Life is often full of contradictions. Our desire for companionship of someone special in our life co-exists with a gnawing realization that we need to accept the reality and be happy to live in a state of separation, if necessary, and not keep complaining about it. Women need the necessary space in a relationship to be able to pursue their own ambitions and career goals.
Tere bina…
Movie: Aandhi (1975)
Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar
Composer: R D Burman
Lyricist: Gulzar
Songs with simple lyrics and a dash of classical music never fail to regale one!
Jab deep jale aana…
Movie: Chitchor (1976)
Singers: K J Yesudas, Hemlata
Composer/Lyricist: Ravindra Jain
The male version of this lovely song is a song of passionate romance, whereas the female one deeply resents a separation forced by circumstances. Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia regale us with this poignant composition.
Neela asmaan so gaya…
Movie: Silsila (1981)
Singers: Amitabh Bachchan, Lata Mangeshkar
Composers: Shiv, Hari
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
This one captures the agony of a lover who believes that the other one deserves a better soul mate in life.
Tumko dekha to ye khayal aaya…
Movie: Saath Saath (1982)
Singers: Jagjit Singh, Chitra Singh
Composer: Kuldeep Singh
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
When we turn a hypocrite and try to hide our tears with an artificial smile, a person who really cares for us is quick to spot it.
Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho…
Movie: Arth (1982)
Singer/Composer: Jagjit Singh
Lyricist: Kaifi Azmi
Some time back, I had listed out my favourite lullabies from Bollywood. Permit me to list here an outstanding one.
Surmayee akhiyon mein…
Movie: Sadma (1983)
Singer: K J Yesudas
Composer: Ilaiyaraaja
Lyricist: Gulzar
Here is an introspective song which makes us think of what the purpose of our life really is. Do we really know what we desire and yearn for?
Aye dil-e-naadaan…
Movie: Razia Sultan (1983)
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Composer: Khayyam
Lyricist: Jan Nisaar Akhtar
There are times when even a highly talented person like Gulzar outshines himself. This song is a ready example of the same and showcases the yearning of a beloved for closure in a relationship.
Mera kuchh saamaan…
Movie: Ijaazat (1987)
Singer: Asha Bhosle
Composer: R D Burman
Lyricist: Gulzar
Lilting music, captivating visuals, and the sizzling chemistry between the lead couple – all these go on to make this song an enticing romantic offering!
Tere mere hothon pe…
Movie: Chandni (1989)
Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Babla Mehta
Composers: Shiv, Hari
Lyricist: Anand Bakshi
Rains have arrived, but the beloved is yet to arrive, despite his having promised to do so!
Jhooti mooti mitwa aawan bole…
Movie: Rudaali (1993)
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Composer: Bhupen Hazarika
Lyricist: Gulzar
Here is a lovely romantic song from the stable of Rajshri Productions.
Pehla pehla pyar hai…
Movie: Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1994)
Singer: S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Composers: Raam Laxman
Lyrics: Dev Kohli
This song gives us hope that there is always someone out there in the universe who is destined to be our soulmate.
Ek dooje ke vaste…
Movie: Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Hariharan
Composer: Uttam Singh
Lyricist: Anand Bakshi
This beautiful composition is surely dedicated to those who have suffered the pain of unrequited love; also, to those whose spouses have chosen to move on from this planet to the Brighter World.
Main bhool jaun tumhe…
Album: Silsilay (1998)
Singer/Composer: Jagjit Singh
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
As mentioned elsewhere, here is a touching lullaby which would surely put a kid to sleep.
Door kahin ek aam ki bagiya…
Movie: Zubeida (2001)
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Composer: A R Rehman
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
The love between Radha and Krishna is the stuff of legend and folklore. Bollywood has never quite shied away from offering famous song-and-dance sequences to us based on the same. Songs like Hamen gop gwala kehte hain…(Navrang, 1955) and Mohe panghat pe…(Mughal-E-Azam, 1960) readily pop up in our minds. The latest version brings in the dancing skills of Madhuri Dixit, duly backed by Birju Maharaj’s choreography, music and lyrics.
Kaahe chhed chhed mohe…
Movie: Devdas (2002)
Singers: Birju Maharaj, Madhuri Dixit, Kavita Krishnamurthy
Composer/Lyricist: Birju Maharaj
This song effectively captures the innate desire of a female to bear a child, her vivid imagination of the physical form much before she brings him/her into this world.
Kyun baar baar…
Movie: Filhaal (2002)
Singer: K S Chithra
Composer: Anu Malik
Lyricist: Gulzar
Some directors happen to have a keen ear for soulful music. Think of Raj Kapoor, Gulzar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and, of course, Yash Chopra. Decades may have passed, but the embers of undying commitment between two star-crossed lovers and their affection for each other continue to glow unabated.
Tere liye…
Movie: Veer Zaara (2004)
Singers: Suresh Wadkar, Lata Mangeshkar
Composers: Madan Mohan, Sanjiv Kohli
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
A lovely romantic song which captures the growing affection between two lovers separated by the high walls of material wealth and other societal concerns.
Piyu bole…
Movie: Parineeta (2004)
Singers: Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal
Composer: Shantanu Moitra
Lyricist: Swanand Kirkire
Indian scriptures tell us that the unbound souls in the universe decide the kind of next life they need in view of their past karma and choose their parents accordingly. Children descend from the heavens above and bestow profound hope and joy upon their family seniors. They deserve all the love and respect they can get.
