Swades - A very watchable movie

Swades, released in 2004, was a much awaited movie. Ever since Lagaan was released in 2001 and its theme of a rural village uniting to fight a foreign oppressor became a hit, there was always the expectation of another movie on a rural theme making it big. And thus when the same director, Ashutosh announced another movie, this one too on a rural theme, there was a great amount of hope that the presence of Shahrukh Khan would make this movie a super-hit as well. However, this was not to be. The movie came, got some good press, got some criticism over its length and the fact the movie seemed to many people too unrealistic, too much like a documentary. Come on, a successful NASA scientist chucking it all away, and then going off to generate electricity almost single-handedly for a rural village. Fiction indeed.



The fact remains, Swades is a great movie. The movie has a legend of 'We, the people', and seems to be a labor of love (with the movie having been written, produced and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker). It shows a fair amount of the ills such as lack of knowledge, illiteracy and discrimination that plague our villages. At the same time, it does not present these as obstacles that cannot be overcome (as many other movies do, which try to show conflict as the only way to resolve the problems). The movie has a great romance theme, heavily under-stated with a great new comer performance by Gayatri Joshi. The movie has great music, seemingly very appropriate for the movie theme (Music is by A. R. Rahman, lyrics by Javed Akhtar).
Swades is inspired by a real life NRI couple who returned to India (and who are credited in Swades), and developed a pedal power generator to light remote schools that are not on the power grid. Ashutosh Gowariker read about their effort in a book, got intrigued, and spent time with them. He also visited a remote village called Bilgaon in the Narmada Valley (the village is famous for volunteering effort 'shramdaan' to make their village self-sufficient in electricity). Inspired by all this, he set out to make the story about a disillusioned NRI who gets inspired enough to try to generate electricity for the village.
Mohan Bhargav (Shahrukh Khan) works for NASA, with a great career ahead of him. He is as far away from India's problems as possible. The turning point for him comes when he decides to go on vacation to India on his parents death anniversary, and to get his ayah / nanny Kaveriamma (Kishori Ballal) to come and live with him. When he reaches, he finds that his ayah no longer is in the ashram / home, but has been taken away by a woman. He reaches the village mentioned, and finds that his old childhood friend is the woman Gita who took Kaveriamma away. Mohan soon finds that the village has its own warts in terms of preventing low castes children from attending school, and is soon able to convince the village elders to change and let all children attend school.
Gita is not sure about why Mohan has come, and confronts him about trying to take Kaveriamma as a servant to the US. Mohan claims that he only wants her to have a comfortable life. Kaveriamma over-hears and sends Mohan on a journey that will change his life. He is sent to a village some distance away to collect rent on a property owned by Gita. Mohan travels over there, discovers that the tenant is in a pitiable condition, a former weaver who is not allowed to be a farmer because of caste and is leading a very bad life. Instead of collecting money, Mohan gives him some money. This visit shakes him.
He is now more convinced that change is required, to the point that he argues with village elders when they strive to convince him of the superiority of Indian civilization over American culture; he has seen a villager in a pitiable condition because of caste, and is unwilling to agree to a lot of lecture on the past; the present is what needs to improve. He gets his chance when there is an electricity failure during the Ramlila and asks for volunteer effort from the village in order to try and convert water at a height to turn a turbine and generate electricity.
He rigs up a pipe from a the water at a height to turn a turbine; this is the phase when he is also concurrently working on his NASA project as well as falling for Gita (and she, with those wonderfully expressive eyes, falling for him). He succeeds in generating power (captured in a magical, if somewhat romantic moment, when an old lady in a hut sees the bulb coming on). However, his time in the village is over. Kaveriamma refuses to go back with him to the US, and he has a tearful separation with Gita outside the village.
He gets back to his job in NASA, with a great career ahead of him, but he cannot forget his experiences of India and the village. He is in the dilemma of staying or going back, which means that his bright future in the US will be over; but can he follow his feelings and do what he think is right. He gets counseling from a friend, and from his boss, but to no avail. Once the satellite is launched, he resigns from NASA and gos back.
If you are a cynic, then this is nothing but a film-maker's attempt to cash in on patriotic feelings; but I would consider this a must see film for every Indian. If the movie inspires you to something that would do good for society and for the country, then it would be well worth it.

