My Top 10 Helen Favorites!!!

This is so difficult for me! I have to narrow down countless of Helen classics into a Top 10. Is that even possible?! Anyway, with a whole bunch of deliberation with myself I have come up with this list.

So in no particular order, My Top 10 Helen favorites are:

1. Yeh Mera Dil from Don

Who can forget Helen dancing in this song? That white costume. Those blue eyes. That brunette hair. She is a vision in this song. I still don't think anyone else can pull off this song. Helen's moves are sexy yet she manages to be graceful. She plays the perfect seductress - dangerous and coy.

2. Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo from Howrah Bridge

This is Helen's first song. She is young, fresh-faced and absolutely stunning. The moment she comes down those stairs, your eyes are fixed on her. She twirls, snaps and twists her way through the song making it even more memorable.

3. O Haseena Zulphon Wali from Teesri Manzil

I love everything about this song. Not only does this song have Helen dancing to the best of her abilities but as a bonus this song also has the one and only Shammi Kapoor. I love the hint of competition between Shammi Kapoor and Helen. Both of them together make this song unforgettable for me.

4. Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja from Caravan

Only one person could do justice to this song - Helen. She is amazing in this song. She plays the character so well. I remember watching this song when I was younger. I was completely mesmerized by Helen and her dancing then and I still am.

5. Mehbooba Mehbooba from Sholay

Helen is so sensuous in this song yet she never seems over-the-top. I like that no matter what she does, she still manages to look graceful. Many have tried to re-do this song but all have failed. No one can ever match up to Helen's grace and sensuousness.

6. Is Duniya Mein Jeena Ho Toh from Gumnaam

This is a really upbeat song and Helen adds more light to it! This song is all about cheering up and enjoying life. Watching this song makes me smile and want to dance at the beach (just like Helen)!

7. Aao Na Gale Lagalo Na from Mere Jeevan Saathi

Helen is the perfect personification of Asha Bhosle's voice. Asha Bhosle's voice complements Helen so perfectly. I just love the way Helen interprets the song. She is sensuous, yet graceful. If this song was being made today, I can't even express the horrible images that are coming to mind.

8. Aaj Ki Raat from Anamika

Helen grooves her way through this song effortlessly. I love how she can portray emotions through her dance. Even though this song sort of reminds me of the feel of Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja, I still enjoy it. Shoobu Shoobu Shoobu Shoobu Shoobu.

9. Ae Naujawan Hai Sab from Apradh

Apart from Helen, this song also features the bubbly Mumtaz and the stylish Feroz Khan. I love the way Helen moves through this song. She is very rightly proclaimed as the Queen of Bollywood Cabaret.

10. O Meri Jaan Main Ne Kaha from The Train

I still remember the first time I heard this song. My dad just purchased a CD of RD Burman hits. I couldn't stop laughing. The breathless singing made me giggle uncontrollably! Watching this song confirmed by belief that only Helen could do this song. She moves elegantly across the dance floor and works her magic as always!

Original Vs. Remix - Filmi Edition

So far I have been comparing the Original Bollywood songs with remixes by Djs. Lately, there have been several remixes of Retro Bollywood songs featured in Bollywood movies. Here's a list of the filmi remixes that I like and special mention for two I really really don't like.

Babuji Dheere Chalna from Aar Paar (1954), O.P. Nayyar

The original is from a Guru Dutt movie. The remixed version I like is from the movie Salaam-e-Ishq and stars Anjana Sukhani and Anil Kapoor. What is it with Ms. Sukhani and remixes?! I have to add that my friends an I totally loved her hair in the movie. Anyway. This song comes introduces mystery girl (Anjana) to Mr. Corporate (Anil Kapoor). I love the way Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy remix this song. They don't add any fancy beats or crazy vocals but still manage to retain the mystery and air of caution that the original had.

Man Dole Mera Tan Dole from Nagin (1954), Hemant Kumar

The original song stars the gorgeous Vaijayanti Mala. Of course the remix is Twist from Love Aaj Kal. I like the way Pritam re-works the classic Nagin theme into this modern song. The name of the song is also fitting - Twist.

Ude Jab Jab Zulphien Teri from Naya Daur (1957), O.P. Nayyar

The original song stars the beautiful Vaijayanti Mala and the handsome Dilip Kumar. The filmi remix is It's Rocking from Kya Love Story Hai (no one really knew that considering the only part of the movie that became famous was this song!). Pritam works his magic again and seamlessly fuses this retro classic with a modern Bollywood song. As a plus, Kareena looks her usual best and does justice to this song!

