तेरी दुनिया मे जीने से
तो बेहतर हैं की मर जाए
तो बेहतर हैं की मर जाए
वही आंसू, वही आहें
वही ग़म है जिधर जाएँ
कोई तो ऐसा घर होता
जहां से प्यार मिल जाता
वही बेगाने चेहरे हैं
जहाँ पहुँचे जिधर जाएँ
अरे ओ आसमान वाले
बता इसमें बुरा क्या हैं
खुशी के चार झोके गर
इधर से भी गुज़र जाएँ
Since ages, this song has left me enthralled every time I have tuned into it. S D Burman's soothing music and Hemantda's candid voice make it special no doubt, but its immortality stems from the timeless verse of Abdul Hayee, who was best known by his pen name of Sahir Ludhianvi.
On the face of it, this is a soulful number in the guise of a playful number picturised on Dev Anand and Kalpana Kartik from the 1955 film House No.44, but it has a deep philosophical undercurrent, typical of Sahir. Way beyond what the screen footage implies, 'तेरी दुनिया मे जीने से' is better read as the poetry of the eternal non-conformist, who seeks true love and comradeship, who can't make pretense to some faint meaning, who raises difficult questions rather than settle for easy answers.
Sahir's probing lyrics were labelled "bitter" simply because they were not centered on love, beauty, and other pet themes of Bollywood. They thrived on the periphery instead, voicing the angst of those who refuse to be part of the grand 'orchestration' that defends hypocrisy and mediocrity in all forms. It is no surpise that even in its 75th year of independence, India doesn't have an answer to Sahir's plea wrapped in a clarion call from the iconic 'Pyasa'
ये सदियों से बेख़ौफ़ सहमी सी गलियां
ये मसली हुई अधखिली ज़र्द कलियाँ
ये बिकती हुई खोखली रगरलियाँ
जिन्हें नाज़ है हिन्द पर वो कहाँ है
कहाँ है
ये मसली हुई अधखिली ज़र्द कलियाँ
ये बिकती हुई खोखली रगरलियाँ
जिन्हें नाज़ है हिन्द पर वो कहाँ है
कहाँ है
Having said that, we do have an answer to the question "जिन्हें नाज़ है हिन्द पर वो कहाँ है" They are right up there, where Sahir Ludhianvi now rests, or given his wont, where Sahir Ludhianvi is now restless!