‘Papa Kehte Hain’ from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak
A song that captured the essence of graduation: parental expectations resting on minds that are only now getting used to the idea of responsibilities. Featuring a fresh faced Aamir Khan, this 1988 hit by Udit Narayan echoes through the ages.
‘Yeh Ladka Hai Deewana’ from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
If you think you have forgotten what college campuses look like, Shahrukh Khan and Kajol are here to remind you, in flashy neon GAP wear, sunglasses a COOL necklace and oodles of hair gel. Cry hoarse about Rahul’s toxic masculinity all you want, but the tale of being bro-zoned by the college stud is all too familiar. “But he’s your best friend, yaar”.
‘Masti ki Paathshala’ from Rang De Basanti
I don’t know what college you went to, but in my conservative Chennai university, women couldn’t step out of the hostels after 7 pm. So a beer chugging competition on top of a lake, while a swag-filled nihilist friend smokes away fifty feet below was not exactly my scene. Nevertheless, AR Rahman’s ‘Masti ki Paathshala’ will still be our song of rebellion.
‘Kabhi Kabhi Aditi’ from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
This song features the veteran star of Bollywood movies, St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. In a song about Genelia D’Souza aka Aditi’s friends cheering her up, the campus’ Gothic architecture, sunlight glinting on the columns and arches, casually steals the scene.
‘All is Well’ from 3 Idiots
Speaking of veterans, our last song, like our first, also features Aamir Khan as a college student, begging the question, how many KTs does this man have? This song, meanwhile, has gone on to become the engineering anthem since 2009, a plea for blind optimism. Have you left engineering for wildlife photography yet?
Special mentions: Left out of the list for not being technically ‘Bollywood’, we tip our hats to the evergreen ‘Purani Jeans’ by Ali Haider and ‘College Days’ by Gaurav Dagaonkar.
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