10 unforgettable Hindi songs picturised on Jaya Prada: Birthday special

Actress Jaya Prada, who made her Hindi film debut with Sargam (1979), has worked comfortably in different film industries in India from, Telugu to Tamil to Hindi. While still a teenager, Lalita Rani changed her name to Jaya Pradha and began working in Telugu cinema with a dance number in Bhoomi Kosam (1974).

Within five years, K Vishwanath signed her for Sargam (1979) and thus she began switching to and fro the south and Hindi cinema, in a career spanning over four decades.

Early on, she won a Filmfare South special award for her performances in Telegu films Siri Siri Muvva (1976) and Seeta Kalyanam (1976). In 1983, she won the best actress award for another Telugu film, Saagara Sangamam (1983), that also featured Kamal Haasan.

In 1994, Jaya Prada joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and balanced films with her political ambitions. She was a member of Indian Parliament for a decade from 2004 to 2014. The actress may not have enjoyed the same level of success in Hindi cinema as actresses Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini or Sridevi did, but she had her own legion of fans.

On her 56th birthday today (she was born on 3 April 1962), we look back some of her unforgettable Hindi film songs.

1. 'Dafliwale Dafli Baja' - Sargam (1979)

Jaya Prada was reprising her role from the Telugu hit film Siri Siri Muvva (1976) in the Hindi remake, Sargam (1979). The actress played a mute character, Hema Pradhan, in the love story. She researched her role and even learnt sign language for the part. The fact that she didn’t know Hindi wasn’t really an issue for this film.

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With the Filmfare award-winning music of Laxmikant-Pyarelal and the lyrics by Anand Bakshi, the songs of Sargam took off.

'Dafliwale Dafli Baja', sung by Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar and shot in the scenic valleys of Kashmir, became a popular number in the oeuvres of both Jaya Prada and her co-star Rishi Kapoor.

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She became the latest actress from the south to successfully transition and even earned a Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for her performance.

2. 'Tujh Sang Prit Lagaai Sajanaa' - Kaamchor (1982)

A few years after her Hindi debut, Jaya Prada reunited with director K Vishwanath for another hit film with actor-producer Rakesh Roshan. This time around, she had taken lessons and improved her Hindi diction.

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In the film, she played Geeta, daughter of a wealthy man, who marries Suraj (Roshan). He becomes a ghar-jamai [a man who stays at his in-laws' house] and decides to take it easy. But when the couple move out of the home, Suraj challenges his rich father-in-law for a share of the wealth.

Kaamchor’s music was composed by Rajesh Roshan, Rakesh’s younger brother and the lyrics were written by Indivar. The romantic songs 'Tujh Sang Prit Lagaai Sajanaa' and 'Tum Se Badhkar Duniya Mein' became classics.

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3. 'Chandni Raat Mein' — Dil-E-Nadaan (1982)

A remake of CV Sridhar's Tamil film Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu (1978), starring Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, Dil-E-Nadaan was also directed by Sridhar. The film was a love quadrangle between Rajesh Khanna, Jaya Prada, Smita Patil and Shatrughan Sinha.

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Jaya Prada was often paired with Khanna during the 1980s and the melodious songs of Dil-E-Nadaan may have been forgotten, but need revisiting, especially the romantic duet 'Chandni Raat Mein'.

Sung by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, the number is composed by Khayyam and written by Naqsh Lyallpuri.

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4. 'Ui Ammaa Ui Ammaa Mushkil' — Mawaali (1983)

Mawaali, directed by K Bapaiah, has a star-studded cast of Jeetendra, Jaya Prada and Sridevi. The film became a success, largely in part as it was following a formula set by two hit films before it, BV Prasad's Telugu film Chuttalunnaru Jagratha (1980) and SP Muthuraman's Tamil film Pokkiri Raja (1982). Sridevi had acted in both these films.

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Bappi Lahiri infused his unique touch to the number 'Ui Ammaa Ui Ammaa Mushkil', which was penned by Indivar. The duet is sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhonsle.

