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

Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamana Lyrics and Translation: Let’s Learn Urdu-Hindi

Posted on May 20, 2017 by mrandmrs55

We are not worthy of Waheeda Rehman glistening in head-to-toe teal in “Aaj Phir Jeene Ki” from Guide (1965).

Today we present the English translation and lyrics to “Aaj Phir Jeene Ki” from the cult classic film Guide (1965). A stirring exploration of the Vedic transformation from materialism to freedom from worldly attachments, Guide is routinely listed among the greatest Bollywood films ever made. Based on the classic novel by R.K. Narayan “The Guide,” the film unearths profound depths beneath a glittery surface of a scandalous romance: Raju (played by Dev Anand) is a smooth-talking tour guide who is mesmerized by a vivacious young dancer, Rosy (played by Waheeda Rehman), the wife of an elderly archaeologist. Trapped in a loveless marriage of convenience, Rosy dreams of becoming a famous performer while masking her shame of being the daughter of a courtesan. While her lofty ambitions and enchanting on-screen presence initially propel Rosy to the foreground of the narrative, Raju’s nuanced, reflective character is the real star of the film whose philosophical awakening bestows the film its larger-than-life greatness.

Waheeda Rehman finds a renewed zeal to live with the support of Dev Anand in Guide (1965).

Raju observes with quiet fascination Rosy’s marital discord as he leads her and her husband on a tour of historical caves. His curiosity quickly blossoms into something more as her despair leads to attempted suicide as Rosy’s husband carries on an affair with a local villager. Raju finds himself assuming the role of her protector, whisking Rosy to the city where she purchases a set of ghungroos (dancing bells) from a street stall. The bells transform her instantly into capricious, joyful young woman who realizes how much she has to life for. As she prances back to the countryside, swirling through the Rani Padmini Palace and Chittorgh Fort in Rajasthan along the way, Waheeda Rehman’s “Aaj Phir Jeene Ki” (sung by Lata Mangeshkar) is a song of rebirth.

Guide is a landmark for its ceiling-smashing plot and careful, stunning cinematography that keep pace with its stellar soundtrack composed by S. D. Burman. Follow along with the video here to see how director Vijay Anand cuts between high-angle and low-angle shots that brilliantly mirror the unpredictable oscillations of Rosy’s mood.

Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamana Lyrics and Translation:

Kaa.Nto.N se khee.Nch ke yeh aa.Nchal
I pulled my saari away from thorns
ToD ke bandhan baandhe paayal
I broke my shackles when I tied these anklets
Koii na roko dil ki udaa.N ko
Let know no one stop the soaring of my heart
Dil woh chalaa aa aa aa aa aa…
There goes my heart…
Aaj phir jeene ki tamannaa hai
Today I have the desire to live again
Aaj phir marne ka iraadaa hai
Today I intend to die again

Apne hii bas mei.N nahii.N mai.N
I have no control over myself
Dil hai kahii.N to huu.N kahii.N mai.N
My heart is somewhere and I am somewhere else
Ho jaane kya paa ke merii zindagii ne ha.Ns kar kahaa
Who knows what my life gained as it said laughing
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…

Aaj phir jeene ki tamannaa hai
Today I have the desire to live again
Aaj phir marne ka iraadaa hai
Today I intend to die again

Mai.N huu.N ghuubaar yaa tuufaa.N huu.N?
Am I a dust storm or a rain storm?
Koii bataaye mai.N kahaa.n huu.N
Someone tell me where I am
Ho Dar hai safar mei.N kahii.N kho na jaauu.N mai.N rastaa nayaa
I fear that I may get lost somewhere in this journey upon a new path
Aa aa aa aa aa…

Aaj phir jeene ki tamannaa hai
Today I have the desire to live again
Aaj phir marne ka iraadaa hai
Today I intend to die again

Kal ke andhero.N se nikal ke
I emerged from the darkness of yesterday
Dekha hai aankhe.N malte malte
I rub my eyes and finally see
Ho phuul hi phuul zindagii bahaar hai, tay kar liyaa
Flowers are everywhere and life is like Spring, I have decided
Aa aa aa aa…

Aaj phir jeene ki tamannaa hai
Today I have the desire to live again
Aaj phir marne ka iraadaa hai
Today I intend to die again

