Khamoshi - Woh Shaam Kuchh Ajeeb Thi

Khamoshi - Woh Shaam Kuchh Ajeeb Thi

The Hooghly with the Howrah Bridge in the background has been the setting for a number of memorable Bollywood songs and this number is very much among the best. Kishore Kumar sings for Rajesh Khanna, with Waheeda Rehman misconstruing the intent. Lata Mangeshkar loved this song so much that she sang it for one of her stage shows.

Woh shaam kuchh ajeeb thi, yeh shaam bhi ajeeb hai
Woh kal bhi paas paas thi woh aaj bhi kareeb hai 
 
Jhuki hui nigaahon mein, kahin mera khayaal tha
Dabi dabi hansi mein ik, haseen saa gulaal tha
Main sochta tha, mera naam gunguna rahi hai woh
Na jaane kyon laga mujhe, ke muskura rahi hai woh

Mera khayaal hai abhi jhuki hui nigaah mein
Khuli hui hansi bhi hai, dabi hui si chaah mein
Main jaanta hoon, mera naam gunguna rahi hai woh
Yahi khayaal hai mujhe, ke saath aa rahi hai woh

That evening was unusual,

This evening is as well
She was close to me then,

She’s here now I can tell

 

 

She was looking away

But her thoughts were of me

Supressed smile blushing cheeks

Ethereal beauty

She was humming something

I thought it was my name

Her simple joyous face

That set my heart aflame

 

 

She still harbours my thoughts

Beneath her lowered gaze

Her burgeoning desire

In carefree laughter stays

She’s still humming my name
I’m sure even today

And my mind can sense that

She’ll now not go away

Enjoy the video of Woh Shaam Kuchh Ajeeb Thi

Pakeezah - "Inhi Logon Ne"

Pakeezah was a watershed Bollywood movie for many reasons. It took 14 years in the making. After the movie was begun Meena Kumari fell out with her husband Kamal Amrohi, who was also the director and producer of the movie. Later Meena Kumari was convinced to complete the film. But by that time she was so unwell that a body double had to be used for her dances. The movie released to empty theatres. Within three weeks of the film's release Meena Kumari passed away. The public then thronged to the cinema halls and the movie was a super hit.

One of the first sequences in the film is Meena Kumari performing a mujra to the song ‘inhi logon ne’. The song and its translation in English are produced below.

The dupatta is actually a long scarf worn over both shoulders and hanging down in front. It symbolizes a woman’s modesty. At an ulterior level in this song the dupatta is symbolic of the tawayafs or dancing girls, like the heroine of Pakeezah, whose modesty is outraged at every step of their lives.

First they are usually kidnapped from their homes as young girls and sold to the kothas or dancing houses. Then they are trained in coquetry and dancing. And finally they are forced to dance in front of drooling men and often made to provide other services as well. These three stages are depicted in the three verses of the song.

Inhi logon ne, inhi logon ne
Inhi logon ne le leena dupatta mera

Hamri na maano saiyyaan
Hamri na maano bajajva se poochho
Jis ne asharfi gaz deena dupatta mera


Hamri na maano saiyyaan
Hamri na maano rangrajva se poochho
Jis ne gulaabi rang deena dupatta mera

Hamri na maano saiyyaan
Hamri na maano sipahiya se poochho
Jis ne bajariya mein chheena dupatta mera

These are the people, these are the people,

These are people who have taken away my veil.

If you don’t believe me my love,
If you don’t believe me then ask the cloth merchant
Who for a few gold coins has supplied my veil.

If you don’t believe me my love,
If you don’t believe me then ask the fabric dyer
Who in a bright pink colour has dyed my veil.

If you don’t believe me my love,
If you don’t believe me then ask the brusque soldier
Who in the market place has untied my veil.

Enjoy the video of Inhi Logon Ne.