Splashy numbers

Filmmakers have been using rain as fourth dimension to intensify emotions
like romance and rage, says Deepa Karmalkar


Kareena Kapoor and Aamir Khan dance to the
beats of ‘Zoobi doobi” in 3 Idiots

THE first showers brought in the pakora platters and adarak chai. And now as monsoon gathers momentum, most of us are filled with a desire to sing and dance in the rains. "I love dancing in the rains and when there isn’t any rain — I head for rain dance corner in the resorts," declares Shaina, a collegian.

This pleasurable rain dance ritual of modern times must be attributed to Hindi films. Way back in 1955, Raj Kapoor walked under a big black umbrella with his co-star Nargis in the rains singing "Pyaar hua ikrar hua`85" and since then that iconic visual has inspired several replications.

What with Salman Khan donning the bowler hat in Ready and singing ‘Character dheela hai ...’ and earlier in Pathar Ke Phool, swinging to ‘Kabhi tu chaliya lagta hai’ with Raveena Tandon in the same get-up.

Rains have always held a great fascination for filmmakers as they have drenched their white-sari clad heroine to enhance her sensuality through form-revealing wetness. Senior film journalist Udaya Tara Nayar analyses, "The basic intention of rain songs is to titillate the audience by flaunting female contours. Wet her, get her is the underlying motive." Agrees Girish Ranade, noted executive film producer, "The wet white sari definitely adds to the heroine’s appeal, even art-house heroine Smita Patil oozed oomph in Namak Halal as she danced in the rain to the tunes of ‘Aaj rapat jaye to...’ with Amitabh Bachchan."

Zeenat Aman flaunted her curves lasciviously in Roti, Kapda Aur Makaan singing suggestively, ‘Hai hai yeh majboori...’ and then Raveena clad in a diaphanous yellow sari swung herself to the double-meaning, "Tip, tip barsa paani, paani ne aag laga di...’ in Mohra. Sridevi’s ‘Kaate nahi katate yeh din yeh raat...’ from Mr India, deserves a special mention here for her rambunctious moves in that flowing blue chiffon sari. The diaphanous saris became synonymous with monsoon, as did that feeling of longing.

Rain songs may be titillating; full of oomph offering a sensory pleasure to the viewer but the fact remains that rain dance shooting is not much of a pleasure for those involved in it.

It is a major task, says Ranade, who has shot several rain sequences, "Most of the times we shoot rain songs under rainmakers where rain is hosed on to dancers. On the one hand, there’s the heroine getting drenched again and again till the shot is okayed and then rushing off to get draped in towels and on the other, the light and camera persons have to keep all the equipment protected so that it isn’t short-circuited. Indeed, it is a mammoth task to shoot a rain song," he asserts.

So when Kareena Kapoor and Aamir Khan shimmied to the beats of ‘Zoobi doobi" in 3 Idiots, remember they too were dashing for cover after every ‘rain’ shot! So were Aishwarya Rai after shooting ‘Barso re megha...’ in Guru and Katrina Kaif after gyrating sensuously to ‘Meri pehli mohabbat hai...’ in De Dana Dan!

Exploitation notwithstanding, there are several rain songs with a great aesthetic appeal — remember Kishore Kumar addressing a rain-soaked Madhubala with ‘Ek ladki bheegi bhagi si...’ in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) and years later Sridevi in a transparent raincoat dancing to ‘Na jaane kahan se aayi hai...’ in Chalbaaz? Both the songs have an enduring visual charm about them.

Bharat Bhushan’s ‘Zindagi bhar nahi bhulegi wo barsaat ki raat...’ from Barsaat Ki Raat (1960), Raj Kapoor’s ‘Dum dum diga diga...’ from Chhaliya (1960), Amitabh Bachchan and Moushmi Chatterjee’s endearing duet ‘Rimjhim gire saawan...’ from Manzil (1977), ‘Rimjhim rimjhim, rumjhum rumjhum...’ from 1942 A Love Story, Madhuri Dixit’s rain dance ‘Ghode jaisi chaal...’ from Dil To Paagal Hai, the euphoric ‘Ghanan ghanan...’ from Lagaan, ‘Woh lamhe...’ from Zeher, ‘Jiya dhadak dhadak jaye...’ from Kalyug, the lilting ‘Ye saazish hai boondon ki’ from Fanaa and Kareena’s carefree mood number ‘Bhaage re mann...’ from Chameli — will all be cherished as rain songs by fans forever.

"Rain is often used as a backdrop to enhance the mood of the narrative. Perumazhakkalam, the Malayalam original of Dor uses the monsoon most effectively, almost like a character in the film," relates Nayar. Apart from romance, the rains have also been a backdrop for many a fierce fight scenes, "A top shot of a huge crowd carrying black umbrellas and then the villains suddenly emerging through it brandishing glinting swords — that used to be a classic chase sequence in films, the pouring rain adding to the pathos. Rains have been used to intensify emotions," points out Ranade.

Rains have added to the tragedy and horror of film narratives. Mahal, Madhumati, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat have used the crashing rains to emphasis emotions. In Mother India, floods following heavy rains have been used to magnify young widow’s sorrow. Ram Gopal Varma has often used rains as an eloquent patina in his films — whether it was in fight scenes in Sarkar and Satya or as one of the principal elements in the horror flick Kaun — RGV transforms the rains from romantic to manic. Well, each to his own!

To the western mind, rain may be a dampener, but to the monsoon dependent Indian farmer, the sight of rumbling dark clouds is simply elating — a most joyous occasion. Not surprising, then, if the monsoon has inspired many a creative venture, including several film titles. Three films entitled Barsaat have been made hitherto. Way back in 1950, showman Raj Kapoor made Barsaat with his favourite co-star Nargis and this film was his first major hit and it enabled him to buy the R K Studios. Star kids, Bobby Deol and Twinkle Khanna debuted in a young romance titled Barsaat directed by Rajkumar Santoshi in 1995. Bobby starred yet again in the 2005-release Barsaat co-starring Priyanka Chopra, and Bipasha Basu, inspired by Hollywood romcom Sweet Home Alabama.

Barsaat Ki Raat, a 1960 release starring Bharat Bhushan, Madhubala, was celebrated for Roshan’s winning melodies, especially the super-hit qawwali, ‘Na toh karawaan ki talsh hai...’ In 1981, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat featured Amitabh Bachchan, Rakhee and Amjad Khan in a rape-revenge drama that took place a rainy night.

Mira Nair chose to use monsoon as a metaphor for the release of pent up emotions in her 2001 release, Monsoon Wedding depicting romantic entanglements during a traditional Punjabi wedding in Delhi.

Kunal Deshmukh’s Tum Mile starring Emraan Hashmi and Soha Ali Khan was a love story set against 2005 Mumbai floods.

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