Jaaneman, jaaneman, tere do nayan

O jaaneman, jaaneman, tere do nayan
Chori chori leke gaye dekho mera mann
Jaaneman, jaaneman, jaaneman

Mere do nayan chor nahin sajan
Tumse hi khoya hoga kahin tumhaara mann
Jaaneman, jaaneman, jaaneman

Jaaneman, jaaneman, tere do nayan
Chori chori leke gaye dekho mera mann
Jaaneman, jaaneman, jaaneman

Mere do nayan chor nahin sajan
Tumse hi khoya hoga kahin tumhaara mann
Jaaneman, jaaneman, ha, jaaneman

Todd de dilon ki doori, aisi kya hai majhburi, dil dil se milne de
Ha, abhi to hui hain yaari, abhi se ye bekaraari, din to zara dhalne de
Todd de dilon ki doori, aisi kya hai majhburi, dil dil se milne de
Ha, abhi to hui hain yaari, abhi se ye bekaraari, din to zara dhalne de
Yehi sunte, samajhte, guzar gaye jaane kitne hi saawan

Ho, jaaneman, jaaneman, tere do nayan
Chori chori leke gaye dekho mera mann
Jaaneman, jaaneman, jaaneman

Mere do nayan chor nahin sajan
Tumse hi khoya hoga kahin tumhaara mann
Jaaneman, jaaneman, jaaneman
Sang sang chale mere, maare aage pichhe phere, samjhun main tere iraade
Dosh tera hain ye toh, har din jab dekho karti ho jhoote vaade
Sang sang chale mere, maare aage pichhe phere, samjhun main tere iraade, ja
Dosh tera hain ye toh har din jab dekho karti ho jhoote vaade
Tu na jaane deewaane, dikhaun kaise tujhe main ye dil ki lagan

Ho, jaaneman, jaaneman, tere do nayan
Chori chori leke gaye dekho mera mann
Jaaneman, jaaneman, jaaneman

Mere do nayan chor nahin sajan
Tumse hi khoya hoga kahin tumhaara mann
Jaaneman, jaaneman, ha, jaaneman

Chhedenge kabhi na tumhen, zara batla do humein, kab tak hum tarsenge
Ha, aise ghabrao nahin, kabhi to kahin na kahin, baadal ye barsenge
Chhedenge kabhi na tumhen, zara batla do humein, kab tak hum tarsenge
Ha, aise ghabrao nahin, kabhi to kahin na kahin, baadal ye barsenge
Kya karenge baras ke ki jab murjhaayega ye saara chaman

Ho, jaaneman, jaaneman, tere do nayan
Chori chori leke gaye dekho mera mann
Jaaneman, jaaneman, jaaneman

Mere do nayan chor nahin sajan
Tumse hi khoya hoga kahin tumhaara mann
Jaaneman, jaaneman, ha, jaaneman

Movie: Chhoti Si Baat (1976)
Director: Basu Chatterjee
Singers: K. J. Yesudas, Asha Bhosle
Lyricist: Yogesh
Music Composer: Salil Chowdhury

If she had lived for another couple of months, Vidya Sinha would have celebrated her 72nd birthday on November 15. She passed away on August 15 this year.

She apparently acted in 30 movies but I remember only three, Rajnigandha, Chhoti Si Baat and Pati Patni Aur Woh. For me, Vidya Sinha was always a marker for a certain kind of movie, the Basu Chatterjee kind, where she appeared as a supposedly quintessential middle-class girl of the 1970s, wearing chiffon saris, with her hair loosely tied but looking alluring. Basuda had reportedly seen ads featuring the young Miss Bombay, Vidya Sinha, and gave her a role in Rajnigandha. That propelled her to fame.

This song is a personal favourite. However, much as I like Malayalam playback singer K J Yesudas’ clarity of diction, I cannot ignore the South Indian accent which jars when it appears on screen as the voice of Dharmendra on whom the initial part of this song is picturised. Eventually, Amol Palekar’s character fantasizes about the woman he loves and superimposes himself into the song, which is part of a film he is watching in a theatre. And surprisingly, Yesudas’ voice seems to work for Amol Palekar. That is all in my head though. This song is really about celebrating Vidya Sinha who looks lovely here. ~ R