The holy season of Navratri is upon us and the entire country will be seen revelling in the festivities for the next nine days. While different states celebrate the festival in their own ways, it is universally agreed that no one does it better than the Gujaratis. Be it indulging in Garba or Dandiya Ras the locals celebrate the festival with much pomp and show as they dance the night away. In fact, Bollywood has often tried to imitate the tradition of Garba in many movies over the years.
The movie ‘Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela’ was set in a traditional Gujarati town, so a song capturing the essence of Navratri was mandatory. This upbeat dance number is really catchy, thanks to its lively tunes paired with its lyrics. Moreover, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for his grand set pieces and he pulled all stops for this track. It is a spectacle in both audio and visual sense topped off with the beautiful Deepika Padukone taking centre stage.
No list of Navratri songs is complete without this classic. The song ‘Dholi Taro Dhol Bhaje’ itself is popular thanks to Ismail Darbar’s superb composition. The video is also a perfect tutorial on how to perform the dance routine with Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai taking the lead. Again, it was Sanjay Leela Bhansali who set a standard for these over the top dance numbers when the movie released. Overall, it is a mandatory song for every Garba function.
The romantic and festive number ‘Udi Udi Jaye’ from ‘Raees’ is the latest addition to the Navratri soundtrack. The song has an easy paced tempo, thanks to the good music composition from Ram Sampath. Although the theme is mainly of Uttarayan, the beautiful set pieces and Garba like dance moves has already made it a fan favourite for festive season. Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira Khan’s amazing chemistry only adds to the song’s appeal. To sum it up it definitely captures the spirit of Gujarat.
‘Kai Po Che!’ has many good songs, one of them being this bright and vibrant Garba number. Although the beat is somewhat mellow, it is still a great track to dance to. Composer Amit Trivedi proves his versatility with this song as he combines traditional music beautifully with western beats. Also, since the movie is set in Gujarat, there is a brilliant display of colour and revelries as the tradition of Garba Ras is captured beautifully. The Gujarati lyrics further adds to the authenticity of this number.
‘O Sheronwali’ is a devotional yet festive song from the 1979 film ‘Suhaag’. The song has enjoyed the privilege of being played at almost every Garba Ras function around the country. The song is magical thanks to the voices of Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle. The video too is a sight to behold something to look at with Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha dressed in traditional garb taking part in the festivities. Overall, it is a staple song for every Navratri season.
