Dakiya Daak Laya Featuring Rajesh Khanna and sung by Kishore Kumar , the song from the movie Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein is set in a rural village where Khanna who plays the role of a postman delivers letters to the villagers. The lyrics of the song incorporate various messages that people conveyed through letters in the old days — from someone getting married to someone passing away. Chitthi Aayi Hai Sung by ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas , this song from Naam is a letter from a father to his son residing abroad for work purposes.
Through the letter, the father expresses how the family misses him terribly and yearns for his return. After its release, the song immediately struck a chord with the Indian diaspora living abroad. Sandese Aate Hai Penned by Javed Akhtar and sung by Sonu Nigam and Roopkumar Rathod, the song from the movie Border, features Indian soldiers played by Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Akshaye Khanna, Jackie Shroff, Puneet Issar and Kulbhushan Kharbanda, who talk about the letters they receive from their loved ones asking them when they would return home and express how much they miss them.
Through the element of letters, the song reflects the lives of soldiers who stay away from their families to keep the country safe. Phool Tumhe Bheja Hai Khat Mein Another song that romanticises letters, is about two lovers played by actors Nutan and Manish in the film Saraswatichandra, who converse about their feelings of love for each other through the exchange of letters. The song shows how lovers exchanged romantic messages via letters in the earlier days.
Kabootar Ja Ja Ja The romantic song from the movie Maine Pyaar Kiya featuring Salman Khan and Bhagyashree brings back the ancient form of communication of using pigeons to deliver letters. In the song, the actress sends across a love letter via a pigeon to Salman Khan. The two can be seen further exchanging love letters through the bird.
Yeh Mera Prem Patra Padh Kar The song from the movie Sangam is sung by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. It is about a man who requests his lover not to get upset over a love note he pens down and reads out loud to her. In the song, the duo can be seen romancing in the garden.
Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe Many songs in Bollywood like this one simply mention letters in the context of love and romance. Starring Shashi Kapoor and Asha Parekh, the song from the film Kanyadan shows the two actors at a scenic spot playfully moving around. Kapoor is seen expressing his love by singing the song that mentions him having written letters for her that become a sight to behold.
- Compiled by Aakanksha Ahire.
Top
Khat, Chitthi and Sandese: Cinema’s Love for Letters
The charm and nostalgia of letter writing is still fresh in our hearts thanks to Bollywood. On World Post Day, we revisit some evergreen melodies that have romanticised writing chitthis in India