Valentine’s Day: Hindi film song playlists for love, longing and loss
By ASJAD NAZIRFeb 09, 2023
WHETHER it is songs about longing, loving, or losing someone, Bollywood has perhaps used music to illustrate all areas of romance the best.
Stunning songs have captured a rainbow or romantic emotions and connected with different generations, since the very early days of Hindi cinema talkies in the 1930s.
To mark Valentine’s Day this week, Eastern Eye decided to put together playlists for whatever stage of love a person happens to be, including that one magic song that captures all the emotions. (There are thousands more great film tracks out there, so make your own playlist and press play).
LONGING: Whether it is waiting to attract that someone special, being apart from the individual you love or imagining yourself with them, there are plenty of songs that capture those emotions and show that you are not alone in feeling that way.
Mera Dil Bhi Kitna Paagal Hai from Saajan (1991): The delightful duet sung wonderfully well by Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik captures that feeling of being in love, but not being able to say how you feel.
Chhupana Bhi Nahi Aata from Baazigar (1993): The song delivered delightfully by Vinod Rathod perfectly illustrates that feeling of not being able to hide how much you adore someone, but also not being able to tell them.
Woh Kaun Thi
Lag Ja Gale from Woh Kaun Thi? (1964): One of the greatest romantic numbers ever written is sung by Lata Mangeshkar at her very best. The deeply emotional yearning song is about not taking someone for granted, embracing that moment with them, and not letting them go.
Agar Tum Mil Jaao from Zeher (2004): The super hit song sung by Shreya Ghoshal perfectly puts across the sentiment of giving everything to be with the one you love. The heartfelt lyrics have plenty of power that reaches deep inside you.
Kabhi Kabhie title track (1976): The iconic number sung by legendary singer Mukesh is all about feeling something deep down inside your heart and imagining being with that person you love. The song, powered by sublime poetry, is about manifesting a love into reality.
Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki from Dulari (1949): This all-time classic sung by Mohammad Rafi might be more than 70 years old, but it still has plenty of power. Less is more on a song about waiting for someone on a beautiful night.
Mere Samne Wali Khidki Mein from Padosan (1968): This iconic number delivered by Kishore Kumar shows that love doesn’t need to be serious and emotional but can also have a fun element. It’s a song about being in love with a beautiful neighbour, but the metaphor can be universal.
LOVING: Being in love feels great and there are songs that illustrate all aspects of that wonderfully well, at all stages of a relationship, from the honeymoon period to long-term commitment.
Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar from Hum Dono (1961): When you deeply love someone, you want to be with them all the time. This delightful duet delivered by Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosle is about not wanting that special person to leave because your heart wants more.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
Tujhe Dekha To Jana Sanam from Dilwale Dulha nia Le Jayenge (1995): The duet, powered by the unmistakable voices of Kumar Sanu and Lata Mangeshkar, is about being at one with the person you adore and realising what love really means.
Ishq Sufiana from The Dirty Picture (2011): There is a male and female version of this song, sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and Kamal Khan, respectively. It celebrates all aspects of love and compares it to the many beautiful things that exist in this world.
Tum Se Hi from Jab We Met (2007): This song sung by Mohit Chauhan is about the right person giving your life meaning and being inspiring. It is a song anyone who has been deeply in love can relate to.
Tum Hi Ho from Aashiqui 2 (2013):One of the most successful love songs of all time turned singer Arijit Singh into a big star. The song captures that deep connection with ‘the one’ and dedicating your life to them.
Aap Ki Nazron Ne Samjha from Anpadh (1962): The timeless Lata Mangeshkar classic is about feeling loved by someone and giving your heart away. It is about feeling worthy, valued, and adored.
Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaye from Jurm (1990):Kumar Sanu and Sadhna Sargam are in fine form in this meaningful duet about being together through tough times. It is about commitment and standing side by side, no matter what.
LOSS: Heartbreak songs have always been popular because they will understand what someone is going through and capture a pain that can often not be explained. This ranges from trying to forget someone to feeling the deepest pain.
Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum from Silsila (1981): The combination of Amitabh Bachchan reciting poetry and Lata Mangeshkar singing resulted in this song that has become an anthem for heartbroken lovers. It is about imagining what could have been.
Anjaana Anjaani
Tujhe Bhula Diya from Anjaana Anjaani (2010): Mohit Chauhan, Shekhar Ravjiani and Shruti Pathak team up for a heartbreaking number of wanting to forget someone, but their memories still making you cry.
