An Ode to Monsoon
Another year, another hot summer season and sweltering heat without any immediate respite in sight. Well, this is a common phenomenon year after year in India, but something that we all look forward to is the rains and the spate of new releases during the holiday season. Well, this year was different in the sense that there were no new releases to see through the summer heat, and the monsoon was awaited more eagerly than ever.
Well, it has come, and with the first whiff of the moist air & freshly-wet soil, and the once-again-green environment, has brought good tidings along in the form of the producers-multiplex stand-off being resolved. Being a filmy-keeda, I immediately wanted to show my gratitude to monsoon-maharaj. But how? It’s not a person you meet, greet, say thank you and get away. Nor is it a place you can visit, stay, take photos and come back. Well, I have tried to have a look at some of the great rain songs featured in our Hindi cinema over the years, thereby paying an ode to the relief it has provided to us from time to time. The songs are not in any particular order of merit or preference; it could be in the chronological order though:
Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua (Shree 420, 1955): Those early days were the times of subtlety. Shooting songs didn’t mean lessons in gyrating and PT exercises. The equation of love was still shown through a furtive glance and the shy demeanour. Merely walking alongside hand-in-hand was the epitome of sexuality. The evergreen Jodi of Raj Kapoor – Nargis immortalised the drenched-in-rain-walking in-one-umbrella sequence with their innocence. I still feel nostalgic watching the song, and want to go out and feel the rain with the companion. It is definitely one of the most important rain-songs to come out of our film industry. Of course, the song took a beating when the Ministry of health and Family Welfare decided to pick this very song to show us the virtues of Nirodh. For long, humming this song in my household, like many others, was a clandestine affair for obvious reasons.
Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si (Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, 1958): Nargis and her iconic stature notwithstanding, Madhubala was already a force to reckon with during those days. If Mahal established her as an actress with ethereal beauty, this song showed her in all her glory, once again exemplifying the Goddess-of-Beauty tag anointed to her. Kishore Kumar added his own style of humour-in-singing, making it a cult song, but I dare you, close your eyes and think of the song, all that will come to your mind would be Madhubala desperately trying to seek shelter under the tin roof, dry herself, and stay away from the direct vision of the ruffian mechanic. It’s not only a song, it is visual poetry at its best.
Abke Saawan Me Jee Dare (Jaise Ko Taisa, 1973): Jeetendra and Reena Roy gave us our first lesson of thrust and grind in the rain, to be followed later by many others. The song doesn’t have much to talk about, except for the fact that it was a trend-setter for what many other wannabe’s would soon follow.
Hai Hai Yeh Majboori (Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, 1974): If Dev Anand takes credit of introducing Zeenat Aman, Manoj Kumar took it a step further, and established her as a sizzling hot siren with this song, which was later cast in iron for posterity by Feroz Khan in Qurbaani. With an all-star cast vying for eye-balls, and Manoj Kumar on his typical Bharat-avatar, nobody gave the fringe-actors in the film like Zeenat and Moushami Chatterjee much chance in the film. 35 years after the film, most of us discerning viewers would care to remember very little of the film, but the song and the relentless pleading of a wet (pun intended) Zeenat to her beau not to let her be alone during the lakhon-ka-saawan is a picture most of us would like to still take back home.
Rim Jhim Gire Saawan (Manzil, 1979): Two actors from Roti Kapda Aur Makaan are in this film, and this one is also a rain song, but that’s where the similarity ends. Amitabh and Moushami walking through the oh-so-free-roads of Mumbai, hand in hand, shoes in the other hand, drenched to their skin, oblivious to the world around them, lost in each other are some the images that immediately come to mind. Great music and lilting vocals helped, of course.
Aaj Rapat Jaye (Namak Halaal, 1982): For long, Smita Patil was being hailed as one among the famous quartet of alternate cinema, along with Shabana, Naseer and Om, and to expect them in a commercial cinema, doing the usual run-of-the-mill that other ordinary people did was way beyond anybody’s comprehension. She had of course, tried a Shakti earlier, but that was a restrained and sensible role by any means. Well, so was her take in Namak Halaal, and she would not dented her serious-image at all, but for this song. One crazy evening, she takes to the roads while it is raining, with the superstar himself, no less, and does what the God never ordained her to do. She sings, dances, squirms, thrusts, grinds, heaves, pants, and shows off that all her curves are at right places. And, manages to not look vulgar at all. The world sat up and noticed, and wanted an encore. Of course, she didn’t oblige!