Videos of songs from the movie Swades

Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC-RFFIMXlA



Dekho Na

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCelLh20w8A



Swades theme music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9IpBA6aqOM



Saanwariya Saanwariya



yuhi chala chal rahi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VB2dHVNyds&feature=related



Swades



Yeh Tara Woh Tara

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HabrmCs7nFA&feature=related



Pal Pal Hai Bhari

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVCQh0a6qlQ





Lyrics:


Yeh Jo Desh Hain Tera (Sung by A R Rehman)

(Ye jo des hai tera, swades hai tera, tujhe hai pukaara¦
Ye woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahin sakta) -2

Mitti ki jo khushboo, tu kaise bhoolaayega
Tu chaahe kahin jaaye, tu laut ke aayega
Nayi nayi raahon mein, dabi dabi aahon mein
Khoye khoye dilse tere, koyi ye kahega
Ye jo des hai tera, swades hai tera, tujhe hai pukaara
Ye woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahin sakta

(Hmm…hmm…hmm…hmm…hmm…)
Tujhse zindagi, hai ye keh rahi
Sab toh paa liya, ab hai kya kami
Yun toh saare sukh hai barse
Par door tu hai apne gharse
Aa laut chal tu ab diwaane
Jahaan koyi toh tujhe apna maane
Awaaz de tujhe bulaane, wahi des
Ye jo des hai tera, swades hai tera, tujhe hai pukaara
Ye woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahin sakta
(Hmm¦hmm¦hmm¦hmm¦hmm¦)

Ye pal hai wahi, jis mein hai chhupi
Koyi ek sadi, saari zindagi
Tu na poochh raaste mein kaahe
Aaye hain is tarha do raahein
Tu hi toh hai raah jo sujhaaye
Tu hi toh hai ab jo ye bataaye
Chaahe toh kis disha mein jaaye wahi des
Ye jo des hai tera, swades hai tera, tujhe hai pukaara
Ye woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahin sakta




Yun HI Chala Chal (Sung by UDIT NARAYAN, HARIHARAN, KAILASH KHER)

Hariharan:
Yunhi chala, chal raahi -2
Kitni haseen hai ye duniya
Phool saare jamele, dekh phoolon ke mele
Badi rangeen hai duniya
Rum tum taana na nak tum tum taana na -3 bhaiya

Kailash:
Hmm¦aa¦aa¦aa¦

Udit:
(Ye raasta hai keh raha ab mujhse
Milne ko hai koyi kahin ab tujhse) -2

Kailash:
Ho¦oh ho ho ho ho¦ho ho ho ho ho¦

Udit:
Dil ko hai kyun ye betaabi
Kis se mulaaqaat honi hai
Jis ka kabse armaan tha
Shaayad wahi baat honi hai

Kailash:
Yunhi chala, chal raahi -2
Jeevan gaadi hai samay paiya
Aansoon ki nadiya bhi hai
Khushiyon ki bagiya bhi hai
Rasta sab tera takke bhaiya

Udit:
Yunhi chala, chal raahi -2
Kitni haseen hai ye duniya
Phool saare jamele, dekh phoolon ke mele
Badi rangeen hai duniya

Udit:
Hey na na na hey na na na
Hey hey hey eh hey…
Dekho jidhar bhi in raahon mein
Rang pighalte hain nihaagon mein
Thhandi hawa hai thhandi chhaaon hai
Door woh jaane kiska gaaon hai
Baadal ye kaisa chhaaya
Dil ye kahaan le aaya
Sapna ye kya dikhlaaya hai mujhko

Kailash:
Har sapna sach lage, jo prem agan jale
Jo raah tu chale apne mann ki
Har pal ki seeb se moti hi tu chune
Jo sada tu sune apne mann ki

Udit:
Yunhi chala, chal raahi -2

Hariharan:
Kitni haseen hai ye duniya

Udit:
Phool saare chamele, dekh phoolon ke mele
Badi rangeen hai duniya

Udit:
Mann apne ko kuch aise halka paaye
Jaise kandho pe rakha boj hat jaaye
Jaise bhola sa bachpan phirse aaye
Jaise barson mein koyi ganga nahaaye

Kailash:
Jaise… barson mein, koyi ganga nahaaye

Udit:
Khul sa gaya hai ye mann
Khul sa gaya har bandhan
Jeevan ab lagta hai paawan mujhko

