Song of Love: Pehli Baar Mohabbat from Kaminey

Guddu and Sweety from Vishal Bhardwaj's Kaminey are one of my favorite couple from Indian cinema. Their chemistry, their love, the way they react to each other's disabilities, and the way they define their intimacy are some of the endearing aspects of their relationship. Guddu stammer, and so does Sweety (She doesn't, but we learn that later why she pretended to), and they are stuck in the world of mean people trying to make it big in their life. Sweety and Guddu too have dreams, although not as big as others, but there is something quite amusing in their relationship which a real couple from real life might easily relate to.

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So how does Gulzar Saab and Vishal Bhardwaj provide us a fresh perspective of love every time they create a love song, seems quite straightforward to me, they go right after the characteristics of the characters the song is based on, that way it might be more easier for them and for us to relate to those characters, and probably imagine, in certain situations, how these characters will react in a particular way. I have started observing the lyrics more closely now, and I noticed that they are hidden layers of meaning trying to convey the psyche of a character.

There are three versions of 'Pehli Baar Mohabbat' out of which 2 are used in the film, the remaining one was performed by Vishal Bhardwaj on MTV unplugged. The first version which we hear in the film is sung by the Melodious Suresh Wadkar, Rekha Bhardwaj, Sunidhi Chauhan and Kunal Ganjawaala. Technically the song is titled "Raat ke Dhai Bake" but it's certainly a form of Pehli Baar Mohabbat ki hai. The song is a fun representation of marriage chaos, both literally and metaphorically because at this point Guddu is not too keen about the idea of marriage, but he is emotionally forced to say Yes for the marriage, because Sharma Ji consummate his relationship before his marriage (Courtesy of a killer line from Sweety in an initial scene), so Guddu is sulking, while Sweety is enjoying the most important moment of her life, and she is far more involved in extra work, regarding booking of tickets for their honeymoon, whereas Guddu is trying to force a smile on his face, which has gone missing since the moment it was decided that both of them will marry. It's not like Guddu does not love Sweety, he does, but the idea of marriage scares him, on the other hand, this marriage is important for Sweety, as it gives him a chance to restart his life in a fresh manner, away from the politics of his brother.

The Pehli Baar Mohabbat ki hai in Raat ke Dhai Baje is more of a fun take about the typical Indian male psyche, the ones who are not afraid to form a relationship, have physical intimacy, but when it all comes down to give commitment, there is some presence of doubt. Guddu is going through this phase, we know he loves Sweety, but he has yet not accepted the idea of marriage. He is left with no other option but to sulk internally, and force a smile on his face.  "चौंके चौंके चौंके से खोए खोए से हम, आँखें डूबी डूबी सी सोए सोए से हम" reflects his wary state of mind, he is lost in the noise around him, eyes are getting drowsy, "दिल ने कैसी दूरगत की है" courtesy of the calamity his heart has brought upon him.

"इश्क़ में जलते हुए साँस तेज़ाबी लगे, राज़ खुलता ही नही कोई तो चाबी लगे" says a line, the fire of love, which was once passionate for Guddu has now turned his breath acidic and raw, which might lead him to become sour towards their relationship. The secret that Guddu is hiding in him about being emotionally forced into this marriage is a well-kept secret, that cannot be opened to anyone, interesting use of the lock and key model to establish a situation that the character is facing. “हो चिकने चिकने लच्छे है रेशमी से फंदे”, the silken strands of the noose of love has trapped Guddu, I am quite fascinated by how love is treated as noose quite often in Gulzar Saab lyrics, and that too paradoxically. It's as if sometimes people want to get trapped by that noose, and feel the breathlessness of being in love with somebody, while on the other hand, it can be used quite literally. “चुपड़ी चुपड़ी बातों में भोले भाले बंदे”, the smooth talks through which Sweety manipulates Guddu into marriage, “तन्हाई में फ़ुर्सत दी है”, the given isolation and solitude has given him opportunities to reflect upon his doubt.

"रात कुछ ऐसा हुआ जैसा होता तो नही, थाम के रखा मुझे मैं भी खोता तो नही" the moment of change is brought upon with these lines, when Guddu actually sees Sweety, and feels her happiness, the night that is occurring has given birth to a feeling that he hasn't been seen, heard or felt before, the feeling that has kept him like a prisoner, so he wouldn't be lost in the thought of his self-doubts. "एक ही लट सुलझाने में सारी रात गुज़ारी है" the long night has been spent to unravel the single strand of hair, I found this line quite romantic, similar situation was made in ‘Yaaram’ from ‘Ek Thi Daayan’, where we hear "ज़ुल्फ़ में फँसी हुई खोल देंगे बालियाँ", Gulzar Saab constructs moments of romance and intimacy in simple interactions between two people. "जान की गठरी सर पे ले ली, आपने कैसी ज़हमत दी है" instead of keeping his heart on his palms, Guddu has kept his life on his head, because of the dangerous consequences that might follow after he marries the sister of a notorious gangster, and despite the trouble that his better half has given him, he still wants to embrace her with the innocence and rawness of being in love.

