Parda Hai Parda Lyrics and Translation: Let’s Learn Urdu-Hindi

Posted on May 2, 2020 by mrandmrs55

RishiKapoor_AmarAkbarAnthony — Rishi Kapoor stars as a Muslim qawwali singer in *Amar Akbar Anthony* (1977)

Rishi Raj Kapoor died at the age of 67 on April 30th, 2020 after a two-year struggle with acute myeloid leukemia. He is best known for his work as a leading hero in over one hundred Bollywood films including his debut role in Bobby (1973), Karz (1980), Saagar (1985), and Chandni (1989) among many others.

Today, we present the lyrics and English translation to pardaah hai pardaah from Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), which remains one of the most cherished performances by Bollywood’s original chocolate boy.

Directed by Manmohan Desai, Amar Akbar Anthony is an ode to secularism and religious tolerance that tells the story of of three brothers separated during childhood. Amar, played by Vinod Khanna, is the eldest Hindu-born brother who grows up to become a policeman. Anthony, played by Amitabh Bachchan, is the middle brother who becomes a practicing Christian and works as a liquor dealer. Finally, Akbar played by Rishi Kapoor, is the youngest brother who goes on to become a Muslim qawwali singer. Following a host of complicated turns and twists, the three brothers are reunited many years later after discovering their mutual roots.

In this film, Rishi Kapoor gives one of his most memorable performances in the beloved qawwali “pardaah hai pardaah.” Sung during his late-70’s comeback, Mohammad Rafi deserves equal praise for his expressive vocals under the direction of music composer duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Although the remainder of the soundtrack’s lyrics are standard Bollywood masala fare, Anand Bakshi’s lyrics for this number are exquisitely penned surrounding the common man-unveils-woman trope (see parde me.n rahne do, yeh jo chilman hai). With the use of words like shabaab, shahazaadii, and mahjabii.n, you might want to brush up on your Urdu vocabulary with our glossary provided below.

Need another movie to add to your quarantine watch list? Pay your tribute to the departed Mr. Kapoor and look no further than Amar Akbar Anthony – the full movie can be found here!

-Mr. ’55

R.I.P. Rishi Kapoor (1952 – 2020)

Parda Hai Parda: Lyrics and English Translation

MR: shabaab pe mai.n zaraa-sii sharaab phai.nkuu.ngaa
I shall pour some wine over this youth.
kisii hasii.n kii taraf yeh gulaab phai.nkuu.ngaa
I shall throw this rose toward a beauty.

pardaah hai pardaah, pardaah hai pardaah
There is a veil, there is a veil.
parde ke piichhe pardaanashii.n hai
There is a woman behind the veil.
pardaanashii.n ko bepardaah na kar duu.n to
If I do not unveil the woman behind the veil...
Akbar meraa naam nahii.n hai!
then my name is not Akbar!

mai.n dekhtaa huu.n jidhar, log bhii udhar dekhe.n
Wherever I look, people look in the same direction.
kahaa.n Thahartii hai jaa kar merii nazar dekhe.n
They look at where my gaze stops.

mere khvaabo.n kii shahazaadii, mai.n huu.n Akbar ilaahabaadii
Oh, the princess of my dreams! I am Akbar of Allahabad.
mai.n shaayar huu.n hasiino.n kaa, mai.n aashiq mahjabiino.n kaa
I am a poet of beauty. I am a lover of beautiful women.
teraa daaman na chhoDuu.ngaa, mai.n har chilman ko toDuungaa
I shall not leave your side. I shall tear every curtain between us.

na Dar zaalim zamaane se, adaa se yaa bahaane se
Do not fear this cruel world. By grace or pretense,
zaraa apnii suurat dikhaa de, samaa khuubsuurat banaa de
please show your face and beautify the mood.
nahii.n to teraa naam leke, tujhe koii ilzaam deke
Otherwise I will sully your name with an accusation.
tujhko is mahfil me.n rusvaa na kar duu.n
If I do not dishonor you in this gathering...
pardaanashii.n ko bepardaah na kar duu.n to
If I do not unveil the woman behind the veil...
AK: Akbar teraa naam nahii.n hai!
then your name is not Akbar!

