10 Flop Bollywood films that gave us songs we still love

Box office numbers can be brutal, but a bad run in theatres doesn’t always mean a film’s songs go unheard. Bollywood has a long list of movies that sank quickly and still left behind tracks people kept playing for years. Here are some of the best examples of flop Bollywood films that gave us hit songs.

Shaandaar

With fairytale sets and fairytale stars, this Alia Bhatt and Shahid Kapoor film promised a lot, but neither critics nor audiences were won over. The music was a different story. Amit Trivedi’s soundtrack kept the big Indian wedding mood alive, and hardly anyone can say they haven’t danced to “Gulabo” or “Nazdeekiyaan”. “Shaam Shaandaar” was just as popular, and these songs stayed on the charts for a long time and became staples at shaadis and sangeets.

Jhoom Barabar Jhoom

Even a star-studded cast and Amitabh Bachchan’s special appearance could not turn Jhoom Barabar Jhoom into a box-office success. The film, however, delivered an album that found plenty of listeners in 2007. From the energetic title track ‘Jhoom Barabar Jhoom’ and ‘Ticket To Hollywood’ to the romantic ‘Bol Na Halke Halke’, the music turned out to be one of the film’s biggest highlights. It remains a good example of flop films that gave us hit songs that audiences continued to enjoy.

Anwar

If you remember 2007, you probably remember “Tose Naina Lage” and “Maula Mere Maula”. Both stayed popular for ages. The film they came from, Anwar, is largely forgotten, and it never won people over the way its music did.

Paap

John Abraham and Udita Goswami starred in this beautifully made film that still struggled at the box office. Its soundtrack, however, gave us “Lagi Tumse Mann Ki Lagan” and the fierce, powerful “Garaj Baras”. The music was a clear success even if the movie wasn’t.

Raavan

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan together couldn’t save this film from becoming a box office disaster. A.R. Rahman’s score was hard to ignore, though. “Behne De” and “Beera” captured the darkness and adventure of the story without you ever needing to watch it, and judging by the collections, not many did.

Yuvvraaj

With Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Zayed Khan and Katrina Kaif in its cast, Yuvvraaj had plenty of star power but failed to connect with audiences. The Subhash Ghai film may not have worked commercially, but its music offered several memorable moments. Songs like ‘Tu Meri Dost Hai’ and ‘Tu Muskura’ stood out for their melodies and vocals, making it one of those flop films that gave us hit songs worth revisiting.

Baar Baar Dekho

Everyone knows the playlist was this film’s saving grace. Without “Kala Chashma” and romantic numbers like “Sau Aasman” and “Dariya”, it would have been a blink-and-miss release despite its stellar cast.

Fitoor

Another Katrina Kaif film that didn’t sit well with viewers. Fitoor had good looks, great cinematography, soothing music, and fine lyrics, but the story put the audience to sleep.

Also read: 10 Expensive Bollywood song sequences that turned into unforgettable screen moments

Roy

Despite featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Jacqueline Fernandez, Roy failed to perform as expected at the box office. Its music proved to be a different story. The soundtrack gave us ‘Sooraj Dooba Hain’, ‘Tu Hai Ki Nahi’ and ‘Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan’, all of which became popular among listeners. While the film struggled to hold the audience’s attention, its songs remained in rotation, with ‘Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan’ becoming a favourite at weddings and celebrations.

Saawariya

You may or may not like Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s films, but his music is hard to criticise. Saawariya, which marked the debut of Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor, suffered at the box office. Still, “Saawariya”, “Jab Se Tere Naina” and “Masha-Allah” found a permanent place on our playlists, proving once again that flop films that gave us hit songs often end up being remembered for the songs alone.

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