Bollywood Musicals : Best In-film Music Video

[shariqq]

Let's face it - Bollywood (or the Indian Film Industry, as AB prefers we call it) is famous and profitable in its escapist musicals only. The Writing, composing and singing of songs, and then the choreographing of it and its placing in the movie is (for some directors) an art-form. There's a song for every occassion in the Treasure Chest of Indian Cinema.

Tell us about your favourite numbers here - and these have to be good, and even top-notch maybe, in all the departments assoicated with the song itself (including the composition, lyrics, singing, visuals, actors, direction, placing, length - EVERYTHING!).

I have three favourites from recent times. Will post them over the next few days.

So what are YOUR favourite songs? Try to stick to 90s and beyond only.
Even those who do not watch too many Hindi films have surely seen some to able to judge from them atleast. Give an idea why you liked your choices too.

[kaytee]

I like these two below coz of the haunting tunes and the spectacular choreography of both the songs.

1) Kuchh Na Kaho from 1942 A Love Story. The music was by the legendery R.D. Burman.

2) Tanhayee from Dil Chahta Hai sung by Sonu Nigam and music by Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy.

[shariqq]

Hmm... good choices. Btw, Vidhu Vinod Chopra had hired Sanjay Leela Bhansali (long before he made his Directorial Debut) to direct the songs of 1942 A Love Story. Based on that he was able to garner support to make Khamoshi: The Musical.

My first favourite infact comes from the same director. I shall write in a little detail.

Bahon Ke Darmiyan
Movie: Khamoshi: The Musical (1996)
Director : Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri (Bless the man)
Singers: Hariharan & Alka Yagnik
Starring: Salman Khan & Manisha Koirala
Choreographer: None!

Manisha Koirala (in an Oive Green dress) meets Salman Khan (him in black shirt-sleeves) at the Light-house in Goa, just before he leaves town - and after a few tears from her, for the first (and only) time, they make love. The entire song is done with just four cuts and aesthetic romance. Jatin Lalit surpass themselves to compose a song that is already one for the books. The singers' voices float around the actors without them lip-synching to it - as the two lovers lose themselves in the moment:
"Bahon Ke Darmiyan, Do Pyaar Mil Rahe Hain
Jaane Kya Bole Man, Dole Sun ke Badan
Dhadkan Bani Zubaan"

With just two-stanzas of four lines each, the song plays out for six-minutes that includes a beautiful prelude and an even more beautiful closing (both of which are generally rare in film-music).

Sanjay Leela Bhansali uses fixed cameras for the entire song, all showing the two actors in close proximity with them in patient movements making the entire song very calm, pleasing and gorgeous.

[sacred_promises]

oh wow.. Now that was what  i had been looking for..

i lurv muzic!

am mostly besotted with old time classics of Mohd rafi, (i Cant Stand Lata!) and present day singers include kk, shan, Sonu nigam(at times i find him acting like the SRK of music world.. arrogant & snobbish.but have to Admit he sings Good!) and Himesh Reshammiya (aka He Rocks)! ...

among the female singers Sunidhi takes the cake and the icing and ofcourse the cherry topping:P
close to her its asha bhonsle and Shreya goshal<helluva amazing voice>

so should i list down my songs now??

[shariqq]

you needn't even ask, dear.

[sacred_promises]

well had to be sure if 60's 70's '80's songs would be allowed to list!

[shariqq]

well, restricting this to 90s and beyond ahsn't brought many results - might just as well open the floor 

Yes - tell us your favourites - but here only those which are the complete thing, including the video of the song. You can always start a New Thread to discuss music only. You will find me a very enthusiastic participant (I am a HUGE fan of Mohd Rafi, Talat Mehmood & Geeta Dutt, and NOT of Lata)

[sacred_promises]

well, restricting this to 90s and beyond ahsn't brought many results - might just as well open the floor

Yes - tell us your favourites - but here only those which are the complete thing, including the video of the song. You can always start a New Thread to discuss music only. You will find me a very enthusiastic participant (I am a HUGE fan of Mohd Rafi, Talat Mehmood & Geeta Dutt, and NOT of Lata)

aww Cool!!
good - you Dont like Lata either!! does she even sounds like a nightingale..??!! *wonders*

i guess just discussing music is Better than the Entire video... (some videos suck while the music itself rocks!)  plus Older songs had the hero heroines running around trees... so how can anyone describe them in a more creative way without sounding as the same usual gheesa peeta video. oh c'mon what do i write about the song which has aamir khan and juhi chawla singing in the forest walking,running, skipping among trees and marking on them in QSQT.. i love that song though'  *sighs*

[shariqq]

Older songs had the hero heroines running around trees... so how can anyone describe them in a more creative way without sounding as the same usual gheesa peeta video.

