Friday, October 28, 2011

तुम पास आये, यूँ मुस्कुराये यूँ ... कुछ कुछ होता है

An interesting description of being in a state of love.
"...बेचैनियों में चैन, न जाने क्यों, आने लगा..."
The singer sings "I don't know why I find peace even when I am consumed by lack of peace." Anyone who has experienced romantic love can probably relate to this seemingly anomalous statement.



Sunday, October 23, 2011

एक दिन आप यूं हमको मिल जायेंगे

The imagination that the lovers have on how they have fallen in love is a beautiful expression. Although real life love may not always be able to be expressed in such glorious terms, it is useful to see such possibilities.

It seems like there is no match for Javed Akhtar, the lyricist.



Saturday, October 15, 2011

कांची रे, कांची रे, प्रीत मेरी साँची

Lovers argue why each should not leave the other ... The true meaning cannot be conveyed by a drab translation ... you have to experience the song in all its melody and semantics. I didn't discover until recently that the raag ♫भूपाली is behind this melody.



Thursday, October 13, 2011

गाडी बुला रही है, सीटी बजा रही है

It is one of the unique characteristics of Bollywood lyricists to derive pragmatic values of life by observing everyday things — in this case a train. For example:

"responsibility of carrying people around, fire in its heart, smoke on its lips ... still keeps on singing, i.e., moving"
"[the train] won't bother about all that [thunder, rain & lightning], moves at the drop of signal, day or night"

Add to it the melodic singing Kishore Kumar can provide. A treat, although a nostalgic one.



Wednesday, October 05, 2011

ये ज़िन्दगी उसीकी है, जो किसी का हो गया

"The world is that person's, who belongs to someone else, gets 'lost' in love." In other words, if you are not loved for any reason, it can be very lonely and can give rise to all sorts of desperation.

Ultimately, while union with a lover and, by implication, with God is what is desired by everyone, it takes a skillful poet to bring that about in words, and a beautiful voice like what Lata Mangeshkar and Shreya Ghoshal have, to impart melody.



Monday, October 03, 2011

ज़रा सी दिल में दे जगा तू

When you understand the variety of pleadings of the male with the female for her love, you wonder how spontaneous this feelings can be in real people. But, you have to appreciate the poet's attempt to capture these thoughts.

The manner in which the singing is punctuated by the screeching halt of the automobile, and the dialogue about betting in a game of cricket,
"When you are so good at betting, why don't you become a bookie yourself?",
you have to credit the Bollywood creativity!