The ‘Cloud’ Songs – Mehfil Mein Meri

Though I don’t publish a monsoon list every year, if I do find a suitable theme, I tend to go for it.This year also, I had no plans to do it, but one fine morning, sunlight became hazy. Suddenly clouds gathered and it all got dark. The rain soon followed of course and it hit me! Though rain is essential for us, that day I wasn’t in a mood to enjoy it and I was wishing the clouds would go away allowing us all to enjoy the sunlight. Only if I could have communicated to the clouds. And then like lightning itself, the thought of ‘Songs addressed to the clouds’ flashed in my mind.

Though I won’t call it a rain song list or a monsoon song list, there are a few songs fitting that list as well. Then I started thinking about befitting Hindi film songs. I could think of the words, बादल, बदरा, बादरवा, मेघ, घटा, बदरिया etc. I wasn’t sure about a few words and AK ji helped me there. I’ll tell you about it later. When I started collecting songs, it wasn’t very difficult. And I got a rainbow of emotions, right from romantic songs to songs of separation and from clouds as a messenger to the singing characters sharing their joy or sorrows to the clouds. I think all of you must have thought of befitting songs. Let’s see how much of our choices match!

The songs are arranged in chronological order, starting from the 40s to the early 80s. I’ve tried to incorporate as many words as possible. And this time I have so many singers on the list, of course 50s onwards, it’s predominantly Lata Mangeshkar. But I am delighted to have a lot of prominent voices of the 40s get a place on the list.

So here is my list of ‘Hindi film songs addressed to clouds’

1. Dheere Dheere Aa Re Baadal – Kismet (1943) Amirbai Karnataki & Ashok Kumar / Anil Biswas – Kavi PradeepSuch a delightful song! Full of joy and romance. Ashok Kumar is perhaps late to arrive at home, Mumtaz Shanti waiting for him is almost asleep. He requests the clouds to be gentle, without making loud noise that will disturb his sweetheart. He places a necklace around her neck and goes upstairs whistling. Mumtaz Shanti realizes everything as she gets up and asks the clouds to listen to her love story. Ashok Kumar singing for himself does justice to the song. Mumtaz Shanti looks innocent and Amirbai Karnataki singing for her is a pleasure to listen to.

2. Barso Re Kare Badarwa – Tansen (1943) Khurshid / Khemchand Prakash – Pandit IndraKhurshid, playing Tani, Tansen’s beloved, requests in earnest to the clouds to shower on her beloved Tansen. The song starts with a slow pace, turning into a medium and at last fast paced one. Khurshid manages the song well being able to sing in a very low to a very high octave, despite not being a trained classical singer.A little about the background of the song. Akbar asks Tansen to sing Deepak Raag for his sick princess. The candles light on their own as Tansen sings. But he feels like getting burnt. The only answer appears to be the rain. Birbal, the court philosopher, suggests to Akbar that a singer who can sing the Malhar raag (known for bringing rain) should be searched for. Finally Tani comes to his rescue, sings Megh Malhar Raag and saves Tansen. I’m not sure if readers would be able to relate to this song. It’s neither a romantic rain song nor has a catchy rhythm.

3. Sawan Ke Baadalon – Rattan (1944) Zohrabai Ambalewali & Karan Dewan / Naushad – D N MadhokThe song portrays separated lovers, who request the clouds to convey their agony to each other. The destiny has separated them and now they have to accept it. The clouds and rain are disturbing him and he almost orders them to go somewhere else. A perfect song for today’s list. I’m a great fan of Zohrabai Ambalewali and this is one of her popular duets.

4. Sawan Ki Ghataon Dheere Dheere – Aage Badho (1947) Khurshid & Rafi / Sudhir Phadke – Amar VermaI came across this lesser known duet in the initial years of blogging. Though not popular, I liked it. A very young Dev Anand asks the clouds to be gentle and be as less noisy as possible. His love is very delicate and may find thunder horrifying. But she assures him about her not getting scared of the rain! But rain really pours down with thunder and she hugs him with fright! Enjoy this very romantic and melodious duet!

5. Kali Ghataon Jao – Shakti (1948) Suraiya / Ramprasad, Azam Baig – Asad JafriIt’s the only song on today’s list with no video available. It’s one of my favourite songs by Suraiya. Again clouds act as a messenger. She is requesting the clouds to persuade her beloved, who’s angry with her. She doesn’t know the reason behind the rift and awaits his visit. Suraiya’s heart touching rendition is the major attraction for me.Initially I wasn’t sure if ghata means cloud or not. AKji helped me confirm it.

6. Kare Badra Tu Na Ja – Shikast (1953) Lata Mangeshkar / Shankar Jaikishan – ShailendraIn the song, for a change, the lady is asking the cloud not to go away, but shower there itself. She’s talking to the cloud as if it is her close friend and she shares her sorrows with it.One of the sweetest melodies of Hindi cinema from the 50s. I love the song, it’s amazing. Nalini Jaywant in a simple attire without any jewelry or accessories looks beautiful too.

