5 Captivating Heeramandi Moments That Echo Pakeezah's Essence

Sanjay Leela Bhansali Draws Inspiration from Pakeezah

I step back from translation of Bollywood songs, to compare two epics that have produced some of the best songs in Hindi films, now including OTT. Bhansali’s Heeramandi is unmistakably inspired by Pakeezah, and he has acknowledged it as such. Transporting viewers to the world of courtesans, Bhansali seamlessly weaves elements from Pakeezah into his narrative.

Top 5 Heeramandi Moments Inspired by Pakeezah 

1.     Dual Role of Mother and Daughter: Just as Meena Kumari portrays both Nargis and Sahibjaan in Pakeezah, Sonakshi Sinha mesmerizes as both Rehana and Fareedan in Heeramandi. Fareedan confronts Mallikajaan, vowing revenge for her mother's murder, and sets a gripping tone for the series.

2.     Nazariya ki Maari: While Pakeezah plays this song in the background as Sahibjaan consoles her lovelorn friend, Bhansali incorporates a truncated version into a mujra performed by Waheeda.

3.     Walking Barefoot on Glass: Echoing Sahibjaan's poignant mujra on shattered glass, Heeramandi portrays a similarly intense scene. When called gutless by Mallikajaan, Fareedan defiantly walks on broken glass, declaring her determination to win.

4.     Mujra at the Lover’s Wedding: Pakeezah's haunting mujra "Aaj Hum Apani Duaaon Ka" by Sahibjaan at her lover's wedding finds resonance in Heeramandi's "Masoom Dil Hai Mera," performed by Lajjo on a similar occasion.

5.     The Forbidden Union: A recurring motif in Bollywood, the forbidden love between a courtesan and an aristocrat appears in both Pakeezah and Heeramandi. While Pakeezah ultimately sees acceptance, Heeramandi's tale concludes in tragedy.

Translating the Soulful Lyrics of Pakeezah and Heeramandi

Both Pakeezah and Heeramandi offer lyrical songs steeped in Urdu poetry. While literal translations may miss the nuances, my Bollywood Translations blog strives for transcreation, capturing the essence of these poetic verses.

Please follow Bollywood Translations and if you have any other similarities between in two epics please post in the comments section. Connect with me on X and Instagram @HarshNev.

 

English Translation of Mun Bairagi – A Ghazal by Nida Fazli

Meta Description:  Mun Bairagi is a ghazal written by the Urdu poet Nida Fazli. The opening verse of the poem was recited at the end of the Bollywood movie Aiyaari. Enjoy the English translation of this ghazal set to the same metre as the original.

The Bollywood Connection of Mun Bairagi

Mun Bairagi does not feature as a song in the movie Aiyaari, which starred Manoj Bajpai and Siddharth Malhotra in the lead roles. The first two couplets of the ghazal are recited at the very end of the movie. “Aiyaar” means an imposter, particularly one who cons other people through his disguises. In the context of the movie, the characters played by both Malhotra and Bajpai are secret service officers and masters at misleading others through their craft.

Nida Fazli’s ghazal uses the word “aiyaari” and elaborates on the characteristics of an “aiyaar” as a person that reinvents himself according to the need of the situation.   

The Original Urdu Lyrics of Mun Bairagi by Nida Fazli

Mun bairagi tan anuragi kadam kadam dushvari hai

Jivan jeena sahal na jaano bahut badi fankari hai

 

Auron jaise ho kar bhi hum ba-izzat hain basti mein

Kuchh logon ka seedhapan hai kuchh apni aiyaari hai

 

Jab jab mausam jhooma hum ne kapde phade shor kiya

Har mausam shaista rahna kori duniyadari hai

 

Aib nahin hai is mein koi laal pari na phool gali

Ye mut poochho vo achchha hai ya achchhi nadari hai

 

Jo chehra dekha vo toda nagar nagar veeran kiye

Pehle auron se nakhush the ab ḳhud se bezari hai

 

Meanings of Urdu words

 

Bairagi = renunciate

Anuragi = hedonistic (here)

Dushvari = misery

Sahal = easy

Fankari = artistry

Ba-izzat = with honour

Aiyaari = cunning (here)

Shaista = humble

Duniyadari = worldliness

Aib = fault

Laal pari = red fairy (literally); wine (metaphorically)

Phool gali = flower lane (literally); here the reference is to courtesans’ halls because flower garlands are usually sold in the lanes outside

