Take it easy

Not the Eagles. Screw them. 

For 90s kids, this song was a dance anthem - for all those who could not dance and were unburdened by good looks or being athletic. 

Urvashi Urvashi | Hum Se Hai Muqabala | Prabhu Deva | A.R.Rahman (youtube.com)

But for me, the lyrics of the song were so often overlooked as translational nonsense. 

Of course, if you watch the video, with 2024 glasses on, there is much wrong with it. 

But, for a moment, I want you to set aside the rampant misogyny and sexism of the 90s and just read the lyrics, there is a lot to like. 

Early on, this song is promoting a healthy self-image and the need to recognize the fleeting sense of youth. 

it propounds its love for language, be it Tamil (the original lingua pura) or Hindi (the stepchild) of this song. 

In this part, it wants you to take an interest in your own biology, discovering the many wonders of this beautiful body. Again, the ephemeral nature of human life and its vagaries. 

They implore you to stop getting triggered at things that don’t matter. At the same time, it provides some commentary on recognizing the hypocrisies of society. Adults are not always right. Youth is no guarantee of innovation, but neither is experience of good judgement. 

the world is not fair and not what it seems. Diplomacy and the fist, each have their use and space. Also, food choices are varied and need to be understood.

Beef ban = chutiyapa. Gaand marao. 

More of not getting triggered, having and maintaining perspective and the golden principle. Live and let live. 

And to the coda, the best for the last. What will society think - this has to be classified as a disease. And that there is a time and place for things and just having fun is good enough. It doesn’t have to be big and profound. 

Take it easy, Urvashi.