MR: khudaa kaa shukr hai, chahraa nazar to aayaa hai
Give thanks to the Lord, her face has been revealed!
hayaa kaa rang nigaaho.n pe phir bhii chhaayaa hai
Yet a tinge of modesty remains in her eyes.

kisii kii jaan jaatii hai, kisii ko sharm aatii hai
As I suffer, she shies away from me.
koii aa.nsuu bahaataa hai, to koii muskuraataa hai
As I shed tears, she cracks a smile.
sataa kar is tarah aksar, mazaa lete hai.n ye dilbar
My lover takes pleasure in torturing me so.
yahii dastuur hai in kaa, sitam mashahuur hai in kaa
Her cruel practices are known to all.

khafaa hoke chahraa chhupaa le, magar yaad rakh husnvaale
Hide your face in anger, my beautiful one, but remember this: 
jo hai aag terii javaanii, meraa pyaar hai sard paanii
my love is like cold water for the fire of your youth.
mai.n tere ghusse ko ThanDaa na kar duu.n haa.n
If I do not calm your anger...
pardaanashii.n ko bepardaah na kar duu.n to
If I do not unveil the woman behind the veil...
AK: Akbar teraa naam nahii.n hai!
then your name is not Akbar!

MR: pardaah hai pardaah, pardaah hai pardaah
There is a veil, there is a veil.

*MR = lines sung by Mohammed Rafi, AK = lines sung by Amit Kumar

GLOSSARY

shabaab: youth; sharaab: wine, alcohol; phainknaa: to throw; hasii.n:
beautiful one; gulaab: rose; pardaah: veil; pardaahnashii.n: veiled
woman; bepardaah karnaa: to unveil; Thaharnaa: to stop; khvaab: dream;
shahazaadii: princess; illahabaadii: from Allahabad, a city in the Indian
state of Uttar Pradesh; shaayar: poet; aashiq: lover; mahjabii.n: moon-
like beauty; daaman chhoDnaa: to leave one's side; chilman: curtain;
zaalim: cruel; zamaanaa: world; adaa: grace; bahaanaa: pretense; suurat:
face; samaa: ambience, atmosphere; khuubsuurat banaanaa: to beautify;
ilzaam: accusation; mahfil: gathering: rusvaa karnaa: to dishonor; shukr:
thanks; chahraa: face; hayaa: modesty; nigaahe.n: eyes; sharm aanaa: to
feel shy; sataanaa: to torture; mazaa lenaa: to take pleasure; dilbar:
lover; khafaa: angry; husnvaale: beautiful one; aag: fire; javaanii:
youth; sard: cold; ghussaah: anger.

Salaam-E-Ishq Meri Jaan Lyrics and Translation: Let’s Learn Urdu-Hindi

Posted on December 27, 2017 by mrandmrs55

screen-shot-2017-12-24-at-10-33-24-pm-e1514177158319.png

Rekha nails the aadab in the introduction to salaam-e-ishq merii jaa.n from Muqaddar Ka Sikander (1978)

Today, we present the lyrics and English translation of “Salaam-E-Ishq Meri Jaan” from Muqaddar Ka Sikander (1978).

Directed by Prakash Mehra, the blockbuster film Muqaddar Ka Sikander became the third highest grossing movie of the ’70s (following Sholay and Bobby) for its mass appeal as a classic masala entertainer. With an all-star cast and a convoluted plot, the film portrays the trials and tribulations of Sikander (Amitabh Bacchan) as he navigates through life’s struggles – from an unfortunate childhood as a poor orphan to a troubled young man with a doomed love.

The soundtrack of this film, composed by the underrated duo Kalyanji-Anandji and penned by Anjaan (Lalji Pandey), was a hit when the movie released and remains popular to this day. Notable gems include rote hue aate hai.n sab by Kishore, o saathii re by Kishore/Asha, and dil to hai dil by Lata. However, the highlight of the film’s soundtrack is the Lata-Kishore duet salaam-e-ishq meri jaa.n, whose lyrics have interestingly been credited to the film’s director Prakash Mehra. Although Rekha’s role in the film is small, she shines in her performance of this mujra number and shares great on-screen chemistry with Amitabh. No one can play the sulking courtesan like Rekha can, am I right?

For the musically inclined, this song is based on Raga Yaman Kalyan with a touch of Puriya Dhanashri when Kishore sings the second antara.

This song was requested by one of our dear readers Salma – thank you! Until next time…

-Mr. 55

Rekha looks great, but what was Amitabh’s costume designer thinking here?

