Composed by SD Burman with the words by Sahir Ludhianvi, this is a mix of melody, emotion, and lyrical beauty. Dutt’s voice brings an unparalleled depth-‘Kahin jiyaa nahin laage bin tore’-distils the utter fear and emptiness of being without one’s object of love. The fact that she is using the kirtan mode to render this longing makes the song realise the notion of divinity more accurately-it’s nothing but love and yearning.
The song is brittle, yet strong in its outpouring of love. Raadhe’s longing for Krishna in Maithili-‘Sakhi ri biraha ke dukhad’, the sweet pain of pining-is just a carrier for an all too human emotion. ‘Kaisi laagi ye lagan, kaisi jaagi ye agan/ jiya dheer dharan nahin paaye’ tells you about a restlessness that can find rest only through one way. The divine, you see, is all very human.