Song Title: Aaj Rota Hai Kyun
Singer: Mohammad Rafi
Film: Ghar Ka Chirag (1967)
Lyricist: Kaifi Azmi
Music Director: Madan Mohan
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Why are you crying today? Why are you crying today? Why are you crying today?
Why are you crying today? Why are you losing your life today?
You kept committing tyranny, you kept smiling, you kept laying traps in every path.
Now that you are caught yourself, why are you so restless?
Why are you crying today? Why are you losing your life today?
Let your flowers also not blossom, the gardens have cursed you.
You filled life with darkness, the lamps have given you this punishment.
You who kept extinguishing every light, you kept laying traps in every path.
Now that you are caught yourself, why are you so restless?
Why are you crying today? Why are you losing your life today?
The world will not give you the charity of mercy, when did you ever show mercy to the world?
Any heart on which your shadow fell, never got to beat.
You who taught laughter to cry, you kept laying traps in every path.
Now that you are caught yourself, why are you so restless?
Why are you crying today? Why are you losing your life today?
Before you, many tyrants have passed, you should have thought about their fate.
How long will the sun of tyranny last? You should have thought about the evening that will come.
What kind of tyranny you kept committing, you kept laying traps in every path.
Now that you are caught yourself, why are you so restless?
Why are you crying today? Why are you losing your life today?
In-Depth Song Analysis
The Cinematic Context of Ghar Ka Chirag (1967)
“Aaj Rota Hai Kyun” is a powerful and morally charged song from the 1967 film Ghar Ka Chirag. This film, with its themes of family, betrayal, and justice, provides the perfect backdrop for such a song. The song likely appears at a crucial juncture where a character, who has spent their life tormenting others, finally faces the consequences of their actions. The song serves as a moment of grim reckoning, a reflection on poetic justice and the inevitability of facing one’s own karma. It’s a poignant musical soliloquy that encapsulates the film’s moral core.
Lyrical Quality and Poetic Justice by Kaifi Azmi
Kaifi Azmi, a celebrated poet and lyricist of his time, was known for his sharp social commentary and deeply philosophical verses. In “Aaj Rota Hai Kyun,” he crafts a lyrical narrative that is a scathing critique of a tyrant who now finds himself in distress. The central theme is one of cosmic irony and poetic justice. Azmi’s lyrics are not a simple attack but a profound philosophical question posed to the oppressor: after spending a life spreading misery and laying traps, why do you lament now that you are caught in one yourself?
He masterfully uses metaphors of nature and light to convey his message. The curse of the gardens that the tyrant’s flowers may not blossom, and the punishment from the lamps for extinguishing every light, create vivid and powerful imagery of an unforgiving universe. The lyrics also touch upon the isolation that comes with a life of cruelty, as the world that never received mercy from the oppressor now denies it to him. The song culminates with a chilling reminder of history, that all tyrants meet a similar fate, and that the “sun of tyranny” must eventually set. Kaifi Azmi’s words are a testament to the belief that justice, even if delayed, is inevitable.
Musical Composition by Madan Mohan: A Masterpiece of Melancholy
Madan Mohan Kohli, a musical genius known for his soulful and haunting melodies, was the perfect composer for a song of such depth. He was famous for his ability to infuse his music with a profound sense of pathos and emotion. For “Aaj Rota Hai Kyun,” he creates a somber and melancholic composition that perfectly matches the gravity of the lyrics.
The melody of the song draws heavily from elements of Raag Bhairavi, a raag renowned for expressing sorrow, devotion, and reflection. Its poignant and emotionally heavy nature perfectly underscores the theme of despair and retribution. The taal (rhythmic cycle) is a steady Keherwa (eight-beat cycle), providing a slow and deliberate pace that allows each word and emotion to resonate deeply. The instrumentation is minimal but effective, likely featuring melancholic strings, a solemn piano, and a gentle rhythm that emphasizes the song’s reflective and sorrowful mood, making it a classic Madan Mohan composition. The music is an echo of the tyrant’s inner turmoil and the cold, unyielding judgment of the universe.
Mohammed Rafi’s Unforgettable Vocal Performance
Mohammad Rafi’s voice was a phenomenon, capable of expressing an astonishing spectrum of human emotions with unparalleled depth and nuance. In “Aaj Rota Hai Kyun,” he delivers a performance that is nothing short of iconic. His voice, imbued with a profound sense of pathos and disdain, embodies the voice of a karmic force, of the universe itself, questioning the oppressor. He navigates the song’s emotional arc with masterful control, from the initial question of bewilderment to the final, chilling reminder of a tyrant’s inevitable end. His vocal modulations, the subtle shifts in timbre and volume, convey a sense of poetic justice being served. Rafi’s ability to infuse each word with genuine feeling makes the listener feel the weight of the justice being served, solidifying “Aaj Rota Hai Kyun” as a classic Mohammad Rafi song.
Let’s explore the intricate vocal expressions and emotional journey conveyed by Mohammad Rafi in each line:
Opening Verse
Aaj rota hai kyun, aaj rota hai kyun (Why are you crying today? Why are you crying today?): The opening lines are delivered with a tone of solemn questioning and a hint of disdain. Rafi’s voice is deep and resonant, almost like the voice of fate itself, challenging the tyrant’s newfound vulnerability.
Aaj rota hai kyun? jaan khota hai kyun? (Why are you crying today? Why are you losing your life?): The voice takes on a more direct, yet still philosophical, tone. It’s a profound question about the futility of the wrongdoer’s current suffering given his past actions.