Salaam-E-Ishq Meri Jaan: Lyrics and English Translation

ishqvaalo.n se na puuchho ki unkii raat kaa aalam
Do not ask lovers about how their nights
tanhaa kaise guzartaa hai?
pass in solitude.
judaa ho hamsafar jiskaa voh usko yaad kartaa hai
Those separated from their companions reminisce about them.
na ho jis kaa koii voh milne kii fariyaad kartaa hai
Those who are alone pray to meet their beloved.

salaam-e-ishq merii jaa.n zaraa qubuul kar lo
My dear, accept these greetings of love.
tum ham se pyaar karne kii zaraa-sii bhuul kar lo
Make the small mistake of falling in love with me.
meraa dil bechain hai hamsafar ke liye
My heart is restless for a companion.

mai.n sunaauu.n tumhe.n baat ik raat kii
I shall tell you the story of one night.
chaa.nd bhii apnii puurii javaanii pe thaa
The Moon was shining in full splendor.
dil me.n tuufaan thaa, ik armaan thaa
In my heart, there was a storm, a desire.
dil kaa tuufaan apnii ravaanii pe thaa
This storm in my heart raged with full vigor.
ik baadal udhar se chalaa jhuum ke
A cloud danced its way from afar
dekhte dekhte chaa.nd par chhaa gayaa
and cast its shadow over the Moon.
chaa.nd bhii kho gaya uskii aaghosh me.n
The Moon was lost in its embrace.
uff! yeh kya ho gaya josh hii josh me.n?
Oh! What has happened amidst such passion?
meraa dil dhaDkaa
My heart beat.
meraa dil taDpaa kisii kii nazar ke liye
My heart pined for someone’s glance.

KISHORE: is ke aage kii ab daastaa.n mujh se sun
Now hear the rest of the story from me.
sun ke terii nazar Dab-Dabaa jaayegii
After hearing it, your gaze will fall.
baat dil kii jo ab tak tere dil me.n thii
The innermost thoughts that have resided in your heart,
meraa daavaa hai ho.nTho.n pe aa jaayegi
I guarantee that they will surface to your lips.
tuu masiiha muhabbat ke maaro.n kaa hai
You are the Messiah for the lovestruck.
ham tera naam sun ke chale aaye hai.n
After hearing your name, I have come to your side.
ab davaa de hame.n yaa tuu de de zahar
Now give me your medicine or give me poison.
terii mahfil me.n ye diljale aaye hai.n
Many of your admirers have arrived in this gathering.
ik ahsaan kar apne mahmaan par
Do a favor for your guests,
de.n duaaye.n
for they will give you blessings.
de.n duaaye.n tujhe umr bhar ke liye
They will give you blessings for the rest of your life.

LATA: salaam-e-ishq merii jaa.n zaraa qubuul kar lo
My dear, accept these greetings of love.

Glossary:

aalaam: condition, atmosphere; fariyaad: prayer; salaam-e-ishq: greetings of love; qubuul karnaa: to accept; bhuul: mistake; bechain: restless; hamsafar: companion; javaanii: youth, splendor; tuufaan: storm; armaan: hope, desire; ravaanii: vigor; baadal: cloud; chhaa jaanaa: to cast a shadow; aaghosh: embrace; josh: passion; taDpaanaa: to pine; daastaa.n: story; Dab-Dabaa jaanaa: to sink, fall; daavaa: promise, guarantee; masiiha: Messiah; muhabbat ke maaro.n: the lovestruck; davaa: medicine; zahar: poison; diljale: admirer; ahsaan: favor; mahmaan: guest; duaaye.n: blessings; umr bhar: life-long.

Amitabh_Rekha_SalaamEIshq_MuqaddarKaSikander

Of course, no mujra number is complete without some groveling from a drunk hero.

Everything I Need to Know About Life, I Learned From Amar, Akbar, Anthony (1977)

Posted on December 19, 2015 by mrandmrs55

We at Mr. and Mrs. 55 – Classic Bollywood Revisited! are getting tired of some of the recent unhinged political rhetoric being thrown around. Sometimes we have to take a moment to realize that not everyone was lucky enough to learn important life lessons as we were from classic Bollywood films.

Amar Akbar, Anthony (1977) is one of India’s most beloved masala films, telling the story of three brothers who are separated in childhood and eventually united after one is raised a Hindu, one a Muslim, and one a Christian. Let’s take a moment to reflect on what Vinod Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, and Amitabh Bachhan’s title characters would have to say about recent events.

3 Life Lessons From Amar, Akbar, Anthony (1977):

1. We CAN all live in harmony.

Plurality makes us better. Families, communities, and countries are enriched because we embrace and learn from our differences.

