Mar 29, 2012

Zee Top Ten!



When cable TV flooded the Indian household in the mid 90s, entertainment would never be the same again. The days of Doordarshan's Chitrahaar were quickly replaced by a newer and slicker music show - Zee/Phillips Top Ten. Of course, looking back now, it seems quite cheesy. 

I think this show was one of the pioneers on cable TV, what with only Zee, Star and Sony channels ruling the roost back then. I suppose it might even have been the very first countdown show in the history of Bollywood Music. Better versions followed suit on MTV and Channel V, but this one stole the hearts of the masses, mainly due to the comic skits that were aired in between songs. It's a program format that you do not get to see these days and frankly, I might just be a wee bit thankful for that. 

M and I sometimes like to revisit songs from our growing up years. Just for Laughs. When we were doing this a couple of nights ago, one thing let to another, and soon we had re-created out of memory and YouTube, an entire line up of Zee top ten songs. It was super-fun to watch long-forgotten, cheesy music videos, so I just had to share them here too.

There are the songs I could remember from around 1994-1995, which is when the show first started I think. Outrageous costumes, ridiculous sets, aerobics-style dance steps, the kind of music you thought was cool back then (but will never, ever, not in a million years admit to now), these songs have everything that is typical of the 90s era. Watch, Listen, Enjoy!


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Number 10 - Raah Mein Unse
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The video starts off as any good love song should, with the girl making tea for the boy. Their eyes meet over a cup of chai, and they are instantly transported to the land of romance - Switzerland! So then you get to see lush, breathtaking mountains, a green countryside, and then, wait a second, are those flags?! Yep, hundreds of white flags on thin, long poles - wtf are they doing there? And the heroine in a shocking pink sari, who is playing... no, wait! She's molesting, abusing even - a grand piano. I don't know if she's in the throes of passion or is very, very mad. But she makes you want to stand back and watch. Way, way, back.






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Number 9 - Main Tho Raste Se Ja Raha Tha
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Ah, no 90s countdown can ever be complete without a Gyrating Govinda number, now can it? Sleazy as sleazy can be, lyrics that are possibly even worse than the Kolaveri 'massacre'. Oh well, that's Govinda for you. :D And seriously, teri naani mari tho main kya karoon??






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Number 8 - Mukkala Muqabla
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Honestly, to this day, I have no idea what 'Mukkala Muqabla' means. In any case, this was perhaps one of the better songs of the 90s. At least, Prabhu Deva's dance was and always is worth watching. In case you've forgotten, lemme remind you of the headless sequence. Cutting edge special effects of the 90s, sir!






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Number 7 - Aankhon Mein Base Ho Tum
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Another 90s classic. Featuring - Sonali Bendre... 's legs! Seriously, the tricks they used back then to show a heroine's legs on screen. Teehee :D 






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Number 6 - Hai Hukku Hai Hai
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Meaningless gibberish that once again, sold. Catchy tune. Mildly embarrassing to be caught with someone humming it though. Also, Sunil Shetty!! 






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Number 5 - Churake Dil Mera
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The one where Akshay Kumar is a monkey! Seriously, why is jumping about like that? And Shipa Shetty's doing some serious aerobics back there at 0:32. Probably rehearsing for her future workout videos. Nevertheless, an immensely popular song back then. 






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Number 4 - Ruk Ruk Ruk
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Ah, this one was invariably a part of every single Antaakshari session. The song all kids would belt out as soon as the first 'R' came up, and everyone would join in the fun! It was a fun song, and probably one I could still bring myself to like after all these years. Not bad, Tabu, not bad at all!






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Number 3 - Humma Humma
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It was new, it was exciting, it was 'super-cool'. Almost every kid made it a point to memorize the lyrics of this song back then, no matter if they even understood it or not. I remember learning it phonetically, no idea if I even got some of the words right! Definitely one of the better songs, a saving grace for the 90s.