Bachna Ae Haseeno from Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahi (1977), R.D. Burman

The original song stars the charming Rishi Kapoor. Kishore Kumar adds a whole other character to the song. He manages to add charm, masti and chedkani with ease. The filmi remix is done by Vishal-Shekhar. I have to give them props for retaining a good amount of the original vocals and music. I also love they way they update the song to make it current. Just like how Rishi Kapoor rocked the original, son Ranbir adds his magic to this remix.

Yeh Mera Dil from Don (1978), Kalyanji-Anandji

The original song has the amazing Helen and the original angry young man Amitabh Bachchan. Helen and Asha Bhosle always created magic. This time is no exception. Helen plays the seductress perfectly while Asha Bhosle's voice is flirty with a hint of danger. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy remix this song perfectly. I love that they chose to Sunidhi to sing the song and she sings it perfectly but I would have loved to hear Asha Bhosle sing it again. Kareena plays the modern seductress well but not as well as Helen of course. Kareena actually looks healthy in this song since it was filmed before her size 0 (anorexic) days. SRK adds his touch as the modern, stylish and sophisticated Don.

Khaike Paan Banaras Wala from Don (1978), Kalyanji-Anandji (Yes, I totally forgot about this one!)

The original stars a drunken Amitabh Bachchan and the gorgeous Zeenat Aman. I love the way he has fun even though he's being chased by goons. Once again I love the filmi remix version by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. This has to be the best song that Udit Narayan has sung for them. I love the way be adds the Bihari feel to it. SRK interprets the song well and adds his own version of the drunkeness. I like the additions of the Hindi Rap section. I enjoy the involvement of Priyanka's character in this song.

Apni To Jaise Taise from Lawaaris (1981), Kalyanji-Anandji

The original stars the one and only Amitabh Bachchan, the rape specialist Ranjeet, and evil personified Manorama. The song starts out as a fun song. In the mukhda of the song Amitabh sings about what it feels like to be labeled as lawaaris. Kishore Kumar sings the song wonderfully. I like how can easily transition from fun to soulful in an instant. Imagine my surprise when I played the Housefull soundtrack for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's take of this song. I like that they chose Sunidhi and Mika. Oddly, I actually enjoy Mika's rendition even though I hoped they would have retained the Kishore Kumar's original vocals for the chorus (just like Bachna Ae Haseeno). Once again they come out with a fun filmi remix of an Amitabh classic! Listen to the entire song here.

Why did they even try?!

Mehbooba from Sholay (1975), R.D. Burman

Mallika has nothing on Helen. Himmesh has nothing on R.D. Burman. I almost puked when I saw this version of Mehbooba. Urmila can do so much better! Why?! If you're wondering - I'm not going to destroy your eyes and ears by posting the videos of these horrible versions of this Helen classic.

Retro Classics... Part III

Here comes my third installment of Retro Classics...

Sar Jo Tera Chakraye from Pyaasa (1957)

This is such a classic Johnny Walker song. In this song he plays a barber who walks through the streets looking for his next customer. He calls to them saying aaja pyaare and reassures them stating kahe ghabraye kahe ghabraye? This song is light hearted and funny without any over-the-top antics. I used to hear this song on a radio all the time when I was younger. When I actually watched the video, I just had to smile.

Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu from Howrah Bridge (1958)

This is Helen's first song and she is amazing. I used to love this song as a kid and still do. The lyrics of this song are so cute. They tell the story of a certain Ms. Chin Chin Chu who hails from China. I love this song because it is so carefree and flirty!

Shola Jo Bhadke from Albela (1951)

I love the Hawaiian flavor this song has! Geeta Bali is so graceful and adorable while Bhagwan is hilarious. His expressions and style remind me of Govinda. This is another song I grew up listening to playing on the radio.

Jaane Kahan Mera Jigar Gaya Ji from Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955)

Another Johnny Walker classic. Re-watching this song makes me realize that Johnny Walker was such a natural at comedy. I'm note sure who the actress in this is. She matches Johnny's performance perfectly!

Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai from Anaadi (1959)

This is another one of Raj Kapoor's classic songs. This song is all about life and the ways a person can overcome all the problems that life throws at them. I like the simplicity of the song as well as the message that it shares with the audience.

