From ‘Aashiqui’ to ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, when Bollywood soundtracks stole the spotlight from the films |
In Bollywood, music is one of the integral parts of movies. And there are times when the audience has witnessed the soundtrack overshadowing the entire film. There are movies that are remembered more for their soulful music than the storyline, cast, performances, or any other elements of it. Let’s take a look at Bollywood films, the albums of which became popular and larger-than-life phenomena among the audience.
‘Aashiqui’
The Mahesh Bhatt directorial, starring Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal, redefined romance for an entire generation of that era. The duo, Nadeem-Shravan, had composed the soundtrack of the film. Songs like ‘Dheere Dheere Se’ and ‘Nazar Ke Saamne’ went on to become classics and love anthems. The music of the movie resonated with the young audience of that time. Even decades later, ‘Aashiqui’ is synonymous with its unforgettable music. The movie was released in theaters in July 1990.
‘Saathiya’
The romantic drama, directed by Shaad Ali, featured Vivek Oberoi and Rani Mukerji in the lead roles. Well, the music was composed by none other than AR Rahman. The music maestro delivered an unforgettable soundtrack, which a person can vibe to even now. Songs like ‘Saathiya’ and ‘O Humdum Suniyo Re’ captured youthful romance perfectly. The album became massively popular among the audience of all ages. Directed by Mani Ratnam, the film was released in theaters in December 2002.
‘Jhoom Barabar Jhoom’
Directed by Shaad Ali, the music of the film was composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy. The trio brought energy to every song they composed for the movie. The title track and the song ‘Bol Na Halke Halke’ stood out, even though the movie received a mixed response. Over time, the soundtrack achieved a cult-like following. The movie was released in theaters in June 2007.
‘Delhi 6’
Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the film was released in the year 2009. AR Rahman had composed the music for the film. He blended folk, Sufi, and contemporary elements in the soundtrack effortlessly. Songs like ‘Masakali’, ‘Arziyan’, and ‘Rehna Tu’ became instant chartbusters. In an interview with O2 India, director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra talked about how the song ‘Arziyan’ was created. The filmmaker said that he wanted to make a song about devotion towards the “light above” and how incomplete a person can be. He told AR Rahman, “Let’s do a song around that.”He continued, “Then, almost after a year, or maybe a little more than that, early morning, I distinctly remember, it must be around 4:35 in the morning, and I had fallen asleep on his (Rahman’s) sofa set in the studio in Chennai. He woke me up and said he just had a dream and he got the tune. The tune came in the dream, and he had jammed on the piano for 37 minutes. He said, ‘There is a tune somewhere here. Do you want to hear it?’ I said, ‘Was this in your dream?’ He said, ‘Bang on,’ and that song became Arziyan.“Though the film didn’t do wonders at the box office, the music album received massive love and appreciation from the audience. Even today, the songs are among the people’s favorites.
‘Rockstar’
Directed by Imitiaz Ali, the film starred Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri in the lead roles. However, the music of the movie became a cultural phenomenon upon release. Again, AR Rahman had composed the music of the movie. Tracks like ‘Kun Faya Kun’ and ‘Tum Ho’ resonated deeply with the young audience. The soundtrack enhanced the viewing experience of the film. Even today, ‘Rockstar’ is remembered first for its powerful music. It was released in theaters in November 2011.
‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’
Directed by Karan Johar, the movie featured Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the lead roles. The film delivered one of the popular albums of the decade. Pritam had composed the music for the film. Songs like ‘Channa Mereya’ and the title track became heartbreak anthems. Talking about ‘Channa Mereya’, Pritam shared that the song was meant to be part of Salman Khan’s ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’. The composer told IANS, “For the same situation of ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, I made ‘Channa Mereya’. It got bounced from ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, and it went to ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’. Mukhra was the same, but the lyrics were different.”Meanwhile, Arijit Singh had crooned the title track of the film, and talking about the same, the singer told PTI, “This is going to be really interesting because this was perhaps the first time where I had to sing while looking at the actor. He (Ranbir) had already performed on that song. So I had to call for the video, watch the reflexes, and match him. That was a very good experience for me.”The music connected instantly with audiences across generations. The movie was released in theaters in October 2016.