Glossary

kaa.Ntaa: thorn; khee.Nchnaa: to pull; aa.Nchal: end of a saari; toDnaa: to break; bandhan: shackle; paayal: anklet; koii: someone; roknaa: to stop; dil: heart; udaa.N: soaring, flight; aaj: today; phir: again; jeenaa: to live; tamannaa: desire; marnaa: to die; iraadaa: intention; bas mei.N: self-control; kahii.N: somewhere; jaane kyaa: who knows what, wonder what; paanaa: to gain; zindagii: life; ha.Nsnaa: to laugh; ghuubaar: dust storm; tuufaa.N: rain storm; bataanaa: to tell; Dar: fear; safar: journey: kho jaanaa: to become lost; rastaa: path; nayaa: new; andheraa: darkness; nikalnaa: to emerge; malnaa: to rub; phuul: flower; bahaar: Spring; tay karnaa: to decide

Waheeda Rehman Rani Padmini palace Rajasthan

The depth of field in the shot allows the viewer to appreciate Dev Anand lagging behind in the background of the Rani Padmini palace in Rajasthan, India where “Aaj Phir Jeene Ki” was filmed on location.

This lovely Lata Mangeshkar solo was requested by fan Yahya. Did you know there was an English-language version of Guide that was even more daring and true to the novel, but never made it to large audiences? More on its fascinating back-story and how American Nobel laureate Pearl S. Buck and Dev Anand became unlikely co-producers in a future post!

Waheeda Rehman and Dev Anand reunited five years later for the film Prem Pujari (1970) that also boasted a gorgeous soundtrack, including the hit love duet “Shokhiyon Mein Ghola.” However, the film failed to capture the magic of their earlier hits and flopped at the box office. Dev Anand would go on to say in many interviews that working on Guide remained the highlight of his career.

-Mrs. 55

Naina Barse Rimjhim Rimjhim Lyrics and Translation: Let’s Learn Urdu-Hindi

Posted on October 30, 2015 by mrandmrs55

Sadhana excels in her role as the mysterious femme fatale of Woh Kaun Thi? (1964)

Happy Halloween to our readers! What better way to celebrate with a classic ghost song featuring Lata Mangeshkar’s spooky vocals, Sadhana’s haunting beauty, and Madan Mohan’s soul-stirring composition? In the spirit of Halloween, we are sharing the lyrics and English translation to nainaa barse rimjhim rimjhim from Raj Khosla’s suspense thriller Woh Kaun Thi? (1964).

In a previous post, we have discussed how Woh Kaun Thi? is the quintessential example of film noir being adapted for vintage Hindi cinema. In this film, Dr. Anand (Manoj Kumar) encounters a mysterious woman (Sadhana) on a stormy night and offers to give her a ride in his car. After she makes a strange request to be dropped off at a local cemetery, he hears this woman sing the first part of nainaa barse – a song that continues to haunt him at various points throughout the film. Later in the movie, Dr. Anand is called to see a patient in an old mansion that is rumored to be haunted. When he arrives at this mansion, the patient has already died and she appears to be the same woman that he encountered on the stormy night. In an even more strange turn of events, Dr. Anand’s fiancee is murdered suddenly by a cyanide injection. To alleviate his grief and loneliness, Dr. Anand is set up by his mother to his marry a new woman named Sandhya. Much to his surprise, Dr. Anand finds on his wedding night that his new wife looks exactly like the supposedly dead woman he gave a ride to in the film’s opening scene! Like Dr. Anand, the audience is left confused as they grapple with the film’s eponymous question: Woh kaun thi? Who was she?

Throughout her career, Lata Mangeshkar earned a reputation for her haunting renditions of ghost songs in films. Some of her most influential and beautiful hits are used as ghost songs in their respective movies: aayegaa aanevaalaa from Mahal (1949), tuu jahaa.n jahaa.n chalegaa from Mera Saaya (1966), kahii.n diip jale kahii.n dil from Bees Saal Baad (1962), and gumnaam hai koii from Gumnaam (1965). In an interview for her 80th birthday, the melody queen humorously remarks about her career: mai.n ne sab se zyaadaa gaanaa gaaye hai.n bhuuto.n ke (I have sung the most songs for ghosts!).

An interesting and apt anecdote: when this song was being filmed in Kufri (near Shimla), Lata had not yet had the opportunity to record the song in the studio. Much to the surprise of the crowd that had gathered to watch the filming, actress Sadhana shot her scenes by lip-syncing to a version of this song rendered by music director Madan Mohan himself – perhaps a bit creepy but also a rare treat!

