When Amjad Khan’s Gabbar Singh asks, “Holi kab hai, kab hai Holi?” in Ramesh Sippy’s cult-classic film Sholay, it is not just a question; it is a warning.
This scene cuts to a Holi song sequence in the fictional village Ramgarh, where Gabbar hatches a plan to attack Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) and Veeru (Dharmendra) during the festivities.
Over the years, Bollywood has tapped into the Holi spirit to portray a variety of emotions — from love in Mohabbatein to anger in Kabir Singh and jealousy in Darr.
Kabir Singh: Anger
In Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s 2019 hit Kabir Singh, Shahid Kapoor’s Kabir gets furious after learning that someone harassed his girlfriend Preeti (Kiara Advani) on Holi. “Kisne touch kiya usko?” he yells over the phone, and immediately rides his Royal Enfield to the culprit’s hostel to beat him up, covered in colour. The sequence ends with the culprit apologising to Preeti and Kabir announcing his love for her to other college students.
Mohabbatein: Reconciliation
Amitabh Bachchan plays Narayan Shanker, a strict school principal who swears by his rules, in Aditya Chopra’s romantic drama Mohabbatein. He clashes with Shah Rukh Khan’s Raj Aryan, the new music teacher, as the latter values freedom more than rules and discipline. However, the two decide to bury the hatchet on Holi. Raj puts a teeka on Narayan Shanker’s forehead and convinces him to permit the students to play Holi outside the campus.
Sholay: Joyous festivities end on a tragic note
In Sholay, the protagonists of the film, Jai (Dharmendra) and Veeru (Amitabh Bachchan), share a celebratory moment with Basanati (Hema Malini) and other villagers of Ramgarh as they groove to Holi Ke Din. However, Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan) appears with his goons from nowhere to confront Jai and Veeru to show his power and instill fear in villagers, dimming the brief moment of joy.
Damini: Holi becomes the backdrop for a heinous crime
Not every Holi brings joy to everyone’s life. In Rajkumar Santoshi’s critically acclaimed 1993 crime drama film Damini, Meenakshi Shesadri’s Damini got married to Shekhar Gupta (Rishi Kapoor), who was born in a prosperous family. On the day of Holi, she witnesses Shekhar’s younger brother, Rakesh (Ashwin Kaushal), and his friends gangraping their maidservant, Urmi (Prajakta) and rushes to tell Shekhar. Shekhar rushes over to prevent the sexual assault, but it is too late. The rape and subsequent death of the victim push the narrative forward.
Raanjhanaa: The realisation of love
When it comes to love, festivals have a way of sparking profound realisations. In the 2013 film Raanjhanaa, Dhanush’s Kundan finds himself getting drawn towards Sonam Kapoor’s Zoya in the ethereal setting of Varanasi. In the title track of the film, Zoya applies colours all over Kundan’s face, making him fall in love with her.
Silsila: Infidelity and marital dispute
No Holi celebration is complete without the mention of Rang Barse from Gulzar’s 1981 classic film Silsila. However, apart from its joyous and exuberant setting, the narrative takes an unexpected turn when Shobha (Jaya) doubts that her husband Amit (Amitabh Bachchan) is having an affair with Chandni (Rekha). Meanwhile, Chandni’s husband Anand (Sanjeev Kumar) also confesses to the former about his knowledge of Chandni and Amit’s relationship.
Padmaavat: Conspiracy and betrayal
In Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2018 film Padmaavat, Holi is turned into a backdrop of suspense. While Rani Padmavati (Deepika Padukone) and Raja Ratan Singh (Shahid Kapoor) cherish an intimate moment as they celebrate with colours, Ranveer Singh’s Alauddin Khilji conspires to extend his hand of friendship as an act to enter Chittor to claim the kingdom. The scene blends romance and betrayal.