Hawa Mein Udta Jaye from Barsaat (1959)

This song is so simple and sweet. That's what I like about it. A girl sings about her dupatta and how it flutters in the wind. What surprised me about this song was that Lata Mangeshkar has provided the vocals for this song. I did not recognize her voice the first time I heard this song.

Do Sitaron Ka Zameen Par from Kohinoor (1960)

The lyrics of this song are so poetic. They describe the feelings that lover feel for each other so beautifully. Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari are graceful and elegant in this song. I grew up listening to this song and could not understand all the collective aahs and waahs that this song would prompt. Now I do.

Mana Janaab Ne Pukara Nahi from Paying Guest (1957)

This song is another Dev Anand and Nutan classic. I love the chedkani that Kishore Kumar brings to this song with his voice and I love the way Dev Anand interprets it with his acting.

Tumsa Nahi Dekha from Tumsa Nahi Dekha (1957)

Shammi Kapoor - that says it all!

Zarurat Hai from Man Mauji (1962)

Kishore Kumar is the only reason why this song is on my list of Retro Classics. He is amazing in this song. He adds masti and a sufficient dose of chedkani. Watching this song brings a smile to my face.

Waqt Ne Kiya from Kagaz Ke Phool (1959)

This song is classic Guru Dutt song. I still remember the first time I saw this song. I was mesmerized by the way it was filmed. It is just so haunting. The lyrics of this song describe how a relationship has changes over time so beautifully. Waheeda Rehman is graceful as ever and portrays the emotions in Geeta Dutt's voice on screen perfectly.

Mujhe Kitna Pyar Hai from Dil Tera Deewana (1962)

The charming Shammi Kapoor strikes again. Only this time he is supported by the beautiful and graceful Mala Sinha.

Aayega Aane Wala from Mahal (1949)

This song has a haunting quality about it. There is a strong underlying tadap in this song. Lata Mangeshkar sings this song beautifully and adds so much to the song. The video of this song features Ashok Kumar walking around a huge palatial house and checking it when he hears the singing.

Thandi Hawa Kali Ghata from Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955)

The lovely Madhubala stars in this song. The video of this song reminds me of Main Chali from Padosan. The song is about a girl and her friends singing and having a good time. They sing about how the thandi hawa and the kaali ghata make them feel.

Falguni Favorites...

I still the remember the first time I saw Choodi Jo Khanki Haathon Mein on TV. Since then I became a Falguni Pathak Song. Recently I was talking to my friend and we suddenly started remembering the songs that we used to dance to when we were kids. Not surprisingly, most of them turned out to be Falguni songs! So here is a list of my favorite Falguni Songs...

Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi (Choodi Jo Khanki Haathon Mein)

The video stars Richa Pallod and Riya Sen along with two other girls. The girls play school girls who are getting ready to go to a Falguni show/concert. They go shopping for the right outfit and that is when our Heroine gets a glimpse of Mr. Right. Then she sees him when her dupatta conveniently gets caught in the car door. Being Mr. Right, he comes to her rescue. Yes the story is ridiculous and the acting is cheesy but I love this song and the dance moves!

Meri Chunar Udd Udd Jaye

This video stars the adorable Ayesha Takia and the pretty Trisha Krishnan (Yes folks, the girl in the pink saree is indeed Trisha). The story goes something like this - Ayesha is being sent to live a really strict lady, perhaps an aunt or something. Naturally she misses her friend, Falguni and thinks about all the fun times they shared. That's when the lady from the painting, Trisha steps out and becomes her friend. There's also a slight romance angle. I like the dude's expression when he sees Trisha! I can't even remember how many times I've tried to do the shoe step and the signature dance move from this video and failed!

Ayyo Rama

This video stars the cute Divya Kholsa (the girl with the long hair) who debuted in Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon before getting married to Bhushan Kumar. Anyway, the video is about a couple Delhi girls who are on their way to a Falguni concert and signing. On the way there, they encounter a group of obnoxious guys who also happen to be going to the same event. The girls see the guys at the concert and ignore them but Divya manages to drop her phone and car keys while flicking her hair. One of the guys gets a hold of it and chases after her to return it only to be insulted by the girls who think he is after them. Once the girls realize their folly, they ask for forgiveness but is all forgiven?! Watch the video to find out!

