Saturday, September 21, 2013

Beedi Jalai Le – Transcreation and Explanation of Omkara Lyrics



Beedi Jalai Le – Transcreation and Explanation of Omkara Lyrics 


Meta Description:  Beedi Jalai Le is a Bollywood item number from Omkara featuring Bipasha Basu.  The Vishal Bharadwaj Hindi movie is a remake of Shakespeare’s Othello. Understand the risqué metaphors of the rustic original song and sing the English translation to the original beat. 


The Transcreation in English of the Hindi Lyrics of Beedi Jalai Le

Beedi Jalai Le would classify as a Bollywood item number and so the lyrics of the songs are earthy and risqué.  Penned by Gulzar, they are intensely metaphorical and defy translation in the normal literal manner. The translations available elsewhere on the Internet are grossly inadequate, being mere literal translation of words. 

Beedi Jalai Le is perfect material for transcreation, which at Bollywood Translations, meets two requirements. 

  • ·       It captures the contextual essence of the song, even if some literal content is lost
  • ·       It can be sung in English to the original instrumental tune of the song without missing a beat

 

 

With no quilt to warm my soul

The cold wind on a roll … what the hell

Oh! It is so chilly go get a blanket will you

Oh! Burning coal from your neighbour’s hearth will do

 

Light a smoke with heat from my heart

See my heart is set on fire

Keep the flame within, the heat not depart

Don’t show the world your desire

 

No reason and no rhyme

And there wasn’t any crime … what the hell

Just like that I was picked up one afternoon

Was made to shake my hips to a risqué tune

Light a stove with heat from my heart

See my heart is set on fire

 

Not sharp like a knife. nor a dagger nor a scythe

The wind bites and leaves on your skin its mark

Without compassion it is cold and very stark

Oh! Come to me and get some warmth some spark

 

Light a smoke with heat from my heart

See my heart is set on fire

Keep the flame within, the heat not depart

Don’t show the world your desire

 

Without a hint, without a beep

Woke me from my beauty sleep … what the hell

He first came to my bed and then entered my quilt

Took me in his arms and we made love to the hilt

Light an ember with heat from my heart

See my heart is set on fire

 

Light a smoke with heat from my heart

See my heart is set on fire

Keep the flame within, the heat not depart

Don’t show the world your desire


The Original Hindi Lyrics of Beedi Jalai Le from Omkara

Naa gilaaf, naa lihaaf
Thandi hawa bhi khilaaf sasuri
Ho Itti sardi hai kisi ka lihaaf lei lay
Ho Jaa padosi ke chulhe se aag lei lay

Beedi jalai le jigar se piya
Jigar maa badi aag hai
Dhuan naa nikaariyo lab se piya
Je duniya badi ghaagh hai

Naa kasoor, naa fatoor
Bina juram ke hujoor marr gaye
Aise ik din dupahari bulai liyo re
Baandh ghungru kachehri lagai liyo re
Angithi jalaai le jigar se piya
Jigar maa badi aag hai

 

Na to chakkua ki dhaar, na daraanti na kataar
Aisa kaate ke daant ka nisaan chhod de
Ye kataai to koi bhi kisaan chhod de
Aise¦ jaalim ka chhod de makaan chhod de

 

Beedi jalai le jigar se piya
Jigar maa badi aag hai
Dhuan naa nikaariyo lab se piya
Je duniya badi ghaagh hai

Na bulaya na bataya
Mhane neend se jagaya hai re
Aisa chauke lihaaf mein naseeb aa gaya
Woh elaichi khilai ke kareeb aa gaya
Koyla jalai le jigar se piya
Jigar maa  badi aag hai

Beedi jalai le jigar se piya
Jigar maa badi aag hai
Dhuan naa nikaariyo lab se piya
Je duniya badi ghaagh hai

 

Meanings of some Urdu words

 

gilaaf – pillow case

lihaaf – quilt

khilaaf - against

ghaagh - cunning

kasoor - fault

fatoor - defect

juram – crime

hajoor - lord

kachehri – court, (here dance assembly)

daraanti - sickle

kataar - dagger

naseeb - luck


The Literal English Explanation of the Lyrics of Beedi Jalai Le

I do not have a quilt to keep me warm, not even a pillow case. And the goddamned wind is freezing. It is so cold that I feel like taking someone’s quilt, or warming myself with the heat from my neighbour’s stove. The sexual innuendo should not be lost. I want to cosy up with my neighbour to warm me.


The neighbour replies: you can light your beedi from my bosom since there is a fire raging in it. It is an implicit acceptance of the sexual proposal. Do not blow smoke from your lips, my love. This world is extremely cunning. The innuendo is: do not let anyone see you leaving my place or they will know what we have been up to.

