Ye duniya agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
Posted on: October 26, 2009
In the world in general and in India in particular, it often so happens that a person’s value is not appreciated during his life time. But when he departs, rich tributes are paid to him and his creations, which never sold during his life start selling like hot cakes. The beneficiaries fully capitalise on the newfound sealeability of the works of the departed soul.
What happens if the person who was presumed dead comes back ? All those beneficiaries who are gathered to pay tribute to him and praise his works are too stunned to react at first. How do they react, once they regain their senses? Do they really walk their talk and welcome the “departed” soul back within their midst ? Not at all. They realise that the person is worth more to them dead than alive, and he is forcibly removed from the public place where people had gathered to pay tribute to him. How very ironic !
This song from “Pyaasa” (1957) is a memorable song because of the irony that this song conveys. This song is such a high quality song that one does not know where to begin. The lyrics of Sahir Ludhianvi convey the feelings of the “departed” so emphatically and with supreme irony. The music of S D Burman is appropriately understated. Rafi’s voice covers a range of pitches till in the end it climbs the mount Everest , such is the high pitch that he achieves as the protagonist is being forcibly evicted.
The song is picturised on Guru Dutt, and listening to him “live” stuns Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha and Rehman. Rehman, who is the main beneficiary after the departure of Guru Dutt, quickly arranges to get the “offender” removed from his position where he was singing and thus “disturbing” the function. How very ironic, as I have already noted earlier.
Song-Ye duniya agar mil bhi jaye to kyaa hai (Pyaasa) (1957) Singer-Rafi, Lyrics-Sahir Ludhianvi, MD-S D Burman
Lyrics
ye mahlon, ye takhton, ye taajon ki duniyaa
ye inasaan ke dushman samaajon ki duniyaa
ye mahlon, ye takhton, ye taajon ki duniyaa
ye inasaan ke dushman samaajon ki duniyaa
ye daulat ke bhookhe riwaazon ki duniyaa
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
har ik jism ghaayal, har ek ruh pyaasi
nigaaho mein uljhan, dilon me udaasi
ye duniyaa hai yaa aalam-e-badhawaasi
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
jahaan ik khilaunaa hai insaan ki hasti
ye basti hai murdaa-paraston ki basti
yahaan par to jeewan se hai maut sasti
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
jawaani bhatakti hai badkaar bankar
jawaan jism sajte hai baazaar bankar
jahaan pyaar hotaa hai vyaapaar bankar
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
ye duniyaa jahaan aadmi kuchh nahin hai
wafaa kuchh nahin, dosti kuchh nahin hai
ye duniyaa jahaan aadmi kuchh nahin hai
wafaa kuchh nahin, dosti kuchh nahin hai
jahaan pyaar ki kadr hi kuchh nahin hai
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
jalaa do jalaa do
jalaa do ise phoonk daalo ye duniyaa
jalaa do jalaa do
jalaa do ise phoonk daalo ye duniyaa
mere saamane se hataa lo ye duniyaa
tumhaari hai tum hi sambhaalo ye duniyaa
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
ye duniyaa agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai
7 Responses to "Ye duniya agar mil bhi jaaye to kyaa hai"
October 26, 2009 at 1:41 pm
“Soul of a song is its lyrics”
I guess we can say same about majority of the songs penned by Sahir.
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October 26, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Totally agree about the lyrics.
It could only come from the pen of Sahir, who else ?
This is easily one of the hardest-hitting songs in Hindi cinema, together with “aurat ne janam diya mardon ko” from Sadhna. Again a Sahir masterpiece.
I just love this song. Whenever I listen to it, I just close my eyes and let the lyrics take over my mind.
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October 26, 2009 at 5:41 pm
And of course there is “ye mehlon ye takhton ye taajon ki duniya” from this same movie. Which is just as hard-hitting. Sahir exceeded even his own high standards in this movie.
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October 26, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Sorry, made a mistake. I meant “jinhe naaz hai hind par wo kahan hain…kahan hain…kahan hain…kahan hain”. 🙂
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October 26, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Raja, you had me confused after I read the first message, and then I saw the second message and was relieved to see that I am not the only person to get confused! Yes, Sahir outdid himself in this movie, and the songs really get to you when you listen to them and absorb their meaning.
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December 16, 2013 at 9:10 am
New Video link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z6Lr0JYAro
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
October 26, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Sahir Ludhianvi has written the most amazing lyrics for this song, they plumb the depths of a man’s soul, portraying his depression and cynicism in language which I doubt if anyone else can even imagine. It is a disturbing song when one listens closely to the lyrics, and all I can say is that this is probably the best song ever written by Sahir. I am not trying to take away any credit from Rafi or Burman, but the soul of a song is its lyrics, and this song has the best lyrics ever.
Thank you, Atul, for writing so well about the irony behind this song.
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