2023 has proven to be a historic year for the music of Indian cinema. The hyperkinetic "Naatu Naatu," off the period drama RRR, won both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
This moment of global recognition is perfectly fine, of course, but Bollywood music has been thriving — and winning the hearts of millions of fans — since the 1950s. At that time, India's film industry experienced a golden era thanks to a generation of brilliant directors, producers, actors — and, of course, singers and composers.
Concurrently, playback singers — the actual performers recording vocals that are later mimed by the actors — became international household names. Prolific and multifaceted, artists like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle (Mangeshkar's younger sister), Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Mukesh recorded at a breakneck pace; the warmth and passion in their voices became ingrained in the DNA of Indian popular culture.
The tunes themselves adopt a different cosmovision from the typical harmonic progressions of Western pop. Instead, they obsess on melody and rhythm, favoring swirling orchestral strings, high-pitched female vocals, and traditional instruments like tabla and sitar. Bollywood songs often have plenty of breathing room, with extended passages that generate trance-like moods. Outside stylistic references have included everything from mambo, disco and psychedelia to rock, hip-hop and reggaetón.
This selection of golden standards and underrated gems of Indian cinema traces the evolution of Bollywood music through seven decades.
"Awaara Hoon" (1951)
The splendor of Indian cinema began to shine in earnest with Awaar, a wistful slice of social criticism directed, produced and starred by Raj Kapoor, Bollywood’s own Charles Chaplin. His version of the idealistic tramp character shares his cosmovision in this song voiced by Mukesh (1923-76), a playback singer with a gift for melancholy undertones.
Both song and movie were hugely successful in Asia and Europe (local covers were recorded in Greece, Turkey and Romania, among other countries.) It was only the early ‘50s, and the world was already beginning to pay attention.
"Bahut Shukriya, Badi Meherbani" (1962)
Boasting the luminous presence of actress Sadhana Shivdasani, the romantic spy thriller Ek Musafir Ek Hasina ("A Traveler and a Beauty") includes one of the most delicate duets from the Bollywood golden era in the 1950s. Punctuated by busy harmonium lines and influenced by Indian folk, "Bahut Shukriya, Badi Meherbani" was written by master composer O. P. Nayyar, known for the sweetness of his melodies.
Most of the song is taken up by the honeyed singing of Mohammed Rafi, but when the legendary Asha Bhosle joins in, the track feels complete and revelatory.
"Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko" (1973)
A playback singer of mythical status, Asha Bhosle — now 89 years old — followed in the footsteps of her sister Lata Mangeshkar and became, according to Guinness, the most recorded vocalist in history, with over 12,000 songs to her credit.
A personal favorite of hers, this track from the film Yaadon Ki Baaraat may be her very best. It begins with the clinking of glasses, like a mystical ritual, and moves on with the majestic swelling of strings, giving way to Asha’s perfectly controlled pitch. She navigates the difficult melodic line with exquisite ease.
"Mehbooba Mehbooba" (1973)
Directed by Ramesh Sippy, Sholay signified a before and after moment. Initially released to lukewarm reviews and low ticket sales, it became Bollywood’s biggest grossing film for decades, and is considered the golden paradigm of the emerging masala genre: a mosaic of thrills and romance, humor and music.
The soundtrack, by visionary composer — and Asha Bhosle’s future husband — R. D. Burman includes this impossibly catchy tune vocalized by the maestro himself.
"In Ankhon Ki Masti" (1981)
Performed by Asha Bhosle, the songs of the critically acclaimed literary adaptation Umrao Jaan showcase the most mournful aspects of Bollywood music. Set in the 19th century, the film tells story of a young girl who is kidnapped from her family, sold to a brothel and trained as a sophisticated courtesan. "In Ankhon Ki Masti" is appropriately tragic, but infused in the intoxicating melodies of Punjabi composer Khayyam. Bhosle used her lower register, adding gravitas to such classic tunes as "In Ankhon Ki Masti."
"Chaiyya Chaiyya" (1998)
Known for his award-winning soundtrack to the British film Slumdog Millionaire, A. R. Rahman wrote some of his best music for the politically-charged thriller Dil Se..
Symbolizing the reckless adrenaline of love at first sight, the rollicking "Chaiyya Chaiyya" sequence finds actors Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora dancing together with dozens of performers on top of a train that moves along the Indian countryside — a sequence shot on the Nilgiri Express with no added digital effects. To this day, it stands as one of Bollywood’s most breathtaking sequences. The song itself was recorded by playback singers Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi.
"Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" (1998)
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is an extraordinary film in several ways. The directing debut of industry heavyweight Karan Johar (who was 26 at the time), the production was made possible thanks to the support of mega-star Shah Ruck Khan and ended up being the year’s biggest grossing film.
Shot in Scotland, the title track sequence underscores the formal beauty of the song, which was written by brothers Jatin and Lalit Pandit. From the angelic choir in the intro to the powerful use of tabla as rhythmic backdrop and the soaring modulation of singer Alka Yagnik in the bridge, this is aural candy for the ages.
"Chotta Chotta" (1999)
The world of Bollywood music is so extravagant and richly layered that even the lesser-known commercial disappointments feature compositions of dazzling beauty and depth. Such is the case with this gorgeous track from the Tamil film Taj Mahal.
"Chotta Chotta" combines tribal backbeat with traditional instrumentation and a stately, existential mood. This combination is unsurprising when you consider the pedigree of its creator: the prodigious A. R. Rahman. "Chotta Chotta" is the kind of tune that can ignite a lifelong obsession with Indian music.
"London Thumakda" (2013)
The exuberant wedding scene with family members of all ages dancing together is a staple of Bollywood productions, and this bubbly number from the Vikas Bahl hit Queen gets every single detail right — including the occasional power cut.
Written by Mumbai composer Amit Trivedi, the buoyant score complements the story of Rani, who decides to spend her honeymoon in Paris and Amsterdam alone after her fiancé dumps her one day before their wedding.
"Naatu Naatu" (2022)
Besides being the third highest grossing film in Bollywood history, action drama RRR underscores the globalization of Indian culture, with its biggest hit, "Naatu Naatu," bringing home an Academy Award and Golden Globe.
Drawn from stories of revolutionaries fighting for freedom during the British Raj, RRR shows how far Indian film has evolved in the new century. Written by veteran composer M. M. Keeravani, the track thrives on spectacular vocal harmonies and slick production values.