‘Item’ Songs Have Indeed Played A Vital Role In A Film’s Success! – Part 1

Be it Sheila Ki Jawani or Munni Badnaam Hui or the 80’s popular Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai…. Item songs have been an integral part of Bollywood since the inception of Bollywood in the 30′. Just as a saleable star is essential to make a film a success likewise an item song in Bollywood is imperative as it adds glamour and draws the audience into cinema houses.

 

In short, there is no discrepancy that item songs are indeed an arm candy to make the film a success. A film producer on condition of anonymity confessed, “The demand for a peppy and sultry item song in a film is as vital as casting a salable star! Just as people thong cinema halls lured by the name of top stars like Shahrukh Khan or Salman Khan likewise the item song plays a pivotal role in pulling the audience into cinema halls.” He added, “This is the reason why film producers pay a whopping amount to lead actresses to perform a sexy and steamy item song.”

The Impact of Item Songs on Bollywood Films

A look down the decades reveals that most of the hit films in Bollywood over the decades have an item song. For instance, Bollywood’s biggest blockbuster Sholay (1975) had the hit sensual number Mehbooba Mehbooba… Salim-Javed, the writers of Sholay, admitted in an interview that they inserted the song, filmed on cabaret dancing queen Helen, into the film solely to attract audiences, as cabaret songs guaranteed box-office success in the ’60s and ’70s.

 

In fact, Salim Javed also confessed that they had written the script of Deewaar (1975) without a single song. The producer demanded two romantic songs to boost Deewaar’s commercial prospects, but the film was still declared a flop.

To come out from the crises, film producer Gulshan Rai immediately asked film director Yash Chopra to instantaneously shot an item number.  Thus Chopra shot a Mujra on the popular vamp of the 70’s Aruna Irani. Believe it or not, from the third day the film picked up the collection at the box-office and the film celebrated Golden Jubilee (Consecutive 50 week run in a single theatre).

Thus item songs do have a lion’s share in films popularity!