The classical song “wahan kaun hai tera musafir jayega kahan” from movie Guide (1965) was penned by Shailendra and sung by the composer S.D.Burman himself is an iconic song. S D Burman was an accomplished music director and a singer. His voice was different and unconventional. He carved an inimitable niche for himself as a singer of par excellence!
This song plays at the very start of the movie showing the titles of the movie and a bewildered Dev Anand who played the role of Raju Guide – the protagonist of the movie who is released on parole from jail for his crime of forging the signature of his lover. Raju guide rescues Rosie (Wahida Rehaman) a dancer from a toxic marriage and he motivates her to follow her passion for dancing. She rises because of the constant motivation and backing of the protagonist.
The story of Guide is set in a small village with archaeological unexplored ruins which brings together three very different characters who are passionate about their vocations; an eccentric archaeologist Marco who cannot look beyond his work, and his beautiful wife who is an accomplished dancer but is frustrated and trapped in a loveless marriage and is forced to suppress her passion to dance and an adventurous and lively tourist guide Raju, who takes on the task helping Marco in exploring the pre-historic ruins (caves). Raju ends up as Rosie’s friend, confidante and guide.
In 1965 Guide became a path breaker movie in more ways than one. It is a film adapted from the English novel The Guide written by R K Narayan. Hindi films in the fifties and sixties were usually based on film scripts or stories adapted from Hindi, Bengali or Marathi literature. Rosie’s relationship with Raju starts on a note of sympathy and support and develops into love. A live-in relationship was unthinkable in the sixties and, Raju’s inner transformation in jail.
The song ‘wahan kaun hai tera’ in fact tells the story of the movie. The song is philosophical which conveys that this world is an illusion. According to cognitive scientists such as Donald Hoffman we are being tricked into believing our own reality. We all are seeing around us a façade that guides our way around a far more complex and hidden background. We are all travellers in this beautiful yet wild world; each one experiences a different journey. The song tells that traveller must rest under the shade for a few moments. Here the lyricist Shailendra perhaps wanted to emphasize taking a pause for rejuvenating and restarting the remaining travel. Pausing increases productivity, and pausing works miraculously. In your travel you will meet a lover, a companion, a guide, friends, partner, dependents, and enemies so on and forth. But nobody will cry for you in your sorrow.
I love one stanza in the song ‘kehete hai gyani, duniya hai paani, paani par likhi likhai’ earth is a watery planet because 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Whatever is written on water does not hold significance because the writing will never last as water keeps flowing. Nothing is permanent in life; name, fame, and fortune do not stay permanently. We come into the world empty-handed and leave empty-handed. It’s 2022 and I still can’t get over S.D. Burman’s voice and Shailendra’s lyrics, it is one of the finest songs.
