Ye zulf kaisi hai
Posted on: May 6, 2009
In India, where boys and girls are not allowed to mingle freely like in the west, most wedding alliances are fixed by the parents, again without taking the kids themselves into confidence. And after the parents finalise it, they inform the parties. One important information, and perhaps the only important information that a person often has is a photograph- a passport size photograph.
In this song, Anil Dhawan and Jaya Bhaduri find themselves in this situation. Their elders have decided to marry the two off to each other. Of course the two have not seen each other. They have one photograph each of the other. It leads to a very realistic and natural situation ( natural and realistic for desi persons- not for western people, I suppose), where the boy looks at the photo of the girl and starts judging her based on how she looks. The girl does the same with the picture of the boy.
The feelings of the boy and the girl have been expressed wonderfully well in this song written by Anand Bakshi and sung by Rafi and Lata. Laxmikant Pyarelal composed this song.
I first heard and watched this song some one year ago, and I was really impressed with this song. How superbly this song captures the feelings to the two people who have not yet met each other but are told that they are going to be married to each other soon. “Man me laddo phoot rahe hain” (Laddos must be crumbling in the mind”) is a Hindi saying to explain the feelings that the boy and girl feel in this situation.This song expresses the same feelings in a much more coherent and cogent manner. It is a gem of a song. A masterpiece !
Song-Ye zulf kaisi hai (Piya ka ghar) (1972)Singers-Rafi, Lata, Lyrics- Anand Bakshi, MD-Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyrics
ye zulf kaisi hai zanjeer jaisi hai
ye zulf kaisi hai zanjeer jaisi hai
wo kaisi hogi jiski tasveer aisi hai
ye aankh kaisi hai haay teer jaisi hai
ye aankh kaisi hai haay teer jaisi hai
wo kaisaa hogaa jiski tasveer aisi hai
ye zulf kaisi hai zanjeer jaisi hai
wo kaisi hogi jiski tasveer aisi hai
wo kaisaa hogaa jiski tasveer aisi hai
tum to mujhe pasand ho
kyaa main tumhen pasand hoon
kyaa tum razaamand ho
main to razaamand hoon
bolo chup kyon ho
main tumse kyaa boloon taqdeer kaisi hai
main tumse kyaa boloon taqdeer kaisi hai
wo kaisaa hogaa jiski tasveer aisi hai
ye zulf kaisi hai zanjeer jaisi hai
wo kaisi hogi jiski tasveer aisi hai
ho o
ghoonghat nikaal ke piyaa
baithoongi main to aaj se
dekho na is tarah mujhe
mar jaaungi main laaj se
chalo upar dekho
ye khwaab kaisaa hai taabeer kaisi hai
ye khwaab kaisaa hai taabeer kaisi hai
wo kaisi hogi jiski tasveer aisi hai
ye aankh kaisi hai haay teer jaisi hai
wo kaisaa hogaa jiski tasveer aisi hai
wo kaisi hogi jiski tasveer aisi hai
7 Responses to "Ye zulf kaisi hai"
May 6, 2009 at 3:39 am
Yes, the situation depicted in the song is a very realistic one even today for many.
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May 6, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I adore this film! And the songs were ALL brilliant.
And so many times, if not just a photo, people get the “one” meet before the wedding proper still!
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May 7, 2009 at 7:36 am
Yes, you are quite right.
But I have also been told of an interesting variation of this “one” meet, which often happens in Bihar.
One Bihari boy “met” his would be bride for this one meeting, in full glare of relatives. She was all covered up in ghoonghat and all and hardly anything of her was visible. From the visible portions of her arms, the boy guessed that the girl was fair complexioned. From her walk, he judged her height. He could not judge her voice because she was not allowed to speak. From the appearances of her mother and other famale relatives, he drew some inferences about her probable appearance.
The formality of “meeting” thus over, the alliance was finalised.
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May 10, 2009 at 11:22 am
Atul, what a laugh!
You know, Indian men & women must be the bravest; to get married based on such “reviews”!
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December 31, 2009 at 2:07 am
Did Anil Dhawan have any career in any other Indian movies. He has a handsome face. Wonder if he carried the day for any length of time?
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June 17, 2016 at 3:42 pm
Talking of Bombay and boy meeting girl.. my brother in law came to meet my sister and we were in Dombivali then. I was the first to notice them come to our building.. and I rushed upstairs and remember telling my sister.. I think you should say “NO”. Guess it was typical of a brother, who did not want his sister to go away with someone :). Nice cute song.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
May 6, 2009 at 3:16 am
Hmm, this song brings back memories! Some of us did have to imagine the person based on the picture!
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