These songs complete the iconic festival.
Holi, the festival of colours, is an explosion of joy, music, and dance.
Bollywood has beautifully captured this vibrant celebration through energetic and memorable songs.
They are essential for any colourful and brash playlist.
Composed by expert composers and sung by mellifluous singers, these songs complete the iconic festival.
From classic Bollywood songs to modern beats, these tracks evoke the festive spirit with rhythmic tunes and colourful celebrations.
Here are 15 Bollywood Holi songs that encapsulate the festival’s essence.
Aaj Na Chhodenge – Kati Patang (1971)
Rajesh Khanna (Kamal Sinha) and Asha Parekh (Madhavi) bring charm to this timeless Holi song.
The film follows the story of Madhavi, a woman who assumes a false identity to escape her troubled past.
During Holi, Kamal playfully applies colour to her, marking a turning point in their relationship.
A lilting duet between Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, with music by RD Burman, the song’s nostalgic appeal makes it a Holi essential.
The powerful actor-singer combination of Rajesh Khanna and Kishore Kumar also proves their popularity.
Holi Ke Din – Sholay (1975)
Continuing with the trio of Lata Mangeshkar, RD Burman, and Kishore Kumar, we come to Ramesh Sippy’s action-packed blockbuster, Sholay.
The film is an enduring masterpiece for many Bollywood fans.
‘Holi Ke Din’ is a moment of respite and celebration before the film’s dramatic twists unfold.
Dharmendra (Veeru Singh) and Hema Malini (Basanti) dance and sing with villagers in a lively Holi celebration.
The song vibrantly reflects the festival’s joyful spirit before the arrival of the menacing Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan).
Rang Barse – Silsila (1981)
One of the most iconic Holi anthems, ‘Rang Barse’ features Amitabh Bachchan (Amit Malhotra) and Rekha (Chandni).
They engage in a playful and flirtatious Holi scene, filled with underlying emotions of love and longing.
The film explores complex relationships and forbidden love, adding depth to the festive moment.
The complex emotions of ‘Rang Barse’ increase as Amit and Chandni’s respective spouses – Shobha Malhotra (Jaya Bachchan) and Dr Anand (Sanjeev Kumar) watch in disgust.
Amitabh Bachchan sings this song himself, with music composed by Shiv-Hari and lyrics by Harivansh Rai Bachchan,
Holi Aayi Re – Mashaal (1984)
Featuring Dilip Kumar (Vinod Kumar) and Waheeda Rehman (Sudha Kumar), this song captures the raw energy of Holi celebrations in Mumbai’s bustling streets.
Mashaal tells the story of a righteous journalist who takes a stand against crime. Vinod takes the vagabond Raja (Anil Kapoor) under his wing.
As Raja forms a romantic bond with Geeta (Rati Agnihotri), the family douse each other in colours, adding charm and grace to the song.
Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, and Mahendra Kapoor all meld their voices together as the track highlights the contrast between carefree festivities and the struggles of the protagonist.
Ang Se Ang Lagana – Darr (1993)
This gripping Holi track plays out during a crucial moment in the psychological thriller Darr.
Juhi Chawla (Kiran Awasthi) and Sunny Deol (Sunil Malhotra) enjoy the festival with friends, unaware that Shah Rukh Khan’s (Rahul Mehra) obsessive presence lurks nearby.
Rahul is the standout of the number, as the iconography of him playing the drum manipulates the beats of the song.
An interlude of the aforementioned ‘Rang Barse’ is also included when Rahul arrives on the scene.
As Alka Yagnik, Sudesh Bhosale, Vinod Rathod, and Devki Pandit join forces, this song blends Holi’s lively energy with an undercurrent of suspense, making it unforgettable.
Holi Khele Raghuveera – Baghban (2003)
In this energetic number, Amitabh Bachchan (Raj Malhotra) and Hema Malini (Pooja Malhotra) celebrate Holi in a traditional style, emphasising familial bonds and cultural festivities.
The film tells the touching story of a couple struggling for respect and love from their children.
‘Holi Khele Raghuveera’ is the prelude to the couple realising the selfishness of their sons.
The song shows the family dancing in a bouquet of colour, water, and love.
Amitabh Bachchan, Sukhwinder Singh, Alka Yagnik, and Udit Narayan bring their voices together to music by Aadesh Shrivastava.
The result is one of the most evergreen Holi Bollywood songs.
Do Me a Favour Let’s Play Holi – Waqt: The Race Against Time (2005)
Akshay Kumar (Aditya Thakur) and Priyanka Chopra (Pooja) bring a youthful exuberance to this flirtatious Holi number.
Waqt: The Race Against Time explores a father-son relationship where time plays a crucial role in their dynamics.
The relationship is problematic where a spoiled son can’t forgive his father.
‘Do Me A Favour Let’s Play Holi’ provides the audience with respite from the film’s serious plot.
Sung by Anu Malik and Sunidhi Chauhan, with Anu Malik’s lively composition, this song has become a popular Holi party anthem.
Holi Re – Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005)
Mangal Pandey: The Rising features Aamir Khan as the titular freedom fighter.
This track sees Mangal take part in a grand Holi celebration in this historical drama about India’s first war of independence.
The song features elaborate choreography and stunning visuals, reflecting the festival’s cultural significance.
