Narcissism is seen as some kind of personality disorder denoting an exaggerated sense of self-importance, arrogant, self-centred behaviour and need for excessive attention and admiration. Narcissus in the Greek mythology was cursed by the gods to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. When he saw his reflection he became transfixed in love, he slowly pined away and died. If anyone calls you a narcissist, you will become defensive, and vehemently protest. But my views have changed after I became an admirer of the girl from Gujarat (GFG) since she decided to marry herself, as she could not think of anyone she would love as much as she loved herself. It is trite that one has to love oneself to be happy. A low self-esteem would make a person brooding, sad and a misfit in the society. No one admires a person who pines Ab mera kaun sahara or Teri duniya mein dil lagta nahin, wapas bula le. You would much rather prefer a wild person who prances around with Yaar chulbula hai.
The GFG Kshama is an inspiring example for such persons. Most of us are narcissists in some degree. Kshama has helped us in coming out of the closet. Now I have no hesitation in admitting that I am a narcissist.
Bollywood has a sharp insight into social and individual realities. Therefore, you can be sure that there are several songs which can be described as songs of narcissists.
1. Main jahan chala jaaun, bahaar chali aaye, ho mahak jaaye raahon ki dhool, main banphool, ban ka phool by Kishore Kumar from Banphool (1971), lyrics Anand Bakshi, music Laxmikant Pyarelal
This song takes the cake as the ultimate song of a narcissist. Jitendra asserts with supreme self-confidence that wherever he goes, spring follows behind and the dust of the pathway becomes fragrant with his aroma as he breezes along.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9EZ373V7SM
2. Main aashiq hun bahaaron ka, fizaaon ka, nazaaron ka/ Main mastana musafir hun jawan dharti ke anjaane kinaaron ka by Mukesh from Aashiq (1962), lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar-Jaikishan
This is a song of a mild narcissist. Raj Kapoor does not claim that the spring, the climes, the sights and sounds are all because of him, but he does proclaim his attributes in a flowery language – that he has been coming to this world for hundreds of years, in different lands in a different guise, a la सम्भवामि युगे युगे, to spread the message of love, and bring cheers to the lives of the hapless people:
Sadiyon se jag mein aata raha main
Naye rang jeevan mein lata raha main
Har ek des mein, nit naye bhes mein
Main aashiq hun
Chala gar safar mein koi besahara
To main ho liya sang liye ektara
Gata hua dukh bhulata hua
Main aashiq hun
3. Nahin dekha kabhi pahle ye phool hai kin gulzaaron ka, Main aashiq hun bahaaron ka by Kishore Kumar from Aashiq Hun Bahaaro Ka (1977), lyrics Anand Bakshi, music Laxmikant-Pyarelal
As a person Rajesh Kumar was said to be arrogant, conceited and self-centred, which led to his downfall after a dream run which earned him the moniker, ‘The Phenomenon’, the only star described as such. His swagger in this song perfectly matches with his image; he also declares Mujhe jo pasand hai main chhodta nahin, and tells Zeenat Aman imperiously, Tum si haseenon ki ho khaak kadar, Hum log rang roop ko na dekhen agar (No one would care for bimbos like you, if dandies like us do not flirt with you).
4. Main gareebon ka dil hun watan ki zubaan, bekason ke liye pyar ka aasmaan by Hemant Kumar from Aab-e-Hayaat (1955), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri, music Hemant Kumar
Premnath swaggers down the street as if he owns it. Not everyone can carry it with such élan:
Main jo gata chalun saath mehfil chale
Main jo badhata chalun saath manzil chale
Mujhe raah dikhaati chalein bijliyan
Main gareebon ka dil
And the ultimate narcissist:
Husn bhi dekhkar mujhse hairaan hai
Ishq ko mujhse milne ka armaan hai
Apni duniya ka hun main haseen naujawan
Main gareebon ka dil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p46HblFw5Pg
5. Main deewana mastana mushquil bhed mera pa jana by Mukesh from 40 days (1959), lyrics Kaifi Azmi, music Babul
Premnath again, now on horseback, cutting a dashing figure, proclaims the world is under his boot, no one dare pick up a quarrel with him. Narcissists are also obsessed with their handsome looks:
Duniya meri thokar mein
Toofan qaid mere saagar mein
Sara zamana mera nishana
Khel nahin mujhse takrana
Mushqil bhed mera paa jana
Main deewana mastana
Charche mere panghat par
Roke raah machal ke dilbar
Mast jawaani meri deewaani
Husn mujhe de dil nazraanaa
Mushqil bhed mera paa jana
Main deewana mastana
6. Maan mera ahsaan arey naadan ki maine tujhse kiya hai pyar by Rafi from Aan (1952), lyrics Shakeel Badayuni, music Naushad
Narcissists do not believe in the dictum नेकी कर और दरिया में डाल. If the commoner Dilip Kumar loves the haughty princess Nadira, it has to rubbed in and she has to feel obliged.
