Aayi zanjeer ki jhankaar khuda khair kare
Posted on: December 10, 2008
“Razia Sultan” was a movie made as a labour of love by Kamal Amrohi,but the Indian audiences were not matured enough to appreciate this movie and the movie failed at the box office.
The attention to detail on the various aspects of the movie was quite professional and un Bollywood like. And that is clearly noticeable in the songs of this movie, which were different from the usual Bollywood songs.
In this movie, Dharmendra plays a black slave called Yakut. Now, Bollywood movies only have beautiful people ( hero and heroine) singing in beautiful professional voices. But Kamal Amrohi decided that non beautiful faces too should sing songs, but in different voices that sound more authentic on them. So a search was conducted to find a voice which would suit Yakut’s character. And the search led them to Kabban Mirza.
And it was an inspired choice. Kabban Mirza sang two songs in the movie. Usual Bollywood listeners used to run of the mill songs may scoff at this strange voice, but music aficionados liked this voice.
“Aayi zanjeer ki jhankaar Khuda khair kare” is such a landmark song in Bollywood. I loved listening to this song, much to the chagrin of my peers. And I am happy that I did. It appears that people more knowledgeable in music than me also like this song.
I loved both the songs sung by Kabban Mirza in this movie, and I will post the other song in this blog too.
The song was written by Jaan Nissar Akhtar, and it was perhaps the last movie for which he wrote lyrics. Khayyam, the music director, has used music very appropriate to the theme of the song.
Who was Kabban Mirza ? He was an announcer in Vividh Bharati, Bombay and I recall hearing his name in many Vividh Bharati radio programmes in 1970-80. His heavy voice was quite a refreshing change from the other “normal” voices.
Listen to this song. The repressed feeling of a slave comes through so poignantly in this song. Hats off to Jaan Nissar Akhtar, to Khayyam, and to Kabban Mirza for this gem of a song.
Audio
Video
Song-Aayi zanjeer ki jhankaar khudakhair kare ( Razia Sultan) (1983) Singer- Kabban Mirza, Lyrics-Jaan Nissar Akhtar, MD- Khayyam
Lyrics
Khudaa khair kare
aayi zanjeer ki jhankaar Khudaa khair kare
dil huaa kiskaa giraftaar Khudaa khair kare
aayi zanjeer ki jhankaar
jaane ye kaun meri rooh ko chhookar guzraa
jaane ye kaun
jaane ye kaun meri rooh ko chhookar guzraa
ek qayaamat huyi bedaar
ek qayaamat huyi bedaar
Khudaa Khair kare
lamhaa lamhaa meri aankhon mein khinchi jaati hai
lamhaa lamhaa meri aankhon mein khinchi jaati hai
ek chamakti huyi talwaar Khudaa Khair kare
ek chamakti huyi talwaar
ek chamakti huyi talwaar
Khoon dil kaa na chhalak jaaye kahin aankhon se
Khoon dil kaa na chhalak jaaye meri aankhon se
ho na jaaye kahin izhaar
ho na jaaye kahin izhaar
ho na jaaye kahin izhaar Khudaa khair kare
——————————————————
Translation (provided by Zeinab)
god give me peace
comes the tinkling of chains
my heart is her prisoner
god give me peace
who was it that passed, touching my soul
who was it
a danger has been thwarted
god give me peace
each second weighs my sight
a flashing sword, god give me peace
a flashing sword
the blood of my heart
let it not spurt from my eyes
[her] acceptance, o, let it not happen,
god give me peace
————————————
18 Responses to "Aayi zanjeer ki jhankaar khuda khair kare"
December 11, 2008 at 1:58 am
I am very pleased that you love Kabban Mirza’s voice. I also love his voice.
Now I have posted the other Kabban Mirza song from this movie as well, and this time with the translation as well. Listen to that as well.
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April 1, 2009 at 2:11 pm
This lyrics of the song are superb…. mixed with unusual voice.
Movie might be made 4 decade ahead. if made today surely it would have done a better business.
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April 12, 2009 at 6:20 pm
b’ful song can anybody plz send me d link frm where i can get dis song .
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May 19, 2009 at 10:50 am
Kabban mirza such a soulful voice, are there any other songs of his, plz keep me informed. it touches the heart and if u r in love then somwhere these 2 songs get tears in ur eyes as i can relate to it.
