Bollywood songs (often termed filmi songs) are heard far beyond the borders of India. The lines of Bollywood songs are some of the most memorized and repeated expressions in India. Yet, since Bollywood has not been considered formal literature, the lyrics of the Bollywood songs have not been studied in an academic setting. Bollywood (Hindi: , Urdu: ) is the informal name given to the popular Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry in India. ...

The language of the filmi songs can be complex. It is termed Hindi in India and Urdu in Pakistan. Many songs are saturated with Persian terms, others can be in shuddha Hindi. It is not uncommon now to see usage of English words. Several dialects have been used: Braj, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Rajasthani. Occasionally a few lines in another Indian language (for example in Jya Jale[1]), or even a foreign language are added for mystery ([2]). Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken all over India in varying degrees and extensively in northern and central India, is one of the two central official languages of India, the other being English. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ... “Farsi” redirects here. ... Shuddha Hindi refers to Hindi which is grammatically correct and minimizes the use of English or Farsi/Arabic words. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Braj, though never a clearly defined political region, is considered to be the land of Krishna and is derived from the Sanksrit word vraja. ... Categories: Indo-Aryan languages | Languages of India | Language stubs ... Punjabi (also Panjabi; in GurmukhÄ«, PanjābÄ« in ShāhmukhÄ«) is the language of the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. ... Rajasthani (राजस्थानी) is a language of the Indo-Aryan languages family. ...

The lyrics are both modern and traditional.

The Nine Rasas

A 'rasa' identifies the dominant emotion of a composition (a song or a text). In Sanskrit and Hindi literature, nine different types of Rasas are often enumerated. Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ...

1. Shringar - love, sensuality and eroticism
   1. virah: separation
   2. milan: being together
2. Raudra - anger, rage, and violence
3. Hasya - laughter and happiness
4. Vibhatsaya - disgust
5. Veera - heroism
6. Karuna - pathos and compassion
7. Bhayanak - fear and anxiety
8. Adabhuta - wonder and curiosity
9. Shanta - contemplative and peaceful

This classification goes back to when the chief patrons of literature were kings and nobles. The filmi songs are however written for common people and thus there are some common themes that are often encountered - songs for children, songs of betrayal and dejection, marriage songs, etc. that ordinary people can relate with. Generally, patronage is the act of supporting or favoring some person, group, or institution. ...

Some popular representative songs

Segments of some representative songs are given here. The lines are selected from the songs to be representative of the theme. Most of them are among the most popular ones, even the older ones would be immediately recognized by song lovers. The translations given are approximate. Many of the expressions used cannot be translated into English exactly, some of the translations are chosen to be literal.

so ja rajkumari from Zindagi (1940), by Kedar Sharma

This lullaby is one of the most famous songs sung by Kundan Lal Saigal, the first of the great singers of Hindi films. Zindagi is the debut album of Pakistani pop singer, Shehzad Roy. ... Kundan Lal (K.L.) Saigal (April 11, 1904 - January 18, 1947) was an Indian actor and singer who is considered the first big superstar of Bollywood, the Hindi film industry centred in Mumbai. ...

सो जा राजकुमारी सो जा
सो जा मैं बलिहारी सो जा | सो जा राजकुमारी सो जा

सो जा मीठे सपने आएँ, सपनों में पी दरस दिखाएँ
उड़ कर रूपनगर में जाएँ, रूपनगर की सखियां आएँ
राजाजी माला पहनाएँ, चूमे मांग तिहारी सो जा

Translation:

Go to sleep, princess, go to sleep.

Go to sleep, my precious one.

Sleep and see sweet dreams, in the dream see your beloved

Fly to Roopnagar and be surrounded by the maidens

The king will garland you and kiss you on the forehead

The dream thus wishes that the little girl will marry a king. Roopnagar is fictional, but may represent a story-book town [3] or one of several cities one ruled by a king, e.g. Rupnagar. , Rupnagar is a town and a municipal council in Rupnagar district in the Indian state of Punjab. ...

jaane kyaa tuune kahii from Pyaasa (1957), by Sahir Ludhianvi

This classic song describes the onset of love. Pyaasa (Hindi: प्यासा, Urdu: پیاسا; Eternal Thirst in English) is a 1957 Hindi film directed by Guru Dutt. ... Sahir Ludhianvi (March 8, 1921 - October 25, 1980) was a popular Urdu poet and Hindi lyricist and songwriter. ...