7. Mere man ki Ganga aur tere man ki Jamuna ka bol Radha bol sangam hoga ki nahin by Mukesh (and Vyjayanthimala) from Sangam (1964), lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar-Jaikishan
Sangam is a tragedy of two bosom friends – one, an extreme narcissist and the other, a meek dumbo – falling in love with the same girl. Since a narcissist believes he is god’s gift to the mankind, he can’t believe that the girl he has fallen for can spurn his advances. Raj Kapoor cannot take ‘No’ for an answer. He does not let go until Vyjayanthimala says ‘yes’ in exasperation. The same narcissism permeates in Har dil jo pyar karega wo gana gayega and O mehbooba, tere dil ke paas hi hai meri manzil-e-maqsood (Sab dekhate rah jayenge le jaunga ek din).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kDPTrnvw-U
8. O jaaneman dilara ek nazar idhar bhi…Aasman se aya farishta pyar ka sabak sikhalaane by Rafi from An Evening in Paris (1967), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri, music Shankar-Jaikishan
If you thought I used ‘god’s gift to the mankind’ as an idiomatic expression, in this one Shammi Kapoor comes down a helicopter literally as a farishta from the heaven to teach the lesson of love. Ignore his bathrobe, farishtas from heavens do not waste time in dressing up in rushing to help people in distress. This one is similar to the earlier song lip-synched by his elder brother. In this one too, Sharmila Tagore finally yields to Shammi Kapoor’s demand that she admit she is in love with him.
9. Yahoo….Chaahe koi mujhe junglee kahe, kahne do ji kahta rahe by Rafi from Junglee (1961), lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar-Jaikishan
Now we can see the positive side of being a narcissist. Shammi Kapoor does not care if people call him junglee. In fact in later years, he becomes bolder to dare ‘Budtameez kaho ya kaho jaanwar’. For all he cares, Kahne do ji kahta rahe. This supreme self-confidence finally leads to a happy ending.
10. Main hun jhum jhum jhum jhum jhumroo by Kishore Kumar from Jhumroo (1961), lyrics and music Kishore Kumar
I end with Kishore Kumar’s superb narcissistic song which again shows the positive side of being a narcissist. He is carefree; dances, sings and lives life at his own terms:
Main hun jhum jhum jhum jhum jhumroo
Fakkad ghumun banke ghumroo
Mere dil mein hai pyar har kisi ke liye
O mujhko pyara har insaan, dilawalon pe hun qurban
Zindagi hai meri zindagi ke liye
Main hun jhum jhum jhum jhum jhumroo
Fakkad ghumun banke ghumaroo
Main ye pyaar ka geet sunata chala
Manzil pe meri nazar, main duniya se bekhabar
Beeti baaton pe dhool udata chala
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYV7wRovPhY
Acknowledgements and Disclaimer:
1. The thumbnail picture of the painting of Narcissus has been gratefully taken from Google Images.
2. The YT links of songs have been embedded only for the listening pleasure of music lovers.
3. This blog claims no copyright over the image or the songs, which belong to the respective owners.
{ 78 comments… read them below or add one }
AK ji
Your Magic box is unending .
The very first impression I have about the list is absence of Dev Anand and Madhubala. May be because Dev was called as Adonis of bollywood Madhubala the Venus and maybe because nither of them was a narcissist.
So will these songs fit here?
Main sitaro ka Tarana – Chalti ka naam gaadi- Majrooh – SDB – Kishor and Asha
https://youtu.be/Ob56hsABMts
Nafarat karanewalo ke seene me – Johney Mera Naam- Indivar- KA- Kishor
https://youtu.be/LdRAYjtloiQ
AKji,
Don’t you think the selfie craze is also an example of narcissism? People have lost lives trying to click she perfect selfies.
The song that came to my mind when I read your post is from the V.Shantaram movie Teen Batti Chaar Raasta. This song impressed me because the lyrics were very different. It speaks of how beauty is skin deep.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F60pDz-wko
apni adaa par main hoon fidaa
koi chaahe na chaahe meri balaa
Wow ! What a subject. and what a connecting link to the current topic!
But as you read through the songs , one realizes that yes there is an element of narcissism in everyone.
Just as
Na Main Bahgwan Na Main Shaitan Hun… Duniya Jo Chahe Samajae Main To Insaan Hun seems to take off in very modest style, but as the interludes unfold, the narcissism come up on the surface, so glaringly
https://youtu.be/TfyFkhkiZOY
Mr Muli,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Dev Anand and Madhubala: You have posed a nice challenge. There must be some songs of their narcissism.
“Nafrat karnewalon”: is a very nice song of a narcissist.
“Main sitaron ka tarana”: Very mild narcissist, because his main focus is to get his 5 rupaiya 12 anna.
Anita,
That is a nice observation about selfie.
“Apni ada mar main hun fida” is a perfect song of a narcissist.
Ashokji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Inverse modesty too can be narcissistic. “Na main Bhagwan hun” is a nice example.
AK ji
I feel that Main sitaro ka Tarana may fit if we consider it from Madhubala’s point of view.
Another observation is that the list is dominated by Kapoors and Kapoor-in- law.
How about Kapoor and sons ?
Father and son bragging about their Ada with the same song in different films.
Bachana Ye Hasino – Hum Kisise Kam Nahi – Majrooh- RDB – Kishor
https://youtu.be/or5PI8CyL10
Bachana Ye Hasino remix
https://youtu.be/bh2O4oyB1UM
Mr Muli,
We can now develop a theory of Kapoors. Since they are the family of great showman, their screen roles would also reflect their narcissist persona.