 Without any fault or provocation, I was dragged here. One afternoon they called me to their assembly and forced me to dance. But I have fire in my bosom and I had them lusting after me.

 Not a sharp knife, not even a sickle or dagger can match her. Her love bites leave the marks of her teeth. No farmer will need implements for harvesting if he had teeth like hers. I have been telling her to leave her tyrant lover and come to me.  (This interpretation is different from the one in the transcreation. The beauty of poetry lies in that multiple interpretations can co-exist.)

Without any warning my lover woke me up from my sleep. I was startled, but glad for his company. He gave me a mouth freshener and cuddled up with me. I let him share the warmth of my body because there was a fire raging in my bosom. 

 Beedi Jalai Le Fact Sheet 

 
·       Movie: Omkara
·       Singer: Sunidhi Chauhan, Sukhwinder Singh, others
·       Lyricist: Gulzar
·       Composer: Vishal Bharadwaj
·       On Screen: Bipasha Basu, Vivek Oberoi, Saif Ali Khan
·       Director: Vishal Bharadwaj
 
Omkara is Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of Othello. This song is a tamasha type dance numbers by Bipasha Basu who plays Billo, the equivalent of Bianca from Shakespeare’s play. In this context, tamasha refers to a rustic item number with provocative gestures and double entendre lyrics.
 
Enjoy the video of Beedi Jalai le
 
Bollywood Translations has more item numbers from Hindi movies.
 
·       Teri Kattili Nigahon Ne Mara
·       Tilasmi Bahein
 
 
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Friday, August 9, 2013

Khamoshi – Tum Pukar Lo



Khamoshi – Tum Pukar Lo


This haunting number from Hemant Kumar is the third song from Khamoshi that is picturised on Waheeda Rehman, but sung by someone else. Waheeda Rehman wants to deliver her message of love to Dharmendra, but finds him singing a melody for someone else. A copy of Kalidas’ Meghdoot in her arms is a masterstroke. She takes the long walk back without saying anything. I have provided two translations for this song. One is quite literal but fails to express the depth of emotion. Therefore I have taken some liberties with the second translation, but tried to maintain its poetic quality.


Tum pukar lo, tumhara intezaar hai
Khwaab chun rahi hai raat, beqarar hai

Honth pe liye huey dil ki baat hum
Jaagte rahenge aur kitni raat hum
Muqtasar si baat hai tum se pyaar hai
Tumhara intezaar hai

Dil bahal to jaayega is khayal se
Haal mil gaya tumhara apne haal se
Raat ye qaraar ki beqarar hai
Tumhara intezaar hai

Literal Translation

Please do call me, I am waiting for you
The night is picking dreams, it is restless

With my heart’s sentiments on my lips
How many more nights do I remain awake
The issue in brief is that I love you
I am waiting for you

My heart will be consoled with this thought
Your condition is no different from mine
This night of bliss has become restless
I am waiting for you

muqtasar = brief

Emotional Translation

I am waiting for you, do call me please
I’ve only dreams in this night of unease

Till when do I lie awake night after night
Singing soulfully about my heart’s plight
I am in love, I say on bended knees
I am waiting for you, do call me please

This thought offers me some consolation
You’re in the very same situation
When will the long night our loves’ thirst appease
I am waiting for you, do call me please


Wednesday, August 7, 2013

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











Saturday, August 3, 2013

Khamoshi - Hum Ne Dekhi Hai




 Khamoshi - Hum Ne Dekhi Hai

Hemant Kumar, Gulzar, Lata Mangeshkar and flashes of Waheeda Rehman – nothing more need be said.

Hum ne dekhi hai in aankhoon ki mahakati khushboo
Haath se chhuke isey rishton ka ilzaam na do
Sirf ehsaas hai ye rooh se mahsoos karo
Pyaar ko pyaar hi rahane do koi naam na do

Pyaar koi bol nahin, pyaar aavaaz nahin
Ek khamoshi hai sunati hai kahaa karati hai
Na ye bujhati hai naa rukati hai naa thahari hai kahin
Noor ki boond hai sadiyon se bahaa karati hai

Muskuraahat si khili rahati hai aankhon mein kahin
Aur palakon pe ujaale se chhupe rahate hain
Honth kuchh kahate nahin, kaanpate honthon pe magar
Kitane khamosh se afasaane rukey rahate hain


I have seen love’s fragrance blossom in these very eyes
Do not bind it in relations or spoil it with your touch
It is ethereal just feel it through your soul
Let love be love do not give it any name as such

Love is not a sequence of words or of voices
It does listen and it does speak but in silence
It does not burn out nor does it end or stop
It is an eternally flowing luminescence

The eyes are always festooned with a smile
And across the face a quiet glow is spread
The lips are silent, but on the quivering lips
A million tales can be sensed but remain unsaid