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Indian weddings are renowned worldwide for their extravagance and pizzazz. The depiction of these celebrations in bollywood films are glamorous affairs, always containing exciting musical tracks. Traditional indian values often intermingled with the glitz of bollywood greatly influencing and transforming how the music is showcased on the big screen.
Didi Tera Devar Deewana - Raam Laxman
The most popular track from the movie ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!’ released in 1994, this song was sung by stalwarts of the 90s Bollywood era Lata Mangeshkar and S.P. Balasubramanian. This is a classic ‘Sangeet’ song, a traditional Indian style which is played usually at large, celebratory gatherings, weddings being the most common. Characteristics of this style are the use of the dholak as the primary percussion instrument, and then an entire orchestral ensemble providing accompaniment to the melody on the vocals. The texture throughout is considerably thick, mainly do maintain the energy of the event and encourage dancing.
Saajan Ji Ghar Aaye - Jatin Lalit
Another example of a Sangeet song, this track was part of the blockbuster movie ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hain’ released in 1998, featuring the most admired on-screen actor-actress pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Sung by Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik, this was the first wedding song that modulated to a minor key in the bridge section, reflecting a sadder mood in comparison to the jubilance usually associated with Indian weddings. Though this was done to reflect certain dynamics in the movie’s plot, it was the first time that this style of music deviated from the stereotype. The ending of the song is notable as well, where a single motif is repeated, increasing in tempo with each repetition, eventually cascading into a perfect cadence, which eventually became a very common method to end Sangeet songs.
Maahi Ve - Shankar Ehsaan Loy
India globalized in 1992, but the effect on music didn’t appear until the 21st century, and only impacting wedding songs in the 2004 movie ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’. This track’s percussive line is sampled electronically, ditching the staple dholak. A section in the middle of the song features a small saxophone solo as well, while the chorus incorporates some English lyrics. In spite of these Western influences, the singing style, use of a choir, and Indian classical instruments for the majority of the song preserve the essence of a Sangeet song, making this one of the most popular wedding songs, a favorite to all age-groups in India.
Nagada Nagada - Pritam
This song from the 2007 movie ‘Jab We Meet’ is unique due to its depiction of a Punjabi wedding in a Bollywood movie. Though it was not the first time this had been done, the track greatly popularised the use of the traditional Punjabi ‘Bhangra’ rhythms and instruments in the percussion line, such as the ‘dhol’ and eponymous ‘nagada’. Incorporating musical elements of the Bhangra dance form made the song immensely jovial, encouraging raucous dancing and revelry. The lyrics of the entire song are in the Punjabi language as well, which complement the exclamations that peppered throughout, making this an archetype of modern Punjabi wedding songs.
Ainvayi Ainvayi - Salim-Sulaiman
This peppy track is from the movie ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’ in 2010, which is actually about a couple who run a wedding planning company. The lyrics are sung in a combination of Punjab and Hindi, which enhances the energetic element that is brought out by the main lick. Aspects of fusion are more prominent in this song, especially as the main lick is played with traditional Bhangra rhythm, and the beat is electronically sampled as well, which suits the jubilant on-screen dancing of the exuberant actor Ranveer Singh.
Dilliwali Girlfriend - Pritam
With the advent of the 2010s, the increased popularity of EDM reached Bollywood as well, impacting wedding songs considerably. This song is from the movie ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’ released in 2013 and rapidly became a popular party song, mainly because of the incredibly catchy opening hook. Though the drumline is played electronically as well, the rhythm resembles that of the dholak from the classic Sangeet music tracks. The lyrics are again a mixture of Hindi and Punjabi, with a bridge section that features a brief solo by an electronic rendition of the Hindustani wind instrument, the ‘shenai’. EDM influences have been incorporated flawlessly, making this one of the most memorable in its decade.
Channa Mereya - Pritam
The context of the song is heartbreak due to unrequited love, sung by a character that is declaring his affection to his former lover at her wedding, is considered to be one of the most beautiful tracks that the Bollywood industry has produced. From the 2016 movie ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, this song rests on the exceptional vocal ability of perhaps Bollywood’s finest male playback singers - Arijit Singh. Interestingly, this song does not feature even a hint of western influence, being composed entirely on the foundations of traditional Indian classical music, with hints of Qawwali and Sufi styles as well, mixed and mastered to an excellent standard.
Over three decades, Bollywood wedding songs have undergone the effects of globalization and westernization, while maintaining the emotions of a celebratory ceremony intertwined deeply with Indian culture.
Listen to all the featured songs using the playlist on our Apple Music page!