Holi playlist: Rang Barse to Lahu Munh Lag Gaya, Bollywood's odes to the festival of colours
Indian films, in every sense, celebrate life, spirit and essence of the multi-lingual, multi-cultural subcontinent it is a part of. Owing to this cultural diversity, we as a country have many festivals and celebrations that are often translated into celluloid through songs, sequences and scenes. But of all these festivities, if there is one that has enjoyed the most limelight, it is the festival of colours, Holi.
Right from the 1950s to the current days, Bollywood has time and again offered some memorable musical renditions in celebration of the festival of colours. So one would find a lot of reference to the Hindu god Krishna, romance, bhaang, gulaal and pichkari in all these compositions.
This Holi, Firstpost brings you a playlist of songs from Indian films that evoke the emotions of romance, free spirit and vigour with the festival of colours as the backdrop.
Holi Aayi Re Kanhai
This song from Mother India in the exquisite voice of Shamshad Begum and composed by legendary Naushad takes one to the simplicity and fervour associated with celebrations in rural India.
Are Ja Re Hat Natkhat
V Shantaram's 1959 film Navrang was as Indian as it could get. From folk-based songs, dances and sets, the film exudes the festive spirit of India in its truest sense. This song, featuring Sandhya, voiced by Asha Bhosle and Mahendra Kapoor, and composed by C Ramchandra, has enjoyed an iconic status over the years.
Mat Maaro Shyam Pichkari
This song from the 1958 film Durgesh Nandini, featuring Pradeep Kumar and Bina Rai, is yet another composition that draws from the fables of Krishna, Radha and gopis around the festival of Holi. Sung by Lata Mangeshkar, this song is composed by Hemant Kumar and is picturised on a lavish set with colours sprinkled and splashed all across.
Khelo Rang Hamare Sang
Yet another composition by Naushad in the voices of Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshad Begum from the film Aan, starring Dilip Kumar, Nimmi and Nadira, this Holi track is as vibrant and colourful as the video.
Tan Rang Lo Ji Aaj Man Rang Lo
This song, composed by Naushad and sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd Rafi, from the film Kohinoor, featuring Dilip Kumar and Meenakumari, is a playful composition and brings out the effervescence of Holi.
Aaj Na Chhodenge
This song from Kati Patang in the voices of Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, and composed by RD Burman, has been a regular mention in all the Bollywood Holi playlists. Rajesh Khanna's vivacious screen presence makes for a delightful watch.
Holi Ke Din
Can anything from Sholay be not iconic? Like the film, this song has become synonymous to Holi celebration in Bollywood films. Voiced by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, and composed again by RD Burman, this song comes at a very crucial point in the narrative of this milestone film.
Rang Barse
If there is one Holi anthem in Bollywood, it is got to be this song from the Yash Chopra directorial Silsila, featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha along with Jaya Bachchan and Sanjeev Kumar. Bachchan has lent his voice to this track composed by Shiv-Hari.
Ang Se Ang Lagana
Yash Chopra's thriller Darr definitely had 'Jaadu Teri Nazar' which became the signature track of the film. But this song voiced by Alka Yagnik, Vinod Rathod and Sudesh Bhosle has a very earthy tempo, much like the songs of the 1950s. Featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Sunny Deol, Anupam Kher and Tanvi Azmi, this Darr song is also a must-play on very Holi.
Soni Soni
Yash Raj Films again paid their homage to the festival of hues and colours, in Aditya Chopra's colossal project Mohabbatein after DDLJ. This song probably features the entire cast of the film. Even the spirit of the dead Aishwarya Rai comes in to celebrate Holi with others (of course, only Shah Rukh Khan could see her).
Holi Khele Raghuveera
Bachchan again took to the microphone for this Holi number from the film Baghban also starring Hema Malini. This song became an instant hit, much like the film. It was a delight to watch Bachchan and Malini together on screen after a long time.
Holi Re
This AR Rahman composition from Mangal Pandey: The Rising is in fact the only Rahman song on Holi apart from Raanjhanaa's 'Tum Tak'. The song features Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji celebrating the festival with all notions of class, gender, religion divide kept at bay.
Do Me A Favour, Let's Play Holi
If you can have a typical jazzed up Holi track in Bollywood, it could only be a creation of Anu Malik. Hence, when he was given the task of composing something around the festival and he came up with Vipul Shah's Waqt, featuring Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra.
Lahu Munh Lag Gaya
Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh's chemistry is what makes this song, from the film Goliyon ki Rasleela: Ram Leela, even more memorable. The whole idea of associating romance, passion and love with the festival becomes even more prominent with performances of this sort. Composed by the showman Sanjay Leela Bhansali and sung by Shail Hada, it is an absolute listening delight along with being a visual splendour (Bhansali trademark).
Balam Pichkari
There's hardly a track from Ayan Mukerji's Ranbir Kapoor-Deepika Padukone starrer Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani that did not go soaring high on the music charts. However, 'Balam Pichkari' was one of the most famous tracks of the album — more so because of the sparkling chemistry of the lead actors (especially, for their past relationship), the upbeat composition by Pritam and absolutely carefree singing by Vishal Dadlani and Shalmali Kholgade.
Gori Tu Latth Mar
This song from Akshay Kumar-Bhumi Pednekar starrer Toilet: Ek Prem Katha has been voiced by the ever-melodious Sonu Nigam, along with Palak Muchchal. It presents the festival in the form we have not seen enough in Hindi films — the Holi played with long thick bamboo-like sticks.
Badri Ki Dulhania
This new-age revamp version of the folk-based 'Chalat Musafir', from the 2017 blockbuster Badrinath Ki Dulhania, was an immediate sensation, more so because of the music and the new-age pairing of Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.
Holi ( Manganiyars & Langa's folk song )
Many would not know or perhaps not notice this song from the much-controversial film Padmaavat, featuring Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone while Ranveer Singh as the 'evil' Alauddin Khilji, with his mammoth-sized army, lays siege outside the fortress of Chittorgarh. Sung by Richa Sharma and Shail Hada, the lyrics are traditional along the lines of the Hindustani semi-classical form of singing Hori, that is usually sung around the festival of colours.
Published Date: Mar 02, 2018 16:03 PM | Updated Date: Mar 02, 2018 16:03 PM
