Mora Gora Ang Lai Le – Translation of Bandini Golden
Oldie
Meta Description: Mora Gora Ang Lai Le is Gulzar’s first
Bollywood song written for the 1963 Hindi movie Bandini. Enjoy the
transcreation of the lyrics set to the original music.
Setting the Background for Translating Mora Gora Ang Lai Le
The Unwilling Lyricist
Mora Gora Ang Lai Le was the very first Bollywood song penned by Gulzar. At the
time, he was working as an assistant director to Bimal Roy on the film Bandini.
The film's music was composed by the legendary Sachin Dev Burman, with
Shailendra as the designated lyricist. During the production, Burman asked
Gulzar to write the lyrics for one of the songs. Initially, Gulzar declined the
offer—he had no desire to become a lyricist and was focused on pursuing a
career in direction. However, given Burman's towering stature in the industry,
Gulzar eventually agreed. The rest, as they say, is history. Gulzar went on to
gain widespread acclaim as a lyricist long before he established himself as a
filmmaker
Mora Gora Ang Lai Le
Girls often long for fair skin—except when they are sneaking away for a secret rendezvous with their lovers. In such moments, fairness becomes a liability, making them more visible in the dark. A duskier complexion would allow them to blend into the night’s shadows more easily. This paradox is beautifully expressed by the heroine in the opening lines of Mora Gora Ang Lai Le.
Though Gulzar has
given lyrical shape to this sentiment with remarkable grace, the idea itself is
not new. Romantic themes like this are deeply rooted in Indian literary
tradition. In the classical Sanskrit epic Geet Govind, Radha’s friends
advise her to cloak her fair skin with a dark shawl before she ventures out to
meet Krishna under the cover of night.
Another subtle
enemy of a woman’s secrecy in love is the anklet—the soft chime of which could
betray her steps. In the same verse from Geet Govind, Radha is also
urged to remove her anklets so she can walk silently to her beloved. This motif
reappears centuries later in the song Thade Rahiyo from Pakeezah,
where it is evoked with equal delicacy. A
translation of this song can be found on Bollywood Translations.
The Genius of Gulzar
The fear of being caught—and the accompanying shame—is an ever-present shadow for those who steal away at night to meet their lovers. Yet, more often than not, the longing to be with the beloved overpowers that fear. This inner conflict is poignantly captured by Gulzar in Mora Gora Ang Lai Le, revealing, even in his debut as a lyricist, the brilliance that would come to define his work.
In my poetic
translation, I had to preserve the original song’s rhyme and metre, which
inevitably softened some of Gulzar’s raw expression. I have tried to restore
its full emotional impact in the literal translation:
“A shame of
getting caught shackles my feet, but a yearning to meet my lover tugs at my
arms.”
Gulzar is widely
celebrated for his mastery of language, particularly Urdu. Yet, in this song,
he opts for rustic, colloquial Hindi—eschewing even its formal register. This
choice reflects the social and emotional world of the heroine. The use of “hum
kaa” instead of the more refined “hum ko” says it all: it’s a
language rooted in the soil, authentic to the character’s voice and setting.
The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Mora Gora
Ang Lai Le
I’ll forsake this fairer
face
And take on a dusky haze
Hide in the dark of the night
Seek out my lover’s
embrace
I’ll forsake this fairer face
And take on a dusky haze
Hide in the dark of the night
Seek out my lover’s embrace
A shyness shackles my
feet
A desire says go and
meet
A shyness shackles my
feet
A desire says go and
meet
Someone tell me what
to do
Move on or meekly
retreat
I’ll forsake this fairer face
And take on a dusky haze
Hide in the dark of the night
Seek out my lover’s
embrace
Moon, a voyeur in the skies
Watches with unblinking eyes
Moon, a voyeur in the skies
Watches with unblinking eyes
May you wane and fade
away
Laugh not at my lonely
sighs
I’ll forsake this fairer face
And take on a dusky haze
Hide in the dark of the night
Seek out my lover’s
embrace
In love if you want to
gain
You will have to face
some pain
In love if you want to
gain
You will have to face
some pain
Heart where are you
taking me
After driving me
insane
I’ll forsake this fairer face
And take on a dusky haze
Hide in the dark of the night
Seek out my lover’s
embrace
The Original Hindi Lyrics of Mora Gora Ang Lai Le from
Bandini
Mora gora ang lai le
Mohe shaam rang dai de
Chhup jaaungi raat hi
me
Mohe pi kaa sang dai
de
Mora gora ang lai le
Mohe shaam rang dai de
Chhup jaaungi raat hi
me
Mohe pi kaa sang dai
de
Ek laaj roke paiyaan
Ek moh kheenche
baiyaan
Ek laaj roke paiyaan
Ek moh kheenche baiyaan
Jaaun kidhar na jaanun
Hum kaa koi bataai de
Mora gora ang lai le
Mohe shaam rang dai de
Chhup jaaungi raat hi
me
Mohe pi kaa sang dai
de
Badari hataa ke chandaa
Chup ke se jhaanke chandaa
Badari hataa ke chandaa
Chup ke se jhaanke chandaa
Tohe raahu laage bairi
Muskaaye ji jalaai ke
Mora gora ang lai le
Mohe shaam rang dai de
Chhup jaaungi raat hi
me
Mohe pi kaa sang dai
de
Kuchh kho diyaa hai
paai ke
Kuchh paa liyaa gavaai
ke
Kuchh kho diyaa hai
paai ke
Kuchh paa liyaa gavaai
ke
Kahaan le chalaa hai
manvaa
Mohe baanvari banaai
ke
Mora gora ang lai le
Mohe shaam rang dai de
Chhup jaaungi raat hi
me
Mohe pi kaa sang dai
de
Meanings of Some Difficult Words and Phrases
Badari = Clouds
Raahu = The demon in
Hindu folklore that is said to eat the moon during eclipses
Manvaa = A colloquial
word for mind
Baanvari = Mad in love
The Literal English Translation of the Lyrics of Mora Gora ang Lai Le
Take away my fair
toned body
And give me a dusky
colour
I will hide in the
dark of the night
Give me the company of
my lover
A shame (of getting
caught) shackles my feet
A yearning (to meet my
lover) tugs at my arms
I don’t know where I
should go
Someone please guide me
The moon parts the
clouds
And quietly peeps at
me
May Raahu eat you up
You are smiling (at my
dilemma) after igniting my passion
I have lost something
to gain something
I have gained
something after losing something
Where has my mind
taken me
After driving me
insane in love
Mora Gora Ang Lai Le Fact
Sheet
· Movie: Bandini