Maine Payal Hai Chankayi

This video stars the handsome Vivan Bhatena. The video is about a talent show of some sort. The popular girls decide to have a fashion show while our heroine and her friends decide to have a puppet show. The popular girl and our heroine are vying for Vivan's attention and he seems to be liking our heroine which makes popular girl angry. She tries to sabotage our heroine's puppet's costumes but our hero comes to the rescue. The video for this song is so cute! The puppet show is adorable. I remember wanting mehendi just like the girls in the video.

Saawan Mein

This song stars Shweta Agarwal who was the female lead in Shaapit. The video has the classic Boys vs. Girls theme. The boys and girls decide to have a competition to finally decide who are the best. The boys win 3 games while the girls win just 1. The last game just happens to involve stacking multiple pots on a person's head without dropping it. The girl shows her chops but gets over confident and the pots fall. The boys decide to be nice and let the girls win. All's well that end's well, I guess.

O Piya

This time I have no clue who our hero and heroine are. The video starts out with our heroine throwing a rope to our hero's room. Then she proceeds to walk on that rope, which just happens to be 4 or 5 stories high, towards our hero's room. All the while she beacons him leke doli aa when in reality he'll probably be carrying her arthi because of her stupidity! I like how our hero is not worried for her safety until the rope breaks leaving our heroine dangling for dear life. Yeah the video is ridiculous but I can't stop humming the song after I listen to it!

Yeh Kisne Jaado Kiya

This video stars the pretty Amna Sharif who made her bollywood debut in Aloo Chat. This time the story is about a student having a crush on her professor (original right?!) but there is a twist. Our heroine keeps getting these little gifts from a secret admirer who she mistakes for the professor. After a while the professor makes it clear that he has someone else in his life. Finally the secret admirer comes forward and makes things right. I really like the chorus of this song. It's classic Falguni.

Main Teri Prem Deewani

This video stars the handsome hunk Iqbal Khan who made a name for himself starring in TV shows. In the video a girl wants to stop her boyfriend from leaving. She decides to play dress up. This video actually reminds me of Buddha Mil Gaya from Sangam where Vaijayanti Mala dresses up in several costumes. Initially I didn't like this song a lot but after listening to it for a while it grew on me.

Original Vs. Remix Part II

I've already talked about the remixes I like. So now it's time to talk about the remixes I don't like. There are many reasons why I don't like these particular remixes (there may be other remix versions that are better than these, if so then I have yet to discover them). The most common reason why I don't enjoy these versions is because they add nothing new to the overall feel of the song. Most of them are way too provocative, almost without reason or make no sense at all.

Now, the Bad:

Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon from Patanga (1949), C. Ramchandra

I actually remember watching this song way back in the day when I was unaware that movies used to filmed in Black & White. This song cracked me up back then and still does. I love the way the song is filmed. It's so cute. The remix on the other hand is very sexy-fied for no apparent reason. It's almost as though the makers didn't know what else to make Mumaith Khan do in the video. But I must agree that she's a good dancer!

Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar from Aar Paar (1954), O.P. Nayyar

The original song stars Guru Dutt and Shyama. It is almost like a commentary about the relationship between the characters played by Guru Dutt and Shyama. It mentions the khatti-meethi nook jhook that goes on in between the lovers. I like the innocence of the original. This time I saw/heard two different remix versions of this song. One is bad and the other is ugly. The bad one is made by the same folks who came up with the remix for Kaanta Laga. When I first watched the video, I didn't really like it. Nothing is this remix version appeals to me.

The ugly one stars Deepal Shaw, who made her Bollywood debut in Kalyug along with Kunal Khemu. The whole school girl gone wild thing was a little too much for me to swallow. Another reason why I don't like this video is the fact that I had the exact same uniform she wears in the video and I really don't like the sexy-fied version! And yes me and my friends all wore black bustiers under our uniforms as well just in case we wanted to sneak into clubs.

BTW, here's a version by Raghav that actually sounds decent.

Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar from CID (1956), O.P. Nayyar

The original is from a classic Guru Dutt movie starring Dev Anand and Shakila. It is a really cute song about pehla pehla pyar. I like the subtle chedkani and masti that this song has. Just like the previous song, I saw/heard two different remixes for this song. Needless to say both were hideous. One was definitely worse than the other. This time the bad one again stars Deepal Shaw again as the underage school girl gone wild. This theme is so not working for me. If this video is The Bad version, you can only imagine what The Ugly one is going to be like.

