Songs of the century

Bollywood celebrates a 100 years of Indian Cinema this year and what's memorable most about our films are the tunes and the songs that have been hummed by every bolllywood fan for the past century. Here's a list of the songs that touched many in the past 100 years, Babuji Dheere Chalna, sung by Geeta Dutt and composed by O P Nayyar in the 1954 hit 'Aar Paar' was a very amusing number that every Guru Dutt fan was grooving to back in the 50's. Awaara hoon which literally means 'I am a tramp', was sung by Mukesh and composed by Shankar Jaikishan and was an international newsmaker from Raj Kapoor's film 'Awaara'. 1955's hit song 'Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua' of Shree 420 is the first romantic rain song of Bollywood.

Shailendra penned the lyrics , Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey beautifully sang the number which still resides in the hearts of many old-timers. Sar Jo Tera Chakraye was probably one of the first fun-ridden songs of bollywood. Sung by the Late Mohammed Rafi, this song was written for Bollywood's pioneer comedian, Johnny Walker. Another hit number for Johnny Walker was every Mumbai lovers' favorite,'Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan' from the hit movie CID, with the Rafi Saab and Geeta Dutt voicing their love for the city. 'Jab Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya' of  Mughal-E-Azam was a song that probably sowed the seeds of 'Love is not a crime' theme in many bollywood movies and is one of the best songs voiced by a young Lata Mangeshkar. Lataji and Rafi Saab gave us another hit to remember them by, 'Jo Vaada Kiya Woh Nibhana Padega' for 1963 super-hit 'Taj Mahal'. The song, in the film, serves as a reminder to Emperor Shahajahan to build the Taj Mahal as a symbol of his undying love for Mumtaz. 'Dum Maaro Dum' of Hare Krishna Hare Rama was a cult psychedelic hit for the early 70's hippie era in India.

The song was picturised on Zeenat Aman, sung by Asha Bhosle and has been used in many contexts on-screen and off it. Zeenat Aman dazzled once again in 'Aap Jaisa Koi' from Qurbani, which was the Bollywood Disco-revolution starter from debutant music director Biddu and Pakistani singer Nazia Hussain, for which she recieved the Filmfare Best Female Playback Singer Award. Madhuri Dixit's debut in 'Tezaab' with the song 'Ek Do Teen' was a cult hit.Almost 8 minutes long and sung by Alka Yagnik, it was a hit among the fan-base that Madhuri created with her impressive dance moves and that ever-popular pearly bright smile. Raveena Tandon's wet yellow saree stunt in Mohra for the song 'Tip Tip Barsa Paani' was a hit among bollywood fans all over the world. So popular, that samples of the song are still used by DJ's in creating a perfect bollywood music set. 'Pehla Nasha' was the cult song for teenagers of the 90's, picturised on a high school going Aamir Khan falling for beauty queen of the 90's Pooja Bedi. Finally, the title song for 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' crooned by Sonu Nigam was popularised world over with it's touching lyrics and a very catchy piano tune. The song went down ascertaining SRK and Sonu once again as the romantic hero and singer duo.

These were tunes of Indian Cinema's musical journey that go down in our books as the songs of the Century.