Kehana hi kya

I was just watching my favorite songs on Youtube today. Bombay is one of my all time favorite movie mainly because of its music, handsome Arvind Swami, beautiful Manisha Koirala and marvelous direction of Manirathnam. I know the story Manirathnam wants to tell is more serious but that is not a topic of today's blog ;) It is the music that is a masterpiece by A R Rahman. South Indian music is so soothing to ears. A use of bell (Ghanti) makes it feel more spiritual somehow. I was probably in fifth standard when this movie came on screen. We had heard all the songs before movie was released. 'Kehana hi kya' was my favorite just because it had all three elements that I liked - Kathak dance, sweet voice of Chithra and meaningful lyrics. This song so clearly says what a girl is feeling when she comes to know that she is falling in love. She is fighting with that feeling as the boy belongs to a different religion but she cannot stop herself. This song is pictured on a background of a wedding. She is singing the song, teasing her friend who is getting married but in hidden way expressing herself. She knows that he is following her and she evades him every-time. Suddenly she does not see him around, her eyes keep searching for her lover. That is the magic of the song. By the way, this site has all audio songs and corresponding lyrics of this movie.

Lots of songs in Indian classical music are also hidden ways of telling how much a girl misses her lover or husband probably he is gone somewhere. Sometimes these girls wonder if he is with another girl, now their love hate feeling combination is wonderful. Its just amazing to note that intense feeling in the midst of Taana and alaap. How much lyrics play a part in the song! Thats why songs like Kehana hi kya will be fresh after 50 years and thats why we still listen to classical music after 1000 years...