This was meant as a sister-post to the earlier one, but once I began to delve into the theme, I realised that 'philosophical' songs ran an entire gamut - after all, they could espouse any philosophy at all. So, in a bid to make things easier for myself, I decided to set some parameters for myself. I decided that background songs do not count, so that removed Kiske liye ruka hai from Ek Saal. Or songs that were sung by some arbitrary person on screen, so that meant that I could not use Ye duniya ek saagar hai from Bandish or Sab din hot na ek samaan (Senapati) by one of my favourite music directors, Madan Mohan. I also decided to limit myself to songs that sing of a personal philosophy, of a way the protagonist lives his life, or, at the most, exhorts a friend/spouse/lover to live their life a certain way. Boom! That took care of many of the songs on my list, and I was left woebegone to start from scratch.
It was back to drafting a whole new post with songs that I liked that also fit all these self-imposed parameters. That is when I realised two things - one, that in trying to make things easier for myself, I seemed to done the reverse; two, Dev Anand seems to have had the most number of philosophical songs filmed on him. It was an interesting exercise to corral them (I found enough songs to make a 'Dev Anand in a philosophical mood' post) and even more interesting to see that he did seem to have lived his life the same way.
Here, in no particular order are the songs that I came up with after a long and arduous search. (Well, not exactly... but why let facts get in the way of a good statement?)
Music:
Salil Choudhary
Lyrics:
Shailendra
Singer:
Mukesh
This
song is amusingly cynical, sung as it is by a dilettante who seems to have no
trouble in living his life according to his desires. Shailendra's lyrics complemented
the scene which was that of a man weaving his drunken way through the empty city streets at night and expounding his hedonistic personal philosophy to a man who
is dying of thirst. Alcohol, he claims, is the cure to all ills. It can not only arouse emotions in a stone, it can even
bring a dead man to life!
Ek pyaali bhar ke maine,
Gham ke maare dil ko di
Zehar ne maara zehar ko,
Murde mein phir jaan aa gayi
Ek pyaali bhar ke maine,
Gham ke maare dil ko di
Zehar ne maara zehar ko,
Murde mein phir jaan aa gayi
It is a
personal cynicism, nothing to do with society.
Dil ne
humse jo kaha
Humne
waisa hi kiya
Phir kabhi
fursat se sochenge
Bura tha,
ya bhala
(I
did just as my heart desired; perhaps someday, at leisure, I will ponder
whether it was right or wrong.)
Bahu Beti /1965
Music: Ravi
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi
Singer: Mohammed Rafi
Written by Sahir Ludhianvi, who, as we all know, could be more cynical than most, this song is meant to be both philosophical and comforting. (Though I don't know of any woman who is going to be comforted by Maro ke jaise tumhara kuchh bhi nahin...) The lyrics seem to echo the fatalistic theme of coming into this world with nothing, and dying the same way. But, strangely enough for Sahir, he brings in a seed of optimism - why not live life to the fullest in the meantime?
Written by Sahir Ludhianvi, who, as we all know, could be more cynical than most, this song is meant to be both philosophical and comforting. (Though I don't know of any woman who is going to be comforted by Maro ke jaise tumhara kuchh bhi nahin...) The lyrics seem to echo the fatalistic theme of coming into this world with nothing, and dying the same way. But, strangely enough for Sahir, he brings in a seed of optimism - why not live life to the fullest in the meantime?
Jahaan mein aake jahaan se khinche-khinche na raho
Woh zindagi hi nahin jis mein aas bujh jaaye
Koyi bhi pyaas dabaaye se dab nahin sakti
Isi se chain milegaa ke pyaas bujh jaaye
Ye keh ke mudta hua zindagi ka dhaara hai
Jiyo to aise jiyo jaise sab tumhaara hai
Woh zindagi hi nahin jis mein aas bujh jaaye
Koyi bhi pyaas dabaaye se dab nahin sakti
Isi se chain milegaa ke pyaas bujh jaaye
Ye keh ke mudta hua zindagi ka dhaara hai
Jiyo to aise jiyo jaise sab tumhaara hai
Amar Prem / 1972
Music: RD Burman
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Singer: Kishore Kumar
A story that illuminated a nameless (and unconventional) bond between two people, Amar Prem's protagonists were two people who were talked about disparagingly by society - one by choice (Anand Babu) and the other, through circumstance (Pushpa). The latter, inured though she is to the life she leads, is still hurt by the blatantly insulting remarks that are addressed to (and about) her by the 'respectable' pillars of society. Anand Babu, who, at this stage of his life, is cynical about social posturing, comforts her; if Sita could be vilified by society, who is she, Pushpa, to be above that?