Nadari = poverty

Nakhush = unhappy

Bezari = displeasure 

The English Transcreation of the Lyrics of Mun Bairagi 

Spirit abjures but flesh desires life is not a piece of cake

To surmount its obstacles you must be quick on the uptake

 

I am as crooked as the next but they call me Honest Joe

In part people are simpletons in part I know how to fake

 

When there’s been a change of guard I’ve sloganeered with the crowd

To blend in with every scene is a change that I can make

 

There is no fault in frequenting night clubs nor red-light districts

Hedonism or poverty tell me which you will forsake

 

Like a frenzied iconoclast I smashed all that came my way

First I believed the world was wrong now I know of my mistake

More Ghazals at Bollywood Translations

The ghazal is an ethereal form of poetry, traditionally written in Urdu. However, Hindustani (Urdu and Hindi) is increasingly the language of ghazals, particularly in the context of Bollywood songs. When translated perfectly in English, readers will enjoy the same heightened experience. Check out these ghazals translated at this blog site.
 
·       Sansar ki har shay ka
·       Champayi rang yaar aa jaye
·       Hum hai mataa-e-koocha-o
 
 
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Ae Watan Translation of Best Lyrics Filmfare Awards 2019

Meta Description: Ae Watan won the award for Best Lyrics at the 2019 Filmfare Awards. The song written by Gulzar was sung in a male version by Arijit Singh and female version by Sunidhi Chauhan. Superimpose my English translation on the music of this song from Raazi and you will get a better fit than any other translation.

Ae Watan and Raazi at the Filmfare Awards 2019

The Bollywood film Raazi won a host of awards at the Filmfare Awards 2019, including that of the Best Lyrics for Ae Watan by Gulzar. The other awards included:
·       Best Film – Raazi
·       Best Actor Female – Alia Bhatt
·       Best Director – Meghna Gulzar
·       Best Playback Singer Male – Arijit Singh for Ae Watan
 
Ae Watan has been rendered as a male version by Arijit Singh and as a female version by Sunidhi Chauhan. The male version of the song has lyrics by Gulzar. The female version has a verse written by Muhammad Iqbal added to the Gulzar lyrics. This version ostensibly reflects Pakistani patriotism, but actually is sung for India by Sehmat, an Indian spy in Pakistan.

The Poetic English Translation of Ae Watan (Female Version)

A prayer on my lips for your happiness I desire

O God, let my life emerge as a patriotic fire

 

My nation, nation mine, may you flourish

Remain in my thoughts forever, this is my wish

My nation, nation mine

 

You are my destiny, identify with you

You are the basis of all that I accomplish

My nation, nation mine

 

I will not let any distress fall upon you

I will yield my life for you, your joy I’ll cherish

My nation, nation mine

 

A prayer on my lips for your happiness I desire

O God, let my life emerge as a patriotic fire

The Original Hindi Lyrics of Ae Watan from Raazi

Lab pe aati hai duaa bann ke tamanna meri

Zindagi shamma ki soorat ho khudaya meri

  

Ae watan, watan mere, aabaad rahe tu

Main jahan rahun, jahaan me yaad rahe tu

Ae watan… mere watan!

 

Tu hi meri manzil hai, pehchan tujhi se

Pahunchu main jahaan bhi Meri buniyad rahe tu

Ae watan… mere watan!

 

Tujhpe koi gham ki aanch aane nahin doon

Kurbaan meri jaan tujhpe, shaad rahe tu

Aye watan…mere watan!

 

Lab pe aati hai duaa bann ke tamanna meri

Zindagi shamma ki soorat ho khudaya meri

 

Meanings of a few Urdu words

 Khudaya = O God

Shaad = Happy

Ae Watan Fact Sheet 

·       Movie: Raazi
·       Singer: Arijit Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan
·       Lyricist: Gulzar
·       Composer: Shankar, Ehsan, Loy
·       On Screen: Alia Bhatt
·       Producer: Karan Johar and others
·       Director: Meghna Gulzar
 
Enjoy the video of Ae Watan (Female Version) and the audio of Ae Watan (Male Version).  

Patriotic Hindi Film Songs at Bollywood Translations

Hindi movies have given us several patriotic songs over the decades and i will bring you some of the best at Bollywood Translations from time to time. Lehera Do celebrated the Indian win at the 1983 Cricket World Cup. 

