"A mother is the most invaluable jewel in the world."
When it comes to celebrating close bonds and familial ties, Mother’s Day is etched as one of the most affectionate and loving occasions that celebrates relationships.
Over the decades of Indian cinema, Bollywood has produced several memorable songs that commemorate the unique connection between mothers and children.
These numbers are filled with heart-touching lyrics and gratifying melodies.
If you’re looking for songs to dedicate to your mother, DESIblitz invites you on a thrilling journey that will help you find just the right ones.
Join us as we delve into 12 of the most beautiful Bollywood songs that celebrate Mother’s Day.
Tu Kitni Achi Hai – Raja Aur Runk (1968)
The nightingale Lata Mangeshkar croons this number as a young Yuvraaj Narendradev/Raja (Mahesh Kothare) sings to Shanta (Nirupa Roy).
Lata Ji’s voice is perfectly apt for such a melodious, lovely number.
What makes ‘Tu Kitni Achi Hai’ even more special is that a son celebrates the love of his mother despite living in underprivileged and poor conditions.
This proves that poverty is no obstacle in the path of love and affection.
Raju Dhurandhar reveals his emotional reaction to the song on Google, stating:
“I started crying when ‘Tu Kitni Achi Hai’ started. I was sobbing for quite a long time.”
Lata Ji’s rendition undeniably pulls at the heartstrings.
Chanda Hai Tu – Aradhana (1969)
Shakti Samanta’s Aradhana picked up tremendous adulation for SD Burman’s fantastic soundtrack. The album is filled with timeless classics.
One of these songs is ‘Chanda Hai Tu’, which showcases Vandana Tripathi (Sharmila Tagore) play with the younger version of Suraj Kumar Verma.
Brought to life by Lata Mangeshkar, the sad thing about the song is that despite being his mother, Vandana is forced to approach Suraj as his child-minder.
Nevertheless, the song pays tribute to the love between a mother and son.
In 2017, Film Companion listed Aradhana at the No 18 position in its list of ‘Top 100 Bollywood Albums’.
Furthermore, Aradhana remains one of Bollywood’s most enduring classics, which catapulted leading man Rajesh Khanna to superstardom.
‘Chanda Hai Tu’ definitely played an essential part in that.
Hai Na Bolo Bolo – Andaaz (1971)
Shankar-Jaikishan’s adorable song is a stand-out in Ramesh Sippy’s Andaaz. It highlights the joy children can give to grieving parents.
‘Hai Na Bolo Bolo’ is a scintillating duet between Mohammad Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur.
Deepu (Master Alankar) and Munni (Baby Gauree) perform with brashness and innocence as they prance around Sheetal (Hema Malini) and Ravi (Shammi Kapoor).
In Andaaz, Sheetal’s heart is shattered when her husband Raj (Rajesh Khanna) passes away. Deepu – her son – smiles throughout the track, thereby also bringing happiness to his mother.
An IMDB review praises the performances of the children and the overall music:
“The kids have done their part well. The music by Shankar-Jaikishan is very melodious.”
The lyrics of the song underline the love between a mother and a child. For that, it is a great song to celebrate Mother’s Day.
Maa Toh Hai Maa – Paanch Qaidi (1981)
Kishore Kumar gives playback for both Kaaka (Mahendra Sandhu) and DSP Vijay (Amjad Khan) as they sing for their onscreen mother who is played by Sulochana Latkar.
The song is accompanied by flashbacks of the two men being raised by their mother as children.
Kishore Da’s deep voice shows that attachments to a mother do not decrease with an increase in age.
A fan on YouTube comments: “No one can be like a mother. Salute to Kishore Da for this song.”
Bappi Lahiri creates a masterpiece in this track.
In one scene, Kaaka wipes tears from his mother’s face, showing the protection and care children can feel for their mother.
All of this indicates that any Mother’s Day celebration is incomplete without ‘Maa Toh Hai Maa’.
Khushiyon Ka Din Aaya Hai – Beta (1992)
Indra Kumar’s Beta follows the story of Rajnath ‘Raju’ (Anil Kapoor) who yearns for a mother in his life.
He is overjoyed when Laxmi (Aruna Irani) enters his world and fills this gaping void. Raju consequently becomes utterly devoted to Laxmi.
