Hindi cinema during the 1980s was a time of great change. The decade saw the growth and emergence of new talents, which led to the birth of what is now one of the biggest movie industries in India. Unlike movies made in other countries, Bollywood cinema relies heavily on music and songs.
Bollywood film songs are most often sung by playback singers who are either well-known or have achieved popularity for other reasons such as acting roles or plays. Also, many popular film song artists have worked with different composers in order to give their songs a distinct sound.
Since Bollywood cinema focuses mainly on dance and romance, it is natural that its popular film songs would use orchestral arrangements that incorporate many different instruments including violins, cellos and even clarinets!
Here are some noteworthy Bollywood songs that were released in the 1980s:
“Sheesha Ho Ya Dil Ho” in Aasha
Released in 1980, this song was sung by Lata Mangeshkar. The Bollywood movie that this song featured is in Aasha, which was produced and directed by J. Om Prakash. The movie starred celebrities including Reena Roy, Rameshwari, and Jeetendra.
It is a drama film about a truck driver who befriends a famous singer after her car broke down in the middle of the road. They go through a tumultuous journey that ends with the two of them forming a romantic bond.
“Har Kisi Ko Nahi Milta” in Jaanbaz
This song, released in 1986, was sung by Manhar Udhas and Sadhana Sargam. It was also featured in the Hollywood movie titled Jaanbaz (meaning “Daredevil” in English), which was released in the same year.
The movie was directed by Feroz Khan, who also starred in the movie alongside Anil Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia. It was popular for its braveness in depicting scandalous themes, such as drug addiction and intimate scenes.
“Chhookar Mere Man Ko Kiya Toone Kya Ishaara” in Yaarana
This song was sung in the movie Yaarana (1981) by Kishore Kumar. The movie itself was directed by Rakesh Kumar and starred many noteworthy names in the Bollywood scene, including Amjad Khan, Kader Khan, Tanuja, Neetu Singh, and Amitabh Bachchan.
The movie tells a story about two orphan childhood friends who grew up to become business partners, one as a businessman and one as a singer. The movie follows the style of the musical drama, with characters breaking into song intermittently.
“Tera Naam Liya” in Ram Lakhan
“Tera Naam Liya” is a song that was released in 1989. It is sung by Manhar Udhas and Anuradha Paudwal. The movie that features this song is Ram Lakhan, directed by Subhash Ghai and released in the same year.
Ram Lakhan is described as a masala film, which is an Indian film that mixes multiple genres, freely jumping between romance, action, comedy, and drama as they wish. Masala films are usually those made during the 70s and the 80s.
“Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja” in Disco Dancer
“Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja” is a song featured in the 1982 Indian film Disco Dancer, directed by Babbar Subhash. The singer for the song is Parvati Khan, and the genre mixes disco with EDM. The full soundtrack is certified Platinum in India.
