A nostalgic journey through Hindi cinema’s influence on youth, filled with music, movies, and the emotional turbulence of growing up. Sharad Raj writes…

Growing up with Hindi cinema, from iconic films like Johny Mera Naam and Love Story to unforgettable music by R.D. Burman, shaped the emotional landscape of an entire generation. For many, these films and their soundtracks provided a romanticized escape from everyday life, becoming the backdrop for teenage dreams, crushes, and friendships. Hindi film songs from the 80s and 90s, such as Disco Deewane, Rocky, and Ek Duje Ke Liye, still evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminding us of the joys and struggles of adolescence. Discover how Bollywood shaped filmmaker Sharad Raj’s coming-of-age story through music, movies, and youthful daydreams.

In his autobiography Apropos of Nothing, Woody Allen reflects on the vast influences and experiences of watching diverse films, musicals, and theatre productions. He absorbed almost every popular form of entertainment in his youth, and these experiences shaped his early years. Similarly, my exposure to cinema began at a young age, largely influenced by my family’s habit of being compulsive weekend moviegoers.

Early Encounters with Hindi Cinema: A Child’s Perspective

One of my earliest memories of cinema is watching Johny Mera Naam, where Pran's menacing portrayal had me clinging to my mother. His iconic line “Bol tera asli naam kya hai?” and Dev Anand’s persistent reply “Johny” left a lasting impression. Another vivid memory involves a morose Amitabh Bachchan in films like Abhimaan and Mili. At seven or eight years old, I found these films dull, yawning through the songs, oblivious to the charm of Amitabh that I would later grow to admire.

Everything changed with the release of Kumar Gaurav and Vijeta Pandit’s Love Story in 1981. R.D. Burman’s music, Amit Kumar’s voice, and Kumar Gaurav’s boyish charm captivated my heart. This was the first audio cassette I bought, and I played it repeatedly on my mono tape recorder, the eighties’ technology of choice. This was also the time of my first crush, leading to sleepless nights filled with thoughts of Love Story songs and my own teenage daydreams. Eventually, the burden of unreciprocated love forced me to focus on my Class 10 board exams, but Hindi film music had permanently taken root in my life.

Teenage Dreams and Musical Fantasies: A Bollywood Soundtrack

The sensation of Nazia Hassan’s Disco Deewane, Rocky starring Sanjay Dutt and Tina Munim, and Ek Duje Ke Liye soon followed. Despite initial resistance to a South Indian star in a Hindi film, Ek Duje Ke Liye won me over, and Rati Agnihotri became my new crush. A few years later, Sunny Deol and Amrita Singh’s Betaab stirred teenage angst further, as star sons like Sanjay Dutt and Sunny Deol made their mark. However, Kumar Gaurav, despite his early promise, faded away after a string of flops. Yet the magic of the music remained.

These films were far from cinematic masterpieces, but they perfectly encapsulated the ecstasy and agony of growing up. From 15 to 21, life felt like a Bollywood party, with Hindi film songs shaping our fantasies and bridging the distance in an all-boys school, where interactions with girls were rare. These songs filled our dreams, giving us a heightened sense of self-worth, and helped us navigate the complexities of teenage emotions.

Whether it was sitting next to the girl you admired on the bus or analysing a smile that lingered for an entire week, these songs created an emotional landscape that was far removed from reality but nonetheless filled with wonder. At sleepovers, we’d play these romantic tracks in the background and dissect every smile, each verse giving voice to our fantasies. From “I am sixteen going on seventeen” to “Aap jaisa koi meri zindagi mein aaye,” these songs marked a time of innocent dreams and growing up.

Those were indeed the good days while growing up.

For further reading, you might enjoy exploring Bombay Cinema: An Archive of the City by Ranjani Mazumdar, which dwells on the cultural impact of Bollywood. You could also check out Bollywood and Globalization: The Global Power of Popular Hindi Cinema by David J. Schaefer for more insight into how these films influenced youth across the world.