Anuradha Paudwal’s gorgeous rendition of ‘Khushiyon Ka Din Aaya Hai’ represents this devotion when Raju hugs and serves Laxmi.
Even the realisation that Laxmi has plotted against him is not enough to weaken the unshakeable love Raju has for her.
‘Khushiyon Ka Din Aaya Hai’ was a highlight of the film, which became the biggest hit of the year.
While marking the film’s thirtieth anniversary on Instagram, Anil wrote:
“It was a great feeling for us as actors when our film was the biggest blockbuster of the year 1992 and received so much love and all the accolades!”
The love the film has attained from viewers derives from the original mother-son bond in Beta, shown impeccably by this song.
Teri Ungli Pakad Ke Chala – Laadla (1994)
Continuing with the impressive work of Anil Kapoor, we come to this mellifluous song.
Just as age is not a hindrance in the love one has for their mother, disability too is no restriction.
That is clear within ‘Teri Ungli Pakad Ke Chala’ from Laadla.
Udit Narayan and Jyotsna Hardikar’s charming duet features a devoted Raj ‘Raju’ Verma (Anil Kapoor) as he cares for his paralysed mother Gayatri Verma (Farida Jalal).
The Iconography of Raju carrying Gayatri to her wheelchair and helping her drink water signifies a son repaying the support of his mother’s fingers at a time when she is too weak to use them.
Gayatri’s smiles of appreciation also warm the hearts of viewers.
Fans of Laadla love this number. One of them remarks about the pricelessness of mothers:
“A mother is the most invaluable jewel in the world.”
These sentiments bode seamlessly with the themes of Mother’s Day.
Yeh Bandhan Toh – Karan Arjun (1995)
This evergreen chartbuster did wonders for the depiction of mothers within Indian cinema.
Rajesh Roshan’s fabulous composition is the anthem of Karan Arjun.
It is sang wonderfully by Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan.
The picturisation displays the unbreakable relationship between Durga Singh (Raakhee Gulzar) and her sons Karan Singh (Salman Khan) and Arjun Singh (Shah Rukh Khan).
Lyrics in a particular verse are dedicated to Durga as Arjun sings: “Tere paawan charanon mein, aakash jhuka denge hum.” (We will lay the sky at your sacred feet).
This accurately describes the bond between the family which strengthens when Karan and Arjun are reincarnated and reunited with Durga later in the film.
In a 2020 interview, director Rakesh Roshan reveals that he had full belief in the mother-son bond:
“I argued that when a mother whose sons were brutally killed says, ‘My sons will come’, even if they would have come from Mars or Jupiter, it would have been accepted!”
Rakesh Ji’s conviction, intertwined with the idea of motherhood, ensures that ‘Yeh Bandhan Toh’ is a classic song.
Lukka Chuppi – Rang De Basanti (2006)
‘Lukka Chuppi’ sees the iconic composer AR Rahman join hands in a tear-jerking duet with the legendary Lata Mangeshkar.
This sombre number witnesses a group of friends supporting a devastated Aishwarya Rathod (Waheeda Rehman) through the last rites of her son Flight Lt. Ajay Singh Rathod (R Madhavan).
The song speaks of a mother asking her son to come back, while he croons that his new place –while vast and open – is empty without her.
Melodies of loneliness meld emotionally with the despondency of death as a mother’s importance is emboldened.
Rang De Basanti director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra explains Lata Ji’s dedication towards recording ‘Lukka Chuppi’.
The filmmaker says: “[Lata Ji] spoke to [AR Rahman]. She stood at the mic and we were in the room.
“She stood there, her plait touching the floor. We kept some flowers, a bottle of water and a chair for her.
“For eight hours, she sang the song, and for eight hours she stood there.”
‘Lukka Chuppi’ was longlisted for ‘Best Original Song’ at the 2007 Academy Awards.
This shows the resonance of a Bollywood song which painfully prescribes the longing for a mother and the ache to see a son.
Maa – Taare Zameen Par (2007)
‘Maa’ from Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par is the classic that made millions of cine-goers sob their hearts out.
The song plays over a numb Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary) who is packed off to boarding school.
