20 Best Hindi Film Songs Ever
June 17th, 2006 Posted in Culture, India, Movies, Urdu PoetryI have always maintained that Outlook does a better job at non-political cover stories than it does at the political ones. Its latest issue is about the 20 best Bollywood songs ever. May be the recent demise of Naushad prompted such an exercise. It is not a public survey rather the choice of an expert panel of 30 lyricists, composers and playback singers. Each panel member was asked to nominate 10 favourite numbers in no order of preference.
The best song ever, according to the panel is actually a bhajan written by Sahir Ludhianvi and sung by Mohd. Rafi from the movie Chitralekha (1964). Mohd Rafi tops the charts with 7 nominations, 5 solos and 2 duets (one each with Lata and Asha) including the top three songs. Lata has 6 songs, 5 solos and 1 duet. Asha has 2 songs, 1 solo and 1 duet. Kishore Kumar has 2 songs, both solos. K.L. Saigal, that sonorous voice of the era bygone has just one nomination. Hemant Kumar has 3 and of the present day singers, there is just Sonu Nigam with a song from Kal Ho Na Ho.
In the lyrics department, Shailendra has 5 songs in the list, Kaifi Azmi has 4, Sahir has 2, Anand Bakshi has 2 and, Javed Akhtar and Gulzar have 1 each. Guide is the most popular movie with 3 of its songs nominated by the panel. Father S.D. Burman has 5 compositions while son R.D. has 4.
I think it is a decent listing. There would always be some songs that some people feel should not have been included and some that should have been. Also, I think Outlook could have conducted a public survey as well to determine the popular choice.
What do you think of the compilation? Is there any song that you feel has been left but should have been in the list?
Update: Here is the complete list of top 20 songs.
1. Man re, tu kaahe na dheer dhare
Singer: Mohammed Rafi
Film: Chitralekha (1964)
Music: Roshan
Lyrics Sahir Ludhianvi
2. Three songs tied for the second position
Tere mere sapne ab ek rang hain…
Singer: Mohammed Rafi
Film: Guide (1965)
Music: S.D. Burman
Lyrics: Shailendra
Din dhal jaaye, hai raat na jaaye…
Singer: Mohammed Rafi
Film: Guide (1965)
Music: S.D. Burman
Lyrics Shailendra
Kuch to log kahenge logon ka kaam hai kehna… Singer: Kishore Kumar
Film: Amar Prem (1971)
Music: R.D. Burman
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
3. Three songs tied for the third position
Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam…
Singer: Geeta Dutt
Film: Kaagaz ke phool (1959)
Music: S.D. Burman
Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi
Jo vaada kiya woh nibhana padega…
Singers: Rafi-Lata
Film: Taj Mahal (1963)
Music: Roshan
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi
Pyar kiya to darna kya…
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Film: Mughal-e-Azam (1960)
Music: Naushad
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni
4. Thirteen songs tied for the fourth position
Ai qaatib-e-taqdeer mujhe itna bata de…
Singer: K.L. Saigal
Film: My Sister (1944)
Music: Pankaj Mullick
Lyrics: Pandit Bhushan
Ayega, ayega, ayega ayega aane wala…
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Film: Mahal (1949)
Music: Khemchand Prakash
Lyrics: Nakshab Jarachavi
Piya tose naina lage re…
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Film: Guide (1965)
Music: S.D. Burman
Lyrics: Shailendra
Mai ye sochkar uske dar se…
Singer: Mohammed Rafi
Film: Haqeeqat (1964)
Music: Madan Mohan
Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi
O sajna, barkha bahar ayee…
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Film: Parakh (1960)
Music: Salil Chowdhury
Lyrics: Shailendra
Kuch dil ne kaha, kuch bhi nahin…
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Film: Anupama (1966)
Music: Hemant Kumar
Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi
Zindagi ke safar me guzar jate hain jo makam…
Singer: Kishore Kumar
Film: Aap ki kasam (1974)
Music: R.D.Burman
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Tum jo mil gaye ho to ye lagta hai, ke jahan mil gaya…
Singer: Mohammed Rafi
Film: Hanste zakhm (1973)
Music: Madan Mohan
Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi
Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye…
Singer: Asha Bhonsle
Film: Umrao Jaan (1981)
Music: Khayyam Lyrics Shahryar
Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko…
Singers: Asha Bhonsle-Mohammed Rafi
Film: Yaadon ki baraat (1973)
Music: R.D. Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh
Tum pukar lo…
Singer: Hemant Kumar
Film: Khamoshi (1969)
Music: Hemant Kumar Lyrics Gulzar
Har ghadi badal rahi hai roop zindagi…
Singer: Sonu Nigam
Film: Kal ho naa ho (2003)
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Poocho na kaise maine rain bitayi…
Singer: Manna Dey
Film: Meri soorat teri aankhen (1963)
Music: S.D. Burman
Lyrics: Shailendra
14 Responses to “20 Best Hindi Film Songs Ever”
By the mad momma on Jul 11, 2006
Well it really depends on the criterion.. is it the lyrics.. or the music… what?
