In celebration of Valentine's Day I've decided to do a quick countdown of my top 5 favorite romantic Bollywood songs. I'm not very well-versed in older movies, so some of those evergreen hits that most know and love are missing from this list. I also tried really hard to not create a list solely comprised of Shahrukh Khan songs. But what can I do if I personally equate Shahrukh with romance?
Without further adieu...
5. "Ek Duje Ke Vaaste" from Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Who knew that one of my all time favorite romantic trac would be an opening credits song? Everything about this song screams cute. From the dialogue about love to the actual lyrics of the song, "Ek Duje Ke Vaaste" is just dreamy. And is it just me or does anyone else get goosebumps at the first bout of music when the "Dil To Pagal Hai" letters appear?
4. "Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan" from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)
The coyness of this song is what's most appealing. In a word, this song is playful but undoubtedly romantic. The dynamic between Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan is super fun to watch, as their chemistry is undeniable. The lyrics of the song are also beautiful and alluring.
3. "O Re Piya" from Aaja Nachle (2007)
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan completely and truly owns this song. To me, the picturization is a bit so-so, but the song itself is one of the best of recent times. It's soothing and not too fancy or fake sounding. It's a song where I feel I can actually hear the instruments--a nice break from the normal autotuned voices of today!
2. "Main Yahaan Hoon" from Veer Zaara (2004)
How can you not melt when watching this song? It's one of the most romantic songs from one of the most romantic movies. It's a song about a man who promises to always be there for the woman. Who wouldn't want that? It's the perfect Valentine's Day tune, no matter your relationship status. And it's one that I can listen to over and over again, no matter the day.
1. "Suraj Hua Maddham" from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)
"Suraj Hua Maddham" encompasses it all. It's sweet, sexy, romantic, beautiful, and I can go on and on. I think the reason I love this song with all my heart is because of its subtleties. It's subtly sexy, romantic, etc. The lyrics are wonderful, picturization is perfect, and it features one of the top jodis of all time. A little over 10 years later, and this song still feels fresh and new. And this is definitely one of Shahrukh's top song-performances ever.
Bollywood and romance go hand in hand, and these five songs prove that point. And if you love Bollywood, chances are that you also love...love! So no matter what you're doing this Valentine's Day, take a moment to listen to a romantic Bollywood song.
What are some of your favorites? I'm sure I've missed some.
Showing posts with label Madhuri Dixit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Madhuri Dixit. Show all posts
Monday, February 13, 2012
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Love You Raja
The Magic of Madhuri Week continues! So I'd like to share literally one of the most adorable songs of all time from the 1995 movie Raja:
I listened to this song for the first time in a long time at the beginning of this week as I was reminiscing about Madz and it's been stuck in my head ever since! Madhuri looks cho chweet and, is it just me, or she a pro with that wind machine? She also manages to look gorgeous in a plain, loose nightie. And I don't think I even need to mention the brilliance of her expressions--that one's kinda obvious.
And then there's Sanjay Kapoor. I love Sanjay Kapoor and he is seriously adorable in this song! I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Sanjay so it's really unfortunate that his acting career didn't take off as much as it should have. But he looks sooo good in this song, dontcha think? Him and Madz also make an awfully cute couple.
Like most of Madhuri's songs, once you hear this I'm sure it'll be stuck in your head for a while. So beware ;)
Happy Birthday, Madhuri! Your iconic movies, songs, outfits, and expressions will remain a part of Indian cinematic history forever. <3
I listened to this song for the first time in a long time at the beginning of this week as I was reminiscing about Madz and it's been stuck in my head ever since! Madhuri looks cho chweet and, is it just me, or she a pro with that wind machine? She also manages to look gorgeous in a plain, loose nightie. And I don't think I even need to mention the brilliance of her expressions--that one's kinda obvious.
And then there's Sanjay Kapoor. I love Sanjay Kapoor and he is seriously adorable in this song! I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Sanjay so it's really unfortunate that his acting career didn't take off as much as it should have. But he looks sooo good in this song, dontcha think? Him and Madz also make an awfully cute couple.
Like most of Madhuri's songs, once you hear this I'm sure it'll be stuck in your head for a while. So beware ;)
Happy Birthday, Madhuri! Your iconic movies, songs, outfits, and expressions will remain a part of Indian cinematic history forever. <3
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Can Madhuri's magic be captured?
My short answer: yes! But before you take out death threats against me, read on!
At this year's Filmfare awards, Madhuri Dixit received a special award honoring her 25 years of contribution to the Hindi film industry. For this reason, Priyanka Chopra took on the daunting task of performing to a medley of Madhuri's most famous songs as a tribute to her. How did she fare?
I think PC did a superb job! She looked great, the choreography was on point, the song choices were fitting, and the costumes were perfect. What I like about this performance is that Priyanka is clearly not trying to surpass Madhuri, nor is she even trying to be her. We all (including PC) know that that's impossible. While still remaining tributory to Madhuri's legacy, Priyanka manages to still put her own flair into the performance--she plays Madhuri without losing herself in the process.
