Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabee bann jaaye hum dono

Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabee bann jaaye hum dono
Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabee bann jaaye hum dono

Na main tum se koi umeed rakhun dilnawaazi ki
Na tum meri taraf dekho galat andaaz nazron se
Na mere dil ki dhadkan ladkhadaye meri baaton mein
Na zaahir ho tumhaari kashmakash ka raaz nazron se
Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabee bann jaaye hum dono
Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabee bann jaaye hum dono

Tumhen bhi koi uljhan rokti hain peshqadmi se
Mujhe bhi log kehte hain ki yeh jalwe paraaye hain
Mere humraah bhi ruswaaiyaan hain mere maazi ki
Mere humraah bhi ruswaaiyaan hain mere maazi ki
Tumhaare saath bhi guzri hui raaton ke saaye hain
Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabee bann jaaye hum dono
Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabee bann jaaye hum dono

Taaruf rog ho jaaye toh usko bhulna behtar
Taaluq bojh bann jaaye toh usko todna achcha
Woh afsaana jisse anjaam tak laana na ho mumkin
Woh afsaana jisse anjaam tak laana na ho mumkin
Usse ek khoobsurat modh de kar chhodna achcha
Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabee bann jaaye hum dono
Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabee bann jaaye hum dono
Chalo ek baar

Movie: Gumrah (1963)
Director: B R Chopra
Singer: Mahendra Kapoor
Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi
Music Composer: Ravi

I am not a fan of this movie, especially its plot which does not age well, in my opinion. But I do love the lyrics of this song. For the longest time, I had no idea what so many of the words meant but the fascination of the Urdu syllables remained. The Internet helped with the meaning problem. (In fact, on Rekhta, you can hover over songs or poems with Urdu words and learn their meaning; check this page for the song we’ve featured today.) And then it became the best end-of-relationship song I have ever heard.

Another thing that I can’t help thinking about is Mahendra Kapoor’s voice. This is dulcet Mahendra Kapoor, toning down, almost unrecognisably, for an emotional rendition. And it is only somewhere in the last verse that the full force of that robust voice gains its familiar heft.

So, I guess this week’s mood is admiration for the genius of Sahir Ludhianvi and Mahendra Kapoor. ~ R