Rote hue aate hain sab

Rote hue aate hain sab,
Rote hue aate hain sab, hansta hua jo jaayega
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar,
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar, jaan-e-man kehlaayega
Rote hue aate hain sab, hansta hua jo jaayega

Woh sikandar kya tha jisne zulm se jeeta jahaan
Woh sikandar kya tha jisne zulm se jeeta jahaan
Pyaar se jeete dilon ko woh jhuka de aasmaan
Jo sitaaron par kahaani pyaar ki likh jaayega
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar,
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar, jaan-e-man kehlaayega
Rote hue aate hain sab, hansta hua jo jaayega

Zindagi toh bewafa hain, ek din thukraayegi
Zindagi toh bewafa hain, ek din thukraayegi
Maut mehbooba hain apne saath lekar jaayegi
Marke jeene ki adaa jo duniya ko sikhlaayega
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar,
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar, jaan-e-man kehlaayega
Rote hue aate hain sab, hansta hua jo jaayega
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar,
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar, jaan-e-man kehlaayega

Humne maana yeh zamaana dard ki jaagir hain
Humne maana yeh zamaana dard ki jaagir hain
Har kadam pe aansuon ki ek nayi zanjeer hain
Saaz-e-gham par jo khushi ke geet gaata jaayega
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar,
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar, jaan-e-man kehlaayega
Rote hue aate hain sab, hansta hua jo jaayega
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar,
Woh muqaddar ka sikandar, jaan-e-man kehlaayega
Jaan-e-man kehlaayega

Movie: Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978)
Director: Prakash Mehra
Singer: Kishore Kumar
Lyricist: Anjaan
Music Composer: Kalyanji-Anandji

3 September marked the death anniversary of lyricist Anjaan. Although he used a pen name that implied anonymous or unknown, he actually became quite well-known with the success of songs like ‘Khaike paan banaraswala’ from the movie Don. He actually had a very long career in Bollywood, starting in 1953 (Prisoner of Golconda) and continuing till about 1992. And although he is credited for ‘Aap ke haseen rukh pe’ from Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi he is probably best remembered for the songs he penned for the Amitabh Bachchan films of the 70s and 80s. In fact, the song I chose for today is also one such number.

I like the philosophy of this song: To be master of your fate, face life — and death — with a smile. Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, the biggest money maker of 1978, has some lovely songs, but I felt drawn to this one, maybe because times being what they are, we need to be reminded to smile. Although, Anjaan also tells us that life will betray you but death will always be faithful. One must wonder then whether the song is optimistic or fatalistic. Whatever the essence of the song, it is beautifully rendered by Kishore Kumar and deserves to be heard yet again, in honour of its poet. 

[Included here is an extra verse, the last one, which I could only find on the audio track and not on video] ~ R