The ugly remix stars Hazel, who made her Bollywood debut in Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar and Chaitanya Chaudhury, who is currently a TV actor. The remix starts out with Hazel calling Rahul (Chaitanya) telling him that she's all alone. Now you have an idea about where the video is headed. The song doesn't really sound bad but provocative video is just not working for me.

Jhumka Gira Re from Mera Saaya (1966), Madan Mohan

The original song stars the bubbly Sadhna. The song is about everything that the girl experiences after her jhumka falls Bareli ke bazaar mein. It's a cute song and I love the story that is conveyed. Asha Bhosle sings this song with ease. The one thing that I like about the remix is that the original vocals are preserved. Everything else I don't like. Riya Sen just can't match up to Sadhna's masti. I also didn't get the story.

Sajna Hai Mujhe from Saudagar (1973), Ravindra Jain

The original stars Padma Khanna. In the song, the girl sings about preparing for her lover when he comes to see her. It is a cute song full of innocence and love. I like the simplicity and the sincerity in Lata Mangeshkar's voice. The remix stars Inder Kumar (for those of you who don't remember him check out this song). The remix actually sounds good. The only thing that bothered me is the video - It's weird. I did not get the story and the setting at all. First the girl has a thing for her manicurist (!?) then a cigarette-smoking tough girl has a thing for the dude too. In the end the manicurist picks out his earring (yeah, that's right) and uses it as a ring when he proposes. That's just way to weird for me.

BTW, here's the remix version I do like. This one stars Neetu Chandra who made her Bollywood debut in Garam Masala.

Aap Jaisa Koi from Qurbani (1980), Kalyanji-Anandji

The original song stars the Original Bollywood Bombshell Zeenat Aman. The song is about girl singing about what would happen to her zindigi if app jaisa koi became a part of it. Nazia Hazzan sang this song perfectly. The remix stars Mallika Sherawat (of all people!) who very famously made her Bollywood debut in Khwaish. The video involves Mallika swaying and feeling up the guy. The vocals on the other hand make me cringe.

I found another remix version of this song that I like very much. This version features Blaaze, a rapper who works very closely with A.R. Rahman. The funny thing is this version has two different video. The first video stars Ruzlaan Mumtaz who made his debut with Hazel in Mera Pehla Pehla Pyar. The second video (which has an extended rapping section) made me smile. Watch it to know why.

Jawani Janeman from Namak Halal (1982), Bappi Lahiri

The original has the sensuous Parveen Babi, the dashing Shashi Kapoor and the Original Angry Young Man Amitabh Bachchan. Parveen Babi plays the beautiful and dangerous seductress very well. I love Amitabh Bachchan's comic antics in the video. The remix has Malaika Arora-Khan doing her thing. She tries her best to match up to Parveen Babi's charm and effortless sexiness but fails. Also the setting for the video is really weird. I agree the huge gold spiky rotating thing in the middle of the stage in the original is weird too but Parveen Babi made it work! Apart from the setting, the remix doesn't really sound that great. I actually prefer the original here.

If you're wondering where The Ugly remixes are then let me tell you - They deserve a whole post dedicated to them!

Original Vs. Remix

As I've been writing about my Retro favorites, I started thinking about all the remixes that are out there. I must confess that sometimes I came to know about the original songs only after I watched the remixed versions. Most of the classics that are remixed are sweet romantic songs with loads of masti, chedkani and ada. Sometimes, the remixes are nice and add to the original song while some just sound horrible. When it comes to the videos, almost all of them have an ample dose of sexiness - skimpily clad girls dancing in ways that good Indian girls shouldn't (hence the phirangis in most of them)!

I also have to add that there may be multiple remixes for a single song. The ones I've listed here are the remixes that I personally like. So here's a list of some of my favorite remixed versions of bollywood classics...

First the Good (there's going to be a whole separate post about the bad and the ugly):

Sayan Dil Mein Aana Re, Bahar (1951), S.D. Burman

The young, fresh-faced Vaijayanti Mala is adorable in this song. Her movements are so carefree and elegant. Also the Kabootar part totally reminds me of Maine Pyaar Kiya. The costume changes remind me of Buddha Mil Gaya from Sangam, another one of Vaijayanti Mala's successful songs. This song just makes me smile every time I watch it.

