Someone asked me if I knew of a song sung by Bhupinder, written by
Gulzar, probably from Kinara, which has the following words in the
mukha.Daa:
"ek hii Khvaab ka_ii baar dekhaa hai mai.n ne"
Can someone tell me which song? Any and all help will be appreciated.
Nita
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You have almost all the pstats(mukhada, singer, film, lyricist). So I
dont
know what you need in terms of help:-). The MD is RD Burman.
There was nice & detailed post by Renu on this song. You might want to
look up dejanews for that.
--
Neha Desai
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Let me take your words "any and all" literally! Here is a long
post, being an exchange between two quondam RMIMers: Renu and Abhay
(rather, a post by Renu and a follow-up by Abhay). Actually, all
this goes back to discussion of another song from 'Kinara', but
that is another story. :)
Ashok
From: ava...@informix.com
Subject: Another against Gulzar ...
(Please insert IMHO in all the statements. Where the H stands for Honest
and not Humble. My opinions here are not at all humble.)
I was trying to collect the posts regarding "O maajhi re" to put up
on my web page and found Renu's nice post on the song from Kinara. I am
sorry for this late reply, I somewhow had missed it.
The reason for posting my reply now is, I would like to ask a few
questions to the Gulzar fans, and this song provides the platform.
The "o maajhi re" song doesn't provide it. It's quite nice poetry and
I also agrre with many interpretations posted (except Ashish's linking
it to the storyline seemed far-fetched to me).
But this song is special. To me it's very much like the (in)famous song
from "Ijazat" - "mera kuchh saaman". Both are far better candidates for
the Picasso v/s Inkblot case.
> Here is my attempt at bringing to all of you, a song very very dear
> to me. Its a RD-Gulzar combination (naturally), with Bhupender's
> voice doing abundant justice to the lyrics and the music. The beauty
> of this song lies in its simplicity. One can call this a recitation
> rather than a song, but no label can detract the ethereal quality of
> this song's fantastic lyrics that only Rahul Dev Burman's music
> could have done justice to.
I would like to register my first disagreement. RDB miserably fails.
Like he did in "mera kuchh saman". These two are the most boring songs
for their tunes too. Far better examples of tuning a "recitaion"
exist in Hindi movies. "Jinhe naaz hai Hind par", "aurat ne janam diya",
"unko ye shikayat hai" are a few of these many. But my main objections
are to the lyrics. So back to them.
> I have put down what I believe Gulzar is
> trying to say. If there are other explanations / interpretations
> that fellow RMIMers think of, please do post them. I, for one, would
> like to learn.
>
> The song begins with a few guitar strums and then Bhupender's voice
> starts humming. And just this one instrument and one voice carry the
> entire song through. A soft chuckle here, a little pause there and
> the occasional skipping of the beat --- all add to this delight of a
> song and make it touch your heart. Ek sapna jo sach ho gaya. Ek hi
> khwaab jo kai baar dekha hai, aur aankhein kholne par bhi yahii khwaab
> sach ban kar saamne hota hai...
>
> ek hi khwaab kai baar dekha hai maine
>
> tune saaDi mein uras li hain
> meri chaabiyaan ghar ki
> aur chali aayi hai bas yoon hi
> meraa haath pakad kar
> ek hi khwaab kai baar dekha maine..
>
> The images of the saaDi and chaabiyaan never fail to create in one's
> mind the picture of a wife, someone who cares for the man and his
> home. The life-partner who'd take over the responsibilities of his
> household (chaabiyaan), and the soulmate who'd 'haath pakaD kar'
> accompany him through rain and sunshine. Someone who would, with her
> quiet inner strength, be there for him, care for him and manage with
> an elan, his home and his life.
I really cannot make anything out of these lines by Gulzar. Now "Saadi
me uras lee haiN chhabiyaaN" might be 'great imagination', but then why
"aur haath pakad kar chali aayi" is connected to it and how ? What is
"bas yooN hi" doing there ? I think these line are just ... bas yuN hi !
He has written something vague and we are forced to extract some sense
out of it. I am sorry if this sounds harsh.
What is it, that makes this something great ? Or even something good ?
I compared this with other poems of Gulzar which I like, and also of
other poets. I couldn't find any reason to put this in the class of
those. I would like to hear opinions of others, esp other Gulzar fans.
