Bollywood’s connection with the rains is legendary. A romantic song or a tragic scene is incomplete without Mumbai’s thundering showers. If there’s one thing that the monsoons bring with them for sure, it’s the romance in the air. And the film industry in India has managed to capitalise on it in the best ways possible.
The monsoons have become an integral part of films in India and there is no way that romantic tale will end anytime soon. Since the beginning of filmmaking in India, filmmakers have tried to capture the beauty of the rains and the effect it has on human emotions. Rains are as integral to a film as are the characters, music, costumes, etc.
One of the most memorable songs of Indian cinema, ‘Pyar hua ikraar hua hai’ starring Raj Kapoor and Nargis from the film Shree 420 epitomises the significance of rains in Indian films. The song is a timeless classic that, even today, transports one to a different world of romance.
‘Aaj rapat jaye to’ with Amitabh Bachchan and Smita Patil in the hit film Namak Halal; ‘Kate nahi kat te yeh din ye raat’ where a sensuous Sri Devi in a blue saree serenades an invisible Mr India; Kajol grooving to the song ‘Mere khwabon mein jo aaye’ in the film Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge; Dil To Pagal Hai’s song ‘Koi Ladki Hai’ with Madhuri Dixit and ShahRukh Khan dancing in the rain with children; are some of the endless number of songs shot in the rains and became huge hits.
‘Rimjhim gire sawan’
The mere thought of monsoons triggers a string of memories and emotions. One of the most iconic songs shot during Mumbai rains is ‘Rimjhim gire sawan’ from the movie Manzil – a 1979 Indian Bollywood romantic drama film directed by Basu Chatterjee and was loosely inspired by the Bengali film Akash Kusum (1965). The film Manzil had Amitabh Bachchan and Moushumi Chatterjee in main roles and the song was a chartbuster. The initial lines of the song read as follows: Rim jhim gire sawan, sulag sulag jaaye mann Bheege aaj iss mausam mein, lagi kaisi ye agan…
In the song, the lead couple Amitabh and Moushumi walk, hand in hand, through the Gateway of India promenade, Marine Drive and other iconic zones of South Mumbai. The song became the quintessential rain song of Hindi language cinema. It best captures the romance of the rains expressed through the expressions of the characters.
Films and monsoons
There are several films where rain itself is a character in the storyline, so to speak. The rains are there for a reason and often mark a ‘twist’ in the storyline or highlight an interesting or an important event in the narrative.
Thousands of films, Hindi language and those in other languages, have featured monsoon rains in creative and aesthetic ways. Even the sound of the first few drops of rains on a thirsty land.
Talented filmmaker, Anurag Basu, has aptly used rains in many of his films. The most important being the film ‘Life In A Metro’ which is about life in a metropolis like Mumbai. The film showcases parallel storylines about people from different walks of life in the bustling city of Mumbai. Any film that is featuring life in Mumbai is incomplete without the monsoon rains.
Shahid Kapoor’s film ‘Kaminey’ where it starts to rain when the actor’s character has to make a decision, choose between stealing a packet of cocaine and running away. The heavy downpour that marks almost the entire length of the film is a symbolisation is itself. Because of the rains, most of the frames of the film are duller, sketchy and look washed out – similar to the lives of the characters depicted in the film.
‘Barsaat Ki Ek Raat’ which translates to ‘one rainy night’ – a 1981 Bollywood thriller starring Amitabh Bachchan, Raakhee, Amjad Khan and Utpal Dutt and directed by Shakti Samanta was an adaptation from the novel Anushandhan by Shaktipada Rajguru. The film is about how the life of the protagonist Abhijeet (played by Amitabh Bachchan) changes overnight after his chance encounter with Kaaliram (played by actor Amjad Khan).
Abhijeet meets and falls in love with Rajni (Raakhee) who is blind. On one rainy night, Kaaliram attempts to molest Rajni but is rescued by Abhijeet, a police officer, who throws Kaaliram in jail. And, their lives change after that.
Rains and romance
One of the biggest hits of its time, Karan Johar’s ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ was not just a classic film but had a few iconic scenes shot in the rain. In fact, rains were an important part of the two major twists in the film’s story. In the first instance, Anjali (played by Kajol) realises that she is love with Rahul (played by Shah Rukh Khan) and makes up her mind to tell him about how she feels towards him, her best friend. When she decides to approach him, at the same time he too runs towards her but to profess his love for another woman (Rani Mukherjee). Her first love is over even before it could begin. It starts to rain and she cries inconsolably through the song ‘Tujhe yaad na meri aayi’.
The second time, the same two friends meet after many years. There is a moment of romance between the two when they get close and do a slow, romantic dance. The iconic scene in which a wet, sensuous Kajol, clad in a saree, reminisces her first love, is shot in the rains.
Koi Ladka hai from Dil to Pagal Hai
Another romantic flick, Aashiqui 2 starring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor in lead roles has an iconic scene shot in the rains. In fact, the poster shot of the film is part of this scene. The coming together of the two characters is sealed when it starts to rain, marking the beginning of their romance as well.
Who can forget the sensuous duet in the song ‘Tip tip barsa pani’ from the 1994 film ‘Mohra’ starring Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon. The song – not just the music but the dance of the gyrating couple – is one of the most popular songs of all times. The song was such a huge hit that in Rohit Shetty’s 2021 film ‘Sooryavanshi’ starring Akshay Kumar, the song was recreated with Katrina Kaif dancing to the popular song.
Rains are not the best time for weddings especially not in India where wedding ceremonies are lavish, go on for days with hundreds of people in attendance. However, the 2001 Indian comedy-drama film directed by Mira Nair ‘Monsoon Wedding’, with an interesting plot, again highlighted the significance of rains in Indian films, and crossover films as well.
In this film, the central theme is the organisation of a big, fat Indian wedding due to take place in a modern Indian family in Delhi. Lalit Verma (played by Naseeruddin Shah) and wife Pimmi (played by Lillete Dubey) have ‘arranged’ a wedding for their daughter, Aditi, to a boy who lives in the US. The story takes many turns and finally Aditi gets married and her cousin, Ria Verma (played by Shefali Shah) who is facing emotional turmoil also finds love, climaxing with the monsoon rains.