Love in all its beauty

One of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard is ‘Tumse Milke’ from Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 1989 film, ‘Parinda’. The film was one of the few Hindi movies of the 80’s that were genuinely well-made, with powerful performances from pretty much the entire cast (notably Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit) and a strong, original storyline – in fact, it was probably one of the first few films on the Bombay underworld ever made (correct me if I am wrong, anybody). I thought the ending was absolutely brilliant, but if anyone reading this has not yet watched the film, I’m not going to let the cat out of the bag. Motivation to go watch! I’ve watched it a few times since it first released way back then - I was probably too young to realise its full impact till I saw it again when I was much older anyway.

I didn’t realise till today, however, that the music director of the film was none other than R.D.Burman. That immediately explained a lot of things to me – the soulful music, meaningful lyrics and classy picturisation. I had to search quite a bit to find out who wrote the lyrics – they were by Khursheed Hallauri, who is a woman, by the way (how many female lyricists do I know? Not many) and whose other works I have not been able to track. Very simple lyrics – about ten lines which repeat, but the way they are set to music, oh to be sung to like that!

Some things I like about the song: it is filmed solely on the lead romantic couple, Anil and Madhuri, (which is what a real love song should be about - the two people involved), it is NOT a dream sequence with a hundred other girls in trashy costumes doing one-two-three-left-hand-up-right-leg-out (I always think that is ridiculous, when I watch songs like that), and is shot in the night with minimal lighting which makes it all the more lovely to watch. Madhuri looks divine, young and innocent (she was all of 22 when the film was shot), and Anil looks quite smitten (even though his moustache looks like a bushy caterpillar!!).

I knew when I heard the song the first time that if I ever felt that way about someone, I would have found true love. The kind of love that makes you feel like a goddess when you're looked at just over a cup of coffee even if you're sitting in your night clothes, the kind of love that you know you want to grow old with.