The ‘College’ Songs

I wasn’t sure what subject to take up now. The pandemic is again turning for the worst and we are on the verge of complete lock-down. Though lock-down is not a perfect answer, it is an effective way at present to slow down the transmission by avoiding crowding. And what could be the solution if the citizens don’t care for the corona precautions?

After experiencing a stressful week, I was very tired of posts demanding deep research or a serious and thoughtful approach. So I went through my folder on the desktop to find something simple and light hearted. And to my relief, I found a folder named ‘college songs’. I immediately recalled having created it a couple of months back. And when I watched a few songs on the list, I had a smile on my face.
So here I am with a list of songs picturised in a college campus or mostly in the college building.

Though most of our Hindi film heroes and heroines have been college students on screen, actual shooting in a college was rare. I’m talking about the 50s and the 60s. Later though college was a part of a few movies, actual shooting in a college perhaps started in the late 70s, or early 80s. I can immediately recall the movie, Rajnigandha in the context. And till that time, the majority scenes picturised in a college used to be reasonably realistic.

After the action movies took over, the romantic side of the hero was restricted to a few scenes and violence became the central theme. I guess, in the scenario, a college going man harassed by a local politician or something in the similar vein, getting transformed into a goon became one of the popular story ideas. And by that time actual shooting at a college had become more common already. Though the filmy college is highly unrealistic and loud, there used to be a fun element. Usually the principal of the college or one of the teachers (mostly a language teacher) also plays a comedian, and their characters are utilized accordingly. The scenes in the classrooms also appear too exaggerated and highly unrealistic, though those scenes serve the purpose of changing the mood to a lighter side, wherever necessary. In the late 80s, Tezaab became a huge hit and a part of it was shot in a college. It was an interesting and the most entertaining part of the movie. A few movies, however, tried highlighting the bad side (and hence more realistic) of the college life, or other side of the politics related to colleges. I can name Shiva (1990) Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992) etc in the context.

Majority of the songs on the list also portray an unrealistic and impractical image of a college. No one ever sings or dances in a college corridor, nor anyone can easily get to the top floor of the college building to threaten the heroine. But these things are part of the entertainment, the film offers and should be taken with a pinch of salt. Otherwise someone would expect their principal to be like Boman Irani in ‘Main Hoon Na’, or imagine a glamorous chemistry teacher like Sushmita Sen.

Let’s hit the list. The songs are from Hindi films of the 90s, though I’ve one song beyond the 90s. Majority of the songs are sung by heroes teasing their on screen heroine. This is the commonest scenario for college songs of the 90s, though a few songs on the list do have a different topic, that of friendship of course. The 1990s can be taken as a peak of such college songs, as such songs slowly faded in the next decade. It’s really fun to watch and to help forget the stress and strain of the covid era. The songs are in no particular order.

1. Jagadi Jagadi Jagadi Ja – Shiva (1990) Suresh Wadkar, S Janki, Udit Narayan & Chorus / IlaiyaRaaja – Majrooh
What a perfect college song to start the list! It’s so full of energy! I remember listening to it in my school days. A common dilemma of college students, attend a lecture or bunk it for a ढांसू movie? I never faced such a dilemma, as I used to like botany 😉. The song teaches us a perfect happy go lucky attitude to pull through a crisis. Worried about the exams in March? Forget it man! There is September after all! The song has such a magnetic effect, it attracts you and engages throughout, never allowing you to skip anywhere. The picturisation is also very impressive, with different camera angles. Anyways, I enjoyed the song. Though the movie mainly focused on violence in colleges, the song creates a light mood.
It was a path breaking film, and was considered ahead of its times. It also marked the Bollywood debut of Nagarjuna. The film was also acclaimed for its amazing background score by IliaRaaja. Amla looks very beautiful and modern. The college is full of typical 90s men, long hair and very high waist pants.

