Bollywood songs have always been loved by many. And not only India but across the world, people pick up Indian songs to groove on in their parties. A recent case in point though, is much sensitive when an old disco song, 'Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja' from the film Disco Dancer (1982) has been used by Chinese citizens for their ongoing protest.
Frustrated with COVID-19 curbs, Chinese citizens have been protesting using the beats and lyrics of Jimmy Jimmy. A host of protest videos have been surfacing on the internet which feature "Jie mi, jie mi" which in Mandarin translates to "Give me rice, give me rice" used for ongoing protest.
This is not one of the cases, in the past many Bollywood songs have become sensation on foreign lands.
Mera Joota Hai Japani from Shree 420
Raj Kapoor starrer Shree 420 movie was released in 1956 and the song from the movie Mera Joota Hai Japani composed by Shankar-Jaikishan and sung by Mukesh became a popular song in the Soviet Union due to the mention of Russian hat in the song lyrics 'Sar pe laal topi Rusi'. Not only that, the film became the highest-grossing foreign movie in the Soviet Union box office and a huge hit in Israel and Romania too.
In addition, Ryan Reynolds starrer Deadpool which released in 2016, also used the iconic song in the opening and closing scenes. In the 2013 movie Gravity, British-Indian actor Phaldut Sharma, the voice behind the goofy Indian astronaut Shariff sang Mera joota hai Japani and expressed that the song fits beautifully in the movie.
Kala Chashma from Baar Baar Dekho
Released in 2016, Baar Baar Dekho was exactly opposite to its name and could not do any magic at the box office but Kala Chashma song became an international rage. The song was sung by Amar Arshi, Badshah and Neha Kakkar. Dancers dressed in Peppa Pig costumes shaking their legs to Kala Chashma song.
Watch the video below:
The song also made celebrities like the popstar Demi Lovato, popular TV host Jimmy Fallon, a Norwegian dance troupe also showed their dancing skills through this song.
Dum Maro Dum from Hare Rama Hare Krishna
Dum Maro Dum song from the 1971 film Hare Rama Hare Krishna identified with audiences across India and abroad. Apple at the unveiling of iPhone 13 live event in 2021 chose to play the iconic Dum Maro Dum song. It plays at the background of the video shows a young delivery man fighting the storm on his motorbike on the way to reach customers with the help of iPhone 13.
Watch the song being played at the iPhone 13 launch event below:
The song sung by Asha Bhosle has an altogether different magic and composed by RD Burman. Not only that, Dum Maro Dum became a source of inspiration for many artists all around the world.
Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire
Who can forget the iconic A. R. Rahman's composed Jai Ho song from the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), which brought India its first Oscar in music category. The song was played in almost every part of the world after the movie had its blockbuster run across the world.
The song not only received appreciation from music experts all around the world but also was remade by the Berkley India Ensemble music group with an English interpretation. The song also received the Grammy award for best song written for a motion picture. The song was also played in gyms across the world for a long time. The song was written by Gulzar and sung by Sukhwinder Singh.
Jimmy Jimmy song from Disco Dancer movie
Composed by Bappi Lahiri, the song Jimmy Jimmy was sung by Parvati Khan for the film Disco Dancer. The song has become a new anthem for people in China to protest Covid lockdown. In Mandarin Jie mi, jie mi translates to Give me rice, give me rice.
The song has been used in a video where a girl holding an empty vessel explains the condition of food deprived Chinese citizens even after the lockdown as there was a food curb.
