Kapoor Khazana: Dance Like a Kapoor Playlist! *RISHI KAPOOR* ♥♥♥

Finally I get around to not only my favorite Kapoor, but my all-time favorite Hindi Movie star - Rishi Kapoor, aka Chintu! I have loved Rishi since I was a tiny little girl ... I just didn't realize it until much later in life. He was probably my first ever crush.

And really, when you see his films from the early 80s, who can blame me? He was ADORABLE - from the curly top to the 1,000-watt smile and the oodles of energy. Rishi is unique in his career arc - he was a leading man for at least two solid decades before seamlessly transitioning into mature supporting/character roles (a fancy way of saying "Uncle" roles).

But this is supposed to be about his dancing - which I am a huge fan of! I absolutely LOVE Rishi's dancing - a lot of which is jumping, bouncing and jogging! He has such style and always looks 100% thrilled when doing it. He's often featured as a stage performer, doing elaborate items with a multitude of instruments. There are so many great, fun, bouncy Rishi songs to dance to -- so here's my 'Dance like a Kapoor' playlist for Rishi Kapoor:

Jhoot Bole Kauwa Kaate - Bobby (1973)
He's SUCH a teeny tiny baby in this, as is Dimple. Just adorable, playful and innocent.


Dil Dena Bhuri Bala Hai - Rafoo Chakkar (1975)
How can one argue w/ Chintu in drag? Especially when accompanied by his beautiful wife, Neetu!


Hamne Tumko Dekha - Khel Khel Mein (1975)
One of my favorite avatars, Rishi the stage performer. Wielding his fab guitar and charming the bellbottomed pants off of all the ladies - and the heart of one special Miss Singh!


Bachna Ae Haseeno - Hum Kisise Kam Nahin (1977)
One of my favorite movies! And really, how can one NOT love Rishi in an all-white, sparkly sequins pants suit with a matching cap and a large plastic heart necklace? This time he swaps out his guitar for a trumpet.


Tayyab Ali Pyar Ka Dushman - Amar Akbar Anthony (1979)
This movie is a favorite on almost everyone's list, and of course we all love Rishi & Neetu together! His energy here is infectious!


Daffliwale Daffli Bajaa - Sargam (1979)
One of the MOST famous Hindi songs ever, and the one that launched Jaya Prada to stardom in Hindi films (apparently sans her eyebrows). But would she have anything to dance to without Rishi skillfully playing that daffli? The boy's got rhythm. Speaking of, I miss dafflis. We need more in Hindi song picturizations.


Om Shanti Om - Karz (1980)
Oh Rishi - so adorably sparkly. So discofabulous. Hopping, skipping and jogging along on the spinning record ... no one else could have made this song the iconic song that it is!


Rang Jamake - Naseeb (1981)
Rishi does Charlie Chaplin ... perhaps in a tribute to Raj Kapoor? I also love Shatrughan Sinha's dancing in this ... hee hee.


Pucho Na Yaar Kya Hua - Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai (1981)
This is one of my favorite movies of all time, and a lot of that love is specifically because I thought Rishi was so adorable in this. And this song captures so much of what I love about 80s Bollywood ... sparkly decorations, light-up dance floors, and disco! This entire movie's soundtrack is fabulous! Those disco-dancing kids are pretty fab too.


Dil Lena Khel Hai - Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai (1981)
Had to add another one from this movie because I love StagePerformer!Rishi so much and this movie had an abundance of light up dance floors - which I can't resist. Also because he really dances his heart out in this one.



Ishq Mera Bandagi Hai - Yeh Vaada Raha (1982)
Another movie in which I was in love with Rishi. And I actually got to do a dance to this song with a local dance prodigy and my sister when I was 7 years old ... I played the Tina Munim role. And again, it features StagePerformer!Rishi and he's so into it ... I just love it. Another amazing soundtrack (R.D. Burman FTW!). And another sparkly jacket. Kapoor Bonus: Shammi Kapoor played the kind doctor who escorts Tina Munim to Rishi's performance!


Kaho Kaise Rasta Bhool Pade - Bade Dil Wala (1983)
I LOVE this song, this soundtrack and this Rishi! He's so joyous - just totally enjoying being out there dancing with Aruna Irani. I particularly like the bit at about 2:03 when he's holding her foot and running around in a circle. He just looks so happy! I also like when they do the Filipino Tinikling dance and then sit up on the poles and make everyone else carry them around.


Aaya Sanam Aaya Deewana Tera - Bade Dil Wala (1983)
Pshaw. Like gun shots could stop a sparkly-shirted Rishi from performing for a crowd! More amazing disco sets too!


Lambuji Lambuji - Coolie (1983)
It's costumes galore in this fun Rishitabh song! I love Rishi dressed as the brahmin priest up on stilts. And for some reason, Rishi has never reminded me of his dear old Dad MORE than in this song.