2. Yeh Baat Hai Meri Knowledge Mein – Sauda (1995) Udit Narayan / Aadesh Shrivastava – Shyam Raj
I doubt if anyone remembers this obscure film, that marked the debut of popular singer and actor, Vikas Bhalla. The film wasn’t much popular, though the song stirred air for a while. A typical college song, the hero publically teasing the heroine, to be in love with him. In fact he announces that she secretly loves him, but is not ready to confess. Neelam appears to enjoy and accept the announcement, though she is embarrassed a bit in the beginning. She appears a bit too old for very young Vikas Bhalla, who was in his early 20s. The song is sung with very appropriate expressions and the tune is catchy too. This college campus has been seen in many of the Hindi films of the 90s, many of us might have remembered it.

3. Do Baje Aankh Ladi – Dil Ka Kya Kasoor (1992) Udit Narayan & Vicky Mehta / Nadeem Shravan – Anwar Sagar
The opening hour of the film is shot at a college with all the typical filmy masala. Initial cat fight between the lead pair, heroine slowly falling in love with hero, hero’s friends etc etc. Hero’s friends as usual don’t at all look their age, they actually seem chronic repeaters. One day the heroine accidentally confesses her love for the hero in the classroom and unintentionally adds fuel to the hero’s friends for mischief. Though the hero has no feelings for her, his friends are sure of the one sided love. So for a change, the hero himself doesn’t participate in the teasing program. He just ignores all of it and takes it as a joke. The heroine is however very angry and dislikes it all.
The film actually had a good and different story-line. But despite blockbuster songs, the film wasn’t a hit. Divya Bharti was acclaimed for her mature performance. It’s worth noting that Udit Narayan was offered the songs of the supporting character, while Kumar Sanu sang for the main lead.

4. Kyun Ladkiya Hum Se – Kal Ki Awaz (1992) Asha Bhosle, Kumar Sanu & Chorus / Nadeem Shravan – Sameer
I don’t think it’s a popular song, the film isn’t popular either. It was Pratibha Sinha’s debut film and actually had good songs. The song portrays the gender war between the college students. While the boys tease the girls for hiding their true age, the girls counterattack the boys for hiding their marital status. The song is picturised in a college classroom and it’s Pratibha Sinha’s first day in the college. The hero plans her ragging and makes the necessary arrangements in the classroom. But as the hero and heroine meet for the first time, just a couple of minutes before the song (and don’t talk at all about their age or marital status), the allegations sound senseless. There appears no reason other than general teasing. But the song is good to listen to if not extraordinary. It is composed in Qawali style, with the use of harmonium in the interludes. The clapping sounds make it very catchy.

5. Khud Ko Kya Samajhti Hai – Khiladi (1992) Abhijit, Udit Narayan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Sapna Mukherjee & Chorus / Jatin Lalit – Shyam Raj
The college campus and the fun at a college canteen and classrooms formed an interesting and entertaining part of the film, though it was unrealistic as usual. Neelam (Aayesha Jhulka) is a newcomer in the college and Raj (Akshay Kumar) and his gang consisting of Bonny (Deepak Tijori) and friends, tries to make fun of her. Raj is a habitual gambler and has bet on offering a red rose to Neelam on rose day. The latter is however not a simple player, she and Shital (Sabeeha – actress Amita’s daughter) retort equally. A close combat of gender war takes place between the teams. Lots of allegations and taunting are exchanged. Finally however Neelam falls for Raj’s irresistible charm. The song ends with Neelam accepting a red rose from Raj. The song is picturised on an entire college campus, including the main building and the lawn and tennis court.
It’s worth noting that Udit Narayan was offered the songs of the supporting character, while Abhijit sang for the main lead. It’s the second occasion on today’s list. He was equally popular and more versatile in my opinion.

6. Yeh Ladka Hai Deewana – Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai (1998) Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik & Chorus / Jatin Lalit – Sameer
Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) and Anjali (Kajol) are best buddies and are equally known for their catfights. Anjali is tomboyish and Rahul never stops annoying her. The song describes their deep friendship and their gang of friends supporting them. The film offers a typical filmy, unrealistic yet enjoyable and funny college, where students do everything but studies. The girls wear short skirts and boys sport long hair. There’s of course a comedian principal, Mr Malhotra (Anupam Kher) and his love interest, Miss Briganza (Archana Puran Singh). And there’s a love triangle when Tina (Rani Mukherjee) enters the lives of Rahul and Anjali . Though it’s fun to watch it, God knows what will happen if such colleges do appear in reality. Anyways, certainly an enjoyable song.