Tujhe Yaad Na Meri Aayee from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998):The 1998 film was loaded with romantic music like this multi-layered song sung by Alka Yagnik, Manpreet Akhtar and Udit Narayan. Although upbeat, it is about expressing how someone important has forgotten you.
Tadap Tadap from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999):The heartbreak anthem is powered by the emotion filled voice of KK. It is about having your heart crushed and not being able to understand why it has happened.
Channa Mereya from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016): The story of unrequited love had the standout song by Arijit Singh about finally moving on and making that painful decision to walk away from someone you love.
Lambi Judaai from Hero (1983):Legendary folk singer Reshma injected raw emotion into this song about being apart from someone you love, with little hope of being united. It illustrates feelings of hopelessness to perfection.
Dil Ke Armaan Aanshuo Main Beh Gaye from Ni kaah (1982): Salma Agha delivers this emotion-filled number about being badly let down by someone and having your spirit crushed. It is about feeling injustice and then destroying yourself, by being pushed into lowliness. The song remains powerful over 40 years later.
Mughal-e-Azam
LOVING, LONGING AND LOSS
Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya from Mughale Azam (1960): Perhaps the greatest Bollywood love song of all time perfectly captures all aspects of love. Lata Mangeshkar beautifully brings meaningful lyrics to life in the musically rich song about not being afraid in love. It is perfect if you are deeply in love, trying to convince someone or rebuilding a broken bridge with that someone special.
A poignant evening unfolded at The Chambers, Taj 51 Buckingham Gate, where storytelling met soul-searching in an unforgettable conversation between Bollywood icon Manisha Koirala and creative visionary Manish Tiwari. Hosted by Here & Now 365, the event wasn't just a rendezvous of film lovers and cultural figures; it was a moment of collective pause, reflection, and renewed strength.
Actress, activist, and cancer survivor Manisha Koirala’s presence radiated both dignity and depth. Her journey, marked by painful valleys and soaring recoveries, became a guiding light for everyone in the room.
“Resilience isn’t a heroic burst,” Manisha said softly, “it’s a series of small choices, made moment by moment.”
These words captured the essence of a woman who had once faced death and emerged with more life than ever before. Her candid recounting of her diagnosis, treatment, and emotional tumult was far from a scripted memoir; it was raw, real, and quietly transformative. “When the doctor told me I had ovarian cancer, I thought, ‘This is it. I’m going to die.” The room fell into an uneasy silence, broken only by her own calm voice. “But by the grace of God, I didn’t. I learned to live again.”
Now cancer-free for over a decade, Manisha wears her scars not as symbols of suffering, but of survival. “Cancer taught me how fragile life is, and how full of grace it can still be.” Her message to the community was loud and clear: take nothing for granted, guard your health, value your people, and embrace life… not with fear, but with fullness.
A life shaped by legacy and loss
Manish Tiwari opened the conversation by tracing her journey from Nepal, born into the influential Koirala family, known for producing four Prime Ministers, to the dazzling heights of Indian cinema. Raised partly in Banaras, partly in Kathmandu, Manisha’s early life was woven with politics, activism, and cultural richness. But the cinematic leap came unexpectedly. “I hadn’t even finished Class 12,” she laughed, “and suddenly I was standing next to Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar on a film set!”
She described her debut with wide-eyed wonder, calling it “Alice in Wonderland… but scarier.” Though she had no background in acting, her performances quickly earned critical and commercial success. Yet fame, she said, was only one layer of the journey. “I burned out. I was working 18 to 19 hours a day… no holidays, no boundaries. Slowly, I started making bad films. I lost direction.”
When stardom faded, the soul spoke louder
And then came her diagnosis. “It shattered my world,” she admitted. From being the darling of millions to lying in a New York hospital, confronting her mortality, the fall was brutal. But the rise was even more beautiful. Her account of choosing life again of surrendering, healing, and seeking purpose, brought moist eyes and standing applause.
Throughout the talk, she emphasised how the real journey began after her illness. “I’m a Koirala woman — strong, stubborn, a little rebellious. Our women worked the fields and shaped history. That fire is in my blood.” She spoke about feminism, finding meaning in the roles she played, and how her heart sought characters that carried purpose.
“Even if the film didn’t do well, it didn’t matter. If the script opened my eyes, if it moved something in me, that’s what I lived for.”
For the soul, not the spotlight
She admitted to hitting rock bottom, professionally and personally, and spoke of rebuilding her identity from “minus and zero”. But never once did she sound bitter. Instead, there was acceptance. Grace.
Manisha also touched on Nepal’s political instability with cautious honesty. “I love my country deeply. But I worry- there’s a longing for dignity, for stability. We need to rebuild institutions, not just governments.”
