Bollywood Translations

Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi – “Aap Ke Haseen Rukh …”

In my continuing series of Bollywood songs translation in English, I have chosen Aap Ke Haseen Rukh. This is an ethereal Hindi film song, and one of my favourites. The hit number is from Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi and has lilting music by O.P. Nayyar. It is one of the most popular Rafi songs because the haunting inflections of the playback singer are on full display. But this blog is about Bollywood lyrics English translation. I want to focus on the lyrics writer Anjaan. Till then he was a small-time lyricist depending on the mercy of music directors. This song propelled him to the big league and he ended up writing songs for blockbuster Amitabh Bachchan movies.

But first one word about the picturization of the song. It belongs to the genre that is referred to as piano songs in Hindi films, which have the hero playing the piano while singing to his love interest. What makes Aap Ke Haseen Rukh stand out is that Dharmendra is serenading two beautiful ladies, Mala Sinha and Tanuja, who are listening in rapt attention each one of them coyly imagining to be the recipient of the praise. To find out who the lucky lady was you will have to see Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi. I do not want to play spoiler. The black and white film accentuates the light and shade in harmony with the lyrics of the song.

Aap Ke Haseen Rukh is unique in the list of Bollywood songs in that it uses repeated words in almost every line. I cannot recall any other Hindi film song that incorporates this feature. Normally “subah subah ki dhoop” would hinder the flow of the music, but such is lyric writer Anjaan’s virtuosity that such repetitions do not appear awkward. Instead, they create the rhythm that takes listeners to a higher plane of enjoyment. Please check out the video of Aap Ke Haseen Rukh.

There are several lyrics English translation of this song on the Internet, but I have created a good translation of Aap Ke Haseen Rukh. Let me explain translation versus transcreation. Translating poetry from Hindi to verse form in English has natural limitations because of the idiomatic differences in the languages. One way to overcome this hindrance is to use a process that is known as transcreation. The literal translation of the lines is abandoned and so is the metre and rhyme scheme, but the specific rhythm of the poem and its core emotion and tone are maintained. I have provided a translation versus transcreation of Aap Ke Haseen Rukh with lyrics and English translation.

The Original Hindi Lyrics

Aap ke haseen rukh pe aaj naya noor hai

Mera dil machal gaya to mera kya kasoor hai

Aap ke nigaah ne kaha to kuchh zaroor hai

Mera dil machal gaya to mera kya kasoor hai

Khuli laton ki chhaanw mein khila khila ye roop hai

Ghata se jaise chhan rahi, subah subah ki dhoop hai

Jidhar nazar mudi, udhar suroor hi suroor hai

Mera dil machal gaya to mera kya kasoor hai

Jhuki jhuki nigaah mein bhi hain bala ki shokhiyaan

Dabi dabi hasi mein bhi tadap rahi hain bijaliyaan

Shabaab aap ka nashe mein khud hi choor choor hai

Mera dil machal gaya to mera kya kasoor hai

Jahaan jahaan pade kadam wahaan fiza badal gai

Ke jaise sarabasar bahaar aap hi mein dhal gai

Kisi mein ye kashish kahaan jo aap mein huzoor hai

Mera dil machal gaya to mera kya kasoor hai

Suroor = bliss

Bala = astonishment, awe

Shokhiyaan = vivaciousness

Shabaab = youth

Sarabasar = entirely

Kashish = attraction

This is a literal translation in English of the Bollywood song

Your beautiful face is flush with a fresh glow today