Kuch reet jagat ki aisi hai
Har ek subah ki shaam hui
Tu kaun hai tera naam hai kya
Seeta bhi yahan badnaam hui
Phir kyon sansaar ki baaton se
Bheeg gaye tere naina
Kuch toh log kahenge
Logon ka kaam hai kehna
People will talk; let them. Because the people who berate him for coming (openly) to a whorehouse (and her, for being a whore) are the same ones who sneak into the brothels under cover of darkness.
Kuch reet jagat ki aisi hai
Har ek subah ki shaam hui
Tu kaun hai tera naam hai kya
Seeta bhi yahan badnaam hui
Phir kyon sansaar ki baaton se
Bheeg gaye tere naina
Kuch toh log kahenge
Logon ka kaam hai kehna
People will talk; let them. Because the people who berate him for coming (openly) to a whorehouse (and her, for being a whore) are the same ones who sneak into the brothels under cover of darkness.
Anari / 1959
Music: Shankar-Jaikishen
Lyrics: Shailendra
Singer: Mukesh
This is the way life must be lived - with love, and laughter, and selflessness. At least, that is how the simple Raj lives his life.
Kisi ki muskurahaton par hai nisar
Kisi ka dard mil sake to le udhaar
Kisi ke waaste ho tere dil mein pyaar
Jeena isi ka naam hai...
So sure is he indeed that this is how life should be lived; it's a matter of faith - in himself, and in others.
Rishta dil se dil ke aitbaar ka
Zinda hai hami se naam pyaar ka
Ki marke bhi kisi ko yaad ayenge
Kisi ke aansuo mein muskuraanyenge
Kahega phool har kali se baar baar
Jeena isi ka naam hai...
Kisi ki muskurahaton par hai nisar
Kisi ka dard mil sake to le udhaar
Kisi ke waaste ho tere dil mein pyaar
Jeena isi ka naam hai...
So sure is he indeed that this is how life should be lived; it's a matter of faith - in himself, and in others.
Rishta dil se dil ke aitbaar ka
Zinda hai hami se naam pyaar ka
Ki marke bhi kisi ko yaad ayenge
Kisi ke aansuo mein muskuraanyenge
Kahega phool har kali se baar baar
Jeena isi ka naam hai...
Hum Dono / 1961
Music: Jaidev
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi
Singer: Mohammed Rafi
On the face of it, this song is quite as don't-care-ish as Zindagi khwaab hai - after all, all his worries are dispersed in puffs of smoke; however, underneath lies a rather realistic view of life and living. This was how Dev Anand lived his life, always looking ahead. He had no time for regrets. Barbaadiyon ka sok manaaana fizool tha, Barbadiyon ka jashn manaata chala gaya...This was not just Major Verma's philosophy, but by his own admission, Dev Anand's underlying philosophy of life as well.
Jo mil gaya usi ko muqaddar samajh liya
Jo kho gaya main usko bhulata chala gaya
Main zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya
Har fikr ko dhuen mein udaata chala gaya
Jo mil gaya usi ko muqaddar samajh liya
Jo kho gaya main usko bhulata chala gaya
Main zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya
Har fikr ko dhuen mein udaata chala gaya
Teesri Kasam / 1966
Music: Shankar-Jaikishen
Lyrics: Shailendra
Singer: Mukesh
The story of a simple cart driver and an itinerant nautanki dancer, Teesri Kasam stayed away from stereotypes, marking a realistic and refreshing point of view. Heeraman's philosophy of life is as simple as he is - do good and good things will happen to you; do bad things, and you will reap what you sow. Accounts will be settled right here on this earth, and when you face your maker, you will face him just as you were, without the trappings of the material world - wahan paidal hi jaana hai...
Bhala keeje bhala hoga
Bura keeje bura hoga
Bahi likh likhke kya hoga
Yahin sab kuchh chukaana hai
Sajan re jhooth mat bolo,
Khuda ke paas jaana hai
Bhala keeje bhala hoga
Bura keeje bura hoga
Bahi likh likhke kya hoga
Yahin sab kuchh chukaana hai
Sajan re jhooth mat bolo,
Khuda ke paas jaana hai
7. Hai sabse madhur woh geet hai
Patita /1953
Music: Shankar-JaikishenLyrics: Shailendra
Singer: Talat Mahmood
Lyricist Shailendra's favourite poet was Percy Bysse Shelley, so much so that a couple of lines from the latter's Ode to a Skylark (Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought) became the initial lines of this song - Hai sabse madhur woh geet jinhe hum dard ke sur me gaate hai... Paying homage to one of the greatest Romantic poets in English literature, the lyricist then took off to pen some of the most comforting lines in verse. Espousing a philosophy that grief is part of life, and that one would be foolish to think one can escape it, he lovingly explains that tears overflow not only during times of great sorrow, but also that of great happiness (Jab hadh se guzar jaati hai khushi, aansoo bhi chhalakte aate hain)... so why not keep grief aside and learn to laugh?
