Song from MungAru MaLe

Here's a song from the hit movie MungAru MaLe.

I tried my hand at translating araLutiru jeevada geLeya, the female (Shreya Ghoshal) version of the more popular anisutide yAko indu (Sonu Nigam), and I post it here for your reading pleasure.

For those unfamiliar with the Kannada movie scene, MungAru MaLe is the biggest grosser ever, and is well into its second year at PVR Cinema in Bangalore. I saw the movie some six months ago, and liked it.

Jayant Kaikini, who wrote this song, has published critically acclaimed poetry and fiction. He edited the Kannada monthly magazine Bhavana for a while, and had earlier worked with a pharma firm in Mumbai. He has been writing in Kannada for decades, but the movie guys have only now discovered him! Good for them.

My brother-in-law in Mumbai had this song on his system, and so I got to pay close attention to the words. Okay, it may sound strange when read in translation, and without the guitar-embellished tune, but still, I hope to capture at least some of its romantic breeziness.

The situation: The hero and heroine have fallen in something that seems like love, but she is engaged to be married to someone else, and is not sure she wants to break the engagement, so...


Pallavi

Keep smiling, soul friend,
in the drizzle of friendship.

Don't wither, flower of friendship,
in the bondage of love.

Keep your thoughts in your heart.
But play on, friend, I love your silent song.


Charana
The bird sings its melodies
without announcing its name.

The champak perfumes the air
without asking a soul.

The breeze and birdsong aren't bothered
their closeness can't be described.

Why then should we worry?

Let's not give our closeness a name, friend.
Let's keep it just this way.

Charana
How charming these feelings
that lie beyond words!

Disappointment can't weigh down
a heart steeped in joy.

We may part ways at life's fork,
but the moon always walks with us.

In him I only see you.
May this bond live on, friend.
Let's keep it just this way.



The Kannada original

AraLutiru jeevada geLeya
snEhada sincanadalli
bAdadiru snehada hoove
premada bandhanadalli
manasallE irali bhAvane
midiyutirali mouna veene
heege summane

hakkiyu haadide
tanna hesaranu heLade
sampige beeride kampanu
yArigoo keLade
beesivu gaaLiya hakkiya haadina
namTige hesarina hangilla
namagEke adara yocane
beda geLeya nantige hesaru
yaake summane


mAtige meerida bhavada
sthimitavE sundara
nalumeyu tumbida manasige
baaradu besara
baaLa dAriyali bEreyAdaroo
chandira baruvanu namma jote
kAnuveu avanale ninnanu
irali geLeya ee anubandha
heege summane