Most internet translations translate "Sharam" as "embarrassment." We used "a shade of shame" because in South Asian poetic context, sharam is a positive, shy modesty. The moon doesn't get humiliated; it gets beautifully shy.
Furthermore, the phrase "Bijliyaan gir jaaye" is often literally translated as "Lightning will fall." However, in Hindi film lyrics, bijli is a metaphor for disaster, shock, or electric attraction. Our translation, "causing storms of envy," captures the social implication—jealous onlookers will cause trouble.
चाँद से पर्दा कीजिए, चाँद से पर्दा कीजिए
वो निगाहें तेज़ हैं, चाँद से पर्दा कीजिए not a momentary lust.
रात पहलू में रहे, रात तो बेचैन है
अपने दामन में छुपा लीजिए, चाँद से पर्दा कीजिए
शोख़ियाँ उसकी बड़ी, तिरछी पलकें उसकी
आप बेहतर समझिए, चाँद से पर्दा कीजिए but one that preserves the rhyme
This directly mocks the anglicized Indian. In 1970, Indians wearing Western suits while abandoning the kurta-pajama were seen as colonial mimics. The "shaven head" (mundan) is usually a Hindu ritual of purification—here, it is twisted to represent the removal of Indianness.
In the vast ocean of Bollywood music, some songs transcend their films to become cultural anthems. "Chand Se Parda Kijiye" (Cover your face from the moon) from the 1988 film Zakhmi Aurat is one such gem. Composed by the legendary Bappi Lahiri and sung with unparalleled sass and vigor by Asha Bhosle, the track is famous for its bold lyrics, disco-beat fusion, and the iconic on-screen presence of Sridevi. शोख़ियाँ उसकी बड़ी
But what makes this song endure after three decades? It’s the clever wordplay. On the surface, it’s a warning to a beautiful woman to hide her face from the moon to prevent jealousy. However, the subtext celebrates female beauty so potent that it rivals nature itself.
This article provides an extra quality English translation—not a literal, clunky version, but one that preserves the rhyme, rhythm, and razor-sharp emotion of the original Hindi.
| Hindi Lyrics | Phonetic | Extra Quality English Translation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | इस अदा को तुझसे है | Is ada ko tujhse hai | O beautiful one, this grace of yours | | बेइंतहा प्यार यारा | Beinteha pyaar yaara | Has infinite love for you, my friend | | सामने बैठे रहूँ | Saamne baithe rahoon | Even if I sit right before you | | हमको है खुमार यारा | Humko hai khumaar yaara | I remain intoxicated, my friend |
Deep Dive: The male voice enters not as a predator, but as a man already drunk on the lady’s presence. Khumaar (intoxication) implies a long-term daze, not a momentary lust.