Kailash:
Jeevan mein preet hai, honton pe geet hai
Bas yehi jeet hai sun le raahi
Tu jis disha bhi jaa, tu pyaar hi loota
Tu deep hi jala, sun le raahi

Udit:
Yunhi chala, chal raahi -2
Kaun ye mujhko pukaare
Nadiya pahaad jheel aur jharne, jangal aur waadi
In mein hai kiske ishaare

Udit & Hariharan:
Yunhi chala, chal raahi -2
Kitni haseen hai ye duniya
Phool saare jamele, dekh phoolon ke mele
Badi rangeen hai duniya

Udit:
Ye raasta hai keh raha ab mujhse
Milne ko hai koyi kahin ab tujhse

Hariharan: Rum tum taana na nak tum tum taana na -3 bhaiya
Kailash: Sa Ni Sa Ga Ga Ga Sa Ma Ma Ma Re Re Re
Udit: Sa Ni Sa Sa, Sa Ni Sa Sa
Kailash: Sa Ni Sa Ga Ga Ga Sa Ma Ma Ma Sa Pa Pa Pa
Udit: Sa Ni Sa Sa, Sa Ni Sa Sa
Hariharan: Yunhi chalaa¦ chal raahi
Udit: Sa Ni Sa Sa, Sa Ni Sa Sa
Hariharan: Kitni haseen hai ye duniya...




Dekho Na, Zara Dekho Na (Sung by ALKA YAGNIK, UDIT NARAYAN)

Alka:
Umm..hmm¦hmm¦hmm¦
Umm..hmm¦dekho na, zara dekho na
Tum ho main hoon aur ye tanhaaiyaan hai
Dekho na, zara dekho na
Kaisi narm si ye parchhaaiyaan hai
Suno zara, suno zara, dhadkanon ki sada
Suno zara, suno zara, geet khaamoshi ka
Suno zara, suno zara, kehti hai¦raat kya

Udit:
Raat hai leke aayi, kitne armaan anjaane
Kehti hai sau afsaane, sunta hoon main
Raat ne li angdaai, anhoni baat hai hoti
Bikhre hai jaise moti chunta hoon main
Tumne, ye kya keh diya
Meri aankhon mein diye hai jaise jal gaye
Tumne ye kya keh diya
Meri raaton ke andhere jaise dhhal gaye

Alka:
Tumse hi toh milke maine jaana hai
Sapne kya hote hain ho
Tumse hi toh milke maine jaana hai
Dil kaise kho-te hain oh..

Udit:
Chaandni se pyaari mujhko, in palkon ki chhaaon
Tumne basaaya mere dil mein, ik sapnon ka gaaon

Alka:
Tumne mujhko chaaha toh
Mausam rang chhalkaata hai
Har pal jee ab gaata hai mere liye

Udit:
Tumne mujhko chaaha toh
Jeevan ki saari raahein
Khole hain apni baahein mere liye

Alka:
Dekho na, zara dekho na
Tum ho main hoon aur ye tanhaaiyaan hai
Dekho na, zara dekho na
Kaisi narm si ye parchhaaiyaan hai

Udit:
Hmm¦tum bin din sune the raatein suni thi
Viraani thi chhaayi oh¦
Ab jaise din chamke raatein mehki hai
Tum ho jo hamraahi oh¦

Alka:
Tum bin jaise main thi adhoori
Poori ho gayi hoon main
Tumko paake jag paaya hai
Par khud kho gayi hoon main

Udit:
Ham dono ne ab jaana, jeene ka matlab kya hai

Alka:
Pehle kya thi ab kya hai, ye zindagi

Udit:
Ham dono ne ab jaana, duniya kitni pyaari hai

Alka:
Paayi kitni saari hai, hamne khushi

Udit:
Dekho na, zara dekho na
Tum ho main hoon aur ye tanhaaiyaan hai
Dekho na, zara dekho na
Kaisi narm si ye parchhaaiyaan hai

Alka:
Suno zara, suno zara, dhadkanon ki sada
Suno zara, suno zara, geet khaamoshi ka
Suno zara, suno zara, kehti hai¦raat kya




Pal Pal Hain Bhari (Sung by MADHUSREE, VIJAY PRAKASH, ASHUTOSH GOWARIKER)