AK,
Your post makes it seem that there are no narcissists among the fairer sex. Here’s a song that disproves this tacit hypothesis of yours!
“Tum jaise bigde babu se” by Lata, from ‘Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai’ (1961), Lyricist – Hasrat Jaipure, MD – SJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bXLnfJar0Q
Would it also qualify as one in which a narcissist addresses another narcissist?
Here’s a Tamil song in which the heroine declares herself to be a pretty girl.
‘Azhagaana ponnu naan’ by P.Bhanumathy, from ‘Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum’ (1956). Lyricist – A.Maruthakasi, MD – Susarla Dakshinamurthi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtV2i4JWzJg
It seems the tunes of all the songs in this movie were taken from the Hindi version that was released 2 years earlier. Here is the original version in Hindi of the song above:
‘Dekhoji chaand aaya peeche khajur ke’ by Asha Bhosle from ‘Ali Baba & 40 Thieves’ (1954). Lyricist – Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, MD – S.N.Tripathi/Chitragupta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhqdyELCBe4
My! What a theme. 🙂 Lovely songs, too, AK. I can’t help but think of Kareena Kapoor’s Geet from Jab We Met who says, ‘Main apna favourite hoon!”
Ashwin,
Women are narcissists because every woman is a narcissist. I have not seen a woman stepping out of her home without carrying a tiny mirror and a collection of tubes and small bottles, all in her purse for touching up the make up which might have faded.
“Tum jaise bigde babu se” is a good example of one narcissist talking to another. ‘Dhin dhin dhin dhin naachun aur duniya ko nachaaun’.
Thanks for describing the Tamil song with reference to the Hindi song, ‘Dekhoji chaand nikla peechhe khajur ke’.
Anu,
Thanks a lot. ‘Main apni favourite hun’ comes in the film when Shahid Kapoor is at his lowest self-esteem. Kareena Kapoor is a carefree, chirpy, innocent girl who comforts Shahid Kapoort.
AKji,
Narcissism, in HFSs. Another deliberately deviation from the usual. A post for the narcissists, of the narcissists, by a narcissist. Kudos to you for your an insatiable appetite for introducing/ exploring new subject matters. Recognizing narcissism in others is relatively easy, while recognizing it in self is ever more challenging. Kudos again. And the narcissists of the world unite!
The first publicized act of self-marriage, I gather, was by Linda Baker, a dental hygienist from the US, who married herself in 1993. It seems, Brazilian model, Cris Galera’s narcissism , lasted only for 90 days, when she divorced herself. What do you call it? And When you or on the subject of narcissism, the name of Donald Trump should come up without fail.
I would mention two songs that I could recollect instantly.
I remember Shammi Kapoor declaring Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin Is Ambar ke Neechhe in Teesri Manzil. May be a case of mild narcissism.
Another song that I heard from a recent film Munna Michel, during the lock down was
Main hoon, bas yahan main hoon
Mere jaisa koi hai kahaan
Main hoon, aage aage main hoon
Mere piche saara hai jahaan
Even he claims, he can make the wind bow before him, etc.etc.
Will be back if I could gather some more.
Venkataramanji,
Thanks a lot. Real thanks are due to the GFG Kshama who has helped in letting our suppressed souls come out of the closet. Happy to see you proclaiming the event in such profound words.
I didn’t know about the two earlier cases. I searched the net. Both had some angst about life, so they did the unusual thing to make a statement. Kshama was not trying to make a political statement. She was not fed up waiting for a Prince Charming. Soon after she was of a marriageable age, she betrothed herself. In legal terms it was a marriage simpliciter. Therefore, I would still credit her for being the first case of a real sologamy. Being so unconventional, it raises some fundamental questions – What are the legal rights of each partner who is the same person about inheritance, or raising a child? During honeymoon how can a party enforce her conjugal rights against herself. In case of a marital dispute reaching the Family Court, how does the court counsel the disputants solo parties to give the marriage a chance. In case of irreconcilable differences and temperamental incapabilities between the partners how does the court decide the right and wrong between Kshama and Kshama? The society has to find answers to these ticklish questions.
Donald Trump was smart, smarter than others, he was the best, he would have made America great again, therefore, he was a perfect narcissist. The entire outside world was jealous of him. Deewana mujh sa nahin is a very nice song of a narcissist.
Munna Michel song is a very nice one. With a slight change, Main aisa kyon hun, main vaisa kyon hun was a song of a confused and wavering person. Thanks a lot for your detailed comments.
AKji,
Another innovative post with enjoyable songs.
Its indeed remarkable the way you coming with such unusual and interesting themes.
How about this one?
Mast baharon ka main aashiq from Farz (1967)
The hero proclaims – saara jahan hain mere liye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAtEKo31hsA
Here’s one Marathi song from a relatively recent film – Sanai Choughade (2008) (Wedding Band)
Music & Singer – Avdhoot Gupte
Chandra mi surya mi ( i am the moon, I am the sun).
