'Ballimaran ke mohalle ki wo pechida dalilon ki si galiyan
Samne taal ke nukkad par bateron ke kaseede
Gudgudati hui pan ki peekon mein wo daad wo wah wah
Chand darwazon par latke hue boseeda se kuch taat ke parde
Ek bakri ke mamiyane ki awaz
Aur dhundhlai hui shaam ke benoor andhere .
.aise deewaron se muhn jod ke chalte hain yahan
Chooriwalan ke katre ki Badi Bi jaise apni buhjti hui aankhon se darwaze tatole'
As I was just a kid then, I was never fully able to appreciate those lines when they appeared first on DD’s classic – Mirza Ghalib. But they still had sounded magical to me. There could not have been a better ode to the life of the legendry poet and there couldn’t have been a better man to pay that homage than Gulzar.
A man who has the sensitivity to imagine how even the touch of water feels different when one is in love, who sees the life as the taste of dew - sweet but never enough, who sees romance in cold white bed sheets under the moon in a black starry sky, who smells fragrance in the innocence of eyes, Gulzar, without doubt is the messiah of symbolic poetry. He has a gift, gift to redefine the meaning of those ordinary things we see around us. His writings stem from right beneath the earth and stretch to touch your soul. He so immaculately weaves those mundane common nouns with the abstracts, those common nouns start to mean different. There is a whole heap of such example I can give, but I find these to be so out of the world:
“Chand aasman mein jade soorakh ki tarah jhankta raha”, “Behte badlon pe rakhin ummedein”, “Thodi si zameen, thoda asaman”, “Machis”, “Mera kuch saman tumhare paas pada hai”, 'Sapne Pe Paon Pad Gaya Tha'….Simple words, but put together by this wizard, they start to mean something else.
It’s impossible to select the best 10 songs of Gulzar, since so many of them ooze with his effortless brilliance. The ones listed here though are the ones which I often find myself humming when I am high on emotions. It would however be worth mentioning here that had it not been RD Burman, these lyrics would probably have been wasted. It’s due to these two greats that we have some melodies which are in its true sense, timeless.
1) Sili Hawa Choo Gayi - Libas
This IS the best song of Gulzar according to me. It has been rendered immortal by RD’s music and Lata’ voice. I am yet to see this movie and I know Shabana would have done wonders to this one on the screen.
2) Roz Roz Dali Dali – Angoor
A semi classical masterpiece sung by Asha and directed by none other than the maestro – RD.
3) Is Mod Se Jate Hain – Aandhi
Genteel love of a suave couple – Sanjeev Kumar and Suchitra Sen captured by these very refined lyrics sung by Kishore and Lata and no prizes for guessing…directed by Rahul Da. Listen to those lyrics – “…kuch sust kadam raste, kuch tez kadam rahein.” .Divine.
4) Raah Mein Rehte Hain – Namkeen
One of those songs which I get goose bumps listening to, this one is picturized on Sanjeev Kumar driving a truck in scenic hills in the Sharmila Tagore co-starrer and classical Namkeen. Kishore and RD again. God I miss these guys…
5) Dil Dhoondhta Hai – Mausam
Aah…this one is absolutely divine. And has been picturized equally brilliantly depicting Sanjeev Kumar down the memory lane. Has been sung by Bhupinder, Rafi and Lata. Music by Madan Mohan. Gulzar sparks an unparalleled nostalgia in this gem with phrases like “jadon ki sard dhoop aur angan mein let kar”, “thandi safed chadaron pe jagein der tak”
6) Do Nainon Mein Aansoo Bhare Hain - Khushbu
They didn’t use to call her the dream girl for nothing. Hema Malini stuns even as a simple middleclass village girl. This song makes me really sentimental. Sach mein yaar.! not joking. RD and Lata are the culprits.
7) Katra Katra milti hai- Ijaazat
“Kal bhi to kuch aisa hi hua tha, neend mein thi tumne jab chua tha.
.Girte Girte bahon mein bachi mein, Sapne pe paon pad paya tha”
Divine movie, ethereal songs.
Asha Bhonsle sometimes sounds better than Lata and this is one example. Boss again with that wonderful guitar in the background.
8) Do Naina Ek Kahani – Masoom
For a surprise this one was not sung by Lata/Asha but by Arti mukherjee and happens to by MY inspirational song whenever I wonder about life. Just makes me glazy eyed…
“Choti si do jheelon mein wo behti rehti hai,
koi sune ya na sune, kehti rehti hai.”
kuch likh ke, kuch zubani.Thoda sa badal, thoda sa pani”*…RD again.
9) Thodi Si Zameen – Sitara
Hmmmm….”thodi si zameen, thoda asman, tinkon ka ye aashiyan”…its like the whole gist of our lives told in a single line. Sung by Lata and Bhupinder, music by RD again…God!
10) Tere Bina Jiya Jaye Na – Ghar
The love of a newly wed couple can’t be better described than those words. Reminds me of those early days of my marriage. That passionate longing of a wife for her beloved husband.* “Jab Bhi Khayalon mein tu aaye, mere badan se khushbu aaye”*. Lata and RD again.
I can compare the beauty of those songs with just one thing - Mitti Ki Khushboo!. I just wish Gulzar saab to live infinitely long, I don’t see any one taking his place ever.
PS: I know, I know, I have missed your favorite songs…but can’t help it. There ain’t enough room left. They simply are countless. But would love to hear from you guys about which one is the closest to your heart.
