I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.
This is the Song #17 in the series. I hope you liked Song #16 – Muskrao ke jee nahin lagta.
Song #17
Dil jo na keh saka, Wohi raaz-e-dil kehne ki raat aayi
A Rare Repeat
I had given you this song on 24 Oct 2018 as Song #95 in my Raaga Based Song of the Day series. This is, of course, in Raag Maru Bihag, Tal Kaherava.
Why Again Here?
We are putting up Raat or Din Songs with the theme-word occurring in either mukhada or antara. However, imagine a song that has been written on Raat itself; that special night in the lives of a couple in love. This is, indeed, the Raat song.
In its sensuous appeal, the only other song that comes anywhere close to it is the Mujhe Jeene Do song performed by Waheeda Rehman: Raat bhi hai kuchh bheegi bheegi chand bhi hai kuchh madham madham. Of course, Waheeda Rehman is a courtesan in that song and is expected to make it sensuous. Here, Meena Kumari, with the least movements and largely based on histrionics conveys the same (I am talking about the Lata Mangeshkar version that I am giving you today), if not more.
One can conclude that she is ravishing indeed and Pradeep Kumar is a very lucky man.
The Song’s Appeal
The song is from the 1965 Kalidas movie Bheegi Raat (Imagine having the theme-word in the title itself), which was a remake of the Hollywood movie An Affair To Remember.
Kalidas retained the same cast as was there in the 1962 Phani Majumdar movie Aarti: Meena Kumari in a triangle with Pradeep Kumar and Ashok Kumar and he even maintained some of the supporting cast as Shashikala and Rahendra Nath.
But, more than anything else, Kalidas maintained the Lyricist – Music Director pair of Majrooh Sultanpuri and Roshan. Here too Lata Mangeshkar sang for Meena Kumari and in the Pradeep Kumar version, Mohammad Rafi sang for him. (Some sites are erroneously crediting this song to Sahir Ludhianvi. To settle it once and for all, I played the movie and re-confirmed that Majrooh wrote the lyrics).
It is a beautiful night, the fire is on at three places, at least. One can see the visible fire but feel the invisible ones through the lyrics, notes and histrionics. Is it the raat to remember forever? Yes, of course. Is it similar to Roop tera mastana. Yes, of course except that it was many years before RTM.
Look at how expressive the lyrics are:
दिल जो ना कह सका
वही राज-ए-दिल, कहने की रात आई
नग्मा सा कोई जाग उठा बदन में
झनकार की सी थरथरी है तन में
प्यार की इन्हीं धड़कती फ़िज़ाओं में
रहने की रात आई…
अब तक दबी थी एक मौज-ए-अरमां
लब तक जो आई, बन गई हैं तूफां
बात प्यार की बहकती निगाहों से
कहने की रात आई…
गुज़रे ना ये शब, खोल दूँ ये जुल्फें
तुम को छुपा लूँ, मूँद के ये पलकें
बेक़रार सी लरज़ती सी छाँव में
रहने की रात आई…
My Own Poetry
Dil doesn’t say; but, dil always listens. Here is:
Hamare Dil Ka Geet
रातों के ख्वाब दिन में भी लगे आने,
तेरे प्यार में सनम हम हो गए दीवाने।
सांस रुकने लगी,
आंख झुकने लगी,
तन्हाई के पल भी अब बन गए सुहाने।
मुहब्बत की यह धुन,
इसे दिल से सुन।
सेहरा में भी आ गयी बहार,
खिल उठा है मेरा घर संसार।
ठंडी ठंडी हवाएं,
भीगी भीगी फिजायें,
तेरा ही कर रही थी इंतज़ार।
मुहब्बत की यह धुन,|
इसे दिल से सुन।
ज़िन्दगी भर रहेगा अपना साथ,
हमेशा रहेगा मेरे हाथों में तेरा हाथ।
बस यूँ ही यूँ है,
हर तरफ तूँ ही तूँ है,
जन्मों जन्मों की हमारी मुलाकात।
मुहब्बत की यह धुन,
इसे दिल से सुन।
Please enjoy: Dil jo na keh saka….
I hope you liked my choice of Song #17 in Raat or Din series.
Please await Song #18 – Husn chala hai ishq se milne.
