Maximum City / A melodic homage

Mumbai like a lot of other major cities around the world comes with its share of ups and downs and is full of contradictions. It is fast paced and very impersonal yet throws up opportunities to make close relationships which allow you to savour the little moments of life. The city makes you dream big and yet you repeatedly find yourself discounting your dreams in order to continue your love story with it. You think the city is about winning yet for a mass majority, it is about surviving. Mumbai is a city that either you love with all your heart or you cannot stand it and will look to leave at the next opportunity life gives you. I rarely meet anyone who does not sit on either side of this argument but somewhere in the middle. 

Art in several forms - Music, Movies, Books, Paintings has paid homage to this great city. I'd like to focus on the music that either references Mumbai directly or captures the essence of the city through the cinematography of its visual.

1. Bombay Meri Jaan

A classic song from the movie C.I.D. with music by O. P. Nayyar, it captures the difficulties of Bombay as it was back in the 50s. My favourite line from the song goes 

"kahin building, kahin traamein, kahin motor, kahin mill

milta hai yahan sab kuchh, ek milta nahin dil"

Anyone who has lived in Mumbai for any length of time will understand its typical impersonal nature.

 

2. Rim Jhim Gire Saawan

While the song isn't about Mumbai, the picturisation captures everything about the monsoon in Mumbai. The choppy Arabian sea lashing against the Marine Drive, young carefree couples who revel in the romance that is Mumbai rains & vast expanses of space where water gets accumulated and yet does not deter people from going about their business. 

The movie has two versions of the song - one sung by Kishore Kumar as well as one by Lata Mangeshkar. The female version is picturised on Mumbai and is worth watching. The male version is also a great listen.  

3. Boombai Nagariya

A nice catchy number from the 2006 film Taxi No. 9211. With music from Vishal-Shekar, the song is sung by Bappi Lahiri and like Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, talks about how life goes on in Mumbai. The film is an interesting adaption of the Hollywood film 'Changing Lanes' and worth a watch. 

4. Mumbhai

A song about Mumbai's underworld from the 1998 movie Bombay Boys directed by Kaizad Gustad. This song, a rap sung by the extremely talent and very underrated Javed Jaffrey was a cult classic. We were just out of High School and the song was a real chart buster.

5. Bombay - Theme Song

A. R. Rahman's haunting theme from the 1993 film Bombay will tug at your heart like few other melodies can. The flute followed by cadences of the violin captures the essence of a city that has burnt and been hurt but still shows hope of rising beyond as it always does. 

https://youtu.be/18GFDP5bLLs

6. Suniye, Kahiye, Kahiye

A song about love blossoming during suburban train rides of Mumbai from the charming 1979 film Baaton Baaton Mein directed by Basu Chatterjee. With the wonderful voices of Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosale, this is one song that makes for easy listening. 

Although, I don't think any of my contemporaries in Mumbai who used the trains to travel could ever imagine romance blossoming in the clammy ambiance that was the inside of a 'local' train. 

7. Bambai Sheher ki tujhko chal sair kara doon

Another song from a Basu Chatterjee film (makes me wonder if the guy had a thing for setting all his films in Mumbai) called Piya ka Ghar from 1972. As the title suggests, the song is pretty much about Anil Dhawan showing Jaya Bhaduri around the city. Offers some great visuals of old Bombay.

8. Bombay Meri Hai

Possibly the first Indo-Pop song that came out sometime in the 1970s. It was composed by Mina Kava (he played percussions for several Bollywood composers) and sung by Uma Pocha (Elder sister of Usha Uthup). This song was written by Kava on request from the music label HMV to attract tourism to Mumbai. 

There is a "Bollywood" version of the above song from the 1989 film Rakhwala sung by Amit Kumar. 

9. Meri Gully Mein

When two kids from the slums of Mumbai (Artists Naezy & Divine) influenced by American Hip-Hop music decided to pen down their anguish and troubles, little did they realise that they would be part of a bigger movement which would eventually gain recognition in Bollywood and a movie would be made on their lives. (Gully Boy, 2019).

Meri Gully mein is a result of the frustration of Mumbai's youth in the slums due to social inequalities and an unabashed need to voice their opinions. The lyrics are hard hitting and shot across the slums of Mumbai (not sure if it is in Dharavi or Andheri).

10. Ee hai Bambai Nagariya

From the 1978 film Don which has music by Kalyanji Anandji and sung by Kishore Kumar. The song more or less describes Mumbai city in every way possible. 

11. Bombay Sheher Haadson Ka

From the 1983 film Haadsaa, sung by Amit Kumar, this song talks about the perils of the city of Mumbai. The film itself was extremely forgettable but this song given its reference to Mumbai, makes it to the list. 

If anyone has any more songs that need to be added here, please give me the link and the background and I will add it to this list with credits. 

Cheers,

Avi