On Love, Songs and Movies

I loved the song that goes "Yeh ishq haye..." from the movie Jab We Met the first time I heard it, and subsequent hearings have not diminished its appeal.

But it was after I watched the movie and after I listened to the lyrics carefully that I liked "Na hai yeh pana na khona hi hai". I love the way love is depicted in that song, love that he misses her but isn't pining away for her. In fact, he's inspired to work hard and be a better person: he's enriched by the experience even though she's not in his life any more. That is what I feel love should be: a strength, not a weakness.

This isn't the first time I've been struck by filmmaker Imtiaz Ali's sensitiveness in depicting love. For the Guy and me, Socha Na Tha is our movie, and it's song beginning "Mera tumhara kya rishta hai" is our song. The Guy had seen this movie after we had parted as friends, were living in different cities, and not in touch with each other. And it struck a chord with him - much later, after we were together, he would still get emotional on hearing it.

Because I love it so much, here's a lame attempt at translation:

mera tumhara kya rishta hai

kuchh bhi nahi

What's the relationship between us?

Nothing. We are strangers.

agar kabhi tum guzarta dekho

kya tum mujhe bulaogi

shayad nahi

If you see me pass on the street

Will you call out to me?

Maybe not.

agar jo phir hum

kabhi na mile to

kya tum yaad aaogi

If we never meet again

Will I think of you?

nahi

kyonki tum meri koi nahi

main janta hoon magar

ho jub meri koi nahi

kyon lagti ho mujhko parayi nahi

No.

Because you are nothing to me.

I know this, yet

if you are nothing to me

Why don't you feel like a stranger?

jub bhi mile hum

aisa laga phir milenge nahi

Whenever we met I felt

We'll never meet again.

phir bhi najane kisi bahane

milte gaye hum tum magar kahin na kahin

Yet some or the other excuse

brought us together, again and again.

jub aaj koi nahi hain bahana

phir kyon thaher jayen kadam yahin

Today, when excuses have run out

Why do my feet linger here?

ho tum meri koi nehi

main jaanta hoon magar

ho jab meri koi nehi

kyo lagti ho mujhko parayi nehi

You are nothing to me.

I know this, yet

If you are nothing to me

Why don't you feel like a stranger?

ek ajnabi se

itni na ki thi

batein kabhi

I had never talked so long

to a stranger.

jo chaha dil ne

kehta gaya main

tum se koi bhi doori mujhe lagi na kabhi

I spoke out

whatever was in my heart

I never felt any distance between us.

paas tumhare aaya tha kitne

yeh ehsaas ho raha hai mujhe abhi

I had grown so close to you

I realise that now...

par tum meri koi nahi

shayad mujhe hai yakeen

But you are nothing to me

That I am sure of.

ho jab meri koi nehi

kyo lagti ho mujhko parayi nehi

If you are nothing to me

Why don't you feel like a stranger?

These simple lines seem to me to capture the beginning of love very well: that period when you are drawn to the other person, and what you feel for him or her doesn't seem to be adequately accounted for by friendship.

I also love the song in which he proposes to his girlfriend (who is a different person from the girl the song above is meant for).

main seedhe saadhe dhang se

kehta hoon aapni baat

I'll say what I want to

in a straightforward way

ek ghar basaane chahata hoon

main tumhare saath

I want to build

my life with you

kya doogi mere haathon mein

bolo tum aapna haath

Tell me, will you give

your hand in both of mine?

khushiyon se ghar ko sajaoonga hamesha

daftar se bhi main waqt pe aaonga hamesha

I will light up our home with happiness

I will leave office on time and come home to you

Laoonga main thode taaza phool bhi

Karoonga main puri har khushi

I will get some fresh flowers for you

And will fulfill your every wish

Maanoonga main manoonga

manoonga har ek baat

I will obey, yes I will

every word you say

kya doogi mere haathon mein

bolo tum aapna haath

Tell me, will you give

your hand in both of mine?

chanda aur sitare laoonga teri khatir

tum joh kaho main woh gaoonga teri khatir

I will get you the moon and stars

I will sing whatever you want me to

chalo yeh bhi tumse vaada hai mera

chahoonga main tumhe toot ke

jitna satao ya rulao tum

jaaonga na kahin rooth ke

Here, I promise you this too

that I will love you with all my heart

However you torment or sadden me

I will never go away

aaonga main aaonga, aaonga tere paas (This is sung loud, to warn that he is about to follow her into the ladies' room)

kya doogi mere haathon mein bolo tum aapna haath

I will come, yes I'll come to you

Tell me, will you give your hand in both of mine?

Yet even in the middle of making this romantic proposal, the young man is thinking about this other girl who may have got into trouble because of him. And eventually realises that he is after all in love with the girl who isn't his girlfriend.

But I still like that proposal song.