Ganeshotsav celebrations that inspired iconic Bollywood scenes

With a pulsating beat, earnest gratitude, and devotion, Bollywood films have always celebrated Ganesh Utsav. The devotees have not acknowledged the auspicious festival, but religiously embraced the essence in the films – while the plot shapes the destiny of the characters. Many films revolved around a moment where the lead characters go through a transformation period, either to enlighten a point or portray a change in the protagonist’s confidence, who desperately needed help from the lord himself. Let’s take a look at the Ganeshotsav celebrations that inspired iconic Bollywood scenes!

The unforgettable song ‘Mourya Re’ from the film ‘Don’ connected the hearts of millions of devotees, pleading the lord to be back soon. Shah Rukh Khan, portraying Don and masquerading as his doppelganger, dances along the festive procession – introducing the character of Vijay. The character is a part of a band, and subsequently a part of Boman Irani’s De Silva’s elaborate plan to chase the untamable Don. Adding to the heartfelt emotion, Shankar Mahadevan’s melodious voice leaves the audience in awe.

The iconic song ‘Deva Shree Ganesha’ brings a turning point in Hrithik Roshan’s Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, where he gains the strength to avenge his pain. With fast-paced beats and a fierce attitude, Sanjay Dutt’s Kancha Cheena finds himself perplexed and diabolical – leading to the exceptional climax. The devotional song was captured masterfully by the renowned brothers Ajay-Atul, channelling the essence of the Ganesh Visarjan perfectly. ‘Agneepath’ made every viewer on the edge of their seats, and the impactful scene took a notch even further, making the hearts thump.

‘ABCD 2,’ along with the previous instalment, ‘ABCD,’ involved the unmatchable choreography dedicated to Lord Ganapati. From the rapid beats where the dancers didn’t miss any, to portraying the lord’s figure in a set, the films gave a soulful tribute to the heritage. In ‘ABCD 2,’ the actors performed ‘Hey Ganaraya’ at the high-stakes competition, cracking the position despite having multiple problems. With the fusion of styles and rhymes, Divya Kumar’s song sequence is hailed to be one of the greatest.

The love triangle cascades into an action sequence, where Deepika Padukone’s Mastani fights for her life, and Priyanka Chopra’s Kashibai faces a despairing dilemma. ‘Gajanana’ by Sukhwinder Singh provides a powerful backdrop to the sequence of devotion and betrayal. Meanwhile, Ranveer Singh’s Peshwa Bajirao performs a heartfelt aarti in devotion to the lord. The prominent song gives a parallel to the internal struggle, heightening the tension.

In ‘Sarkar 3,’ Amitabh Bachchan himself sang in the ‘Ganpati Aarti’ – blending devotion with his robust voice. Bachchan’s Sarkar performs an aarti with a grand celebration, involving a high-octane band and dancers, without knowing the goons would be opening fire on the scene soon. While he survived the assassination attempt, the action sequence marks a turning point in the plot. The song shows the lengths to which the powerful people would go for the sacred position.

The song ‘Shendur Lal Chadhayo’ gives a perfect contrast to the situation, where the family pleads the lord to remove obstacles in devotion, while Sanjay Dutt’s Raghu has entered the detrimental world. ‘Vaastav: The Reality.’ Meanwhile, the danger is set ahead of Dutt in the plot, where he and his family could face potential risk from the enemies. Jatin-Lalit’s song creates a ray of hope in the film, creating a plot twist of highs and lows.