10 memorable songs featuring Babita – 70th birthday special

Babita had a short-lived film career. She starred in just 19 films from 1966 to 1973, quitting after her marriage to actor Randhir Kapoor. 

The actress was known for her glamour quotient. But besides being the talk of the town for her fashion sense and hairstyle in most films, Babita was also lucky when it came to songs in her films.

Almost all of her films had hit songs, especially those from the 1960s. 

On Babita's 70th birthday today (she was born on 20 April 1948), we take a trip down memory lane and listen to some of the most memorable songs she featured in.

1. 'Garibon Ki Suno' — Dus Lakh (1966)

In her debut film itself, opposite Sanjay Khan, Babita found some hit songs. 'Garibon Ki Suno' featured her and Khan singing on the street for money while also sending out a social message. The composition by Ravi is remembered to this day, thanks in no small measure to beggars in suburban local trains. Singer Asha Bhosle also won the Filmfare award for Best Female Playback Singer for this rendition. 

2. 'Hum To Tere Aashiq Hain' — Farz (1967)

After a successful debut in Devendra Goel's Dus Lakh, Farz, opposite Jeetendra, became another of Babita’s early hits. This spy thriller had several hit songs, including 'Mast Baharon Ka Main Aashiq' and 'Baar Baar Din Ye Aaye’. But this Mukesh-Lata Mangeshkar song was the only quintessential romantic track in the album. Composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, it is still popular today. 

3. 'Aao Huzoor Tumko' — Kismat (1968)

Composed by OP Nayyar, Asha Bhosle's intoxicating rendition featured a drunken Babita stumbling about the room, singing of romance to co-star Biswajeet. Bhosle has several seductive solo songs to her name and this one ranks right there among her best, in spite of the rank bad acting in the picturization.

4. 'Kajra Mohabbat Wala' — Kismat (1968)

This lovely composition by OP Nayyar was made even more iconic by the video that showed the lead pair of Babita and Biswajeet cross-dressing. Asha Bhosle and Shamshad Begum, with their masterful voices, were the icing on the cake. 

5. 'Bekhudi Mein Sanam' — Hasina Maan Jayegi (1968)

Prakash Mehra's first film, Hasina Maan Jayegi, boasted of one of the most beautiful duets sung by Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar and composed by Kalyanji-Anandji. The most remembered song from the film's album also had simple yet romantic lyrics by Akhtar Romani. Filmed in the beautiful Himalayas, Babita shared lovely chemistry with Shashi Kapoor in this one. 

6. 'Janam Janam Ka Saath Hai' — Tumse Achcha Kaun Hai (1969)

The combination of actor Shammi Kapoor and singer Mohammad Rafi produced several big hits, and this rhythmic track by Shankar-Jaikishan is easily likeable. While Babita does not mouth any lines, she is trying her best to escape Kapoor, who is professing his undying love, something he was a pastmaster at.

7. 'Sajna Saath Nibhana' — Doli (1969)

'Sajna Saath Nibhana' is one of the rare moments when Prem Chopra featured in a romantic song. Babita's character, who has an agenda of her own, is seen misleading Chopra with false promises of love. While Babita looks like a dream in the song, the same cannot be said for the cunning expressions she has on offer a couple of times. Chopra meanwhile is seen being his usual villainous character.

Nonetheless, Asha Bhosle and Mohammad Rafi again did a splendid job together. The song itself, composed by Ravi with lyrics by Rajinder Krishan like 'ake chala jaye zamana jo bahar ka, phool murjhaye na tere mere pyar ka' lifts the video. 

8. 'Rimjhim Ke Geet Saawan Gaaye' — Anjaana (1969)

This romantic rain song by music director duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal saw Babita at her glamorous best — wet hair, shoulderless dress and pink lip colour — opposite Rajendra Kumar. Sung by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar and written by Anand Bakshi, the song really brought out the essense of Hindi cinema's romantic trope of two lovers taking shelter on a rainy night. 

9. 'Aap Yahan Aaye Kisliye' — Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971)

This was the last time music directors Shankar-Jaikishan scored music for a film produced by Raj Kapoor. All the songs in the soundtrack became popular. The song 'Aap Yahan Aaye Kisliye' is a fun number that portrays a tiff between lovers Babita and Randhir Kapoor, and, needless to say,  Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle were just the perfect pair to sing it. This was the first time Babita and Randhir Kapoor worked together. They fell in love during the making of the film and got married a couple of years later.

10. 'Shishi Bhari Gulab Ki' — Jeet (1972)

Composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and sung by Lata Mangeshkar, this song gave Babita the rare chance to show off her traditional Indian dancing and to also emote. The intensity of Anand Bakshi's lyrics and the energy of the composition drives the song.