TOP 10 RAIN SONGS

From memories of Barsaat mein tak dhina dhin to the contemporary On the roof in the rain, Hindi cinema's rain songs are part of our collective consciousness. So fond is Bollywood of rain numbers that songs like Jeeya dhadak dhadak jaaye or Mere khwabon mein jo aaye are filmed in the rain even when the lyrics don't talk about the monsoons. Pyar hua iqrar hua (Shri 420) Possibly the most iconic image that springs from Bollywood's sepia-toned past is that of Raj Kapoor and Nargis under an umbrella. In Shri 420, director Raj Kapoor positioned the monsoons as a natural backdrop for the romance between a shy schoolteacher (Nargis) and a good-hearted tramp (Raj Kapoor). Romance underlined the scene in which they go from sharing a saucer of chai to sharing an umbrella while singing to Shailendra's simple lines. Kapoor's rain-lashed scene further imbued the lyrics with lyricism and a depth of feeling. Kapoor's rain-lashed scene further added to the depth of feeling. This Lata-Manna Dey song captured the Cupid-like role played by the monsoons. The aspirations of an educated, urban working class of the 1950s found voice in the climactic verse: "Main na rahoongi, tum na rahoge, phir bhi rahengi nishaniyan." which cut away from the couple to show a trio of schoolchildren strolling in the rain.

Interestingly, Kapoor asked his own children (now celebs in their own right) to play the roles of the schoolchildren, making this a moving scene.

Umad ghumad kar aayi re ghata (Do Aankhen Barah Haath)
While the monsoons may help romances for city folk, the rains hold special significance for the Indian farmer. Several songs address this role -- from Do Bigha Zameen's Hariyala sawan dhol machata aaya to Guide's Allah megh de to Lagaan's Ghanan ghanan.

But, for sheer joy, it's hard to beat Umad ghumad kar aayi re ghata. Just listen to the music of Bharat Vyas' lines like: "Jab sanan pavan ko laga teer, badal ko cheer nikala re neer. O dharti jal se maang bhare." In this V Shantaram epic, the coming of the rains is celebrated by a reformist man with a mission (Shantaram), a woman (Sandhya), two untidy kids and 12 convicts because it means they can reap a good crop of vegetables from the barren land they have been cultivating.

Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si (Chalti Ka Nam Gaadi)
The seductive potential of rain songs is well exploited in Hindi cinema, but who makes a better visual in a wet sari than the beautiful Madhubala? In this wacky comedy, she played a rich miss whose car breaks down on a stormy night near a mechanic's (Kishore Kumar) garage.

Red-blooded man that he is, the mechanic can't resist flirting outrageously -- even though she refuses his offer of tea and sympathy. Soon, he is crooning to the sneezing-and-scowling beauty in his smooth, rich voice. By the end of the song, Madhu finally smiles -- and the sun comes out. Or at least it feels like it has.

O sajna barkha bahaar (Parakh)
Salil Chowdhary's orchestration captured the sound of falling rain. His songs like Aha rimjhim ke pyare pyare geet, Hariyala sawan and Saawan ki raton mein aisa bhi hota hai are evergreen, but there is a reason why Lata Mangeshkar always picks Parakh's O sajna barkha bahar ayee as one of her favourites.

Besides the excellent sitar pieces rippling through the song, what added to this number's appeal is the visual of a young, deglamourised but gorgeous Sadhana standing under a canopy and watching the rain with mixed feelings, singing "Bheegi bheegi agni mein jale mora jiyara." Using this simple image and words, Bimal Roy communicated a sense of the young girl's romantic longing.

Dil tera deewana hai sanam (Dil Tera Deewana)
Forget Raj Kapoor and Nargis standing under that umbrella; forget Dev Anand chivalrously leading Waheeda through Rimjhim ke taraane leke aye barsaat. It was the swinging 1960s and Shammi Kapoor and Mohammed Rafi proclaimed it loudly in this rollicking rain song.

