HIMANSHU GURU, OP
Unforgettable background tracks themed on monsoon are the eternal stuff of romance
Monsoon is the season of eternal love and romance. Perhaps that is why it is a favourite subject in films. On celluloid, monsoon spells magic, romance, intensity, drama and poetry. Not just romance, the season also elicits a variety of emotions. While the rainy season is a subject for depicting romance on the silver screen, for farmers it represents a fresh lease of life. All these features associated with the season have been aptly depicted on the big screen.
The very mention of the word ‘monsoon’ brings to mind the unforgettable score, ‘Pyaar hua iqaraar hua hai pyaar se phir kyo darta hai dil’. This iconic song from ‘Shree 420’ features Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Raj’s Charlie Chaplinesque outfits and the couple sharing an umbrella and singing to each other, is a memorable scene for every Indian filmgoer.
Many other popular tracks in Hindi cinema are based on monsoon. The blockbuster film ‘Lagaan’ features a track depicting the longing for rains. Set in the backdrop of the colonial era, as the villagers beat the British in a cricket match, it starts raining heavily and the villagers dance in glory of their victory while the British run for cover, symbolising their defeat.
The plot of another iconic film ‘Mother India’ is also based on monsoon. It is a movie based on rural life and the travails of villagers. The most memorable scene is one in which the village is flooded and the crops are washed away. The protagonist, Nargis, with her three children, struggle through the bitter realities of life. For generations since, she has become the symbol of motherhood.
‘Koi Ladki Hai’ from Yash Chopra’s ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ features Shah Rukh and Madhuri grooving to the beats of the track with a group of street children. The score is playful and a treat to the eyes. Even Aishwarya Rai has been seen in a couple of eye-catching rain songs. In Subhash Ghai’s ‘Taal’ she taps her feet to ‘Taal se Taal mila’. And how can one forget the sexy track ‘Tip tip barsa paani’ from Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon starrer ‘Mohra’ where Raveena is seen seducing Akshay.
Love showers
The first memorable monsoon track in an Oriya film was the 1959 venture ‘Sri Sri Mahalaxmi Puja’. The song was ‘Akasare kete bijuli chamake’ followed by another track in the 1962 film ‘Lakshmi’. Other popular Oriya monsoon songs are ‘Megha barasila tupuru Tupuru’ and ‘Hi re hi garaje megha ghum ghum’ in ‘Sesha Srabana’, ‘Mayuri go tuma akashe mu dine’ in ‘Arundhati’ and ‘Nei Ja re Megha Mote’ in ‘Balidan’. Present day films also have largely explored the monsoon theme. Popular new songs are ‘Barsha my Darling and ‘Barsha rani’ in ‘Barsha my Darling’ and ‘Barsha Barsha’ in ‘Gapa hele bi sata’, ‘Rim jhim rim jhim barsha’ in ‘Pagala karichi paunji tora’, ‘Megha ru tu jharilu’ in ‘Prema adhei akshara’, ‘Jyotshna re bhijithile’ in ‘Mo mana khali tori pain’ and ‘Barasha ei barasha’ in ‘Tumaku pauni ta bhuli’.
Actor Subham Naik said: “Out of the many songs in Oriya films, the track ‘Akashare janha’ from the film ‘Premara nisha naira naira’ stands out. The protagonist of the film said: “This is the song from which the love between the boy and the girl starts in the film. The protagonist is a negative character. However, after coming into contact with the girl he gradually changes. Rain is the sequence when the girl somehow manages to come out of her shame zone and presents herself to her lover. This is the theme of the song. In a nutshell, rain is the medium that makes the love possible in the film.”
The song was penned by Kishore Kumbhar and composed by Soumitri Palai. Subham has two upcoming films to his credit, one of which is titled ‘Chanhithibi tate hazare barasha’.
Singer Tapu Mishra is of the view that “monsoon is the favourite subject of every singer and composer.” Tapu has a few rain songs to her credit like ‘To aakhire kajala megha to othare’ in the film ‘Bhul bujhibani mate’, the track ‘Ghori ghori rani anthue anthue pani, Meghare meghare’ along with Bibhu Kishore in the film ‘Romeo the lover boy’. She said: “I have also recorded the song ‘Bhari barshare’ for my upcoming music video ‘Love in Monsoon’. Every song is based on a raag; it may be a Hollywood, Bollywood or Oriya song. Even ‘Rangabati’ is on a raag. Rain songs are based on raags like Malhar, Mian malhar and Desh. These raags should be sung on a certain time of the day. Long ago when ‘ustads’ sang these raags it would immediately start raining.”
Dwelling on popular monsoon lyrics, lyricist Arun Mantri said: “I hail from a village and rain is my favourite subject. Like the showers of monsoon thoughts about the season naturally flow into my mind.” The lyricist has some popular tracks to his credit like the rain song in the film ‘Neijare megha mate’ starring Anubhav and Barsha and in ‘Megha Sabarire’ starring Sabyasachi and Priya. Besides, his album track ‘Barsha hele tama katha bhari mane pade’ is also popular.