Chand Sifarish – Translation of Prasoon Joshi Fanaa Lyrics
Meta Description: Chand Sifarish is a popular Eid Bollywood
song from Yash Raj film Fanna. It has won best lyrics at the 2006
Filmfare Awards. Enjoy this poetic translation.
Setting the Background for Translating Chand Sifarish
While searching for an Eid-themed Bollywood song to translate, I was surprised to find that nothing quite captured the true spirit of Eid. Although there were songs focused on the moon or imbued with Sufi themes, none seemed to encapsulate the essence of the festive occasion. However, Chand Sifarish appeared consistently at the top of most lists, so I decided to choose it for this special translation.
In the song,
Zooni, portrayed by Kajol, is a blind Kashmiri girl vacationing in Delhi with
her friends. Rehan, played by Aamir Khan, is their tour guide. The song is a foot
tapping Bollywood number where Rehan romantically woos Zooni. Beneath the light
hearted pleas, there is an underlying sense of foreboding in the lyrics, penned
by Prasoon Joshi. This is revealed only as the story unfolds. Without giving
away too much (spoiler alert!), the narrative follows Zooni as she regains her
sight, marries Rehan, and eventually discovers that he is a terrorist, having
staged his own death in a blast.
Translating “Subhaan Allah”
The song’s connection to Eid, albeit a tenuous one, lies in the repeated refrain of "Subhaan Allah." Literally, Subhaan Allah translates to “God is perfect” or "Glory be to God." While these meanings do not directly align with the romantic nature of the song, the phrase is often used colloquially as an expression of awe when witnessing something or someone exceptionally beautiful. I have chosen to translate Subhaan Allah in this context, to capture Rehan’s reaction to Zooni.
The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Chand Sifarish
Hmm hmm hmm hmmm la la la
Hey hey hey hey ah ha
O beautiful O beautiful
O beautiful O beautiful
O beautiful O beautiful
O beautiful O beautiful
Hooray Hooray
Hooray Hooray
Hooray Hooray
Hooray Hooray
If the moon were to
reveal my secret this is what would transpire
We would forget all
modesty and shame and would fulfil our desire
I want to erase my
identity and lose myself within you
If the moon were to
reveal my secret this is what would transpire
We would forget all
modesty and shame and would fulfil our desire
Hooray Hooray
Hooray Hooray
Your graces are like a
gust of fresh breeze let it my body caress
The suppleness of your
body delights when against my heart you press
Any excuse to be in
your embrace I’ll lose myself within you
If the moon were to
reveal my secret this is what would transpire
We would forget all
modesty and shame and would fulfil our desire
O beautiful O
beautiful
O beautiful O beautiful
O beautiful O beautiful
O beautiful O
beautiful
Don’t feel shy when I
take you by your arms into my cosy retreat
Do not feel afraid
when you listen to my pulsating heart beat
I don’t know how to
hide my desires I’ll lose myself within you
If the moon were to
reveal my secret this is what would transpire
We would forget all
modesty and shame and would fulfil our desire
I want to erase my
identity and lose myself within you
The Original Hindi Lyrics of Chand Sifarish from Fanaa
hmm hmm hmm hmmm la la
la
hey hey hey hey ah ha
subhaan allaah subhaan allah subhaan allah
subhaan allaah subhaan allah subhaan allah
valle valle
valle valle
valle valle
chaand sifarish jo karta hamari deta woh tumko bata
sharm-o-haya pe parde gira ke karni hain hamko khata
zidd hain ab toh hain khud ko mitana hona hain tujhmein fanaa
chaand sifarish jo karta hamari deta woh tumko bata
sharm-o-haya pe parde gira ke karni hain hamko khata
valle valle
valle valle
teri adaa bhi hain
jhonke wali chhu ke gujar jaane de
teri lachak hain ke jaise daali dil mein utar jaane de
aaja baahon mein karke bahana hona hain tujhmein fanaa
chaand sifarish jo karta hamari deta woh tumko bata
sharm-o-haya pe parde gira ke karni hain hamko khata
subhaan allaah subhaan
allah subhaan allah
subhaan allaah subhaan allah subhaan allah
hain jo iraaden bata
doon tumko sharma hi jaaogi tum
dhadakanen jo suna doon tumko ghabraa hi jaaogi tum
hamko aata nahi hain chhupana hona hain tujhmein fanaa
chaand sifarish jo karta hamari deta woh tumko bata
sharm-o-haya pe parde gira ke karni hain hamko khata
zidd hain ab toh hain khud ko mitana hona hain tujhmein fanaa
Meanings of Difficult Words
Subhaan allaah = God is perfect (literal); Beautiful (colloquial)
Sifarish =
Recommendation
Parde girana = To
conceal
Khata = Wrong doing
Fanaa = Annihilation
Lachak = Suppleness
The Literal English Translation of the Lyrics of Chand Sifarish
If the moon would
recommend me to you, this is what it would say
Supressing our shyness
and shame we have to indulge in some wrong doing (of a romantic nature)
I am obsessed with
eliminating myself and merging myself in you
Your graces are like fresh breeze let them touch me and pass
Your suppleness is
like a tree bough let it enter my heart
Any excuse to be in
your arms and merge myself in you
If l tell you my
desires you will be embarrassed
If you listen to my
heart beat you will get tensed
I don’t know how to
hide my feelings I want to merge myself in you
Chand Sifarish Fact Sheet
· Movie: Fanaa
Chand Sifarish at 52nd Filmfare Awards (2006)
- ·
Best Lyricist Prasoon Joshi: Won
- ·
Best Male Playback Singer Shaan
& Kailash Kher: Won
- ·
Best Music Director
Jatin-Lalit: Nominated
- ·
Best Actress Kajol: Won
Enjoy the video of Chand Sifarish. I have other songs with the theme of moon at Bollywood Translations with more in the
pipeline.
