Sushmita Srivastava
Rahen Na Rahen Hum is such a beautiful song that I always wanted to cover it. It is one of the most soothing songs I know, and it is one of the earliest covers on my channel — a song I kept coming back to long before I recorded it.
The original
The song is from Mamta (1966), directed by Asit Sen — a Hindi remake of his own Bengali film Uttar Falguni. Suchitra Sen plays a double role, a mother and her daughter, with Ashok Kumar and Dharmendra. The music is by Roshan and the lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
There are two versions of the song in the film: the solo by Lata Mangeshkar, which is the one I sang, and a duet by Mohammed Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur. Mamta was nominated for Filmfare awards for Best Film, Director, Actress and Story, and it was even a success in the Soviet Union.
What the words mean
Rahen na rahen hum means “whether I remain or not”. The line continues: whether I remain or not, I will keep spreading my fragrance — as a bud, as a breeze, in the garden of faithfulness. It is a song about love that outlives the person who feels it. Whatever the season, the singer says, I will stay in this garden as a colour, and the scent of my love will drift through the air.
Majrooh Sultanpuri’s words are gentle and full of images — flowers, breeze, seasons, fragrance — and Roshan’s melody moves slowly enough to let each image bloom. That is where the song’s calm comes from.
Singing Lata ji
Singing a Lata Mangeshkar song is humbling. Every note of the original is so pure and so controlled that there is nowhere to hide. I did not try to imitate her — nobody can — but to sing it softly and honestly, with respect for the song.
My version
My cover went up on my channel on 18 November 2022, and it runs about three minutes. It is a simple female cover — just the song and my voice. If you like my voice, please share it and subscribe to my channel.
When to listen
This is a song for quiet evenings, for missing someone, or for remembering a person you have loved. Play it softly, with the lights low, and let Majrooh Sultanpuri’s words do their quiet work. It asks nothing of you; it just stays with you.
Tell me in the comments: which old classic should I sing next?
Credits at a glance
Original: Rahen Na Rahen Hum, from Mamta (1966). Singer: Lata Mangeshkar (a duet version is sung by Mohammed Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur). Music: Roshan. Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri. Director: Asit Sen. Starring Suchitra Sen, Ashok Kumar and Dharmendra. Label: Saregama.
My version: Voice: Sushmita Srivastava. Released on YouTube on 18 November 2022.
Listen next
The video is below. For another song of longing, listen to my original Mai Aawari, and for the newest of my own songs, Aa Sama Le.
