Thursday, November 27, 2025

Poetic Translation of Chak De India and Background Explained

 

Chak De! India – Poetic Translation of Motivational Hit Song

Meta Description:  Chak De! India is the motivational title song from the Shah Rukh Khan movie.  This background song is an anthem for Indian sports. Enjoy the poetic translation.

Setting the Background for Translating Chak De! India

Chak De! India tells the story of the Indian women’s hockey team, which is an underdog squad that rises against all odds to win the World Cup. At the heart of the narrative is a pivotal moment when the players finally begin to believe in themselves, daring to imagine achieving what everyone else deemed impossible. Producer Aditya Chopra wanted this transformative moment to be immortalized in an anthem that would inspire Indian sport for generations. The composer duo Salim–Sulaiman, together with screenwriter and lyricist Jaideep Sahni, rose to the challenge and delivered a powerful track that fulfilled Chopra’s vision.


The song’s motivational style is both unique and refreshing. It gathers a multitude of images that are quintessentially Indian and strings them together like pearls on a necklace. This vibrant collage includes kite-flying contests, homespun khadi, pothole-ridden roads, and popular Hindi film songs. Its message is a call to embrace this Indianness with pride and, through perseverance and hard work, transform that pride into achievement.


“Chak De” itself resists a literal translation. A Punjabi expression of encouragement, it can take on several figurative meanings. I have chosen “let’s go.” Similarly, some phrases in the original lyrics appear to serve primarily the demands of rhyme and metre rather than convey concrete imagery. To preserve coherence and impact, I have introduced images that better suit the context. In places, I have also departed from a strictly literal rendering to maintain the song’s cadence and motivational energy. For readers who are more interested in meaning than momentum, a literal English translation is provided as well.

The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Chak De! India

 

Do something, do something

In veins let the blood flow

Come on do something

(Come on do something

Come on do something)

 

Do something, do something

Time to be a hero

Now do something

(Now do something

Now do something)

 

Ho…someone the odds defy

Sink or swim, we still will try

Come on… someone the odds defy

Sink or swim, we still will try

 

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

 

No where to run, nowhere to hide

Lets take our time to do or die

No where to run, nowhere to hide

Lets take our time to do or die

 

In the streets, in the lanes,

In the sacks of stored grains,

In the seeds, in the vines,

In our bright festive times,

In the sand’s tiny grains,

In movie song refrains,

In the potholes scarred street,

In cafes chat and eat

Let us today proclaim,

Ten times repeat the same,

My friend do not be slack

Let no one hold you back

Not one small inch concede

Stubbornly you proceed

Go on polish, go on polish

Go on polish, till they shine

 

Someone the odds defy

Sink or swim, we still will try

Come on… someone the odds defy

Sink or swim, we still will try

 

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

 

No where to run, nowhere to hide

Lets take our time to do or die

No where to run, nowhere to hide

Lets take our time to do or die

 

Let’s go…let’s go…let’s go…let’s go

 

In kite competitions,

In clashing of passions,

In the sport stadiums,

In rattling train rhythms,

In the sweet sugarcane,

In homespun cloth so plain,

You’ll find it if you search

In the bricks made from earth

Today vibrant hues flare

Fireworks everywhere

Let festivity reign,

Let it thrum through each vein

Not one small inch concede

Stubbornly you proceed

Keep grinding on, keep grinding on

Keep grinding on till they’re fine

 

Someone the odds defy

Sink or swim, we still will try

Come on… someone the odds defy

Sink or swim, we still will try

 

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

 

The Original Hindi Lyrics of Title Song Chak De! India

 

Kuchh kariye, kuchh kariye
Nas nas meri khole...
Haaye kuchh kariye
(Haaye kuchh kariye
Haaye kuchh kariye)

 

Kuchh kariye, kuchh kariye
Bas bas bada bo de
Ab kuchh kariye
(Ab kuchh kariye
Ab kuchh kariye)

 

Ho... koi to chal zid phadiye
Doobe, tariye ya mariye
Haaye... koi to chal zid phadiye
Doobe, tariye ya mariye...

 

Chak de... ho Chak de India
Chak de... ho chak de India
Chak de... ho chak de India
Chak de... ho chak de India

 

No where to run, nowhere to hide
Lets take our time to do or die
No where to run, nowhere to hide
Lets take our time to do or die

 

Koochon mein, galion mein
Raashan ki phalion mein
Belon mein, beejon mein
Eedon mein, teejon mein
Raiton ke daanon mein
Filmon ke gaanon mein
Sadkon ke gaddhon mein
Baaton ke addon mein
Hunkara aaj bhar le
Das baarah baar kar le
Rehna na yaar peechhe

Kitna bhi koi kheenche
Tas hai na, mas hai ji
Zid hai to, zid hai ji
Ghisna yun hi, ghisna yun hi
Ghisna yun hi paththar yeh... ae...