7. Ja Ri Ja Ri O Kari Badariya – Azad (1955) Lata Mangeshkar / C Ramchandra – Rajendra KrishanA beautiful dance number picturised on equally beautiful Meena Kumari. It’s always a delight to watch a smiling happy Meena Kumari. She asks the dark cloud not to shower in her city as her beloved is not with her. She further requests the cloud to go to his place and tell him her pain and distress. The focus is so much on Meena Kumari that there’s not a single close up of Dilip Kumar, sitting in the audience. Of course, he had the rest of the film focused on only him.

8. Kare Badra Ja Re Ja Re – Bhabhi (1957) Lata Mangeshkar / Chitragupt – Rajendra KrishanI am very fond of all the Lata Mangeshkar solos from Bhabhi and obviously I chose this popular song for today’s list. It’s picturised on Shyama, who cheerfully dances throughout making it an audio-visual treat. Shyama tells the clouds to go away and not to make noise near her house.

9. Barso Re Bairi Badarwa – Phagun (1958) Asha Bhosle & Chorus / O P Nayyar – Qamar JalalabadiIt’s a climax song where Bharat Bhushan is left to die in a hut set on fire. Madhubala, helpless, being tied to a tree, requests clouds to pour rain so as to extinguish the fire. Being a film, it rains heavily and Bharat Bhushan is saved. Yet another incident where clouds come to the rescue.

10. O Aashadh Ke Pehle Baadal – Kavi Kalidas (1959) Manna Dey, Lata Mangeshkar & Chorus / S N Tripathi – Bharat VyasThis iconic song was an obvious inclusion. It’s one of the best Hindi film songs that portrays clouds as a messenger.As the story demanded, Bharat Vyas penned songs conveying the verses of मेघदूत. Kalidas requests the first cloud in the month of आषाढ, to convey his message to his love, who’s far away. He describes how to get to her. There are picturesque descriptions of nature, of the cities, of the Himalaya, to finally reach her, who’s in deep agony.

11. Na Na Na Barso Baadal – Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan (1959) Lata Mangeshkar / Vasant Desai – Bharat VyasIt’s Bharat Vyas again! He uses the backdrop of a thunderstorm to portray the agitation of a woman. She has been scorned by the man she loves. She asks the clouds not to shower as her tearful eyes and mind both are in agony. A thunderstorm is also raging within her. I added the song as it portrays a different scenario not yet seen on the list.

12. Ja Re Baadal Ja – Kailashpati (1962) Lata Mangeshkar / Avinash Vyas – Madan BharatiAnother song of clouds acting as a messenger. I loved the song the moment I heard it almost a decade back. It’s difficult to say if the tune is sweeter or Lata Mangeshkar’s rendition! The interlude music is also so intense, just to suit the aura of the song. Listen to the echo effect in a few lines. That so well conveys Parvati’s voice getting echoed in the mountains. She sends the clouds to Lord Shiv to convey her agitation and sorrows.

13. Meha Aao Re – Sangeet Samrat Tansen (1962) Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle & Manna Dey / S N Tripathi – Bharat VyasThough the song shares the situation in the song no. 2 on the list, I added it particularly for the word ‘Meha’. It’s not a regular word in Hindi film lyrics and though the lyrics were suggesting it to mean clouds, I again confirmed the fact from AKji of the blog SoY. I thank him for the same.In the song, Tani (Anita Guha) along with her friend (Sabita Chatterjee) request for the rain to the clouds. A wonderful song it is! And if you notice carefully Anita Guha lip syncs to Lata Mangeshkar’s as well as Asha Bhosle’s voice.

14. O Ghata Sanwari – Abhinetri (1970) Lata Mangeshkar / Laxmikant Pyarelal – MajroohOne of the most popular Lata Mangeshkar solos under the baton of Laxmikant Pyarelal. A beautiful Hema Malini sings the song to herself wondering about the rain, who she thinks has gone crazy.

15. Megha Re Megha Re – Pyasa Sawan (1981) Lata Mangeshkar & Suresh Wadkar / Laxmikant Pyarelal – Santosh AnandI won’t call it one of my favourites, but it’s very popular no doubt! And fits the theme so well. The couple asks the clouds to be with them and shower the rain as a message of love. Enjoy the song.

Have you thought of adding a song?

Disclaimer –Mehfil Mein Meri, claims no credit for any image, screenshots or songs posted on this site. Images on this blog are posted to make the text interesting. The images and screenshots are the copyright of their original owners. The song links are shared from YouTube and Dailymotion, only for the listening convenience of music lovers. The copyright of these songs vests with the respective owners, producers and music companies.