As a Bollywood fan to list their top five songs, there’s sure to be a Javed Akhtar number there.
Notable singer and screenwriter Javed Akhtar celebrates his 77th birthday today 17 Jan. An icon in the Bollywood music industry, Javed Akhtar has left an indelible mark as a lyricist. His contributions to the field of poetry and socio-political activism are no less remarkable. To mark his birthday, Ekta Sharma of Indian Link Radio has picked her favourite Javed Akhtar songs here. Which appear in your own list?
- Sandese aate hain (Border, 1997)
Patriotic song Sandese aate hain was sung by Sonu Nigam and Roop Kumar Rathod. The lyrics are heavy with heartfelt sorrow and strikes a chord with the families whose sons go off to wars to protect their countries.
- Ghanan Ghanan (Lagaan, 2001)
Ghanan Ghanan was sung by Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan, Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, and Sukhwinder Singh. The song expresses the happiness the villagers of Champaner when they see approaching storm clouds, signifying an end to their sorrow.
- Ye kahan aa gaye hum (Silsila, 1981)
Sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Amitabh Bachchan, this track is another notable Javed Akhtar song. Directed by Yash Chopra, the movie showcases Rekha, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan in the lead.
- Panchi Nadiyan (Refugee, 2000)
Alka Yagnik and Sonu Nigam were nominated for Best Female and Best Male Playback Singer for Filmfare Awards for this track. This song is from the movie Refugee narrates the tale of a Muslim man in India who aids refugees from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh cross the Rann of Kutch.
- Ek ladki ko dekha to aisa laga (1942 A Love Story, 1994)
This beautiful soundtrack was composed by R.D Burman and sung by Kumar Sanu. As a romantic, Javed Akhtar’s lyrics captured the hearts of many and went on to become a popular hit in the 1990s. Supposedly written for his own wife Shabana Azmi, this song is sure to be on many a fan’s list of Javed Akhtar favourites.
