Bollywood’s Zingy Disco Days
The 1970s and 1980s saw a wave of disco songs across Hindi cinema. Funky, upbeat and zingy themed song and dance sequences were the order of the day. Some of them went on to achieve a cult status. When the world saw the hippie movement, Bollywood bragged about its disco movement. With disco king Bappi Lahiri as the flag bearer, playback singers like Asha Bhonsle, Usha Utthup and Nadia Hassan took the nation by a storm with their sensuous vocal renditions of some of the best disco-themed songs. Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi’s head gears, wrist bands and slit dresses with plunging necklines became fashion statements. Let us a take a quick look at some of the unforgettable disco songs...
Image source: Deccan Chronicle
Zingy drum beats serves as the perfect prelude to our favourite Laila Main Laila from Qurbani (1980). Zeenat Aman - in a shimmery white slit dress, white fur muffler and a dazzling head band – looks ravishing. Kanchan’s mellifluous vocals and Kalyanji-Anandji’s magical composition made generations croon to this song. Quirky vocal sounds punctuate the song, thereby making it engaging and conversational. Reportedly, this cabaret number was copied from an African song called Chicano. Years later in 2017, Laila Main Laila was remixed and recreated for the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Raees that took the nation by a storm. Needless to say, this yesteryear dance number continues to cast spells to this day.
Lootmaar’s (1980) Jab Chaaye Mera Jaadu continues to be the go-to song in many discotheques even today. Simple Kapadia’s fuschia pink ensemble and Kalpana Iyer’s red play suit upped the oomph factor in this popular disco number. Asha Bhonsle’s sultry vocals added pep to this Rajesh Roshan composition. The background music, that screams prototypical disco track, is an icing on the cake. The song was rebooted for the 2015 film Main Aur Charles that failed to garner any applause from the audience. Old, after all, is gold.
Reena Roy in a maroon semi saree stole the show in Haathkadi’s (1982) Disco Station. Asha Bhonsle’s scintillating voice added oomph to the retro dance number that became a quintessential disco themed song over the years. The song starts off with hysterical vocals and the sound of an engine that up the quirk factor several notches higher. The backdrop has a train decked up with lights at a station with a platform that resembles a dance floor. The song, heavy on drum beats, conveys the story of a girl who falls in love with a boy and urges the people around her to not stop her from wearing the shackles of love. This is one of Bappi Lahiri’s many unforgettable compositions that earned him the epithet of the eternal disco king.
Image source: Hindi Geet Mala
Timeless diva Parveen Babi’s Jawaani Jaaneman from Namak Halal (1982) redefined her career and became the disco anthem for generations to come. The song is remembered for its opulent sets and Parveen Babi’s golden shimmery ensemble that struck a chord with the audience. She looked resplendent with golden locks, kohl-rimmed eyes, golden eye shadow and orange lips. Asha Bhonsle’s playful voice breathed magic into this memorable number. Her sensual voice complimented Parveen Babi’s sparkling presence and made the song an iconic track. Bappi Lahiri’s yet again regaled the audience into a joyful trance.
The disco sequences of the 1980s were all about the domination of orchestra, band and loud instrumentals over vocals. Salma Agha’s Jhoom Jhoom Jhoom Baba from Kasam Paida Karne Waale Ki (1984) is no exception. Agha’s gothic look in the song became a trendsetter. Mithun Chakravarty at the drums became the ultimate definition of ‘coolness’ back in the day. This funky and upbeat track celebrates the joy of youthfulness. The Bappi Lahiri song became so popular that it was included in the official jukebox of the American superhero film Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).
