Whether you watch Bollywood movies or not, the most romantic thing that happens in most romantic comedies is the inevitable reunion of a couple. A declaration of love is often seen among couples getting drenched in the rain without a care in the world. That moment in cinema captures the perfect feeling you hope for with the romance, the dance, the slowness of the words, and longing.
Without saying a word, so many words are exchanged.”
So, to give you a taste of those feelings, here’s a list of my top ten favorite Bollywood songs you can add to your Spotify playlist!
- Pehla Pyaar
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“Tu pehla pehla pyaar hain mera.” (You’re my first love) Coming in first place comes a song with slow melodies and a playful tune. The title Pehla Pyaar translates to “first love.” The artist is Armaan Malik who wrote this song for the movie Kabir Singh. This song makes you want to belt the lyrics with the windows down during a drive.
- mujko barsaat bana lo
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“Mujhko barsaat bano lo, ek lambi raat bana lo.” (Turn me into the rain, turn me into a long night) I can’t mention dancing in the rain without a song about rain. So here’s Armaan Malik coming in again at number two with the song Mujhko Barsaat Bano Lo from the movie Junooniyat. This is an oldie but a goodie with sweet-sounding instruments to back up his voice.
- ishq wala love
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“Surkh wala love, sauz wala, faiz wala love.” (The deep red love, the flaming hot love, the passionate love) The iconic movie from 2012 Student Of The Year has a song called Ishq Wala Love by artists Vishal-Shekhar, Salim Merchant, and Neeti Mohan. This is a catchy and contemporary song that recites different ways to describe love with a funky title. Both “ishq” and “love” translate to the same thing with the word, “ishq” having a stronger connotation.
- pal
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“Pal ek pal mein hi tham mein haath jo de gaya.” (Everything seemed to have stopped in just a moment) A song by the title Pal, which translates to “a moment,” talks about how each feeling arises in that moment when you fall for someone. This song is sung by artists Javed-Mohsin, Arjit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, Kunaal Vermaa, and Prashant Ingole. With its sweet melodies and hums comes a song all about the little moments, which are the most precious.
- hua hain aaj pehli baar
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“Hua hain aaj pehli baar, joi aaise muskuraya hoon.” (It happened for the first time, that I’ve smiled like this) From the movie Sanam Re comes this song by artists, Amaal Mallik, Armaan Malik, and Palak Muchhal, a song describing a series of firsts. With instrumentals like the guitar and piano taking up a majority of the lyricless lines, we encounter a balance of an upbeat background track with slower vocals.
- Tum Se hi
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“Na hai yeh pana, na khona hi hain.” (It isn’t any gain, nor a loss) This song Tum Se Hi by artists Pritam and Mohit Chauhan is from the movie Jab We Met. It is all about the adoration of one another, saying that no matter what, in the absence of you and in your presence, it’s all about you. The title even translates directly into “With You Only.”
- pehli nazaar mein
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“Pehli Nazar mein kaisa jadoo kar diya.” (What magic did you do upon our first glance?) Another song by Pritam along with Atif Aslam is Pehli Nazar Mein, which is featured in the movie Race. With only a few English lyrics, the majority of the song is in Hindi talking about the passion that arose from first glance at each other. Though the song has the feeling of rock, the soft melody and vocals take the forefront of this number.
- hamnava mere
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“Barso ho gaya bichhde.” (It has been years since we separated) Artists Aditya Narayan and Dhvani Bhanushali sang this song for the movie Baarish. The lyrics communicate how one cannot go without the other and end with the lines that translate to “Tell me how am I supposed to live without you?” This is a song about longing with a male and female vocalist singing their perspectives to each other.
- tera rasta chhodoon na
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“Meherbaani nahi tumhaaraa pyaar maangaa hai.” (I have not asked for a favor, but your love) This next song is from the movie Chennai Express, titled Tera Rasta Chhodoon Na by Amitabh Bhattacharya and Anusha Mani. It talks about how they will never leave each other’s paths, with their lives forever intertwined with one another’s.
- Jab tak
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” Jab tak tujhe se beinteha main bhar na doon.” ( Until I fill you endlessly with love) Another song by Armaan Malik is a song from the movie M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story. This song has a similar slow melody with a deeper meaning and a similar feel to a love ballad.
An honorable mention:
Each song comes with its own unique way of expressing the same emotions. This honorable mention takes a different route with how upbeat and playful it is while giving “partner in crime” vibes. This song is about two people who deal with the challenges that come with life and how some things are always missing. It’s funky, goofy, and perfect for a pair of mischievous misfits.
Add these songs to your playlist for your next late-night drive with the windows rolled down. If it starts to rain, don’t be afraid to run out and dance!