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English Translation of the Mujra Teri Katili Nigahon Ne Mara

Meta Description:  Teri Katili Nigahon Ne Mara Ruaan is a mujra from the Bollywood period film Jaanisaar. It has been sung by the popular folk singer Malini Awasthi, who is a Padma Bhushan awardee. Superimpose my English lyrics on the music of Teri Katili Nigahon Ne Mara and you will get a better fit than any other translation.

Explaining the Context of the Mujra Teri Kattili Nigahon Ne Mara from Jaanisaar

A mujra traditionally features a courtesan inviting her patrons with provocative dance and lyrics. However, Teri Kattili Nigahon Ne Mara intriguingly inverts this theme. The song celebrates the courtesan, praising the allure of her eyes and the enchantment of her gestures, which awe admirers with their mesmerizing charm.

The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Teri Kattili Nigahon Ne Mara 

Your beckoning glances have slain me

Glances have slain me, slain me

Advances have slain me, slain me

Your beckoning glances have slain me

 

Whoever will dare to lock his eyes with you

Will have his heart pierced by arrows through and through

His very existence he will be compelled to rue

He will roam around without shelter it is true

Wherever he may go he will have to repeat on cue

Your beckoning glances have slain me

Sometimes they do pierce like daggers your coquettish eyes

Sometimes like tresses they trap him in a web of lies

Like a necklace they may hold his throat in a vice

They can slay him with sheer beauty in a trice

If none else works, their female charm will suffice

Your beckoning glances have slain me

The Original Hindi Lyrics of Teri Kattili Nigahon Ne Mara from Jaanisaar

Teri katili nigahon ne mara
Nigahon ne mara mara
Adaaon ne mara mara
Teri katili nigahon ne mara

Teri nazar se jo koi nazar ladayega
Woh dil pe chot kaleje pe teer khayega
Tarha tarha se sarey raah kalbalayega
Kahin panaah zamane mein paayega
Jidhar ye jaayega zaalim ye kehta jayega
Teri katili nigahon ne mara

Kahin kisi ko yeh talvaar ban ke maar gayi
Kahin ye zulf si vaar karke maar gayi
Gale padi jo kahin haar ban ke maar gayi
Ajeeb laal rukh yaar banke maar gayi
Huzur e maalik ko naar aisi maar gayi
Teri katili nigahon ne mara

 

Meanings of a few words

 Kalbalana = to squirm

Laal rukh = face with a red glow (literally); very beautiful (figuratively)
Huzur e maalik = patrons

Naar = woman

Teri Kattili Nigahon Ne Mara Fact Sheet 

·       Movie: Jaanisaar
·       Singer: Malini Awasthi
·       Lyricist: Rahi Masoom Raza
·       Composer: Muzaffar Ali & Ustad Shafqat Ali Khan
·       Director: Muzaffar Ali
 
Enjoy the audio of Teri Kattili Nigahon Ne Mara  
 
If you liked the mellifluous voice of Malini Awasthi, then listen to her Kajari Sawan from the same film.

Mujras in Bollywood Films

The term “item number” is relatively new, but there would be a mandatory dance song in every film through the 1950s to 1970s, only it would not be performed by the lead female actor. This dance would either be a cabaret or a mujra depending on the setting of the film. There would be movies like Pakeezah or the recent Netflix series Heeramandi set in a courtesan milieu that featured a number of mujras and by the heroine. Bollywood Translations has songs from these.
 
·       Thade Rahiyo from Pakeezah
·       Saiyaan Hatto Jao from Heeramandi

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Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota - English Translation of Gulzar Lyrics

Meta Description:  Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota is a sensual Hindi song from the Bollywood movie Anubhav.  Gulzar, Geeta Dutt, and Tanuja have combined to create one of the boldest songs on the Hindi film screen. Read till the end for more songs with feminine sexuality themes.

Translating Gulzar’s Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota: Metaphors and Subtleties

The lyrics have been penned by Gulzar so there are bound to be metaphors: metaphors that are difficult to grasp, and once grasped, difficult to translate. But if you succeed the result is ethereal, as I hope it would be in my Bollywood Translation of Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota.

Anubhav was released in 1971, and yet the picturisation of this song is perhaps the boldest that you may find in Hindi cinema. A link to the video of the song is provided later in the blog. Gulzar’s lyrics are of course subtle and underplay the sexual vibrancy you see on the screen. My translation of Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota is a step ahead so that readers do not overlook the real theme of the song.

