I was watching ‘Anamika’ again when I came across this song. It is a memorable song. But today I found it disturbing. ‘Meri Bheegi bheegi si palkon pe rah gaye mere kuch sapne bikhar ke, jale man tera bhi kisi ke milan ko Anamika tu bhi tarse….’ as Sanjeev Kumar is saying this, does it really bring relief to him to see his beloved sad?
It is one of those movies that you cannot miss for the pair! But did the depiction of love change so much in three short years? In 1970 when he sang ‘Khush rahe tu sada ye dua hai meri…’ to his beloved who was getting married to someone else! Yes, he was in tears but he could only bless her. From the kind of love at that level it changed to you will suffer as I have?
That word ‘Bheegi’ brings in the beauty of’ being wet’. In ‘Chalti ka naam gaadi’ who will forget,’Ek ladki bheegi bhagi si, soti raaton mein jagi si, mili ek ajnabi se…’ the tune, lyrics & picturisation with Kishore da & Madhubala just superb! The rain had magic then. It is too glamorized today. Note the dropper used by Imran Khan to wet the face of the heroine in ‘I hate love stories’. The wet scene or should I say drenching scene is just a prerequisite to show love. More love stories may happen while fetching water or near water bodies. Note here ‘ Bhaag Milkha bhaag” how he helped to fetch water & in ‘Sairat’ how they meet & challenge each other at the well.
Not to forget ‘Bheege hont tere pyasa dil mera… has another level all together! so the word is too pictorial. The song is an instant hit as the line is very catchy. The emotions have shifted & so is their method of depiction. To get out of the Pure hindustani & accept mixed lyrics is a tad difficult to digest.’ Personal se sawal karti hai…’ this type of shayri Gulzar Ji can manage but we need time to come to terms with it. It begins with ‘Kajrare kajrare tere kale kale naina….’ kajal or kajra have an association with an era bygone. ‘Kajra mohabbat wala akhiyon mein aisa dala…Kajre ne leli jaan hai mein tere kurbaan!’ today’s kajra does not fit in. Gulzar ji has managed & there lies his greatness. He has moved to the hip hop effortlessly.
A very romantic song of Rajesh Khanna, ‘Bheegi bheegi raaton me…’ with Zeenat Aman has lots of rain. ‘Adhe bhege adhe sukhe.. geela man shayad … ‘ from Ijazat has that word to explain the scene. ‘Ek akeli chatri mein.. has more poetry! In 1942: a love story has ‘Bheegi bheegi rut mein..hum tum, chalte hai …’ RD Burman’s last movie has a flavour of it’s own. His magic is visible in every song. In ‘Chaalbaaz’ the song is ‘Na jaane kahan se aayi hai.. yeh bheega bheega badan tera…’ has Charlie Chaplin like steps. It’s rumoured that Rekha taught Shridevi how to do them!
Trying more songs in the making. Happy listening!
Asian Entertainment 