My “now” song: Kabhi neem neem, kabhi shahad shahad

Posted on by sudhagee

Do you ever have a song, an idea, a storyline, or an image stuck in your head? And it just refuses to go away? For some time at least? I have this with music — it could be a song, an instrumental piece, a jingle, etc. That particular piece of music becomes my “now’” song, and the “nowness”  (pardon my English here) could be for any length of time.

I think that my regular readers would know by now that I love music, but few people know that I sing too. One of the reasons for not knowing this is I’m quite shy about singing in public and therefore only some very close friends and immediate family members have heard me sing.

But last week, I surprised myself. I had gone to Agra to attend a conference with two colleagues, who are also friends. Somewhere during the car journey from Delhi to Agra, one of my friends started singing and before I knew it I had joined in. We sang old Hindi film songs, some not so old ones too and had a great deal of fun. We sang in between the conference sessions, after the day’s sessions got over… get the picture?

Long after my return, one of the songs that we sang has remained with me and I have been singing it and humming it all the time. Not surprisingly, it has become my “now” song

“Kabhi neem, neem, kabhi shahad shahad“, from the film Yuva, sung by Madhushree (& A.R. Rahman) to lyrics by Mehboob and music composed A.R. Rahman is one of the most melodious, romantic and mushy songs I have heard. And unlike many beautiful Hindi songs that I can’t bear to watch on-screen due to bad picturisation, this is one song that I like to listen to, sing and watch as well.

I particularly love the portion where Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukherji do a little jig (2:02 to 2:51 minutes) as the former yodels away. Kabhi neem neem… is so much on my mind that I’m singing the song even as I type out this post. 🙂

So tell me, what are you listening to these days and what is your “now” song?

Published by sudhagee

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12 thoughts on “My “now” song: Kabhi neem neem, kabhi shahad shahad”

  1. I like this song as well. Actually Yuva had a lot of songs where couples are just unbridled in expressing their emotions in public spaces. (of course abhishek beating up his wife is quite problematic). Apart from that the Rehman interlude with Abhishek dancing is one of my favourite ones. I always sing along.

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    1. This one didn’t begin as an antakshari. Rather it was more of my friend singing, me joining in and then the “Remember ______ song?’ And we would be off to the next song.

      And speaking of antaksharis, reminds me that its been a long time since I participated on one. Time to remedy it 🙂

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