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Number 2 - Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast
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The song was good at first, but then people played and sang it over, and over, and over again. I'd had enough within a few months. It stuck to the charts for a very long time, though. More gyrating, for your viewing pleasure...






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Number 1 - Didi Tera Dewar Deewana
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I never liked this song, seriously. Not back then, and not now. But it stuck to the charts like, forever. Just like this girl who came first in my class every single time. The song just wouldn't move over. I think it was a topic of discussion at all Indian social gatherings and at school when it finally vacated the no.1 spot. 




So that's the top 10 countdown. Now, there are two more songs that I just had to share, that bring alive the memory of the 90s. Couldn't fit them on the top 10, so here they are as bonus tracks:


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Bonus Track #1
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Haha, just listening to this sends me into peals of laugther. Oh, how we loved this one when we were kids. Now I can't really help thinking my mom was right to have called it the 'picchakaren pattu' (beggar's song). LOL! How she hated it when I sang it all the time. 





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Bonus Track #2
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Now this is the one I like to call - The Great Indian Laxative Song. Need I say any more? 





These are only representative of hundreds of other songs that defined the 90s. What are the ones that define your childhood the most? Tell me in the comments!



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63 comments:

  1. *standing applause for the brilliant collection of 90's songs - couldn't have chosen them better myself*

    I don't know whats more shameful - me knowing every single song on the list like it were the back of my palm or that 30 years down the line our children will be pointing and laughing at us for having grown up amidst these songs.

    My personal favorite is Amma Dey :D, my mother called it the 'Pichakaran Pattu' too.

    Awesome post :D

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    1. AS, thank you so much! :) I'm very very sure that our kids will certainly laugh at us for knowing these songs. And I'm also sure we'll never forget the lyrics of these songs for as long as we live. Most of us can remember them better than our lessons. Funny, we think the songs of our parents generation (60s and 70s) were beautiful, but doesn't look like our kids could say the same.

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  2. ROFLMAO.. This post brings out unwanted nostalgia :P

    Govinda and Suneil Shetty!! Oops, look at them :D. But that "aankon mein base ho tum" is a lovely song! You missed out "Husn hai suhana" though. Karisma and Govinda used to rock it then! "Amma dey" was a famous song in our house. We were a joint family then and all of us used to call our granma "Amma", oh yeah so you can imagine :P. Ahhhhh I can go on and on.

    True that on the "aati nahi". What on earth was he trying to do. Constipated to the core :D

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    1. LOL Soumya!!! I am having my coffee and I just spilled it all over me reading this last line :D

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    2. You said it Soumya, constipated to the core indeed :D I remember every one I ever came across made the exact same joke about aati nahin. Yes, husn hai suhana was really awesome too. Catchy songs those were. Glad you enjoyed the post, and the 'unwanted nostalgia' :D

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  3. Sumitra !

    This is one amazing amazing compilation. We used to watch this "ek se badkar ek" on saturday nights on DD and how I'd wait for it. These songs make me so nostalgic.
    There were also "humko sirf tumse pyaar hai" and "raja ko rani se pyar ho gaya" and also "jaati hoon main jaldi hai kya" and also "ghoongat ki aad se dil barkha" and on and on.....

    You made my day ! Such an awesome post. and yes, I could recollect every song here except "tum khoobsoorat ho".


    Yay ! :)

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    1. Hey kismitoffee! Thanks, glad you liked the compilation :) Oh yes those were some great songs. I totally forgot jaati hoon main when I was making this list or I would have put it in somehow. But then I can't think of which song I would have removed from the top 10 :D

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  5. holy crap! that was a hysterical trip down memory lane! Your descriptions were perfect.. and like the previous commenter.. i am almost embarrassed to know all these songs!! haha!