The remixed version of this song is also carefree and incorporates Wannabe by the Spice Girls (without giving them credit of course, cuz that's how it's done in Bollywood!). As is tradition for remixes, this video has a starlet, this time it's Tanushree Dutta. The dancing is cute and not over the top or too sexy.

Zarurat Hai from Man Mauji (1962), Madan Mohan

Kishore Kumar weaves his magic in this song. He sings about his need for a wife who will take care of him and serve him well, while the beautiful Sadna ignores his efforts to woo her. I hadn't watched or listened to the original song until my mom pointed out that this was the original version of the remix by the Bombay Vikings.

The remix has different lyrics for the most part but still retains the same feel. It still retains a lot of the classic Kishore Kumar masti and fun elements. The guy in the video is Raju Sundaram (Prabhu Deva's older brother) for those of you who were wondering! Raju Sundaram is also an accomplished choreographer like his brother and even choreographed Salman Khan in Wanted.

Hoton Pe Aisi Baat from Jewel Thief (1967), S.D. Burman

Vaijayanti Mala is in this classic as well. Here we see her at her peak. This song establishes her dancing ability. She convincingly portrays pain through her dancing. In short, she is amazing in this song while Dev Anand does his thing.

In the remixed version we see Rakhi Sawant with Muzamil Ibrahim (can someone say yummy!). The reason why I like this remix is because of the video. I like the story and the whole setting even though Rakhi Sawant is over-the-top at times. It modernizes the setting in the original video (raja ka darbaar) to a certain extent (even though it has an Arabian/Aladin theme). I don't really understand the ending but I enjoyed the video and the remix very much.

Main Chali from Padosan (1968), R.D. Burman

The original song has the beautiful Saira Banu cycling around a garden with her friends proclaiming that she's on her way to find love while her friends warn her of potential heartbreakers. This is a cute song in which a girl and her friends talk about love and the right time to fall in love.

I really like this remix by the Bombay Vikings. In typical Bombay Vikings style, they change some of the lyrics. They modernize the song without getting rid of the essence of the original song. The song still tells the tale of a girl who leaves everything behind in pursuit of love. For a change the video does not have scantily clad girls dancing provocatively.

Kajra Mohabbat Wala from Kismat (1968), O.P. Nayyar

This song stars the chanchal Babita dressed as a man. The song is all about teasing and chedkani. It tells the story of a guy telling his lover that her gajre ne leli meri jaan, hay re mein tere kurbaan.

I was pleasantly surprised when I found the remix of this song considering it stars Diya Mirza. The song is sung by Sonu Nigam and Alisha Chinoy. Sonu very easily add the chedkani while Alsiha effortlessly adds the ada and nakhre. Diya has a sexy avatar and looks amazing in the video. The part where Sonu cheds Diya reminds me of this song from Pyaar Kiye Jaa (1968).

Bindiya Chamkegi, Do Raaste (1969), Laxmikant Pyarelal

The original song is filmed on the cute and bubbly Mumtaz and the (then) king of romance Rajesh Khanna. The song is about a girl teasing her rootha lover while asking him to forgive her as well. Along with all the teasing she also tells him that she loves him very much and his emotions and sentiments are important to her.

This remix is sung by Anuradha Paudwal, who adds a lot of soul to the song. The video is about a girl who pulls a prank on her Army Jawan boyfriend. It's fun and manages to keep the essence of teasing intact. Another shocker is that the remix does not have some weird out-of-place setting that involves girls dancing seductively.

Chadti Jawani Meri from Caravan (1971), R.D. Burman

For those of you who want an excellent example of the fun 70s Bollywood soundtrack, listen to the music of Caravan. All of the songs in this movie are just plain amazing. R.D. Burman was a musical genius just like his father S.D. Burman. This song especially, is filmed on a young and flirty Aruna Irani and the Jumping Jack Jeetendra. The song is about a girl who wants her lover to notice her chadti jawani rather than the other girls around. This song is all about teasing, flirting and masti. For a change it's not Kishore Kumar singing but Mohammed Rafi.

The remix mixes in The Ketchup Song by Las Ketchup (without giving them credit, of course!). The result is actually a fun remix. The video has the infamous Negar Khan, a fresh faced Priyanka (aka Nisha) Kothari and another model whose name I am yet to find as angel mannequins who come to life and experience the modern world. Yes they are scantily clad angels but who cares (I guess they were inspired by the Victoria's Secret Angels!)

