Our Bodies Are Separated But Our Hearts Are Not ("Badan Juda Hote Hain", Koyla)

In Rakesh Roshan's 1997 action film Koyla, Shankar (Shah Rukh Khan) and Gauri (Madhuri Dixit) escape from, then are eventually caught by, Raja Saab (Amrish Puri) and his henchman - with disastrous consequences.

As Shankar and Gauri deal with a forced separation, the song "Badan Juda Hote Hain" reflects their continued devotion to each other. This song is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Juxtaposing a powerful syncopated rhythm against a mournful melodic cry of the heart echoes the emotional turmoil experienced by the hero and heroine. 

The Hindi lyrics can be translated as:

Our bodies are separated but our hearts are not.
How can they be separated? People are not God!

What's a mountain, compared to love?
Even the sky bows; love can't be stopped.
Even the sky bows; love can't be stopped...
Love can't be stopped.

Love is the greatest source of hope;
It's a cure hat cures a thousand illnesses!
Once it takes effect, it surpasses...
Once it takes effect, it surpasses...
Like a prayer that reaches all the way to God.

Our bodies are separated but our hearts are not.
How can they be separated? People are not God!

Even if love is conjured up in shadows of the impious!
It still remains pious! 
Just like the water of Ganges is muddied up!
Just like the water of Ganges is muddied up!
But Ganges still remains sacred!

Our bodies are separated but our hearts are not.
How can they be separated! People are not God!

As picturized, "Badan Juda Hote Hain" is both a song of reflection and a song of action. While Shankar heals and contemplates his past, present, and future, Gauri - with the help of Bindya (Deepshikha) - fights to keep herself pure despite being imprisoned in a brothel.

Here is the video of the song "Badan Juda Hote Hain", as composed by Rajesh Roshan, sung by Kumar Sanu and Preeti Singh, and picturized on Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit. 

 

Toward the end of this song, you hear the recurring theme music that is used throughout the film. This theme music is based on Vangelis' "Conquest of Paradise" which was originally composed for Ridley Scott's 1992 film 1492: Conquest of Paradise. This theme has been adapted, revised and integrated into "Badan Juda Hote Hain" as well as "Ghunghte Mein Chanda Hai" and much of the background music. It provides a "heroic" feeling to the storyline. 

 

The instrumentation of "Badan Juda Hote Hain" gives it a unique sound. As picturized, the village doctor appears to be playing a rabab - the sound of which we hear reflected in the soundtrack.

The rabab was initially introduced into Indian classical music around the 14th century. It was either bowed or plucked using a plectrum - something similar to the modern-day guitar pick. However, the Indian rabab has since been placed by the sursingar and surbahar.

With that in mind, the instrument picturized in Koyla is most likely the Afghan rabab which is still played in Kashmir. For the sake of sound comparison, here is the song "Baazigar O Baazigar" - from the film Baaziger, also starring Shah Rukh Khan - as played on an Afghan rabab.

 

If you liked this post, check out our other Music Monday or Koyla posts.