1 ‘Zindagi Bhar Nahi Bhoolegi Woh Barsaat Ki Raat’ – Barsat Ki Raat (1960)
After his big break in Baware Nain (1950), music composer Roshan’s first big success came with this soundtrack. Music was a big part of the storyline of this Muslim social directed by PL Santoshi. Bharat Bhushan plays an emerging poet Amaan Hyderbadi who sings on the radio about his magical encounter with a beautiful young woman, played by Madhubala, one rainy night. The lyrics were penned by Roshan’s frequent collaborator, Sahir Ludhianvi while the song was sung by Mohammad Rafi.
2 ‘Laaga Chunnari Mein Daag’ - Dil Hi To Hai (1963)
Roshan gave Manna Dey a wonderful classical solo in the film directed by PL Santoshi and CL Rawal. The song is picturised on Raj Kapoor, a singer on the radio, who masquerades as an old man, Khan Saab, while dancer Padmini Priyadarshini performs onstage. Nutan played his co-star Jamila Banu who falls in love with his voice as Chand over the radio. Dil Hi To Hai became the last film that Raj Kapoor and Nutan acted together in.
3 ‘Nigahen Milane Ko Jee Chahta Hai’ - Dil Hi To Hai (1963)
Another great song of this soundtrack was an upbeat qawwali sung by Asha Bhonsle and written by Sahir Ludianvi. Roshan was especially known for his qawwali compositions, including classics from Barsaat Ki Raat (1960). In it, a disguised Raj Kapoor and a scheming Pran watch as Nutan dances prettily. A teenage Saroj Khan, as dance master B Sohanlal’s assistant, helped choreograph the song in his absence.
4 ‘Jo Wada Kiya Woh’ - Taj Mahal (1963)
For Taj Mahal, Roshan picked up his only Filmfare Award for Best Music Director beating, Naushad for Mere Mehboob and Shanker Jaikishen for Dil Ek Mandir. The period love story starring Pradeep Kumar and Bina Rai as Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal was a hit, largely due to its enduring music with songs mostly sung by Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. The duet, alluding to an unbreakable promise, written by Sahir Ludhianvi also brought him the Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist.
5 ‘Rahen Na Rahen Hum’ - Mamta (1966)
Asit Sen’s remake of his own hit Bengali film, Uttar Falguni (1963), featured Suchitra Sen in a double role as both mother and daughter. With lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri, Roshan composed everlasting numbers for the film especially with the song ‘Rahen Na Rahen Hum’, sung first as a solo by Lata Mangeshkar and later as a duet with Mohammed Rafi. In this version by Lata, the song is picturised on Suchitra Sen as Devyani and Ashok Kumar as Mohnish, the rich young man who abandons her to go abroad.