Hindi:

जाने क्या तूने कही, जाने क्या मैने सुनी
बात कुछ बन ही गयी

सनसनाहट सी हुई, थरथराहट सी हुई
जाग उठे ख्वाब कई, बात कुछ बन ही गयी

Urdu:

جانے کیا تُونے کہی جانے کیا مینے سُنی
بات کُچھ بن ہی گیی

سنسناہٹ سی ہُئی تھرتھراہٹ سی ہُئی
جاگ اُٹھے کھواب کئی بات کُچھ بن ہی گیی

English Translation:

I don't know what you said, and don't know what I heard, but it happened.

There was some stirring, I trembled, and many dreams arose.

The song hints at love and passion using the simplest words, without using any equivalents for the term "love".

ai mere pyaare vatan from Kabuliwala (1961), by Prem Dhawan

The song expresses the yearning for the homeland by someone who has been away for a long time.

ऐ मेरे प्यारे वतन, ऐ मेरे बिछड़े चमन, तुझ पे दिल क़ुरबान
तू ही मेरी आरज़ू, तू ही मेरी आबरू, तू ही मेरी जान

तेरे दामन से जो आए उन हवाओं को सलाम, चूम लूँ मैं उस ज़ुबाँ को जिसपे आए तेरा नाम ...

Translation:

O my beloved homeland, my distant paradise, I sacrifice my heart for you.

You are my cherished desire, your are my honor, you are my life.

I salute the breeze that has passed from your valleys, I will kiss anyone who will mention your name.

The language of this song has an Dari (Afghanistan) flavor, the words vatan, chaman, qurban, arzu, abru are of Persian origin. Dari (Persian: ) is the official name for the Persian language in Afghanistan, popularly and locally known as Farsi. ... “Farsi” redirects here. ...

This is considered to be a song of "desh-bhakti" (patriotism, see List of patriotic songs#India), the term vatan is taken to mean India. For overseas Indians, the song expresses their sentiments directly. For the original context of the song, please see the discussion about the movie Kabuliwala. A patriotic song is a song that demonstrates love for ones country. ... Kabuliwala is a famous story written by Rabindranath Tagore. ...

For the complete song see Kabuliwala Kabuliwala is a famous story written by Rabindranath Tagore. ...

ab ke baras bhej bhaiya ko baabul from Bandini (1963), by Shailendra

This sentimental song is popular during the raksha-bandhan festival which falls in the month of Savan (Shravana). It is common for a married girl to visit her parent's family on this occasion, or at least send a rakhi for her brother. Bandini (Hindi: बन्दिनी, Urdu: بندِنی, translation: imprisoned) is a film directed and produced by Bimal Roy, the man who directed such classic as Do Bigha Zameen and Devdas, Bandini explores the human conflicts of love and hate intertwined in the mind of Kalyani (Nutan). ... Shankardas Kesarilal Shailendra (August 30, 1923 Rawalpindi-December 14, 1966 Mumbai) was a popular Indian Hindi lyricist. ... A sample of rakhis, tied by sisters on the wrists of brothers in celebration of Raksha Bandhan Raksha Bandhan (the bond of protection in Hindi) or Rakhi (राखी in Devanāgarī) is a Hindu festival and also Sikh festival, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. ... Shraavana (Hindi: सावन saavan or श्रावण shraavan) is a month of the Hindu calendar, also known as Sawan. ... A sample of rakhis, tied by sisters on the wrists of brothers in celebration of Raksha Bandhan Raksha Bandhan (the bond of protection in Hindi) or Rakhi (राखी in Devanāgarī) is a Hindu festival and also Sikh festival, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. ...

अब के बरस भेज भैया को बाबुल, सावन में लीजो बुलाय रे
लौटेंगी जब मेरे बचपन की सखीयाँ, देजो संदेशा भैयाय रे
अब के बरस भेज भैया को बाबुल ...

अम्बुवा तले फिर से झूले पड़ेंगे, रिमझिम पड़ेंगी फुहारें
लौटेंगी फिर तेरे आँगन में बाबुल, सावन की ठंडी बहारें
छलके नयन मोरा कसके रे जियरा, बचपन की जब याद आए रे

Translation:

This year, Dad, send my brother to escort me home during Savan.