Did you know that Woh Kaun Thi? was inspired by a British play called The Woman In White (1859) written by Wilkie Collins? Raj Khosla’s mentor Guru Dutt had attempted to create a film based on the same story a few years earlier in 1959. He abandoned this project entitled Raaz in which he was supposed to play the male lead while Waheeda Rehman played the female lead. Interestingly, this film was supposed to have been R.D. Burman’s debut as a solo music director.

-Mr. 55

Manoj Kumar plays a confused doctor who is recurrently haunted by a mysterious woman and her song in Woh Kaun Thi? (1964)

Naina Barse Rimjhim Rimjhim (Version 1): Lyrics and Translation

nainaa barse rimjhim rimjhim
My eyes shed tears, drop by drop,
piyaa tore aavan kii aas
in hopes of your return, my beloved.
nainaa barse, barse, barse
My eyes shed tears.

yeh laakho.n gham, yeh tanhaayii
Thousands of sorrows and this solitiude
muhabbat kii yeh rusvaayii
are all part of love’s disgrace.
kaTii aisii kaii raate.n
I have spent several such nights
na tum aaye na maut aayii
where neither you came to me, nor my death.
yeh bi.ndiyaa kaa taaraa
The star of my beauty spot
jaise ho a.ngaaraa
burns brightly like an ember.
mahandii mere haatho.n kii udaas
Even the henna on my hands is sullen.

nainaa barse rimjhim rimjhim
My eyes shed tears, drop by drop,
piyaa tore aavan kii aas
in hopes of your return, my beloved.
nainaa barse, barse, barse
My eyes shed tears.

Manoj Kumar’s restrained and understated performance falls short in comparison to Sadhana’s dynamic portrayal of the leading character in Woh Kaun Thi? (1964).

Naina Barse Rimjhim Rimjhim (Version 2): Lyrics and Translation

nainaa barse rimjhim rimjhim
My eyes shed tears, drop by drop,
piyaa tore aavan kii aas
in hopes of your return, my beloved.
nainaa barse, barse, barse
My eyes shed tears.

adhuuraa huu.n mai.n afsaanaa
I am an incomplete story.
jo yaad aauu.n chale aanaa
When you remember me, come back to me.
meraa jo haal hai tujh bin
The state that I am in without you,
voh aa kar dekhte jaanaa
come to me and see it for yourself.
bhiigii bhiigii palke.n
My eyelashes are moist,
chham-chham aa.nsuu chhalke.n
as my tears drip, sounding like the jingle of an anklet.
khoyii khoyii aa.nkhe.n hai.n udaas
My eyes are lost and sullen.

nainaa barse rimjhim rimjhim
My eyes shed tears, drop by drop,
piyaa tore aavan kii aas
in hopes of your return, my beloved.
nainaa barse, barse, barse
My eyes shed tears.

Sadhana’s dashing beauty shines against the backdrop of Shimla in the Himalayas in Woh Kaun Thi? (1964)

Naina Barse Rimjhim Rimjhim (Version 3): Lyrics and Translation

nainaa barse rimjhim rimjhim
My eyes shed tears, drop by drop,
piyaa tore aavan kii aas
in hopes of your return, my beloved.
nainaa barse, barse, barse
My eyes shed tears.

voh din merii nigaaho.n me.n
Those days remain in my eyes.
voh yaade.n merii aaho.n me.n
Those memories remain in my sighs.
yeh dil ab tak bhaTaktaa hai
This heart still wanders
terii ulfat kii raaho.n me.n
along the paths of your love.
suunii suunii raahe.n, sahmii sahmii baahe.n
Along those empty paths, with my nervous arms,
aan.kho.n me.n hai barso.n kii pyaas
my eyes carry a thirst unslaked for years.

nazar tujh bin machaltii hai
My sight wavers without you.
muhabbat haath maltii hai
My love repents in desperation.
chalaa aa mere parvaane
Please come to me, my moth.
vafaa kii shamaa jaltii hai
The candle of faithfulness still burns brightly.
o mere hamraahii, phirtii huu.n ghabraayii
Oh, my soulmate! I wander about afraid.
jahaa.n bhii hai, aa jaa mere paas
Wherever you are, please come to me.

nainaa barse rimjhim rimjhim
My eyes shed tears, drop by drop,
piyaa tore aavan kii aas
in hopes of your return, my beloved.
nainaa barse, barse, barse
My eyes shed tears.

