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Swami review
When i took the DVD I didn't know that i was in for a surprise.When i was watching the movie, i had to go to the next room to take up a call.I was talking on the phone and i heard the song from the Tv room. "Ka Karoon Sajani, Aaye Na Baalam".I was delighted, cause this is one of my favourite song.

I remember hearing this song the first time in a KJJ interview.It was one of those special programmes that was televised on diwali or some other festival in good old Doordarshan days. Y.G.Mahendran interviewed K.J.J. I think he sang this song to KJJ and started the interview .The song kind of stuck in my mind since then.Don't know whether they showed a clipping in the interview or whether i saw the song in rangoli(sunday morning hindi songs programme), i somehow mistakenly registered in my mind that the singer was farooq shiek.I searched for this song among all farooq sheik movies and i didn't find it.This was in B.G(Before google).so i quit searching for the film name.

So when i heard the song last week i was delighted.Now i know that the singer is not farooq sheik but dhiraj kumar who plays nikhil (brother of ghanshyam).Dhiraj does a mike mohan for the song.He gives some head shakings and other exaggerated facial expressions for the song.



Listen to the song here.

This song is one of those gems of KJJ's hindi songs.The song has this sustained melody which is such a pleasure to hear.I am mesmarised when ever i hear this song.You go into a total state of helplessness. Like a log that is being sweapt away by the river,you are swept away by the melody and KJJ.The words are elongated and repeated to give a beautiful bhavam.I feel that illayaraaja's melodies lack this kind of rendition of the words.I came to know from the film that this song is a thumri*.

A very very rough translation of the song.Corrections are welcome :).

kaa karuu.N sajanii, aae na baalam
what shall i do my friend,My love didn't come,

khoj rahii hai.n piyaa paradesii a.Nkhiyaa.N - 2
my eyes are searching for you stranger.
aae na baalam

jab bhii koii, aahaT hoe, manavaa moraa bhaage
when ever there is a sound of a foot step, heart races like a peacock

dekho kahii.n, TuuTe nahii.n, prem ke ye dhaage
watch it and dont let this love thread of our's break.

ye matavaarii priit hamaarii
chhupe na chhupaae - (2)
cannot hide this love of our's even if you want to. oh lunatic

saavan ho tum mai.n huu.N torii badariyaa
you are the rainy season and iam your cloud

aaye na baalam, kaa karuu.N...

bhor bha_ii aur, saa.Njh Dhalii re, samay ne lii a.nga.Daaii
sun has set and morning has come,

ye jag saaraa, nii.nd se haaraa, mohe nii.nd na aaii
this world lost to sleep,but iam not getting any sleep

mai.n ghabaraauu.N, Dar Dar jaauu.N
i fear,i get afraid

aae vo na aae - (2)
whether he will come or not?

raadhaa bulaae kahaa.N khoe ho kanhaiyyaa
radha is calling where are you lost krishna

aae na baalam, kaa karuu.N...

Lyrics via Archive of Hindi Movie songs


Music by rajesh roshan and lyrics by Amit Khanna.I dont know whether it is the music director,lyricist or the director who came up with the idea of using something on the lines of a famous thumri by Ustad Bade Gulam Ali Khan, "Ka Karoon Sajani Aaye na balam".listen it here



Its ghanshyam's marriage.It's night and nikhil's friends ask him to sing a song.Nikhil sings "ka karoon".The song fits the situation aptly and adds multiple meanings to the scene.Its the suhag rath(first night) of soudhamini.But ghanshyam goes to work even on his marriage day and he is not home yet.The song ka karoon sajni, Aye na balam(What should I do My Friend,My lover didn't come) could be viewed as the straight forward radha singing about krishna or saudhamini waiting for ghanshyam.soudhamini thinks about naren (who didn't come to stop the marriage) during the song and it could be viewed in that context also.




Rajesh Roshan


*Thumri is a common style of light classical music.The text of Thumris are composed mainly in Braj Bhasha (an old Indian language).The predominant theme of the Thumri is erotic fantasy, with all its twists and turns and shifting panorama of colors. Deep-rooted sentiments and some typical situation, phase or temperament of common rural folk is usually depicted. The Thumri is also associated with Holi and the 'Rasa-Lila' of Radha-Krishna.

*Another one:
The text is romantic and devotional in nature, and usually revolves around a girl's love for Krishna particularly focussing on the separation of lovers and the pranks of Lord Krishna as a playful lover. These texts are invariably in the female voice. This style is characterized by a greater flexibility with the rag. The compositions are usually set to kaherava of 8 beats, addha tal of 16 beats, or dipchandi of 14 beats. It arose in popularity during the 19th century.

Links

thumri

Rajesh Roshan

Hindi lyrics

english lyrics

KJJ hindi hits