{"id":7013,"date":"2023-02-28T20:03:47","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T14:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=7013"},"modified":"2023-02-28T20:31:33","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T15:01:33","slug":"the-bewitching-artistry-of-raat-bhi-hai-kuch-bheegi-bheegi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/the-bewitching-artistry-of-raat-bhi-hai-kuch-bheegi-bheegi\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bewitching Artistry of Raat Bhi Hai Kuch Bheegi Bheegi"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Back in the thirties, when the talkies came along in cinema, the spoken word was the be-all and end-all of everything. The cinematography was shaky, the direction was patchy, and the acting levels were maudlin and affected. But as movie-making evolved, the spoken word became a link to the events that unfolded on the screen. What took centre stage was the song and the dance. The dances \u2014 visual celebrations in themselves, fed by the various sub-cultures of this vast land \u2014 became a huge draw for the audience to flock to the theatres. They whistled, made catcalls and even threw coins at the screen. Every now and then, a heady mixture of a great song and a great dance mesmerized the viewers, giving them an experience which became a part of their existence, to remain etched in their minds forever. One such masterpiece was Raat bhi hai kuch bheegi bheegi.<\/em><\/p>\n

The desert is silent and quiet in the night. But today is different. The moonlight pours like a silvery waterfall on a dance floor. The stars are elbowing each other to get a better view of the same \u2014 the moon is ensconced directly above the dance floor leaving the rest of the night to stumble its way towards dawn. Because today Chameli Jaan (Waheeda Rehman) is dancing.<\/p>\n

\u0930\u093e\u0924 \u092d\u0940 \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u0941\u091b \u092d\u0940\u0917\u0940-\u092d\u0940\u0917\u0940
\n\u091a\u093e\u0901\u0926 \u092d\u0940 \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u0941\u091b \u092e\u0926\u094d\u0927\u092e-\u092e\u0926\u094d\u0927\u092e, (2)<\/p>\n

\u0924\u0941\u092e \u0906\u0913 \u0924\u094b \u0906\u0901\u0916\u0947\u0902 \u0916\u094b\u0932\u0947\u0902,
\n\u0938\u094b\u0908 \u0939\u0941\u0908 \u092a\u093e\u092f\u0932 \u0915\u0940 \u091b\u092e \u091b\u092e<\/p>\n

Raat bhi hai kuch bheegi bheegi<\/em>
\nChaand bhi hai kuch maddham maddham (2)<\/em><\/p>\n

Tum aao to aankhein kholein<\/em>
\nSoyi hui payal ki chham chham (2)<\/em><\/p>\n

And the chorus goes chham-chham chham-chham\u00a0chham-chham\u00a0chham-chham<\/em>. The refrain is echoed in the anklets of Waheeda as she dances fleet-footed around the glass floor, her reflection, in frantic pursuit of her dazzling beauty. The crowd is in raptures \u2014 the stars have paled and the moon is spellbound! The refrain keeps recurring, adorning the magic of the words that beckon invitingly \u2014<\/p>\n

\u0915\u093f\u0938\u0915\u094b \u092c\u0924\u093e\u090f\u0902, \u0915\u0948\u0938\u0947 \u092c\u0924\u093e\u090f\u0902,
\n\u0906\u091c \u0905\u091c\u092c \u0939\u0948 \u0926\u093f\u0932 \u0915\u093e \u0906\u0932\u092e,<\/p>\n

\u091a\u0948\u0928 \u092d\u0940 \u0939\u0948, \u0915\u0941\u091b \u0939\u0932\u094d\u0915\u093e \u0939\u0932\u094d\u0915\u093e,
\n\u0926\u0930\u094d\u0926 \u092d\u0940 \u0939\u0948, \u0915\u0941\u091b \u092e\u0926\u094d\u0927\u092e \u092e\u0926\u094d\u0927\u092e<\/p>\n

Kisko batayein, kaise batayein,<\/em>
\naaj ajab hai dil ka aalam<\/em><\/p>\n

Chain bhi hai kuch halka halka<\/em>
\nDard bhi kuch maddham maddham<\/em><\/p>\n

The question has been asked \u2014 Kisko batayein, kaise batayein<\/em> and there is one in the crowd who believes it is for him and him alone! He is stricken by the ravishing beauty of the twinkle-toed Waheeda and every word that follows drives the dagger deeper into his heart. The strapping dacoit Jarnail Singh (Sunil Dutt), a veteran of many a skirmish, knows he has lost the battle before it began.<\/p>\n

