Top 20 Rain Songs From Bollywood – Monsoon Music

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Rain songs naturally surface out in the lovely Monsoons of Goa. The rain when it rains, it pours. It pours for more than 4 months – reminding me of the ‘Chaumasa‘ when the wandering saints would settle down at a place, probably caves like Ajanta or Barabar. Sometimes it is so powerful that it shuts all the noises and all you can hear is rain. That is when you listen to yourself and your own emotions.

Table of Contents

Rain Songs for the Monsoons
Image – Shutterstock

Some of these songs in Hindi Films have captured these heightened emotions during monsoons very well – from childhood playfulness to being in love to the longing in love or simply the anticipation of rains that is the harbinger of the good life.

Popular Rain Songs from Bollywood

Sharing these songs that I have enjoyed over the years.

Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhagi Si – Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi 1958

This is a classic Kishore Kumar song with all his madness. There is no rain in this song except the rain-soaked Madhubala who has inspired the song, This rain song is all about a rain-soaked girl out alone at night. You just get a glimpse of the girl; the whole focus is on Kishore Kumar the mechanic who can play music with his tools. You cannot but admire the music by S D Burman.

Dum Dum Diga Diga – Chhalia 1960

Mukesh sings this fun song to celebrate the joy of rains on music by Kalyanji Anandji. Raj Kapoor in his trademark style jumps around as women pull dry clothes from the clothesline, people pull out umbrellas and run for shelter. It is the joy of first rains that you see when you see this eternal song in black & white.

O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi – Parakh 1960

This black & white rain song takes you back to some realistic rainy days. Sadhana stands in her balcony looking at the rain, thinking of her beloved and talking to him, telling him the rains have come filling the heart with love. A very subtle song where rain falls on leaves, on roads, and from the rooftops.

Lata Mangeshkar sings to the melody of Salil Chaudhary.

Zindagi Bhar Nahi Bhoolegi Wo Barsat Ki Raat 1960

Just 2 frames and no rain, but each word of poetry is about meeting the beloved on a rainy stormy night and the detailed description of each moment spent together. Communication happens via radio – Bharat Bhushan or should I say Mohd Rafi sings at the radio station and Madhubala recreates the moments with her expressions.

Lakhon Ka Sawan Jaye – Roti, Kapda Aur Makan – 1974

This song represents the emotions of couples who have to stay away during rains, a kind of Viraha that comes from helplessness. Nonetheless, Zeenat Aman expresses herself in rather rustic words but the part I like most is – Abbar pe hai racha swayamvar, in the ubiquitous voice of Lata Mangeshkar.

Rim Jhim Gire Saavan – Manzil 1979

Amitabh Bachchan and Moushmi Chatterji still raw in their earlier careers walk on Mumbai roads and beaches giving you a glimpse of the city as it used to be 40 years ago when people could still enjoy rains. There are two versions of the song, one sung by Kishore Kumar which is incidentally picturized totally indoors. The Lata Mangeshkar version is where you see the rain, the Mumbai, and the just in love lead pair.

Rim Jhim Gire Sawan always gives me that feeling of being soaked in rains to the bone, like being one with the rain. Of course, the haunting music by R D Burman just multiplies it manifold.

Megha Re Megha Re – Pyaasa Sawan 1981

This song is about clouds who are flying by, and the lovers do not want it to go anywhere but they want it to rain right here and soak them in rain. Clouds oblige and the emotions change from wanting to what happens when you receive what you wish. The heart is like a peacock when it rains. Lata Mangeshkar and Suresh Wadkar sing it beautifully on the music of Laxmikant Pyarelal.

Aaj Rapat Jaye To – Namak Halaal 1982

While the Mukhda of this song does not talk about rains, the Antaras or the stanzas do talk about rain. The whole song is shot in the rain, of course.

Lagi Aaj Saawan Ki Fir Wo Jhadi – Chandni 1989

This rain song is hauntingly sad. It touches the chords of the past associated with rains. It is a trip down the memory lanes, memories that you can not bring to the present. There is a juxtaposition of present and past – the gentle hint of moving from past to present. Listening to this makes me sad, every time, though I can never pinpoint where it touches me.

Suresh Wadkar sings it on the music by Shiv-Hari.

Sun Sun Sun Barsaat Ki Dhun – Sir 1993

Naseeruddin Shah as a teacher tells his students to listen to the rain and they do listen. I find this song relevant because we hardly listen to the songs these days.

Rim Jhim Run Jhum – 1942 A Love Story – 1994

This rain song set in the 1940s is simple, sweet, and romantic with a purity that is rare to find in songs of later era. The credit must go to the voices of Kumar Sanu, Kavita Krishnamurthy, and the music of Pancham.

Tip Tip Barsa Pani – Mohra 1994

Personally, this is not a song I like too much. However, this seems to top the mind of most people when you ask for rain songs. So, this song by Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan is here as most of my readers and followers like it.