Madhushree:
Aa¦aa¦

Madhushree:
Pal pal hai bhaari woh bipta haiyaai
Mohe bachaane ab aao raghu-raayi
Aao raghuveer aao, raghupati raam aao
More mann ke swaami, more shri raam aao
Raam raam japti hoon, sun lo meri raam aao
Raam raam jhapti hoon, sun lo meri raam ji
Baje satya ka danka, jale paap ki lanka
Issi shan tum aao, mukt karaao
Sun bhi lo ab meri duhaai
Pal pal hai bhaari woh bipta haiyaai
Mohe bachaane ab aao raghu-raayi


Vijay & Ashutosh:
Raam ko bhoolo ye dekho raavan aaya hai
Phaili saari shristi par jiski chhaaya hai
Jo jagti ho raam raam tum kyun leti ho
Raam naam tum
Raam raam ka ratan jo tumne hai lagaaya, sita
Sita tumne hai raam mein aisa kya gun paaya

Madhushree:
Dil paayega unke gun ko ye kya, itne shabd hi kahaan hai
Pahonchega us shikhari ke kaun bhala mere raamji jahaan hai
Jag mein sab se uttam hai, mariyaada purushottam hai
Sab se shakti-shaali hai, phir bhi rakhte sayam hai par
Unke sayam ki ab aane ko hai seema
Raavan samay hai, maang le kshama

All:
Baje satya ka danka, jale paap ki lanka
Aaye raaja raam kare ham pranaam
Sang laaye lakshman jaisa bhaai

Madhushree:
Pal pal hai bhaari woh bipta haiyaai
Mohe bachaane ab aao raghu-raayi

Vijay:
Raam mein shakti agar hai, raam mein saahas hai jo
Kyun hain aaye abhi tak, woh tumhaari rakhsha ko
In aparharan karne mein, bhagti nahin ho tum yahaan
Ye bataao woh tumhaare raam hai is pal kahaan

Madhushree:
Raam hriday hai mein mere, raam bhi dhadhkan mein hai
Raam mere aatma mein, raam hi jeevan mein hai
Raam har pal mein hai mere, raam hai har swaas mein
Raam har aasha mein meri, raam hi har aas mein

Vijay:
Ho..raam hi toh karuna mein hai, shaanti mein raam hai
Raam hi hai ekta mein, pragati mein raam hai
Raam bas bhakton nahin shatru ke beech chintan hai
Dekh taj ke paap raavan, raam tere mann mein hai
Raam tere mann mein hai, raam mere mann mein hai -2
Raam toh ghar ghar mein har, raam har aangan mein hai
Mannse raavan jo nikaale, raam uske mann mein hai -2

All:
Ho¦aa¦ho|aa¦ho¦ho¦ho¦

Madhushree:
Pal pal hai bhaari woh bipta haiyaai
Mohe bachaane ab aao raghu-raayi

All:
Suno raamji aaye, gun raam ke gaaye
Raaja raamchandra aaye, shri raamchandra aaye
Raamji aaye, gun raam ke gaaye
Shri raamchandra aaye ho…

All:
Suno raamji aaye, gun raam ke gaaye
Raaja raamchandra aaye, shri raamchandra aaye
Raamji aaye, gun raam ke gaaye
Shri raamchandra aaye ho¦




Saanwariya Saanwariya (Sung by Alka Yagnik)

(Saanwariya saanwariya, main toh huwi baawariya
Tune mann moh liya¦saanwariya ho¦) -2
Uljha sa ye mann hai, sulgha sa ye tann hai
Sapnon ka saawan hai, nainon ka aangan hai
Chhalke mann gaagariya..saanwariya ho¦saanwariya ho¦
Saanwariya saanwariya, main toh huwi baawariya
Tune mann moh liya¦saanwariya ho¦

Tara rara ra ra ra ra ra ra¦aa¦ -2

Jo tu yun paas aaya hai, jo tu yun dil pe chhaaya hai
Toh maine kya paaya hai, kaise kahoon haan
Kahin dhadhkan ki kaliyaan hai, kahin sapnon ki galiyaan hai
Jo mann mein rang-raliyaan hai, kaise kahoon
Tu jo, mujhe, aise, behkaaye, kabhi kabhi mujhe toh badi laaj si aaye
Bhooli hoon main jaise, apni dagariya
Jabse hai dekhi maine, prem nagariya, prem nagariya
Saanwariya saanwariya, main toh huwi baawariya
Tune mann moh liya¦saanwariya ho¦

