What I liked the most was the following song. The lyrics have that special Gulzar stamp, no one else can ask for the moon in a cage or hang a lantern in the sky.

Kaminey – Bollywood Hindi Lyrics

Movie: Kaminey (2009)
Music Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra
Song Title: Kaminey

Kaminey Lyrics

[Kya kare zindagi isko hum jo mile,
Iski jaan kha gaye, raat din ke gile]- 2 times
Raat din gile…
Meri aarzoo kamini,
Mere khwab bhi kaminey,
Ek dil se dosti thi, yeh huzoor bhi kaminey,
Kya kare zindagi isko hum jo mile,
Iski jaan kha gaye, raat din ke gile…

[Kabhi zindagi se maanga, pinjre mein chaand la do,
Kabhi laanten deke, kaha aasmaa pe taango] – 2 times
Jeene ke sab kareene the hamesha se kaminey,
Kaminey kaminey kaminey kaminey,
Meri daastaan kamini, mere raasten kaminey,
Ek dil se dosti thi, yeh huzoor bhi kaminey…

Jiska bhi chehra cheela, andar se aur nikla,
Masoom sa kabootar naacha to more nikla,
Kabhi hum kaminey nikle, kabhi doosre kaminey,
Kaminey kaminey kaminey kaminey,
Meri dosti kamini, mere yaar bhi kaminey,
Ek dil se dosti thi, yeh huzoor bhi kaminey…

Iwill try and translate this in English in my next post. For now, Kaminey is Hindi for rascal.

Update: 26 August

I am not very smart on this, but this is whatever I could do to translate the song.

Kya kare zindagi isko hum jo mile,
Iski jaan kha gaye, raat din ke gile

There is nothing life can do with me,
It cannot get over it’s own complains.

Raat din gile…
The everlasting complains…

Meri aarzoo kamini,
Mere khwab bhi kaminey,
Ek dil se dosti thi, yeh huzoor bhi kaminey,

My desires are rascal,
My dreams are rascal,
I had a friend in the heart, but this one’s also a rascal,

Kya kare zindagi isko hum jo mile,
Iski jaan kha gaye, raat din ke gile…

There is nothing life can do with me,
It cannot get over it’s own complains.

Kabhi zindagi se maanga, pinjre mein chaand la do,
Kabhi laanten deke, kaha aasmaa pe taango

Once asked life, to get me the moon in a cage,
Once gave it a lantern, and asked to put it up in the sky!

Jeene ke sab kareene the hamesha se kaminey,
Kaminey kaminey kaminey kaminey,

All the smart ways of living, were rascal from beginning,

Meri daastaan kamini, mere raasten kaminey,
Ek dil se dosti thi, yeh huzoor bhi kaminey…

My saga is rascal, my paths are rascal,
I had a friend in the heart, but this one’s also a rascal.

Jiska bhi chehra cheela, andar se aur nikla,
Masoom sa kabootar naacha to more nikla,

Whoever I tried to test, was someone else inside,
A sweet little dove, turned out to be a peacock when it spread its wings.

Kabhi hum kaminey nikle, kabhi doosre kaminey,
Kaminey kaminey kaminey kaminey,

I was a rascal sometimes, sometimes others were rascals

Meri dosti kamini, mere yaar bhi kaminey,
Ek dil se dosti thi, yeh huzoor bhi kaminey…

My acquaintances are rascals, my friends are rascals,
I had a friend in the heart, but this one’s also a rascal.

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While I understand that this is not the best way to translate a song like this, I will try and write something more about the meaning of the song. For now, please bear with the above translation of the song Kameeney.