Glossary

nainaa: eyes; barasnaa: to rain; rimjhim: onomatopoeia for the dripping noise of rain; aavan: return, arrival; aas: hope; adhuuraa: incomplete; afsaanaa: story; haal: state, condition; palak: eyelid, eyelash; chham-chham: onomatopoeia for the jingling noise of an anklet; chhalaknaa: to drip; udaas: sullen, gloomy; tanhaayii: solitude; rusvaayii: disgrace; maut: death; bi.ndiyaa: beauty spot; angaaraa: cinder, ember; mahandii: henna, nigaah: eyes; aah: sigh; sahmaa: nervous; baras: year; pyaas: thirst; nazar: glance, sight; machalnaa: to waver; haath malnaa: to repent; parvaanaa: moth; vafaa: faithfulness; shamaa: candle; hamraahii: soulmate, companion; phirnaa: to wander about; ghabraayaa: afraid.

Those eyes!

Shokhiyon Mein Ghola Jaaye Lyrics and Translation: Let’s Learn Urdu-Hindi

Posted on September 21, 2015 by mrandmrs55

Shokhiyon Mein Ghola Jaaye Waheeda and Dev Anand sugarcane

As Dev Anand croons “Shokhiyon Mein Ghola Jaaye” in Prem Pujari (1970), Waheeda Rehman makes even chomping raw sugarcane look attractive.

Today we present the lyrics and English translation of the evergreen duet “Shokhiyon Mein Ghola Jaaye” from Prem Pujari (1970). There could be no better song to welcome the change of seasons than this sweet exploration of the meaning of love…and of a haystack maze. Dev Anand plays a peace-loving son of a veteran who would rather be catching butterflies and whispering words of love to his fiancee, Waheeda Rehman, than holding a gun. However, when war breaks out, he is forced to reconcile his rosy temperament with patriotic duty, ultimately becoming a double spy for India at the expense of his family and loved ones.

But before these complexities of the spirit arise, Waheeda Rehman and Dev Anand spend a few moments blissfully unaware of the perils ahead, playing hide-and-go-seek together like any fully-grown adults in love would do. Their delightful escapades among the haystacks are second only to the passionate Bollywood thrills of running around a tree. I’m a huge sucker for nature-themed flirtation in Hindi films. In “Shokhiyon Mein Ghola Jaaye,” the camera surges between haystacks on a dolly track like a sheep on the loose, anticipating every peekaboo moment of Dev Anand poking his head through the straw or tracing Waheeda’s bright red chunni across the hay to victory. And don’t miss the special moment as they are just about to kiss each other when the camera suddenly cuts to a completely random shot of a raging fire followed by a shot of a gushing water stream. Try to make sense of that adorably antagonistic symbolism, just try. Fortunately, S.D. Burman’s musical genius provides exactly the rip-roaring crescendo we needed to seam all the pieces together.

Gopal Das Neeraj’s poem was originally written as “Chandnii Mei.N Ghola Jaaye,” however Dev Anand wanted to picturize the song during daylight and hence the lyrics were changed. Lata Mangeshkar’s celestial voice is at such a peak in this song, it will make you question her divinity. Kishore Kumar balances her angelic vocals with manly aplomb, helping us gloss past the rough patches caused by Dev Anand’s crimson blazer and matching butterfly net.

Forgetting that sound travels, Waheeda Rehman sings while playfully climbing up a haystack to hide from her lover in Prem Pujari (1970).

Doesn’t this all just make you crave a pumpkin spice latte? We tragically don’t have sugarcane fields in my town, but I hope you enjoy our translation of this charming Autumn ballad and feel inspired to hit your nearest corn maze, apple orchard, or petting zoo with the one you love. Watch the video on youtube here and follow along with our lyrics and English translation below!

Shokhiyon Mein Ghola Jaaye Lyrics and Translation:

KISHORE: Shokhiyo.N mei.N gholaa jaaye, phoolo.N kaa shabaab
Take a swirl of mischievousness, and the youthfulness of flowers
Us mei.N phir milaaii jaaye thoDii sii sharaab
In those mix in a little bit of wine
Hogaa yuu.N nashaa jo taiyyaar
The intoxication you create like this
Haa.N , hogaa yuu.N nashaa jo taiyyaar, woh pyaar hai
Yes, the intoxication you create like this is love
Shokhiyo.N mei.N gholaa jaaye, phoolo.N kaa shabaab…

KISHORE: Hey hey, hey hey, hey hey, hey hey!