A masterclass in living
The audience, a mix of diaspora professionals, art lovers, and well-wishers, sat rapt. They didn’t just meet a film star that evening. They met a truth-teller, a woman who had faced darkness and brought back light.
Her final takeaway? “Life is here today and gone tomorrow. So live it — fully, bravely, kindly.”
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Stuntman SM Raju dies during car stunt for Pa Ranjith’s film Vettuvan
Veteran stuntman SM Raju died while filming a car-toppling stunt for Vettuvan, directed by Pa Ranjith.
The car flipped uncontrollably during a high-speed sequence in Tamil Nadu on 13 July.
Actor Vishal, a close friend, confirmed the incident and promised to support Raju’s family.
Viral video of the crash has triggered online outrage and debate over stunt safety practices in Indian cinema.
Renowned stunt artist SM Raju lost his life on the set of Vettuvan, a Tamil film directed by Pa Ranjith and starring Arya, after a car stunt went horribly wrong. The fatal incident took place on Sunday morning, 13 July, during a high-speed sequence in Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam district.
A shocking video of the crash has surfaced online, showing Raju behind the wheel as the car speeds up a ramp, flips mid-air, and lands violently. He was pulled out of the wreckage by crew members but was declared dead shortly after.
SM Raju Times Now
Crew warned SM Raju not to perform the risky car stunt
According to actor K Vishal, Raju was advised against performing the dangerous stunt by the stunt choreographer Dhilip Subbarayan. Despite being offered a safer alternative using a cannon blast for the flip, Raju insisted on executing the full sequence himself.
“The choreographer told him to let someone else do the toppling, but Raju wouldn’t listen,” Vishal revealed. “There were no visible injuries, no bleeding, but he went numb after the topple.”
An autopsy is currently underway to determine the cause of death, as the lack of external trauma has puzzled the crew.
— (@)
Fans demand accountability after video of fatal crash surfaces
The video of the accident has gone viral, prompting widespread outrage over safety conditions on film sets. Social media users questioned why real-life stunt performers were still being used for such high-risk sequences when VFX or remote-controlled vehicles could have been employed.
One user wrote, “Why is a man still put in a car for such scenes? Isn’t it time to automate or use dummies?” Others demanded accountability from the director, producers, and union heads, urging financial support for Raju’s family.
Comments regarding the safety Twitter/
Industry mourns loss, calls for better safety norms for stunt performers
Raju, whose full name was Mohan Raj, was a 52-year-old veteran from Tamil Nadu’s Kanchipuram district. Known for his fearlessness and expertise in car stunts, he had worked on numerous action films over his decades-long career.
Actor Vishal, who served as general secretary of the South Indian Artistes Association, offered emotional tributes and pledged financial support to Raju’s wife and two children. He also highlighted systemic issues within the stunt community, stating that many performers avoid reporting injuries out of fear they won’t be hired again.
“There’s always an ambulance, doctor, and safety gear on sets,” Vishal said. “But the pressure to prove themselves leads many to take risks they shouldn’t.” Stunt choreographer Stunt Silva echoed the sentiments in an Instagram post: “We lost one of the best car stunt performers in the industry. He’ll be missed.”
— (@)
Pa Ranjith and Arya yet to issue official statement
As of now, neither Vettuvan director Pa Ranjith nor lead actor Arya has made a public comment about the accident. The film is in its final stages of production and features an ensemble cast, including Sobhita Dhulipala, Attakathi Dinesh, Kalaiyarasan, and Lingesh. The crew reportedly remains in shock following the tragedy, and industry insiders say an internal review of the incident is likely.
SM Raju’s death sparks urgent conversation around on-set safety
This incident has once again spotlighted the hidden dangers that stunt professionals face to deliver dramatic sequences on screen. While technological alternatives and safety guidelines exist, the culture of pushing personal limits continues to put lives at risk.
SM Raju’s death is not just a personal loss for those who knew him; it is a wake-up call for the film industry to re-examine its safety frameworks and prioritise the well-being of those behind the camera.
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Deepika Padukone as Veronica in Cocktail (2012) — a performance that redefined the Bollywood 'bad girl'
When Cocktail hit screens in 2012, it was supposed to be a Saif Ali Khan rom-com. Instead, it became Deepika Padukone’s breakthrough moment, largely thanks to her turn as Veronica, a character that was anything but the typical Bollywood heroine.
Now, 13 years on, it’s clear Cocktail wasn’t just a hit, it was a gamechanger. Here’s why Veronica remains one of the boldest characters of Deepika’s career, and arguably, a milestone in the way mainstream Hindi cinema wrote women.
