Bollywood Classics

While hundreds of movies are made each year in a handful of Indian languages, films in Hindi have more generic appeal, being that it's the national language of India. The Hindi film industry's growing popularity outside of India birthed the term "Bollywood" — a conflation of "Bombay" and "Hollywood." What is Bollywood? Think: flicks packed with color, stunts, melodrama, and, yes, plenty of movie music.

Bollywood music is based on Indian classical and folk styles, but we also hear Western and other influences cropping up. "Chahe Koi Mujhe" is laced with rock 'n' roll energy; "Ae Dil e Nadan" has a distinct Middle Eastern vibe. "Rasik Balma," tuned to Indian classical raga Shuddh Kalyan, is from the movie Chori Chori — based on the 1934 Hollywood blockbuster It Happened One Night.

In Bollywood, songs are used to amplify the moods. Romance, pathos, humor, devotion are enhanced through classical, folk, Ghazal, Qawali, and Bhajans — all styles showcasing the breadth and diversity of Indian culture. Experience Asha Bhosle's unbelievable range in the Ghazal "Dil Cheez Kya Hai." And check out the final song of our playlist, the supremely soulful Bhajan "Ae Malik Tere," featuring the immortal voice of Lata Mangeshkar.

Music plays an integral role in Bollywood — songwriters, music directors, and playback singers exerting a tremendous influence on a movie's box-office fate. With a history stretching back more than half-a-century, Bollywood boasts a cannon containing thousands of songs, so it's difficult to choose a select few. Still, five virtuoso singers — Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar, and Mukesh — have had the biggest impact of all. Our playlist, naturally, spotlights their golden voices, all the while giving plenty of time to some of their most extraordinary peers.