Songsplained: Chalte Chalte Yun Hi Koi

Song: Chalte Chalte Yun Hi Koi

Movie: Pakeezah

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar

Music: Ghulam Mohammed

Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi

The scenic beauty of this song, the melodious voice of Lata Mangeshkar, the enchanting words, the amazing portrayal by Meena Kumari, and the complete aura of this song feels like a vivid dream.

Pakeezah (Meena Kumari) sings with the very realisation of how her ways somehow became entangled with her lover (Raaj Kumar). And ever since she met him through his letter, time has stopped there, that night doesn't end,

"Wahi tham ke reh gayi hai, meri raat dhalte dhalte,"

The tabla, the sarangi, the sitar, music of Ghulam Mohammad sahab and Lata ji's voice creates something that can only be called magic. And then the words...

"Jo kahi gayi na mujhse, wo zamana keh raha hai,

Ke phasana ban gayi hai, meri baat talte talte,"

...convey how she is devoid of words for what she feels. And yet, the whole world is speaking the inevitable truth on behalf of her. The more she stays silent, the more her story builds.

In between there comes a moment where she has an eye contact with the man sitting across her, who has "bought" her. Her eyes symbolise the depth of pain of being there in that sorrowful situation.

And then, when she can't wait to reunite with her lover, she says,

"Shab-e-intezar aakhir kabhi hogi mukhtasar bhi,"

The wait has now become unbearable and she is hoping that it is now short-lived. She is full of hope that the moment of their union is near.

And then, she can't bear the longing anymore. She says,

"Ye Chirag bujh rahe Hain..."

And the place which was full of lamps and lights at the beginning of this song is now getting filled with the darkness.. of losing hope and then literally we see the wind entering the place and blowing off the lamps.

Repetition of the line "Ye chirag bujh rahein hain" show the agony she feels. Every single time this line is sung, it portrays a different feeling altogether starting with realization, then assertion, and and then, finally melancholy as she completes the verse with the line,

.

"Ye chirag bujh rahe Hain, mere sath jalte jalte,"

Meena Kumari's bright orange attire in this song, according to me, signifies, or at least complements the burning of her hopes and desires as as she comes back to present reality. The background of this song and this movie is worth a read on Wikipedia and it only aggravates our situations as the listeners of this song which so perfectly enwraps melancholy in its true sense.