Ho¦ho¦ho¦ho¦ho¦

Tu jo, mila, mujhe, toh ye saara, sama, badal gaya
Khilne lage hain phoolse meri raah mein
Phir yun, laga, mujhe ke ye dharti, nayi huwi
Naya ambar huwa, teri aur meri chaah mein
Chanchal, hawa, taraana koyi gaaye
Nadiya bhi koyi kahaani kehti jaaye
Jabse mili sajna, tujhse najariya
Ho gayi hai sudh-budh ki mujhse gathhariya
Saanwariya saanwariya
Saanwariya saanwariya, main toh huwi baawariya
Tune mann moh liya... saanwariya ho...

Tara rara ra ra ra ra ra ra¦aa¦ -2



Yeh Taara Woh Taara (Sung by UDIT NARAYAN, MASTER VIGNESH, BABY POOJA)

Udit:
Hey hey¦hey hey hey¦eh hey¦eh hey
Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho¦ ho ho¦ho ho ho¦
Ye taara woh taara har taara -2
Dekho jisse bhi lage pyaara
Ye taara woh taara har taara
(Ye sab saath mein jo hai raat mein
Toh jagmagaaya aasmaan saara) -2
Jagmag taare, do taare, lo taare sau taare
Jagmag saare, har taara hai sharaara

Udit:
Un mein dekhi hai dhanak toh, bolo rang kitne hain
Saath rang kehne ko, phir bhi sang kitne hain
Samjho sabse pehele toh, rang hote akele toh
Indranush banta hi nahin
Ek na ham ho paaye toh, anyaay se ladne ko
Hogi koyi janta hi nahin
Phir na kehna nirbal hai kyun haara hmm…aara taara
Ye taara woh taara har taara -3
Dekho jisse bhi lage pyaara
Ye sab saath mein jo hai raat mein
Toh jagmagaaya aasmaan saara
Jagmag taare, do taare, lo taare sau taare
Jagmag saare, har taara hai sharaara

Udit:
Boond boond milne se, banta ek dariya hai
Boond boond saagar hai, warna ye saagar kya hai
Samjho is paheli ko, boond ho akeli toh
Ek boond jaise kuchh bhi nahin
Ham auron ko chhode toh, munh sabse hi mude toh
Tanha rehna jaaye dekho ham kahin
Kyun na bane milke ham dhaara hmm..aara taara

Vignesh:
Ye taara woh taara har taara -3
Dekho jisse bhi lage pyaara
Ye taara woh taara har taara
Ye sab saath mein jo hai raat mein
Toh jagmagaaya aasmaan saara

Both:
Jagmag taare, do taare, lo taare sau taare
Jagmag saare, har taara hai sharaara

Udit:
Hey hey¦hey hey hey¦eh hey¦eh hey
Oh ho ho ho ho ho oho¦ ho ho¦ho ho ho¦

Udit:
Jo kisaan hal sambhaale, dharti sona hi ugaaye
Jo gowaala gaiya paale, dudh ki nadi bahaaye
Jo lohaar loha dhhaale, har auzaar dhhal jaaye
Mitti jo kumbhaar uthhaale, mitti pyaala ban jaaye
Sab ye roop hai mehnat ke, kuchh karne ki chaahat ke
Kissi ka kissi se koyi bair nahin
Sab ke ek hi sapne hain, socho toh sab apne hain
Koyi bhi kissi se yahaan ghair nahin
Seedhi baat hai samjho yaara¦hmm¦aara taara

Baby Pooja:
Ye taara woh taara har taara -2

Vignesh:
Dekho jisse bhi lage pyaara
Ye taara woh taara har taara

Udit:
Ye sab saath mein jo hai raat mein
Toh jagmagaaya aasmaan saara

Baby Pooja:
Jagmag taare, do taare, lo taare sau taare
Jagmag saare, har taara hai sharaara

Udit & Kids:
Ye taara woh taara har taara -3

Kids:
Ye taara woh taara har taara

Udit:
(Dekho jisse bhi lage pyaara)