Mashaal

Tapori Raja (Anil Kapoor) is in love with Geeta (Rati Agnihotri) but is unable to express his feelings for her. He meets her at the railway station on the night before Holi and invites her to the celebrations at his basti in Dongarbatti. She leaves without answering him, but turns up for the Holi bash the following day. Love is in the air... Aayi Holi aayi!

Damini

The festival of fun took a morbid turn in this Rajkumar Santoshi film where Damini (Meenakshi Seshadri) witnesses her brother-in-law and his friends raping the household help during the Holi revelry. The horrific incident propels Damini on a path where she takes on her family to get justice for a woman wronged.

Mohabbatein

Narayan Shankar (Amitabh Bachchan), the strict principal of Gurukul, shows his softer side for the first time in this Aditya Chopra film when Raj Aryan (Shah Rukh Khan), the school’s music teacher, seeks his permission to allow the students to play Holi outside the school premises, a no-no for Gurukul till then. Narayan Shankar grunts his consent and is about to walk off, but Aryan goes up to him and puts a gulaal teeka on his forehead, saying: “Jahaan se main aata hoon, iss din ki shuruaat ghar ke sabse bade ko teeka lagaake kiya jaata hai.” Cue: Taaliyaan!

Darr

Rahul’s (Shah Rukh Khan) love for Kiran (Juhi Chawla) has turned into obsession. He stalks her day and night, even landing up as a drum beater at her home on the day of Holi. As the infectious Ang se ang lagaana plays out, Kiran’s closeness to fiance Sunil (Sunny Deol) irks Rahul and he reveals himself to her. The scene reaches fever-pitch with Sunil chasing Rahul through the busy roads, throwing a bottle that hits him on the head, but eventually losing him in the Holi crowd.

Sholay

Jaya Bachchan was a demure widow in white throughout Sholay. Apart from a flashback sequence that shows her as a spunky young girl when Thakur (Sanjeev Kumar) lands up in Radha (Jaya’s) village, only to find her playing Holi with her friends. The scene remains memorable — Radha running behind Thakur’s horse-carriage, pichkari in hand, telling him how much fun she has on Holi, compared to her dad’s (Iftekhar) staid celebrations.

Deewana

Raja (Shah Rukh Khan) is hopelessly in love with Kajal (Divya Bharti), a widow, but she doesn’t reciprocate. On the day of Holi, Raja lands up at Kajal’s house with his friends and professes his love for her. She wards him off, but he throws red gulaal on her. Then egged on by her mother-in-law (Sushma Seth), he fills her parting with sindoor.

GULAAL TO GAANA — EVERGREEN HOLI SONGS TO ADD COLOUR TO YOUR DAY

FRESH CHARTBUSTERS

Balam pichkari (yeh jawaani hai deewani)

Balam pichkari jo tu ne mujhe maari/ Toh seedhi saadhi chhori sharaabi ho gayi. And boy, did we get high! Pritam’s winning track from last year’s box-office blockbuster was a splash of colour and chemistry with a pretty Deepika Padukone and a charming Ranbir Kapoor going all out to make this fun Holi number a memorable part of the Ayan Mukerji film.

Tum tak (raanjhanaa)

Holi is almost a metaphor for Kundan’s (Dhanush) hopeless love for Zoya (Sonam Kapoor) in this 2013 heart-rending romance. This soulful A.R. Rahman number picturised in Varanasi is a treat both to the eyes and ears. That one moment where Kundan imagines Zoya walking up and smearing his forehead with colours is pure magic.

Lahu munh lag gaya (Ram-Leela)

Like the rest of the film, sexual innuendo abounds in this seductive number from Ram-Leela. Before Ram (Ranveer Singh) and Leela (Deepika Padukone) do a garba-style jig, they get down and dirty, she suggestively smudging her lipstick even as he passionately looks on. Then she pulls him close... and they kiss. Lahu munh lag gaya...

