When Radio Played Cupid: Bollywood, FM And The Language of Love Ft Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Abhimaan

Vidya

Balan’s energetic ‘Good Morninnnnnnnnng Mumbai’ from Lage Raho Munna Bhai was the socket we needed to charge our brain cells.Radio has been a part of the Indian entertainment sector for decades. Its evolution is remarkable. From being an important source of news and live commentary to becoming a companion for long drives and road trips, radio came to India in the early 1920s. It soon integrated itself in India's cultural ethos.

Radio and matchmaking

February 13 is celebrated as World Radio Day. Bhoole Bisre Geet, Binaca Geetmala and Chhayageet evoke nostalgia that no present shows can replicate. Hindi cinema has over the years told stories that placed radio as the narrative catalyst - Abhimaan, Anurodh and Lage Raho Munna Bhai.

Radio dating > Virtual relationships

Before the era of virtual dating and blind dates, radio connected wavelengths of love from one corner of the country to the other. The only biodata known for the person’s voice and emotions expressed through the vocal cords. The innocence of expressing love through poetry gets captured in films such as Anurodh. Weaving simple words into the fabric of melody is an art and the song Aate Jate Khoobsurat Awara is a rare feat. In the film, the accidental meeting of Arun (Rajesh Khanna) and Sunita (Simple Kapadia) is expressed through the song. He is a singer on a local radio. Their first meeting as strangers is immortal. The song proves that love can be expressed through simple words that resonates with the radio audience.

First love and the simplicity of Lage Raho Munna Bhai

When strangers fall in love, there is no emotional baggage. When radio becomes the medium, its simplicity shines through. Similarly, iIn Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Murli a.k.a Munnabhai (Sanjay Dutt), instantly feels an emotional pull towards Janhvi (Vidya), a radio jockey. Mahatma Gandhi is the cupid in their love story. Her voice comforts Munna, who is deprived of feminine warmth.

Experiencing love once again

Bollywood, back in the day, crafted tender romantic moments with radio as the official spokesperson of love. Do you remember the soulful Saawan Ke Jhooloe Pade from Amitabh Bachchan and Rakhi’s Jurmana? The Lata Mangeshkar rendition captures the melancholy of lost love. Its redemption? Rekindling of romance when hope is bleak. Speaking of finding lost love, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan’s Abhimaan song Piya Bina does the magic that conversations can’t. While she pursues her singing career, he listens to her voice after the separation. Jealousy gets eliminated, and love blooms in glory once again. Radio brings lovers together and, in some cases, it holds a mirror to self-love.

Self-love is also love

Tumhari Sulu is the best example of that. The majority of action happens within a radio station, where Sulu, a middle-class homemaker, learns to prioritise herself years after being taken for granted. She becomes a radio jockey of a call-in show aired at night. Sulu challenges patriarchal norms with her thoroughly entertaining chats.

The humble radio that would be kept in a corner of the house, just to listen to songs, cricket commentary, world updates and news, has many hidden superpowers. Love through radio waves is an interesting, relatable and practical concept to explore. Madhuri Dixit's Pooja in Dil To Pagal Hai says, "Kahin na kahin, koi na koi mere liye banaya gaya hai, aur kabhi na kabhi main usse zaroor milungi," and when radio becomes the medium, walking into an unknown, surprising and experimental direction of love is even more exciting. On Valentine's Day eve, would you trust radio to find a partner?