Kajra Re

"Kajra Re"
Screenshot from the music video of "Kajra Re"
Bollywood song by Alisha Chinoy, Shankar Mahadevan and Javed Ali
Released	2005
Genre	Qawaali Fusion Music
Length	8:04 (soundtrack album) 7:50 (music video)
Label	Yash Raj Music
Writer	Gulzar
Composer	Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Producer	Aditya Chopra Yash Chopra
Music sample Kajra Re

"Kajra Re" (Hindi: कजरा रे,in English: "Kohl-lined (eyes)") is a song composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, written by Gulzar and and sung by the playback singers Alisha Chinoy, Shankar Mahadevan and Javed Ali.

The song is from the 2005 film Bunty Aur Babli, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachchan. The scene in which it was featured was when Amitabh and Abhishek were at a night club and Aishwarya Rai, making a special appearance in the film, starts singing; Amitabh and Abhishek soon join her in the singing and dancing.

Music

"Kajra Re" has its roots in a folk song of Braj Bhoomi, in which the celebrated black eyes are Lord Krishna's, and belongs to the Qawaali genre with western fusion. The words "tujse milna purani dilli mein" have been rendered by Amitabh Bachchan. The trio have used sitar to make it sound more Indian. Initially Amitabh Bachchan, after hearing the song, demanded a few changes, though director Shaad Ali and producer Aditya Chopra convinced him otherwise. The song was composed in half a day. Alisha was chosen to sing since they thought her Anglicised voice would give it a different flavor.

Reception and impact

The song became a rage among the masses and rocked the charts. Hindustan Times described it as "reinvention of the qawwali by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Gulzar" and called it "The item number of the decade." "Kajra Re" featured as top in Rediffs 2005's Top 5 songs list. It also topped the poll conducted by Planet Bollywood as the song of the year by a whooping 44%.

"Kajra Re" was voted overwhelmingly as the song of the year by three radio stations including Lotus FM, catering to South African Indians.

The song was featured in Caminho das Indias, a marathon soap opera that ran on Brazil's popular Rede Globo.

Music video

Before the dance, Amitabh, playing an inspector, discusses his brush with unrequited love in Delhi, which is later alluded to in the song. Aishwarya's character as a prostitute sympathises with Amitabh's character and plays a courtesan. It is choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant. In the song, Aishwarya features in a brocade choli and dipped ghagra without any makeup, sans kajal and some lip gloss.

Lyrics and translation

Hindi lyrics

English translation

Aisi nazar se dekha, us zalim ne chowk par Humne kaleja rakh diya chaku ki nok par Meri chain bain sab ujdi, zaalim nazar hata le Barbaad ho rahi hai ji Tere apne shaher wale Mera chain bain sab ujda, zaalim nazar hata le Meri angdai na toote tu aaja Kajra re kajra re tere kare kare naina Ho kajra re kajra re tere kare kare naina Ho mere naina mere naina mere naina judwa naina Kajra re kajra re tere kare kare naina Surmain se likhe tere wade, aankhon ki zabani aate hain Mere rumalo pe lab tere, bandh ke nishani jaate hain Ho teri baaton main kimam ki khusbu hain Ho tera aana bhi garmiyon ki lu hain Aaja tute na tute na aangdai Ho meri angdai na tute tuu aaja Kajra re kajra re kajra re tere kare kare naina Ho kajra re kajra re tere kare kare naina Ho mere naina mere naina mere nain main chupke rehna ho kajra re kajra re tere kare kare naina Aankhein bhi kamal karti hain Personal se sawal karti hain Palko ko uthati bhi nahi hain Parde ka khayal karti hain [Ho mera gum to kisise bhi chupta nahi Dard hota hain dard jab chubhta nahi Aaja tute na tute na meri aangdai Ho meri angdai na tute tu aaja Kajra re kajra re tere kare kare naina Ho kajra re kajra re tere kare kare naina Ho tere naina tere naina humein daste hain tere naina Ho kajra re kajra re mere kare kare naina Ho tujhse milna purani dilli main Chod aaye nishani dilli main Ballimaran se daribe talak Teri meri kahani dilli main Kali kamali wale ko yaad karte Tere kale kale naino ki kasam khate hain Tere kale kale naino ke banaye hain ruh Tere kale kale naino ko duwaye hain ruh Meri jaan udas hain hothon pe pyaas hain Aaja re aaja re aaja re Ho teri baaton main kimam ki khusbu hain Ho tera aana bhigarmiyon ki lu hain Ho meri angdai na tute tu aaja Ho kajra re kajra re tere kare kare naina Ho tere naina tere naina tere naina judwaa tere naina Ho tere naina tere naina tere naina main chupke rehna Ho kajra re kajra re tere kare kare naina Kare kare Naina Kajra re kajra re mere kare kare naina

