From ‘Rimjhim Gire Saawan' to ‘Barso Re': The many moods of monsoon in Hindi cinema

Time of India

a day ago

With each passing decade, the portrayal of rains, or monsoon, has evolved in Hindi cinema.
Rain comes bearing a medley of emotions. Imagine sitting with a cup of tea, a plate full of pakoras, and the beautiful Rim Jhim Gire Saawan playing in the background, as raindrops gently patter against the windowpane.
Music composers, lyricists, and filmmakers have long given voice to the emotions stirred by downpour. The imagery of rain has been used to evoke everything from heartbreak and romance to joy, hope, and freedom.
'People fall in love during the rainy days'
Music composer Lalit Pandit, who has composed several memorable rain-soaked melodies - Dekho Na (Fanaa), Hum Tum (Hum Tum), and the melodic La La Laaa from Mohabbatein, which features Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan celebrating love - believes the rains provide the perfect setting for romantic numbers.
'People fall in love during the rainy days. Usually, people of a certain age step out in the rain, eat at small shops, drink tea, and run together for shade in cosy corners. These are unforgettable moments of life. Dil judd jaata hai aise moments mein,' he says.
Lyricist and writer Swanand Kirkire reflects on the emotional and cultural depth rain holds in India, "Monsoon is a season everyone waits for. If the monsoon goes well, the harvest is good.
Monsoon is related to fertility, hence romance, hence love,' he says.
Swanand Kirkire says, "There are many songs about love in rain, there is sensuousness and longing also... But now, rain has lost its emotional pull. Urban sensibilities see rain as a hurdle. 'Yaar kya shuru ho gaya hai' – people start complaining on day one."
But with each passing decade, the portrayal of rains, or monsoon, has evolved in Hindi cinema - from being sensual, romantic and melancholic to cheerful and full of hope. And, in the last five years, rain songs have dried up.
Kirkire laments, 'There's nothing now. Urban sensibilities see rain as a hurdle—Yaar kya shuru ho gayi hai—people start complaining on day one.'
The last time we saw our hero and heroine romancing the rain was in Sooryavanshi (2021) when Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif recreated the iconic Tip Tip Barsa Paani.
Rimjhim Gire Sawan is my favourite rain song, especially the female version by Lataji. The way they step out and enjoy the rain, I love how it has been picturised. It shows the life of the middle class
– Lalit Pandit, music composer
A love letter to Mumbai: Rimjhim Gire Saawan (1979)
Shot in real Mumbai rains, this romantic interlude from RD Barman's repertoire, features Amitabh Bachchan and Moushumi Chatterjee as a young couple taking a stroll around iconic places in Mumbai – Gateway of India, Bandstand, Marine Drive – while it pours.
The song's picturisation is like a love letter to Mumbai and a reminder of simpler times when we could enjoy the rain without worrying about flooded streets & stalled traffic.
Celebratory, joyful: Koi Ladki Hai (1997)
The joyous composition, penned by Anand Bakshi, has a sing-song rhythm to it: Ghode jaisi chaal, haathi jaisi dum, o sawan raja kahan se aaye tum. It is one of those monsoon songs that compel you to step out of your house and do some 'chak dhoom dhoom', like Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit.
Love, nature and freedom: Barso Re (2007)
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's free-spirited celebration to this AR Rahman composition is unforgettable. The song has her rejoicing in the rain and blossoming nature while she tells the trees, river and mountains to remember her as she gets ready to elope with her lover.
Celebration of first love: Barkha Bahar Aayi (1960)
One of the earliest monsoon songs in Hindi cinema, it captures a young woman's (Sadhana) first brush with romance as she sings, 'Barkha bahar aayi, ras ki phuhar laayi, akhiyon mein pyaar laayi.'
Bimal Roy kept the visualisation simple – Sadhana walking around the porch of her house, with focused shots of trees, puddles, and raindrops. Lata Mangeshkar's vocals and Shailendra's lyrical finesse add sparkle to Salil Chowdhury's evocative composition about first love.
'The brilliance of the song is complemented by the manner in which the wait and the longing have been portrayed,' lyricist Prasoon Joshi writes in the festschrift The Man Who Spoke in Pictures: Bimal Roy.
Sensual and stormy:
Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Mein, Ajnabee (1974)
Zeenat Aman once called the RD Burman composition 'a sensual, sweet number.' With thunder, lightning, and suggestive lyrics by Anand Bakshi, the song rides the line between eroticism and tenderness, as she finds comfort in Rajesh Khanna's arms.
Hope: Ghanan Ghanan (2001)
After a long drought, rain becomes a symbol of hope, defiance, and resilience for the villagers in Ashutosh Gowariker's Lagaan. For them, rain brings hope and promise of a better tomorrow.
'Jo panchhi gaayenge, naye din aayenge, ujaale muskuraa denge andhero par, prem ki barkha mein bheege bheege tan mann, dharti pe dekhenge paani ka darpan.'
The mischief of love: Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si (1958)
Romance and rain go hand in hand - but whether it turns mischievous or steamy depends on who you cast: Kishore Kumar or Rajesh Khanna. In this classic, Kumar flirts playfully with a rain-drenched Madhubala. Majrooh Sultanpuri's lyrics elevate SD Burman's playful tune: "Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si, soti raaton mein jaagi si..."
Sensual: Tip Tip Barsa Paani (1994)
Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon's sizzling chemistry in the Mohra song gave melophiles one of Bollywood's most iconic rain songs – and one which was unapologetic of female desire. Raveena's translucent yellow sari in the song is popular to this day.