Both he and his mother Maya Awasthi (Tisca Chopra) are traumatised by this cruel separation.
In ‘Maa’, we hear words of longing, anguish and vulnerability.
In a review of the movie, film critic Rajeev Masand commends the score and lyrics:
“Taare Zameen Par benefits enormously from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s inspired score, which is original and unconventional, and complements Prasoon Joshi’s lyrics perfectly.”
A fan on Reddit admits a renewed appreciation of the number upon another listen:
“When I heard the song again, I appreciate it more than the entire movie.
‘Maa’ is the presider of the album. It is a gut-wrenching song that is most appropriate for Mother’s Day, in that it highlights the care for a mother even if the child does not always show it.
For this sublime track, Shankar Mahadevan won ‘Best Male Playback Singer’ at the 55th National Film Awards.
Maa Da Laadla – Dostana (2008)
Unlike some of the aforementioned songs, this groovy number moves away from melancholy and adopts a peppy and jazzy approach.
Master Saleem outdoes himself in this comedic number.
It presents Sameer ‘Sam’ Malhotra (Abhishek Bachchan) and Kunal Chauhan (John Abraham) get up to antics while an irritated Rani Kaur Malhotra (Kirron Kher) watches on.
The notion of mothers spoiling their children is exactly what should spread laughter on Mother’s Day.
According to a review of Dostana from The Guardian by Nirpal Dhaliwal, it is this mother’s love which accepts her son’s homosexuality:
“The wailing hysterics of Sameer’s Punjabi mother, Rani (Kirron Kher), give way to love for her son’s sweetheart.”
Furthermore, Joginder Tutuja from Bollywood Hungama, praises the song for contributing to the narrative:
“[It] is one fun number which would aid the film’s narrative in a big way.”
‘Maa Ka Laadla’ started a trend of Indian mothers singing this song for their children.
The hilarious performances by the actors strengthen the relatability of the song.
Meri Pyaari Ammi – Secret Superstar (2017)
Secret Superstar is a film that is dedicated to “mothers and motherhood”.
The picture also follows the journey of Insia ‘Insu’ Malik (Zaira Wasim) struggling to become a singer.
Insu also aids her mother Najma Malik (Meher Vij) through domestic violence.
All these factors make ‘Meri Pyaari Ammi’ an imperative track for mothers and children.
This song is an ode to Najma. It showcases Najma protecting and loving Insu and her brother Guddu Malik (Kabir Sajid).
Singer Meghna Mishra adorns the song with grace and elegance with her sweet tones.
Meher Vij emotionally talks about how she took inspiration from her own mother while shooting the song:
“There were some moments from the film that reminded me of my mother.”
“I didn’t need to look elsewhere for inspiration –I want to dedicate this role to my mother.
“I wish she were here.”
‘Meri Pyaari Ammi’ unquestionably embodies the spirit of Secret Superstar.
Mumma Ki Parchai – Helicopter Eela (2018)
Ronit Sarkar’s rock song from Helicopter Eela details the cool behaviour of Eela Raiturkar (Kajol) – an aspiring singer and a single mother.
The choreography displays Eela and her son Vivan Raiturkar (Riddhi Sen) as if they are the same age, making for rib-tickling viewing.
Debarati S Sen, from The Times of India echoes the humour that the scenes suggest:
“‘Mumma Ki Parchai’ ably depicts teenage angst with Swanand [Kirkire]’s goofy, humorous lyrics that suit the situation to a T.
“The words resonate with situations that teens with over-protective, hovering parents face.”
Helicopter Eela may have received mixed reviews for its plot, but the performances of Kajol and Riddhi were unanimously praised.
That is evident in ‘Mumma Ki Parchai’.
In a world where social media and technology can create divisions between ties of families, it is refreshing when the medium of cinema offers odes and tributes to mothers through its music.
These songs are not only popular numbers, but they also celebrate motherhood to the highest degrees.
They carry emotions of love, sacrifice and bonding through their meaningful lyrics and soul-stirring compositions.
Any day focusing on the roles of mothers can be rejuvenated by these songs.
So, this Mother’s Day, make sure you gather your playlists and put a smile on your mother’s face with these tracks.
Loading ...