Zulm dhaata raha muskurata raha, jaal har raste mein bichata raha (You kept committing tyranny, you kept smiling, you kept laying traps in every path): The voice here is a powerful recount of the oppressor’s past actions. Rafi’s delivery is strong and accusatory, portraying a vivid picture of a life spent in malice.
Fas gaya khud to bechain hota hai kyon (Now that you are caught yourself, why are you so restless?): This line is sung with a hint of irony and a solemn sense of justice. The voice conveys the cosmic joke of the oppressor being caught in his own trap.
Aaj rota hai kyun? jaan khota hai kyun (Why are you crying today? Why are you losing your life today?): The refrain returns with a heightened sense of finality and rhetorical power, underscoring the inevitability of the oppressor’s fate.
1st Stanza
Phool tera bhi khilne na paayein, baddua di hai baago ne tujhko (Let your flowers also not blossom, the gardens have cursed you): The voice adopts a poetic, almost mystical tone, conveying the idea of nature itself turning against the tyrant. There’s a sense of a karmic curse being spoken.
Bhar diya zindagi mein andhera, ye saza di hai chirago ne tujhko (You filled life with darkness, the lamps have given you this punishment): Rafi’s voice becomes even more solemn, portraying a fitting punishment from the very light that the oppressor sought to extinguish. The tone is unforgiving.
Tu jo har roshni ko bhujata raha, jaal har raste mein bichata raha (You who kept extinguishing every light, you kept laying traps in every path): The vocal delivery here is a powerful accusation, listing the oppressor’s sins with a sense of moral certainty.
Fas gaya khud to bechain hota hai kyun (Now that you are caught yourself, why are you so restless?): The voice reiterates the central irony, with a slight shift in emphasis to the oppressor’s current state of despair.
Aaj rota hai kyun, jaan khota hai kyun (Why are you crying today? Why are you losing your life today?): The refrain returns, carrying the full weight of the preceding lines and reinforcing the message of karmic retribution.
2nd Stanza
Raham ki bhiikh duniya na tujhko degi, tujhko duniya pe kab raham aaya (The world will not give you the charity of mercy, when did you ever show mercy to the world?): The voice is stern and unyielding, delivering a powerful statement of social justice. There is no room for sympathy here, as Rafi’s tone reflects the world’s unforgiving nature.
Pad gaya jis pe tera saaya, dil kabhi woh dhadkane na paaya (Any heart on which your shadow fell, never got to beat): Sung with a poignant sense of tragedy and empathy for the oppressor’s victims. The voice evokes the suffocating nature of his cruelty.
Hasne walo rona sikhata raha, jaal har raste mein bichata raha (You who taught laughter to cry, you kept laying traps in every path): Rafi’s delivery is filled with a sense of righteous anger and sorrow, recounting the immense suffering caused by the oppressor.
Fas gaya khud to bechain hota hai kyun (Now that you are caught yourself, why are you so restless?): The voice repeats the powerful question, now a refrain of justice and moral accountability.
Aaj rota hai kyun, jaan khota hai kyun (Why are you crying today? Why are you losing your life today?): The recurring lines are a powerful closing statement, leaving no doubt about the oppressor’s fate.
3rd Stanza
Tujhse pehle bhi guzaare hai zaalim, unka anjaam socha to hota (Before you, many tyrants have passed, you should have thought about their fate): The voice is now a historical echo, a wise and somber reminder of the inevitable end of all tyrants. It is a cautionary tale being told.
Dhup kab tak zulm ki rahegi, aaye gayee shyaam socha to hota (How long will the sun of tyranny last? You should have thought about the evening that will come): This line is sung with a philosophical and reflective tone, using the metaphor of the setting sun to signify the end of the oppressor’s reign. The voice is full of a solemn, certain truth.
Kaise kaise tu zulm dhaata raha, jaal har raste mein bichata raha (What kind of tyranny you kept committing, you kept laying traps in every path): The voice repeats the litany of sins, with a tone of cold, detached judgment.
Fas gaya khud to bechain hota hai kyun (Now that you are caught yourself, why are you so restless?): The final repetition of this central question is delivered with a sense of ultimate finality, bringing the song’s powerful message to a close.
Aaj rota hai kyun, jaan khota hai kyun (Why are you crying today? Why are you losing your life today?): The song concludes with a lingering question, its full weight now understood, leaving the listener to ponder the profound truth of karmic justice.
Overall Summary: A Poignant Tale of Vengeance
“Aaj Rota Hai Kyun” is a masterpiece of lyrical and musical storytelling that explores the theme of poetic justice with profound depth. Kaifi Azmi’s lyrics are a philosophical and moral critique, using powerful metaphors to paint a picture of a tyrant finally facing his own downfall. Madan Mohan’s composition, rooted in the sorrowful echoes of Raag Bhairavi and a deliberate Keherwa taal, provides a perfectly somber and reflective musical backdrop. Mohammad Rafi’s vocal performance is nothing short of breathtaking; his voice serves as the very embodiment of justice, questioning, accusing, and ultimately delivering a powerful, unforgettable judgment. His nuanced delivery ensures that the song is not just heard, but felt, as a timeless warning against cruelty and a powerful testament to the inevitable cycle of karma. “Aaj Rota Hai Kyun” is a must-listen for anyone seeking a song that combines profound lyricism with masterful musical and vocal execution.
~ Balwant S. Wadhwani