Why Hindi cinema loves to hold Lord Krishna’s tunes

Of more than 33 crore Hindu Gods, no one has quite captured the imagination of Bollywood’s lyricists as Lord Krishna. What about him transcends time and culture?

Dr Ramji Tiwari, former head of the Hindi department at Mumbai University knows why. “From the child, the passionate lover, the strategist to the philosopher — there’s something for all. No wonder poets pick up metaphors from Krishnaleela.”

He, however, admits there too much emphasis on Krishna as a lover and seducer. “The Bhakti poets also tried to romanticise Krishna to make him accessible to people, but it makes me cringe to now hear raas leela rhyming with ‘character dheela’.” 

Like Tiwari, senior poet-lyricist Muqtida Hasan Nida Fazli too says that no one with his/her roots in the subcontinent can be left untouched by the concept of Krishna. “He cuts across religion, community, and regions.” He cites the example of Ras Khan who has written epic poems in Brajbhasha in praise of Krishna. 

When prodded to comment on some ‘objectionable’ references, he scoffs. “The industry encourages a mechanical, soulless approach to writing lyrics. Our literary heritage is enough to inspire.”

Lyricist Sameer feels people rampantly lift traditional poetry and call it their own. He cites the example of his father, Lalji Pandey, or Anjaan as he was popularly called. “He tagged the traditional line ‘Pag ghungroo bandh Meera nachi thhi’ with his own ‘Aur hum nache bin ghungroo ke’ in the song from Lawaris. Unfortunately, some writers pick up the entire composition and pass it off as their own.”

Ravindra Jain who has written and composed the music for Hema Malini’s dance ballets on Krishna and composed the music for the classic Shyam Teri Bansi from the Geet Gaata Chal (1975) says, “His antics as a child were endearing, but we must not forget that the Bhagvad Gita, which is the base of our philosophy to life, is also his.” 

Krishna inspired regional cinema just as much as Hindi films. Marathi film critic, Amit Bhandari remembers how the first time a woman gambolled about in a bikini in an Indian film was also a famous Krishna composition Yamuna jalli khelu khel.

According to him, this song, coupled with the 1981 super hit Ashok Saraf-Ranjana comedy Gondhalat Gondhal Ditty Aga Nach Nach Radhe, will remain perennial favourites. “The Janmashtami anthem from the Shammi Kapoor starrer Bluffmaster, Govinda Ala Re, has its roots in Marathi folk music.”