> Tikku?
>
> mez par phool sajaate hue
> dekhaa hai kai baar
> aur bistar se kai baar
> jagaayaa hai tujhko
> chalte phirte tere kadmon ki
> woh aahat bhi suni hai
> ek hi khwaab kai baar dekhaa hai maine..
>
> kyon, chitthi hai ya kavitaa?
> abhi tak to, kavitaa hi hai..
>
> Sometimes tending to his needs, clearing up his desk and arranging
> flowers in a vase, (and here probably Gulzar the poet is talking about
> his 'mez' --- the desk where he writes his poetry); and sometimes
> being the lazy one who sleeps late, who needs to be woken up by
> him. The image of a woman who sometimes works to look after him while
> he relaxes or is writing, and sometimes lazes around making him take
> care of her.
>
> Once again, Gulzar excels in creating a vivid imagery with such minute
> little details, with the use of such simple words. 'chalte phirte tere
> kadmon ki voh aahat' --- she potters around the house and he's in
> another room (probably writing/working) where he can only hear her
> 'aahat' but not see her, but yet knows that she's probably busy doing
> things to make his life comfortable.
This is much better. Agreed. He has used simple things, no doubt. But
then he fails to write it as a 'kavita'. Even as a prose, it's not very
high standard. Just writing a few stray memories doesn't make a good
poem. Even in "muktchhanda kavita", there is some rhythm, some flow.
Or there is a great imagination, fascinating style of presentation.
An unlinked-list of small and simple things doesn't make a poem.
Simplicity can be the best thing about a poem -- IFF it touches you.
Else it sounds like plain and dumb prose.
Consider the following well-known sher from "chupake chupake raat din"
dopehar ki dhuup me, mere bulaane_ke liye
wo tera koTHe pe, nange paaNo aanaa yaad hai
Forget the nice qualities of rhythm, flow etc. Just look at the meaning.
She came running, when he called. Without worrying about the hot and
burning floor etc etc etc. What the poet manages to convey is her love
for him. Also using very simple things happened during that time.
Compare this to "tumne mez par phool sajaaye" and "maine tumko bistar
se jagaayaa". So what ? There is nothing special in these, there is
nothing - abs nothing - great in the way it's presented. There is no
rhythm, there is no smooth flow. There is nothing ! It does not have a
single quality for which I can call it a good poem. Just dumb prose.
>
> gungunaati hui nikli hai nahaa ke jab bhi
> apne bheege hue baalon se tapaktaa paani
> mera chehre pe chiTak deti hai tu Tikku ki bachchi..
>
> ek hi khwaab kai baar dekha maine..
>
> And here he revels in the childlike qualities of his dream
> woman. Nahaa ke nikalna aur phir geele baalon se uske chehre pe paani
> chiTakna... and the affectionate manner in which he calls her 'Tikku
> ki bachchi', all show her bratty nature which he finds so endearing...
Such a nice thing in daily life and how Gulzar wastes it :-( It could
have been used ( chehre pe baaloN ka Tapakata paani chhiTak dena ) to
such a fantastic effect ! But no. Gulzar just proceeds to write it, in
as dry manner as he can. Except that funny "Tikku ke bachhi", there is
nothing new in the way he writes it. Pure waste of a grand moment in
a couple's life. I would rather like to read something like ...
haaye, wo reashami zulphoN se barasata paani,
phooloN_se gaalo_pe rukane_ko, tarasata paani !!
Everyone knows who wrote that, right ? :-)
That the water is desperate in remaining there, makes it a great line !
Such simple imagery is certainly beyond Gulzar. He can make simple
things complicated or plain dumb, but not simply beautiful. Yes, I am
aware of the exceptional lines in "dil DHundata hai". But then, as I
said, these are exceptions of Gulzar ! He is good at writing fuzzy
poetry, complicated poetry, but not so good at writing simple and yet
touching poetry. Just because he is good in one department, doesn't mean
he has to be good in all !
> taash ke patton pe ladti hai kabhi kabhi
> khel mein, mujh se
> aur kabhi ladti bhi hai aise ke bas
> khel rahi hai mujhse
> aur aaghosh mein nanhein ko liye...
>
> Hema: will you shut up?
