Bollywood's Lyrical Ode to the Moon

Comments [ 1 ] By Gunia M. | 14 July 2015 | 4:24am

There is something bewitching about the magic of the silver moonlight that makes the heart spin into dizzying whirls, turns all the eyes skywards at the bright illuminated orb and tells us that words are unimportant; silence is everything, indeed. The moon has transformed many minds into great poets, charmed many hearts to fall in love, soothed the tangled murmurs inside the head and added a new meaning to life by its simple restful presence. On the advent of Moon Day, BollyCurry casts its light over the songs whose rhythms have lived on in our hearts as Bollywood's own ode to the moon.

The Epitome of Beauty

A number of songs have mentioned the mesmerizing beauty of the moon, yet the ethereal beauty of the celestial body is such that words fall short to describe its magnificence. Ranbir Kapoor, in the movie Saawariya (2007), speaks of the beauty and the shy reticence of the moon in the song "Yoon Shabnami". The movie Chaudhavin Ka Chand (1960) has a lover dedicating lyrical words comparing the beauty of his beloved to that of the moon in the song "Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho". The glowing moon, in innumerable Bollywood scenes, drifts across the vast night sky gazing at its reflection in the mirrors of bottomless lakes while infinity wraps itself in its silvery glow and the world stares at the beauty so unfathomable that it is almost painful to behold.

The Symbol of Love

The presence of the moon in the vast limitless sky and the world lit up in its effervescent light unfailingly makes a setting for a perfect romance. Kunal Goswami, in the movie Kalakaar (1983), describes the allure of the moonlit night with the song "Neele Neele Ambar Par". Salman Khan, in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), does a romantic number with the hazel eyed beauty Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on the song "Chand Chupa Badal Mein", with the moon as a spectator to the melodious romantic tryst. Perhaps, it is some hidden alchemy at work that turns every glowing word, taste, shade and nuance into something beautiful and romantic. Imaginably, that is the reason the moon is always there, lingering around, making its presence felt in the tales of the story tellers as a sole witness to almost all of Bollywood's love stories.

A Quintessence of Loneliness

It is a known fact that the queen of the night lives a solitary existence of a nomadic traveler leaving serenity, melancholy and ghosts of thought in its wake. The song "Raat Hamari Toh" from the movie Parineeta (2005) strikes a chord deep within, as it depicts the loneliness in the shadows of the new moon. The times when the moon hides behind the veil of clouds and disappears to a distant unreachable place fills one with a sense of ennui that is shown beautifully in the song "Gali Mein Aaj Chaand Nikla" from the movie Zakhm (1998). The moon makes the ocean dance to its tune and lets the waves caress the shore. It resides in the deep recesses of the minds and lives on as the heart's unfinished sentence and yet, despite of the attention, it remains a loner, travelling alone in the cold, wind-rippled night.

A Confidante

Be it a slight twinge somewhere deep in the heart or a sharp pain of a beautiful broken something, be it a heady feeling of happiness or the first crush and blush of love, the moon has always been a recipient of the maudlin thoughts, lengthy heartfelt conversations and eggshell fragile soft whispers. The song "Chand Ne Kuch Kaha" from Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) and "Maine Poochha Chand Se" from movie Abdullah (1980) have the leads repeating their tete-a-tete with the moon. Maybe, it is the ability to keep secrets, the intoxicating stillness of its presence or its uncritical reception of the loneliest thoughts that makes the moon such a great listener.

The moon drifts aimlessly in the night, casts its silvery glow over the innumerable cobblestone alleyways, becomes the unrequited love of painters and an object of inspiration of poets. It gives serenity to millions and steals away the tide from oceans. And yet the moon, once free from the scurrying clouds, stands alone in its solitary splendor and defies the gravity that keeps us trapped to the earth, staring upwards with wistful eyes and dedicating songs to express our desire to touch the untouchable. Were you to dedicate a lyrical ode to the moon, which song would be on the top of your playlist? Do let us know in our comment box below.

Author: Aditi P.

Editors: Shikha A., Mohini N. and Gunia K.

Graphics: Shikha A.

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