The way that villain eyed me in the marketplace, It felt like putting my heart at knife's point... My peace of mind has been destroyed; Stop staring at me, scoundrel! They're being destroyed; Your own townspeople are being destroyed by this! My peace of mind has been destroyed; Stop staring at me, scoundrel! Your own townspeople are being destroyed by this. Come to me before the waiting begins to make me anxious. Your kohl-lined eyes... Your kohl-lined eyes, Your black, black eyes...! My eyes, my eyes, my twin eyes... Your kohl-lined eyes, Your black, black eyes The promises you wrote with kohl speak the language of the eyes. My handkerchief bears the traces of your lips. Your words hold the fragrance of an intoxicating drink. You arrive like the hot winds of summer. Your words hold the fragrance of an intoxicating drink. You arrive like the hot winds of summer. Come to me before the waiting begins to make me anxious. Before the waiting begins to make me anxious, come to me! Your kohl-lined eyes, Your black, black eyes... My eyes, my Eyes, my twin eyes... Your kohl-lined eyes, Your black, black eyes... Your eyes work wonders. They ask the most personal questions. They don't even have to rise; They speak through the curtain of your lashes. My sorrow can't be hidden from anyone. True pain doesn't even sting. Come to me before the waiting begins to make me anxious. Before the waiting begins to make me anxious, come to me! Your kohl-lined eyes, Your black, black eyes... Your eyes, Your eyes, They destroy us, Your eyes. My kohl-lined eyes, my black, black eyes. After I met you on Old Delhi, I left a momento behind there, From Ballimaran to Dariba [places in Old Delhi] There is our story in Delhi. Inspired by your dark, lotus-like eyes, We swear on your black, black wyes That our souls are filled with your dark, dark eyes. Our souls offer blessings to your black, black eyes. My heart despairs; My lips are parched. Come to me, Come to me, Come! Your words hold the fragrance of an intoxicating drink. You arrive like the hot winds of summer. Come to me before the waiting begins to make me anxious. Your kohl-lined eyes, Your black, black eyes... My eyes, my eyes, my twin eyes... Your eyes, your eyes, We must hide ourselves away forever in your eyes Your kohl-lined eyes, Your black, black eyes... Black, black....eyes. My kohl-lined eyes, my black, black eyes!

Awards

Alisha Chinai won the 2005 Filmfare Best Female Playback Award and the 2005 Bollywood Movie Award - Best Playback Singer Female for "Kajra Re," while Gulzaar bagged the best lyricist award in almost all major award functions including IIFA and Filmfare Awards for the song.

Vaibhavi Merchant won the following awards:

• IIFA Best Choreography Award
• Zee Best Choreography Award
• Star Screen Awards - Best Choreography
• Apsara Best Choreography Award

Trivia

• The music video is 7:50 seconds long; the album version, available on the movie soundtrack, lasts 8 minutes 4 seconds. There are two official remixes to this song^{[citation needed]}: "Special Movie Remix" which is 5 minutes and 33 seconds and "Aqeel Tribal Mix" which is 5 minutes 49 seconds. The remixes sound very similar.
• A portion of "Kajra Re" is featured in Dor with Gul Panag, Ayesha Takia, and Shreyas Talpade dancing along in the desert.