Strings of Storytelling
How Music makes Narratives in Bollywood
We all have an interesting connection with storytelling. We crave narratives that captivate us, spark our curiosity, and keep us engaged. One of my favourite forms of storytelling is Filmi Music.
From the inception of Bollywood, songs have been an indispensable part of cinema, and their significance extends far beyond entertainment. It’s also interesting to note that in the entire history of bollywood fewer than 10 films without songs have been declared hits, showcasing a kind of popularity and longevity unprecedented in its reach and intensity of appeal. Bollywood songs function as more than just musical interludes; they are narratives, storytelling devices, and marketing tools. While they’re created for specific movies, they have a very independent life of their own.
Bollywood music is a delicious combination of four distinct art forms: Music, Poetry, Screenplay, and Picturization. Music is often a hand in hand combination of instrumental and vocal. Music combined with poetry creates something far more appealing. The lyrics are often penned down as dialogues of characters disguised as poetry, they speak volumes to the character, add great value to the narrative and are a big part of the screenplay. The screenplay consists of often very complex choreography accompanied by picturisation. The final addition to this is the storyline which consists of the characters and the plot.
The Hindi film song, far from being a musical number, acts as a narrative device that seamlessly weaves into the fabric of films across genres. In the context of a movie, the role of music goes beyond melody; it’s a storytelling device. Songs often serve dual purposes, providing not just musical entertainment but also visual cues that reference the past or hint at future sequences. For instance, a hero singing at a party might be juxtaposed with a police team en route to arrest him, or a heroine mourning her lost love may foreshadow a reunion.
One of my favourite examples of well-executed Bollywood music is a song from the 1962 film CID. In this scene, Waheeda Rehman tries to hide the fugitive ex-cop Dev Anand in her house by charming the villain in search of him. Starting from the moment you hear the sound of Waheeda’s payal, to the clever choreography and the lyrics that literally divert the wandering eyes with “Kahin pe nigahein, kahin pe Nishana,” it stalls enough time for the hero to find an escape.
This is Filmi Music — a combination of music, screenplay, dance, choreography, and plot. These layered narratives within the music sequences add depth and intrigue, keeping the audience captivated. Although none of this probably applies to Bollywood music created past the 2000s, the art is still something to be admired.
While these are individually appreciated by niche audiences, the fusion of these elements has allowed Bollywood filmmakers to make this art accessible to a wider audience. It has transformed what was once considered elite into a cultural phenomenon that resonates with the masses.
The collaborative creativity, layered narratives, and fusion of art forms within Bollywood’s musical landscape offer many lessons. Storytelling makes a difference. When well-told, stories allow people to empathise with them, understand them, and connect with them.
Storytelling creates a compelling narrative for who we design for. It bridges the gap between users and brands. Design has the ability to tell a story in a way that speaks to people at an emotional level. Your story is the plot and the picturization of the visual language. Like a Bollywood song, storytelling is a combination of various elements, from your brand story to visual language, tone of voice, and more.
