It is next to impossible to choose ten best songs featuring one of the biggest superstars of Bollywood Salman Khan. Even while selecting his 10 best in the last 5 years, you will miss quite a few gems. Salman has been a part of more than 80 movies and his songs and dance numbers are always ones to remember in each of his films.
Musically Salman Khan’s career is heavily influenced by 3 artists – singer S.P. Balasubramaniam and music directors Himesh Reshammiya and Sajid-Wajid. Legendary singer SP sang some of the evergreen hit songs of Salman’s initial career and being Salman’s prodigies, Himesh and Sajid-Wajid composed for his maximum movies.
To select 10 best Salman’s songs, we must require some filter criteria. Since it’s the best of Salman Khan, the list will only have those songs which wouldn’t be the same without the superstar’s presence.
So without much ado, here we are with the Top 10 songs of Salman Khan:
(click on the song title for the lyrics!)
1) O O Jaane Jaana: Easy! Hope most of you would agree with me on this. This track sung by Kamaal Khan from ‘Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya’ has to be Salman’s most famous song till ever. The addictive guitar tune combined with Salman’s trend-setting shirt-less dance made the country crazy for him. The song changed the outlook of a Hindi Movie hero and as a result all the actors from the current generation are in shape and are ready to take off shirt if required. Salman has to be credited for starting the ‘gym-phenomena’ across the nation.
2) Didi Tera Devar Deewana: This song from Salman’s biggest hit ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ became a house hold number across the board and topped the charts for years. The set of Salman’s and Madhuri’s outfits from the song are still imitated in Hindi movies. Didi Tera.. ignites with Salman’s famous catapult shot. It is one of those few songs where everything was perfect – be it lyrics, music, singing, choreography, picturization and lead actors.
3) Mere Rang Mein Rangne: Salman’s first blockbuster ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’ had arguably the best music of the 80s. All songs became chartbusters and are still fresh in the minds of listeners. This particular song is taken to heights by SP’s wonderful singing and then the icing on the cake is the innocence of Salman’s performance and his boyish looks.
4) Tere Naam: This is arguably Salman Khan’s best performance till date. He lived the character of Radhe Mohan to the fullest. Himesh Reshammiya composed superb melodies for his mentor and this title track sung magically by Udit Narayan is the best of the lot. Tere Naam revived Salman’s drowning career in a big way and brought him back in reckoning.
5) Hud Hud Dabangg: The ‘Dabangg’ word became synonym with Salman’s personality and the title song of the movie composed by Sajid-Wajid is like an anthem of his current massy demi-god image. Sukhvinder Singh’s rustic vocals and Jalees Sherwani’s poetic lyrics accentuate the iconic ‘heroism’ feel portrayed by Salman as Chulbul Pandey.
6) Tan Tana Tan: Anu Mallik composed a peppy number for many of Salman’s movies. He also did playback for the actor in hugely popular dance numbers including Jaanam Samjha Karo, Ek Garam Chai Ki Pyaali and Oonchi Hai Building. His most famous composition for Salman is the foot tapping ‘Tan Tana Tan’ from David Dhawan’s ‘Judwaa’. The song became a rage for its raunchy lyrics, bouncy tune and naughty dance steps.
7) Dekha Hai Pehli Baar: We are back again to golden days of SP sir singing and Madhuri dancing. ‘Saajan’ is the best music album ever by composer-duo Nadeem-Shravan after ‘Aashiqui’. Salman got some of the best songs to portray the womanizer character of Aakash. Madhuri and Salman are ever so lovable in this foot-tapping number.
8.) Teri Meri: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has sung quite a few memorable songs for Salman including Surili Akhiyo Wale, Tere Mast Mast Do Nain and Dagabaaz Re. His best rendition for Khan is this melody from ‘Bodyguard’ composed by Himesh Reshammiya which boasts of an ever-lasting shelf life. Song is brilliantly picturised on Salman and Kareena – both looking at their hottest best.
9.) Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan: Salman’s chemistry with Aishwarya Rai in this Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s epic love saga is probably his best ever with any actress. He is as natural as ever and effortlessly performs in this mellow and semi-classical number from ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_KLw6l70pM
10.) Oo Jaana Na Jaana: ‘Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai’ is yet another album which boasts of many melodious and popular songs. Jatin-Lalit were the masters of love tracks in 90s and this track is as beautiful as it is melodious and as romantic as it is nostalgic. The yoddling interlude vocals by Kumar Sanu, who is assisted by legendary Lata Mangeshkar, are addictive.
Well, I am not going to mention the list of the songs that I have missed as there are plenty of them and I know almost all will be covered in the comments sections below. I just hope that I did justice to the ever-lasting song bank of Salman.
Finally, much like his arch-rival Shahrukh Khan, we can have several ‘Best of Salman Khan’ lists and it would still be better than the Top 10 list of many actors.
Do let us know your list of Top 10 Salman Khan songs in the comments section below.
Coming up next week, ‘Best Of Madhuri Dixit’, stay tuned for that!
Abhishek Sharma tweets @abhu_sharma