LATA: Ha.Nstaa huaa bachpan woh, bahakaa huaa mausam hai
It is a childhood of laughter, it is a deceptive atmosphere
ChheDo to ek sholaa hai, chhuu lo to bas shabnam hai
It teases you like an ember, but when it touches you, it feels like a dewdrop
Gaao.N mei.N, mele mei.N, raah mei.N, akele mei.N
Whether in a village or in a fair, whether upon a street or by yourself
Aataa jo yaad baar baar, woh pyaar hai
That memory that comes to you all the time is love
Shokhiyo.N mei.N gholaa jaaye, phoolo.N kaa shabaab…

LATA: Oh, la la, la la la, la la la, ah…

KISHORE: Rang mei.N pighale sonaa, ang se yuu.N ras chhalke
It is the color of liquid gold, nectar flows from its body
Jaise baje dhun koi raat mei.N halke halke
It is as if a melody is played softly at night
Dhuup mei.N, chhaao.N mei.N, jhuumtii hawaao.N mei.N
In the sunlight, in the shadows, in the playful winds
Har dam kare jo intezaar, woh pyaar hai
That which waits for you every moment is love
Shokhiyo.N mei.N gholaa jaaye, phoolo.N kaa shabaab…

KISHORE: Yaad agar woh aaye…
If you remember your love…
LATA: Oh, yaad agar woh aaye, aise kaTe tanhaaii
Oh, if you remember your love, then loneliness is eased
Suune sheher mei.N jaise bajne lage shahanaai
As if in an empty city, wedding music begins to play
KISHORE: Yaad agar woh aaye, aise kaTe tanahaai
If you remember your love, then loneliness is eased
Suune shahar mei.N jaise bajane lage shahanaai
As if in an empty city, wedding music begins to play
BOTH: Aanaa ho, jaanaa ho, jaisaa bhii zamaanaa ho
Whether you are coming or leaving, however the world may be
Utare kabhii naa jo khumaar, woh pyaar hai
That feeling of intoxication which never lifts is love

BOTH: Shokhiyo.N mei.N gholaa jaaye, phoolo.N kaa shabaab
Take a swirl of mischeviousness, and the youthfulness of flowers
Us mei.N phir milaaii jaaye thoDii sii sharaab
In those mix in a little bit of wine
KISHORE: Hogaa yuu.N nashaa jo taiyyaar
The intoxication you create like this
LATA: Woh pyaar hai
That is love
BOTH: Shokhiyo.N mei.N gholaa jaaye, phoolo.N kaa shabaab…

Glossary:

Shokh: mischievousness, prank; gholaa: solution, swirl; phool: flower, shabaab: youthfulness; thoDii sii: a little bit; sharaab: alcohol; nashaa: intoxication; taiyyaar: ready; ha.Nsnaa: to laugh; bachpan: childhood; bakahnaa: to deceive; mausam: season, atmosphere; chheDnaa: to tease; sholaa: ember; chhuunaa: to touch; shabnam: dewdrop; gaao.N: village; melaa: fair; raah: path; akelaa: alone; yaad: memory; baar baar: time to time, often; rang: color; phigalnaa: to flow, to liquify; sonaa: gold; ang: body; ras: nectar; dhun: tune, melody; raat: night; halkaa: soft; dhuup: sunlight: chaao.N: shadow, cloud; jhoomnaa: to swing; hawaa: wind; har dam: every moment; intezaar: wait; kaTnaa: to be cut; tanhaaii: loneliness; suunaa: lonely, empty; sheher: city; bajnaa: to play [an instrument]; shahanaaii: traditional wind instrument played at weddings; zamaanaa: world, earth; utarnaa: to lift, to raise; khumaar: state of intoxication

Perched on an excessively romantic pile of hay, Dev Anand presses his nose affectionately to Waheeda Rehman’s ear in Prem Pujari (1970). Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?

This lovely duet was requested by fan Roshan Sadanani. Thank you for the excellent suggestion, and keep the requests coming! For more on-screen magic between Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman, check out our translations of “Na Tum Humen Jano,” “Hai Apna Dil To Awaraa,” and “Khoya Khoya Chand!”

-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