and Sujata Bakshi into the background and less prestigious and low budget b-movies. Helen's dominance pushed other vying item number dancers like Madhumati, Bela Bose, Laxmi Chhaya, Jeevankala, Aruna Irani, Sheela R. In addition to her skillful dancing, her anglicised looks too helped further the vamp image. A desi bar number, "Mungda" from Inkaar was also immensely popular. In films like Gunga Jumna and Zindagi the actor performed semi-classical Indian dances in songs like "Tora man bada paapi" and "Ghungarwa mora chham chham baaje". In time Helen would come to be the most popular vamp of the late-50s, 60s and 70s, having had performed in scores of item numbers including such popular songs as " Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo" from the film Howrah Bridge (1958), " Piya Tu Ab To Aaja" from Caravan (1971), "Mehbooba Mehbooba" from Sholay (1975) and "Yeh Mera Dil" from Don (1978) (the song's tune was used in Don't Phunk with My Heart), "O Haseena Zulfon Wali" from Teesri Manzil and " Aa Jaane Jaan" from Intaqam. In the early 50s, Cuckoo introduced the Anglo-Burmese Helen as a chorus girl.
#Old hindi dance numbers plus
The mixture of classical plus contemporary was popularized by Vyjayanthimala in films such as Devdas (1955), Amrapali (1966), Madhumati (1958), Sadhna (1958), Sunghursh (1968) etc. Actress and classical dancer Vyjayanthimala was the one that introduced the classical dance number in Hindi films with her debut film Bahar (1951). Her banner year was 1949 when she was featured in over 17 films performing dances.
Azoorie in the 1930s often performed item numbers Cuckoo was the next popular item dancer in the late 40s. Item numbers had been featured in Bollywood from as early as the 1930s. The item number would feature an item girl who appeared in the film as a dancer, usually in a bar or nightclub, and was only in the film for the duration of that song. The classic meaning of item number refers to highly sexualized songs with racy imagery and suggestive lyrics. This is because item in Mumbai film slang is used by Indian men to objectify women. Sometimes, established female and male actors will appear in item numbers (a phenomenon billed as a "special appearance" by that actor).Īlthough the origin of the term "item number" is obscure, it is likely that it derives its meaning from objectification of women. Item numbers usually feature one or more persons other than the lead actors. However, second-generation South Asian women are more commonly featured in item numbers than men.
Ī female actor, singer, or dancer, especially someone who is poised to become a star, who appears in an item number is known as an item girl (there are item boys as well).
It is thus a vehicle for commercial success that ensures repeat viewing. They are favoured by filmmakers as they afford the opportunity to pick potential hit songs from the stocks, since they do not add to the continuity of the plot. The main aim of an item number is to entertain movie-goers and to lend support to the marketability of the film by being featured in trailers. The term is commonly used within Indian films ( Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Bengali) to describe a catchy, upbeat, often sexually provocative dance sequence for a song in a movie. In Indian cinema, an item number or item song is a musical number inserted into a film that may or may not have any relevance to the plot. Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali and Punjabi cinema
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