Poetry In Bollywood: Weaving Magic With Words
From Gulzar to Sahir Ludhyanvi, writers in Hindi films have given us some of the most soulful, evocative poetry. We’ve put together the most heartwarming/heartbreaking verses/poems in Bollywood movies. Hear them out on YouTube if you can.
1. Ardh Satya (1983)
Chakravyuh mein ghusne se pehle,
kaun tha mein aur kaisa tha,
yeh mujhe yaad hi na rahega.
Chakravyuh mein ghusne ke baad,
mere aur chakravyuh ke beech,
sirf ek jaanleva nikat’ta thi,
iska mujhe pata hi na chalega.
Chakravyuh se bahar nikalne par
main mukt ho jaoon bhale hi,
phir bhi chakravyuh ki rachna mein
farq hi na padega.
Marun ya maarun,
maara jaoon ya jaan se maardun.
iska faisla kabhi na ho paayega.
Soya hua aadmi jab
neend mein se uthkar chalna shuru karta hai,
tab sapnon ka sansar use,
dobara dikh hi na paayega.
Us roshni mein jo nirnay ki roshni hai
sab kuchh s’maan hoga kya?
Ek palde mein napunsakta,
Doosre palde mein paurush,
aur theek taraazu ke kaante par
ardh satya.
– Dilip Chitre (Ardh Satya)
2. Gulaal (2009)
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil me hai
Dekhna hai zor kitna bazu-e-kaatil me hai
Waqt aane pe bataadenge tujhe-eaasmaan
Hum abhi se kya bataayein kya hamare dil me hai
Oh re Bismil kaash aate aaj tum Hindustaan
Dekhte ki mulk saara kya tashan mein, thrill mein hai
Aaj ka launda yeh kehta hum to bismil thak gaye
Apni aazaadi to bhaiya laundiya ke til mein hai.
Aaj ke jalson me Bismil ek gunga gaa raha.
Aur behron ka wo rela naachta mehfil mein hai
Haath ki khadi banaane ka zamaana lag gaya
Aaj to chaddi bhi silti englison ki mill mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil me hai…
– Piyush Mishra (Gulaal)
3. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
Jab jab dard ka baadal chaya, Jab ghum ka saya lehraya
Jab aansoo palkon tak aya, Jab yeh tanha dil ghabraya
Humne dil ko yeh samjhaya
Dil aakhir tu kyun rota hai
Duniya mein yu hi hota hai
Yeh jo gehre sannate hain
Waqt ne sabko hi baante hain
Thoda ghum hai sabka qissa
Thodi dhoop hai sabka hissa
Aankh teri bekaar hi nam hai
Har pal ek naya mausam hai
Kyun tu aise pal khota hai
Dil aakhir tu kyun rota hai
………………………………………
Dilon me tum apni betabiyaan leke chal rahe ho, to zinda ho tum
Nazar me khwaabon ki bijliyan leke chal rahe ho, to zinda ho tum
Hawa ke jhokon ke jaise aazad rehna sekho
Tum ek dariya ke jaise lehron mein behna sekho
Har ek lamhe se tum milo khole apni baahein
Har ek pal ek naya sama dekhe yeh nigahein
Jo apni ankhon mein hairanian leke chal rahe ho, to zinda ho tum
Dilon mein tum apni betabiyaan leke chal rahe ho, to zinda ho tum
– Javed Akhtar (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara)
4. Udaan (2010)
Chhoti-chhoti chhitrayi yaadein
Bichhi hui hain lamhon ki lawn par.
Nange pair unpar chalte-chalte
Itni door aa aaye
Ki ab bhool gaye hain
Joote kahan utaare the.
Aedi komal thi, jab aaye the.
Thodi si naazuk hai abhi bhi.
Aur nazuk hi rahegi
In khatti-meethi yaadon ki shararat
Jab tak inhe gudgudati rahe.
Sach, bhool gaye hain
Ki joote kahan utaare the.
Par lagta hai,
Ab unki zaroorat nahin.
………………………….
Jo lehron se aage nazar dekh paati toh tum jaan lete main kya sochta hoon
Wo aawaz tumko bhi jo bhed jaati toh tum jaan lete main kya sochta hoon
Zid ka tumhare jo parda sarakta, khidkiyon se aage bhi tum dekh paate
Aankhon se aadaton ki jo palken hatate toh tum jaan lete main kya sochta hoon.
Meri tarah hota agar khud par zara bharosa toh kuchh door tum bhi saath-saath aate
Rang meri aankhon ka baant-te zara sa, toh kuchh door tum bhi saath-saath aate
Nasha aasmaan ka jo choomta tumhe, hasraten tumhari naya janm paati
Khud doosre janam mein meri udaan chhoone kuchh door tum bhi saath-saath aate.
– Satyanshu and Devanshu Singh (Udaan)
5. Kabhi Kabhi (1975)
Kabhi kabhi mere dil main khayal aata hain
Ki zindagi teri zulfon ki narm chhaon main guzarne pati,
to shadab ho bhi sakti thi.