All the girls I grew up with will also be back then.

People will tie swings on the branches of the mango trees, and the rain showers will come

In your courtyard , Dad, the cool breezes of Savan will return.

I have tears in my eyes, and my heart pines,

when I recall my childhood.

The festival raksha-bandhan celebrates not just the bond between a brother and a sister, but between one who vows to protect the other and a vulnerable one. A sample of rakhis, tied by sisters on the wrists of brothers in celebration of Raksha Bandhan Raksha Bandhan (the bond of protection in Hindi) or Rakhi (राखी in Devanāgarī) is a Hindu festival and also Sikh festival, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. ...

To convey the early and folk emotions, the song uses local dialects (now sometimes used only in the villages). Much of it uses the Braj dialect, a western Hindi dialect, however ambua (mango, aam is standard Hindi) is eastern Hindi. Braj, though never a clearly defined political region, is considered to be the land of Krishna and is derived from the Sanksrit word vraja. ...

The word babul is now used only in songs. A marriage is a profundly sad occasion for a girl in India, that is when she leaves the shelter of her beloved babul to an unknown future.

chandan saa badan, chanchal chitavan from Saraswati Chandra (1968), by Indeevar

The song follows the classic milan theme of the shringar rasa. Indeevar (1924-1997) one of the the leading Hindi film lyricist in the 1960s, grew up in Barua-Sagar in Jhansi district from where he moved to Bombay. ...

चंदन सा बदन, चंचल चितवन, धीरे से तेरा ये मुस्काना
मुझे दोष न देना जग वालों, हो जाऊँ अगर मैं दीवाना

ये काम कमान भँवे तेरी, पलकों के किनारे कजरारे,
माथे पर सिंदूरी सूरज, होंठों पे दहकते अंगारे

Translation:

Your body is like sandalwood, your naughly glances, your soft smile,

People should not blame me if I become crazy,

Your eye-brows like the bow of Kamadeva, dark edges of your eye-lids

On your forehead, the sindur glows like the sun, your burning lips

The song is mostly in standard Hindi, although kajarare (dark with kohl, see [4]) is a folk term. The traditional nakh-shikh varnan theme is used. In Hindi poetry, the exchange of glances is considered to be among the most erotic part of flirting. There are quite a few songs about eyes [5]. pela pali is must humanbenigs part Kāmadeva (Sanskrit: कामदेव) is the Hindu god of love. ...

phuulon ke rang se from Prem Pujari (1969), by Neeraj

A classic love song. A lover just cannot forget his beloved. Song Sung by versatile Kishore Kumar, Music S D Burman Prem Pujari is a 1970 Hindi movie produced, directed and written by Dev Anand for Navketan films. ... Neeraj is a Hindi name which comes originally from Sanskrit. ...

फूलों के रंग से, दिल की कलम से तुझको लिखी रोज़ पाती
कैसे बताऊँ, किस किस तरह से पल पल मुझे तू सताती
तेरे ही सपने, लेकर के सोया तेरी ही यादों में जागा
तेरे खयालों में उलझा रहा यूँ जैसे के माला में धागा

Translation:

Using colors of flowers as ink, and my heart as a pen, I wrote to you every day.

I can't even say in how many ways, you torture me every instant,

I dream of you, and I keep awake thinking about you,

I am all tangled up in thoughts about you, like a thread in a garland

This love song, in simple and sweet Hindi, recalls a famous devotional hymn by Bhakta Raidas: प्रभुजी तुम चन्दन हम पानी. Bhakta is a Hindu term for a person who practices bhakti, that is loving devotion for God. ... Raidas or Ravidas (c. ... Raidas or Ravidas (c. ...

O khaike paan banaras wala from Don (1978), by Anjaan

This playful boisterous song sung by Kishore Kumar was one of his greatest hits and was played often by the paan shops. The song refers to a young man from the shores of the Ganga, perhaps eastern Uttar Pradesh or Bihar, where people love to eat paan and tend to be rustic and boisterous. There are several types of paan leaves, Banarasi is one of them. Don is an Indian Hindi film released in 1978. ... Anjaan was the Nom-de-plume of Lalji Pandey, the Hindi_movie lyricist famous for songs such as Khaike Paan Banaraswala from Don_(1978_film) and Rote hue aate hain sab from Muqaddar_Ka_Sikandar. ... Kishore Kumar (August 4, 1929 – October 13, 1987) was an Indian film playback singer and comic actor. ... Betel pepper (Piper betle) vines Shopkeeper making Paan in an Indian store Paan, pan (in many Indic languages, हिन्दी : पान ), or beeda (in Tamil) is a type of Indian snack, which consists of fillings wrapped in a triangular package using leaves of the Betel pepper (Piper betle) and held together with a... This article is about the river. ... , Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: , translation: Northern Province, IPA: ,  ), [often referred to as U.P.], located in central-south Asia and northern India, is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Republic of India. ... For other uses, see Bihar (disambiguation). ...