>
> This is another amazing stanza which so simply yet beautifully
> presents two totally different aspects of the same woman's character
> --- his wife as a child and his wife as a mother. Taash ke patte
> khelte hue she fights with him and probably cheats sometimes to
> win. Here Gulzar is showing her childlike qualities jisse ki ladti bhi
> hai to lagta hai ki khel rahi hai. Aur phir aaghosh mein nanhein ko
> liye --- she is holding their child --- a complete transformation from
> the little girl who was fighting with him a moment ago.
Finally. Something I really liked in this otherwise non-poem. That
"khel rahi hai mujh_se" is really a nice twist ! Enjoyable.
> The little girl full of bachpanaa, who's too lazy to wake up early,
> the woman who tends to the housework even while he is relaxing or
> perhaps writing his poetry at his table, the woman who takes care of
> his things and handles the 'ghar ki chaabiyaan', and the woman who is
> the mother of his child --- she is all of these and yet, the same
> woman. And that is the woman he has always dreamt of...
>
> aur jaanti ho tikku?
> jab tumhaaraa yeh khwaab dekhaa thaa
> apne bistar pe mein us waqt padaa jaag rahaa thaa
>
> A beautiful way to say that his dream is now a reality. Aankhein band
> karke jo khwaab dekha karta thaa, abhi aankhein khol kar bhi dekh paa
> rahaa hai. He has the woman of his dreams --- his wife --- in front of
> his eyes.
An often-used idea. "khawaab dekhate hue jaagana" is tooooo old to be
given Gulzar the credit for. But it's the best thing in this piece.
BTW, I do not agree with the interpretation. He is not saying that the
dream is a reality now. He is just saying that, it was a deliberate
dream. Intentional chain of thoughts. He was on his own imagining these
things, as opposed to a dream while sleeping. (Even in the movie, this
dream does not become reality, I think. But that's another thing).
This is one of the most boring and unimaginative poems I have come
across. Far far better examples of great poetry constructed out of
simple things exist. Even in movies.
But I did like Renu's post. As I have said before, the poetic prose
written by Gulzar fans is much better than so called poetry of Gulzar !
- Abhay.
Looooong posts is another thing in vogue nowadays :-)
Ashok
-----------------------------------
> "ek hi khwaab kai baar dekha hai maine"
Ashok wrote:
> Here is a long
> post, being an exchange between two quondam RMIMers: Renu and Abhay
> (rather, a post by Renu and a follow-up by Abhay).
Ashok, thanks for reposting the Kinaara song discussion, which has
helped me discover how perfectly ghastly the lyrics are. Gulzar sure has
come a long way since this song, with the largely excellent lyrics of
films like Maachis and Dil Se.
I remember watching Kinaara a few years ago, and noticing the song. The
visuals were interesting and unusual. I realize now that I must have
primarily liked what I saw, not heard! The tune is nice enough, and
Bhupendra sounds good, and, as the original poster (Renu?) says, the
structure of the song has interesting interludes of laughter and unusual
pauses. But the lyrics? I can think of three words: yikes, yuck, and
shudder!
First, the subject. What a humdrum domestic fantasy. The good little
wifey plays house-house, and all those trite stereotypes conjure up an
image of the male "khwaab"-watcher who doesn't have a single imaginative
thought in his head. I can't decide which is the most boring player, the
dreamer, or the subject of the dream. Even the card-playing image is
only slightly less banal than the rest. How many times have we seen this
cutesy sight in Hindi films, the heroine who insists on behaving like a
child, who throws a tantrum when she loses a card game, and consequently
completely captivates the hero with her juvenile charms?
Then, the poetry. Actually there is no poetry, and that's not just
because the song is written in free verse either, or prose, if you will.
There's no poetic idiom to speak of, and the absence of that adds poetic
boredom to thematic commonplace. As Abhay suggests, even a commonplace
image can be handled in uncommon ways, as in the Barsaat ki Raat title
song from which he quotes. Not here. Gulzar makes no attempt whatsoever
to distil (as Hrishi would say!) hackneyed images into unusual
expression. There's no shortage of songs which celebrate stereotypes,
but if that's what they must do, then for god's sake, be a little
imaginative! Do at least a "jaise raadha ne maala japi shaam ki/maine
odhi chunariaa tere naam ki," which is nothing we haven't heard a
million times, but in which we have lines like "bina jatan, bina yatan,
ho gayi main nayi," and "chaahoon baar baar chadhoon teri paalki." I
mean, even "najar laagi raaja tore bangle par" has the familiar image
expressed with more style, in the spunky little line "jo main hoti raaja
tumhari dulhaniyaa/matak rahati raaja tore bangle par." Gosh, even
"achha to hum chalte hain" (:-)) in all its banal glory, was more fun to
imagine than this Gulzar effort, where one gets to read an unrelieved
list of blah after blah, with nothing in between.