Messy, magnetic, and miles ahead of her time — Deepika’s Veronica still hits different 13 years laterYoutube Screengrab
1. Veronica wasn’t made to be likeable—and that worked
She drank, she partied, she refused to apologise for being a mess. Bollywood had shown wild girls before, but usually only as cautionary tales. Veronica wasn’t punished for her flaws, she was allowed to feel, grow, and still not fit the box. For 2012, that was rare.
2. The emotional messiness felt honest
Deepika brought an unexpected vulnerability to Veronica. The crying in the bathroom, the reckless dancing, the craving for love under all the bravado, it wasn’t subtle, but it was real. That performance helped audiences take Veronica seriously, not just as a manic pixie contrast to the "good girl" Meera played by Diana Penty.
3. It wasn’t just a role—it was a career pivot
Even Deepika has said Veronica changed everything. After years of being seen as just a pretty face in glossy roles, Cocktail gave her the edge. It showed she could carry emotional weight, and wasn’t afraid to look messy while doing it. From here, her career took a sharper, more ambitious turn.
4. The music gave Veronica her own universe
It wasn’t just the acting, the soundtrack helped shape the film’s tone. Songs like Jugni, Tumhi Ho Bandhu, and Daaru Desi gave Veronica a carefree, chaotic rhythm that stuck. These tracks still pop up on nostalgia playlists, a decade later.
5. In hindsight, she was the real protagonist
While the film tried to balance the love triangle, it was Veronica’s arc that people remembered. Not because she got the guy, she didn’t, but because she evolved. She wasn’t a footnote in someone else’s story. She was the story.
Veronica wasn’t the ‘good girl’, but she made audiences feel everything — and Deepika nailed itYoutube Screengrab
She shifted how leading women were written
After Cocktail, Bollywood slowly started embracing female characters who didn’t always make the 'right' choices. Veronica made it okay to be complicated on screen. That legacy may not always be acknowledged, but it shows up in every “imperfect” female lead we see today.
Thirteen years since Cocktail released, Veronica remains one of Deepika Padukone’s most unforgettable charactersZEE5
Deepika Padukone may have played many iconic characters since, but Veronica remains a turning point for her and for Bollywood. Thirteen years on, she’s still the cool, chaotic outlier who made room for women to be more than just nice.
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South Park fans call out Paramount Plus for pulling the show worldwide
• South Park pulled from Paramount+ globally after licence expiry • Fans in UK, Canada, Australia, and Europe react with outrage • Dispute linked to £6.3 billion (₹673 billion) Paramount-Skydance merger and ongoing contract standoff • Season 27 premieres 23 July on Comedy Central in the US, leaving global fans stranded
Fans around the world are up in arms after South Park disappeared from Paramount+ outside the US. With just days to go until the season 27 premiere, international viewers are calling out Paramount Global for yanking the show due to a lapsed streaming deal and are threatening to cancel subscriptions over what they see as corporate mishandling.
Streaming blackout angers fans just days before new South Park seasonPrime Video
Paramount+ drops South Park amid licensing fallout
Viewers from the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Latin America were left stunned last week when South Park vanished from Paramount+ in their regions. The move follows the expiration of an international streaming licence and ongoing tension between the show’s creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and Paramount Global, which owns Comedy Central.
The timing couldn’t be worse: after a two-year wait, season 27 is set to debut on Comedy Central in the US on 23 July. But thanks to the unresolved deal, international fans are now scrambling to figure out how they’ll be able to watch the new episodes.
The backlash has been swift and loud. On Reddit and X, long-time viewers expressed frustration, many vowing to quit Paramount+ altogether.
"The only reason I had Paramount+ was to watch South Park. I just cancelled,” wrote one user. Another fumed, “How does one go about setting Paramount on fire?”, a comment met with dark humour by others who blamed the platform for “setting itself on fire.”
— (@)
Some users began sharing ways to legally access older episodes via platforms like Apple TV and Amazon Prime, while others admitted they were considering alternative, less official methods.
— (@)
Parker and Stone threaten legal action
Behind the scenes, the show’s creators are fighting their own battle. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, through their company Park County, have accused Skydance’s incoming president Jeff Shell of meddling in licensing talks. Their allegations claim Shell tried to skew negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix to favour Paramount’s streaming ambitions.
They argue this interference ultimately led to the shortened contract term and the fallout with HBO Max, leaving the show without a cohesive global distribution strategy just as a new season approaches.