The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota 

If my heart was really mine

I’d capture it in my eyes

Compress it against my lips

And revere it in a shrine

If my heart …..

 

I’d powder the sun’s bright rays

And pestle it gold yellow

I’d knead it on my body

To create a fragrant glow

On seeing my lustrous beauty

The mirror would start to shine

If my heart …..

 

The heavens have shed their load

And blessed some seas with love

But not one drop of moonlight

Has descended from above

Some falling in my cupped palms

Will be ecstasy divine

If my heart …..

The Original Hindi Lyrics of Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota

Mera dil jo mera hota
Palakon pe pakad leti
Honthon pe uthaa leti
Haathon me khuda hota
Mera dil

Suraj ko masal ke main
Chandan ke tarah malati
Sone kaa badan le kar
Kundan ki tarah jalati
Is gorey se chehare par
Aaina fida hota
Mera dil

 

Barsa hai kahin par to
Aakash samundar mein
Ik boond hai chanda ki
Utare na samundar main
Do haathon ke okh main ye
Gir padta to kya hota

Mera dil

I could not the dictionary meaning of “okh” in Urdu or in Hindi. The only way I could make sense of the line was to translate “haathon ke okh” as cupped palms. 

Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota Fact Sheet 

·       Movie: Anubhav
·       Singer: Geeta Dutt
·       Lyricist: Gulzar
·       Composer: Kanu Roy
·       On Screen: Tanuja
·       Producer & Director: Basu Bhattacharya
 
Do not miss the picturisation of the song on Tanuja.

Exploring Female Sexuality in Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota 

Female sexuality is often sidelined in Bollywood films, typically portrayed through superficial flirtations or exaggerated glamourisation. The raw and nuanced exploration it deserves is rarely seen on screen. However, two Hindi films from the early 1970s, Dastak (1970) and Anubhav (1971), approached this subject with authenticity and depth. Both films depict women married to husbands consumed by the struggle to provide for their families, leaving little time for intimacy.

The songs Mai Ri from Dastak and Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota from Anubhav poignantly illustrate the wife's solitude at home, unable to suppress her desires and finding solace in self-pleasure. The contrast lies in their settings: the couple in Dastak reside in a one-room tenement in a chawl, while in Anubhav, they inhabit an affluent apartment. This difference underscores the universal nature of sexual longing, transcending economic backgrounds.
 
A fact for trivia lovers: Anubhav was the last movie that Geeta Dutt recorded songs for.
 
 
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Poetic English Translation of Gulzar Bollywood Song Chhapaak

Meta Description:  Chhapaak is a Bollywood hit song from Deepika Padukone starrer. This title song has music composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and has been rendered by Arijit Singh. Enjoy the English transcreation and understand the nuances of the lyrics by Gulzar.

Translating Gulzar through the lyrics of Chhapaak

Translating Gulzar is always a challenge because his metaphors are not that easy to catch. His lyrics are akin to mathematical proofs that have some steps missing, so you need to make a leap of imagination. This blog will not only provide a poetic transcreation of the lyrics of Chhapaak, but also take you through the magic of Gulzar’s idiomatic language.

 

Chhapaak is a movie about the victim of an acid attack perpetrated by her jilted lover. The attack is over in a flash, or should I say a splash, but the pain and the consequences last a lifetime. The tempo of the music changes from rapid to stretched out to capture both the speed of the attack and the endurance of the pain.

 

With these brief words of explanation let us move on to the transcreation.

The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Chhapaak 

After defacing me

Also debasing me

With a few drops of acid, he went

In a splash my identity was rent

 

My entire life was gone

Like a fallen chess pawn

It was noon but the light was absent

In a splash my identity was rent

 

I’ve no hope of romance

I’m bereft of desire

Darkness surrounds me but

In my eyes there is fire

 

After defacing me

Also debasing me

With a few drops of acid, he went

In a splash my identity was rent

 

My entire life was gone

Like a fallen chess pawn

It was noon but the light was absent

In a splash my identity was rent

 

Flippant was his fervour

Like smoke without a fire

No reason and no cause

Only blinded by ire

 

After defacing me

Also debasing me

With a few drops of acid, he went

In a splash my identity was rent

 

My entire life was gone

Like a fallen chess pawn

It was noon but the light was absent

In a splash my identity was rent

 

