10 Best Bollywood Songs to Celebrate Diwali
As family and friends come together to celebrate Diwali, houses are beaming with laughter, lights and love.
People come together to share their gratitude and spread the messages of the ‘Festival of Light’.
But, Diwali is also full of parties and dancing. Music is one of the signature elements of the holiday and suits the vibrant feel of the festivities.
There are countless gatherings where families dance the evening away and play a catalogue of classic and modern tracks to make the day special.
Bollywood has pumped out numerous songs commemorating Diwali, all of which are adored.
Elders, children, friends and guests feel the warmth in these songs as they embody all the aspects that make this holiday so loved.
So, here are the top songs to play during your Diwali celebrations to make it that extra bit special.
‘Kaise Diwali Manayen Hum’
‘Kaise Diwali Manayen Hum’ is a classic song from the 1959 comedy-drama Paigham.
The great Mohammed Rafi provides his vocals for this track which are brought to life by actor Johnny Walker.
Shot in black and white, Johnny serenades the community about financial struggles and the class system.
But, the traditional instrumentation makes this such an enjoyable song. Not only does it have a strong meaning behind it, but it’s soothing for the ears during Diwali.
‘Mele Hain Chiraghon Ki’
Legendary duo Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar are behind the vocals of ‘Mele Hain Chiraghon Ki’ which is from the melodrama flick Nazrana (1961).
The film stars Raj Kapoor and Vyjayanthimala as the leads. In the movie, the song is split into two sections.
Vyjayanthimala brings a fun essence with her gleaming smile and waves of sparklers to celebrate Diwali.
However, Raj (miming Mukesh’s singing), provides a more sombre and reflective sound.
This track can be played at any time and is perfect for when relaxing with the family.
‘Lakhon Tare Aasman Mein’
Lata and Mukesh team up once again to bring ‘Lakhon Tare Aasman Mein’ from Hariyali Aur Rasta (1962).
The song is picturised upon Manoj Kumar and Mala Sinha who both give emotional performances during this track.
The meaning behind it is to build upon your life and appreciate the small things in order to be fully happy.
Whilst this may not make you want to get up and dance, it will put things into perspective.
The gorgeous vocals help ease you during Diwali and make you want to enjoy the occasion properly with loved ones.
‘Deep Diwali Ke Jhuthe’
From the movie Jugnu (1973), starring Dharmendra and Hema Malini, ‘Deep Diwali Ke Jhuthe’ is a musically gifted track from singers Kishore Kumar and Sushma Shrestha.
Kishore gives his iconic melodies and Sushma is joined by children in unison who give effortless harmonies.
The backdrop of this song in the movie suits Diwali to a tee.
Children are seen giving impressive dance moves and Dharmendra glides around the scene enjoying the company of others.
There are countless fountains of sparkles and fireworks being let off during the performance which makes it even more captivating.
‘Pairon Mein Bandhan Hai’
One of the best Bollywood songs to celebrate Diwali comes from Mohabbatein (2000).
‘Pairon Mein Bandhan Hai’ starts off with a traditional dhol that builds up to a classic Indian beat that has all the intricate sounds you expect from film music duo Jatin-Lalit.
The song has six singers in the form of Udbhav, Manohar Shetty, Ishaan, Shweta Pandit, Sonali Bhatawdekar, and Pritha Mazumdar.
All bring their unique qualities to the track and make it burst with flavour. However, they also team up and give us incredible harmonies that make the song unforgettable.
It’s perfect to play when fireworks are being lit or when the food is getting served.
‘Aayee Hai Diwali’
Taken from the 2001 hit Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya, not many songs symbolise Diwali more than ‘Aayee Hai Diwali’.
Some legendary singers offered their voices for the song, including Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu, Shaan, Ketki Dave and Sneha Pant.
The song has such an infectious vibe. All of the dancing and vibrant colours make you want to get up and groove with many viewers admiring the celebratory feeling.
One of these was Raunak Raj who expressed his love for the track on YouTube, saying:
“This is the very best song on Diwali. Voices, moves and lights. Forever green.”
This is definitely a song to have on your Diwali playlist.
‘Maahi Ve’
From the popular 2003 movie, Kal Ho Naa Ho, comes the full-of-life smash hit ‘Maahi Ve’.
Sadhana Sargam, Sujata Bhattacharya, Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam and Shankar Mahadevan do a marvellous job of giving such a memorable song.
Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan do similarly well in bringing such a positive and entertaining energy to the music. Watching them makes you want to mimic their moves.
This song is so versatile and can be played for any South Asian occasion.
But for Diwali, this is great to play during big gatherings where everyone can laugh, drink, eat and socialise.
‘Nagada Sang Dhol’
Osman Mir and Shreya Ghoshal team up for ‘Nagada Sang Dhol’ from Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013).
The track is one of the most iconic Bollywood songs and is played everywhere. People from all over the world admire it, including African viewer, Esther King who said:
“African here, this song is a masterpiece. The energy, the instrumentals, the dance, ALL OF IT!”
One of the reasons is the pairing of Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, whom the song focuses on.
But also because of the outstanding colour schemes, outfits and spirit the actors and extras bring. Of course, the dhol plays a massive part in the track and adds extra bass to the song’s impact.
This is perfect to play throughout the day and especially when letting off fireworks as the drums set an incredible backdrop for sparkles and rockets.
‘Galla Goodiyan’
‘Galla Goodiyan’ captures the essence of having a good time with your loved ones, no matter what.
From the 2015 movie Dil Dhadakne Do, the song is created by the voices of Yashita Yashpal Sharma, Manish J Tipu, Shankar Mahadevan, Farhan Akhtar and Sukhwinder Singh.
Bringing unique notes, experimental tempos and traditional lyrics, the track is uplifting and so vibrant.
Supposedly, the song was shot in one take as the actors were so engrossed in each other and enjoying the atmosphere.
It’s this same spirit that you feel when listening and viewing the song – you want to make every single moment count.
‘Aaj Ki Party’
Many people find Mika Singh’s performance of ‘Aaj Ki Party’ so mesmerising that they hum the beat at every Diwali party.
Salman Khan astounds in Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and delivers a great performance of this song.
Samreen Gill left a comment on YouTube, stating:
“This song just uplifts my vibes like anything.”
Pictured in a village in India, Salman and co-star Kareena Kapoor dance away with the surrounding extras as they give an iconic display of Diwali-themed fun.
These 10 amazing songs can help with any Diwali celebration.
Not only do each of these tracks have unique lyrics and versatile instrumentation, but they also embody the different elements that make up the holiday.
Whether you’re with friends, or family or celebrating alone, these singers can ignite feelings of joy and happiness.