The Untold Story of Bulleh Shah: How his mystical poetry inspired Bollywood masterpieces like Bulleya, Chaiyya Chaiyya, and Ranjha Ranjha

Decoding Bollywood Songs: In Part 1 of this series, we explore how Bulleh Shah’s timeless Sufi poetry continues to echo through Bollywood soundtracks. His words of love, rebellion, and spirituality have inspired composers to create songs that remain unforgettable across generations.

The Untold Story of Bulleh Shah: This morning, wedged between traffic horns and half-finished coffee, I pressed play on Bulleya from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. I’ve heard it a hundred times, but today something clicked. Why does Bollywood keep invoking this centuries-old mystic like he’s a pop-culture icon? Who was Bulleya — the man whose name lyricists whisper whenever they want to describe love so intense it dissolves identity?

By the time I reached the office, I had fallen headfirst into the astonishing life of a rebel saint who danced for love, defied clerics, and accidentally became Hindi cinema’s favorite metaphor.

The Untold Story of Bulleh Shah: The Rebel Mystic Born to Break Rules

Born around 1680 in Uch in the province of Multan, Bulleh Shah entered a family of learned Islamic scholars. His father was fluent in Arabic and Persian, and his early education was rigorous. Later the family moved to Kasur, with formative years also spent near Lahore.

But unlike many scholars’ sons, he didn’t grow up dreaming of prestige. He herded cattle, worked village fields, and listened to ordinary people talk. That mattered — because when he eventually wrote poetry, he used their language, not elite scholarly diction.

Historians still debate his birth name — Abdullah or Bu Ali — but everyone agrees on one thing: his words reshaped Punjabi literature. His kafis (lyrical poems) spoke about divine love, equality, and rebellion against hollow ritual. People called him the “Poet of the People” long before branding experts invented the phrase.

The Untold Story of Bulleh Shah: The Master He Loved More Than Reputation

Every great mystic story has a turning point. For Bulleh Shah, it was meeting his spiritual guide Shah Inayat Qadiri.

Inayat wasn’t a royal scholar or aristocrat. He was a gardener.

For a scholar’s son to bow before a man of lower social status scandalized society. Clerics criticized him. Family members worried. But Bulleh Shah saw what others didn’t: wisdom blooming where status said it shouldn’t.

He became Inayat’s disciple and never looked back.

The Untold Story of Bulleh Shah: The Legend of the Dance That Became Immortal

One of the most famous legends about Bulleh Shah explains why filmmakers adore him.

At some point, after displeasing his master, he was cast out. Devastated, he didn’t argue or protest. Instead, he disguised himself as a dancing girl, joined a troupe, and performed before Inayat. The dance wasn’t entertainment — it was surrender. A silent apology. A plea for forgiveness.

The story says his master recognized him, forgave him, and embraced him.

From that moment, Bulleh Shah’s poetry echoed one truth: love — for the divine or the beloved — demands ego’s death.

That story inspired one of the most iconic film songs ever.

The Untold Story of Bulleh Shah: How Bollywood Found Its Spiritual Lyricist

Hindi cinema has always loved metaphors. But when lyricists need to express love that obliterates identity, they reach for Bulleh Shah.

Because no one wrote longing like he did.

Let’s unpack how different films used him — not casually, but deliberately.

The Train-Top Ecstasy of Chaiyya Chaiyya

Featured in Dil Se and written by Gulzar, this song borrows from Bulleh Shah’s famous kalam “Tere Ishq Nachaya” — Your love made me dance.

That line isn’t romantic fluff. It references the legend of Bulleh Shah dancing for his master. Gulzar transformed a mystical surrender into a rhythmic celebration. When the characters dance atop a moving train, they’re not just flirting — they’re surrendering to passion so intense it feels divine.

The genius lies in translation. Gulzar doesn’t quote the poem literally; he captures its spiritual intoxication. The song becomes a metaphor for love that overrides reason — exactly what Sufi poetry aims to evoke.