2. A family that sings and dances together, stays together.

On a related note, always, always have a giant Easter egg handy. Just trust me.

3. Karma is a b****.

A really huge b****. If you insult a man when he’s down, you’re going to be that man soon. And everyone, even your kids, will hate you. Until, of course, you repent and join them in a group chorus (see rule #2).

Pass this along to friends, shady pharmaceutical executives, and bombastic political wannabes who don’t quite get it. And if your childhood was completely empty, you can now watch Amar, Akbar, Anthony online and subtitled here!

Your welcome.

– Mrs. 55

How to Play the Awkward Miffed Lover

Posted on August 19, 2012 by mrandmrs55

It happens to everyone at some point. We all hate this situation. You land the girl of your dreams, you take her to a fancy dinner party, and just when everything is going your way, her ex-lover crashes the scene. With the heavenly voice of a playback singer, the new contender bursts into dramatic song, calling out his passion with your girl in front of EVERYONE.

Plus, the more the song goes on, the more you realize you’re trapped–any interruption would only backfire. And on top of it, your girl is getting embarrassingly emotional.

So what to do? It’s clear everyone in the audience is just cheering for those two to reunite, leaving YOU with the ugly villain label. The rules of the game prevent you from simply cutting the song off short—you have no option but to helplessly be made a fool. It’s such an unfair tactic, and heroes of Bollywood films LOVE to use it.

In times like these, we reflect on the inspiring behavior of greater men. They too were placed in these compromising and uncomfortable situations. Each one had their own style, their own method of handling the filmi fire life dealt them.

As I see it, you have five main options to choose from. Let us examine their protocols below.

The Vinod Khanna: Get Angry

During the beautiful love ode “Koi Nazarana Lekar” from Aan Milo Sajna (1970), Vinod Khanna shoots daggers from his eyes at the shameless flirt Rajesh Khanna.

Option 1. Get angry. It’s bad enough that you showed up to this event in a lime green tuxedo. Complete the look and let your face turn pea green with envy. Who cares who judges you? Be a party-pooper and scowl your way through the song, sucking the joy out of everyone else’s fun.

The Rehman: Blush

Ugh. Nothing worse than having your own crimes turned into public poetry. Although it’s a black-and-white film, you can see Rehman turn a hot pink during Guru Dutt’s classic lament “Jaane Woh Kaise” from Pyaasa (1957).

Option 2. Blush. You’re guilty and there’s no hiding it. Don’t make eye contact with anyone! Instead, mentally review the cquestionable ethical decisions you took along the path that led you to this debacle. You will realize what a jerk you’ve been, and although you have to stay the course, colour will rise to your cheeks.

The Raj Kapoor: Play it off as a joke

Always a goofball, Raj Kapoor attempts valiantly to make light of the humiliating situation wrought by Dilip Kumar singing “Jhoom Jhoom Ke” from Andaz (1949).

Option 3. Play it off as a joke. You’re at a dinner party, after all and this is no time to aggravate the situation. Keep that bow-tie straight and act casual. With enough non-chalance, maybe the party-goers will think it’s only a bit of fun among friends?

The Rishi Kapoor: Give up

Horror and resignation overwhelm Rishi Kapoor’s face during Tariq’s performance of “Kya Hua Tera Wada” from Hum Kisise Kam Nahin (1979)

Option 4. Give up. Just give up. How could you have not known of this beautiful subverted love story earlier? This is entirely your fault. You’re overwhelmed with moral guilt and regret–do the righteous thing and withdraw your nomination from the ballet entirely. In this way, you can quickly drop the villain label and return to your proper place as hero!

The Pran: Enjoy the show

Pran doesn’t ruffle a feather during Shammi Kapoor’s heartfelt and passionate “Dil Ke Jharoke” from Brahmachari (1968). But hey, when you’re as devastatingly sophisticated as Pran, you wouldn’t have time for these amateurs either.

Option 5. Enjoy the show. After all, who’s worried? This other guy has nothing on you, you suave gift to womankind. Keep the entertainment coming! Oh, I’m sorry, honey, are you crying? Here, take my silk handkerchief. You might need it.

So the next time you hear the tinkerings of a tragic song start on the piano behind you, don’t panic. There is a way out! Just pick an approach from the textbook of Hindi films. If classic Bollywood has taught us anything about these moments, it’s that they can and will happen all the time. Tell us whose approach YOU prefer!

-Mrs. 55