Kuchh Na Kaho Kuchh Bhi Na Kaho

This is one of my favorite songs. And it seems to get better every time I hear it.　

Movie - 1942 A Love Story　

The movie has the backdrop of India's freedom struggle. The song is picturised on Manisha Koirala (as Rajjo, the shy daughter of a poor freedom fighter) and Anil Kapoor (Naren, the uber stylish son of a pro-British zamindar). Naren is wooing Rajjo. She is aware of the societal pressure and the divide between their families. The song is picturised on the set of a drama in a theatre.

The main instruments are Bhanu Dasgupta's Accoustic Guitar, Ronu Majumdar's Bamboo Flute, light percussions for the beats, Cello and the best accompaniment of Violin's for harmony.

In this song, the Violin's have a love affair like duet with the main vocal's of Kumar Sanu. They compliment his singing tone for tone. Sanu has sung very well but how I wish that Kishore Kumar was alive to sing this song. Or maybe Amit Kumar. If Sonu Nigam was used we may probably have got a few high notes too!

 

Lyricist Javed Akhtar had shared some trivia about this song, some time ago. He said that this song was first written and then set to tune by RD Burman. He said in his original song, he had only written the first four lines (which is the standard for most Hindi film songs). ... These lines were like a dialogue कुछ ना कहो, कुछ भी ना कहो, क्या कहना है, क्या सुनना है मुझको पता है, तुमको पता है, समय का ये पल थम सा गया है. 

 

RD had already set the tune when Javed said, "The lyrics do not seem to be in sync. They are much like a dialogue and do not seem to complete the circle & go back to where they started". He then added the lines "और इस पल में कोई नहीं है, बस एक मैं हूँ, बस एक तुम हो". And the genius that RD was, he set tune to the newly added lines as well!

 

(On different note... RD had set tune to Chehra hai ya chand khila hai from Sagar in a few minutes. Here too, the song was first written and then set to the tune that we know so well. Javed Akhtar was supposed to write the song that we know today as Sagar Kinare, but wrote Chehra hai ... Anyway that story on another day :-) )

 

The song starts with Rajjo teasing Naren. The pearls of her necklace fall all over the place as it breaks during their playful banter. The music starts with strum on the guitar along with notes on the keyboard. As Naren pulls Rajjo closer, to plant a kiss the Flute goes in to Rongilo Rongilo mode. (Incidentally, this Rongilo song was sung by SD Burman & composed by Jasimuddin. SD later used it in Geeta Dutt's voice in the film "Devdas" as "Aan Milo Aan Milo" ..... but that's again a story for another day!

 

Hear closely and you will notice the words “Kuchh Na Kaho” in the opening line are similar to "Kayda Tod Ke" from Hrishikesh Mukherjee's "Khubsoorat" which is in an altogether different mood and a different musical arrangement. Another example could be "Dil Pe Tha Hamein , Kitna Aitbaar" from Poochho Na Yaar Kya Hua (Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai). But once we go past those three opening words, the song takes off on its own. RD often used such "phrases" from his own songs or those composed by Sachin Dev Burman to create completely a new song. 

 

Another example from this movie would be Kavita Krishnamurthy's "Kyu Naye Lag Rahe Hain Ye.." which has similarities with "Heera Toh Pehle Hi Kisi Aur Ka..." from "Heera Panna" as well as "Chori Chori Chupke Chupke" from "Aap Ki Kasam". The same phrase was used for Aisa Kyu Hota Hai sung in Asha Bhosle's voice for the unreleased Amir Aadmi Gareeb Aadmi. This is as magical as a master chef creating different dishes using the same ingredients and just twisting some. Categorising such similarities as "copy" would be being unfair to the composer.

Interestingly, Madhuri Dixit and Amir Khan were the first choice as lead actors but due to availability problems Manisha Koirala and Anil Kapoor were signed. It is said that the song Ek Ladki Ko Dekha was written with Madhuri as the female lead.

Another piece of trivia - This song is choreographed by Farah Khan and picturised by Sanjay Leela Bhansali! He was assisting Vidhu Vinod Chopra those days.

