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The nineties was the golden era of music and dance in the history of Indian cinema, whose tunes even today, when played at weddings, parties and clubs, force people to dance. When ‘Hero Number One’ Govinda’s unmatched comic timing and energetic dancing style came together on the big screen with the powerful charisma and charm of the megastar of the century, Amitabh Bachchan, there was such a storm of applause and whistles in the theaters that the audience has not been able to forget till date. Today we are reliving the memories of one such historical chartbuster song of the 90s, which became the national dance anthem of the entire country as soon as it was released. The biggest USP of this song was that in it, veteran actress Ramya Krishnan, who gained global fame by playing the immortal character of Rajmata ‘Shivgami’ in today’s pan-India blockbuster film ‘Baahubali’, was seen in such a bold, charming and enthusiastic dancing avatar that the audience of that time was forced to gnash their teeth.
The action-comedy film ‘Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan’, released in 1998 under the direction of director David Dhawan, proved to be a huge blockbuster at the box office. In this film, the pairing of Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda made the audience laugh out loud. Raveena Tandon and Ramya Krishnan were seen in the lead female roles opposite both the veterans in the film. Every song from the film ruled the chartbeats, but one song—’Makhna’—emerged as the biggest musical sensation of that year. This song was not just a track, but became a part of 90s pop-culture, whose echo was heard day and night on every TV music channel, cassette player and radio station of that time. Even today, when this song is played, people automatically start dancing on its beats.
The reason behind the popularity of the song ‘Makhna’ was the hard work and extraordinary jugalbandi of the veteran artists of the Indian music world. This explosive track was graced with the magical voices of three of Bollywood’s most popular playback singers—Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik and Sudesh Bhosle. Sudesh Bhosle brought Amitabh Bachchan’s voice to life on screen in his signature style, while Udit Narayan’s tinkling voice added to Govinda’s bubbly style. At the same time, Alka Yagnik’s sweet and naughty singing gave that freshness to the female voices which made this song dear to every heart. The lyrics of the song were written by well-known lyricist Sameer, and the hook line written by him ‘Mere Pyaar Ka Ras Zara Chakhna, Oye Makhna’ was so catchy, simple and infectious that this song settled forever on the tongues of everyone from children to elders.
Composer Viju Shah, who was known for his modern synthesizers, western electronic beats and fast-paced rhythms at that time, gave ‘Makhna’ a unique fusion sound that was far ahead of the traditional songs of that time. The peppy tempo of the song, the mix of Dholak and synth-pop was so powerful that as soon as the song was released, it went straight to the number 1 position on the then chartbusters like All India Radio and Binaka Geetmala. The screen chemistry between Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda was at its peak in this song. The imitation of steps, facial expressions and fun dancing Jugalbandi between the two created a pleasant atmosphere on the screen, which has rarely been replicated in Indian cinema.
Today’s young generation knows and worships Ramya Krishnan as her serious, regal and powerful character ‘Rajmata Sivagami’ in SS Rajamouli’s historical film ‘Baahubali’. But in the 90s, Ramya Krishnan had established a very glamorous, bold and bubbly image in Hindi cinema. In ‘Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan’ she was cast as the romantic lead opposite megastar Amitabh Bachchan. Ramya Krishnan’s dancing style in the song ‘Makhna’ and her glamorous western look became a topic of great discussion at that time. The confidence, beauty and energy with which Ramya danced in sync with seasoned dancers and performers like Govinda and Amitabh made the song a memorable visual treat. Even today, when this old dancing video of hers goes viral on social media and Instagram reels, lakhs of fans are surprised and fascinated by seeing this old incarnation of ‘Shivgami Devi’.
Another biggest highlight of this song was the sudden appearance of Bollywood’s dancing queen Madhuri Dixit on the screen. A very spectacular, attractive and unexpected special cameo of Madhuri Dixit was placed at the end of the song. When Madhuri Dixit enters at the climax of the song, both Amitabh and Govinda go crazy about her and start dancing. This few-minute cameo of Madhuri took the energy of the entire song to a different level, which forced the audience to stand up and dance in the theatres.
‘Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan’ is considered a cult classic not only for its songs but also for its unique screenplay and tremendous situational comedy. The story of the film revolves around two honest police officers (Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda) and two cunning and witty thieves with similar faces. Having two Amitabhs and two Govindas in the same frame was such a double dose of laughter for the audience that it set new records in box office earnings. Such a web of misunderstandings was woven where policemen are mistaken for thieves and real thieves have fun impersonating police.
Amidst this tremendous humor, the sequence of the song ‘Makhna’ makes the entire plot of the film more entertaining and lively. Even after decades have passed, today when the old memories of 90s songs are refreshed in the era of OTT and YouTube, ‘Makhna’ is always seen standing at the top in the list of best dance tracks of that era. This song proves that when great music, timeless singing, and the dedication of legendary artists come together, the art transcends the boundaries of time and becomes immortal forever.