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Now, as the end credits roll in the film, we hear the notes from a piano, which are soothing and conveying that all is well with the couple. In the making of the film, Vishal Bhardwaj mentioned that it was him who was supposed to sing this version, but during the shoot of the song, he felt that the song needed a younger voice to match with the romance of the young couple, so finally it was Mohit Chauhan who sang the song. I really like the way how the entire romantic track between Guddu and Sweety is edited, and placed in the narrative, you are not fully aware of the story between them, yet you can sense the chemistry is so spot on. We cut back to the scene in Guddu's hostel where he is trying to hear her side of story, and she smartly manipulates him into marriage. A small chitchat follows after that, and when it is final, she gives away an okay sign to the boys in the hostel, and Guddu is surprised to see such reaction. Probably, everyone in the hostel knew about the romance between them, and they wanted to be a part of the conclusion.

Their love starts in college, and since it's a feeling both of them are facing for the first time in their life, the song 'Pehli Baar Mohabbat' represents their anxiety, their expectations from each other, how both of them feel for each other as individuals, and about recalling significant moment they have had in each other's company. "थोड़े भीगे भीगे से थोड़े नम है हम, कल से सोये वोए भी तो कम है हम" a bit wet, a bit drenched, both literally and metaphorically, in love and in monsoon of Mumbai, they haven't slept properly since yesterday, the time when they discovered this feeling inside them for the first time. The act, that is driven by the force of heart, the act of love, that both of them have experienced for the first time. 

"आँखें डूबी-डूबी सी सुरमई मद्धम, झीलें पानी-पानी है बस तुम और हम, बात बड़ी हैरत की है, पहली बार..." Their eyes are drowning apart in the shadows of the collyrium, as the presence of water gives a lake an identity, the comfort they felt in each other's company gives them their own identities. "ख्वाब के बोझ से कंप-कंपाती हुई, हलकी पलकें तेरी याद आता है सब तुझे गुदगुदाना सताना यूँ ही सोते हुए, गाल पे टीपना मीचना बेवजह बेसबब" i feel this part of the song is entirely dedicated to Sweety confessing about his feelings for Guddu, the burden to live a life of his dreams is ample, which has caused Guddu's eyelids to quiver regularly, which reminds Sweety of the moments they have spent together, where she tickled him, teased him while he was asleep, pulled his cheeks, gently poked on his dimples for no reason whatsoever, and when Guddu demands an explanation. "याद है, पीपल के जिसके घने साए थे, हमनें गिलहरी के जूठे मटर खाए थे, ये बरक़त उन हज़रत की है" she recalls the time when dense shades of a peepal tree, where they had eaten leftover peas of a squirrel, this act of love is a blessing of those moments, a love which they have experienced for the first time, and for the last time, and love which will last forever between them.

Amidst the mean group of people, we saw in Kaminey, Sweety and Guddu stands out as an adorable ‘Kamineys’ who are in love with each other, since there cannot be a more ‘Kaminey’ feeling than love, it was them who finally gets a happy ending that they deserved.

Post on Kaminey 

Metamorphosis of Jordan

“I hear music when I close my eyes. When I open my eyes, the music does not go away. I often cannot follow the words that people speak, but I get the music of their soul. It is good that way, because words can lie but music cannot. Pleasant or disturbing, music is always the truth”- Jordan

Sometimes I marvel about the scenario how Imtiaz Ali would react to all the in-depth analysis around his films, his pleasantly realistic characters and their individual perception about love, life, dreams, freedom, and self-realization of their inner voices. People trying to decode the psychology of his characters, their motives, their state of mind at a particular scene, it must be a very fascinating and paradoxically surreal moment for him to read all the theories being put forwarded by people regarding the characters that he has created.

What quality does these Imtiaz Ali’s characters possesses for people to talk about them with so much passion and enthusiasm?

The answer lies in the question itself only, because they are “Imtiaz Ali’s” characters. 

One such fascinating figure from Imtiaz Ali’s universe that he introduced 6 years back to the world was Janardan Jakhar. A Delhi Boy who resents the fact that he has no pain in his life and has never experienced heartbreak. He is told that the emotional turmoil raised through heartbreak would eventually help him become a genuine and passionate musician.

