10 Movies That Celebrated the Festival of Colours

The colourful festival of Holi is marked by smearing gulaal on each other's faces, sharing sweats and dancing to the beats. Bollywood movies are a reflection of real-life and there are some Holi scenes, and Bollywood holi songs that have stayed with us over the years. With songs that we still hum while playing with colours, the celluloid has given some iconic Holi sequences. From intense romantic scenes to the most fun tunes, Indian cinema has shown ecstatic celebration and many plot twists through the festival.

Here are a few movies that had the most memorable Holi episodes that people still look up to while celebrating the joyous festival.

Also Read:  Holi – It’s Fire, not just Colour which Dominates this Story & the Festival

Mother India (1957)

'Holi Aayi Re Kanhai', a song that reflects the Krishna Leela, the festival is famous for, features the iconic actress Nargis in two different times - as a married woman and as a widow. With men and women in the traditional Indian attire of dhoti-kurta and lehenga-choli respectively, the song shows the celebration in its oldest form.

Navrang (1959)

Sandhya starrer 'Are Jaa Re Hatt Natkhat' is still fresh in people's minds. The song is sung by the male protagonist, Mahipal while he muses about an imaginary character, Mohini. Sandhya, a famed dancer takes the guise of both the male and female, which is a prominent classical dance form to date and was the first time and probably the only one when a girl in Indian cinema performed both, the boy and the girl. The lyrics and picturization are essentially based on the festival of Holi.

Kati Patang (1974)

The movie features the famous song, 'Aaj Na Chhodenge', starring Rajesh Khanna and Asha Parekh. The lyrics normalize the casual teasing the festival is famous for. With colors in the air and people dancing all around smeared in a plethora of colors, the video shows a community celebration. Widowed women are not allowed to celebrate the festival and this song goes against this tradition, making it a coming-of-age track.

Sholay (1975)

'Holi Ke Din' is the song that portrays the festival like no other. The ultimate cult film that still feels new has shown its biggest dramatic moment in the song. The song starts with all colors in the air and an attractive soundtrack plays until Hema Malini's character Basanti catches the viewers' attention. The lyrics reflect the festival as a celebration of love.

Silsila (1981)

'Rang Barse, Bheege Chunarwali' is a constant in every Holi party playlist. The song stars Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, Rekha, and Sanjeev Kumar. From bhaang, colors, jasmine flowers, and dholak, the song highlights all aspects of the festival.

Darr (1993)

The Holi scene in Darr is an actual showcase of reality - it brings focus to the fact that the festival has become an excuse for men to openly harass and abuse women. Although the song, 'Ang Se Ang Lagana' was quite famous, the last scene when Shah Rukh Khan confesses his love portrayed his madness, which is quite prominent in many celebrations to date.

Baghban (2003)

'Hori Khele Raghuveera' is centered around the romance of one of the most favorite couples, Hema Malini and Amitabh Bachchan as the extended family dances and sings to celebrate. The lyrics highlight how the festival was celebrated in Lord Krishna's time in a typically modern setting, which makes it one of the most unique songs.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013)

'Balam Pichkari' is one of the few songs of the modern times that is the correct portrayal of the young generation's take on Holi. With apt lyrics and a real picturization, it forms an important sequence in the film as Deepika's character Naina modifies after this into a new personality. The song marks a change of storyline as an eight-year leap follows.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017)

A mix of the old and contemporary styles of celebrating Holi, the title track was a hit. The famed couple, Alia-Varun wins hearts as usual with their expressive manner. The song is set in a closed surrounding unlike all others and the characters play Holi in a disco style.

Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017)

'Latth Maar' was a one-of-its-kind Holi song as it is the only one in the industry that has shown this way of celebration. Mathura's traditional latth maar style is portrayed in the light of Jaya (Bhumi Pednekar) hitting Keshav (Akshay Kumar) out of frustration and anger. This scene marks a plot twist as it invokes Keshav to go against his father and get a washroom built in their house.

Read Also: Why Do Women Detest The Festival Of Holi So Much?

Saavriti is an intern with SheThePeople.TV