The classic meaning of "item number" refers to highly sexualized songs with racy imagery and suggestive lyrics. 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 length of that song. It was often frowned upon at that point in time. Today, it is a commonly used term with hardly any negative connotations to it.
The term "item number" has now been relaxed to include almost all upbeat dance numbers involving either a woman in clothes that are very revealing, sometimes bikinis or translucent brassieres, or a cameo from a star who is only in the movie for the length of that song. It is a common occurrence for these item numbers to occur in the opening and closing credits of Bollywood films. Presently, there are many exceptions.
"Items Song or Item Number" is a term commonly used in the Indian film industries to describe a catchy, upbeat dance sequence for a song in a movie that has no relevance to the plot of the film. These songs have captured the imagination of the Indian movie-goers and gained in tremendous popularity.
Here is a list of the most popular item songs from Bollywood. I have provided a brief clip of each song to give readers a feel and sense for the pop song. The intention is not to violate or infringe any copyright. The effort to compile this list is purely journalistic in its nature.
If it is a Bollywood movie,there has to be songs. That was the rule some time back. Now there is a new trend. The trend of hot item songs. Every Bollywood movie has an item song these days.
Item songs are basically the sexy songs which have nothing to do with the story of the films but are very critical in terms of pulling crowd. In these songs actresses and models expose like hell.
Item Songs And Fashion
Item songs are filmed on a actress in wet saree, lehanga worn below navel and tight blouse. Some item songs are very sultry and contains sleazy lyrics and some are very sensual and even give a direction to current fashion trends. Like there was an item song "Kajrare Kajrare " filmed on sexy Aishwarya Rai in which song she wore a very tight fitting cleavage revealing blouse. This song got very popular and so was that skimpy blouse among Indian women.
Bollywood films have now become accustomed to "item numbers" or item songs, in which an attractive female character called the "item girl" often completely unrelated to the main cast and plot of the film performs a captivating song and dance number in the film. In older films, the "item number" may be performed by a courtesan, dancing for a rich patron or as part of a cabaret show. The dancer Helen was eminent for her cabaret numbers. In modern films, item numbers are often inserted as discotheque sequences, dancing at celebrations or as stage shows. The music used in such sequences is the upbeat rocking music that attracts the audience.
The classical meaning of "item number" in Indian cinema used to be related as highly sexualized songs with racy descriptions and indicative lyrics. The "item song" would feature an attractive girl who appears in the film as a dancer, usually in a bar or nightclub, and is taken in the film only for the purpose of that song. Earlier this concept was often frowned upon. But, today it is a commonly used with hardly any negative connotations to it.
The term "item number" in modern Indian cinema has now been flexible to include almost all upbeat dance numbers involving either an appealing woman in shiny clothing, or a "guest appearance" from a star and is present in the movie for the length of that song only. It has become quite common for these item numbers to occur in the opening and closing credits of Bollywood films. However, these days, there are many exceptions. Even if the lead or supporting actress dances to an upbeat song in the movie, it is being considered as an item number. For example, Sushmita Sen played an important role in the movie Sirf Tum but she also appeared as an item girl with the song `Dilbar dilbar`.
In the late 1980s, the Ek Do Teen sequence that was added to the movie, Tezaab as an afterthought, transformed Madhuri Dixit and made her a superstar in later years. This song is popular even today and some consider Madhuri Dixit to be the pioneer of the modern trend. But the actual pioneers of this trend is Helen, who did such numbers from as far back as the 1960s, along with other glamour girls like Bindu and Aruna Irani in the 1970s. Actress Urmila Matondkar is one of the most successful item girls, featured in "Chamma Chamma" in the 1998 film China Gate. Although there are many songs that can be called item numbers in the early and mid 1990`s, the term itself became closely associated with the name Shilpa Shetty, when danced for "Main Aai Hoon UP Bihar Lootne" in the movie Shool. Probably, this was the first time Bollywood actually referred to Shilpa as an "item girl" and the scene as a perfect "item number".
Malaika Arora Khan and Yana Gupta are more contemporary item number dancers of Bollywood who are renowned to win the ground, wherever they performed till date. They clearly declared to the media that they don`t want to act in movies since they earn adequate amount of money by just doing one song. Abhishek Bachchan probably became the first "item boy" with his performance in the film Rakht; Shahrukh Khan was also brilliant in his performance as an item boy during the casting of Kaal . However, he earned the label of item number in the true sense of the word with "Dard-e-Disco" in the Farah Khan directed Om Shanti Om where he was shot in typical "item girl" manner with bare six pack abs. He also performed an item number for the lately released movie Krazzy 4. In this film, Hrithik Roshan also has an item number during the end credits.
Many movies use item songs in their films as a marketing tool that is used as a trailer or a teaser to advertise the movie on television music channels. Sometimes reputable female and male actors will offer a special appearance" to an item number to improve the film`s marketability. Item numbers of this type are generally less exposing and have more of a pop flavor.
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