Kahin Pe Nigahen – Poetic Translation of Classic CID Song
Meta Description: Kahin Pe Nigahen fits in with the
crime thriller genre of the 1956 Bollywood movie CID. Enjoy the poetic
translation of the lyrics penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Setting the Background for Translating Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana
CID (1956) is a gripping crime thriller that marks
the debut of Waheeda Rehman in Hindi cinema. The film follows CID Inspector
Shekhar (Dev Anand), who arrives at the hideout of the criminal mastermind
Dharamdas in a critically injured state. The place is managed by his moll,
Kamini (Waheeda Rehman). Shekhar manages to convince Kamini to betray
Dharamdas, and she agrees to hide him until he recovers. However, tension
arises when Dharamdas unexpectedly shows up, catching Kamini off guard.
This is when Kamini
performs Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana as a dance number, which
serves two key purposes. First, she uses it to distract Dharamdas and delay his
arrival to the bedroom where Shekhar is hiding. Second, through subtle phrases
in the song, Kamini warns Shekhar about the imminent danger and informs him of
a secret escape route hidden behind a painting of a woman with flowing tresses.
One of the highlights
of the song is the masterful incorporation of bird-hunting imagery in the
lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri, which adds layers of meaning to the song. One
pair of hunter and hunted is Dharamdas and Kamini, which is explicit in the
lyrics and the picturisation. There is another, implicit pair, secretly alluded
to in the lyrics, which is Dharamdas and Shekhar. While I was tempted to
elaborate on how the messages were subtly conveyed to Shekhar without alerting
Dharamdas, I chose to leave it for the viewers to enjoy discovering this clever
detail on their own.
The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
Do take it easy
Don’t beguile me I
swear
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
Who knows why you’re
here who can tell what is your goal
Who knows why you’re
here who can tell what is your goal
Don’t let loose your
fatal glances on some hapless soul
Don’t let loose your fatal
glances on some hapless soul
The heart is fragile
Of that you should be
aware
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
It is dangerous the
way you tease with your eyes
It is dangerous the
way you tease with your eyes
Careful my darling you
are in for a surprise
Careful my darling you
are in for a surprise
Fickle lovers
They really do not
care
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is elsewhere
You have wounded me
now tell me where I should go
You have wounded me
now tell me where I should go
Those pierced by your
arrows they cry out in sorrow
Those pierced by your
arrows they cry out in sorrow
It is your world
I can only despair
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
The hunter is here so
pheasant you must beware
The hunter is here so
pheasant you must beware
The girl with flowing
hair you quietly leave from there
The girl with flowing
hair you quietly leave from there
Fly away safely
The hunter will not
spare
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
Eyes are set on some
one
The target is
elsewhere
The Original Hindi Lyrics of Kahin Pe Nigahen from CID
(1956)
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
jeene do zalim
banao naa deewana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
koyi na jaane iraade
hain kidhar key
koyi na jaane iraade hain kidhar key
maar na dena teer nazar ka kisi key jigar pe
maar na dena teer nazar ka kisi key jigar pe
naazuk yeh dil hai
bachaana o bachaana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
tauba ji tauba nigahon
ka machalana
tauba ji tauba nigahon ka machalana
dekh bhaal key aye dilwaalo pahalu badalana
dekh bhaal key aye dilwaalo pahalu badalana
kafir ada ki
ada hain mastana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
zakhmi hain tere jaaye
toh kahaan jaaye
zakhmi hain tere jaaye toh kahaan jaaye
tere teer key maare huwe dete hain sadaaye
tere teer key maare huwe dete hain sadaaye
kar do ji ghayal
tumhara hain zamaana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
aaya shikari o panchhi
tu sambhal ja
aaya shikari o panchhi tu sambhal ja
ek jaal hain zulfon ka tu chupake se nikal ja
ek jaal hain zulfon ka tu chupake se nikal ja
udd ja o panchhi
shikari hai deewana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
kahin pe nigahen
kahin pe nishana
Meanings of Difficult Urdu Words
Tauba = Oh God
Dekh bhaal key =
Carefully
Pahalu badalana = Change sides
Kafir = Unfaithful
Ada = Attitude
Sadaaye = Calling out
The Literal English Translation of the Lyrics of Kahin Pe Nigahen
Looking in one
direction
The target is in
another
Let me live o darling
Do not drive me crazy
No one knows what your
intentions are
Do not let loose love
darts from your eyes on someone’s heart
The heart is delicate
Please save me
God save me from these
coquettish eyes
Lovers be careful in
changing sides
The attitude of the
unfaithful
Is a carefree one
I have been hurt by
you, where shall I now go
The one pierced by
your arrow calls out in pain
Hurt me as you will
It is your world
The hunter has come o bird please be careful
There is a net of
tresses quietly escape from there
Fly away o bird
The hunter is capable
of any madness
Kahin Pe Nigahen Fact Sheet
· Movie: CID (1956)