It actually has an English line – Nothing is impossible when it comes to me, when its left to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcASSXXQjas
Dr Deshpande,
Mast bahaaron ka main aashiq is a perfect reply to SJ-Shammi Kapoor’s Yahoo’. Perfect song of a narcissist. I think LP were also proclaiming that they would soon outdo and outwit SJ.
What a theme!
AKji, hats off.
Enjoyed it.
Would this song qualify?
Main hoon bas main hoon
from KHGN
https://youtu.be/QaZsoaoW2s4
And,
Chand taare tod laaun
From Yes Boss
https://youtu.be/DIAcdeG70IE
A lot of confidence and self praise. The verses are full of it too.
Anup
🙂
Here is one more: Bahaaro.n Ne Jise ChheRa Hai from Sunehre Din (1949) – Mukesh’s vocals on Raj Kapoor
बहारों ने जिसे छेड़ा है वो साज-ए-जवानी है
ज़माना सुन रहा है जिसको वो मेरी कहानी है
And then:
चमन में सबने ही गाया तराना ज़िन्दगानी का
मगर सबसे अलग था रंग मेरी ही कहानी का
फ़साना इस क़दर रंगीन था मेरी जवानी का
कि जिसने भी सुना कहने लगा मेरी कहानी है
Video link: https://youtu.be/eaIWX8xG0aw
AK ji,
Yes. Some amount of Narcissism is there in every individual.
Mere liye aati hai sham
Chanda bhi hai mere ghulam.
…
RATON KA RAJA hoon main.
Meri galiyon mein logon ki yaari bad gayi
Sab ke nazron mein meri jawani chad gayi..
DHARMATMA
Champa nahin, Chameli nahin
Main Ghenda nahin, Gulab nahin
Phir bhi jo dekhe bole tera jawab nahin
Main kya karoon ji
Main hoon Phool Banu…
SAUDAGAR.
Laila main Laila
Aisi hoon Laila
…
Jisko bhi dekhoon
Majnu bana doon…
QURBANI.
3 Narcissists here:
Muqabla hum se na karo
Hamare samne kiska chirag jalta hai?
Hamare aage Sooraj bhi haath malta hai !!! ( burning ambition!!! )
Hamare samne jalwe bhi sar jhukate hain.
PRINCE, 1969.
AK ji, Ashwin ji
Here are few more songs to disprove the ” tacit ” hypothesis
1 In baharo me Akele – Mamta- Majrooh – Roshan – Asha and Rafi
https://youtu.be/vXOj7KdXGBs
Here she is not content with the praise heaped by him in the first antara and goes the whole hog in the second
मेरे कदमोंसे बहारों की गली
मेरा चेहरा देखती है हर कली
जानते है मुझे सब गुलजार में
रंग सबको मेरे होठोंसे मिले
Perhaps this is a perfect foil to Jumping Jack’s banphool.
And you have Rekha declaring that
2 इक सिर्फ हमी मय को
आंखोसे पिलाते है
Umrao Jaan- Shaharyar – Khayyam – Asha
https://youtu.be/pwsjRraWgdA
3 And way back in 70s Majrooh penned this
Statutory warning given by an not do fair narcissist
मेरे नशेमे दिलवाला चुर रहे
जिसको है जीवन प्यारा
वो दुर रहे
Rampur ka lakshman – RDB – Asha
https://youtu.be/l-KRC8Z6ruk
Great theme AK. Dr Shetty has mentioned a song from Saudagar, which is probably filmed on Padma Khanna. The same film also has a song lip-synced by Amitabh: ‘Har haseen cheez ka main talbgar hoon.’ And what about ‘Main hoon DON?’
As for Madhubala, this link doesn’t have the video but otherwise the words fit the theme, ‘Dekho jadu bhare more nain.’
https://youtu.be/q9KQlsdjLG4
For Dev Anand, ‘Hai apna dil to awara’ is on the same theme. He feels he is free to pick whoever takes his fancy. Same is true of Shammi Kapoor in ‘Jawaniyan yen mast mast bin piye.’
Anup,
Thanks a lot. ‘Main hun bas main hun’ is a befitting song. ‘Chaand taare tod laaun’ is such a nice song and fits perfectly.
Shekhar,
बहारों ने जिसे छेड़ा should qualify as a song of a narcissist.
Here is in your area of interest. Ghalib as a narcissist:
हैं और भी दुनिया में सुखनवर बहुत अच्छे
कहते हैं कि ग़ालिब का है अंदाज़े बयां और
Now you can supply his couplets as a despondent, dejected person of low self-esteem. In personal life too there was this duality. As a poet he considered Zauq and others inferior to him, but most of his life he wrote abject petitions to the British government pleading to increase his वज़ीफ़ा.
AKji @12:
Thanks for another potentially blockbuster theme with multiple dimensions–so apt for today’s politicians!
If ever proof was needed for the universality of your observation ‘women are narcissists …’, here is one. I was reading a book on the history of patents. In the 19th century, the U.S. Patents office had granted a patent for a ‘fishing tackle’ in which the bait comprised a mirror. The applicant had explained its functioning by stating that while it would be ineffective against the male fish, ‘the attractiveness of a mirror for the female of the species is well known’…!
