Zindagi ke safar mein - Kishore Kumar

 

Song : Zindagi ke safar mein guzar jaate hain ( 1974)

Writer : Anand Bakshi

Music : RD

Singer : Kishore

Movie : Aap ki kasam

 

We are mere mortals; clueless whether we’ll survive the next moment and yet, we roam around with or without masks like we carry tomorrow in our pockets more so in these covid times as well! There are several instances in life where we can, and should forgive and forget, but we choose to tow along. To such meagre beings, Bakshi sahab offers a piece of precious advice- ‘Zindagi ke safar me guzar jaate hain jo makaam, woh phir nahin aate…’

If you look closer at the words penned by Anand Bakshi, the song is eerily like Rajesh Khanna life story finally understanding the wrongs he committed. And it foretells the story of the lonely superstar he would become. Khanna’s meteoric rise to stardom was so sudden that no one, least of all him, knew how to handle the superstar status. There are many tales of how he treated people like day-old newspapers, convinced that his fame was invincible. He used to get hundreds of letters and Flowers daily. He has said that he came to know the stardom was over once the flowers stopped coming. But then he lived it large till it ended and life anyways has to end one day isn’t it? Babu Moshai , zindagi BADI honi chahiye lambi nahi…

Legend has it that Khanna was so disturbed by Amitabh Bachchan, the new kid on the block, that he repeatedly ill-treated him on the sets of Bawarchi (1972) when Bachchan used to visit to meet Jaya Bahaduri. In its course, the song seems to suggest Khanna’s reluctant acceptance of Bachchan - Aadmi theek se yeh dekh paata nahi, Aur parde pe manzar badal jaata hai (One barely sees what’s in front of him and the whole stage changes). There are many people that Khanna ill-treated when the going was good and most of them never forgot that. There are stories of he getting so drunk ( when his stardom faded) and shouting out loud in his terrace to God so much so that Dimple and his staff thought he had gone insane. Many a times he used  to beat up his servants and then feel guilty in the morning and tip them heavily. Later he tried to make amends but Bollywood is very good at remembering the bad - Umra bhar chahe koi pukaara kare unka naam Woh phir nahi aate, woh phir nahi aate (You spend a lifetime crying out their names, but those who deserted you never return).  

There are superstars and then there is Rajesh Khanna. It’s a fact that no one has seen fame like she had seen Khanna’s ever before or ever since. He was like all the superstars put together in terms of the fame he received. No one can take this away for him. His white Impala used to turn red and pink in minutes as it stopped as all his female fans used to kiss the car all over. They used to take the mud of the car tyres and apply in their forehead. Crazy fans ever.

But the hero of this song is Anand Bakshi. Anand was the greatest philosopher writer and this song is absolutely philosophical. Just check out the deep words.

For the while that he was at the top, Rajesh Khanna was nothing less than an emperor and this is what made him banish people from his durbar rather than simply breaking away from those who didn’t agree with him. He had the habit of surrounding himself with yes-men and believed whatever they said to inflate his ego.

When I used to pass his house a decade ago , many times I used to see him in a maroonish silk lungi and topless with a drink in his hand in his carter road bungalow. I used to stop by and shout Hi Rajesh and he used always give a thumbs up with both hands. Used to think of asking him if I could come inside his house but never could muster the courage.. Missed it.

This song even uncannily sums up his relationship with his wife, Dimple Kapadia - Kal tadapna pade yaad mein jinki, Rok lo ruth kar unko jaane na do. Baad mein pyaar ke chahe bhejo hazaaro salaam, Woh phir nahi aate, woh phir nahi aate

There is a beautiful para on friendships and relationships too…

Doston shaq dosti ka dushman hai
Apne dil mein ise ghar banane na do
Kal tadapna pade yaad mein jinki
Rok lo rooth kar unko jaane na do

Baad mein pyar ke
Chaahe bhejo hazaron salam
Woh phir nahi aate

Once trusts goes…its gone!! Who phir nahi aate! Take care of relationships!

This song might predate many of the events that unfolded in Rajesh Khanna’s life, but looking back, it is unnerving just how closely it mirrors the star’s life. The manner in which the song was filmed, Khanna’s realisation in the movie Aap ki Kasam that his suspicion has killed their marriage forever, sees him wander aimlessly, regretting his actions for the rest of his life. That is sadly how the screen legend’s real life turned out. A better part of his life, post his glory days, was relegated to being in almost social exile; it’s only in his last few months that Khanna was surrounded by the people he learnt to value the most.

Best Lines: Ofcourse Woh phir nahi aate…Who phir nahi aate..Such powerful words by Bakshi…Feels like as if God is saying this line….Still get goose bumps when you hear this line..

Enjoy this beautiful philosophical song. Have a lovely Sunday!!

CK Musical Space