MUMBAI: Wacky, quirky and full of double entendre, Bollywood songs are going irreverent with a vengeance. If "Bhaag D.K. Bose" was a shocker, what about recent numbers like "I am a hunter", "Madam malai" and "Womaniya". Their lyrics are sometimes senseless, sometimes outrageous and sometimes offensive too, but youth, at least, aren’t complaining.
Old timers like Javed Akhtar and Amitabh Bachchan have often expressed their disappointment with the growing popularity of songs with in-the-face, explicit lyrics. Amitabh, whose father Harivansh Rai Bachchan was a renowned poet, wrote on his blog: "Lyrics and poetry do not dwell much on the unknowns of the hemisphere. They now wonder quite amusingly ‘ki choli ke peeche kya hai’ or ask fervently for ‘DK Bose to run’ and at times tell ‘Bachchan to Bol’."
"There is keen interest now in ‘Sheila’s jawani’ or the pelvic thrusts of ‘silky smooth Chameli’ informing all of the ‘pauaa shot of intoxicant she has just consumed’," he added, referring to some recent numbers.
Here’s a sample of latest hits across genres, including the cheesy "Teri shirt da button", which have caught the fancy of listeners with their varied beats and lyrics:
"I am a hunter" ("Gangs Of Wasseypur – Part I"): It doesn’t get more double entendre than this! The words, "I am a hunter and she wants to see my gun, when I pull it out boy, the woman starts to run…" beat "Bhaag D.K.Bose" left, right and centre. With its foot-tapping calypso beats, the number is a hit, particularly amongst youngsters.
"Teri shirt da button" ("Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum"): "Tere shirt da main ta button soniya, baalon ka tera main clip ho gaya" — an unusually funny, yet romantic number, is crooned by Sonu Nigam. There is nothing double meaning about this one, but its unique lyrics and melodious tune are drawing interest.
"Womaniya" ("Gangs Of Wasseypur – Part I"): With its folk flavour infused with new-age beats, "Womaniya" is a playful, pre-wedding celebratory song, where women advise the bride how to behave when the groom begins to get cosy. Needless to say, with lyrics like "Maange jo babuna prem nisaniya, bole jo thodi katiho kaniya" (When the husband asks for a token of love, bite his ears), it fits this list to the T.
"Dil garden garden" ("Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum"): Extremely peppy and catchy, this number is ‘super kool’! The song describes the excitement of being bitten by the love bug. Sung in male voices, the number’s plus point is also its colourful picturisation, featuring comedy stars Riteish Deshmukh and Tusshar Kapoor. Female leads Sarah Jane Dias and Neha Sharma, along with a pug dog, also add to the song, the video of which has a very retro feel.
"Madam malai" ("Daal Mein Kuch Kaala Hai"): "Meri kamar hai jaise Jaipuri suraahi, main hoon Madam malai" — Pakistani actress Veena Malik gets a cheesy item number with this song. The number doesn’t score too much on the choreography scale, but those who have loved the beats of "Jalebi bai" and "Shake it saiyaan" would perhaps lend an ear even to this song.
"Aa re pritam pyaare" ("Rowdy Rathore"): Fast and energetic, "Aa re pritam pyaare" is a Bollywood dance enthusiast’s delight. With lyrics like "Pallu ke neeche chhupa ke rakha hai, utha dun toh hungama ho…", it is definitely bold. Its powerhouse dance moves and crowd-laden picturisation also contribute to the recall value of the song.
"Second hand jawaani" ("Cocktail"): The title itself suggests the quirkiness of the song. With Diana Penty, Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan grooving to it in a conversational way, the number has catchy lines like "Bhanwaron ke college ka main professon hu baby, aiyyashi ke computer ka processor hu baby".