Here is how Shyama replies to Talat’s entreaties:
‘Chand aaina mera taare mere naksh-e-kadam,
Gair se aankh milane ki tamanna kyun ho. …’
(‘Pyas kuchh aur’–Talat and Asha in ‘Lala Rukh’, MD: Khayyam):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbFzujRgUSM&ab_channel=mastkalandr
Apologies for being tardy with comments lately.
AK ji,
Just yesterday, I came across this word in relation to the deluge of news pertaining to Amber-Depp saga. But then, your reference was much closer home. 🙂
As far as adding songs is concerned, I have decided to jump the fence and represent two songs of empaths and not narcissists. I know its not ok, but nonetheless, for the sake of contrast, here I go and hope my assertion is right.
https://youtu.be/uB60gliKCK4
https://youtu.be/9urZBwBTsig
Does Main Rangeela song from Chhoti Bahen fit into this catagory?
Another interesting theme and nice songs . There may not be many songs on this theme as people never want to admit that they are narcissists . About the Gujarat girl story …I look at it as something unnatural and she has only declared that she would remain a spinster and there are so many such persons .
I do not know if this song fits in here.
‘ jo hum mein…’ / SADHANA / 1958 / Sahir Ludhyanvi / N Datta / Lata
https://youtu.be/RelDbCACggA
Dr Shetty @21, 22, 23,
All the songs are perfect songs of narcissists.
Meri galiyon mein logon ki yari badh gayi and the challenge to the protagonist that he has to show his prowess to take her is interesting. Hema Malini’s persona is very uncharacteristic of her and she does a Zeenat Aman, who is in her elements in Laila O Laila from Qurbani.
Muqabala humse na karo: Who won among the three? Shammi Kapoor of the First Family of Bollywood seems to me to be the winner.
I guess Qawwalis should qualify .
Do not know if this fits in .
‘ Ada bijli badan… ‘ / BARSAAT KI RAAT / 1960 / Sahir Ludhyanvi / Roshan / Asha , Sudha Malhotra , Shankar – Shambhu ?
https://youtu.be/T_iCzcbewN0
Mr Muli @24,
These songs are very interesting. There is a common connection – Asha Bhosle. In aankhon ki masti ke, is the high point of three person’s career: Rekha as the tawaif, Asha Bhosle as the singer and Khayyam as the music director. I agree with you that there is no tacit understanding. Rather, in In bahaaron mein akele na phiro there is a rejoinder to Dharmendra’s patronising advisory not to go out alone. In the last song, ‘the statutory warning’ is a very nice observation.
Subodh @25,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Main hun Don is the ultimate narcissist. He killed someone because he did not like that person’s shoes. The police of eleven countries were after him, but catching him was not only difficult, it was impossible.
Canasya @28,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. You always come with a novel angle. ‘Fishing tackle’ is a nice story. Narcissism is in the DNA of women. If you have analysed Indian women’s fetish for ever-increasing sari-collection you would understand the reason. I used to be quite scornful of this obsession until I realised the reason closer home. In my extended family, a tech-savvy niece posted the picture of one of the aunts in some marriage, and a picture of hers in the same sari five years ago in another family wedding with the caption: ‘Aunt’s favourite sari’ with a smiley. Then followed a series of clever comments with smileys. The lady wished the earth opened and swallowed her in its belly.
Since this faux pas came out in the open, for any family wedding my wife gives me the task of rummaging through the last ten year’s Google Photos of family weddings to check which saris she had worn. These have to be ruled out and different saris have to be selected for the new wedding.
A family wedding is normally a three-day affair. With daily two changes she has to use six saris. If there were five such weddings in the last ten years, 30 saris have to be scrapped. There are other get-togethers too, and a good deal of saris have to be ruled out. Now you get the hang of it. For men there is no such problem because we have just a few dresses which serve in every function.
Pyas kuchh aur bhi bhadka di jhalak dikhla ke is one of the best Talat duets. Thanks for pointing out the narcissism angle.
Mahesh @29,
I am surprised that the word ‘narcissism’ was used for Amber-Depp affair. The words that occurred to me were ‘sadism’ and ‘masochism’. Both bruised and damaged each other. Washing dirty linen in public never helps a person in a marriage. The judge awarded damages to both. That would appear even-handed, but he gave one four times that of the other.
KB @30,
Main rangeela pyar ka rahi: Such self-praise is an example of a narcissist.
Mr S Joseph @31,
Jo hum mein hai matwali ada….Aise vaise thikaanon pe jana bura hai is a fit song. Here there is a reversal of roles. The woman is issuing a warning/advisory, generally a male domain, ‘Bacn ke rahna meri jaan zamana bura hai’.
Contrary to your speculation, there are a large number of such songs as the readers have shown. Give a free flow to your imagination and memories. There is a great difference in how you describe the Kshama decision. She has not declared that she would remain a spinster. That has a negative connotation and is a matter if protest. She has said in a very positive way, she has to decided to marry herself as she cannot think of loving anyone more than she loves herself.
@33,
Nigah-e-naaz ke naaron ka haal kya hoga: is a song of competitive narcissism. This is a common feature of qawwali muqabala songs.
AK ji
If you approve this song it creates a unique category,
Child narcissist. And I bet there may not be a better one than Jr. Mehmood.