Roopa
> > ek hi khwaab kai baar dekha hai maine
> >
> > tune saaDi mein uras li hain
> > meri chaabiyaan ghar ki
> > aur chali aayi hai bas yoon hi
> > meraa haath pakad kar
> > ek hi khwaab kai baar dekha maine..
> >
> > Tikku?
> >
> > mez par phool sajaate hue
> > dekhaa hai kai baar
> > aur bistar se kai baar
> > jagaayaa hai tujhko
> > chalte phirte tere kadmon ki
> > woh aahat bhi suni hai
> > ek hi khwaab kai baar dekhaa hai maine..
> >
> > kyon, chitthi hai ya kavitaa?
> > abhi tak to, kavitaa hi hai..
> > gungunaati hui nikli hai nahaa ke jab bhi
> > apne bheege hue baalon se tapaktaa paani
> > mera chehre pe chiTak deti hai tu Tikku ki bachchi..
> >
> > ek hi khwaab kai baar dekha maine..
> > taash ke patton pe ladti hai kabhi kabhi
> > khel mein, mujh se
> > aur kabhi ladti bhi hai aise ke bas
> > khel rahi hai mujhse
> > aur aaghosh mein nanhein ko liye...
> >
> > Hema: will you shut up?
> >
Thank you Ashok. It was very thoughful of you to go to such lengths. I
really appreciate it.
And Neha, I couldn't recollect this song from Kinara. My friend wasn't
sure of the film, which is why I wanted to know if there *was* such a
song. Hope that clarifies things. Thanks for the MD info, though :-)))
> boredom to thematic commonplace. As Abhay suggests, even a commonplace
> image can be handled in uncommon ways, as in the Barsaat ki Raat title
> song from which he quotes. Not here. Gulzar makes no attempt
whatsoever
But of course, Roopa. This is Gulzar. That was Sahir. Layers and layers
of obscure lyrics can only create onions, not magic. :-))
Having got that dig out of the way (aaaahhhh!!!), let me add, that I
agree with Roopa's view. I have always disliked the sterotypical
portrayal of women (and men) in Hindi films. Even when they do try to
show a woman in a different light (in the so-called liberated roles of
new-age cinema/art films), in most cases, the movie ends with the
heroine reverting back to the sati-savitri image, and only then finding
true happiness. I wish our producers and directors would, for once,
portray heroines naturally. I guess that won't leave much scope for
singing and dancing around trees but judging by the quality of songs
and dances, I wonder if we wouldn't be better off.
>> "ek hi khwaab kai baar dekha hai maine"
>Ashok, thanks for reposting the Kinaara song discussion, which has
>helped me discover how perfectly ghastly the lyrics are. Gulzar sure has
>come a long way since this song, with the largely excellent lyrics of
>films like Maachis and Dil Se.
>I remember watching Kinaara a few years ago, and noticing the song. The
>visuals were interesting and unusual. I realize now that I must have
>primarily liked what I saw, not heard! The tune is nice enough, and
>Bhupendra sounds good, and, as the original poster (Renu?) says, the
>structure of the song has interesting interludes of laughter and unusual
>pauses. But the lyrics? I can think of three words: yikes, yuck, and
>shudder!
>First, the subject. What a humdrum domestic fantasy. The good little
>wifey plays house-house, and all those trite stereotypes conjure up an
>image of the male "khwaab"-watcher who doesn't have a single imaginative
>thought in his head. I can't decide which is the most boring player, the
>dreamer, or the subject of the dream. Even the card-playing image is
>only slightly less banal than the rest. How many times have we seen this
>cutesy sight in Hindi films, the heroine who insists on behaving like a
>child, who throws a tantrum when she loses a card game, and consequently
>completely captivates the hero with her juvenile charms?
