{"id":738,"date":"2007-10-22T19:15:13","date_gmt":"2007-10-22T23:15:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/?p=738"},"modified":"2007-10-23T00:43:05","modified_gmt":"2007-10-23T04:43:05","slug":"itne-bazoo-itne-sar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/?p=738","title":{"rendered":"Itne bazoo, itne sar…"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of my favourite songs, ever, is from the Hindi film Main Azaad Hoon<\/a><\/em>. Itne bazoo, itne sar<\/em> brings tears to my eyes, just about every time. This song is right in line with El pueblo unido jam\u00c3\u00a1s ser\u00c3\u00a1 vencido<\/a><\/em> and The Internationale<\/a><\/em>. In fact, you can see the references (certainly to the latter). Itne bazoo, itne sar<\/em> was written by Kaifi Azmi — one of India’s leading leftist poets of recent times. Javed Akhtar (his son-in-law) wrote the screenplay, and I’m certain he had a hand in the lyrics of the song as well. Amar-Utpal composed the music.<\/p>\n

Yet, it’s very hard to find good copies of the video or the song. But just last night, or, to be more accurate, this morning, I found some clips from the film (including the song in a couple of iterations) on YouTube. I also found a high quality mp3 of the song elsewhere. This was really serendipitous. <\/p>\n

I’m presenting the clips here with my transcription and (awful) translation of the song — please feel free to correct or help me.<\/p>\n

In this scene, the mill workers are demonstrating for a whole set of demands, and the owner — Dhaalchand — is unwilling to grant any of them. He threatens to lock them out, unless they come in and get to work — the workers decide to go on strike (but after a couple of guys almost scab, only to be stopped by one of their wives — this is reminiscent, to say the least, of Salt of the Earth<\/a><\/em>). There are students in the crowd as well, cooperating with the workers. The song begins at about -2:15 (4:10):<\/p>\n

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itne bazoo itne sar
\nginle dushman dehaan se x2
\nhaarega woh har baazi
\njab khelen hum jee jaan se x2<\/p>\n

All these arms, all these heads
\nLet the enemy count them closely
\nHe’ll lose every single battle
\nWhen we play with our hearts and lives<\/em><\/p>\n

aao aajayo (jee jaan se!)
\njag pe chhaajayo (jee jaan se!) x2<\/p>\n

Come, come on (With hearts and lives!)
\nOverwhelm the world (With hearts and lives!)<\/em><\/p>\n

maalik ka dhan jo baraye
\n(jee jaan se!)
\nmill ka indhan banjaye
\n(jee jaan se!)
\nkyon na ek din larjaye
\n(jee jaan se!)<\/p>\n

Those who increase the wealth of the boss
\n(With hearts and lives!)
\nLet them become the fuel for the mill
\n(With hearts and lives!)
\nWhy not take one day to stand and fight?
\n(With hearts and lives!)<\/em><\/p>\n

aao aajayo (jee jaan se!)
\njag pe chhaajayo (jee jaan se!)<\/p>\n

Come, come on (With hearts and lives!)
\nOverwhelm the world (With hearts and lives!)<\/em><\/p>\n

ek dunya sang hai
\nyeh haq ki jang hai x2<\/p>\n

A world is with us
\nThis is the war of truth<\/em><\/p>\n

zaalim se takrana hai
\n(beshak takrayenge!) x2
\njinko jhukna aata hai
\n(saare sar katjayenge!) x2<\/p>\n

We have to collide with the oppressor
\n(No doubt, we’ll collide!)
\nThose who know how to bow down
\n(All their heads will be cut!)<\/em><\/p>\n

aao aajayo (jee jaan se!)
\njag pe chhaajayo (jee jaan se!) x2<\/p>\n

Come, come on (With hearts and lives!)
\nOverwhelm the world (With hearts and lives!)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In this scene, Azaad (Amitabh Bachchan) who, in part, helped inspire and organize the strike, upon listening to the hungry pleas of the children of striking workers, is doubting himself and whether or not what he’s promised the workers will become a reality. The reporter Subhashini (Shabana Azmi — Kaifi Azmi’s daughter), who was jaded and cynical until she saw the sincerity and passion Azaad brings with him, reminds him that she had forgotten what it meant to have ideals and principles until she met him. But, he says, when a hungry child is crying in the night, the night seems very, very dark. The night, she reminds him, is darkest indeed right before dawn.<\/p>\n

And, indeed, the next day the workers and students go straight to the people to ask for their help in supporting the strike with money and food, as they sing, at -2:50 (2:47):<\/p>\n

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itne bazoo itne sar x2
\nginle dushman dehaan se
\nhaarega woh har baazi
\njab khelen hum jee jaan se<\/p>\n

All these arms, all these heads
\nLet the enemy count them closely
\nHe’ll lose every single battle
\nWhen we play with our hearts and lives<\/em><\/p>\n

itne bazoo itne sar
\nginle dushman dehaan se x2
\nhaarega woh har baazi
\njab khelen hum jee jaan se x2<\/p>\n

All these arms, all these heads
\nLet the enemy count them closely
\nHe’ll lose every single battle
\nWhen we play with our hearts and lives<\/em><\/p>\n

aao aajayo (jee jaan se!)
\njag pe chhaajayo (jee jaan se!) x2<\/p>\n

Come, come on (With hearts and lives!)
\nOverwhelm the world (With hearts and lives!)<\/em><\/p>\n

(???) ne kuch na samjhi
\nhum mill bharon ki boli
\njanta ke paas pohonchi
\ntab jaake apni dholi<\/p>\n

(???) didn’t understand
\nWhen the language of us mill workers
\nReached the people
\nThen we got a beat<\/em>*<\/p>\n

jab janta yeh saat hai
\nto maidan apne haat hai<\/p>\n

When the people are with us
\nThen the [battle]field is at hand<\/em><\/p>\n

hum ne sadaa lagayi
\n(jee jaan se!)
\njanta madat woh aayi
\n(jee jaan se!)
\naa jeet lo yeh larayi
\n(jee jaan se!)<\/p>\n

We put out our voice
\n(With hearts and lives!)
\nThe people came to help
\n(With hearts and lives!)
\nCome and win this fight
\n(With hearts and lives!)<\/em><\/p>\n

itne bazoo itne sar
\nginle dushman dehaan se
\nhaarega woh har baazi
\njab khelen hum jee jaan se x2<\/p>\n

All these arms, all these heads
\nLet the enemy count them closely
\nHe’ll lose every single battle
\nWhen we play with our hearts and lives<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

*Yeah, I have no idea how to translate this verse. I can’t make out the first word, either.<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of my favourite songs, ever, is from the Hindi film Main Azaad Hoon. Itne bazoo, itne sar brings tears to my eyes, just about every time. This song is right in line with El pueblo unido jam\u00c3\u00a1s ser\u00c3\u00a1 vencido and The Internationale. In fact, you can see the references (certainly to the latter). Itne […]<\/p>\n

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