A big example of this is the costuming of the medley. Most of the outfits are clearly inspired by their corresponding songs, but still have that Priyanka-flair to them. In other words, they're a bit sexier and bit more modern. The outfits are styled for Priyanka's body and Priyanka's filmy style, but still have that Madhuri element in them.
I also liked the remixed version of "Choli Ke Peeche" that was used. It kind of represents the idea that Bollywood is reaching a modern era, but still holds onto and appreciates its roots--and one of those roots is Madhuri Dixit, who helped create the identity of Hindi cinema. Remixes of classic songs are generally frowned upon, but I think it was fitting in this context.
If you watch the video until the end, you'll see that Priyanka brings Madhuri up on the stage to perform a few of the iconic "Dola re Dola" steps. Then Priyanka humbly says about her performance, "Choti si koshish thi" (It was a small try) and says some kind words about Madhuri and her work before she calls up Aishwarya on stage to present the award.
So did Priyanka capture Madhuri's magic? Yes--in her own way! No one can ever match up to Madhuri, but this performance was clearly not intended to do so. Priyanka was the perfect choice to perform this tribute. She's doubtlessly a great dancer and her facial expressions were a "10 on 10" in my book.
As for someone who couldn't capture the magic? Check this out (I'm warning you in advance--a barf bag may be needed):
Well, that was embarrassing to even watch...
P.S. This was another post in honor of the "Magic of Madhuri" week started by Gaja Gamini! Check out The Bollywood-ish Blog for more information!
At this year's Filmfare awards, Madhuri Dixit received a special award honoring her 25 years of contribution to the Hindi film industry. For this reason, Priyanka Chopra took on the daunting task of performing to a medley of Madhuri's most famous songs as a tribute to her. How did she fare?
I think PC did a superb job! She looked great, the choreography was on point, the song choices were fitting, and the costumes were perfect. What I like about this performance is that Priyanka is clearly not trying to surpass Madhuri, nor is she even trying to be her. We all (including PC) know that that's impossible. While still remaining tributory to Madhuri's legacy, Priyanka manages to still put her own flair into the performance--she plays Madhuri without losing herself in the process.
A big example of this is the costuming of the medley. Most of the outfits are clearly inspired by their corresponding songs, but still have that Priyanka-flair to them. In other words, they're a bit sexier and bit more modern. The outfits are styled for Priyanka's body and Priyanka's filmy style, but still have that Madhuri element in them.
I also liked the remixed version of "Choli Ke Peeche" that was used. It kind of represents the idea that Bollywood is reaching a modern era, but still holds onto and appreciates its roots--and one of those roots is Madhuri Dixit, who helped create the identity of Hindi cinema. Remixes of classic songs are generally frowned upon, but I think it was fitting in this context.
If you watch the video until the end, you'll see that Priyanka brings Madhuri up on the stage to perform a few of the iconic "Dola re Dola" steps. Then Priyanka humbly says about her performance, "Choti si koshish thi" (It was a small try) and says some kind words about Madhuri and her work before she calls up Aishwarya on stage to present the award.
So did Priyanka capture Madhuri's magic? Yes--in her own way! No one can ever match up to Madhuri, but this performance was clearly not intended to do so. Priyanka was the perfect choice to perform this tribute. She's doubtlessly a great dancer and her facial expressions were a "10 on 10" in my book.
As for someone who couldn't capture the magic? Check this out (I'm warning you in advance--a barf bag may be needed):
Well, that was embarrassing to even watch...
P.S. This was another post in honor of the "Magic of Madhuri" week started by Gaja Gamini! Check out The Bollywood-ish Blog for more information!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Magic of Madhuri- Dhak Dhak Karne Laga!
You'd think that my favorite Madz song would be one of her glorious dance numbers, but I feel like this sensuous number takes the cake. First of all, the song itself is just plain catchy--you can't help but hum it over and over again after hearing it. They lyrics are also really sweet, and song is overall well-sung (Anuradha Paudwal won the Filmfare Best Playback Singer award for this). Anil Kapoor is even a bit desirable in the song. But despite all of this, Madhuri completely steals the show mostly through her flawless facial expressions:
I also really love this song because it's a prime example of how Bollywood tends to handle sex and sexuality--especially up until the late '90s. Bollywood recognizes the social taboo of depicting sex (a lot of this also has to do with censor boards) and has therefore found ways to convey the idea of sex and desire without having to be so explicit. This is why we see so many wet sari sequences, blurred screens on nuptial night scenes, or sensual dance sequences like this one. I mean, who needs onscreen kissing when we have this?!
Whether it be for the mesmerizing music, the fantasy-like setting, the sensuality, or simply Madhuri's charm, "Dhak Dhak" remains an iconic song in Indian cinema--and one that I will forever love!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)