Poetry in Film: Pakeezah

 Pakeezah is many things, but one area where it excels is in the use of poetic lyrics in the timeless soundtrack. It is phenomenal to think that, even though it took fourteen years and several songwriters to make, the songs from Pakeezah manage to have such a cohesive and beautiful soundtrack. 

The story follows that of a courtesan in what I assume was set in the later stages of Mughal rule in India. The very fact that it is a movie about a courtesan, and her journey into love and ultimately happiness means that the movie is almost expected to have music, dance, and poetic aspects worked into every dialogue. 

'Hamara yeh bazaar aik kabristan hai, Aaisi auraton ka jinki roohen mar jaati hai, Aur jism zinda rehte hai.'

This bazaar [marketplace] is a graveyard, Consisting of those women whose souls have died, And whose bodies have stayed alive. 

If anything, this short piece of poetry, whilst almost unnoticeable, obliquely alludes to the nature of women in a society that oppressed those of that gender. Societal beliefs meant that women were seemingly not supposed to work, and those who did often went into work in the pleasure industry; some more fortunate ones were courtesans who would read poetry, sing songs, and dance. The section of poetry we are looking at highlights the deeply saddening nature of a woman's role in the society: women had no ability to follow their own whims, and were used only as bodies in a bid to survive. It hints at the idea of a living dead, of people that have been so abused or neglected that their inner selves have died. 

'Chalte chalte, yun hi koi mil gaya tha, sarerah hai chalte chalte.'

Whilst I was walking, I met someone, whilst walking down the path.

This song is iconic: and that is because the song revolves around this idea of repetition and monotony, and this links nicely to the lack of social mobility that women in this position had. There are few words that adequately describe the wonders of this movie: it is something that you will have to watch to fully understand. 

'Aaj hum aapni  dua'on ka asar dekhenge, tir-e-nazar dekhenge, zakhm-e-jigar dekhenge.'

Today I will seen the picture of my dreams, I will see the arrows from my gaze, and I will see the wounds of my heart. 

The poetry in this section brings jealousy to life, and brings it in such a way that one can almost grasp the full intensity and gravitas of the complex emotion. If anything, the lyrics in this song draws attention to the fact that the main character is not one of those women in the bazaar, devoid of an inner soul; it is her love that reignited her inner flame, and it is her jealousy in the poem that fans it. It is interesting that the earlier lines in the poem talk about god and the fulfillment of fantasy, but are then so harshly contrasted by mentions of violence and immense suffering. Could this perhaps be an allusion to how women in such a desperate position were left searching for their faith? Unwilling to follow the rules of a god that had forgotten them? It may be a stretch, but it is something that can be considered. There is also a feminist aspect to the piece, where the main character is deciding to take action in ensuring that she can continue to see her 'dua'on ka asar'.