand was actually told not to wear black anymore in public because Indian women would swoon and jump from buildings upon seeing him dressed in that devastatingly attractive shade? I mean…I can see where they’re coming from!

Hum Bekhudi Mein Tumko Pukare Lyrics and Translation:

Hum bekhudii mei.N tum ko pukaare chale gaye
Unaware of my own self, I kept calling to you
Saaghar mei.N zindagii ko utaare chale gaye
And so I kept drowning my life in a glass of wine
Hum…

Dekhaa kiye tumhe hum banke deewaanaa
When I used to see you, I was madly love
Utaraa jo nashaa to hum ne yeh jaana
Once that intoxication wore off, I knew this
Saare woh zindagii ke sahaare chale gaye
That all the support I had in life had gone

Hum bekhudii mei.N tum ko pukaare chale gaye
Unaware of my own self, I kept calling to you

Tum to na kaho hum khud hi se khele
At least do not say that I played this game by myself.
Doobe nahii.N humii yuu.N nashe mei.N akele
For I did not drown in this intoxication alone
Sheeshe mei.N aap ko bhi utaare chale gaye
You were what I kept pouring into my glass

Hum bekhudii mei.N tum ko pukaare chale gaye
Unaware of my own self, I kept calling to you
Saaghar mei.N zindagii ko utaare chale gaye
And so I kept drowning my life in a glass of wine
Hum…

Glossary:

bekhudi: loss of self-awareness; pukaarnaa: to call out; saaghar: wine goblet; zindagii: life; deewaanaa: madly in love; nashaa: intoxication; sahaaraa: support; khud: self; khelnaa: to play; Doobnaa: to drown; akelaa: alone; sheeshaa: glass, mirror

Interestingly, this gently hypnotic song is used to trap Nalini Jaywant into falling in love with Dev Anand and confess her past crimes. Yes, it’s all a pretense–Dev Anand is actually in love with Madhubala, the cheeky journalist who is helping him absolve his wrongfully imprisoned father. Nalini Jaywant played a role in the original crime and must now the price of unrequited love for his son. The film was actually based on A.J. Cronin’s Scottish novel “Beyond This Place” published in 1953. Dev Anand loved Cronin’s work so much, he also later turned one of Cronin’s most famous novels, “The Citadel” into the 1971 Bollywood film Tere Mere Sapne.

– Mrs. 55

Dev Anand Hum Dono Main Zindagi Ka Saath

Dev Anand plays a philosophical military officer in Navketan Films’ all-time hit Hum Dono (1961)

We now present the full lyrics and English translation to the evergreen Mohammed Rafi solo, “Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata” from the film Hum Dono (1961). As we know, Hum Dono was released in colour last year by the late film legend Dev Anand, and newly entitled Hum Dono Rangeen. The film joins a string of recently re-colourized classics such as Mughal-e-Azam (1961) and Naya Daur (1957), riding the wave of India’s general excitement to enter previously unexplored technologies in film-making–from animation to digital special effects. The amount of work that goes into a recolourization of a film is amazing–particularly a 3 hour Hindi epic. Imagine hand-painting a single frame from the film: First, you must decide which colours would best match the director’s intention and the styles of the time. Then painstakingly painting the colours onto the frame that follow to exactly match the hue of the one before, making allowances for natural shifts of shadows and lighting as the actors move. When you remember that it takes 24 frames to make 1 second of a film, you can realize the enormity of the job ahead.

Dev Anand imagines Sadhana appearing next to his reflection in a pool of water.

Additionally, apart from adding a splash of colour, it would seem the new editors also altered the aspect ratio of the film into a widescreen presentation. Throughout some of the songs, you’ll also see Dev Anand had added fancy fades to and from black, which are definitely classy. However, I mourn the loss of the original aspect ratio–because the film is now made for the widescreen, a portion of the frame’s top and bottom have been cut off. A bit of the magic was cut too.

But even without these external alterations, the original beauty of the film has shone for decades. Hum Dono is a war film, but the story is not strictly about war. Dev Anand plays a dual role in the film and faces a moral dilemma when he impersonates the identity of his look-alike after the latter’s presumed death. Every action he makes has spiraling and exciting ethical repercussions. The film is one of the finest Bollywood has ever produced, and like most Dev Anand films, boldly explores difficult social themes and relationships. My only regret is that it’s obviously a twin story that no one bothered to explicitly state in the script. It’s a big gripe of mine about Bollywood twin movies, and for one of the worst examples of it, Haseena Maan Jaayegi, see our previous post on Bekhudi Mein Sanam!

Dev Anand hum Dono Main Zindagi Ka Saath 2

Dev Anand in full military dress from Hum Dono (1961)

But the greatest achievement of Hum Dono is in its music by Jaidev. Every single song in its soundtrack is pure gold, from the Rafi-Asha love duet “Abhi Na Jaao ChoD Kar” to the majestic Lata devotional “Allah Tero Naam.” The sweet melodies of Hum Dono have remained popular today, and amongst them is the sentimental mood-lifter “Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya.” In it, Dev Anand expresses many of the philosophies that would present in his later films such as Guide (1965). The Vedic-inspired line “gham aur khushi ke farq na mehsuus ho jahaan” allows the hero a carefree outlook that is unusual and refreshing for a jaded military officer. Because of it, this song has retained its popularity over the years. Of interesting note, Hindi movies were not allowed to use authentic Indian Army officer outfits for their costumes. So for anyone familiar with period military wear in India, you’ll notice the epaulette on the shoulder has been adjusted so it is not an exact replicate of what was actually worn!

Check out the youtube link here, and follow along with us below for full lyrics and English translation of “Main Zindagi Ka Saath“!

Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Lyrics and Translation

Mai.N zindagii ka saath nibhaataa chalaa gayaa
I faithfully followed wherever life took me
Har fikr ko dhuei.N mei.N uDaataa chalaa gayaa
I blew every worry into a mist of smoke

Barbaadiyo.N ka shok manaanaa fizuul tha
It was pointless to grieve about my destruction,
Barbaadiyo.N ka jashn manaataa chalaa gayaa
So I kept making a celebration of my destruction!
Har fikr ko dhuei.N mei.N uDaataa chalaa gayaa
I blew every worry into a mist of smoke

Jo mil gayaa usii ko muqaddar samajh liyaa
Whatever came my way I considered to be my destiny
Jo kho gayaa mei.N usko bhulaataa chalaa gayaa
Whatever was lost to me, I kept putting out of my mind.
Har fikr ko dhuei.N mei.N uDaataa chalaa gayaa
I blew every worry into a mist of smoke

Gham aur khushi mei.N farq na mehsuus ho jahaa.N
That state where happiness and sorrow are indistinguishable
Mai.N dil ko us muqaam pe laataa chalaa gayaa
That realm is where I kept pushing my heart
Har fikr ko dhuei.N mei.N uDaataa chalaa gayaa
I blew every worry into a mist of smoke

Glossary:

zindagii: life; fikr: worry; dhuuei.N; smoke; barbaad: destruction; shok manaanaa: grieve; fizul: pointless; jashn: celebration; muqaddar: destiny, fate; bhulaanaa: to forget gham: sadness; khushi: happiness; farq: difference mehsuus: feeling; muqaam: realm

Dev Anand blows all his worries away in a puff of smoke in Hum Dono (1961)

The gentle chiming at the beginning of the song can also be found at the very end of “Abhi Na Jaao ChoD Kar” from the same film. Nice, Jaidev. Nice. This song translation was made by special request from our fan Bhuvesh! We always welcome requests from our readers, so don’t forget to drop us a line!

– Mrs. 55