Dil ki girah khol do

Dil ki girah khol do
Chup na baithho, koi geet gao
Dil ki girah khol do
Chup na baithho, koi geet gao
Mehfil mein ab kaun hain ajnabi
Tum mere paas aao
Dil ki girah khol do
Chup na baithho, koi geet gao

Milne do ab dil se dil ko
Mitne do majburiyon ko
Sheeshe mein apne dubo do
Sab faaslon, duriyon ko
Ankhon mein main muskurao tumhare jo tum muskurao
Mehfil mein ab kaun hain ajnabi
Tum mere paas aao
Dil ki girah khol do
Chup na baithho, koi geet gao

Hum tum na hum tum rahe ab
Kuchh aur hi ho gaye ab
Sapnon ke jhilmil nagar mein,
Jaane kahaan kho gaye ab
Hum raah puchhe kisi se na tum apni manzil batao
Mehfil mein ab kaun hain ajnabi
Tum mere paas aao
Dil ki girah khol do
Chup na baithho, koi geet gao

Kal hum se puchhe na koi
Kya ho gaya tha tumhen kal
Mudkar nahin dekhte hum
Dil ne kaha hain chala chal
Jo dur pichhe kahin reh gaye, ab unhen mat bulao
Mehfil mein ab kaun hain ajnabi
Tum mere paas aao
Dil ki girah khol do
Chup na baithho, koi geet gao

Movie: Raat Aur Din (1967)
Director: Satyen Bose
Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey
Lyricist: Shailendra
Music Composer: Shankar Jaikishan

It could be argued that there are many far better songs picturized on Nargis. She does not look her best here. The make-up looks all wrong. This film was shot either when she was pregnant with or had just had her youngest child, present-day politician Priya Dutt. But this was Nargis’ last film. And this is a song that always conjures up Nargis for me. If you even say “Dil ki girah khol do,” I will think of Nargis. I have no idea why, but it is so.

Nargis always was a woman who commanded your attention on screen. I cannot claim to be a fan but I did admire her. And this is a movie where she plays a woman with multiple personality disorder. The National Film Award for Best Actress was first instituted in 1967 and its first recipient was Nargis for this very movie! Remembering her on her death anniversary (May 3) with this lovely song. ~ R