Taare zameen par…
Movie: Taare Zameen Par (2007)
Singers: Shankar Mahadevan, Bugs Bhargava, Vivinenne Pocha
Composers: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyricist: Prasoon Joshi
All of us have role models in our lives. These are persons who are better gifted than us in so many ways. We go to great lengths to remain in their orbits. This song vividly captures the search of three class fellows for their long-lost role model.
Kahaan gaya usey dhoondo…
Movie: 3 Idiots (2009)
Singer: Shaan
Composer: Shantanu Moitra
Lyricist: Swanand Kirkire
Our homes and hearths are not mere blocks of bricks and mortar. Small moments of shared happiness, an abiding love and harmony between those who populate a dwelling, and tantalizing dreams, bring in the real warmth. And that is how a house becomes a home.
Itti si khushi…
Movie: Barfi! (2012)
Singers: Shreya Ghoshal, Nikhil Paul George
Composer: Pritam
Lyricist: Swanand Kirkire
Yet another love song which captivates our hearts.
Chaar kadam…
Movie: PK 2014
Singers: Shaan, Shreya Ghoshal
Composer: Shantanu Moitra
Lyricist: Swanand Kirkire
Bollywood has offered us a few songs where the virtues of a mother are showcased by a loving son. Here is a rare one where it is the daughter who is expressing her love and admiration for the mother.
Meri pyari ammi…
Movie: Secret Superstar (2017)
Singer: Meghna Mishra
Composer: Amit Trivedi
Lyricist: Kausar Munir
I am rather hesitant to take this subjective list any further for two reasons.
One, by no stretch of imagination can this list be considered an exhaustive one. There are so many good songs which are available to us. However, out of respect for your time and attention, I cannot simply go on adding many other songs. That would go on to make the listing a wee bit unwieldy. I confess that selecting the songs listed above has not been an easy task for me.
Two, even though there are many which are of recent origin and happen to be popular as of now, we need to allow them more time to mature and acquire an alluring flavour in our emotional casks. I think the shelf-life of these can only be assessed after the lapse of a few years. I allude to such songs as Yaadon ki almaari…(Helicopter Eela; 2018), Teri mitti…(Kesari; 2019), Kitthe chaliye…(Shershaah; 2021) and Meri jaan…(Gangubhai Kathiawadi; 2022).
The Evolution of Bollywood Music
Over the decades, our songs have evolved in more ways than one.
One kind of transformation which has taken place is in the character of the lyrics. In the past, elements of nature used to play an important role, especially when it came to effectively capturing the emotions being depicted on the screen. Think of Aaja sanam madhur chandni mein hum (Chori Chori; 1956) and O sajana, barkha bahaar aayi (Parakh; 1960). This is no longer true. Now, once in a while, we get treated to a song like Suraj hua maddham (Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham; 2001).
Also, gradually, the orchestra and the sound have elbowed out the lyrics somewhat. Songs which appealed to the audience not only for their deep layered meaning but also for their soulful music have become part of a rare breed. Philosophical truths of life have got relegated to the background. Thus, we have become used to getting entertained by offerings which accord a higher priority to our ears than to our minds.
Moreover, with the new-found zeal for quick cuts, adroit camera work and the razzle-dazzle of a heightened visual appeal, we have virtually stopped hearing songs and have willy-nilly become reconciled to seeing them. Cinematography rules. Locations keep changing in quick succession. Even before we have had the chance to savour one, the next one pops up. The camera has become obtrusive. Even if a patriotic song like Teri mitti…comes up, we are exposed to a visual world which is in the fast forward mode. Since our eyes are constantly being bombarded with visual information, the hapless ear often has no other option but to take the back seat.
Whatever may be the direction of evolution of songs, music remains a nourishment for the soul. The genre does not really matter. Our choices and preferences may differ widely. But what matters is the way it touches our hearts and resonates with our inner being.
Music makes us experience a glowing harmony between our inner and outer selves. It helps us to dig beneath the veneer of several masks that we wear in our mundane life. It also acts as a catalyst in our quest for our true inner selves, thereby raising our level of consciousness. Indeed, like all other forms of fine art, it washes off the dirt of our mundane lives and nurtures our souls.
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ashokbhatia 
Wow ! Saved this article for listening to these songs again and again. Rgrds
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Thanks. Glad you liked it!
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This covers a wide range although, yet people have varied interests and their choices also vary. Quite nostalgic,I must say.
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Thank you. What do you think about the concluding remarks of this post, under the title Evolution…?
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Very well chosen songs again Ashok. Many I had not heard or noticed even though I had watched the films, like ‘Ek dooje ke waaste’ or ‘itti si khushi’
One song which I heard for the first time here is ‘Meri jaan..’ from Gangu bai, a film I did not watch because I thought Alia did not deserve/fit that role. This song is sure to pass the ‘shelf life test’
Enjoyed reading your very different and interesting take on how music, lyrics and singing touch our inner selves and cleanse our souls.
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Thanks for reading and commenting on both the posts, Sunil. Really appreciate this. Allow me, however, to point out that this is NOT a-song-a-year list. It is merely arranged in a chronological order, so as to make a reader realize the concluding comments on the evolution of our songs, where lyrics have been elbowed out by loud music and quick-cut visuals have finally come to rule our senses. This is not to necessary claim that older songs are better than the newer ones. As long as songs keep resonating with us, we, the audience, shall remain contented!
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I finally was able to listen to the songs I didn’t remember earlier. Many of these I liked a lot, but two I especially wanted to thank you for: Itti si khushi, which I hadn’t heard before; and Teri mitti, which I have heard and liked a lot – you reintroduced me to this, and I loved it this time round too.
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Thank you for your kind comment. Coming from you, it means a lot to me.
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