Of course I'm referring to the song from Slumdog Millionaire. The poetic element of this song is just so beautiful. On the surface, the song sounds like a cheesy dance number. If one pays a little attention and listens to the lyrics, Gulzar's magic can literally be felt.
Metaphors are nothing new to Indian poetry. Kalidasa, who in my opinion is probably the world's greatest poet mastered the art of metaphorical usage and earned the adage
"upama kalidasasya' Upama in Sanskrit translates to metaphor and 'Kalidasasya' translates to 'of Kalidasa'.
This song reminded me of similar metaphorical usage. A lover (the singer) sings about her surrender to the seduction of a bed bug (Khatmal). On the outset, it seems very illogical and very cheesy. I mean how can one even compare her lover to a bed bug, but that's the magic of metaphors. Deriving such a meaning from this song is however, contextual. Someone who listens to this song when they are in a different mindset or mood might interpret it differently.
I'm so glad to see the resurgence of such excellent lyrics, and when such lyrics get fused with the musical mastery of A R Rahman, bollywood dance numbers rise to a different dimension altogether.
1 comment:
I would love to know what this song says. What is the translation of "Ringa" and what is the song meaning - both literal and metaphorical.
Thank you
Post a Comment