 

Koi to chal zid phadiye
Doobe, tariye ya mariye
Haaye... koi to chal zid phadiye
Doobe, tariye ya mariye...

 

Chak de... ho chak de India
Chak de... ho chak de India
Chak de... ho chak de India
Chak de... ho chak de India

 

No where to run, nowhere to hide
Lets take our time to do or die
No where to run, nowhere to hide
Lets take our time to do or die

 

Chak de... chak de... chak de... chak de...

 

Ladti patangon mein
Bhidti umangon mein
Khelon ke melon mein
Balkhaati relon mein...
Gannon ke meethe mein
Khaddar mein chheetein mein
Dhoondho to mil jaavein
Pakka woh eenton mein
Rung hai aisa aaj nikhre...
Aur khul ke aag bikhre
Man jaaye aisi holi
Rag rag mein chal ke boli
Tas hai na, mas hai ji
Zid hai to jid hai ji
Pisna yun hi, pisna yun hi
Pisna yun hi bas kariye...

 

Koi to chal zid phadiye
Doobe, tariye ya mariye
Haaye... koi to chal zid phadiye
Doobe, tariye ya mariye...

 

Chak de... ho chak de India
Chak de... ho chak de India
Chak de... ho chak de India
Chak de... ho chak de India

 

 

The Literal English Translation of the Lyrics of Chak De! India

 

Kuchh kariye, kuchh kariye
Nas nas meri khole...

Do something, do something
Open each vein of mine

Kuchh kariye, kuchh kariye
Bas bas bada bo de

Do something, do something
??????????? 

Ho... koi to chal zid phadiye
Doobe, tariye ya mariye

Ho…someone stubbornly resolve
Sink, swim or die

Chak de... ho Chak de India

Let’s go…ho let’s go India

Koochon mein, galion mein
Raashan ki phalion mein
Belon mein, beejon mein
Eedon mein, teejon mein
Raiton ke daanon mein
Filmon ke gaanon mein
Sadkon ke gaddhon mein
Baaton ke addon mein
Hunkara aaj bhar le
Das baarah baar kar le
Rehna na yaar peechhe

Kitna bhi koi kheenche
Tas hai na, mas hai ji
Zid hai to, zid hai ji
Ghisna yun hi, ghisna yun hi
Ghisna yun hi paththar yeh... ae...

In the streets, in the lanes,
In the grocery cartons,
In the vines, in the seeds,
During Eid, during Teej,
In the grains of sand,
In the movie song,
In the potholes of the street,
Where people meet to chat
Let us today proclaim,
Do it ten twelve times,
My friend do not lag behind
No matter how much one pulls you
Do not budge an inch
If we insist, we insist
Go on polish, go on polish
Go on polish, these stones

Ladti patangon mein
Bhidti umangon mein
Khelon ke melon mein
Balkhaati relon mein...
Gannon ke meethe mein
Khaddar mein chheetein mein
Dhoondho to mil jaavein
Pakka woh eenton mein
Rung hai aisa aaj nikhre...
Aur khul ke aag bikhre
Man jaaye aisi holi
Rag rag mein chal ke boli
Tas hai na, mas hai ji
Zid hai to jid hai ji
Pisna yun hi, pisna yun hi
Pisna yun hi bas kariye...

In kite competitions,
In clashing of ambitions,
In the sport festivals,

In winding railway tracks,
In the sweetness of sugarcane,
In khadi, in droplets,
And fire has scattered openly
Let us celebrate Holi this way,
Let it speak through each vein
If we insist, we insist
Keep grinding on, keep grinding on
You’ll find it if you search
Definitely in the bricks
Today the colours have blossomed
Do not budge an inch
Keep grinding on enough now

 

Chak De! India Fact Sheet

·       Movie: Chak De! India
·       Singer: Sukhwinder Singh & others
·       Lyricist: Jaideep Sahni
·       Composer: Salim-Sulaiman
·       On Screen: Shah Rukh Khan & others
·       Producer: Aditya Chopra (Yash Raj Films)
 
 
Enjoy the audio of Chak De! India.  I have other motivational songs at Bollywood Translations with more in the pipeline.
 
·       Lehera Do
·       Kar Har Maidaan Fateh
·       Zinda
·       Aarambh Hai Prachand
 
 
Please follow Bollywood Translations and give your feedback in the comments section. Connect with me on X and Instagram @HarshNev. In case you want any song to be translated, whether from Hindi films or otherwise, please mention in the comments.
 
All the translations are my original work. If you quote them, you must acknowledge my name and provide a link to Bollywood Translations.

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