some songs I love are Yeh Haseen Wadiyan from Roja
and Naam Adaa Likhna from Yahaan.. both relatively new…
I also love Kaheen door jab din dhal jaaye… and Chalte chalte… plenty of old songs.. dont know where to make a start!
By Mohib on Jul 14, 2006
Some of my faves are also not on the list.
I love that song of Yahaan, it is awesome!
By Mehtab on Dec 15, 2006
Dear Administrator,
I like your top twenty songs. Mohd. Rafi tops the list. I think it is a really justice with his talent. He was and is really at the top of the world of music.
Mehtab
By Pradeep on Feb 26, 2007
While Hindi film music has made gigantic leaps in terms of clarity and technology, very little can be said in terms of lyrics. With modern state-of-the-art equipment here to rule, just a little effort on meaningful lyrics will make Hindi film songs a treat. And who knows? They may surpass the songs of yesteryear.
By mahi on Feb 27, 2007
I dont know about this list. To think that not one AR Rahman song is in that galls me. Granted the old songs have that melodious quality, not to mention excellent lyrics, and that Rahman’s best ones have often debuted in Tamil, but still….
Radha kaise na jale from Lagaan - beautiful music and lyrics. what more do they want!!
I could name so many more…
Choti si Aasa from Roja
Yeh jo des hai tera from Swades… gut-wrenching.
Anjali Anjali (Duet in Tamil)
And a bunch of others that I only know the Tamil versions…
Unless they kept Rahman’s stuff out by considering as not Hindi, I just can’t accept this list. At least one song from him has to be there when you talk of Bollywood music.
By Mohib on Mar 4, 2007
@ Mehtab
Yes, Mohd. Rafi would appear in any survey of best Bollywood songs.
@ Pradeep
Like you, I also mourn the deteriorating standard of lyrics. Crazy kiyaa re!
@ Mahi
I agree. Every survey would leave out some awesome songs.
By irony81 on Mar 29, 2007
well, make it top 50 and all should be of rafi’s. where is the most difficult song in indian history, “o duniya ke rakhwale”?
By Raja on Apr 10, 2007
Yes,yes,Rafi all the way. No comparison no competition. He is the runaway winner.Love you adore you Rafi.
By Shanky on Sep 7, 2007
The selection of Rafi is no doubt good, but there are better ones of Rafi..like Kashmir Ki Kali songs, Phir Wahi dil laya hoon…also Kishore’s from Jhumroo and Manna’s (Kinare Kinare n several others) songs…so altho I liked the selection, this is an individual choice not necessarily universal. rgds
By neeru on Dec 22, 2007
kahi door jab din dhal jaye is one of top 5 songs in history.,
By raja on Jan 28, 2008
Kuch to log kahenge is a very ordinary song. May be included in top 1000.
By pritam on Mar 14, 2008
1. Rafi
2. rafi
3. rafi
….
…
1000. rafi
….
Rafi is and will be unbeaten in all respects of singing. Mehfil se uth jaane walo, saathi na koi manzil… and the list is unending
By Rahul on Apr 2, 2008
chalte chalte ..
zindagi bhar nahi bhoolegi ..
kahin door jab din dhal jaye ..
isharon isharon mein ..
wada karo nahi ..
ye dil na hota bechara ..
do lafzon ki hai ..
and many more.. not to say that the list above isn’t good. The only thing that isn’t good is today’s lyrics .. sad ..
By Dr Virendra Singh Godhara on Apr 23, 2008
Such a list has no credibility. According to priciples of survey and research samle size, sample selection method and so many other factors matter. It is, at the best, opinion of a handful of persons handpicked conveniently, even if they are luminories of the field. Even if the lyricists, music directors and singers picked were different, the list would have been different.