　

Some music lovers are of the view that beats (ठेका , ताल) of Kuchh Na Kaho are Dadra. I believe the beats are more Watlz than Dadra. What is Waltz? Waltz is typical of a party setup and has beats something like this Dhin chak chak, Dhin chak chak, Dhin chak chak. This pattern is also called as 3/4 pattern . 
Here are some examples to understand Waltz - 　

Jeena Yaha marna Yaha – Mera Naam Joker　

Jeena Yaha (Chak Chak) marna Yaha (Chak Chak) – Mera Naam Joker　

Dil ki girah khol do chup na baitho - Raat Aur Din　

Dil ki (Chak Chak) girah khol (Chak Chak) do chup (Chak Chak) na baitho (Chak Chak)

Dost Dost Na Rahaa - Sangam

Dil Ki Nazar Se - Anaadi

Main Shayar Toh Nahi - Bobby　

Similarly some of RD's own-　

Kiska rasta dekhe from Joshila　

Tera mujhse hai pehle ka naata koi　

However, RD being RD he did not use the standard rhythm pattern of Waltz. He has gone for 6/8 pattern. Infact, these songs are more in the type of "musette" than Waltz. However, Kuchh Na Kaho uses the classical Waltz pattern. Now why would RD have gone for the Waltz? The hero Naren, is a westernised, rich youth. So when he would be thinking of romancing his beloved he would imagine to dance with her in a hall. Probably this is where Waltz came in! All throughout the song keep an ear open for the Violin's playing in the background. They complement the vocals line by line. The composition is such that it is unhurried and takes its own time as it meanders along the flow.　

Coming back to the song, note how he pauses after Kuchh Na and Kuchh Bhi Na. There is a similar pauses after Samay Ka Yeh Pal ..... as a precursor to Tham Sa Gaya Hai... literally pausing the universe. And interestingly, the way he sings Samay Ka Ye Pal, he stretches the "Pal" to an eternity. Exactly the way the hero wants it to be. He wants that Pal... that moment to be for eternity. The thump on the drum is constant while the rhythm is provided by bass guitar.

 

Javed Akhtar's lyrics are interspersed with Simile’s (comparing things e.g as white as snow) and Metaphors (comparing things without using the word “like”). Sample the Simile in-
कितने गहरे हलके, शाम के रंग है छलके　
परबत से यूँ उतरे बादल, जैसे आँचल ढलके

Evening clouds gliding down the white mountain slopes resplendent with colors of the setting sun are compared to the dress slipping off the bosom of his beloved.

Or the Metaphor in
सुलगी सुलगी साँसें, बहकी बहकी धड़कन　
महके महके शाम के साए, पिघले पिघले तन मन

Personifying the evening shadows as fragrant flowers and returning to a metaphor in पिघले पिघले तन मन . Superb!!

 

My amateurish English translation  is at the end of this post. The YouTube link may not work as Google has disabled linking in free blog-posts.

 

https://youtu.be/hH79321JJQ0

Check the rhyme scheme A B B C C C D A ..... Weird, unique .... its open for interpretation!　

कुछ ना कहो, कुछ भी ना कहो　 
क्या कहना है, क्या सुनना है　
मुझको पता है, तुमको पता है　
समय का ये पल थम सा गया है　
और इस पल में कोई नहीं है　
बस एक मैं हूँ, बस एक तुम हो　

Coming to the M1 or the first interlude music. This is trademark RD with a very short interlude on the Flute (of ... you guessed it right .... Rongilo)　

कितने गहरे हलके, शाम के रंग है छलके　

परबत से यूँ उतरे बादल, जैसे आँचल ढलके　
और इस पल में...　

Now M2. The entire interlude music could be part of one amazing symphony on Violins. It starts as a wave on the crest then slows down only to get into the high notes. The Cello provides a perfect foil in the background to the high notes of violins. The M2 ends with a piece on violin played solo.　
 

सुलगी सुलगी साँसें, बहकी बहकी धड़कन　

महके महके शाम के साए, पिघले पिघले तन मन　
और इस पल में...　

Usually a song ends with the main artist repeating the opening lines and the vocals fade away. Here it was only apt to climax the song with Violins.

 

Say nothing, just say nothing
For we know what it is
In this paused moment in time
… Just you and me in this together

O how deep and gentle
Have the colors of evening spread
Clouds gliding down mountains
Like a dress slowly slipping off you
And no one's in this moment
… Just you and me in this together


Amongst passionate breaths
Heartbeats intoxicated with love
As evening shadows spread their fragrance
Our bodies and souls melt
And there’s no one in this moment
… Just you and me in this together