Bollywood has adopted every possible dance form to evolve as a genre of its own. On International Dance Day, we celebrate some of the best dance films from Hindi cinema.
Disco Dancer
The baby of the disco boom, this film made Mithun Chakraborty an overnight sensation, powered by Bappi Lahari’s foot-tapping music. And from Africa to Soviet Union, the film was a global phenomenon. And for retro lovers, the moves still continue in parties and nightclubs. That’s Mithunda making India dance, forever.
Devdas
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s films are unanimously accepted as dazzling explorations of music and dance, with a deep understanding of nava rasa. Though we are tempted to mention his multiple films, but we are settling for Devdas as his numero uno. Melodramatic and gregarious in its feeling, every dance number has its stars dancing around elaborate sets with costumes of bizarre beauty. Special mention for Madhuri’s one hand playing with the other in Kaahe Chhed Mohe.
Dil Se..
The songs in Mani Ratnam’s films show up with a distinctive sense of rhythm, but one film that moves with most versatility is Dil Se... With A. R. Rahman’s best score driving it, the film served some never seen before choreography to the audience. Chaiyya Chaiyya made an iconic entry with a dancing troupe on a moving train, the title track showed love in a turbulent world, Satrangi Re made passion rise in Ghalibesque fashion, and Jiya Jale burnt with classical splendour.
Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!
Families that had abandoned theatres came back with Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! because it celebrated family like no other. It was the film that made out of shape uncles, aunts, siblings and everyone in the family take part in song and dance, and not just the photogenic hero and heroine. And that’s why it infected Indian weddings for good. It’s all about dancing with your family.
Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje
V Shantaram’s Navrang has terrific dance numbers, but Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje is a tale dancing like a flame. With Gopi Krishna’s jaw dropping skills and his muse, Sandhya, Shantaram’s film is an incredible ensemble of Indian classical dance forms like Kathak, Bharatnatyam and Manipuri. Special mention for the Shiva Parvati sequence with group dancers decorated with cymbals and lighted lamps.
Dil Toh Pagal Hai
Shiamak Davar’s choreography with emphasis on contemporary dance brought a new feel to Bollywood where the story was entirely woven around the troupe. Be it the dance of envy between Madhuri and Karisma or the easy to ape steps in numerous songs and practise sessions, Yash Chopra’s candy floss romance was a dancing delight.
Raja Babu
Purists may scoff, but there’s no hero in Hindi cinema like Govinda who dances with such infectious joy. How can we forget his ‘naada’ dance with Shakti Kapoor in A Aa Ee O O O or coming out of the poster of Michael Jackson, and giving the king of pop a run for his money in Pak Chik Pak Raja Babu? Such unadulterated fun!
Guide
Perhaps the greatest film of the list, it has Waheeda Rehman weaving magic under Vijay Anand’s spell. Who can forget Piya Tose Naina Laage Re’s enchanting take on love, the euphoric cry of freedom in Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna or the rage in Saiyaan Beimaan? But the most astounding is the snake dance sans vocals where Rosy is aroused as if dance runs in her bloodstream, her dangerous desire.
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