Jaan Tere Naam...

The general perception about my nick of the woods is that it is a village, a place made only for a country bumpkin like me! Well that’s exactly what I am going to disprove.

Today, while I was setting out for my office, waiting at the bus stop (Ya we have buses, gone are the days of bullock carts!) I kept looking at the watch. I was getting late. (And Ya, there is no time difference between Panvel and Mumbai. Although looking at it, you’d feel it ought to belong to different times.)

Finally my messiah came, driving a Tata Safari, wearing an orange bandana and those spectacular goggles. He was driving toward my office and offered me a lift. I happily jumped in, with an opportunity to “rub shoulders” (The car was jam-packed you see!) with 9 more people.

Here comes the exciting part. There was an LCD (I don’t know what it is called, so am faking it) screen in the Sumo. And you won’t believe it – the movie being played was “Jaan Tere Naam”. Eat your heart out guys. I was the fortunate one, ensconced firmly in the back seat and gifted this Godsend opportunity to watch this path-breaking movie! Ask any child about two things that he/she remembers about 1992 – the reply will be 1) Pakistan won the World Cup, and 2) Jaan Tere Naam was realeased.

So for all my unconversant friends, “Jaan Tere Naam” was one of those epochal movies of the early nineties, which changed the life of every person who saw that movie. (It just made them more miserable? NO WAY) It touched their lives in a unique way.

It starred Ronit Roy (the current Big B of the small screen) and Farheen. Here goes the plot, poor boy meets rich girl in college. They fall in love, due to circumstantial encumbrances, the girl ditches the boy. Boy falls into the rut of depression. He learns that his girl is going to get married to someone else. That is when our hero dons the bright colours of band-walleh and goes marching along with the band into the girl’s marriage place and breaks into a jig.

Now, please read carefully... The following lines have been penned by expert lyricists. Please do not try this at home!!! (I am sure this is where Gulzar got inspiration from for his “Humko maloom hai (Jaaneman)”) Do not lose the essence of the song while getting lost in appreciating its literary value.

“First time dekha tumhein hum kho gaya
Second time mein love ho gaya!


Ye akhkha India jaanta hai, hum tumpe marta hai
Dil kya cheez hai jaanam, apni Jaan Tere Naam karta hai.


Tere se marriage karne ko main Bambai se Goa aaya.
Pan mere ko Father ne tere Red Signal dikhlaya.
Father se tere kya lena mujhe,
Tu chahe mujhko main chahoon tujhe!


Ye akhkha India jaanta hai, hum tumpe marta hai
Dil kya cheez hai jaanam, apni Jaan Tere Naam karta hai…”

WOW! Whatever happened to the days of writing intelligible songs!!! It was vintage Kumar Sanu, at his nasal best! At times it sounded nasal, but most of the times, the voice seemed to be originating from some other orifice. I was on cloud nine when it began. The bristling of the hair on my hands had begun, I started nodding, tapping my feet, and even gyrating to the beats. People had strange expressions on their faces I guess they can’t appreciate cinema at its best. It does not get any bigger or better than this movie!

There are many more gems in this movie – the sensational songs, the amazing acting, and most of all a sense of belonging with an era that has gone by. I would recommend this movie to anyone who would want to relive those wonderful moments. I also plan to request my friends to learn this song. It would be a befitting tribute to our college to sing this evergreen melody at our next alumni meet!

Ye akhkha India jaanta hai, hum tumpe marta hai
Dil kya cheez hai jaanam, apni Jaan Tere Naam karta hai…

The car halted, I got down. I was a changed man – a fulfilled man. Not everyone gets dropped to office and gets to see “Jaan Tere Naam”. All thanks to Panvel! I guess, I am destiny’s child!!!