Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series
I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Oct 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.
I hope you liked my choice for Song #18 – Aaj purani raahon se in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #19.
Song 19
Tujhe kya sunayun main dilruba
Theme-word: Teri ik nigaah ki baat hai, Meri Zindagi ka sawaal hai
Excellence of Lyrics
Majrooh was from that part of Uttar Pradesh that produced some of the greatest lyricists in Hindi movies: Kaifi from Azamgarh, Shakeel from Badayuni and he himself from Sultanpur. Many many years later, politically, it was said that the winners in UP normally made the government at the centre. That was the effect of people in that part of the world both poetically and politically.
By writing the theme-word line, Mahrooh simply made us understand why he was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest in cinematic excellence, given by the government of India.
So, why just the theme-word line, with the superb use of Zindagi being compared to her one look, lets, at the outset, go through the lyrics:
तुझे क्या सुनाऊँ मैं दिलरुबा
तेरे सामने मेरा हाल है
तेरी इक निगाह की बात है
मेरी ज़िंदगी का सवाल है
मेरी हर ख़ुशी तेरे दम से है
मेरी ज़िंदगी तेरे ग़म से है
तेरे दर्द से रहे बेख़बर
मेरे दिल की कब ये मज़ाल है
तेरे हुस्न पर है मेरी नज़र
मुझे सुबह शाम की क्या ख़बर
मेरी शाम है तेरी जुस्तजू
मेरी सुबह तेरा ख़याल है
मेरे दिल जिगर में समा भी जा
रहे क्यों नज़र का भी फ़ासला
के तेरे बग़ैर ओ जान-ए-जां
मुझे ज़िंदगी भी मुहाल है
You would know that twice more Majrooh (Injured or Wounded) repeated Zindagi. What do you get out of this? He is thinking of Zindagi as something that is dependent on her, her gaze, her sorrow. You can’t be so aloof as to miss the excellence of lyrics.
Madan Mohan and Mohammad Rafi
With such beautiful lyrics, who is there to compose them? Well, the maestro: Madan Mohan himself. Recall what he did to Kaifi’s Main ye soch kar uske dar se utha tha? He transformed already great lyrics into something totally sublime. He did the same here.
And who is there to sing these? A man who could take ordinary lyrics and average compositions into great songs: Mohammad Rafi. And, if the lyrics are already great and composition already sublime, what does he do? According to me, he takes the song to a height that all other singers (without exception) cannot even imagine reaching.
Aakhri Dao – 1958 Movie
And now for the other relatively insignificant details. The song is from the 1958 Mahesh Kaul movie Aakhri Dao starring Nutan and Shekhar. He has been asked to sing in a picnic party and he sings, not to everyone, but only to her. She is uncomfortable with the revelation of his love for her in such intense words in front of everyone. You should see the way she looks and the way others, especially Shammi, looks at her.
My Own Poetry
Meri Zindagi Aapki Aankhon Tale
आपकी आँखों में मुझे वह झलक मिल जाती है,
ज़िन्दगी दफ़अतन और हसीन हो जाती है I
लोग देखते हैं प्यार दिलरुबा की आँखों में,
मुझे तो सारी कायनात नज़र आ जाती है I
ये आँखें नहीं हैं मेरी ज़िन्दगी की रहनुमा हैं,
ज़िन्दगी के मायने यकीनी मुझे समझाती हैं I
कई बार सोचता हूँ कह दूँ इनसे मैं दिल की बात,
क्या कहूं हया मेरी आंखों में छलक जाती है I
सबेरे का सूरज इनकी पलकें खुलने का इशारा है,
रात का अँधेरा पलक झुकने पे ले आती हैं I
ज़िन्दगी में लाखों ग़म इधर उधर बिखरे हों तो क्या,
ज़िन्दगी के सारे ग़म इनकी लौ भुलाती हैं I
मुझे अब इनके सिवा कुछ और न चाहिए, रवि,
जन्नत – ऐ – खुदा खुद बा खुद मिल जाती है I
The Song
Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Tujhe kya sunayun main dilruba…
I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #19 in the series.
Please await Song #20 – Zindagi mein aaya toofan.