7. Hoshwalon Ko Khabar Kya – Sarfarosh (1999) Jagjit Singh / Jatin Lalit – Nida Fazli
Though it’s not a perfect song for today’s list, I purposely selected it. It’s a very beautiful ghazal, rendered perfectly by Jagjit Singh. ACP Ajay (Amir Khan) meets his college mate, Seema (A beautiful looking Sonali Bendre) after a long time, when he attends a music concert. He had a crush on her in his college days, she too showed interest. They both get lost in nostalgia and remember their college days while listening to the ghazal. What a beautiful composition and it’s picturised in an equally charming way. We see a young Ajay completely mesmerized by Seema, and Seema equally interested in him, though she teases him occasionally. Very cute exchange of feelings between them through eyes. The song provides perfectly matching lyrics for their journey down the memory lane. I couldn’t resist adding the song to today’s list. Enjoy the ghazal.
The film also saw commercial and critical success, and the performances by the main characters, including that of Mukesh Rishi, were acclaimed.

8. Neela Dupatta Peela Suit – Hameshaa (1997) Abhijit, Sadhna Sargam & Chorus / Anu Malik – Dev Kohli
Hameshaa was an out and out masala Bollywood love triangle mixed with an essence of reincarnation. Raja (Saif Ali Khan) falls in love with Rani (Kajol), which is love at first sight. They meet at his college, which she joins on the day. He tries to flirt with her and finally throws a song in her praise. She is not much amused nor is she irritated. She is cool and composed, and answers him back. As usual all this takes place in front of the main entrance of the college. Saif Ali Khan is joined by his friend, Laxmikant Berde and other students. None of the joiners look like college students. But anyways, Kajol looks good in her yellow Punjabi suit with a Dupatta of a good shade of blue. Her facial expressions are obviously good. The song was inspired by Michael Jackson’s ‘All I Wanna Say’. It’s catchy rhythm made it very popular, but I don’t think it really helped the film’s performance at the box office.

9. Jise Dekh Mera Dil Dhadka – Phool Aur Kaante (1992) Kumar Sanu & Chorus / Nadeem Shravan – Sameer
Another typically filmy college with a gang of lecturers acting as comedians. It was the debut film of Ajay Devgan and Madhu, and was received well. The film and its songs were popular. Nothing different from any other college song, hero teasing the heroine at a college. God knows what teachers and other staff does while this is going on? The song however is different in the sense that not only boys, but other girls also join him for the song as chorus dancers. And most of the dance steps and Ajay Devgan’s dancing made me burst into laughter, really what funny and horrible dance steps used to be there in the 90s?

10. Main Hoon Na – Main Hoon Na (2004) Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal & Chorus / Anu Malik – Javed Akhtar
The song actually belongs to the noughties decade, but the college forms an important part of the movie. More than half of the film is picturised in a college. There’s another song, ‘Chale Jaise Hawayein Sanan Sanan’ which is a college song too. I chose the title track, as in contrast to the other songs on the list, this isn’t a teasing song. Shah Rukh Khan is in search of his brother and knows who he is. At the same time he has to protect Amrita Rao by making friends with her. He not only offers friendship to his brother, but also helps Amrita Rao by acting as her friend, philosopher and guide. He is there as a caring elder brother for them both. Meanwhile his brother, Lucky (Zayed Khan), allows him to enter his group as he is now a special person to the gang. He saves Lucky from falling off the roof of the college. The gang also arranges for Shah Rukh Khan’s makeover. The song is picturised on the entire college campus, library, playground, canteen etc. It was one of the most popular songs of the year and really deserved to be. I just couldn’t avoid the song as it was so much in line with the theme.

Would you add 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, only for the listening convenience of music lovers. The copyright of these songs rests with the respective owners, producers and music companies.