Eyes clouded by tears

My love, your eyes shall well up with tears (remembering me)
As if dark rain bearing clouds have covered a clear sky

These two lines and so many words have been expressed in just four words -

Nainon mein badra chhaye..

and it goes on..
Bijli si chamke haaye
Aise mein balam mohe
Garawaa laga le

Since I have set the context earlier, I can try my hand at concisely interpreting this song...hope I convey its emotions too

Eyes clouded by tears,
Shimmering like lightening
On stormy days as these
My love, hold me close to thee

The man who in so few words expressed himself in an endearingly touchy manner was a doyen of Indian lyricists - Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. He belonged to the yesteryears of film songwriters with strong roots in Urdu poetry which had such names as Sahir Ludhiyanvi, Shakeel Badauni, Gulzar and others.

However Raja Mehdi's compositions were mostly with a folk touch, not with fancy Urdu words...note words like 'balam', 'mohe'.
'Naina' or eyes seems to be one of his favorite motifs for there is one other beautiful song of his - "Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim, piya toh re aawan ki raat" which again uses very simple rustic words in beautiful poetry.

In Indian poetry - whether Urdu or Sanskrit based - 'eyes' are a frequently used symbol for conveying a wide gamut of emotions and it is corroborated by the sheer number of words to describe eyes and eye related features - like nayan, akhiyaan, chakshu, netra, aankhen, nigahein etc. and stock expressions like jheel si aankhen or nargisi nigahein

Coming back to Raja Mehdi...both the songs mentioned above were given music by Madan Mohan, my favorite Music director. These two formed a successful team in the 50s and 60s. And this song of theirs - Nainon mein badra is somewhat special for me.

This is one of the rare cases where everything about something is so good. Here the film is a well made one - Mera Saaya by a director who specializes in suspense - Raj Khosla (who also made Woh Kaun Thi). Then we come to the placement of this song in the movie and the picturization - a song can be really good, but a director can mess up by not utilizing it properly. In this case Khosla used it so well that even Madan Mohan could not have dreamt it.

In the movie Sunil Dutt is a lawyer whose wife, whom he loved very much, had recently died and is now troubled by another woman, her look-alike who claims to be his wife. And all the while he is unable to forget the sweet memories of his wife.

The song opens with a wide shot of the lakes of Udaipur and the palaces in its midst - white marble in clear water and then focuses on Sunil Dutt - who reclines on a bed in his terrace. The music begins just then - with really rousing strains of the sitar and santoor...its so difficult to describe what it does to one's heart - Madan Mohan's music is captivating right from the start. And Sunil Dutt, suddenly restless sits up and looks around - all around are places enmeshed with his memories of being with her. At this moment the voiceover begins - Nainon mein badra chhaye... and here is Raj Khosla's gem...he makes the song play out in a haunting fashion...as if its echoing (this is not how the song was recorded, but how it was dubbed with the film) - and this is so apt as the haunting note gels really well with Sunil Dutt reminiscing about his wife - its as if that music and words are echoing in his mind not allowing him to rest peacefully and his eyes well up - again so apt for Nainon mein badra

His gaze fixes upon a beautifully carved marble pavillion, overlooking the lake and he remembers their close embrace there. Sadhna is positively ethereal to look at. Frankly she is not as beautiful and fresh as in her early films - but she is too good a performer - her high coiffure with flowing tresses and trademark cowlicks, her light hued yet transluscent, shimmering silk sari all make her look her part - the lost enchantress of his life. Here she sings to her lover reminding him of how she had allured him once. Thats how it fits exactly with the larger story of the film..as at this point of time the hero acutely feels the loss of his wife.

The later wordings of the song are somewhat tantalising, tempting, even playful...Madira mein doobi akhiyan, chanchal hain dono sakhiyan. Madan Mohan brings out the nostalgia as well as temptation wonderfully well with Lata Mangeshkar's graceful yet endearing voice.

I could go on..but as it is I have rambled a lot..u can see the song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0ZI824Tlnk&feature=related

Pretty good quality

The song ends with Sunil Dutt crestfallen on a pillar of that same marble pavillion.