SEEKH LE

In the Hindi film, Munnabhai MBBS, the rich voice of Sunidhi Chavan belts out a melodious number called “Dekh Le… Aankhon mein aankhen daal seekh le”. (C’mon look into my eyes and learn…). It is a motivational song that is being sung by a dancing-bar-girl sensually provoking a terminally ill patient to look at the positive side of life. The song exhorts to enjoy the journey of life while it lasts instead of wallowing in the despair of an impending death. The lyrics are truly inspiring.

During unlearning workshops, I quiz participants about whether they have SEEN the song. If they have not, I show them the clip and ask the same question once again. Everyone says, “Yes, we have seen the song.”
So I say, “You have SEEN… you have done DEKH LE… now tell me what you learnt… tell me the SEEKH LE you have done…”

Very few attempt an answer… and even among those who do, most describe the beauty and the skill of the dancer… The meaningful words have not been absorbed… The glamour of the visual overpowers the powerful message contained in the song. Even while listening to a song, many of us get caught only in the melody and miss the message.

Although we possess the ability to simultaneously enjoy the multiple dimensions of countless beautiful songs, many of us pick up on only the most appealing and play blind to the rest. The conception of that song itself is a fruit of the many creative dimensions of different abilities. We must develop our ability to see and hear and understand all these dimensions. Otherwise we will only do DEKH LE and forget the SEEKH LE…

an open mind will help you connect to the connotations…
to enjoy every song we must ‘develop new dimensions’…

Regards
Pravin