Pehalu mein paraaye dard basake,
Hansna hansaana seekh zara
Tu hansna hansaana seekh zaraa
After all, there is always light at the end of the tunnel (Jab gham ka andhera ghir aaye, samjho ke savera door nahin...).
Pehalu mein paraaye dard basake,
Hansna hansaana seekh zara
Tu hansna hansaana seekh zaraa
After all, there is always light at the end of the tunnel (Jab gham ka andhera ghir aaye, samjho ke savera door nahin...).
The fledgling Navketan banner needed hits if it were to
survive. Their first venture, Afsar, though critically acclaimed was not a box-office success. Baazi was Navketan's first big hit, and it gave an impetus to the
careers of everyone associated with it - Guru Dutt, Geeta Bali, Dev
Anand, SD Burman, and Sahir Ludhianvi. Forced to take up the job of a professional gambler due to circumstances, Madan is morally conflicted, but there is someone to encourage him to take a chance - does he have faith in himself?
Tadbeer se bigdi hui taqdeer bana le
Tadbeer se bigdi hui taqdeer bana le
Apne pe bharosa hai to daanv laga le...
sings Geeta Bali in Geeta Dutt's sultry voice as she exhorts Dev's Madan not to lose heart.
Toote hue patwaar hain kashti ke to hum kya
Haari hui baahon ko hi patwaar bana le, patwaar bana le
This song is so typical of Dev Anand's philosophy in real life. Ever the gambler, Dev continued to make films one after the other till he died, irrespective of their fate at the box office.
sings Geeta Bali in Geeta Dutt's sultry voice as she exhorts Dev's Madan not to lose heart.
Toote hue patwaar hain kashti ke to hum kya
Haari hui baahon ko hi patwaar bana le, patwaar bana le
This song is so typical of Dev Anand's philosophy in real life. Ever the gambler, Dev continued to make films one after the other till he died, irrespective of their fate at the box office.
Nau Do Gyarah / 1957
Music: SD Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri
Singer: Kishore Kumar
Chetan Anand had begun to distance himself from Navketan, and was in the process of forming his own production company. So Dev signed his younger brother Vijay (Goldie) Anand to direct Nau Do Gyaarah; the script was also Goldie's. One of the earliest of road movies, Dev
travelled around the country in a ramshackle truck; the camera following
him, sometimes going ahead to film the panoramic views of the
countryside. This is another song that exemplifies Devsaab's own philosophy of life.
Dhoop thi naseeb mein
Toh dhoop mein liya hai dum,
Chaandni mili to hum
Chaandni mein so liye...
What a nice way to live life.
Andaz / 1971
Music: Shankar-Jaikishen
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri
Singer: Kishore Kumar
Like Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna seemed to have many 'philosophy of life' songs picturised on him. By this time, Rajesh Khanna was dominating the Hindi film scene, and was blessed with scripts that gave immense scope for his charm. Like other romantic heroes before him, his films also had good songs. Even though the leading man (Shammi Kapoor) was a man who had personified romance in Hindi films a few years earlier, Rajesh Khanna walked off with audience interest in a film that saw him make a cameo appearance. He also got the best song, one that really embodies the theme of this post, taking the view that death is inevitable, so why be so frightened of death that one forgets to live?
Maut aani hai, aayegi ik din
Jaan jaani hai, jaayegi ik din
Aisi baaton se kya ghabraana
Yahaan kal kya ho kisne jaana
This view of life was to find an echo in 2003.
1971 saw the end of a long partnership, that of music duo Shankar and Jaikishen who began their journey with Barsaat (1949) a little more than two decades earlier. Jaikishen passed away in September that year. It was ironic that the last song he recorded was Zindagi ek safar hai suhana.
In hindsight, its lines were almost a forewarning:
Zindagi ek safar hai suhana
Yahan kal kya ho kisne jaana...Which song exemplifies your philosophy of life?