My life was filled with dreams

They all are now in shreds

My work, my friends, my joys

Have become severed threads

Everything has been singed

 

After defacing me

Also debasing me

With a few drops of acid, he went

In a splash my identity was rent

 

My entire life was gone

Like a fallen chess pawn

It was noon but the light was absent

In a splash my identity was rent

The Original Hindi Lyrics of Chhapaak with Explanations

Koi chehra mita ke
Aur aankh se hata ke¹
Chand chheente uda ke jo gaya
Chhapaak² se pehchaan le gaya

 

1.     “…aankh se hata ke” translates as removing from your sight and one does that when the object is disgusting, which is exactly the common reaction when one sees a face marred by an acid attack.

2.     “Chhapaak” is the sound of splashing of liquid thrown at someone or something and the song and movie is about an acid attack, Chhapaak is also used in this song to mean “in a flash” referring to the minute duration in which the dastardly act takes place.

 

 

Ek chehra gira
Jaise mohra gira
Jaise dhoop ko grahan³ lag gaya
Chhapaak se pehchaan le gaya

 

3.     “Dhoop ko grahan” refers to a solar eclipse when the light fades away during day, just as the life has faded away in the victim’s life, even as she is alive.

 

Na chaah na chaahat koi
Na koi aisa waada⁴
Haa haath mein andhera
Aur aankh mein iraada⁵

 

4.     This verse describes the victim’s current state of mind.

5.     Usually, one says darkness in front of the eyes, but Gulzar has inverted this to emphasise that though the victim suffers physical impairment, her resolve is intact.

Koi chehra mita ke
Aur aankh se hata ke
Chand chheente uda ke jo gaya
Chhapaak se pehchaan le gaya

 

Ek chehra gira
Jaise mohra gira
Jaise dhoop ko grahan lag gaya
Chhapaak se pehchaan le gaya

 

Bemaani sa junoon tha⁶
Bin aag ke dhuaan
Na hosh na khayal
Soch andha kuaan⁷

 

6.     This verse describes the senselessness of the perpetrator’s act. When we say there is no smoke without fire, we mean there must be some ljustifiable reason for every act, but in this case there was none.

7.     The mentality of the perpetrator was like a blind well, narrow and unilluminated

 

Koi chehra mita ke
Aur aankh se hata ke
Chand chheente uda ke jo gaya
Chhapaak se pehchaan le gaya

 

Ek chehra gira
Jaise mohra gira
Jaise dhoop ko grahan lag gaya
Chhapaak se pehchaan le gaya

 

Aarzoo thi shauq the⁸

Woh saare hat gaye
Kitne saare jeene

Ke taage kat gaye
Sab jhulas gaya...

 

8.     This verse tells of the aspirations the victim must have had prior to the attack, which are all but dashed now.

Koi chehra mita ke
Aur aankh se hata ke
Chand chheente uda ke jo gaya
Chhapaak se pehchaan le gaya

 

Ek chehra gira
Jaise mohra gira
Jaise dhoop ko grahan lag gaya
Chhapaak se pehchaan le gaya

Chhapaak Fact Sheet 

·       Movie: Chhapaak
·       Singer: Arijit Singh
·       Lyricist: Gulzar
·       Composer: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
·       Starring: Deepika Padukone
·       Producer & Director: Meghna Gulzar

Enjoy the audio of Chhapaak. 

Chhapaak: Best Lyrics Winner at the Filmfare Awards 2021

Gulzar is the winner of 13 Filmfare Awards for Best Lyrics, more than any other Bollywood lyricist. The first was in 1978 and the last at the time of writing was for Chhapaak in 2021. He has received 23 nominations as well, this number not including the awards won. I am doing a series on the Best Lyrics winners at the Filmfare Awards and you can check out the other translations.
 
·       Tere Vaaste: Best Lyrics winner at Filmfare Awards 2024
·       Kesariya: Best Lyrics winner at Filmfare Awards 2023
·       Lehera Do: Best Lyrics winner at Filmfare Awards 2022
 
 I have other Arijit hit songs at Bollywood Translations with more in the pipeline.
·       Khairiyat from Chhichhore.
·       Shayad from Love Aaj Kal
·       Sajni from Laapataa Ladies
·       Ruaan from Tiger 3
·       Kesariya from Brahmastra
·       Lehera Do from 83
 
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