I had seen this movie at the age of 12 years and obviously liked the song immensely at that time .
Aisa banuga actor main yaaro – Ghar Ghar ki Kahani – Qumar Jalalabadi- KA – Hemlata
https://youtu.be/o0gHrRfuIQ8
Junior Mahmood also reprised, ‘Hum kaale hain to kya hua diwale hain’. That is also a song of a narcissist. However, for children it passes off as a childish prank.
Not a song, but a clip featuring the ultimate narcissist – Raj Kumar. He uses the opening of a famous ghazal by Jigar Moradabadi:
https://youtu.be/lTnyJ9F6Sh4
I think we should stop saying ‘oh what a topic’, because if we do we will be repeating this at least a dozen times every year. I will also not talk about the songs posted and only a surprise that the best narcissist of them Shammi Kapoor comes only at no 8. Even the point about there being no female narcissist has already been mentioned by Ashwin. There were three songs each by Kishore, Mukesh and Rafi and one by Hemant.
Now I mention a song, the mukhda of which does not give a hint about it being in any way narcissist song, but in the antara the words appear to depict the story of Narcissus. The song is ‘koi nahin hai phir bhi hai mujko na jane kiska intejar’ from Patthar Ke Sanam (lyrics Majrooh). The second antara says-
‘paani men chhavi main dekhun khadi khadi
baalon men saja le kaliyan badi badi,
phir banoon aap hi bekaraar’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDNbYdrUTFo
Here are some songs of the eternal narcissist Shammi.
Jab tak hum hain hum hi hum hain – Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya – Shakeel – Ravi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzUvJEag6O0&t=166s
Mujhe apna yaar bana lo to ho jaun sansar ka – Boy Friend – Hasrat – SJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6KJ__KLAEc
Jane wale jara hoshiyar yahan ke hum hain – Raj Kumar – Shailendra – SJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lblIwEXdbDA
Subodh @42,
I have earlier mentioned real-reel correlation. Raj Kumar was a natural narcissist. The filmmakers let their imagination run riot in creating डायलॉगबाजी for him. Nice one.
Hans @43,
Thanks a lot. The inspiration for this post was the GFG Kshama, but all the ten songs that came to my mind involuntaryily we’re all for males. Paani mein chhavi main dekhun khadi khadi is a great discovery. The narcissist here is a woman. Your songs with explanation are great.
Shammi Kapoor as the greatest narcissist perhaps beyond question. Rajkumar though gives a tough competition with his baritone with a serious demeanour.
AKji @ 36:
‘Sari beech nari hai ki nari beech sari hai,
Ki sari hi ki nari hai ki nari hi ki sari hai.’ – Bhushan
Draupadi found herself amid a mountain of sari after an unfortunate traumatic experience. But minus that ordeal, that mountain would have been an Indian woman’s idea of heaven itself. Sari is the defining part of an Indian woman’s identity, nay, (along with the bindi) the defining part of India’s identity abroad. Whenever I have been overseas, many times I have been asked about sari (and bindi).
The problem comes when a woman decides to renew her identity each time she steps outside. And it is not sari alone. A woman going to a function is an exquisitely assembled craft exhibition–with a matching blouse, necklace, and pendant, jhumkas or earrings, purse, footwear, nail polish, lipstick, eyelashes, …. I thank the vamps of Bollywood who made matching contacts taboo. Otherwise, we would have been buying those as well by the dozens.
An extreme case of the fetish to match things occurred in an MBA class. A case on Singapore Airlines was scheduled for discussion. The girl who was presenting the case came dressed as the ‘Singapore Girl’ (one can buy the uniform of a Singapore Airlines air hostess from the airline or shops in Singapore). How appropriate!
Perhaps a faux pas worse than the one described by you is when two women are seen at a party wearing the same sari! Sellers have realized this. As a result, designer saris from leading shops are guaranteed to be unique unless you especially order multiple pieces. Contrast this with what men do. Around the end of our MBA, some of my friends had gone to Raymond’s shop to get suits stitched in preparation for upcoming interviews. All of them were instantly attracted to a navy blue plaid suiting fabric on display, and each in unison, opted for the same! It did not matter that they might be attending the same interview. That would have been unthinkable for the girls in my class.
Earlier you could rely on public memory being short. Now Google too has conspired against you to make those memories permanent with near-instant recall. Let us pray that the “repeater’s” trend toward ‘sustainable fashion’ gathers steam and that celebrities like Kate Middleton and Michelle Obama take this up at the next meeting at Davos. Till that time we can admire the sartorial elegance that a woman in a sari represents while listening to Lata singing ‘Main albeli’ from Buzdil (MD: SDB). The Carnatic style gamakas in the mukhara is charming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l14JPXX-AN8&ab_channel=Tommydan333
Canasya,
Knowing men are quite limited in sartorial sense, the standard colour for formal suits has been simplified to be around blue-gray-black, and shirt cotton plain white. Women have allowed a small compromise in accessories. Now a bag can go with a group of saris.