Global outrage grows as South Park vanishes from Paramount PlusWikipedia
What’s available—and what’s not
While South Park episodes remain available on Comedy Central’s traditional TV networks in several international markets, streaming access is now patchy. Some specials are still on Paramount+, and ad-supported options exist via Pluto TV in select regions like Canada and Europe.
Back episodes can be purchased on services like Amazon Prime and Apple TV, and in countries like Germany and across Latin America, some content is accessible through a standalone South Park website. But for many fans, none of this replaces the convenience of a centralised platform like Paramount+.
Fans slam Paramount and Skydance for blocking South Park accessRotten Tomatoes
Season 27 still coming—but not for everyone
Despite the chaos, South Park season 27 will premiere in the US as planned on 23 July on Comedy Central. But for fans outside the country, there’s still no confirmed way to watch the new season legally on demand.
Some fans are already hoping this real-life drama makes its way into a future episode. As one Reddit user joked, “The silver lining of all this merger crap is that it’s gonna make for an excellent South Park takedown.”
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Lauren Pisciotta has accused Kanye West of repeated sexual misconduct
Kanye West has dismissed ex-assistant Lauren Pisciotta’s latest lawsuit as a “delusional” and “contradictory” narrative.
Pisciotta accuses West of multiple acts of sexual assault and misconduct, including forced oral sex and workplace harassment.
West’s team argues the claims are inconsistent and defamatory, pledging to fight them in court.
Pisciotta’s attorney Lisa Bloom insists West has already admitted to key parts of the allegations and will face justice.
Kanye West has hit back at explosive sexual assault and sex trafficking allegations from former Yeezy employee Lauren Pisciotta, branding her newly amended lawsuit as a fabricated and conflicting tale. The rapper’s legal team released a fiery statement slamming the accusations, which include claims of rape, forced sexual exposure, and workplace abuse.
Kanye West’s spokesperson says the claims are inconsistent and defamatoryBBC/Getty Images
West’s team rejects allegations as “outlandish” and “contradictory”
On 13 July, West’s spokesperson issued a strongly worded denial of Pisciotta’s lawsuit, the fourth version she has filed since 2024. Calling her claims “fantasy fiction,” the representative argued that each amended complaint undermines the previous ones. “Each new revision contradicts the others; each is more absurd and outlandish than all previous claims combined,” the statement read.
The rep further claimed Pisciotta’s testimony “discredits all past, present and future” versions, vowing to “annihilate” her narrative in front of a jury. Milo Yiannopoulos, also speaking on behalf of West, claimed Pisciotta “chose the wrong target,” describing West as a non-violent man with no criminal record or firearm ownership.
Photo of Kanye West from a past public appearance Getty Images
Pisciotta accuses West of repeated sexual violence and harassment
In her newly revised legal complaint, Pisciotta details multiple disturbing incidents that allegedly occurred while she worked for West from 2021 to 2022. She accuses the rapper of groping her, masturbating in her presence, forcibly kissing her, and later sexually assaulting her in a hotel room during a business trip to San Francisco.
She alleges he raped her orally while she was frozen in shock and later offered her to other men as a “sexual gift.” Pisciotta claims the rapper subjected her to constant verbal harassment, sent her unsolicited explicit images, demanded sexual content from her in return, and attempted to involve her in his sexual encounters, all of which she says she refused. The complaint also alleges that after firing her, West moved into her apartment building and physically assaulted her by grabbing her throat and licking her ear.
Attorney Lisa Bloom says Kanye West has already admitted to key allegations Expresso
Lisa Bloom says Kanye’s own words will “destroy him in court”
Pisciotta’s attorney Lisa Bloom fired back at West’s response, stating that much of what Pisciotta alleges has already been acknowledged publicly by the rapper himself.
“While Kanye West’s publicist has come up with a slickly worded and outrageously false and defamatory attack on Ms. Pisciotta, Kanye himself has publicly admitted much of what she’s claiming,” Bloom told Daily Mail. “His spin team cannot protect him in court.”
She added that Pisciotta’s case would be built on these admissions and challenged West to face the allegations directly under legal scrutiny.
Kanye West’s spokesperson says the claims are inconsistent and defamatoryGetty Images
West’s team maintains lawsuit is a “cash grab”
West’s lawyers have consistently dismissed Pisciotta’s claims since she filed her original wrongful termination and sexual harassment suit in June 2024. They insist the lawsuit is “baseless,” “frivolous,” and part of a larger effort to extort money from a high-profile figure.
Despite the strong public denials, the legal battle is expected to escalate as both sides prepare for a potential trial.