IN-BETWEEN HITS

Chhan ke mohalla (Action Replayy)

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan looks like a million bucks in this peppy Holi number from the 2010 Vipul Shah dud. Chhan ke mohalla, scored by Pritam, winningly combines vibrant colours and a retro theme.

Do me a favour let’s play holi (Waqt)

This Anu Malik earworm from the 2005 film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra, stands out for the Akki-PC chemistry. The wacky lyrics — Do me a favour, let’s play holi/ Jaa re jaa don’t touch my choli! — seals the deal.

Soni soni ankhiyon waali (Mohabbatein)

This Holi song from Mohabbatein starts off with Raj Aryan (Shah Rukh Khan) imagining his late beloved Megha (Aishwarya) throwing a fistful of colour at him and wishing him “Happy Holi”. The rest of the number is less spectacular, but SRK’s energy and Anupam Kher’s mad antics help it make it to our list.

Hori khele raghuveera (Baghban)

Amitabh Bachchan brings quite a bit of the Rang barse magic — with Hema Malini for company — in this foot-tapping Holi number from the 2003 hit Baghban. The Aadesh Srivastava composition, with some folksy lyrics thrown in, benefits from its robust picturisation and Bachchan’s baritone.

Dekho aayi holi re (Mangal Pandey)

Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji bring soul and spunk to this vibrant Rahman number from the 2005 historical film Mangal Pandey. In its tone and treatment, Dekho aayi Holi re brings back memories of Sholay’s iconic Holi ke din.

E FOR EVERGREEN

Rang barse (Silsila)

Bolly bash to para party, our best-loved Holi number is a must-play at every do, every year. Bachchan’s infectious charm, Rekha’s sexy moves, Jaya Bhaduri’s quiet dignity, Sanjeev Kumar’s serene presence, Shiv-Hari’s catchy composition and Harivanshrai Bachchan’s words came together magically to make Rang barse what it is. O rang barse bheegey chunar waali....

Aaj na chhodenge (kati patang)

Kishore Kumar’s mellifluous voice brought alive this RD Burman melody which continues to be popular. While Rajesh Khanna’s signature steps and winning smile spring immediately to mind, the song’s penultimate moments — in which Khanna’s Kamal splashes colour on “widow” Madhavi (Asha Parekh) — remain memorable.

Holi aayi re kanhai (Mother India)

Shamshad Begum’s voice shone through in this playful Naushad number from the iconic 1957 film. Picturised on Rajendra Kumar and Sunil Dutt, Holi aayi re Kanhai stands out for its rustic theme and tone.

Holi ke din (Sholay)

Holi kab hai, kab hai Holi?, asked Gabbar and Holi ke din was born. No Holi song list is complete without this one from Sholay. Characterised by its no-holds-barred energy and verve, Holi ke din, picturised on Bachchan, Dharmendra and Hema Malini (and yes, Jaya Bhaduri) is a visual delight.

Nadiya se Dariya (Namak Haram)

This Holi song from the Hrishikesh Mukherjee film made a mark for being different — no dancing, no splash of colours, no goofing around. Instead, we had Rajesh Khanna lend his characteristic charm to this Kishore-RD number. Rekha’s fun presence is a plus.

Ang se ang lagaana (Darr)

Shah Rukh Khan’s Rahul gatecrashes this Holi party to get close to Kiran (Juhi Chawla), the object of his obsession. The foot-tapping Shiv-Hari song, also picturised on Sunny Deol, is memorable for its end moments — when an all-colour Rahul sneaks up and smears Kiran with colour.

RANG DE!

Mere rang mein

This Maine Pyar Kiya number about the colour of love is memorable for the Salman-Bhagyashree passion play.

Mujhe rang de

Tabu brings sexiness to this catchy Asha Bhosle song from the film Thakshak.

Paani da rang

Vicky Donor is synonymous with the soulful number that talks about the pain of love. A for Ayushmann.

Main rang sharbaton ka

Sung by Atif Aslam, this addictive song from Shahid Kapoor’s Phata Poster Nikla Hero talks about a blushing lover.

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