Baadal Yun Garazta Hai (Betaab, 1983): the launch vehicle of Sunny Deol was his show all the way, showing off all the skills that he had obtained under the tutelage of his illustrious father. Despite a meaty role, Amrita Singh was used more as a prop in the film, and her ‘manly’ looks were the latest talk of the town. But tune into this song, and chances are, you will be enamoured by the innocence and charm of the lady, the way Sunny-paaji is, in the company of the thundering storm brewing outside and inside. It had moments of thunder-cloud provoking the couple to get entangled in each-other’s arms at the end of every para of the song. Hindi cinema and rain songs in particular had come of age.
Kaate Nahin Kat-te Din Yeh Raat (Mr. India, 1987): Sensuality and come-hither got a new meaning through Sridevi, and I Love You once again became the anthem after that eponymous Julie song. Wet haystack, blue saree, quivering lips, yearning body-language, the whole country was in love with her, Mogambo be damned for the time being. I had just entered into my teens, and this song defined the way I would look at Sridevi in the future. And I envied Anil Kapoor. It was a real surprise to me to discover later that his elder brother had been the beneficiary all along. People changed but the jealousy remained. And yes, I started respecting Anil Kapoor for remaining so restrained in the face of such brutal onslaught on the senses.
Rimjhim -Rimjhim, Rumjhum – Rumjhum (1942 – A Love Story, 1992): Manish Koirala never looked more innocent, not even in her debut vehicle Saudagar, and Anil Kapoor never looked more gentlemanly. My jealousy had already given way to respect, and the manner in which he has conducted himself in this movie only strengthened it further. It was to be the swansong of the Boss, RDB, and it is only logical that he had saved one of his best for the last. Today, the film is not so well remembered as the songs, and that’s the mark of the man that RDB was.
Tip-Tip Barsa Paani (Mohra, 1994): Oh, the jolt that one receives just thinking about this song with all its energy and vibrancy and sex-appeal, immediately after having relived the peace and tranquillity and melody of the previous song! It’s a crime talking of the two in the same breath, since both are chalk-n-cheese from the song-picturization point-of-view. But this song scored where the previous one had failed, in titillating the audience, and giving the front-benchers the value-for-money, and then some more! Even Akshay Kumar could not resist looking southwards whenever he came close to Raveena.
Kaare Megha Kaare Megha Paani Toh Barsaao (Lagaan, 2001): Probably one of the few songs where the celebration turns into a damp squib, and the classic example of “counting-the-eggs-before-hatched” syndrome. However, this is also one of the few songs that celebrates the occasion, rather than have it as an excuse to indulge in individual / personal frivolities. Also, one of the last few appearances of Hangal saab, that too dancing and singing! Signifies unity for the common cause despite personal differences among the motley crowd. Add to that, the killer soundtrack of AR Rahman, and it’s a sure-shot entry into the history of monsoon songs.
Bhaage Re Mann Kahin (Chameli, 2004): One of the last few sons in Hindi cinema in recent times to celebrate the rains, this song had Kareena enjoying the splash, taking time out from her usual business day, and Rahul Bose looking on enchanted. The song is different in the sense that it has a subsequent impact on the later-on happenings in the film, and is not a stand-alone event to showcase the vital statistics of the heroine. And that’s why I have decided to include this into this list.
Additions to this list, which might have been missed out are welcome. So are the comments, good or bad.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
A very good selection of songs, one more song i can remeber is:
“Saawan ka mahina aaya hai ghata se barsa hai paani ve mahiya bujha de pyas ki jiya ki ho…..”, from Aayee milan ki raat.
@ Rajeev: yep. a good suggestion. i must hv missed it out in haste.
D’oh! I could’ve cnp-id! this post from other Monsoon articles on PFC. Anyway, the point of posting a comment was, to mention a Mukesh & Suriya song “Badra Ki Chhanv Tale Nanhi Nanhi”. You can listen to the song @ indianraga.wordpress.com. (I hadn’t come across this song before also.)
thanks HG. for the comments, and for the suggestions. maybe some other time, whn i hv little lesser material of my own on hand.