Parbhat Se Kaali Ghata Takraayi - Chandni (1989)
Rishi was quickly descending into "Sweater Uncle" phase, but I still found him loveable and charming as Rohit in Chandni. And though we all know that this song belongs to the ravishing Sridevi, Rishi still gave his best moves to make it amazing.


Main Matti Ka Gudda - Ajooba (1991)
Well into his "Sweater Uncle" phase now, it was definitely bothersome to see Rishi play opposite the teenaged Sonam in Ajooba. Still, he has this sweetness and innocence to him that made this song fun.


Desh Badalte Hai - Banjaran (1991)
A movie that had a similar feel to Nagina, but with a Banjaran theme. Sridevi rules here, again, but Rishi comes in towards the end and shows that he's still got it, despite being at the end of his days as a hero.


Payaliya - Deewana (1992)
Again, well past hero phase but still giving even the most ridiculous choreography his all. I love Rishi, and I love this song! I had to choose it over the StagePerformer!Rishi song from this movie, "Sochenge Tumhe Pyar" (which I highly recommend watching for the multitude of props wielded by the background dancers).



Jaipur Se Nikli Gadi - Gurudev (1993)
Oh poor Rishi. Did they HAVE to put him in those shorts? And despite the ridiculous get-up, he's still rocking it out and seems to be genuinely having fun with Sridevi. Great, peppy song though.


Dil Dene Ki Ruth Aayi - Prem Granth (1996)
A Rishi-Madhuri pairing was definitely a bad idea, but this song is beautiful and I STILL find him charming, even this deep into his "sweater uncle" phase. There's a certain style to his little head tosses that I really love!


Dil Se Judi - Kaun Sacha Kaun Jhoota (1997)
The last film that had Rishi-Sridevi paired together! And this song is a terrible rip-off of an amazing Gipsy Kings song, but still ... he IS dancing and giving joy and fun to the stupid choreography. And Sridevi is stunning as always.


Baaja Bajeya - Do Dooni Chaar (2010)
Full out into his booming career as a character actor/father/uncle, and he won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for this film. I can't think of a more deserving person. He knocked it out of the park with this one ... just so beautifully acted, such nuances, such sweetness. I absolutely LOVE the moment where he heads out onto the dance floor with real-life wife Neetu Singh and starts doing the stereotypical "Uncle Dance" ... just love love love. 


This only scratches the surface of Rishi fabulousness and Kapoor Khazana is quickly coming to an end. But I definitely wanted to share these as some of my favorite Rishi Dance songs.

Many more great film reviews and analysis posts for Kapoor Khazana are available here. Check it out!

Kapoor Khazana: Dance Like a Kapoor Playlist! *Shashi Kapoor*

The sweet-smiling youngest son of Prithviraj Kapoor is known for being one of the greatest romantic heroes of Hindi cinema from the 60s all the way through to the 80s! Balbir Raj Kapoor, aka Shashi Kapoor, started out as a child actor, best known for playing the young version of Raj Kapoor in films like Aag and Awara. But starting in 1961, he became a hero in his own right, stealing the hearts of millions with his signature grin. He also has the distinction of being the one Kapoor to truly straddle both commercial and art house cinema successfully.

I hate to admit it, but Shashi-centric films were never really ones that I sought out. I liked him well-enough, particularly as one half of my favorite filmi bromance duo - Shashitabh (Shashi Kapoor + Amitabh Bachchan) - in films like Shaan, Do Aur Do Paanch and Namak Halal. But I never quite considered myself a part of his die-hard fanbase. Which means that I am woefully ignorant of many of his best films and songs.

But I did try to come up with as many fun, spirited, dance-y numbers featuring Shashi as I could off the top of my head - so here's Dance Like a Kapoor Part III - SHASHI KAPOOR ... now I originally thought that I'd mostly be thinking of numbers where Shashi jogs around trees and acts charming -- but there are some really good ones that allow him to showcase what he's got! And what he's got ... we just adore, don't we?

Le Jayenge Le Jayenge - Chor Machaye Shor (1974)
I feel like this is such a quintessential Shashi song, and it's such a great song to dance to. I mean you can't hear it and NOT dance! And though we are mostly treated to large arm flourishes, Shashi gets to do a teeny bit of bhangra and shows that he has excellent rhythm and energy. Honestly speaking, he reminds me of Shah Rukh Khan in this, or should I say vice-versa? I mean to say, I don't think SRK is the dancer that let's say Hrithik Roshan or Shahid Kapoor are, but he is so full of energy and dedication that you just don't care. I think Shashi has that quality here.





