Any one interested in this topic??

Light romantic songs will not make into this list, but sure it'll be intersesting to collate some powerful lyrics of Indian films:

I find this Pyasa song as very powerful and thought provoking:

Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par, Woh Kahan Hain


Another one from Ram Teri Ganga Mailee:
End credits background song, where lyrics go something like this:

These people, even Gaga "can not"/ "could not" reform (any one with exact lyrics in this stanza??)

BTW, this light song/ title too became very powerful and was even used by a senior minister in Indian Govt:

Main Hoon Naa

Sure there are many more. List your favourite ones.

Well I am new to this forum - my first post here ...

One of the most moving and thought provoking lyric for me would be that for the song "Swapan Jhade Phool Se" from the film Nai Umar Ki Nayi Fasal. This song was actually a poem written by Neeraj (of "Phoolon Ke Rang Se" from Prem Pujari fame) and is another commentary on the shattering of the Indian independence dream (much like Sahir's "Jinhen Naaz Hai" from Pyaasa) for the Indian youth. This song is sung by Rafi for the film but I am told that the poet Neeraj himself used to recite this to stunned audiences.

-S

Welcome to zulm.net, syzygy.
Looks like, you'll provide stiff competition to other songs experts on zulm.

Sure, that Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal song "Kaarvan Guzar Gaya" is very powerful too.

Another song, extremely emotional, that I thought of, is the famous Lata song:

Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo.

This song when sung on stage for a charity show for Jawans, perhaps the first time brought out, brought Nehru to unstoppable tears. He wanted to meet the lyricist and to everyone's embarrasment, the lyricist (name??) was not invited to the function.

Lyrics: Kavi Pradeep
Music: C. Ramchandra

Dupl post

Here is my take on this:

As India gained independence, Indian leadership were on 7th heaven, promising 7th heaven to all Indians. Indian leadership was extremely proud of their achievement, their promises for India as the best country in the world. As we all know, life became much worst after independence and despite leadership's pride, poverty, slums, unemployment, woman abuse, crime etc, all were aplenty. In view of this and life of common man like Vijay of Pyasa and the depicted real life slums/ brothels of Calcutta, Vijay utters:
Where are all those who are proud of this. Bring them on, here. (Many believe, Guru Dutt was tonting/ challenging NEHRU here.)

Jinhein --- Who
Naaz-------Proud/ pride
Hai --------is/ are
Hind-------India
Par--------on/ for

Woh------who (they)
Kahan----where
Hain------are

Rita, an interesting read regarding Sahir's thoughts (not just Pyaasa but beyond that) are at -

http://www.upperstall.com/people/sahir.html

In fact, that website (upperstall) has got pretty good writeups about film luminaries from the bygone era (look out for Dada Saheb Phalke etc) - surely worth checking out.

BTW, another lyrically interesting song (by Sahir again) is this one from Phir Subah Hogi - "Cheeno-O-Arab Hamara" ... another song on the same line as "Jinhen Naaz Hai".

-S

Good link syzygy.
http://www.upperstall.com/people/sahir.html
From the link, I also found these lyrics worth mentioning here:
(Other links Gulzar and Majrooh still to be tapped. Any volunteers??)

Sahir wrote such gems like
Aurat ne Janam Diya Mardon ko Mardon ne Use Bazaar Diya for Sadhana (1958)
and
Tu Hindu Banega na Musalmaan Banega Insaan ki Aulaad Hai, Insaan Banega for Dhool Ka Phool (1959).

Also:

esoteric - Khuda-e-Bartar Teri Zameen Par Zameen ki Khatir Jung Kyon Hai from Taj Mahal,

--------------------
and
philosophical - Jahan Mein Aisa Kaun Hai Ki Jisko Gham Mila Nahin from Hum Dono.

Another song that I can think of is from Jagriti:

Hum Laaye Hain Toofan Se Kishti Nikaal Ke
Is Desh Ko Rakhna Mere Baccho Sambhaal Ke

One of the later lines has:
Atom Bamon Ke Dher Pe Baithee Hai Yeh Duniya
(World is sitting on a pile of Nuclear Bombs)

-------------------------

One song from Chetan Annand's Haqeeqat was a good one, for this category. Can't recall the song or it's exact wording, but it says something like back stabbing by a friend/ neighbour country.
Does any one remember this song??

I read this type of explanation many years back, in some magazine article. At the time I thought, "how true" as I had seen those times of astronomical unemployment.
Believe it or not, there were times (1950s), for what we now call middle class families, when there weren't enough resources (money) just to buy wheat flour alone (Under Rs 1.00 per day was the cost of wheat flour for a family of 7-9) for the on going day.

Haqeeqat song:
(Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi)
Kar Chale Hum Fida Jaano Tan Saathiyo
Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo

if any one has the full lyrics, wordings in the later verses are even stronger.



Still can't recall this song (it says something like back stabbing by a friend/ neighbour country) and if really is from Haqeeqat,.

A general idea is all you can get from a translation of the original. Unfortunately it is impossible for any translation, however good the translation might be, to recreate the beauty and depth of the original lyrics.

Amen to that!

Wow, very powerful lyrics by Kaifi Azmi.
This song sems to be giving good competition to "Jinhein Naaz Hai Hind Par Woh Kahan Hain" for the top spot for most powerful lyrics. When I first mentioned this song above, I tried to translate it but gave up as the translation was no where coming close to actual impact of the lyrics.

Well, I'll try again. Keep in mind, the translation will be no where as good as the original essence:

1)
Here we depart (die) sacrificing our life and body. Your country/ motherland is in your hands now, countrymen/ colleagues.

2)
Breathing kept on stopping, pulse kept on freezing (referrence to Extreme Cold and High Altitide where normally oxygen is reqd)
still, did not let the advancing step stop.
(our)Heads beheaded, no regret
but did not let Himalaya's head bow down (Himalaya mountain range on Indo-Tibetan border and was the battleground of 1962 India China war; Mt Everest is part of Himalaya)
Maintained "Baankpan" (?? Translation??) while dying, my countrymen,
Your country/ motherland is in your hands now, countrymen/ colleagues.

3)
Lots of seasons to stay alive
but, sacrificing (life) season doesn't come around often
Insulting (is it correct for RUSVAA??) to Beauty and Love/ Romance is
"the Youth" (your youth) that doesn't bath in blood (defending motherland)
This earth is (dressed as) the bride today
Your country/ motherland is in your hands now, countrymen/ colleagues.

4)
Don't let this path of Sacrificing be deserted
You keep on decorating and bringing in new Caravans of sacrifices
Victory celeberations are after this celeberation of sacrifice
Life is embracing (Gale Milna??) death
Tie sacrificing cloth (Kafan) over your heads
Your country/ motherland is in your hands now, countrymen/ colleagues.

5)
Draw a line with your blood on the border
Don't let any Raavan (Villain/ Evil King in Ramayana) cross that line
Break the evil hands that rise towards (Sita)
Don't let them touch Sita's Daaman (better translation any one??)
(Raavan had kidnapped Sita after crossing powerful line drawn by Lakshman to protect Sita)
You are the Ram, and you are the Lakshman now "Saathiyo"
Your country/ motherland is in your hands now, countrymen/ colleagues


CORRECTIONS REQUESTED

Corrections/ modifications to translation of
"Ab Tumhare Hawaale Watan Saathiyo"
lyrics REQUESTED.

Thanks.