>Then, the poetry. Actually there is no poetry, and that's not just
>because the song is written in free verse either, or prose, if you will.
>There's no poetic idiom to speak of, and the absence of that adds poetic
I have a theroy that Gulzar added tremendous value to R D Burmon -- a composer.
For that matter any composers during his "creative era" - I am not too sure if
it is continuing as I couldn't keep pace with his revolution. Consider this:
when Shailendra or any other film song writer (actually poets if you like and
agree) wrote songs with with flow and all that, it left no challenge for likes
of Shankar Jaikishan, Roshan, Naushad, Anil Biswas to compose them. People like
D N Madhok and Pradeep would give poems with proposed tune too!
Now enters Gulzar the great! Writing about all mundane things one never imagined
from days of Rugved to Valmiki to Tulsidas to Meera to Kabir to filmi poets of
1930s/40s/50s. Things like "barTan", "dhuaa.n" and such. Critics called this is
no poetry. OK nevermind, we have RDB who could turn it into complete song!
Hence I conclude that without Gulzar, RDB would have never have beed deemed
what he is - great! But unfortunately in India we don't sing songs of those
who are "behind-the-scene" performars; really sad. I am just waiting for that
golden moment when Gulzar is honored with Dada Saheb Phalke award ahead of
late Pt. Narendra Sharma.
Thanks for your time.....
Snehal
>boredom to thematic commonplace. As Abhay suggests, even a commonplace
>image can be handled in uncommon ways, as in the Barsaat ki Raat title
>song from which he quotes. Not here. Gulzar makes no attempt whatsoever
Was it not the genius of Pancham that he could compose a beautiful song
from some lines . Both Gulzar and Pancham complemented each other .
Without one , the other was incomplete .
Pancham forever,
Manish
***
RDB miserably failed while creating 'Ek Hi Kwaab'(Kinara) and 'Mera Kuch
Saman' ...
I am STUNNED !! i guess my friend you might have personal liking (or for
that matter disliking) but i can't digest when u talk of RD failure in these
2 songs..in fact its only RD who could create GEMS (believe me) out of this
prose or poem whatever one perceives! i think u really need a sensible ear
to understand that melody and for your knowledge sake Mera Kuch Saman begged
the best song national award(though i hate to mention statistic to prove a
point, but anyway i am not claiming to prove anything!) Also u mentioned
other songs similar situational song on same theme...agreed that they are
much better composed but they were serious melodies while this one from
Kinara was suppose to be a light romantic one for a newly wed couple,
nothing more ....Just with one guitar and one voice RD could create the
entire song and yet so soothening to ears ..u can't really beat that at
least to my knowledge no other MD(forgive me if i am exaggerating!) can dare
for such compositions!!
--subhash
Well opinions are opinions and I find these songs disgusting too, like many
( not all ) RD songs where he was not "inspired" enough.
How could you conclude exactly the opposite by the given facts. If RDB
turned Gulzar's poetry (near abstract one) in to successful songs, it
does not signify Gulzar's greatness, but the amazingly diverse talent
of the man called RD Burman. I am not questioning Gulzar's
capabilities, but to limit RD's work or rather good work to Gulzar only
certainly shows a lack of careful and thorough listening to RDB's work.
Without doubt the ratio of great to mediocre composition was higher
when RD and Gulzar worked together, still Majrooh certainly steals the
credit for giving most number of great comositions together with RD.
Just check the list and found out yourself. It may be difficult to
realise for people who have listened to RD as the RD-exposed-by-media
or the popular RD. Listen to his obscure scores. Just pick any RD-
Majrooh number that you haven't ever heard of (you will find many). And
Listen to it. And then re-consider your theory. The tragedy of RD was
and is that many of his great compositions lie under the dust of
anonymity.
> who are "behind-the-scene" performars; really sad. I am just waiting
for that
> golden moment when Gulzar is honored with Dada Saheb Phalke award
ahead of
> late Pt. Narendra Sharma.
Gulzar certainly deserves Dada Saheb Falke Awards before any other
person. He has given immense in the terms of great content and
respectability to the Indian Film Industry. But then our governments
notice people when it's late(no pun intended).
Keep listening..
vinay
>
> Thanks for your time.....
>
> Snehal
>
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