ओ खाइके पान बनारस वाला, खुल जाये बंद अकल का ताला

फिर तो अइसा करे कमाल, सीधी कर दे सबकी चाल
ओ छोरा गंगा किनारे वाला!

Translation:

If you eat paan from Benares,

it will unlock your brain!

and you will do amazing things,

you will straighten up everyone,

O young man from the shores of Ganga!

The words "khaike" and "aisa" are in eastern Hindi. The song has been reincarnated in several remixes. A culturally related song, रंग बरसे भीगे चुनरवाली, by the famous poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan also refers to paan [6]. Benares (also known as Banaras, Kashi, Kasi and Varanasi (वाराणसी)) is a Hindu holy city on the banks of the river Ganga or Ganges in the modern north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... Harivanshrai Bachchan Srivastava (हरिवंशराय बच्चन श्रीवास्तव) (November 27, 1907 - January 18, 2003) was a distinguished Hindi poet, perhaps best known for his early work Madhushala (मधुशाला). He is also the father of Bollywood film superstar, Amitabh Bachchan. ...

papa kahte hain from qayamat se qayamat tak (1988), by Majrooh Sultanpuri

A cult song that expresses the clash between the ambitions of two generations. In India, people dream, not for themselves, but for their children. The modern generation of children is often not longer willing to inherit their fathers' hopes. Majrooh Sultanpuri (October 1, 1919 - May 24, 2000), was an Urdu poet, lyricist and songwriter. ...

पापा कहते हैं बड़ा नाम करेगा, बेटा हमारा ऐसा काम करेगा
मगर यह तो कोई ना जाने, कि मेरी मंज़िल है कहां

मेरा तो सपना है इक चेहरा, देखे जो उसको झूमे बहार

बन्दा ये ख़ूबसूरत काम करेगा, दिल की दुनिया में अपना नाम करेगा

Translation:

My Papa says my son will do great things that will bring recognition.

but no one knows where is my destination.

My dream is a beautiful face. Sight of her makes one ecstatic.

I will do this glorious deed and make my name in the world of heart.

The language is simple Hindi with a touch of Urdu. The complete song can be found at Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. The song is considered to have launched the careers of both the singer Udit Narayan and actor Aamir Khan. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, sometimes called QSQT and released in 1988, is one of the biggest blockbuster movies ever released by the Bollywood film industry of India. ...

ghar aaja pardesi from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), by Anand Bakshi

The song refers to those who have been away from India. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Devanagari: दिलवाले दुल्हिनया ले जायेंगे), also known as DDLJ (translation: Those with a Heart Will Take the Bride) is an Indian film which premiered on October 19, 1995 and was released nationwide on October 20, 1995. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...

हो कोयल कूके हूक उठाए, यादों की बंदूक चलाए, बागों में झूलों के मौसम वापस आए रे
घर आजा परदेसी तेरा देस बुलाए रे,

माना तेरे हैं कुछ सपने, पर हम तो हैं तेरे अपने, भूलने वाले हमको तेरी याद सताए रे

Translation:

The koel cuckoo calls, my heart pines, memories are triggered.

In the gardens, the season of swings has returned.

Come back wanderer, your country is calling you.

We know you have your dreams, but we belong to you,

We miss you, o forgetful

"घर आजा परदेसी" are powerful words. The song "ghar aa jaa pardesii ki terii merii ik jinarii..." from Gadar starts with the same words. In India, there is a strong sentimental attachment with home. The language is standard Hindi, with a touch of folk Hindi with words like हूक and परदेसी . Gadar is a 2001 Hindi movie. ...