\"Raat<\/p>\n

\u0924\u092a\u0924\u0947 \u0926\u093f\u0932 \u092a\u0930 \u092f\u0942\u0902 \u0917\u093f\u0930\u0924\u0940 \u0939\u0948,
\n\u0924\u0947\u0930\u0940 \u0928\u095b\u0930 \u0938\u0947, \u092a\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0930 \u0915\u0940 \u0936\u092c\u0928\u092e,<\/p>\n

\u091c\u0932\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0941\u090f \u091c\u0902\u0917\u0932 \u092a\u0930 \u091c\u0948\u0938\u0947
\n\u092c\u0930\u0916\u093e \u092c\u0930\u0938\u0947 \u0930\u0941\u0915-\u0930\u0941\u0915 \u0925\u092e-\u0925\u092e<\/p>\n

\u091b\u092e-\u091b\u092e, \u091b\u092e-\u091b\u092e, \u091b\u092e-\u091b\u092e, \u091b\u092e-\u091b\u092e<\/p>\n

Tapte dil par yun girti hai<\/em>
\nTeri nazar se, pyar ki shabnam<\/em><\/p>\n

Jalte huye jungle par jaise<\/em>
\nBarkha barse ruk-ruk thham thham<\/em><\/p>\n

Chham-chham chham-chham chham-chham chham-chham<\/em><\/p>\n

The words are not just loaded with stunning imagery; they come steeped in laya<\/em> and taal<\/em>. They dance; they put you in a trance. The consciousness is slipping. There is an intoxicating haze before the eyes of the audience as they wonder \u2013 \u201cIs this woman real, or is she an apparition?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u0939\u094b\u0936 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0925\u094b\u095c\u0940 \u092c\u0947\u0939\u094b\u0936\u0940 \u0939\u0948,
\n\u092c\u0947\u0939\u094b\u0936\u0940 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0939\u094b\u0936 \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u092e \u0915\u092e,<\/p>\n

\u0924\u0941\u091d\u0915\u094b \u092a\u093e\u0928\u0947 \u0915\u0940 \u0915\u094b\u0936\u093f\u0936 \u092e\u0947\u0902,
\n\u0926\u094b\u0928\u094b\u0902 \u091c\u0939\u093e\u0901 \u0938\u0947 \u0916\u094b \u0917\u090f \u0939\u092e<\/p>\n

\u091b\u092e-\u091b\u092e, \u091b\u092e-\u091b\u092e, \u091b\u092e-\u091b\u092e, \u091b\u092e-\u091b\u092e, \u0930\u093e\u0924 …<\/p>\n

Hosh mein thodi behoshi hai<\/em>
\nBehoshi mein hosh hai kam-kam<\/em><\/p>\n

Tujhko paane ki koshish mein<\/em>
\nDono jahaan se kho gaye hum<\/em><\/p>\n

Chham-chham chham-chham chham-chham chham-chham<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The dacoit is used to taking trophies, gold, valuables and money. But this time he is taking home a ‘loser\u2019s trophy’. He has lost his heart to the beauteous incarnation of femininity and he is so happy for his loss! He is taking home a doll \u2013 a living doll, the most precious of them all. A doll that will make his bed, rear his children and give him the love and warmth only a loved one can.<\/p>\n

The song leaves you bewitched and besotted. The white-attired beauty named Waheeda glides across the mirrored floor like a swan, glamorously preening and parading her skills. Sunil Dutt looks on, ramrod straight, with blazing eyes! The music of Jaidev is as rustic and mellifluous as a folk melody can be. Sahir plays with the words, which act like silver anklets, to add rhythm to his lyrics.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And about Lata? As soon as I get the opening alaap Raat bhi hai kutchh bheegi bheegi<\/em> with the first “Raaat…”<\/em> in place, I promise to summon up the courage to write about it. Sometimes mortals are rudely awakened from their belief that they can capture sublime level of the artistry on display. I am not even able to capture that. The song has a hypnotic effect on me. I am that mortal who lies frozen at my desk, listening to Lata sing…
\nRaat bhi hai kuch bheegi bheegi<\/em><\/p>\n

Mujhe Jeene Do<\/em>, 1963 \/ Jaidev \/ Sahir Ludhianvi \/ Lata Mangeshkar<\/span><\/p>\n