Bollywood's most memorable rain songs

The earthy smell of the ground. The wind in the hair. The drops on the windowpane. The ever-so-green surroundings. And what's a better way of expressing your feelings than soulful melodies? So, as we enjoy the rains, we bring to you 10 iconic Hindi numbers to make perfect use of the weather.

Jul 7, 2018, 11:09 am ISTNostalgiaJhakaasMovies Staff

Bollywood Rain Songs

Bollywood never ceases to celebrate this magic of rain. Over the years, countless movies have used the rain in various ways. Rains depict romance, with the hero and heroine drenched and oblivious to the world. It is about moments of sheer abandon and joy. It is about hope and disappointment, with those thick grey clouds that refuse to pour. It is about introducing the heroine, as she sings and dances her way into the audience's hearts. Every heroine in Bollywood, from Smita Patil to Sridevi, has gone through this trial by water, each bringing her own unique sensuality to it.

Here are our top 10 Bollywood rain songs, in chronological order.

1. Pyar hua ikraar hua hai - Shree 420 (1955)
Music: Shankar-Jaikishen
Lyrics: Shailendra

It is perhaps the most memorable rain song in Bollywood, occurring decades before the Hindi film industry came to be called that. The actors Raj Kapoor and Nargis, who were rumored to be in love with each other, sizzled in the rain, bringing in audiences in droves. And the image of them gazing at each other under one umbrella remains one of Hindi cinema's loveliest moments.

2. Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si - Chalti ka naam gaadi (1958)
Music: Sachin Dev Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

This is one of the movies that firmly established Kishore Kumar as a comic actor and a versatile singer. Who could forget the gorgeous Madhubala walking into Kumar's garage, drenched and stranded due to a faulty car?

3. Roop tera mastana - Aradhana (1969)
Music: Sachin Dev Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

The hero was charming and crazy in love. The heroine shy and attractive. A sudden rain that drives them inside leads them to a fireplace and, later, smoldering passion. An entire nation held its collective breath to see if all this would lead to a bhool - a mistake. It did. Along with setting the stage for the rest of the story, this is one of the songs that catapulted Rajesh Khanna to superstardom.

4. Rimjhim girey saawan - Manzil (1979)
Music: Rahul Dev Burman
Lyrics: Yogesh

There are two versions of this song - male and female, the former being more popular. However, the female version, sung by Lata Mangeshkar, is more lively and interesting, showing, as it does, two happy lovers walking in the rain. Most of the song is shot in south Mumbai, with its old Victorian buildings, open grounds and the Marine Drive promenade, all squeaky clean in the rain.

5. Aaj rapat jaaye toh - Namak Halal (1982)
Music: Bappi Lahiri
Lyrics: Anjaan

Who would have thought that Smita Patil, the reigning queen of "art cinema" as it was called then, had it in her to dance in such an uninhibited fashion? The pairing itself - Amitabh Bachchan and Smita Patil - was slightly unusual but they managed to pull off this romp in the rain admirably.

6. Kaante nahi kat tey yeh din yeh raat - Mr. India (1987)
Music Director: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Lyricst : Javed Akhtar

This is the definitive wet sari song in Bollywood, the tune that set aflutter many a man's heart. Sridevi writhing in that electric blue sari, singing to her invisible lover Mr. India with his special superhero powers; so many would have killed to be in the hero Anil Kapoor's place.

7. Rimjhim rimjhim - 1942: A Love Story (1994)
Music: RD Burman
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

This film, set in the times of the British Raj, was released after the death of RD Burman, who scored the music. Burman, who is acknowledged as a genius in the film industry, won one of its most coveted awards, the Filmfare Award, for three movies, one of which was this.

8. Lagi aaj saawan - Chandni (1989)
Music: Shiv-Hari
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

The sight of Sridevi soaked in a sari touch a painful chord within Vinod Khanna, bringing back memories of his dead girlfriend (Juhi Chawla), and their common love for dancing in the rain.

9. Tip tip barsa - Mohra (1994)
Music: Viju Shah
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

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.

10. Barso re megha megha - Guru (2007)
Music: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Gulzar

The rain song is a commonly used cinematic device by the south Indian director Mani Ratnam to introduce the heroine. In this movie, it is Aishwarya Rai, first shown singing in the rain and, as the song ends, running away from home for a rendezvous with her lover.