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5. 'Pyar Ka Tohfa Tera' — Tohfa (1984)

The lead cast of Mawaali came back together for the blockbuster Tohfa (1984), directed by K Raghavendra Rao. Both Jaya Prada and Sridevi played the same roles in the earlier Telugu film Devata (1982), also helmed by Rao.

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1984 was a significant year for Jaya Prada as she was also in the hit films, Sharaabi and Maqsad.

'Pyar Ka Tohfa Tera', composed by Bappi Lahiri and written by Indivar, was one of the top songs of the year with the composer and the lyricist both getting Filmfare nominations for their work. The popular duet was sung by Asha Bhonsle and Kishore Kumar.

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6. 'Mujhe Naulakha Mangaade' — Sharaabi (1984)

In Prakash Mehra’s Sharaabi, the actress was cast opposite Amitabh Bachchan for the first time. The two were thereafter paired together in many other romantic-dramas like Aakhree Raasta (1986), Ganga Jamuna Saraswati (1988), and Jaadugar (1989) among others.

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In Sharaabi, Jaya Prada played the supportive girlfriend, Meena, to a rich man’s son Vicky (Bachchan). She earned her second Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for her performance.

While the film was all Bachchan, Jaya Prada is also remembered for her perfromance, especially in the elaborate numbers where she got to show off her dancing skills.

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'Mujhe Naulakha Mangaade' was a particular number where the focus was on her. The song was written by Anjaan and composed by Bappi Lahiri, who won the Filmfare award for Best Music Direction for his compositions for the film.

7. 'Bolo Pyaar Karogi' — Awaaz (1984)

After a seven-year gap, filmmaker Shakti Samanta and actor Rajesh Khanna reunited with Awaaz (1984). The actor played a lawyer who defended serial offenders without thinking much of the consequences. However, when his wife Anu (Jaya Prada) is raped and later commits suicide, Jayant (Khanna) has to defend them anyway.

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The film wasn’t a great success, but the music by RD Burman was an improvement from what was popular at the time.

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'Bolo Pyaar Karogi', written by Anand Bakshi, was a love song picturised on Khanna and Jaya Prada. The duet was sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhonsle, Burman’s wife at the time.

8. 'Yashoda Ka Nandalala' — Sanjog (1985)

In K Vishwanath’s Sanjog (1985), Jaya Prada played two of the most challenging roles of her career, as mother and daughter in a double role. She earned her third Filmfare nomination for the parts. As Yashoda, she is unable to process the death of her nephew and unable to give time to her own daughter Asha. Actor Jeetendra too played a significant role in the film.

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Her brother-in-law and sister-in-law adopt the young girl as Yashoda has to be institutionalized. While in the institution, she sings a poignant lullaby to a makeshift baby. 'Yashoda Ka Nandalala', written by Anjaan and composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, is one of the few lullabies from Hindi cinema that has endured even today.

9. 'Naachegi Saraswathi Gaayegi Saraswathi' — Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswathi (1988)

In filmmaker Manmohan Desai’s last film, Jaya Prada played the one of the three title characters, along with Amitabh Bachchan and Meenakshi Sheshadri. Bachchan was Gangaa, Sheshadri was Jamunaa and Jaya Prada was Saraswathi. The film, unfortunately, could not replicate the success of Desai and Bachchan’s earlier films.

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Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswathi was a typical revenge drama. In the song, 'Naachegi Saraswathi Gaayegi Saraswathi', Jaya Prada dances for Bachchan’s Gangaa on a moving truck.

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Sung by Lata Mangeshkar, the number was composed by Anu Malik and written by Indivar.

10. 'Gori Hain Kalaiyan' — Aaj Ka Arjun (1990)

Jaya Prada was paired with Amitabh Bachchan many times during the early 1990s. Most of them were revenge sagas that revolved Bachchan in the lead, often, the title role. In KC Bokadia’s Aaj Ka Arjun, the story moves to a small village where Bachchan plays Bheema and Jaya Prada plays Gauri.

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The song ‘Gori Hain Kalaiyan’ topped the charts in 1990. Sung by Shabbir Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, the song was another successful collaboration between lyricist Anjaan and music composer Bappi Lahiri.