paagal

Paagal is a Hindustani word meaning “crazy” or “insane.” It is a transliteration variant of the Hindi-Urdu term pagal (پاگل). The spelling paagal, with a double a, is commonly used in English-language writing to indicate the long vowel sound in Hindi pronunciation. The term is widely used across the Indian subcontinent, including India and Pakistan, and among diaspora communities.

In everyday language, pagal describes someone acting irrational or foolish. Depending on tone, context, and relationship, it can be a mild insult, a playful tease, or an affectionate nickname. It appears in phrases, slang, songs, and film dialogue across various Indian languages.

In popular culture, paagal or related forms of pagal have appeared as titles or lyric elements in Indian media, reflecting its recognizability as a slang term.

See also: Pagal, Hindi-Urdu transliterations, Indian slang.