Read My Eyes – Likha Hai Teri Aankhon Mein – Teen Deviyan

Songsketch done in different way along with the musical inputs by instrument analyst Anand Desai.
Teen Deviyan (1960) begins with a romantic commentary by none other than Ameen Sayani. He introduces the subject of the film in a comic way. He says if the romantic approaches become successful it is tuduk, but if these approaches fail then it is dhadaam!!!
Mohabbat ki kahani kuch aise hi hoti hai, kabhi baat banti hai kabhi banane se pehle hi bigad jaati hai.
He introduces Devdutt Anand (Dev Anand) the poet –
Aaiye aapko ek aise naujawan se milwayein jiski baat deviyon ke silsiley mein ek nahi, do nahi, teen baar banane waali hai. Yaane tuduk tuduk tuduk!! Aur har tuduk ke saath ek uljhan khadi ho jaayegi, kyunki ye bhola bechara kabhi kisiko na nahi keh paata!!!

So it is a story of a poet and his romancing with 3 different girls, with different backgrounds. The film also has an English version – Oh Boy and 3 Girls (which isn’t available). A breezy romantic entertainer made in 1965 but looks chic and modern even today.
In this song Devdutt Anand is romancing the beautiful and homely Nanda whilst enjoying a picnic in the maize fields. We also have Jankidas as the farmer, offering the roasted bhuttas!! Nanda wants to know what Dev feels about her and she goes –

Likha hai teri aankhon mein kiska afsana
Agar isse samajh sako mujhe bhi samjhana
(Please please don’t miss Dev and his antics throughout the song!!!)

Whose story is written in your eyes? (Am I there in those stories?)
Read my eyes if you can and let me know the story too!!

Here’s what Anand Desai (AD) says –
Lata ; Kishore ; SD ; Majrooh; DevAnand & Nanda. I see a lot of RD touch in the orchestration

A completely “Joie de vivre” feeling both in the wordss and the orchestration.. SD again leaves his unique Phantom Skull Mark in this one..Group Violins frenzy for 0.6 seconds after which .. the Bongos Chakolas and Castanets create the effervescence… for the next 12 seconds with sharp violin staccatos till three Guitar strums shut them up. Here is SD’s Phantom mark… at Likha hai teri aankhon mein one hears 7 single intermittent off cue strokes of the Dholak [ actually they almost sound syncopated] …between 0.13 to 0.17…. and then an orgasmic Dholak roll … SD Burman has cleverly used the Violin obligados, the rhythm pattern changes at 0.27 to a faster beat…

Jawab sa kisi tamanna ka
Likha toh hai magar adhura sa
Kaisi na ho meri har baat adhuri
Abhi hun aadha deewana

Referring to his book of poems, Nanda says she gets a hint of his yearning for someone, his desire for someone through his writings. But then that hint is vague. An incomplete desire, somewhat confused. But Dev has an answer for that too – All my desires, wishes are vague. I am yet just half crazy. I am not sure about my yearnings.

AD – Now see how he ends the antara. Three different sounds – One castanet shot, one dholak thapi and one bongo stroke, all in 2 seconds from 0.32 to 0.34 . This is wizardry!!
At the next interlude he has used 4 strokes of the stick on the Snare drum…and then again at the end of this one dholak stroke and a Guitar rub. He also introduced the Clarinet . Each Interlude is completely unique in terms of the instruments and pattern. Majrooh excels in the tease and tell.

Jo kuch nahi toh ye ishaare kyun
Thaher gaye mere sahaare kyun
Thoda sa haseenon ka sahara leke chalna
Hai meri aadat rozana

Dev walks lazily with the romantic support of Nanda’s dupatta. Nanda still wants to know more about his romantic hints. Why do your actions indicate love towards me? You take my support to give way to your feelings. And Dev in all his charismatic way says – it is his habit to take support of the beauties who come in his life whatsoever. That’s his routine!! (What a flirt!!!)

AD – Now the last interlude begins with a short Piano followed by an aggressive Acoustic Guitar somewhere at 3.11 he brings in his favorite Flute. The end is short and abrupt.

Yahan wahan fiza mein aawara
Abhi talak ye dil hai bechara
Dil ko tere toh hum khaak na samjhe
Tujhi ko humne pehchana

S D Burman brings a twist in the song towards the end. Instead of Lata Mangeshkar beginning the antara again, we have Kishore Kumar beginning it and telling the woes of a vagabond heart. Dev at his charismatic and charming best here, innocence dripping from his face says his poor heart doesn’t have a destination as yet. It is still meandering in the surroundings. And Nanda gives in to his charms saying I don’t know what your heart wants, I don’t understand it but I understand you, I know you!!!
The picturisation of the song is as serene as Dev and Nanda. The charm of Dev and innocence of Nanda go along so well. Flirtatious, very modern and effective without any physical contact and yet the film was given ‘A’ certificate. It is said that the English version of the film had lyrics written by Harindranath Chattopadhyay while the music was given by R D Burman.
This alluring love story is written in Dev’s magical eyes. If you want know, just read his eyes!!!