Be it Rang Barse from Silsila or Balam Pichkari from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani or even Jai Jai Shiv Shankar from War, there are certain Bollywood songs that fantastically captured the infectious energy of Holi!
Picture Courtesy: Mid-day Archives and YouTube
What separates the festival of Holi from Diwali is how infectiously entertaining and energetic the festival happens to be. If Diwali is the festival of lights and luminousness, Holi captures the zeal and the enigma of all the age groups. It's a lot more than just the festival of colours and Bhaang, it's also the celebration of happiness and letting your hair down and immersing yourselves into an inexplicable high.
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With colours smeared all over the face and a few glasses of your favourite drink down, you lose yourself into a world you would want to exist in reality. And no Holi mania can be complete without some iconic and memorable Bollywood songs. The Millennial may prefer western films and songs on all the other days of the year, this is that one day when we all want and wish to channel our inner desi-ness and dance to the contagious tunes of the Hindi chartbusters.
It's a regular practice to revisit some of the most successful songs that meticulously and perfectly portrayed the essence of the festival. Of course, the list would be long, but here are some personal favourites:
1. Rang Barse- Silsila (1981)
Yash Chopra's Silsila may have been a piercing and poetic take on infidelity, it had its moments of mirth and madness. And what is arguably the greatest Holi song was filmed on Amitabh Bachchan and his unmatched energy. The song also featured Rekha, Jaya Bachchan, and Sanjeev Kumar, but it was Bachchan's unfazed demeanour and voice that made this song what it is today. Nearly four decades later, the legacy of the song and the film continue to live on!
2. Holi Ke Din- Sholay (1975)
Amjad Khan, who immortalised the iconic character of Gabbar Singh, causally and menacingly asks his henchmen around in both active and passive voice- "Holi Kab Hai Kab Hai Holi?" Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar wrote the film, and Khan's son Salman Khan has often spoken how regular questions and conversations transformed into unforgettable dialogues, this being one of them. Ramesh Sippy staged the Holi song with spark and splendour, and the chemistry between the actors felt organic. It's impossible to forget this blockbuster!
3. Do Me A Favour- Waqt- The Race Against Time (2005)
This song crooned by Anu Malik and Sunidhi Chauhan comes at a crucial juncture in the film. Aditya, played by Akshay Kumar, is a slacker and aimless child of a wealthy father. He's given an ultimatum of proving himself in the next few months or he'll be thrown out. The track was sandwiched between the farce that happened in the film till now and the drama that was about to unfold later. Vipul Shah nicely captured the sizzling chemistry of Kumar and Priyanka Chopra, two actors known to ignite passion into their performances and especially celluloid romance. It's hard to dance on this song sans a female partner!
4. Balam Pichkari- Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013)
Another song of recent times that has become the Millennials' favourite is Balam Pichkari. This song also comes at a very crucial point in the film, it's the song that shows the transformation of Naina (Deepika Padukone) from a demure to a dazzle. The bold and beautiful avatar of this nerd was hidden till now, and it all explodes as the track begins. More than the thunderous beats of this pulsating track, Balam Pichkari is all about letting all your inhibitions and insecurities go away.
5. Lahu Munh Lag Gaya- Goliyon Ki Raasleela- Ram Leela (2013)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's cinema has always been about the unfortunate tragedies of his protagonists. Goliyon Ki Raasleela- Ram Leela was inspired by the romance of Romeo and Juliet, so this passionate love story couldn't have ended on a happy note either. But to give credit where it's due, Ram and Leela, played by the effortless Ranveer Singh and the effervescent Deepika Padukone, were the spunkiest heroes of Bhansali's world after Sameer and Nandini from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. But the chemistry of the leads this time was far more arousing to the point of being titillating. These lovers were unafraid and unfazed by the world around them and unapologetically embraced themselves in both public and private, emotionally and physically. And the lyrics Lahu Munh Lag Gaya themselves indicate the extent of Ram and Leela's impassioned saga.
Honourable Mention- Jai Jai Shiv Shankar- War (2019)
Given Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff were coming together for the first time on the big screen, there had to be a dance song putting them together in the spotlight. Jai Jai Shiv Shankar wasn't exactly a face-off between two of the best dancers in the country but more of a celebration of two men letting their hair down. More so for Tiger's Khalid since he finally won the trust of his boss, Kabir. Because for him, his duty was above everything. Not a bad way to spend holi dancing on this Vishal-Shekhar number, but don't try to replicate Hrithik and Tiger's dance steps.
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