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    1. Hi Rashmi. Hysterical, indeed! Thanks, glad you liked the descriptions :)

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  7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCTW2GfcepQ

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  8. haha.....Whata post! Hilarious! There were days when I used to like few songs from this list :D and obviously now I am embarassed :P But there is one song which I still like "Ghar se nikalte hi, kuch dur chalte hi" But still imagine anyone singing 'Teri nani mari to main kya karu' :O
    Must say, you list made me nostalgic :)

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    2. Thanks, CD! Glad you liked the post. Yes, I did actually like Amma Dekh and Raah mein unse and a few others back then. I remember we used to have a 'favourite songs' list back then to write in Slam books and all that :D Now it's hard to admit I ever liked them, and even sang them with such gusto!

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  9. This was super awesome!!! :) I used to also love Satish Shah and Ratna pathak's antics in it..:P

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    1. Hey Meditating Lion, thanks :) The skits they put up seemed very very funny back then, I used to laugh. But now I watched some on YouTube and I couldn't remember why I laughed at all :D

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  10. That was a hilarious post and a super compilation.
    I remember most of these songs ...Surprising fact is there are some songs picturized much earlier than the 90s in a more beautiful way ! That was nostalgic...Another few I remember are Jaadu Hai Tera Hi Jaadu from Ghulam and all the songs from Rangeela!

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    1. Hi Jaish, welcome here! Glad you like the post :) Yes, it is very surprising that the songs of the 60s and 70s were very beautiful works of art - in terms of music and picturization. Yep, the Ghulam and Rangeela songs are wonderful, actually they're not even cheesy.

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  11. Sumitra!! Thank you! You just made my day! You started the list with one of my all-time fav songs, cheesy or not cheesy. I LOVE Raah mein unse..
    it. Remember the show Ek Se Badkar Ek on DD Metro? And Superhit Muqabla? Every time my friends and I get togterh, we sit and remember cheesy songs that we used to die for.

    I've always been a Bollywood music junkie and grew up on a steady dose of
    Some that I can remember off the top of my head:-
    1) Gore gore mukhde pe kaala kaala chashma (Don't remember the movie. Akshay kumar and Sunil Shetty again)
    2) Tipp tipp barsa pani (Raveena's sizzling number in the yellow saree)
    3) All the Baazigar songs, especially Kitaabe bahut si padhi hongi tumne and Ye kaali kaali aankhen.
    4) Jaadu teri nazar. :)
    5) Dil to pagal hai. The song AND the movie were so awesomely cheesy! But I love it. And will watch it again and again.
    6) How could you forget DDLJ songs, Sumitra!

    Ok now my fuse is going to blow coz of the overload of 90's bollywod songs!

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    1. Spiff, I didn't know you were such a big fan of 90s music :D I'm glad to have made your day. Well, like you said, cheesy or not, these songs are certainly a part of our past and will always be remembered fondly.

      For some reason I don't remember ek se badkar ek. We didn't get DD where we lived actually.

      The songs you listed out, I can remember ever one of them too. DDLJ was a bit after the time of the songs I've listed here I think, so I deliberately didn't put them in. I know, there are just too many of these iconic songs, I just had to pick a random 10. I totally forgot to add a song that I should have, though - Jaati hoon main from Karan Arjun.

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  12. And LSHIC-ing (that's my version of LOL and ROFL. It stands for Laughing SO Hard I'm Crying) on the Great Indian Laxative Song.

    And ooh ooh! One more song!
    Ankhiyaan milaoon kabhi ankhiyaan churaoon. remember Madhuri in the teeny tiny skirt dancing with Miss Sanjay Kapoor. I had danced to this when I was a kid. So I can NEVER forget the song! :D

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    1. Heeey...I danced for Rangeela Re :P Did you wear a teeny skirt too :)

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    2. Yes yes. Berry berry tiny. :D It was denim. I vividly remember. A white shirt, denim waist coat and denim mini skirt.
      (Funny, I don't remember what I wore two days back to office. :/)

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    3. Ohh yeah I remember that Madhuri song too, where she did that squint thing with her eyes. We tried doing that a lot until our eyes hurt! I'd like to see a pic of you guys dancing to these songs :D

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  13. WOWOW blast from the past .. this seems to me as if you have put it as it happened on a prticular day THEN .. rememebr these songs were a craze and everywhere you went could hear it ..

    actually Ankhone main base and Humma humma are my favourite still toooo

    Bikram's

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    1. Hey Bikram thanks so much for noticing man. I did try my best to make it look like how one particular day's show would have been out of the years 94/95. :D Glad you were able to tell.

