by ASJAD NAZIR.
THIS week, legendary movie star Rishi Kapoor will turn a year older and celebrate his 66th birthday.
Although he has made a name for himself with unforgettable performances across the decades, he is also regarded as one of the finest performers of film songs in Bollywood history.
With that in mind and limiting ourselves to one song per movie, Eastern Eye celebrated Kapoor’s birthday by selecting 10 of his most unforgettable musical moments in chronological order...
Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Band Ho (Bobby): The song about a couple in love being alone ignited the imagination of a generation and helped the musical romance become the biggest hit of 1973. The fresh-faced young star showed he had what it took to be a romantic leading man and kick-started an incredible career.
Pyar Kar Liya To Kya (Kabhi Kabhie): The actor woos his future wife Neetu Singh in this love song from the legendary 1976 romance. Their chemistry in the song is am-azing and lights up the screen.
Bachna Ae Haseeno (Hum Kisise Kum Naheen): During his prime, the actor was so good at performing songs that filmmakers wrote in scenes where he was performing musical numbers on stage, like in this 1977 musical. The moment would become so iconic that his son Ranbir Kapoor would star in a film with the same title in 2008 and perform the same song.
Taiyabali Pyar Ka Dushman (Amar Akbar Anthony): Although his number Parda Hai Parda is more famous from the highest-grossing film of 1977, we chose this one because it far more fun and has great backing dancers. In the song he attempts to humiliate the father of the woman he loves, and in the process gave a moment that made the world smile.
Om Shanti Om (Karz): The smash-hit 1980 reincarnation drama had this iconic musical moment that once again saw the actor being a pop star on stage in front of an audience. Dressed in a silver suit dancing on a giant moving vinyl, what is not to like? Decades later, he would perform the same song on stage with his son Ranbir.
Hoga Tumse Pyara Kaun (Zam-ane Ko Dikhana Hai): You might know about Shah Rukh Khan performing a song on top of a train in Dil Se in 1998, but Rishi did it first in 1981. He woos Padmini Kolha-pure on top of a moving train and won the hearts of film fans.
Chal Mere Bhai (Naseeb): There is no denying Rishi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan delivered unforgettable cinematic moments, including this 1981 song where he plays the caring younger brother trying to persuade his drunk brother to go home.
Bhanware Ne Khilaya Phool (Prem Rog): There have been a lot of Bollywood songs shot amongst flowers, and this 1982 classic is one of the finest. Rishi Kapoor and Padmini Kolhapure were pure magic in a wonderful love song that was shot in the Tulip fields of Holland.
Tu Tu Hai Wahi (Yeh Vaada Raha): The 1982 song just oozed romance from beginning to end. It was performed in contrasting ways with leading ladies Poonam Dhillon and Tina Munim, who played the same character in the movie.
Chandni O Meri Chandni (Chandni): The 1989 blockbuster’s title track kick-started a Bollywood trend of shooting songs in the mountains of Switzerland. It was one of the last great musical moments of him being a lea-ding romantic hero.
