Chartbusters in their own right

Hindi film songs are unique in their own right. Churning songs after songs with never ending enthusiasm, our film-makers have ensured over the years that there's no escape from them. I have a special liking for the 70's and the 90's numbers. The one unifying thing about these songs is that the same Kishore Kumar songs that I hum today in my youth might as well have been my Dad's favorites during his days.

In between the several timeless classics that hit the Indian music scene there were a few songs which escaped catching people's imaginations and didn't become as popular as they should have been. I have thought of paying my homage to those classic pieces of creative genius by creating a 10 song list of those songs which come to my mind in the next hour or so that I would be writing this blog. This is no top 10 list, just the songs that come to my mind as I ramble on.

1.) C..A..T cat, cat maane billi
R..A..T rat, rat maane chooha
Samjho iska matlab to jaane kya hua

How innovative! You can't help thanking Kishore Kumar and team for coming up with this classic which sadly wasn't picked up as the anthem for spreading the 'Literacy Campaign' all over India.

2.) Sona, Sona, Cellualar phone tum to hona
Computer ko leke Brahma ne rachaya kya
Telephone dhun mein hansne wali..Melbourne machhli machalne wali

All the songs of this classic Kamal Hassan movie, Hindustani, are worth finding a place in any top 10 chart but as a rule I am allowing only one song per film to make it to my list.
If you haven't heard it, just listen to it. It left an everlasting impression on my mind and the magic of this song doesn't show signs of waning!

3.) Columbas Columbas chutti hai aayi,
Aao koi naya mulk dhoondhein chalke bhai.
aisi jageh dil karta hai chalo..duniya ki koi burai jahan na ho
fauji taiyaari, jung aur ladai, gandi raajneeti, etc etc

A song that teaches you a lot about planning your holidays and enjoying them. It also carries a social message of creating a world order free of wars, dirty politics, hunger, etc. A masterpiece!

4.) Urvashi! Urvashi! Take it easy Urvashi.
Chitrahaar mein bijli udd gayi..take it easy policy
Padhne pe bhi fail ho gaye..take it easy policy
Baap ne bola anna ka dushman..take it eay policy

LIC might use it to sell life insurance policies in India, preferably in the south where people will identify with Rehman's music, Prabhudeva's dance and understand only the 'Take it easy Policy' words of the song.

5.) Oonchi hai building..
lift teri band hai
kaise main aaon
dil razamand hai

Anu Malik won my heart with this song. I felt so proud sharing the first three characters of my name with him. This song from Judwa talks about the problems faced by young lovers due to electricity problems in the city which prevents them from taking a lift to reach their beloved's house. Are the Electricity Board people listening?

6.) A..aa..ee..oo..oo..o
Mera dil na todo
Rooth ke na jao meri jaan
Paas mere aao meri jaan

Rhyming at its very best. Creativity led our lyricists to resort to use of self created words like 'A..aa..ee', 'Boi boi bam..baba..bamboi' besides others to make rhyming songs that were so soothing to the ears. What enhanced their appeal was the extensive use of cheap manual labour in our country in the form of background dancers who were made to dress in similar looking uniforms and asked to perform some physical training exercises. Yups! You got it right..1..2..3..4...1..2..3..4

7.) Tohfa Tohfa Tohfa
Laya laya laya
Pyaar ka tohfa tera
Bana hai jeevan mera

I like this song not for its lyrical value but its breathtaking picturisation. How aesthetically pleasing was it to watch Jeetendra draped in white clothes from top to bottom singing to Jaya Prada in the Botanical garden of Ooty and on Chennai beaches with Mysore silk sarees and Kumkum bangles being used in abundance to substitute for a set.

8.) Aa gaya aa gaya halwa wala aa gaya
dhoom machane aa gaya
rang jamane aa gaya

This song from Dance Dance was my childhood favorite. I make a promise to make my kids learn this song by-heart even before they start learning their nursery rhymes. Three cheers to the conviction of the song writer, music director, the singers and the lead actors - Mithunda and Smita Patil(and you thought she only did the arty movies kinda stuff!) who had faith in this song.

Breaking away from the monotony of hindi songs let me introduce to you another example of innovative experiment tried out by our makers. Using english sub-titles for hindi songs. The effect when a hindi song is released with english sub-titles is no less short of a creative explosion in a 'East meets West' fashion. Sample these for instance:

9.) Love is a bitch
It makes the world go round
Now here..now gone
But its heavenly as long as it lasts

For Kambakht Ishq(Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya) and,

10.) My heart is pounding away,
and my passions are aflame
Let go of my arm, lover!
Do not play with roses so tender.

For Dhak Dhak karne laga(Beta)

This list is in no way comprehensive. My apologies on missing out on other lyrical marvels of Bollywood or as Amitabh Bachchan likes to call it - The Hindi Film Industry.