Nahi Nahi from Jawani Deewani (1972), R.D. Burman

I like this song because it's just so darn like-able! Kishore Kumar adds a whole lot of masti and chedkani to this song, while Asha Bhosle contributes the ada and nakhre. As a special mention, I must add that all of the songs in this movie are amazing. (I bet there are remixes for all of them!) Randhir Kapoor plays the young lover perfectly while the gudiya like Jaya Bhaduri plays his cute girlfriend perfectly.

I like that this remix by DJ Aqueel retains the original vocals and just adds new beats. As a bonus the video has a drunk Ayesha Takia dancing away as her boyfriend, Keith (ex B4U VJ) tries to take her away before she does some she may regret!

Koi Shehri Babu from Loafer (1973), Laxmikant Pyarelal

The original has a cut and bubbly Mumtaz and adorable Farida Jalal (how cute is she in this song?!). The vocals are provided by Lata Mangeshkar. The girl sings about a shehri babu who stole her heart and gifted her a ghungroo, which made her dance. Yeah this sounds really weird when I translate it but I promise it sounds much better in Hindi! The setting for this song is at a sangeet (I'm assuming here - I haven't watched the movie). So this song is all about how the bride fell in love with her groom. It's cute and full of masti.

The remix stars Reshma Bombaywala, an indian model who became a known face after this song. There is no real story to this song. It's just a bunch of scantily clad girls dancing but the dance steps are not crazy (surprising). I still remember how this video raised a whole bunch of eyebrows when it first came out. I like this video because it's simple, doesn't try too hard, doesn't have crazy beats ruining the song and I think Falguni Pathak is sining it. I'm a huge fan of Falguni's songs (I can already see an idea for my next post blossoming!).

Bahon Mein Chale Aao from Anamika (1973) & Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na The from Shalimar (1978), R.D. Burman

Bahon Mein Chale Aao is filmed on the lovable Jaya Bhaduri and the handsome Sajeev Kumar. The song is about the sweet longing a girl has for her lover. She wants her lover to spend time with her without being shy. The song is sweet and the lyrics are playful. Lata Mangeshkar's voice adds an innocence to the song. Hum Bewafa is filmed on the Garam Dharam (Dharmendra) and the beautiful Zeenat Aman. The song is about a man telling his lover that he was never bewafa and still loves her. It is very heartfelt and sung skillfully by Kishore Kumar.

The remix has both of these songs which is why I've grouped them. The story is about a guy coming to village where he falls for the village belle. The elders disapprove of their relationship and he is thrown out of the village. He is sad and heartbroken as he leaves the village. But all is well again when he reunites with his love. This remix is sung by the talented Mahalakshmi Iyer and the melodious Shaan. It sounds good. It looks good. Most of all the video of the remix captures longing and heartbreak effectively.

Jay Jay Shiv Shankar from Aap Ki Kasam (1974), R.D. Burman

This is actually one of the first remixes I remember watching as a kid. MTV India held a singing contest and the winners got to sing this song. The video stars Maria Goretti (Arshad Warsi's wife) and Yash Tonk. It's fun and captures the masti that was in the original.

The original was filmed on the bubbly Mumtaz and the romantic Rajesh Khanna. In the song, the lovers are at a temple where they unknowingly drink Bhang. They sing about their love for each other in their drunken stupor!

Ghar Jayegi from Khusboo (1975), R.D. Burman

This song is filmed on the Dream Girl Hema Malini and is about a girl dreaming about her wedding. She dreams about the mehendi that going to adorn her arms. She wonders what her doli is going to be like. She thinks back to the first time she realized she was in love. This song is so well written. It expresses a girl's feeling so well.

The remix starts out with the original vocals and then switches to the new vocals and beats, which sounds good. The video on the other hand is a little confusing. It is set in a brothel, of all places, and has Anjana Sukhani cast as a prostitute/wife (weird, yeah I know!). The setting could hint at prostitute's desire to have a family to call her own or a prostitute mocking the lives of other girls. So it starts out with a prostitute returning to the brothel and seeing her lover/husband there. The end suggests that the entire song was a dream. Anyway, yes the girls are seductive and provocatively dressed (they are prostitutes...) but the dance steps are actually cute.

