Rain has been ruling Bollywood for over half a century. Pristine droplets of rain, pouring love in our hearts.. is a theme that has always been the ultimate icing on the cake in a million hindi movie songs. Rain is the favorite subject in Bollywood and therefore was widely used in the most famous and sensual hindi movie songs of all time like the Raj Kapoor and Nargis's evergreen romantic number ‘Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua’ to the sexy Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon’s ‘Tip Tip Barsa Paani’, ‘Panni ne aag laga di’ where rain was the main theme. The trend in which the lashing rain wets the damsels in a typical red or yellow chiffon saree, has continued for ages, making rain in hindi movie songs a super-hit formula. Nowhere else has singin’ in the rain found as much success as it has in Bollywood. For decades, musicians have used a heavy downpour of words like ‘Saawan’, ‘Barsaat’, and ‘Rimjhim’, to produce some of their biggest hits.
Though monsoons are far away but the sudden rain in Delhi yesterday and more rain and thunderstorms to coming in has definitely set the mood for some rainy hindi movie songs. Let's take a look at some of the most famous number:
Ik Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si – Sudden heavy rain. Car breaks down. Pretty driver steps out. Flirtatious mechanic breaks into a song. There's much to enjoy, on screen and off it, courtesy Madhubala's damp diva and Kishore Kumar's animated bantering in this playful track from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi.
Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Mein - Evocative metaphors and unabashed canoodling pretty much describe Rajesh Khanna and Zeenat Aman's wet rendezvous on the terrace in this supremely breezy and lilting RD composition. Zeenat Aman’s in the face seduction is mind blowing.
Aaj Rapat Jaayein- No amount of downpour can dampen the spirit of an exuberant Amitabh Bachchan, rubbing off some of his zeal on the sober Smita Patil, even as the two partake in the madcap moves of Aaj rapat jaayen with infectious abandon.
Kaate Nahi Kat te - Theirs was a super hit jodi in B'wood. In a very romantic way, Sri devi says I love you to Anil Kapoor with this song...Kaate nahi kat te din ye raat became the favorite number of all rain loving couples since saying ‘I love you’ became terribly easy..
Tip Tip Barsa Paani - Raveena Tandon may have gotten over her 'mast mast' days but Mohra fans continue to revere the ravishing beauty at her irresistible best whilst romancing Akshay Kumar to Viju Shah's seriously addictive and groovy rain ditty.
Ghanan Ghanan - Rainfall is sacred to farmers. And so it's only understandable that the drought-stricken villagers of Ashutosh Gowarikar's period drama Lagaan break into an impromptu song in a bid to appease the rain gods with substantial downpour instead of teasing clouds.
Barso Re Megha Megha - The sheer dynamism and foot-tapping nature of this superb rain number from Guru, whether it's playing out of an earphone or television screen, is much too delightful to not give into. Perhaps that explains Aishwarya Rai's admirable gusto in bringing its magic to big screen.