SUMMER OF ‘92
and the memory of a love song
It was the summer of 1992 and a love poem set to four minutes of lilting music sent an entire nation into a tizzy.
Pehla Nasha (or the flush of first love), as it was titled, released on the silver screen all over India and became the love anthem for the youth at that time. Its slow motion video featured the heartthrob of millions, Aamir Khan and girl-next-door Ayesha Jhulka, waltzing in ecstasy to the tune of first love.
As the lovestruck Aamir tossed his cardigan into the blue sky and tumbled down the picturesque valleys of Ooty in a state of rapture, entire cinema halls across cities and towns gasped for breath. Temperatures soared as the sultry Pooja Bedi, in a billowing red dress, did a Marilyn Monroe atop an electric blue car in the middle of the town square.
As classic vignettes captured an innocent Ayesha seeking glimpses of her beloved through the window frames, wooden stairways and balconies of her rustic hillside home, a generation of teenagers now believed in finding love next door.
Even three decades later, Pehla Nasha can be seen as a superlative piece of filmmaking at many levels.
Its deceptively simple lyrics personify the innocence of youth, friendship and the magic of first love. Veteran poet Majrooh Sultanpuri, (he was 72 when he wrote the song), exudes tremendous chutzpah as he pens with tenderness and warmth the sentiments of a young heart at the cusp of love. Set to the lilting tunes and some fantastic work on the keyboard by composer duo Jatin-Lalit, this hummable melody sung by Sadhana Sargam and Udit Narayan soon made a permanent imprint in the musical memory of listeners.
Finally, it is the mind-blowing choreography of the song by newcomer Farah Khan that makes the experience of Pehla Nasha magical and complete. Completely shot in slow motion, the camera glides across garages, shops and homes of a humble neighbourhood to the hills and glades of countryside, as the duo drift and float across the screen, drawing the audience into its magical realism and becoming one with the euphoria of first love. The impact is enhanced by the poignant moment at which the song is positioned, in this coming-of-age film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander crafted by the immensely gifted filmmaker Mansoor Khan.
After watching Pehla Nasha school life wasn’t dull and dreary anymore, especially if one could dream of one’s crush whilst pretending to draw a perfect circle in the classroom or if one could waltz up to the blackboard to outline a large heart next to a visibly boring math equation. This song sequence showed that the euphoria of first love is so contagious that friends joyously join in the madness and even the staid older brother reaches out secretly to his childhood crush.
Three decades down the line, this song can not just still connect with its original audience but enchant a new generation of youth and yet again send a million hearts aflutter.
India may not have witnessed the rebellious vibe of the Summer of ‘69 that hit the west, but the Summer of ‘92 definitely caught the imagination of the country as an entire generation of youth fell in love with the idea of falling in love, all at the behest of a love song.
For all my readers who haven’t experienced the magic of Pehla Nasha, can do so through this link. As for the old timers here’s a chance to relive it and spread love, only love.
Like, comment, and let me know what you think about the song.
Thank you for rewinding nostalgic memory of 'Pehla nasha' song. The filming of song, the location, the music, actions created a long lasting memory. I have preserved a DVD of ' Jo jeeta woh Sikandar'
Aahhhh! Young love ❤️ remembering the first time I felt truly in love, (I was 17) even though the relationship ended, we kept in touch occasionally, and I still feel that touch all these years later even though it is now 4 years since he passed. I don’t think anyone ever forgets their “first love”