Koi Ladki Hai – Dil To Pagal Hai 1997

This rain song brings out the childlike playfulness that we all feel when we see the rains. Do we not feel like going and standing in the rain and jump in the puddles. We want to dance our hearts out like they do at Chikal Kalo Festival in Goa. This song captures that through its lyrics that are like a nursery poem and its choreography that is simple to the core.  In fact, the usual background dancers are kids in this song. It is the playful emotion of knowing someone before you realize you love them. Sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Narayan on the music of Uttam Singh.

Ab Ke Saawan – Shubha Mudgal 1999

Not from a film, but this song is a sheer celebration of rain and the powerful voice of Shubha Mudgal is simply the icing on the cake.

Ghanan Ghanan – Lagaan 2001

No song captures the anticipation of rain the way this song from Lagaan does. It is probably the only song that captures the cultural as well as the socio-economic link of rains to our lives, especially the lives dependent on agriculture. If you listen to the lyrics you will see the imagery of all that rains will bring with them. The song ends on a sad note as clouds decide to pass by. As someone who likes folk songs, this is one of my favorite rain or pre-rains song.

Barso Re Megha – Guru 2007

Barson Re Megha captures the rains in south India beautifully, with its stone temples soaking in rain, waterfalls full of water, and of course the green fields greener with their thirst quenched. It was probably a misfit for a film set in Gujarat. At an emotional level it is the rains putting a spring in the feet of a woman in love for the first time when she is ready to do anything for love, cannot see anything but love – the blind kind of love.

Shreya Ghosal’s voice adds to the magic of A R Rehman’s music.

Give Me Some Sunshine, Give Me Some Rain – 3 Idiots 2009

I just like the tone of this song – all that we need is some sunshine and rain, everything else is irrelevant. Not really in this category of songs, but not any less inspiring than them.

Other popular Rain Songs include:

Rim Jhim Ke Geet Sawan Gaye – Anjana 1969

Bheegi Bheegi Raton Mein – Ajnabee 1974

Dekho Zara Dekho Barkha ki Ladi – Yeh Dillagi, 1994

Saawan Barse Tarse Dil – Dahek 1999

How I chose these?

Best Rain Songs for Indian Monsoons

There are thousands of these kinds of songs in Bollywood to choose from. Apart from my personal choice, I also looked at the songs that talk about rain and are not just shot in rain. I looked at the lyrics, where rain has a role to play in the emotion being displayed in the song.

Read MoreIncredible Indian Monuments & Iconic Indian Songs

There are popular songs like ‘Pyar Hua Ikraar Hua’ from Shri 420. It is a memorable song but it does not talk about rains, so I let it go.

Read More20 Songs shot on Indian Railways

Suggested by IndiTales Readers

Lapak Jhapak Tu Aa Re Badarwa – Boot Polish (1953)

Tell me your favorite ones in the comments below.

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14 COMMENTS

  1. Barsaat Ke Mausam Mein — Naajayaz
    Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Mein Aisa Lagta Hai — Ajnabee
    Rimjhim Rimjhim Dekho Baras Rahi Hai Raat — Shehzada
    Rimjhim Ke Geet Sawan Gaaye — Anjaana
    Ab Ke Saawan Mein Jee Dare — Jaise Ko Taisa
    Barsaat Mein Humse Mile Tum — Barsaat
    Aaya Saawan Jhoom Ke — Title Song

    There are many more…saawan ka mahina, kabhi mausam hua resham etc. Will comment as it comes to mind.

  2. Loved the playlist! Also loved the way it spins the song from vintage era to modern one. My inclusion would be here from 90s (which may not be everyone’s favourite but I myself hear them for the sake of nostalgia associated):

    1. Tip Tip Tip Tip Barish Shuru Ho Gayi (Afsana Pyar Ka, Amit Kumar)
    2. Dekho Zara Dekho Barkha Ki (Yeh Dilaggi, Lata & Kumar Sanu)

  3. Thanks for the playlist, I am only beginning to get the idea of the importance of the monsoon. As I run across it in music and books I get a better sense of the catharsis it brings each year. It is similar in some ways to the spring season we experience in the northern US.

    Pyar hua ikrar hua hai pyar se- manna dey lata mangeshkar shri 420 1955

    https://youtu.be/oXLzfldeDcM

    • You are so right. Monsoons do bring in a bit of catharsis every year as if they have come to wash away the pent-up stuff that we keep collecting through the year. Monsoon music helps it further.

  4. Some more,
    Rim jhim ke tarane leke aayi barsaat, yaad aayi kisise wo pehli mulakat
    Aaha rim jhim ke ye pyare pyare geet liye…
    Chatri na khol ud jayegi, hawa tez hai…
    Behta hai man kahin kahan janti nahin..
    Ghir aayi kaari ghata matwari sawan ki aayi bahaar re
    Garjat barsat sawan aayo re laaye na sang mein hamre bhichde balmwa..
    Tip tip tip tip baarish shuru ho gaayi mane ya na mane tu meri ho gayi
    Bole re papihara papihara…
    Thanks for reminding all these beautiful memories thru this post. Enjoying jogging up the past.

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