Singing on the rain

The monsoon has just revived in Mumbai after a few weeks of muggy weather and people are celebrating. Yes, there are problems with flooded roads, stalled trains, water logging, slugs and worms, fungus, damp clothes, smelly carpets and much more, but it is that time of year when the temperatures suddenly and pleasurably drop after too long being too high, the earth and air smell fresh and clean and the water is cool and sweet.

And even as the average Mumbaikar complains about the rain and says many rude words at having to travel to work in the wet, he or she will almost always start humming one or the other of the many songs that are associated with this time of year. And almost all of them will be from Bollywood productions.

Even I, who do not watch movies very often but run a film website with my team, have been heard bursting into song when the rain is coming down, preferably outside my window and not on my head. And when there is rain, when there is song, the two together will invariably spell romance, with a capital 'R', the kind that needs an umbrella built for two, the kind that is about chai and pakoras, the kind that doesn't really need a significant other but works with one too.

Sometimes the rain reminds me of romance classic style. Like in Shri 420, when Nargis and Raj Kapoor sang Pyar hua ikrar hua hai. It is considered to be iconic of the genre, with two rain-washed faces gazing lovingly at each other under a large black umbrella. The couple under the shelter are soaking wet, but don't seem to notice, and the rumoured real-life love story of the leading lady and gentleman (in those days they were, I am told!) made the scene even more romantic.

In contrast was the cutely funny ditty from Kishore Kumar's Chalti ka Naam Gaadi, with the delectable Madhubala. As he sings, softly at first, then louder, Ek Ladki bheegi bhaagi si, I never fail to smile, in empathy, in amusement, in some degree of wistful wishful thinking.

There is such fun in the lyrics and such liveliness in the tune, and such a happy sound when the two come together to create one unforgettable moment!

More elaborate harmony and difficult vocals come with Rimjhim gire saawan, from Manzil. It comes in two versions, for male and female voice, and both are superb. The first, with Kishore Kumar, shows off the strength, the power, the force of the rain pounding down on the ground, on roofs, on bare heads, while the softer feminine version is more soulful, plaintive, gentle, with Lata Mangeshkar evoking visions of giggling girls, hot tea pouring into a cup, rain drizzling on flowers, the fresh wetness of grass tickling bare feet.

Lagaan had a more contemporary take on this, as the villagers wait for the long-delayed rain to give them and their fields and wells some respite from the heat and drought. As Aamir Khan and Gracy Singh join the rest of the community to sing Ghanan ghanan ghir ghir aye badara, in an AR Rahman composition, you can almost hear the rain rattling down on a wooden roof, pattering into an almost-empty well, drenching the cows and village folk alike as it soaks quickly into arid ground.

And then there is the seduction of the rain, a gentle, lazy, swaying kind of rhythm that lulls frazzled minds and nerves into soft lethargy. In Bheegi bheegi raaton main, from Ajnabee, Zeenat Aman manages to seduce Rajesh Khanna and everyone watching her – or even just listening to the song – with the gorgeous lyrics: Bheegi bheegi raaton main, meethi meethi baaton main aisi barsaaton main kaisa lagta hai? (in the rain-soaked nights, with sweet words and the monsoon season, how do you feel?). More seduction comes in the shape of a sexy Sridevi singing Kaata nahin katte in Mr India, with a mesmerised Anil Kapoor keeping her company, though invisibly as the object of his adoration sings Lo aaj main kehti hoon…I love you (Listen, I will say it today…I love you!)

But there are so many different ways to play in the rain, some of them a lot more energetic and young, maybe not even romantic, but great fun. In the Aamir Khan-Sonali Bendre starrer Sarfarosh, they sing to each other, Jo haal dil ka idhar ho raha hai (The condition of the heart that is happening here…), there is love, romance, seduction, fun, but all in a joking, jesting, teasing way, with a driving beat and very western tune. And Kareena Kapoor danced in the pouring rain to first try and seduce a rather staid Rahul Bose and then in sheer joy of being washed clean by the rain in Chameli, singing Beheta hai mann kahin, kahaan jaante nahin, koyi rokle yahin..Bhaage re mann kahin, in her character as a prostitute.

Of course, no writing on fun-filmi-fabulous rain songs would be complete without speaking of one that is not from Bollywood, but has that contemporary beat and a beautiful voice backing it – Shubha Mudgal's Ab ke saawan aise barse…that one could inspire anyone to go running out to dance in the rain. Even me!

———————————-

Ramya Sarma is a Mumbai-based writer-editor.