Becoming the Beloved in Ranjha Ranjha

In Raavan, the core line comes straight from Bulleh Shah:

By repeating Ranjha’s name, I myself became Ranjha.

Here Ranjha — the lover from Punjabi folklore — symbolizes God. The poet says chanting the beloved’s name dissolves the self until lover and beloved become one.

Lyricist Gulzar preserved this mystical paradox beautifully. In the film’s context, the song blurs devotion, obsession, and identity — just like Bulleh Shah intended centuries ago.

The Arrival of the Divine in Mera Piya Ghar Aaya

Popularized globally by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and featured in Yaraana, this composition celebrates the arrival of the beloved.

But in Sufi language, “beloved” means God.

The joy in the lyrics isn’t about romance — it’s about spiritual union. When Bollywood uses it, the scene usually depicts emotional culmination: reunion, realization, or transcendence. That’s why the song always feels bigger than the story it accompanies.

Identity Crisis in Bulla Ki Jaana

Singer Rabbi Shergill turned this centuries-old poem into a mid-2000s anthem. Its refrain — Bulla ki jaana main kaun (Bulla, who knows who I am?) — rejects labels of religion, caste, and nationality.

That radical humanism is pure Bulleh Shah. He insisted spirituality begins when identity ends.

Calling Out to the Mystic in Bulleya – Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

This is the track that sent me down today’s rabbit hole. The line “Raanjhan de yaar Bulleya” invokes Bulleh Shah as a companion to lovers — almost like a patron saint of heartbreak.

Lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya doesn’t adapt a specific poem. Instead, he channels the poet’s worldview: longing, surrender, and emotional annihilation. The protagonist’s pain mirrors the mystic’s yearning for union with his beloved guide.

Transformation Through Pain in Bulleya – Sultan

In Sultan, the title alone signals inspiration. The lyrics echo Bulleh Shah’s philosophy that suffering refines the soul. Just as the saint endured rejection and exile, the film’s hero must break before he transforms.

Songs That Invoke His Name Like a Blessing

Other tracks borrow his spirit rather than his lines:

Each time filmmakers use him, they’re borrowing centuries of emotional weight for free.

Because Bulleh Shah gives them a shortcut to infinity.

Mention his name, and audiences subconsciously associate the scene with:

His poetry also works musically. Written in simple Punjabi, it flows like song lyrics already waiting for a melody. That’s why legends such as Abida Parveen and shows like Coke Studio Pakistan continue reinterpreting him.

The Saint Who Was Called a Heretic

Ironically, the man Bollywood treats like a spiritual celebrity was controversial in his lifetime.

Orthodox clerics declared him a heretic for criticizing ritualistic religion. Some even opposed funeral prayers for him when he died in 1757. He was buried on the outskirts of Kasur, and only later did a shrine arise over his grave.

Today that tomb draws crowds so large that authorities sometimes restrict entry. His poetry is recited worldwide, even at events linked to organizations like UNESCO, and once echoed in performances connected to the White House.

Not bad for someone once exiled by his own community.

The Philosophy Behind the Lyrics

Strip away the melodies and film scenes, and Bulleh Shah’s message is startlingly simple:

Love is the only truth. Everything else is costume.

He mocked social hierarchies, rejected labels, and insisted that God lives within, not inside rituals. His verses often sound like riddles because they force readers to question themselves.

That’s why lyricists use him. He’s not just poetic decoration; he’s philosophical shorthand.

Why He Still Matters — Even on My Commute

As my cab finally stopped outside the office, Bulleya was still playing. But now the song sounded different. It wasn’t just about heartbreak. It was about annihilation of ego, longing for union, and surrender to something greater than oneself. That’s what Bulleh Shah has always been about.

Centuries ago, he danced in disguise to win back his master’s love. Today, filmmakers disguise his wisdom inside chartbusters. The costumes change. The message doesn’t. And maybe that’s why Bollywood keeps returning to him: because no matter how modern our love stories look, they still chase the same ancient truth he wrote long ago — Lose yourself, and you’ll finally find what you’re searching for.