That is exactly what I was trying to achieve from this thread : restrict people to search their choices for songs that excel in both ways. But don't under-estimate old songs. Infact, read my post on Vijay Anand - I consider him to be *The Best* in Song videos in Bollywood history ever. Remember Guide & Jewel Thief?

Go on, start that new thread to discuss music only. Let's go decade by decade, shall we?

[sulphurhead]

i liked "Dil Chahta hai" from the movie of the same name. It's not a choreographed song, or any crap like that. but nothing echoed the music and the lyrics like a bunch of buddies hitting goa to chill
the entire movie had the feel of our generation, it's true, but that song definately embodied it. Definately more than the slightly campy "koi kahe", even though that had more suited lyrics.

[sacred_promises]

Infact, read my post on Vijay Anand - I consider him to be *The Best* in Song videos in Bollywood history ever. Remember Guide & Jewel Thief?

Go on, start that new thread to discuss music only. Let's go decade by decade, shall we?

aye aye, sire.*flashing toothy grin*

do realise the objective of this thread now..
surely will post in some of my favorites soon and i prolly may remember what its video looked like

[shariqq]

I like these two below coz of the haunting tunes and the spectacular choreography of both the songs.

2) Tanhayee from Dil Chahta Hai sung by Sonu Nigam and music by Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy.

i liked "Dil Chahta hai" from the movie of the same name. It's not a choreographed song, or any crap like that. but nothing echoed the music and the lyrics like a bunch of buddies hitting goa to chill
the entire movie had the feel of our generation, it's true, but that song definately embodied it.

Two from the same movie!

Well, if I had to select one song from this movie, it would be "Wo Ladki Hai Kahan".  I like the song to listen to (peppy and innocent), and the video is such a nice take on the different eras in Hindi Cinema. And the last part where Sonali Kulkarni is imitating Madhuri is a riot!

[sulphurhead]

hehehe... it was bordering on mocking and giving a tribute to those eras...
and i think in a toungue in cheek way - was a way to say that in today's day and age (in Dil chahta hai) the only place you'd see that sort of tomfoolery is on the screen.

In real life, you fall in love with the girl you're supposed to meet for an arranged marraige possibility, go with her to the cinemas and then halucinate that you and her are in those camp song routines

[shariqq]

Man - seems like you are on the brink of an arranged marriage yourself!! 

[shariqq]

My second favourite comes from a movie that raised Bollywood standards somewhat.

Mushkil Bada Ye Pyaar Hai
Movie: Gupt (1997)
Director : Rajiv Rai
Music Director: Viju Shah
Lyrics: Anand Bakhshi
Singers: Udit Narayan & Alka Yagnik
Starring: Bobby Deol & Manisha Koirala
Cinematographer: Ashok Mehta

This movie had a soundtrack that sounded very different to what Bollywood watchers were used to. Long before Himesh Reshamiya, Pritam or Vishal-Shekhar gave us up-beat "cool" tracks, Viju Shah came up with one album that had the youth of India raving about. The synthesized sound went very well with what Rajiv Rai put together for his movie. First time were multiple cameras used during production. Second units, Dolby Surround Sound, CGI title sequence (007 inspired) - this movie was "hatke".

Bobby Deol escapes from prison and is hiding at Manisha's farm-house. Although he has no romatic feelings for her, she does dream of him as her man. While he falls asleep, she lies next to him, unzips her top a little and indulges in her own little fantasy of them being together.

In a huge departure from the way songs are generally written, Anand Bakhshi has written this entire song as one-word rhymes. The main line goes "Mushkil Bada Ye Pyaar Hai", and then just one-line descriptions of love: Bechainiya, Betabiyan, Tanhaiyan, Pareshaniyan, Pashemaniyan, etc. All this with the two stars dressed in ultra-chic dresses around a dry land area with a few trees next to a lake.

Rajiv Rai uses multiple cameras to capture most takes, and then edits these different angles of the same scene together to create an effect of voyeuristic indulgence- the way Manisha's seeing her own imagination from a 3rd person prespective.

Thoroughly enjoyable. One of a few songs of Udit Narayan that is worth multiple plays.