Lyrics and translation of Hum
Kisise Kum Nahin (title song
from movie of the same name, 1977.) Music by R. D. Burman.
This is a Quwaali between lovers. So the part translated after the line is a response from the women. In Quwaali, the lead singer sings and a group of singers repeat after him in chorus. Normally there is a lot of repetition. The context of the song in the movie titled ŇHum Kisi se kam NahiÓ is also important.
First of all in old Bollywood tradition this is a title song. Plenty of Bollywood films even today have a song which contains the title of the movie. I think it is important to mention the context in which the song appears in the movie. The hero (played by Rishi Kapoor) has been rejected by his girlfriendŐs (played by Zeenat Aman) family because he is poor and she is a rich manŐs daughter (again a very common theme in 70s and 80Ős Bollywood). There is a stage performance where the girl and her family are expected and the lovers (Rishi and Zeenat) sing this song just to show their love and defy the familyŐs decision. So defiance is the underlying theme of the song.
Hai agar dushman (dushman)
Zamana gum
nahin, gum nahin
Koi aaye
Koi aaye,
koi aaye, koi aaye, koi
Hum kisise kum nahin, kum nahin
Let the world be our enemy
There are no regrets
Let anyone come
We are no less than others
Hai agar dushman (dushman)
Zamana gum nahin, gum nahin
(Koi aaye, koi
Hum kisise kum nahin, kum nahin)
Hai agar dushman
(Dushman
Zamana gum nahin, gum nahin
Hai agar dushman dushman)
Repeat of the first stanza
Kya kare dil ki jalan
ko
Is mohabbat ke chalan ko
Jo bhi ho jaaye ke ab to
Sarf banda hai kafun ko
What can we do about heartache
This saga of love
Let everything be lost
I have tied ÔkafunŐ (funeral shroud) on my head[i]
Hum to deewane
diljale
Zulm ke saaye mein paley
Daal kar aankhon ko
Tere rukhsaron pe
Roz hi chalte hain
Hum to angaron pe
Aa aa aa aa aa aa aa
We are the crazy heartbroken lovers
Raised in the shadow of tyranny
Our eyes always following
your ignorance of us
It is almost everyday
That we walk on hot coals
Aaj hum jaise jigarwale kahan (aha)
Zakhm khaya hai tab huye hain jawaan
(aha)
Teer ban jaaye doston ki nazar (aha)
Ya bane khanjar dushmanon ki zubaan
(aha)
How can you find someone like us today?
The more we are hurt
The more young we become
Our friendsŐ eyes are like arrows
The words of our enemies are like daggers
Baithe hain
tere dar pe to kuch karke oothenge
Ya tujhko hi le jayenge ya marke
oothenge
Aaj hum jaise jigarwale kahan
Zakhm khaya hai tab huye hain jawaan
Aa aa aa aa aa aa aa
We are on your doorstep so we will do something
Either we will take you with us or die here
(repeat of previous stanza)
How can you find someone like us today?
The more we are hurt
The more young we become
Aaj to
duniya
Aaj to
duniya (duniya)
Nahin ya hum nahin, hum nahin
Koi aaye, koi
Hum kisise kum nahin, kum nahin
Today it is between us and the world
Let anyone come
We are no less than others.
Hai agar
dushman dushman
Zamana gum
nahin, gum nahin
Hai agar
dushman dushman
Let the world be our enemy
There are no regrets
____________________________________________________
Ho lo zara apni
khabar bhi
Ek nazar dekho idhar bhi
Husn wale hi nahin hum
Dil bhi rakhte hain, jigar bhi
Jhoom ke rakha jo kadam
Reh gayi zanjeer-e-sitam
Kaise ruk jayenge
Hum kisi chilman se
Zulfon ko bandha hai
Yaar ke daaman se
Aha ha aa aa aa aa aa
Come on find out about us also
Look here just once
We are not just beautiful women[ii]
we too have a heart and soul
When we steeped out
All chains of cruelty just stood there
Yet how can we stop
Our long hair is tied
To the clothing of our lovers[iii]
Behind the Venetian blinds
Ishq jab duniya ka nishana bana (aha)
Husn bhi
khud ro ke deewana bana (aha)
Mil gaye rang e heena aankhon ne jigar
(aha)
Tab kahin rangin yeh fasana bana (aha)
Bhes majnu ka liya maine jo laila hokar
Rang laaya hai dupatta mere maila hokar
Ishq jab duniya ka nishana bana
Husn bhi khabara ke deewana bana
Aha ha aa aa aa aa aa aa
when love became the target of the world
beauty (in this case only feminine beauty –husn) also became crazed with love
when the blood from heart blended with the color of heena
thatŐs when the legend became colorful
I took the form of Majnu becoming Lalila[iv]
My scarf got color only when it became soiled[v]
Repeat of first two lines
Yeh nahin samjho
Yeh nahin samjho (samjho)
Ke hum mein dum nahin, dum nahin
Do not think we donŐt have any stamina
Koi aaye
Aa aa aa aa
Koi aaye, koi aaye, koi aaye, koi
Hum kisise kum nahin, kum nahin
Let anyone come
We are no less than others.
Hai agar dushman (dushman)
Zamana gum nahin, gum nahin
Hai agar dushman (dushman)
Translation and notes by Aditi Sen.
[i] A very common expression it usually means I donŐt care about what happens to me. When the funeral shroud is tied on the head it means the person is not afraid of death or any consequence.
[ii] Here the word ÔhusnŐ has been used. Husn usually means the beauty of women. But ÔhusnŐ also means beauty that will ultimately betray the idea that beautiful women are never loyal. The women in this song are denying that idea.
[iii] The translation sounds odd and it is again a very unique expression. Women are often associated with long beautiful hair, and a bond to a woman is often expressed that way. Tied to someone with hair means a tie for life.
[iv] Majnu and Laila are Romeo and Juliet in the Indian context. The idea in the song is to say that Laila loved Majnu so much that she also became him eventually.
[v] Scarf getting soiled means when a woman has been corrupted or has lost her virginity. In this context it is not a sexual connotation. she says her scarf had no color, when she feel in love (which is considered as soiling by the people) then only the color came to her scarf. Again coloring of scarf is a positive idea, it is blending of two souls.