Attempt of Interpreting the meaning of song ‘Meraa kuchh saamaan tumhaare paas padaa hai ’ from 1987 film Ijaazat.

Ijaazat(meaning "permission") is an acclaimed 1987 Indian Hindi film directed by Gulzar. Starring Rekha and Naseeruddin Shah in leading roles, the film followed the story of couple who are separated and who accidentally meet in a railway station waiting room and discover some truths about their lives without each other. The film belongs to the realistic, art cinema genre in India, known as parallel cinema, and won two National Film Awards in the music category. Ijaazat was inspired by the famous novel ‘Jatugriha’, by the noted Bengali writer Subhodh Ghosh, , was earlier made into a Bengali movie of the same name in 1964. Directed by Tapan Sinha, Jatugriha starred Uttam Kumar and Arundhati Devi.

In a way, Ijaazat is a simple story about three people, two relationships and one night. But it derives its depth from its complex characterizations. Its strength lies in its screenplay and dialogues by Gulzar and its moody cinematography by Ashok Mehta. In the strong performances of its three leads — Rekha (Sudha), Naseeruddin Shah (Mahen) and Anuradha Patel (Maya).

Storyline Summary - On a rainy night, Mahen unexpectedly runs into his ex-wife Sudha at a railway station waiting room. Two people unwillingly thrown in each other’s company, compelled to revisit a part of their life they have chosen to forget. The relationship has changed, the rules have changed. And the past becomes an intangible third person in the room, much like Maya (Mahen’s past love interest) was in their life.

Using his trademark of weaving the past with the present, Gulzar takes us back and forth between the waiting room and their home in the past, the complexities start to unravel. Maya’s free-spiritedness, Sudha’s conflict between being supportive and being possessive, Mahen’s inability to get past his memories but still wanting to keep Sudha happy — the characters become relatable and their dilemmas become real .Mahen and Sudha begin to accept Maya’s memories as part of their lives. And as with most of life’s dilemmas, there are no simple answers, no easy solutions.

During the course of such circumstances, When Sudha sends back some of Maya’s belongings to her, Maya asks for the some of the things from Mahen, which he obviously can’t return to her, the very good time they spent together, the promises, those sleepless nights, those memories back as well. Probably, one of the most touching songs sent in the form of telegram in the movie, by Maya, writing something which none can think of. The song describes the best and unforgettable moments two people can share together while being in love. The agony of missing someone so dear is depicted in such a nice way, its really sad when a person has to go through all this and live with thoughts of all those moments spent together, it is the worst thing to happen. How beautifully can any poet portray the agony and love together from a failed relation. If lyrics reached a point of brilliance, and if acting got to the peak of brilliance, then this song proves it. The beautiful moments spent together were indeed worth the life.The concluding line is worth few tears !!

A song whose lyrics pancham jokingly described as akin to reading a newspaper. There is an interesting anecdote regarding this, When Gulzar wanted R.D. Burman to compose music for this song, then R.D. Burman said, "Mera kuchh saman tumhare paas pada hai. Mera saman mujhe lauta do. What kind of song is this? Tomorrow, you will bring some cuttings from a news-paper and ask me to compose music on it and he refused to compose it saying that music cannot be set on such a difficult poetry. Gulzarsaab continued persisting and Panchamda continued refusing. After lot of cajoling and coaxing, Panchamda relented and started composing. Hear the result. Uncomparabale genius!!.

Asha’s voice languidly caresses every word, as she plaintively at times and retrospectively at other times, asks him to return the moments that they’ve shared. Meraa kuchh saamaan tumhaare paas padaa hai .. Asha performed this song live in 1995 at Madison Square Garden in New York, soon after RD had passed on. Without any accompanying music, in the hushed audience, it sounded just as good and genuine to all, till Asha broke down in grief in the middle..

The song is truly a masterpiece from Gulzarsahab’s pen written with such a depth and fanastically sung by asha bhosale, this song fittingly fetched the National Film Award for Best Lyrics and National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer to them in 1988.

Mera kuch saamaan tumhare paas pada hai -2

o o o ! saavan ke kuch bheege bheege din rakhe hain

aur mere ik khat main lipti raat padi hai

vo raat bhulaa do, mera vo saamaan lauta do - 2

mera kuch saamaan tumhaare paas pada hai - 2



patjhad hai kuchh ... hai na ?

o o o ! patjhad main kuch patton ke girne kee aahat

kaanon main ek baar pahan ke laut aai thee

patajhad kee vo shaakh abhi tak kaanp rahi hai

vo saakh gira do, mera vo saamaan lauta do - 2



ek akeli chhataree main jab aadhe aadhe bheeg rahe the - 2

aadhe sookhe aadhe geele, sukha to main le aaye thee

geela man shayad bistar ke paas pada ho

vo bhijwa do, mera vo saamaan lauta do



ek so sola chaand ki ratain ek tumhare kaandhe ka til - 2

geeli mahendi ki khushbu, jhoot mooth ke shikwe kuch

jhooth mooth ke wade sab yaad karaa do

sab bhijwa do, mera vo saamaan lauta do - 2



ek ijaazat de do bas, jab isako dafanaaungee

main bhi vaheen so jaungee

main bhi vaheen so jaungee

Attempt of interpreting some lines of this song mean? I asked a friend and even tried to unravel the meaning myself. Since to understand and interpret Gulzar sahab’s lyrics is a big ask.

1. For example one line says ‘ek so sola chaand ki ratain ek tumhare kaandhe ka til’

One hundred sixteen moonlit nights, and one mole on your back, I replied. Perhaps it is a count of nights spent together? Or maybe a four month relationship? (One hundred sixteen moonlit nights would be one hundred twenty days minus the four amaavasyas?) White on black and black on white? Contrasts to indicate the range of emotions felt? With Gulzarsahab, so many interpretations are possible. But whatever the intended meaning, the imagery is subtly sensual and so very beautiful. this line "116 solah chand ki raatein" shows only the intensity of Maya, that she had kept count of all moonlit nights she spent with mahen.

2. ‘ek ijaazat de do bas, jab isko dafnaauungi
main bhii vahii so jauungii .. main bhii vahii so jauungii ..’

memories get their well-deserved burial only at the end of one’s life. As Maya requests Mahen at the end of her letter. Only you can use it for whom you love the most and adore.The meaning of this line is beyond imagination for a normal human brain.

3. ‘geeli mahendi ki khushbu’

Memories of mehendi Maya used to draw up as a preparation of their imminent marriage and show it to mahen as it’s drawn?? Or also a time spent in drawing a mehendi assuming her to be a bride???...pheww

Though we developed technology, todays modern times are devoid of any real happiness.Just temporary & false pomp of happiness.This song symbolises the times where all contributed there best to create such a masterpiece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IdOKOQctBw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ijaazat