Starts the journey of Janardan followed with a thunderous tune of an electric guitar from Orianthi Panagaris.

So where do we start from? Janardan’s impression that a completely different world exists inside video games, or the one who sprinkles alcohol around his face and collar, and act totally sloshed just so that he can mix up in the crowd. He also put forwards an interesting fact that guest at the wedding fantasize about the bride at night. He does not understand classic music, or he is unaware of the fact that he does, but it just does not go well with his sense of music. He leaves interviews midway without bothering to tell anyone, because he just does not care. 

Perhaps we should start with Jalal ad-Din Rumi’s lines that open the journey of Janardan “Out beyond the ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”

Imagine a place, where we do not have to live in synchronization with the social conventions, our actions will not be judged in accordance to what is right and what is wrong. Imagine a place, so revered that we will be able to overcome the despair and misery surrounding our lives because of us trying to be different from what we actually are. There are no society expectations, no pressure to succeed in life in terms of the stagnant parameters of success in life. A place where anyone can run towards their dreams irrespective of the fear of it being reasonable or not.  A place where the impulsive nature of our soul guides us through the questions put forward by scenarios thrown into our way by life. A place where the radiance of the universe permeates through our consciousness and stimulates us to let things go. What is right and what is wrong is very subjective, but the core value that the meeting field brings is way beyond those circumstances.  

     

The two concepts, the meeting place and that heartbreak is necessary for peak creativity form the crux of Janardan’s metamorphosis into Jordan. The two concepts run parallel throughout the film; the need of the meeting ground carved into core idea of how creativity, triggered through deep sorrow is juxtaposed into the narrative. The differential layers of emotions vary in accordance to the mood of Janardan/Jordan and are intelligently conveyed through the lighting of the scenes. The initial life of Janardan is expressed through natural light, because Janardan is a typical Delhi boy, who has not yet discovered the world yet. When Jordan sings at live concerts, on several occasions under monochromatic shades or under suppressed colors highlighting the mood of his state along with signifying the lack of bright colors in Jordan’s life.           

Ustad Jameel Khan spots Janardan at Nizamuddin Dargah, which is the holy shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.  He was one of the most famous Sufis of the Indian subcontinents. Nizamuddin Auliya, like his predecessors from Chishti order focused upon love as a means of realizing God. Janardan, a bit hesitant in the initial days to mix up with the Qawaali team at the shrine organically gels with them through the magic of his music. He serves as a disciple at the shrine yet act a bit reluctant to ask for anything, and rather just stares with a sign of doubt. Gradually, it is his music that allows him to break the shackles of reluctance, and he utters-

Bring Morning rains on my body, and it helps me clean up the dark soul of mine, the drop of Nourishment that flows from yours, Oh Lord

It would be more appropriate to state that Janardan served as a disciple of a Sufi Saint, and it eventually helped him rediscover his music through a different perspective. Ustad Jameel Khan serves as a Messiah in Janardan’s life. He convinces an unenthusiastic Dhingra to give him a break and quotes “He is a big animal; he won’t fit in your small cage, he will create his own music, he is something else, the Almighty has blessed him, he has his Inayat (Grace)”. Ustad Jameel Khan seemed like a messenger of God sent to identify the ones who had God’s grace and fulfill their wishes. He kept track of his green colored Misbaha (Prayer bead) which is used to repeatedly recite prayers silently within the mind or aloud. He had two disciples with him, carrying his wheelchair, who appeared twins, with nearly same facial features and same clothes. According to Islamic tradition, the two kiraman and katibin (honourable scribes) are two angels called Raqib and Atid, believed by Muslims to record a person's actions, thoughts and feelings.       

If you go through the posters of Rockstar, you will notice a pattern of a strong color template surrounded by flames. I wonder if it symbolizes “Wings on Fire”, the name of Jordan’s concert. The man you see on the poster is not Janardan; he is Jordan, who is broken, empty, under immense pain, in quest of the meeting place, burning in the fire of his own strong emotions. He can only express his pain through his music, and yet cannot be heard. The posters featuring Jordan and Heer have an indispensable aura of enraged sexual energy. It is as if both of them want to shred all the inhibitions laid down to them by the society and get lost under the passionate fumes of loves. Meanwhile, the ones featuring Jordan alone denotes an intellect of Sufism hidden under his music. 

The transformation of Janardan into Jordan is organic, systematic and painful, Heer gives him this new name, Janardan unaware of the consequences that his life is about to undergo accepts the new name with an initial hesitation. The first point of transformation is through the song “Aur Ho”, where Jordan is full of sexual energy, and by this, I do not mean he is full of lust; it is rather the restlessness after a string of passionate kisses and intimate moments that has turned him helpless against his conscious judgment of what is right and what is wrong. He constantly wants to look into the eyes of Heer, he cannot accept Heer turning her face away. He wants to feel the sensations brought because of his hands touching her skin.  