Kehne Ki Nahin Baat - Pyar Kiye Jaa (1966)
I always loved this video, because I felt like it was one time when Shashi channeled his inner Shammi. But after another re-watch, I feel like Shashi really took this one and ran! I mean, the energy, the jumping, the choreography, the TWIST! This is such a fun video, and Shashi rocks it. I'll even go so far as to say that sometimes I feel like the heroes of the 60s had it much harder than the ones of today. I mean, their choreography, though not perhaps as complicated as the hip-hop based stuff of today, really required a ton of energy! The stuff of today is pretty good, but the editing style has advanced to the stage that there's rarely a few seconds of dance before we're cutting to something else. These guys had to do set choreography and jump like crazy without breaks. I know it's difficult to really compare, but when you think of how many takes Shashi probably had to jump like that ... well, I get exhausted just thinking about it. And this video gets the Beth Loves Bollywood stamp of approval.





Yamma Yamma - Shaan (1980)
Shashitabh! A Bad Guy's Lair! Tambourines and Hand Scarves! Helen! What's not to love about this song? This is one of my favorite dance songs of all-time. My eldest sister choreographed this for a large group of my mom's students back in 1981 and they made their costumes out of black garbage bags to imitate the leather vests that Shashitabh are wearing in this. I was always SO jealous. I wanted to be in this dance SO VERY BADLY (of course, I was four so it really would have been hazardous to have me underfoot). I totally wanted to re-create it in the early 90s when we finally had boyfriends that 1) could dance and 2) were uber-Amitabh fans and would have totally done it. Unfortunately we never got around to it. Oh well, I can always put my husband in a black garbage bag vest and dance around the living room.





Raat Baaki - Namak Halal (1982)
This may be a weird choice because he mostly stands around and watches Parveen Babi shimmy around in it, but I really do think this is a GREAT disco song. Our band used to play it at parties and it always got people on the dance floor! And towards the end when Shashi does his verse, he does do some disco-ey grooving. He's super cute doing it.





Hey Mujhe Dil De Nahin Toh - Mr. Romeo (1974)
Yes!!! Shashi can BOOGIE! The strobe lighting is a little annoying, but he is totally working it in this - it's not just jogging and arm flourishing! And while juggling multiple women no less!





O Meri Sharmilee - Sharmilee (1971)
Ok so this is more of the jogging and arm flourishing variety, but it's such a fantastic song and he's so wonderfully vibrant in it, so I had to include it. I also remember a few remixes of it floating around about 6-7 years ago, so it's totally danceable.





Tum Jo Ho So Ho Lekin Khuda To Nahin - Biradari (1966)
This song was on one of those old song compilations VHS tapes my mom had back in the day, and I always remembered it because 1) Shashi was SO YOUNG, 2) Shashi + Mehmood! WOW! and 3) Shashi does some rocking thumkas. But he really gets a chance to DANCE in this one, and he's quite good. Mehmood is awesome too, of course.





Humko Tumpe Pyar Aaya - Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965)
More of the jogging variety, but he does do some pretty cool moves dancing through the wheat fields as well. And again, such amazing energy! Affoo Khuda!




Na Na Karte Pyar - Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965)
I dare you to listen to this song and not shake your shoulders or hips. Seriously. It's impossible. And Shashi shows some excellent versatility in this one -- from bhangra to the twist. Love it!



Kahiye Kahan Se - Heeralal Pannalal (1978)
Admittedly in this song most of the dancing is left up to the fabulous girls (Zeenat Aman and Neetu Singh), but it's still fun to see Shashi and his nephew Randhir dancing together (and dare I say, Shashi looks way younger than his nephew despite being nine years older)!




Wada Karo - Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1973)
Here we have 'Skate like a Kapoor' vs. 'Dance like a Kapoor' - but I had to add it because it's one of my favorite Shashi Kapoor songs and because of the fun costumes and HELLO? Roller skates!

At this point I couldn't think of any more off the top of my head, so I had to call in for reinforcements because I couldn't shake the sense that I was forgetting some ESSENTIAL Shashi songs. So of course, I hit up the Shashi-love-encyclopedia-extraordinaire, Beth Loves Bollywood. And she came through with some spectacular suggestions!

Nain Mile Kar Chain Churana - Aamne Samne (1967)



Pada Tumhare Kabhi Bijliyon Ki - Ganga Aur Suraj (1980)


Suno Suno - Haseena Maan Jayegi (1968)



Dilbar Dilbar - Haseena Maan Jayegi (1968)

LOVE IT!!! Thanks Beth!

The next installment of 'Dance like a Kapoor' is going to be extremely difficult for me because it's my favorite Kapoor and I think he has an extensive list of amazing dance songs! But I'll do my best to give the wonderful, adorable Rishi Kapoor his due justice.

Keep yourself updated on all the fun Kapoor Khazana posts by visiting Katherine of Totally Filmi's links!