Mehrooni (Vayu Srivastava)

[I started writing this post last week but something unbelievable happened and so. I stalled. Now it’s finished. READ!]

I can’t help but marvel at this thing called ‘life’.

No, really.

Mehrooni, the film, has been a personal favourite of mine for more than four years now. It is simply beautiful. 

 

I know I abuse that word (beautiful) way too much, but this film was it. The film, and its title track sung by Rekha Bhardwaj, which perfectly sealed every bit of space in the film where there was a possibility for the characters to either slip out of of, or for the story to become ‘predictable’ (whatever that means). The song was literally just perfectly woven. 

Apps will know, and maybe a handful of other people, that Mehrooni was the voice-over inspiration for Firaaq (my first film) for me. The way it was done, the way the scenes were shot and the story was communicated, laid the foundation for me somewhere. Or let’s say, a benchmark. I would go back and replay the entire audio file on my phone for days to understand its feel.

 

If *anyone* is trying to watch Firaaq (thank you!) on their mobile device and are unable to, you can find the film here too : https://vimeo.com/172269752

 

Yes.

This continued even after Firaaq was born and grew into what it is today. Never have I ever forgotten this song in so many years.

So when a few days ago I decided to write a blog post about it (after a long, long month), I felt extremely foolish because I had no idea what one *major* line in the song meant. A crucial one.

I mean, that’s ridiculous right? On one hand, I know every inch of this song, but then.. I don’t.

“Ishq ke ark ki rami dhuni”

It’s tough, okay?  And so I decided to google it up.

No results.

And then I did the most ridiculous thing ever. Most.

I looked up the name of the lyricist of the song, Vayu Srivastava, and thought to myself that “Hey, it won’t be so bad if I just ask him.”

So. I creepily found him on Facebook, sent a shady ad request (with no hopes of it being accepted, by the way), and when I was fortunate enough to be added (whehehehehheee), I shamelessly messaged Vayu to ask him, well, if he did write the song.

And of course, explain what that line meant.

What happened next is why I often shake my head for what the Universe does to me:

Vayu explained it to me.

Clearly, this little obsession with words and lyrics and poetry is foolish max sometimes, but I can’t help but marvel at this thing called ‘life’. It is ridiculous.

Beautiful song. This. I secretly wished all along that I’d written it. I hope the translation does *some* justice to it. Credits to Vayu who even helped me figure out the right words in this translation below:

PS. He’s awesome.

 

Gaadhe rang mein
Ishq ke maine
Dhaagon ko
Dubaaya hai

        I’ve soaked each string 
        And they’ve taken this colour of deep love.
        The darkest red.. Maroon.

Chirmi chirmi
Muskaanon ko
Jodke piroya hai

        And in these strings
        I’ve put beads
        Of the bits of smiles we shared

Gaadhe rang mein
Ishq ke maine
Dhaagon ko
Dubaaya hai

        In this deep colour, this maroon,
        I’ve soaked all the threads of our love

Ishq ke ark ki
Rami dhuni
Maine ishq ki
Har ek baat suni
Maine apni shaam
Tere naam buni
Mehrooni..

         I’ve rubbed the essence of love
        All over me   (Like fakirs rub ashes on their bodies)
        I listed to everything love had to say to me
        And I chose to weave every day of my life
        In your name
        In maroon.

Yaadein banke seene se tere
Lipti rahungi
Saansein banke jism mein tere
Jeeti rahungi
Ishq ke ark ki..

        I’ll wrap myself around you
        Like memories do
        I will live within you
        Like the air you breathe
Ah, the essence of your love..

Maine apni shaam
Tere naam buni
Mehrooni..

          I’ve woven my days, my life
In your name.. In the colour of our love
Maroon.

Mehrooni..

..Mehrooni.

          Maroon.

 

PPS. Again. Thank you Vayu, for being kind and for bringing these words to life. Ok. Done praising.

*hops off*