Tags
alka yagnik, anu malik, asoka, gulzar, Kareena Kapoor, shaan, shahrukh khan
Song: O Re Kanchi
Movie: Asoka (2001)
Singers: Alka Yagnik, Shaan
Composer: Anu Malik
Not many people know that all the songs of this 2001 period epic were penned by Gulzar. While Gulzar’s work from the 90s and 2000s is mostly associated with Vishal Bharadwaj, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and A R Rahman, he did some excellent work with Anu Malik too. The Asoka soundtrack is one such Anu/Gulzar collaborations. (Others being Aks, Filhaal, Fiza, & Jaan-e-mann).
This duet belongs to the genre of songs of two people newly in love, who are lovingly teasing each other. One of them (usually the guy) is trying to coax the other one’s confession of love. These songs weren’t about wooing or stalking, but were instead about the fact that both are quite sure about their feelings for each other, but are taking a deliberate stance of not expressing them out rightly. They are savoring the restraint, while relishing a delicate dance of courtship with a harmless banter. Such songs were quite common in the cinema of the past, but have fallen out of fashion now. I guess there isn’t any time for such frivolity; you swipe right and fall in love (i.e. in bed). I guess, I am sounding like an old curmudgeon. If you know of any such songs from the recent past, I am happy to be proven wrong.
A few examples of some classic songs from this genre:
Hum aapki aankhon mein from Pyaasa, Jaane kahaan mera jigar kiya ji from Mr. and Mrs. 55, Baaghon mein bahaar hai from Aradhana, Achha ji main haari from Kala Paani, Jhooth bole kauwa kaante from Bobby; Ek sharaarat hone ko hai from Duplicate and many more.
For such songs to work, there needs to be a crackling chemistry between the lead singers. Shaan and Alka Yagnik deliver dollops of this chemistry and also bring the required tease and naughtiness in their voices. You can feel them flinging the words at each other. And, speaking of words – Gulzar’s liberal use of alliteration (in bold in the lyrics below) and repetition (in italics) makes for a delightful wordplay. The song is set in a tribal village, so Gulzar uses folksy Hindi words to further root the song in this milieu (sundari, mundari, mahua).
There is some pleasure in these deliberate hide and seek rituals of early companionship. Gulzar and Javed Akhtar are the last of lyricists who remember these pleasures and let them sometimes seep into their work. Alas, the situations in today’s cinema have no place for such songs.
O re kanchi…
O re kanchi kaanch ki gudiyaan
Hoton mein baandhe.. prem ki pudiyaan
Naa unhe khole na mooh se bole
Palkon pe rakh ke aankhon se tole
..
Suniyon suniyon misri se meethi
Aankhon mein band hai baatein rasili haan
Naa unhe khole na mooh se bole
Palkon pe rakh ke aankhon se tole
Pahadi paar chalna hai to parbat hataa doon
Ghataon mein kahin chupna hai to saawan bulaa doon
Mahuwa mahuwa mehka mehka
Mehka mehka mahuwa mahuwa
Koyi udta huva panchhi bata dega thikana
Jahan se din nikalta hain usi teele pe aana
Mahuwa mahuwa mehka mehka
Mehka mehka mahuwa mahuwa
O re kanchi….
Tera koyi parichay ho to ay sundri bata de
Badi meethi teri muskaan hai mundri bana de
Mahuwa mahuwa mehka mehka
Mehka mehka mahuwa mahuwa
Hain pardesi mujhe bhool jaayega kahin pe
De vachan main pehen loon use gehna samajh ke
Mahuwa mahuwa mehka mehka
Mehka mehka mahuwa mahuwa
O re kanchi….