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the suggested song is a rare gem, agreed.
Very good collection!
How about- Lagi aaj sawan ki phir woh jhadi hai from Chandni.Another Sridevi one, although mood is differeent.
I love that song man.
@ Jha- lots of songs to be added like-
Saawan barse,tarse dil- Dahek,
Lagi aaj saawan ki phir woh – Chandni
Gore rang pe na itna gumaan kar- Roti
dekho zara dekho barkha ki jhadi- Yeh Dillagi
ghode jaisi chaal haathi jaisi – Dil To Pagal Hai
and more such.But I think we have covered a lot on a similar post by Amanda I think.
BTW is it raining in Pune now?
@ Gogo: yes, its a great song, and nice to find u on-n-off on comments section.
@ sethu: havnt read amanda’s post, will search for it now.
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songs suggested by u r definitely worth it. ther’s another tip-tip-tip-tip baarish shurur ho gayi, an aamir khan film.
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pre-monsoon showers in pune. monsoon delayed by a week. expected 17 June.
btw, why am i expecting a rebuttal from pavan-ji? coz i hv missed many? or coz this list is too childish for him?
@Jha…
Not a film song, but nevertheless the one which is always on my playlist…
ab ke saawan thara sa barse by shubha mudgal…
@ cherish: boss, im sure hundreds of others will agree to ur suggestion, its one of the best rain songs IMO, and the lyrics and vocals r just too powerful to be forgotten.
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btw, its abke saawaan, aise barse, beh jaaye rang meri chunar se, bheege tan-man, jiyara tarse, jamke barso zara…
I would like to add….
ek. ‘Pani Pani re..’ from Maachis
do. ‘Gheela Gheela Pani…’ from Satya
…both from the Vishal/Gulzar combo….and both sung by Lataji..
And who can forget the rain song which created ripples on small screen, sung by the one and only anu malik…
‘dekho barish ho rahi hain..
its raining…its raining..its raining’ ;)
Cmmon lets sing it….LOL
dejavu all over again, wtf! :
http://passionforcinema.com/gaali-si-laage-malhaar-rain-songs-for-dukhi-aashiqs/
http://passionforcinema.com/paighaam-laayaa-saawan-songs-from-the-heavens/
Any good Tamil rain songs and i don’t mean the jhatka types :P
The songs from Mungaru Male were awesome
@Jha….
My poor hindi :-)
Rim jhim ke tarane le ke aayi barsaat.Nice picturisation on Waheeda Rehman and Dev Anand and yes how can we forget Nahi Samne from Taal!!One of the best picturisations of a rain song ever.
@ sridhar: LOL, long live annu malik…
@ crazyrals: absolutely. loved those posts. wtf..!
@ cherish: ur hindi is absolutely fine. viva cinema..
@ anindya: yes. nahin saamne tu.. is an amazing picturisation.
Barso Re Megha from Guru,
Garaj Baras from Paap
One of childhood fav along with Tip Tip is Rani is Falling.
cinemausher: yes, ur suggestions are quite good, but “rain is falling” is already mentioned.
ok, one more from me:
* o sajna, barkha bahaar aayee..
Badalon se from Satya.
ooops geela geela pani
Abhra, Ive already mentioned ‘Geela Geela pani…’ above. I should thank you for making me remember ‘Badalon se bandh bandh ke…’…wonderful song, very close to my heart!!
nice post
how about the gr8 anu malik song “Dekho baarish ho rahi ..its raining its raining. Mera dil ro raha hai”
i cannot stop laughing whenever i hear this in crooning anu malik voice
@ Abhra: thanks for the response. yes, i concur with Sridhar. ‘Badalon se bandh bandh ke…’… is a wonderful song.
@ Prashant: thanks for the encouragement. the anu malik song is already covered in the comments section. its a great unwinder though, so the repeated mention just shows how famous it is..!
There is an old song of Shammi Kapoor and Mala Sinha soaked in rain…
Dil tera dewaana hai sanam…
jaanta ho tum kuch na kahenge hum…
mohobbat ki kasam haaye…
mohobbat ki kasam…
another one is:
chotisi kahani se, baarishon ke paani se form Izzazat
dekho karne lagi hun main boondo se baaten from thakshak