Ah Poetry!!!

Surprise Surprise!!! This post is dedicated to something different. It's Music, Poetry & movies. While our Hindi movies rarely dole out good poetry, apart from those good old days, when Mukesh, Lata, Rafi & Kishore ruled the music movie scene. These days though it is quite rare to see the same old poetic mix that songs of yesteryears had. It's more "Jhing Bang" music these days. Apart from maybe the likes of Javed Akhtar, Shaan and a few odd Pakistani artists, there seems to be a real dearth of talent in the Lyrics of our songs today. Blame it on the "Fast" generation, which wants to dance its heart out on good beats, but whatever happened to good poetry?

I can still vividly remember my school days. Early 90's and Doordarshan was the only source of entertainment. Music meant "Chitrahaar" and "Chayageet", where we saw Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, maybe some lucky day there was Rishi Kapoor, and Shahrukh. And the rest of the show used to be filled up with the likes of Mithun and Javed Jaffery (They weree good in their own way). But the songs still made some sense. Then came Sanju Baba with his "Saajan" fame and finally when MTV became an independent channel, we had Channel V follow suit. And there was a transformation of sorts. Suddenly, Daler Mehendi with his eclectic Punjabi spiced up the Pop Scene. Indipop came of age with artists like Suchitra Krishnamoorthy (Remember Dole Dole, Dum Tara…), Mehnaz, Shaan, Shibani Kashyap, Ali Haider, Alisha Chinai all penning down some beautiful lyrics coupled with the funky Pop Dance, it made the right ingredients for a dance era. Then somehow it all fell apart gradually as Indipop died its slow death as abruptly as it was born. Lyrics and poetry too somehow became defunct, and lost the fresh touch.

I remember I was travelling down South from Chennai to Pondicherry, in the late 90's, on a comfortable Bus Journey. I was quite taken aback by the way these buses in the South always keep their music boxes on. They need to ensure something keeps on playing all the time. So, there was this Tam movie featuring Aishwarya Rai which became a blockbuster hit. However what impressed me more than the movie was its simple but meaningful lyrics. The movie was Kandukondaein Kandukondaein. And the lyrics go something like this…

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I have found it! I have found it! The face of my beloved! I have found the moon At touching distance. This cup brims over With moon rays. My heart overflows. If the moon rays break that cup A woman will end her life. What I have seen - Will it reach my hands? Or will I miss it? Will it all end in tears? Woman: When the clouds part It is your face I see. When the flowers bloom It is your voice I hear. Man: One can dream With open eyes. Love's fingers Can prise open stone. Woman: Is my journey But a search for you? Will the roads I take Lead to your house? Man: My dream woman! Will your heart Unite with mine? The river searches For the sea. The spirit searches For you. Woman: The river vanishes Into the sea. Out of our union A new form will rise. Man: I will string stars Together. I will knock at any time on your door. Woman: My Love, I will close your eyes in mine.

Kandukondain, kandukondain Kadhal mugham kandukondain Viral thodum doorathile Vennilavu kandukondain Vennila vellichum Kinnathil vizhinthu Neerayanthal vazhinthal magizhlchi Vennila vellichum Kinnathi udaithal Uyirai udaipal oruthi Yen kan parthathu Yen kai serumo? Kai seramale Kanneer serumo? Woman: Meham thirandal Adharkul unn mugamparkiren Pookal thirandal Adharkul unn kuralketkiran Man: Kangalai therandhum Kanavugal valarkkm Kadhalin viralgal Kallaiyum thirakkum Woman: Unai thediye Yenadhu payanamo Yendhan salaigal - unn Veetil mudiyumo? Man: Yeh kanavu mangaye Unadhu manathu Yenathu manathil inaiumo. Nathiyin thedal Kadaisiyil kadal kanbhadhu. Uyirin thedal Kadaisiyil unai kanbhadhu. Woman: Kadal konda nadhiyo. Mugam thanai yihakkum. Nan unil kalandhal Pudhumugam kidaikum Man: Natchathirangalai - Oru Naril kattuven Yendha neramum - Unn Kadhavu thattuven Woman: Yen kadhal devane Yenathu vizhil unathu vizhigal muduven.

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Impressed? Some similar movies with good lyrics were remade in Hindi. One of the songs goes something like this…

"It wafts through my heart,

It is enough if I sleep on your lap,

And as I sleep peacefully, my desires,

For so many generations will be quenched,

What I love and what I breathe,

Is your approval,

I am suffering, I am suffering,

I am happy in your memory,

When it rains so hard,

we will get soaked in it,

And when we get sick from it,

We will sleep together in the covers,

Telling sweet lies, you will conquer me,

And even though I know they're lies,

That is all my heart expects from you,

Everyday, I want you in the house,

Never leaving me to step outside,

And, in play, sometimes, I want to be draped in your clothes,

(Instrumental) Quenched, quenched, (Female Vocalizing) (Instrumental)

Everyday after you've bathed,

When you find me and wipe your hair,

With the end of my sari, that is poetry,

When you sneak up like a burglar,

And suddenly come up behind me, And embrace me, that is poetry,

If anyone asks me the time, I don't want to be able to tell them,

For the span of love, The time of clocks do not apply."

Okay, for people following this blog, guess which song this can be. Incidentally this song was picturised on Diya Mirza. Any guesses which song this one could be? It features Diya Mirza on a rainy day. Keep guessing, this one isn't that difficult. So, all in all, these lyrics are really beautiful. Language barriers impede our understanding yet it doubt if music or poetry in music really has barriers.

Last weekend, I also saw a movie called 'Mungaru Male' literally translated as 'Monsoon Rain'. Must admit that it was among one of the few best romantic movies I have seen in a while. It's in Kannada and I had to switch on to subtitles to follow the plot. But the scenery and camera work is worthwhile to watch. And needless to say, the entire movie was shot in India. There is this amazing part in the movie, where the protagonists stand over a cliff edge which ends into a massive waterfall. That place is Jog falls in India. It's one of the most panoramic scenes I have ever seen in a movie. Am I hinting at my next trip in the making??? Maybe...

(P.S.: The Jog Falls pic is not my personal photograph and the Diya Mirza song is the English translation of the Tam original song dubbed in Hindi as "Zara Zara Behektaa Hai...")