Chaiyya Chaiyya from Dil Se (1998), by Gulzar

The Chaiyya Chaiyya song serves as the opening and close of the recent Hollywood movie Inside Man. The song is known for the A.R. Rahman's music, the words are somewhat mysterious. Chaiyya Chaiyya (Hindi: छैया छैया, Urdu: چیّا چیّا) is the first song in the famous Hindi film Dil Se directed by Mani Ratnam. ... Dil Se (Devanagari दिल से) (1998) is a Hindi film directed by Mani Ratnam. ... Sampooran Singh Gulzar (born as on August 18, 1936), famously known as Gulzar, is an Indian poet, lyricist, film-maker, director, and playwright from India. ... Chaiyya Chaiyya (Hindi: छैया छैया, Urdu: چیّا چیّا) is the first song in the famous Hindi film Dil Se directed by Mani Ratnam. ... Inside Man is a 2006 crime-drama film starring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster, and directed by Spike Lee. ... A. R. Rahman Allah Rakha Rahman, born January 6, 1967 as A.S. Dileep Kumar in Chennai, India, is a popular Indian film music composer. ...

Hindi:
जिनके सर हो इश्क़ की छांव पावों के नीचे जन्नत होगी

चल छैयां छैयां, छैयां छैयां, छैयां छैयां, छैयां छैयां

गुलपोश कभी इतरायें कहीं, मह्के तो नज़र आ जाये कहीं
तावीज़ बनाके पहनूं उसे, आयत की तरह मिल जाये कहीं

Urdu:
جنکے سر ہو عِشق کی چھاوں پاوّں کے نیچے جنّت ہوگی

چل چھیّاں چھیّاں، چھیّاں چھیّاں چھیّاں چھیّاں، چھیّاں چھیّا
گُلپوش کبھی اِترایّں کہیں مہکے تو نظر آ جایے کہیں
تعویز بناکے پہنُوں اُسے آیت کی طرح مِل جایے کہیں

Translation:

Whose head is in the shade of love, heaven is under his feet.

Walk in the shade, remain in the shade,

remain in the shade, remain in the shade.

The flower-wearer walks around self-assured, I can spot him by the scent,

I can wear him like an amulet, sometime I encounter him as a hymn.

Like the songs of Mirabai or works of several sufi poets, this song is dvayashraya kavya, it can be interpreted in two ways; as a worldly love song, or a song for the beloved lord. Mirabai (मीराबाई) (1498-1547) (sometimes also spelled Meera) was a female Hindu mystical poet whose compositions are popular throughout India. ... Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a system of esoteric philosophy commonly associated with Islam. ... Kavya is a popular first name for an Indian girl. ...

Note that in India, the sun is often very hot, and thus shade provides comforting shelter. Taviz is an amulet containing a paper with a sacred text as a charm. Ayat is a verse from the Qur'an. The Qur’ān [1] (Arabic: , literally the recitation; also sometimes transliterated as Quran, Koran, or Al-Quran) is the central religious text of Islam. ...

See also

• Antakshari
• Binaca Geetmala
• Filmfare Best Lyricist Award
• Filmi Devotional songs, Bhajans
• List of Indian playback singers
• Multilingual songs

Antakshari is a musical game played in South Asia, particularly in India and Pakistan. ... Binaca Geetmala was a highly popular radio countdown show of songs from Indian cinema that was broadcast on Radio Ceylon from 1952 to 1994. ... The Filmfare Lyricist Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films. ... Filmi Devotional songs (or Filmi Bhajans) are devotional songs from Hindi movies, or Hindi songs composed to be sung using the melody in a popular filmi song. ... A bhajan or kirtan is a Hindu devotional song, often of ancient origin. ... This is a list of Indian playback singers. ...

External links

• Archive of Hindi Movie songs
• Bollywood songs
• Search Hindi Songs (Audio)

transliterations. Transliteration in a narrow sense is a mapping from one script into another script. ...

References

• The Indian Diaspora: Dynamics of Migration edited by Narayana Jayaram, p. 164 (Trinidad)
• Echoes from Dharamsala: Music in the Life of a Tibetan Refugee Community by Keila Diehl (Tibetan refugees)
• Music of Hindu Trinidad: Songs from the India Diaspora by Helen Myers
• Cassette Culture: Popular Music and Technology in North India by Peter Manuel
• World Music Volumn 2 Latin and North America Caribbean India Asia and: Latin and North America,...by Simon Broughton, Mark Ellingham (History)