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November 20, 2009 at 1:03 pm
I was just 5 yr old when I listened to these songs in the cinema, Maratha Mandir. Mumbai. Amazed, I came out. These songs still are like stress releiving and nostalgic to me. Not many, infact, no body around knows about Kabban Mirza and his songs. Great you have put so much on to it.
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November 21, 2009 at 7:32 am
What is common knowledge at one time becomes valuable nuggets of information as time passes. I am not surprised if not too many people know about him today. I know about him because I lived through those days and I was aware about him.
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January 27, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Thanks so much for the post. I agree with you that not everyone can appreciate what gem Kabban Mirza was. His voice in these songs just tears the heart into pieces.
I was just 5 or 6 when I first heard his songs. Very very nostalgic.
Where is he now?
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January 27, 2010 at 1:04 pm
No idea where he is now. He was an announcer in the government radio (Vividh Bharati) and like other government employees, he must have retired at the age of 58 sometime in 1980s or 1990s. That would make him in his 70s-80s today if he is still alive.
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February 19, 2010 at 7:55 pm
Well Kabban Mirza is no more today. Somewhere in 2006 he expired. The saddest part is, shortly after recording his songs for Raziya Sultan, he suffered from throat cancer which rendered him completely speechless. His voice was lost forever. No one can ever match his voice caliber ever. His voice was very spiritual, deep within !!! God only know what secret his voice held, that it still tears the heart apart, very magical indeed !!!+
More information can be found here !!!
http://www.indianexpress.com/storyOld.php?storyId=26392
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February 22, 2010 at 9:08 pm
A provisional translation, not rigorous but readable.
god give me peace
i hear the jingle of chains
who has taken my heart prisoner—?
god give me peace
who was it passed, touching my soul
who was it
a danger has been thwarted
god give me peace
each second weighs my sight
a flashing sword, god give me peace
a flashing sword
the blood of my heart
let it not spurt from my eyes
[her] acceptance, o, let it not happen,
god give me peace
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February 23, 2010 at 12:07 am
Thanks for your translation, Zeinab. I have included it in the writeup now.
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February 23, 2010 at 10:46 pm
And thanks for the info on Kabban Mirza…never suspected so much happened in his life in the time in-between…(even though we’ve never heard any other songs from him).
Thanks to atul, he really has put so much effort into this.
For those interested, i’d suggest youtube, you can watch the entire movie. Be warned though, the songs are the easy part. The language is classical Urdu, very hard to understand. The song (several mp3s are available) is complete only in the movie version, the mp3s have the final stanza missing. There is a complete clip of the song on youtube, though.
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April 5, 2011 at 4:34 pm
Mr. Atul,
“jaane ye kaun meri rooh ko chhookar guzraa
ek qayaamat huyi bedaar Khudaa Khair kare ”
Interpretation :
someone has awakened the soul (Craving love) within me,
given life to sea of emotions(unstoppable), may god save me
“lamhaa lamhaa meri aankhon mein khinchi jaati hai
ek chamakti huyi talwaar Khudaa Khair kare ”
Every moment it is flashing in front of my vision
A shining sword of guilt/repentence, may god save me
“Khoon dil kaa na chhalak jaaye meri aankhon se
ho na jaaye kahin izhaar Khudaa khair kare ”
I am afraid my bleeding heart will overflow from my eyes
I should not express my love, may god save me.
(U c , a black slave, morover who is faithful towards the masters has no business falling for the queen, and hence he must supress the emotions)
This last shair reminds me of another more famous one :
Rago’n mien daudte phirne ke hum nahin qaayal
Jo aankh hi na tapka to phir lahu kya hai
(Mirza Ghalib)
Regards.
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August 16, 2014 at 10:34 am
I remember a song (Naat) “aaj unke pa e naaz par sazada karenge ham”, google tells it is from Captain Azad 1964. Will be highly obliged if I get a chance to listen.
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November 26, 2022 at 3:12 pm
I love listening to this song. I have listened to this song on repeat 100 times in one sitting on my music system. And even today, when I remember it, my mind is not satisfied after hearing it once. I calm down after listening two to three times. Two songs of Kaban Mirza Sahib can never be forgotten. Thanks a lot to the whole team of this song…
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
December 10, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Along with Roshan’s Taj Mahal, this is a soundtrack I’d take with me to a deserted island 🙂 I just love it, I think it’s Khaiyyam’s best. And Kabban Mirza’s voice is beautiful.
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June 30, 2020 at 9:28 pm
I play this song through the night. I am addicted to it. Don’t know why I do it
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