Sridevi, Amitabh Bachchan and music of Afghanistan, all my favorites, come together to form the song Tu mujhe qubool… from Khuda Gawah!
Movie: The 1992 hit movie Khuda Gawah (God is Witness) is an epic romance drama directed by late Mukul S Anand and produced by Manoj Desai and Nazi Ahmed. It stars Sridevi,Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna, Danny Denzongpa and Shilpa Shirodkar.
The movie begins with a Buzkashi competition, where different Afghan tribes have come together to compete with each other. During this occasion, Badshah Khan (Amitabh Bachchan) falls in love with Benazir (Sridevi) and is interested in marrying her. Benazir agrees to marry him if he brought back the head of Habibullah, who had killed her father. Badshah Khan goes to India in search of Habibullah. He finds Habibullah in prison and breaks it to take him back. The jailer Ranveer Singh (Vikram Gokhle) comes on his trail. Finally, Badshah Khan beheads Habibullah. Badshah Khan requests Ranveer to allow him one month to go to Afghanistan and return to accept the punishment decided for him for taking Habibullah. Badshah goes back home and marries Benazir.
This is the Afghan marriage song that Badshah Khan and Benazir sing during their marriage and later.
Song: Music of this song has been composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and the lyrics have been written by Anand Bakshi.
The song begins with the male singer saying, “You are accepted by me. I am accepted by you. The witness of this is God. God is witness.”
The song means that they have accepted each other as soul-mates in marriage and God is the witness to it.
The female singer takes over thus, “Vai vai, your and my love has resulted in this marriage procession, whose witness is God.”
Vai vai is typical of Afghani Pathan lingo.
The male singer continues, “It might be a slave or a king, life without love is a crime.”
The female singer replies, “This is what I thought and gave my life to you, i.e. gave my heart to you. Witness is God.”
Both sing, “You are accepted by me. I am accepted by you.”
The female singer now says, “I am a mirror. Don’t break me. Break me but don’t leave me.”
The girl is worried that the man, now her husband, will leave her.
The male singer replies, “I wanted to say the same thing. You said it, with God as witness. You are accepted by me. I am accepted by you.”
The male singer says, “I will read prayer with your name in it. I remember you night and day.”
The man says that he actually worships her and is reminded of her continuously.
The female singer replies, “What is the use of remembering (me)? Forgetting me is not possible because I am not separate from you. The witness of this is God. God is witness.”
Video: Cinematographer is W B Rao.
The song begins with Sridevi decked up in all bridal finery. She has been made-up very beautifully. Extra dancers surround her, while dancing to the tune of the song and playing the duffli (a small musical instrument). The opening of the song itself is beautiful.
The marriage procession with Amitabh Bachchan the groom arrives. The path in which the procession moves has also been selected well. It is also very beautifully decorated with lights. The marriage is over soon and the bride is taken to the decorated bed very delicately by 2 maids.
According to the Afghan custom, Sridevi covers her face with the veil. Amitabh Bachchan comes and they exchange their inner thoughts.
Suddenly, it is next day and Sridevi has changed to a gown. After sometime, Sridevi changes to a banjara (tribal) dress and dances with the tribal girls with Amitabh Bachchan looking on smiling from his horse.
Again there is a change of location as well as dress. They are now on the ramparts of a fort. The song ends with Sridevi dancing on open ground and Amitabh Bachchan circling her on his horse.
Artists: Mohammad Aziz and Kavita Krishnamurthy sing on playback. Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi perform the song.
Cultural Influence: The music is completely Afghan and we get to know their culture and their wedding ceremony. Visually the song is pleasing to the eyes.