“I have become a string tangled in wish, untangle me
I am a knock and you are like closed doors, open
O helpness staying in the heart,
come, live and while living, live the dream..
There should be more, more noise of breaths and move towards the flame”

The moment that catalyzes the transformation occurs when the people are aware of his music, his eccentric personality, and wants to pass on a judgment on his personal space, they are more interested in his personal actions rather than his music, people wants to cash-in on his music through his idiosyncratic nature. Dhingra Saab, knows the value of public image, because according to his market experience “Everything is Image, and Image is everything” and that is how he brands Jordan’s first album as “Negative” because in media only negative prevails. Jordan expresses his volatile reactions through the song “Sadda Haq” where he starts with these lines-

“In this world of you people, at every step, a human is wrong.

Whatever I feel is right and say,

you call it wrong, if I'm wrong then who's right?

Should I send you a request

for me to live with my own wish?

Means you all have a right on me

more than I do it's my right, put it here and give it to me”

  In the middle of the concert, Jordan narrates an incident to the public about how many years ago; there was dense and fearsome jungle at this very right place, which was converted into a city with neat and clean houses, wide straight roads, everything with proper planning. The day the jungle was torn down, a flock of birds left the place forever. Jordan mentions that he is searching for those birds. This part left me wondering whether Jordan at this point is not aware of the meeting place, and those flock of birds went into that sacred space, far away from the humanity.

Does the search of those flocks of birds guides Jordan to discover the meeting place?

At one point in the film, post the transformation of Janardan into Jordan, there is a pause or perhaps a Trans like state where Jordan stands still, as if Jordan wants time to stand still. He recalls the time spent at the shrine, may be looking for same kind of solace that he found during his stay at the shrine. There is also a shot of him shivering with cold and witnessing sunrise, still longing for something even he has not determined yet. The scene between Khatana and Jordan works on the principle of paradox. Even Jordan agrees with his queries and to his best ability tries to explain his state of mind but fails. Jordan has fallen into the gap of contradictions, which is explained so aesthetically via the dichotomy of fame. He is no more Janardan from Hindu College, who had heated arguments over little Chutney offered for two Samosa’s, he is now Jordan, the rockstar. His friends are not interested in understanding his mental frame of mind; rather their priority lies in getting as many pictures as possible with the celebrity that Janardan has become.     

In a Film Companion interview, Imtiaz Ali mentioned that in retrospective, the film has defects after a particular point; he says that how beautiful it would have been if they had just got together and after a certain time realized that they have nothing in common and are not compatible. Ranbir Kapoor points that it is a perfect film that it was necessary for Jordan to get heartbroken towards the climax and end their story the way it ended.

                                           

6 years have passed since the release of the film, but the character continues to grab our attention, A.R.Rahman’s sensational soundtrack refuses to leave our mind, the magic delivered through words by Dr. Irshad Kamil continues to make us in awe, the soothing voice of Mohit Chauhan always brings a sense of calmness all around. Each song creates a different vibe and narrates the story in itself. Jordan’s character left an indelible mark for every protagonist suffering under the effect of love; the closest a character has come to Jordan is Arjun from Arjun Reddy. The two seems different sides of a coin, both flawed in their own way yet they both engross us in their stories, in their idea of love. I found Arjun a far more evolved version of Jordan. Arjun does not shy from fulfilling his physical needs whereas Jordan tries but fails miserably in the same case. Arjun is optimistic about his love, while Jordan remains stagnant in his life and chooses to remain enclosed in a shell of his own emotions during the period when he is away from Heer. The common string between the two that I found is that they are highly polarizing characters and they evoke polarizing emotions from the people, you either love them unconditionally with their flaws or loathe them in regards to their emotional shortcomings.      

Jordan is aware of the void in his life, the angst that engulfs him every moment despite having everything that he always wanted. He is enraged within, burning in his love for Heer. There comes a point where Jordan does not want himself to be heartbroken, he just want to be with Heer, but it is too late for him to realize this. The path of destruction that he embarked on has eventually broken his heart and shattered the innocent Janardan hiding somewhere within Jordan. All he wanted was to be with Heer in a world of their own, where they can live in solace, with no one to judge them, question their actions. I do not want to believe that Heer left Jordan all alone to suffer even more, I tell myself that they reunited at the meeting ground where the flock of birds resided. They did not deserve the world we live in; they deserved a far more suitable place for their love.