It may sound absurd that a court judge quoted a film lyric in his judgment to prove his point! But, film lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi was an exceptional poet. He was a genius in writing inspiring and intriguing lyrics that were so effective that many honorable court judges have relied upon his lyrics to conclude their judgment. For instance, in a dowry harassment case, honorable judge Dr. Kamini Lau in her judgment quoted a verse from Sahir Ludhianvi‘s famous song Chalo Ek Baar Phir Se from the film Gumrah (1963), directed by B.R. Chopra.
The Poetic Justice of Sahir Ludhianvi
Dr. Kamini Lau diluting the dispute between husband and wife, quoted—
“Taaruf rog ho jaaye to usko bhoolna behtar;
Taalluk bojh ban jaaye to usko todna achcha.
Wo afsaana jise anjaam tak laana na ho mumkin;
Use ek khoobsoorat mod dekar chhodna achcha.
Through this Sahir song, Dr. Kamini Lau told the couple in dispute that it is better to end a relationship on a beautiful note if it turns into a disease or a burden. She further added that it is unwise to carry on a relationship that does not have a bright future. The couple was so glad by the judgment that they separated on a friendly note!
Beyond Bollywood: Sahir’s Impact on Society
Similarly, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav recited Sahir Ludhianvi’s same lyric “Woh afsana jise anjaam tak lana na ho mumkin… while delivering a clean chit to Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi from penal charges in the 1986 Bofors payoff case and approved a CBI application seeking withdrawal of his prosecution. Sahir Ludhianvi
Defending his judgment Vinod Yadav claimed since the government of India had already lost Rs 250 crore in two extradition cases in the international arena with no “legally sustainable” evidence against Ottavio Quattrocchi, hence it is imprudent to continue the allegation and keep losing money. Like Sahir‘s song, he said, “Wo afsaana jise anjaam tak laana na ho mumkin; use ek khoobsoorat mod dekar chhodna achcha. (It is better to close the chapter that cannot have a good end.)
In another Supreme Court judgment by the bench of Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra, the honorable court gave a decision in favor of a sex worker and asked the state police for her rehabilitation.
The court referred toSahir Ludhianvi‘s poignant poem Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Wo Kahan Hain… from the film Pyaasa. The court, in its order, said, “The plight of prostitutes in India has been vividly depicted in the Hindi film Pyaasa. Hence, the approach of society towards the prostitutes must change, and sympathy must be shown towards them, as it must be realized that they are not necessarily women of bad character but have been driven to the profession due to acute poverty in their family.”
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