Aye Ajnabi Tu bhi kabhi (Oh Stranger, you too someday)

Combo of A.R. Rahman (Music), Gulzar sb (Lyrics), and Udit Narayan (Voice) together to create this piece full of magic…
Song belongs to a Hindi film: Dil Se (1998), cinematic poetry directed by the master of his craft Mani Ratnam.

Lyrics and Translation:

Pakkhee pakkhee, pardesi…

(To) An outsider, the bird of love…

Ae ajnabi, tu bhi, kabhi
Aawaaz de, kahin se..

Oh Stranger, you too someday,
Call me out of nowhere.

Mein yaha, tukdon
Main jee raha hoon
Tu kahin, tukdon mein
Jee rahi, hai…

I here am
living in pieces…
You too, somewhere,
surviving scattered…

Ae ajnabi, tu bhi, kabhi
Aawaaz de, kahin se.. (x2)

Oh Stranger, you too someday,
Call me out of nowhere.

Roz, roz, Resham si, hawaa
Aate jaate, kehti hai, bata
Resham si hawaa, kehti hai bataa
Woh joh, doodh dhuli
Maasoom si kali
Woh hai, kahan, kahan hai
Woh roshni, kahan hai
Woh jaansi, kahan hai
Mein adhura, tu adhuri
Jee, rahi hai..

Each day, satin winds in passing,
Back and forth, keep buzzing…
Satin winds, keep buzzing…
One who is milk-rinsed,
that virtuous untainted floret…
Where, where, and where is she?
That light, where would it be?
That soul, where could it be?
Halved I am, and so is she,
Barely remaining…

Ae ajnabi, tu bhi kabhi
Aawaaz de, kahin se..

Oh Stranger, you too someday,
Call me out of nowhere.

Tu toh, nahi, hai lekin
Teri, muskuraahatein hai
Chehra, kahin, nahi hai, par
Teri, aahatein, hai
Tu hai, kahan, kahan, hai
Tera, nishaan, kahan, hai
Mera, jahaan, kahaan hai
Mein adhura, tu adhuri
Jee rahi hai..

Though you are not here, still,
Lingers your tenderness here…
The face is nowhere to be seen…
Yet, thy whispers, I can hear…
Where, where, and where are you?
Where are the traces and your clue?
Where did I lose, my worldview?
Divided I am, Divided are you,
Barely making through…

Ae ajnabi, tu bhi kabhi
Aawaaz de, kahin se..

Oh Stranger, you too someday,
Call me out of nowhere.

Mein yaha, tukdon
Main jee raha hoon (x2)
Tu kahin, tukdon mein
Jee rahi, hain..

I am here,
breathing in portions…
You too… somewhere…
continuing shattered…

— Original lyrics penned by non-other than master of magic Gulzar sb.

— Translation dedicated to one such stranger…

• A. R. Rahman
• Gulzar
• longing
• love sick
• pakkhee
• poetry
• translated poem
• Urdu poetry