6 clichés about rain that have become the norm in Bollywood

With the monsoon round the corner, we bring you some of the most maligned tropes associated with the rains that have become a staple in Hindi film songs.

Lovers take shelter in the rain and lose all inhibition

Remember the song Badal yun garajta hai from Betaab (1983) – the hero and heroine run inside a thankfully for them empty glass house (good for the camera angles) and then give vent to their passion. Cool na.

It’s raining ginseng…

Baarish ka bahana hai… from Yalgaar (1992) is the ultimate example of the male libido getting enflamed as soon as it starts to rain. But we must say rain is a great leveler as Zeenat Aman gave vent to some pent-up passion in Hai hai yeh majboori from Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974). 

Your car invariably breaks down during rains

We don’t make world class cars and our films remind us of that time and again, where the cars carrying the hero, heroine or both breaks down whenever it rains. And the director unexplainably adds a song at this juncture. Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) would never have happened and Madhubala and Kishore Kumar would never have met if the filmmakers hadn’t followed this rule.

Lovers coincidentally meet during the rains

Oh yes, that’s the oldest rule of them all. Maybe Dadasaheb Phalke wrote it in the rule book. The song Zindagi bhar nahi bhoolegi woh barsaat ki raat,ek anjaan haseena se mulaqat ki raat from Barsaat Ki Raat (1960) says it all about the plot device.

People in love take long walks in the rain

Rimjhim gire saawan from Manzil (1979) has Amitabh Bachcan and Moushumi Chatterjee practically doing a Mumbai darshan in the rains. Poor Moushumi had to run to catch up with Bachchan’s pace. 

Lovers don’t mind getting all dirty in the rains

Aaj rapat jaayen from Namak Halal (1982) is a primer for how to get down and dirty in the mud and enjoy it. Maybe the song was sponsored by Surf. In any which case, Amitabh Bachchan and Smita Patil are shown having such a good time of it all that for once you forget they are romping in the slush.