It capitalises on the love between Mangal and Heera (Rani Mukerji). Jwala (Ameesha Patel) also provides elegance and divinity.
Sung by A.R. Rahman, Udit Narayan, Madhushree, and Alka Yagnik, this track is both festive and historically enriching.
Chhan Ke Mohalla – Action Replayy (2010)
Aishwarya Rai (Mala Malhotra) lights up the screen in this retro-themed Holi number.
Action Replayy is a time-travel comedy where a man attempts to improve his parents’ love story.
Sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and Ritu Pathak, and composed by Pritam, this song’s energetic beats and colourful visuals add fun to the film’s narrative.
Fans on YouTube praise the number, with one stating: “Her chemistry with a camera, looks, acting, expressions, dialogue delivery, lip singing, and dance is incomparable!
“She is not just beautiful she is a genius!”
Another comments: “How can she be so perfect? I almost forgot about this song, and watching this music video felt like ‘Wow’.
“And I can’t stop playing it again and again.”
Balam Pichkari – Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013)
In ‘Balam Pichkari’ Deepika Padukone (Naina Talwar) sheds her shy persona and embraces the festival of Holi with Ranbir Kapoor (Kabir ‘Bunny’ Thapar).
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewaani is a coming-of-age film that follows their journey of self-discovery and romance.
Shalmali Kholgade and Vishal Dadlani combine their vocals with Pritam’s composition, creating an essential track for any Holi celebration.
Discussing the song, Ranbir says: “I think we shot the song for eight days.
“It was too sunny, with too many dancers, and it was very difficult, but when you get a good song, you get the energy from within, and you feel like performing it.
“In those 8 days of shooting, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Kalki Koechlin, Deepika and I had a blast.”
That fun is more than evident in ‘Balam Pichkari’.
Lahu Munh Lag Gaya – Goliyon Ki Raasleela: Ram-Leela (2013)
This intense and passionate Holi song features Deepika Padukone (Leela Sanera) and Ranveer Singh (Ram Rajadi).
Their romance is forbidden by their feuding families. Set in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s signature visual grandeur, the song captures the raw emotion and intensity of their love.
Sung by Shail Hada, with music composed by Sanjay, it blends Holi festivities with sensuality.
Goliyon Ki Raasleela: Ram–Leela marked an evergreen collaboration among Sanjay, Deepika and Ranveer.
After this film, they worked together on Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Padmaavat (2018).
Go Pagal – Jolly LLB 2 (2017)
Akshay Kumar (Jagdishwar ‘Jolly’ Mishra) and Huma Qureshi (Pushpa Pandey) let loose on this wild track.
This reflects the film’s comedic yet intense legal drama.
Raftaar and Nindy Kaur sing the song while Manj Musik scores the music.
‘Go Pagal’ is full of high-energy beats that make it perfect for Holi celebrations.
The chemistry between Akshay and Huma is infectious, supplying Jolly LLB 2 with colour and charm.
Badri Ki Dulhania – Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017)
This song contains the popular onscreen chemistry between Varun Dhawan (Badrinath Bansal) and Alia Bhatt (Vaidehi Trivedi).
‘Badri Ki Dulhania’ is an extravagant Holi celebration within a romantic storyline.
The film portrays the journey of a small-town boy falling for an independent woman.
Ace singers Neha Kakkar, Dev Negi, and Monali Thakur showcase their talent as Alia and Varun spruce it up with their undeniable screen bond.
The song is an energetic Bollywood dance number and one of the best sequences featuring Varun Dhawan.
Gori Tu Latth Maar – Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017)
This upbeat track from Toilet: Ek Prem Katha pictures Akshay Kumar (Keshav Sharma ) and Bhumi Pednekar (Jaya Sharma).
It highlights a playful yet emotional moment in the film.
The song captures a crucial part of their love story as Jaya expresses her frustration through the traditional ‘Latth Maar’ celebration.
Sung by Sonu Nigam and Palak Muchhal, with music by Manas-Shikhar, the song blends traditional folk elements with Bollywood’s rhythmic tunes.
A fan praises the song and comments: “The expressions, location, colours, Sonu Nigam’s voice, Bhumi and Akshay’s chemistry, lyrics.
“Great song after a long time. I am totally in love with this song!”
Jai Jai Shivshankar – War (2019)
In YRF’s thrilling Spy Universe, Hrithik Roshan (Kabir Dhaliwal) and Tiger Shroff (Khalid Rahmani) set the screen ablaze with this high-energy dance-off.
War follows an intelligence officer chasing a rogue agent, and this Holi track provides a rare moment of celebration.
Sung by Vishal Dadlani and Benny Dayal, with music by Vishal-Shekhar, it’s a fusion of vibrant beats and electrifying choreography.
Hrithik is known for his impeccable dancing skills. When he comes together with a Gen Z superstar like Tiger, the result is captivating and unmissable.
Bollywood has immortalised Holi through its music, creating timeless tracks that embody the colourful spirit.
The festival normally arrives on the cusp of Spring, which is a perfect opportunity for you to bloom in excitement along with the flowers and lush landscape.
Whether you prefer classic melodies or modern Bollywood hits for Holi, these songs ensure a memorable celebration filled with vibrant beats and cultural festivities.
So, gather your loved ones, turn up the volume, and let the rhythmic tunes set the stage for an unforgettable Holi celebration!
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