      Yep those two songs were actually nice.

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  14. Brilliance :) When I read on FB this was coming up, I knew it would be a riot. How could you miss KKHH and DDLJ? I must have watched that movie some 20 times, and laughed out loud it every time she threw away tht dupatta off :) And the "but she is your best friends ya" bit :P

    When I saw Russell Peters talk heroine in yellow fields, i was thinking
    Ho gayi he tujko :P

    I am also one of those R comes, and we go Ruk Ruk Ruk girl! Should go home,and listen to all of these!

    Awesome post!

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    1. Hey Arch! thanks so much :) No no, I could never forget those two movies. Just that I was trying to make it look like a real zee top ten countdown, and these movies came out a bit later I think, after 94-95 ish.

      Haha, I was thinking of the same song too with the Russell Peters joke. In all probability, he might have been too!

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  15. Sheer fun!!

    I was smiling way till the end of this post...Hats off to you for making this superb list.. *dunno what else to say hence I start applauding*

    One song which refuses to get deleted from my memory - "Haaton mein aa gaya jo kal rumal aapka" - maybe because I used to start singing this in Antakshri for the letter 'H'

    Another one - "Dekha hai pehli baar saajan ki aankhon me pyaar", we used to modify it as a comic one - "Dekha hai pehli baar takle ke sir pe do baal" :D :D :D

    Off to listen all the mentioned 'goldies' hehehe

    -Visha

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    1. I remember the Haathon mein aa gaya jo kal song, when Saif still used to look like a girl. And Shilpa Shetty before she got a nose job and other jobs. :P
      And I've never heard this parody of Dekha hai pehli baar! LHSIC-ing!! (Scroll up for reference)

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    2. Hey, zackandme Welcome here! Thanks a lot and I'm really glad to have made you smile. And oh yeah, Haaton mein is such a hilarious song! I just watched it to refresh my memory, Saif's steps with the hanky is just too embarrassing to watch now! Yep, like Spiff says, he did used to look girly back then.

      Haha, I do think I've heard that takle pe do baal thing before :D

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  16. Sorry for spamming your comments section, Sumi. :(
    But what do I do!! I just got so excited remembering all the songs again! It's your fault. Sacchi.

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  17. Loved the way you have described each song, sumi! Hilarious!!! Especially the one where the heroine molested the piano! :D Can you believe I haven't listened to any of those songs!! (Except for humma humma and mukkalaa and those too were in Tamil!) Hmm, maybe cos noone spoke Hindi at home?
    Just listened to the pichakaaran paatu and laughed my head off (nearly!)
    There's a similar one in Tamil. Never fails to crack me up- it's called Pettai Rap, have you come across it? :D

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    1. Hey Sruthi, Thanks so much :) Pettai Rap I think I may have heard it, but lemme go check it out once more.

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  18. HAHAHAHA!! Amazzzing!! :D am getting delightfully nostalgic!

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    1. Hey Rohu! Glad to see you here. And thanks, it is awesome to remember the 90s, isn't it?

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  19. Oh my god!!! You just took me back in time with this post!! Me, my sis and my dad used to watch philips top ten religiously!!! I remember every song you've mentioned here! Ahhhh... those were the days!

    ♥ www.thegirlatfirstavenue.com

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    1. Hi Chandana, those certainly were the days! Glad I could help you relive those memories :)

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  20. Few songs which i think should be there in that list: ole ole , jaadoo teri nazar, aa aa ee u uu oooo.

