“Mushkil Hai Bahut Mushkil” is another ethereal gem from the 1949 supernatural classic Mahal. While the film is often celebrated for its mystery and “ghostly” motifs, this track delves deep into the emotional paradoxes of love (Ulfat). It captures the struggle of trying to extinguish the “fire” of the heart—a task the song claims is nearly impossible.
The music was crafted by the legendary Khemchand Prakash, who is credited with giving Lata Mangeshkar her first major career breakthrough. The melody is haunting and slow, designed to highlight the clarity and resonance of Lata’s youthful voice. The lyrics, written by Shaukat Ali Dehlavi (who later used the pen name Nashad), are philosophically rich, describing love as a game that can make the weeping laugh and the laughing weep.
Picturized on the radiant Madhubala, the song reinforces the film’s theme of eternal longing and the difficulty of letting go of past connections. In 1949, this song helped set the standard for the high-quality, poetry-driven playback music that would define the “Golden Age” of Bollywood.
Mushkil hai bohot mushkil lyrics | Lata Mangeshkar | Shakat Ali Dehlavi | Mahal 1949
Mushkil hai bohot mushkil lyrics:
Mushkil hai mushkil hai
Mushkil hai bahut mushkil
Chaahat kaa bhulaa denaa
Chaahat kaa bhulaa denaa
Aasaan nahi dil ki
Ye aag bujhaa denaa
Ye aag bujhaa denaa
Ye khel nahi lekin
Ye khel hai ulfat kaa
Ye khel nahi lekin
Ye khel hai ulfat kaa
Roto ko hansaa denaa
Hansato ko rulaa denaa
Hansato ko rulaa denaa
Mushkil hai bahut mushkil
Dilavaalo ki duniyaa mein
Hai rasm ke jab koi
Dilavaalo ki duniyaa mein
Hai rasm ke jab koi
Aae to aae to qadam lenaa
Jaae to duwa denaa
Jaae to duwa denaa
Mushkil hai bahut mushkil
Ulajhan hai bahut phir
Bhi hum tum ko naa bhulenge
Tum ko naa bhulenge
Ulajhan hai bahut phir
Bhi hum tum ko naa bhulenge
Tum ko naa bhulenge
Mumakin to nahi lekin
Tum hum ko bhulaa denaa
Tum hum ko bhulaa denaa
Mushkil hai bahut mushkil
Chaahat kaa bhulaa denaa
Mushkil hai bahut mushkil.