Happy (belated) Birthday, Neetu Singh!

Two years ago, I had wanted to do a post on Neetu Singh but just ended up wishing her. Though I saw Do Kaliyaan that weekend, I couldn’t review it .

When I saw her at IIFA awards last week (on TV, of course!), I was just gazing at her, mesmerized. And I had promised myself to do a post dedicated to her. So, here I am!

I started with this post last week but couldn’t complete it because I got distracted and ended up watching her songs and interviews on youtube all day. Hopefully, I’ll be able to to finish it and publish it today.

Neetu, is one of the most bubbly and chulbuli actors till date. She looks good with all her co-actors but I personally feel she was at her best with Rishi. They are cuteness personified. In this post, I’m focussing on her solo songs. I know, she has featured in some of the best duets, but might as well save them up for some other occasion. For now, it’s her solo songs :

1. Bachche mann ke sachche (Do Kaliyan, 1968) : Too preachy at places, but cant help admiring the innocence of childhood either. Neetu looks super cute – simple and sweet, arrogant and proud all at the same time. I like the other version of this song better, it’s picturisation looks more natural and Neetu’s expressions are adorable but unfortunately it’s not her singing it on screen.

2. Jaa ri hawa chhed teri mohe nahin bhaye (Shatranj Ke Mohre, 1974) : She was a child actress just a few years ago and here she’s singing and dancing as a leading lady. Feels like she grew up right in front of our eyes! This is such a sweet and melodious song and she looks super cute dressed as a village belle. It’s such a carefree song – the way she goes around jumping around and dancing in the fields, wishing she was a butterfly. A live example of :
Madhosh ada yeh alhadpan
Bachpan to abhi rootha hi nahin

3. Kal raat usne sapne mein mujhe chheda ( Hawas, 1974) : She was in   “Main wohi, darpan wohi, Na jaane yeh kya hua, Sab kuch laage naya naya phase in the song above and now it’s the next phase. A typical gang of girls song. A girl sharing her dream with her girlfriends and enacting her lover. It’s more of a wishful thinking than a complain on her part. Very beautifully expressed and picturised with so much of masti. Everytime I see this song, it reminds me of my hostel days. Never knew this song  back then so never sang it but all the gossip about the latest crushes in girl’s hostel used to be a lot of fun. Even today, when we all get-together or just talk on the phone we laugh so much about those days and keep wondering how all those guys would react if they ever get to know how much they were discussed 😉

4. Nahin nahin jaana nahin (Zindadil, 1975) : A lovely song picturised against a very picturesque background on a very beautiful day and on one of the best couples ever! How long could Rishi resist her when she was singing and  pursuing him with so much of love. I love this song, I love Neetu in this, love her outfit, her boots – in short I love everything about this song.

5. Shyaam salona main hoon gori (Sharafat Chhod Di Maine, 1976) : There’s Hema dancing to it in parts, but that’s in Feroze’s memory and like the rest of the audience seated there, I choose to see only Neetu. No offence, I do love Hema  and she’s a great dancer but I haven’t come across any other song yet that features Neetu in this avataar.  Have seen her dancing to lots of other dance forms but not a classical. And any song, dance on Radha, Shyam and Gopis is always such a treat to watch, it’s one of my favourite themes. And this song (lyrics, dance, actors) does a complete justice to the theme.

6. Abhi zara si der mein (Maha Badmaash, 1977) : Ever since I have seen this song I’ve wanted to watch this movie. The name of the movie itself is pretty intriguing, has a very good-looking star-cast, a lovely song and a mysterious plot (at least that’s what this song suggests). She carries herself equally well in this hot and seductive number.

7. Tere bin kaise din (Priyatma, 1977) : Here’s Neetu emoting the song more than lip-syncing it. Her eyes speak volumes here –  her expressions bringing out the depth of the song, the sorrow is so well portrayed.

8. O chanda jiya chahe (Yuvaraaj, 1979) : Wishing to steal away the moon so that she could brighten up the night with it’s moonlight. And I feel like singing ek raat mein do do chaand khile, dono ke dono mere monitor pe, esp at 1:11 😛

The first time I heard this song, especially the first 2 lines, I was like – isn’t that exactly what chanda already does?  Then thought may be she wanted to preserve and lighten up the night on new moon. But by the time the song got over, I had fallen for it – Tu ho toh andhera bhi lagta hai bada pyaara – Haye haye! And I just had to see the video to like it even more.

9. Jhootha kahin ka (Jhootha Kahin Ka, 1979) : The chemistry these two share – be it romance, roothna-manana, sataana, jhagadna, or playing pranks, they are simply the best! She is a darling with that glint of mischief in her eyes.

10. Meri dooron se aayi baarat (Kaala Pathhar, 1979) : Well, this one’s not actually a solo song, a part of it is in chorus. But it’s Neetu’s song all way through, inspite of it being a multi-starrer. Songs at weddings are always so much fun (except for the ones on Vidaai). The color and flavour of this song is just so beautiful.

She was cute, sweet, beautiful, hot, had a great sex appeal and was a good actor too. She looks gorgeous even today and looks too young to be a grandmother.
At the age when other girls start thinking of making a career in movies, she retired to make a home.  And in the few years that she worked she earned a name, a place for herself in the industry and left a mark behind. We all love and admire her for her work, for what she is and for how she is. Here’s wishing her a great life ahead!