    Over the years i never found Tabu appealing to me, until i saw Cheeni Kum, recently. :)

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    1. @Sugeeth: Hi! Oh yeah, those were some iconic songs of the 90s too! Certainly deserve to be on the list, perhaps if it was a weekly one like the original show I could include everything! :D

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  21. OMG! I remember all of these when we jus got a color tv with cable connection..jus became a lil nostalgic.

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    1. @rads: Hi! Welcome to the Daily Moo! :) Those were some beautiful days, weren't they?

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  22. Wow! You took me on a trip down memory lane through this post. :)
    The hubby and I have loads of songs that we used to die for in our school-college days. It was only after marriage that we realised that both of us were totally filmi in our youth - that we both used to write down the lyrics of Bollywood songs and memorise them!! It all sounds so incredibly cheesy now. :)
    However, thanks to this habit of ours, we still very clearly remember songs that most of our friends have forgotten.

    I love Humma Humma and Aankhon Mein Base HO Tum from this list :)

    LOL @ The Great Indian Laxative Song :D

    PS: The husband and I tried to come up with a list of 10 songs that defined our childhood/youth, but we just couldn't stop at 10. Maybe I will make this into a post, maybe several posts. May I borrow the idea?

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    1. @galnxtdoor: Ya I think as kids we were particular about remembering song lyrics, esp to show off during Antakshari I think :D I can't remember much of my lessons but I can certainly sing all these songs without a mistake after all these years :D Sure, you may certainly go ahead with a post on the same lines. I would love to read it :D

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  23. philips top 10 was indeed the pioneer of its kind.. a countdown show... and how can you forget Bombay's other big hit :kuchi kuchi rakkama paas ai na" and Khamoshi's "Bahon Ki Darmiyan".. they were there forever on the show :)

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    1. @Dr Roshan: Welcome here, thanks for stopping by! Ahh no, how could I ever forget Kuchi kuchi and Bahon ke darmiyan. Just that it would have become a top 100 instead of a top 10 post :D

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  24. hey yes...refreshed my memory! some of ur comments were hilarious!

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    1. @Lilac: Thank you! :) Glad to have refreshed your memory.

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  25. Haha... all those memories came back running! Hai huku hai huku... lol!!

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  26. Ah, nostalgic! :) And you just touched the tip of the ice-berg, because I'd just crossed my teens when these numbers were doin' the rounds. I have a lot more to go back into my childhood. It'll be a really long walk down that lane :)

    But still, this post is special for me as I'd just fallen in love. :)

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    1. @Sri: Ah, I remember some of the music from the late 80s too, when I was a tiny kid. Perhaps you have some good memories associated with those.. I remember Ek Do Teen, So gaya ye jahan, Tutak tutak tutiya, Prem ka pujari, Disco Dancer.. Hehe, that was some cheesy stuff too!

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    2. Oh yes, and don't forget - 'mujhe neend na aaye', 'khambe jaisi khadi hai' (dil) songs from QSQT, all those Gulshan kumar 'jhankaar beat' numbers (ugh!)..goodness.. :D

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  27. You took me back to my childhood days. Thanks for that!
    I still listen to Hamma Hamma though. It's one of my 'jogging' songs. :)
    But, man! Aati nahi?! Well, no comments. :)

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    1. Hi Karthik! Welcome to The Daily Moo. Ah, hamma hamma is an awesome song! Hehe, I wouldn't want to be seen listening or humming Aati nahin ever!

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  28. your list is just awesome............but u can add some more songs like 'Jhanjhariya' and songs from d movie 'Judwaa'..........neways thanks for d list......

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    1. Thanks Zulekha! Welcome to The Daily Moo. Those were some awesome songs too, thanks for the suggestions.

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  29. That was quite a collection and brought back memories of the good old days:)

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    1. Thanks, Mr.Bhatia! Glad you were able to relive happy memories :)

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