I sympathesise with the women’s plight. With their sari-fetish God has given them elephantine memory. This has a positive side – they remember all the birthdays and wedding anniversaries, but it is far overtaken by their memory of who wore what in which function in the last ten years. This feature can lead to some serious situations. Before any get-together at a friend’s place, there is a feverish enquiry who all are coming. There was some doubt whether Sunil-Sunita were coming. Anita gave the task to her husband to find out as she set upon the task of selecting the sari and getting ready. The hubby reported that they were not coming. As they reached there, Sunita opened the door and gave a woof of joy, Hi, Anita you are wearing such a pretty sari! It looked even prettier at Vimla’s reception that night! An ashamed Anita faintly said, but my husband told me you were not coming? “Sunil is a lazy bum, but how could I not come when my dear friend was coming!” ‘My dear friend, my foot! Nasty woman!’ The lashing the husband got at home was fully justified. Why did he not have the sense to speak to Sunita too, besides Sunil?
Canasya,
Your song @46 reminded me of another song starting with the same words ‘main albeli’ from Shikar, which clearly has a superlative degree of narcissism in it. Here it is-
Main albeli pyar jata kar le leti hoon dil – Asha – Hasrat – SJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhGHwFPboIM
AK @ 45,
Raj Kumar is basically known as narcissist through his dialogues. As a rule, he got or sought few songs and even in the few songs he got it will be hard to find many narcissist songs. Here is the one which came to my mind in which he is praising himself – though pricipally his trade.
Ghoda pishori mera tanga lahori mera – Pyar Ka Bandhan – Rafi – Sahir – Ravi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vkkxunFP-g
AK and Canasya,
Both of you appear to have quite a mastery about women matters. I have also seen some of them with sleeve-less dress without any woollens on a January night wedding and Haryana is quite conservative in women matters. But, I am batting here a bit for women. I think it is not the case in general though they care more for their dress than men. On the other hand there are women, in large numbers, who will cut a Rs. 150 sari in two parts and just wrap it round wear the two parts through a whole year and do their chores. So the world is very diverse.
Here are a few female songs in the category. It will be noticeable that such songs mostly fell in the lap of vamps.
Main hoon atom bamb – Dr Shaitaan – Geeta – MD N Dutta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo_Cg5VGHdU
Main to jungle ki chancahl hiraniya – Chamkee – Geeta – MD Manna Dey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kULMW32EnY
Another similar song to the song of Chamkee above is from Tower House.
O jara bachke shikari shikar karna – Asha – MD Ravi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpRS9YqHvs0
Even this old song is on a vamp.
Mere pehlu men hai zindagani – Elaan – Zohrabai – MD Naushad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noEC6eIdsE4
Hans @50,
A non-Haryanavi husband per force becomes knowledgeable in women matters. In the weddings I have attended in winters, every woman is willing to risk hypothermia than cover herself with a shawl. The tragedy is no one can acquire mastery despite the constant training by the wife.
Hans @51,
Here is a song in which the heroine is a narcissist.
Main hun gori naagan dekhungi rasiya, kaise aaj nahin baaje teri been re by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Naache Nagin Baaje Been (1960), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Chitraguta
In naagin-snake charmer folklore, the sanpera is more powerful. His been casts a spell on the she-serpent, and now he can easily trap her and put her away disdainfully in his basket. But in this reversal Kumkum dares Chandrashekhar she is waiting to see how long he can resist playing the been. Chandrashekhar is left pleading with her not to snatch his small heart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5IEg-Ro22w
Qawwalis often have competitive narcissism.
Here, we have Pran saying….
ye suraj chand aur taare chale mere isharon par..
Dharma 1973
Sonik Omi – Verma Malik – Rafi, Asha
Raaz ki baat keh du to
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHX1TtiFT58
Dr Deshpande,
Some muqabala qawwalis have competitive roasting. Here is one from the movie Putlibai sung by Rashida Khatoon and Yusuf Azad.
Kaise besharm aashiq hain ye aaj ke, inko apna banana gazab ho gaya by Rashida Khatoon and Yusuf Azad from Putlibai (1972), lyrics Zafar Gorakhpuri, music Jaikumar Party
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pat1I7A7aY
Shahrukh Khan and Juhi Chawla both proclaiming individually that “I am the Best”
Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani 2000
Jatin Lalit – Javed
Abhijeet (male)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mX-u26tYmU
Jaspinder Narula (female version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khqiC4HHccQ
Dr Deshpande,
This is a perfect song of a narcissist couple. Thus we have all the types:
1. Each of the pair being narcissist
2. Mutual admiration club
3. Mutual roasting
I’ve come very late to this party, AK, so all the songs that might have occurred to me (and some which wouldn’t) have all been listed already. But I did want to say thank you for a wonderful list – great songs, these!
Madhu,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. And thanks for visiting.
AK ji
Hans ji has posted hiraniya narcissist. Here is morni
Morni re morni – Pratigya – SB- LP
https://youtu.be/Urp_eRuiUpo
And very recently there was a sherni
https://youtu.be/iobGAZAl0bY
Mr Muli,
Here are non-narcissist hiraniya and morni songs.