In this high-energy romp through the rains, a robust Kapoor made a mighty splash while wooing the heroine. And his onscreen ladylove Mala Sinha happily joined in, armed with Lata's sweet tones and a wet sari. This paved the way for a gradual increase in intimacy until it led to a typical 1960s phenomenon -- the unwed heroine's forthcoming pregnancy -- as witnessed in subsequent super hits like Ek Phool Do Mali and Aradhana.

Haeey haaey yeh majboori (Roti Kapda Aur Makaan)
The idea of a rain song as a siren call arguably reached its peak with Zeenat Aman's sexy moves. Actor-director Manoj Kumar played the sorely tempted boyfriend who can't afford to join an inviting Zeenat in the rain, as he has to appear for a much-needed job interview. Lyricist Verma Malik aptly put it as "Ambar pe hai racha swayamvar phir bhi tu ghabraye" and the restless camera movements effectively captured the hapless hero's predicament.

Zeenat's windblown sari effect was also witnessed in her Ajnabee song (Bheeegi bheegi raaton mein) and has been a cinematic staple right down to Sushmita Sen crooning Laga laga laga re in Maine Pyar Kyon Kiya.

Rimjhim gire sawan sulag sulag jaaye man (Manzil)
While the Kishore Kumar version of this RD Burman nugget is filmed at a sangeet mehfil, Lata's version is fittingly shot on various rain-lashed Mumbai locales. Drawing on the water-and-fire parallel, the track follows a young couple in love as they splash their way through puddles and take in the rains without a care, just delighting in each other's company.

Unlike Amitabh's super hit Aaj rapat jaaey toh from Namak Halal, the mood here is much gentler. Amitabh (in a suit, would you believe?) and Moushmi made an odd but oddly endearing couple -- she reaches his height only while walking down the Marine Drive parapet.

Megha re megha, tera man tarsa re (Lamhe)
Yash Chopra's filming of this song captured the traditional Indian greeting of the monsoons -- there was the usual sawan ke jhoole on which Sridevi and her friends swung as they announced the arrival of the rains Lata's voice in the Shiv Hari song was counterbalanced by Ila Arun's rustic crooning to achieve a heady mix.

The sheer joy of life expressed in this composition and in Sridevi's dancing drew the entranced hero (Anil Kapoor) from his haveli to catch a glimpse of the maidens dancing in the rain. Like Raj Kapoor and Gulzar, Yash Chopra has an obvious love for rain songs. The filmmaker has used them repeatedly, and effectively, in Chandni (Lagi aaj sawan ki phir who jhadi hai), Yeh Dillagi (Dekho zara delho barkha ki jhadi), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (Mere khwabon mein jo aaye) and Dil To Pagal Hai (Ghode jaisi chaal).

Rimjhim rimjhim (1942 A Love Story)
Just as a young and freshly scrubbed Manisha Koirala collected the raindrops in her sari pallu and then splashed Anil Kapoor with them in this number, the audience too felt sprayed by the refreshing appeal of the song.

1942's music was the musical highpoint of its era. Javed Akhtar's rich lyrics were much appreciated. And, of course, this was R D Burman's swan song. Fittingly, the maestro who had composed many an outstanding rain song from his first film, Chhote Nawab (Ghar aaja ghir aye badra saawariya) onwards, had a memorable monsoon melody in his last offering too.

Bhaage re man kahin (Chameli)
The under-utilised Sandesh Shandilya spins a delicate melody that reflects the state of mind of a young Mumbai prostitute (Kareena Kapoor). The city's torrential downpour brings unexpected joy to the streetwalker's life and she takes full advantage of it, splashing around in her famous red-and-blue sari. As she drops her pallu and douses herself in water, the song captures her feeling of being transported. She loses herself to the experience (as signified by Irshad Kalim's lyrics) and mocks her new acquaintance (Rahul Bose) who prefers to stay dry.

The song ends with an unforgettable image of Kareena prancing joyously towards an unknown future -- letting us know that even the most unfortunate of God's creatures take time off from their miseries to sing and dance in the rain.