Pardesiya from Mr Natwarlal (1979), Rajesh Roshan

This song is filmed on the enigmatic Rekha and none other than Amitabh Bachchan. It is about a girl telling her lover that he stole her dil. Rekha looks beautiful and is very graceful. Mr. Bachchan plays the part of the dashing young man convincingly.

The remix has Rakhi Sawant and Muzamil Ibrahim doing their thing. I believe this is Rakhi's first remix but I may be wrong. Well since she's in this song, it's a given that there's going to be a whole lot of skin-show and jhatkas and matkas Rakhi style. I like this song because of the story. The whole office crush thing is cute but other than that this song has nothing else to offer.

Hum Tumhe Chahte Hai Aise from Qurbani (1980), Biddu

The original was filmed on Zeenat Aman and Vinod Khanna. It's not difficult to see that Zeenat Aman could easily be any man's object of affection and desire. Here the guy tells the girl the extent of his love for her even though he knows that she loves someone else. The song is very passionate and has a lot of emotion. Vinod Khanna plays the lovelorn lover excellently.

The remix has the beautiful Shweta Salve. I like the mysterious quality that she brings to the video. Also, this remix does not increase the tempo of the song but keeps it slow and romantic. Another change that it makes is the addition of female vocals for certain sections of the song, which convey what the girl feels.

Thoda Resham Lagta Hai (Kaliyon Ka Chaman) from Jyoti (1981), Bappi Lahiri

Kaliyon Ka Chaman brought Megna Naidu to everyone's attention. I actually did not know that Kaliyon Ka Chaman was the remix of Thoda Resham Lagta Hai. When I actually saw the original song, I was surprised. In this case, the remix sounds very different.

The original is a bit more classical with Lata Mangeshkar providing the vocals. The song has Aruna Irani as a tawaif singing and dancing. What's really surprising to me is that this time Bollywood did not do the copying.

"Truth Hurts" by Addictive is a copy of the remix Kaliyon Ka Chaman. Not only is the music copied but even the styling of the video is copied. Now that's different!

Raat Baki from Namak Halal (1982), Bappi Lahiri

This song stars the ravishing Parveen Babi, dashing Shashi Kapoor and the original Angry Young Man Amitabh Bachchan. The song is about a girl teasing her lover. She says the night is still young and let whatever happens between them happen. Parveen Babi plays the role of the temptress effortlessly.

I remember watching the remix when I was younger. I was mesmerized by the weird setting but somehow I've grown to like it. The model in the song also appears in Right Here Right Now from Bluffmaster (she's the girl with the tattoo on her shoulder). The remix is seductive just as the lyrics.

Tu Tu Hai Wohi from Yeh Vaada Raha (1982), R.D. Burman

This song is so catchy. The original stars Rishi Kapoor, Poonam Dhillon and Tina Munim. This song is about a girl telling her lover that he is what her heart desires and she will be always be with him no matter where he is.

Just like many of the other songs, I actually heard the remixed version before I heard the original version of the song. But unlike Nahi Nahi, this time DJ Aqueel did not retain the original vocals of the song. This time, he not only changed the vocals, but also added english lyrics. I also have to point out that in the original as a faster tempo while the remix is actually much slower, surprisingly. This is the second video that includes prostitutes. Here they answer phone calls by dedicating these promises of love to their callers. One of the girls in this video, Mahi Vij has gone on to act in TV shows. I have no clue about the other two girls.

Bin Tere Sanam from Yaara Dildaara (1991), Jatin-Lalit

The original song is filmed on Asif Sheikh, who was most recently seen essaying the role of Dr. Armaan's father (Billy) in the hit TV show Dill Mill Gayye, and Ruchika Pandey. I've never even heard of this movie or seen the original video before. Regardless, the song is a different story. I've heard this song countless times. The song is about lovers who declare their love for each other. The boy talking about how barren his life is without his love calls her his life while the girl promises never to leave him since zhalim hai dil ki lagi.

This remix is by DJ Suketu. The video for the remix is set in a club setting, which partly explains the crazy costumes. The story is simple. Boy and girl meet in the club. Boy and girl dance and tease each other. The next part I didn't quite get, it's either boy sees another guy dancing with girl or girl already has a boyfriend. Anyway, boy is left heartbroken. When boy is about to leave he sees girl waiting for him. So I guess the other boy was a friend?! IDK. The song sounds good and that's all I care about!