Yeh ranj-o-gham ki syaahi, jo dil pe chhayi hain,
Teri nazar ki shuaon main kho bhi sakti thi.
Magar yeh ho na saka,
Magar yeh ho na saka aur ab ye aalam hain,
Ki tu nahin, tera gham teri justjoo bhi nahin.
Guzar rahi hain kuchh iss tarah zindagi jaise,
isse kisi ke sahare ki aarzoo bhi nahin.
Na koi raah, na manzil, na roshni ka suraag
Bhatak rahin hai andheron main zindagi meri.
Inhi andheron main reh jaoonga kabhi kho kar
Main janta hoon meri hum-nafas, magar yoon-hi
Kabhi kabhi mere dil main khayal aata hai.
– Sahir Ludhanvi (Kabhi Kabhi)
6. Agneepath (1990, 2012)
Vriksh hon bhale khade,
Hon ghane, hoh bade,
Ek patra chhah bhi
Maang mat, Maang mat, Maang mat
Agneepath, Agneepath, Agneepath!
Tu na thakega kabhi, Tu na thamega kabhi, Tu na mudega kabhi,
Kar shapath, Kar shapath, Kar shapath!
Agneepath, Agneepath, Agneepath!
Yeh mahaan drishya hai,
Chal raha manushya hai
Ashru, swed, rakt se
Lath-path, lath-path, lath-path,
Agneepath, Agneepath, Agneepath!
– Harivanshrai Bachchan (Agneepath)
7. Kya Dilli Kya Lahore (2014)
Lakeerein hain to rehne do,
Kisi ne rooth kar gusse mein shayad kheech di thi.
Unhi ko ab banao paala aur aao kabaddi khelte hain.
– Gulzar (Kya Dilli Kya Lahore)
8. Veer Zara (2004)
Main qaidi number 786 jail ki salaakhon se bahar dekhta hoon
Din mahine saalon ko yug mein badalte dekhta hoon
Is mitti se mere bauji ke kheton ki khusboo aati hai
Yeh dhoop meri maati ki thandi chaas yaad dilati hai,
Yeh baaruish mere saawan ke jhoolon ko sang sang laati hai, yeh sardi meri lodi ki aag sek kar jaati hai
Woh kehte hain yeh mera des nahin
Phir kyon mere des jaisa lagta hai?
Woh kehte hai main us jaisa nahin
Phir kyon mujh jaisa woh lagta hai?
Main qaidi number 786 jail ki salakhon se bahar dekh ta hoon
Sapno ke gawn se utri
Ek nani pari ko dekhta hoon
Kehti hai khud ko Saamiya aur mujh ko Veer bulati hai
Hai bilkul begani paar apno si zid woh karti hai
Uski sachi baaton se phir jeene ko maan karta hai
Uske kaasmon vado se kuch karne ko maan karta hai
Main qaidi number 786 jail ki salakhon se bahar dekh ta hoon
Mere gawn ke raango mein lipti ek nayi Zaara ko dekhta hoon
Mere khwabon ko pura karte
Khud ke khwab bhool chuki hai woh
Mere logo ki sewa karte
Apne logo ko chor chuki hai woh
Uska daaman aab khushio se bharne ko jee karta hai
Uske leya ek aur zindagi jeene ko jee karta hai
Woh khete hai ke mein, mera desh uska nahi
Phir kyun mere ghar woh rehti hai
Woh kehte hai ke mein us jaisa nahi
Phir kyun mujh jaisi woh lagti hai
Main qaidi number 786 jail ki salakhon se bahar dekh ta hoon
Woh khete hai ko woh koi nahi teri
Phir kyun mere liye dunya se woh larti hai
Woh kehta hai ke mein us jaisa nahi
Phir kyun mujh jaisi woh lagti hai
Main kaidi number 786 jail ki salakhon se bahar dekh ta hoon
– Aditya Chopra (Veer Zara)
Conclusion
There we are! Over to you. What are your favorites on the list? What did we miss? Let’s jot them down in the comments below.
Javed Akhtar is a magician and was mostly responsible for the success of the ZIndagi Na Milegi Dobara. One talented family this! Zoya, Farhan, Javed, Shabana…each respected in their own sphere of expertise…
Beautiful poems these are…
Piyush Mishra truly creates magic with words. Have you heard some of his poems on YouTube?
“Lakeerein hain to rehne do,
Kisi ne rooth kar gusse mein shayad kheech di thi.
Unhi ko ab banao paala aur aao kabaddi khelte hain.”
Only Gulzar has the knack for saying the most serious of things in the most subtle way.
So glad you mentioned Ardh Satya. Evokes so many memories from childhood. Thank you 🙂
The Veer Zara peom gets me teary eyed everytime I hear it. I guess it also works because of the way Shahrukh narrated it in the film.
Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this website.
Gulzar is a gift to our industry… I mean just look at how he communicates the most serious of things in the most subtle manner…
Agneepath poem written by Harivanshrai Bachchan is so simple yet so deep and intense. It was beautifully recited in the film. Very moving.
Thanks to greats like Javed Akhtar, Gulzar…