Ghayal hiraniya main ban ban dolun by Lata Mangeshkar from Munimji (1955), lyrics Shailendra, music SD Burman
https://youtu.be/jC6VvN496Fw
Nani teri morni ko more le gaye, baaki jo bacha tha kaale chor le gaye by Rani Mukherjoo from Masoom (1960), lyrics Shailendra, music Hemant Kumar
https://youtu.be/23O-7q-58VQ
With reference to Dr Deshpande’s (@56), here is a song from Fifty Fifty in which Kishore, Rafi and Madan Mohan vie with each other and say ‘mere jaisa nahin milega’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ68teET3CQ
Hans,
Nice discovery. I was aware of Rafi-Kishore Kumar duet Aadhi tum kha lo, aadhi hum kha lein. But this is real gem. There is also a parody embedded of Kanan Devi’s Tu haan kar ja ya na kar ja from Jawab (1942). I feel there club be other parodies too which I am not able to put my finger on.
AK ji ,
Many of us may hv read about क्षमा . But it was U , who thought of a full fledged post on it nd found appropriate songs too .. gr8 .. AK ji … gr8 job .
I njoyed the comments also
Has anybody mentioned this राम तेरी गंगा मैली song
मुझको देखोगे जहाँ तक
https://youtu.be/BKn4bs_92aA
Thnx for this interesting post AK ji .
– Pramod Godbole .
Pramodji,
It seems you have also become a fan of क्षमा. She would be happy to know that she has so many admirers. Hindi film songs are a great ocean. They have songs for every situation.
Mujhko dekhoge jahan tak is a perfect song of an omnipresent person. A friend who sends out messages on philosophy would instantly say it is a song of वेदान्त. Vedant and Film song, what a combination! Thanks.
AK @ 63,
I think we can call it a nice fit instead of discovery, because I am sure this song has been posted already by someone on SOY. About ‘parody’, I think Rajinder Krishan was master of this art.
P.S.
After writing the above comment, it came to mind that this song must have been posted in some post on Madan Mohan. I searched and found that this song was mentioned by Dr. Shetty in his comment @59 in your post on ‘Rafi’s best duets by Madan Mohan’. It might be possible someone may have posted it even earlier.
AK,
Even after the above comment there was further churning in my mind and I remembered your first post on MM which showed the other side of him in 2011 itself. I could not find that song in your selection, but, our original discoverer Mumbaikar8 had posted the song in her comment @12, though later in 2014.
Duets of Madan Mohan would be a nice addition to SOY. Apart from that compositions of two other stalwarts of his time Chitragupt and Ravi can also be considered. While Ravi had all the success Chitragupt came out with most memorable songs that stood the test of time and is being nurtured even today!
AK ji should he be called a dark narcissist? Almost all bollywood baddies are narcissists; (Gabbar, Mogambo, Shakal – to name a few but he takes the cake as he has song brandishing it.
Nayak nahi Khalnayak hu main – Khalnayak- AB – LP
https://youtu.be/JWRYPAiq780
https://youtu.be/-1JATDtdSdY
Wonder if we’ll known song can be included here!
Hans @66, 67,
Wow, for your memory! So the credit goes to Mumbaikar8 whom I have often described as the Master Discoverer.
KB @68,
All the three music directors have been covered very well on SOY. Their duets for Rafi is a high point of their music. And for each of them there is a post for their best duets for Rafi.
Madan Mohan’s best duets for Rafi:
https://www.songsofyore.com/rafis-best-duets-by-madan-mohan/
Chitragupta’s best duets for Rafi
https://www.songsofyore.com/chitraguptas-duets-for-rafi-melody-personified/
Ravi’s best duets for Rafi
https://www.songsofyore.com/ravis-best-duets-for-rafi/
Duets of other singers would also figure in other posts under those MDs, which you can get by clicking their names in the sideroll under the “Categories-Music Directors”.
Mr Muli @69,
That is a nice word. All the villains in our films are dark narcissists. Mogambo khush hua. One Don was being chased by the police of eleven countries, but Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin naamumkin hai. There was once वो बला, who proudly announced his name in James Bond style – प्रेम नाम है मेरा, प्रेम चोपड़ा. And the darkest of them would boast how much reward government had kept on his head. The reward amount in “Wanted: Alive or Dead” in the Westerns was an indicator of the outlaw’s status. The bounty-killers too selected their target on the basis of the reward amount. I had not though about it, but Dark Narcissist is a perfect category.
Manoj @70,
By narcissist we always thought of a person. Here it is the collective or ‘Hindustan’. I would not like to keep the category so diffused.
Sir Thanks for the references on @72!
KB,
Hope this is helpful and you get to browse these posts.
Had I had to make a wager regarding which actor would be most represented on this list, it would have taken me centuries of guessing to get around to Prem Nath! The “Aab-e-Hayaat” song is an especially pretty tune.
The first example I could think of for this type of song was “Aur Mera Naam Hai Jameela” from “Night in London,” but upon further consideration it seems a little different. The songs that you have given are the characters expressing their own voice, as it were, rather than being part of a stage performance in which the chanteuse might naturally be expected to play up her attractions as part of the draw of the show.
Shelomit,
Premnath in his young days was a fit candidate to sing narcissistic songs. Main gareebon ka dil is at the top, because a multitude of people walk along with him repeating the refrain after him. Next I would put Shammi Kapoor. I had not precluded stage performances consciously, but I can see your point. It makes eminent sense.