Giving folk songs a Bollywood twist is a trend that has been going on since quite a long time. A number of great tracks are the result of such a treatment, and we at times even fail to recognize this. Jump into the list we’ve prepared below to see if you knew that these popular songs have actually been derived from folk music.
Rangabati
This can easily be described as Odisha’s official folk song. It’s extremely famous and very widely sung in the state. And it’s not quite old as well, as it was first sung in 1979. It received the attention of the rest of India in 2015 when it was sung on Coke Studio India by Sona Mohapatra.
Bumbro
The ever so popular Bumbro from the film Mission Kashmir is actually an old Kashmiri folk song. Usually sung during mehendi ceremonies before the marriage, it celebrates love and childlike innocence. The word bumbro actually translates to bumblebee, in case you’re not aware.
Kesariya Balam
You must have heard this song thousands of times in our films. Kesariya Balam is almost a staple for any film set in Rajasthan. Most prominently featured in Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dor, it’s basically a welcome song for Rajput soldiers who used to return home after fighting wars.
Sasural Genda Phool
A Dadaria is a type of folk song popular in Chhattisgarh. It was one such Dadaria that acted as the base for the song Sasural Genda Phool which was featured in the film Delhi-6.
Navrai Majhi
We all loved the song that was played at the end of Sridevi’s English Vinglish, but for those wondering where it came from, it’s a folk song that was very popular in Maharashtrian weddings back in the day. And thanks to the film, it has once again started playing during marriages.
Jugni
There are countless versions of this song since it’s one of the most overused folk songs in Bollywood. You’ll find it in Cocktail, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Tanu Weds Manu, Highway and more. The song is actually a narrative device in which people insert relevant names and situations to tell a story.
Ambarsariya
Ambarsariya which was featured in the film Fukrey, has been adopted from an old Punjabi folk song. Sung by Sona Mohapatra, it wasted no time in becoming a chartbuster when it arrived onto the scene back in 2013.
Here’s hoping more and more folk songs get adopted in Bollywood, so they get a new lease of life.
Read Also: 5 Hit Punjabi Folk Songs In Bollywood Movies
