PIX: The Top 25 Beach Moments in Bollywood
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A backdrop plays a pivotal role in creating the overall impact of a scene. All the better if it is available in the form of clear blue skies, sparkling ocean, gushing waves and silvery sand.
Be it to induce romance, inject glamour, boost drama or simply project an eye-catching environment, the beach does a perfectly great job of enhancing the setting. Whilst most filmmakers view it as an ideal excuse for the heroine to slip in a bikini, there are some who love to weave sinister sequences or philosophical musings against the pensive sea.
Here then, grab a look, in no particular order, at 25 of the most memorable and varied on-the-beach moments of Bollywood.
1. Dostana
Dostana, for all its queer subject matter, is first and foremost an exposition on what beach bodies should be like.
We have photographic evidence of Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham and Shilpa Shetty to make our point.
Image: Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham and Shilpa Shetty in Dostana
2. Qurbani
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Leggy temptress Zeenat Aman, in nothing more than a two-piece swimsuit, steps out of the water only to walk out on boyfriend Feroz Khan in his stylish action drama, Qurbani.
Too bad for FK but not a single guy in the audience complained.
Image: Zeenat Aman in Qurbani
3. Anand
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There's much profundity and probing in Rajesh Khanna's bittersweet albeit touching admissions -- Zindagi kaisi yeh paheli hai -- as he takes a long walk on Mumbai's Juhu beach to reflect over Anand's inevitable fate in Hrishikesh Mukerjee's sentimental tale.
Image: Rajesh Khanna in Anand
4. Awaara
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Imbued with intensity and wildness, one of Awaara's most famous scenes features the celebrated chemistry of Raj Kapoor-Nargis demonstrating its many dimensions or how their lively mockery on the beach abruptly shifts into a stark moment of aggression.
Call it complicated, unpleasant or whatever else you choose to make out of it.
Image: Raj Kapoor and Nargis in Awaara
5. Tashan
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Kareena Kapoor's size-zero outing in Tashan is synonymous with her daring lime-green two-piece and other itsy-bitsy outfits.
Image: Kareena Kapoor in Tashan
6. Saagar
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Dimple Kapadia's seductive return to silver screen in Ramesh Sippy's Saagar is marked by a slo-mo jog or suggestive sigh on Goa's beautiful beaches, captured between sunrise to sunset, in almost everything from a swimsuit to a sari.
Image: Dimple Kapadia in Saagar
7. Dhoom 2
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No point shooting in the city of sun, sand and exotic beaches if there aren't any bikini-clad women, you say?
Dhoom 2, one of the first Bollywood films to be shot in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro, ensures there's no room for complaints courtesy a blazing hot Bipasha Basu and her numerous skimpy avatars.
Image: Bipasha Basu in Dhoom 2
8. Rangeela
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Inspired by the gingery waves and bare sands, Urmila Matondkar lets go of her inhibitions and transforms from a girl-next-door to a sensuous star to the captivating sounds of A R Rahman's Tanha Tanha.
Image: Urmila Matondkar in Rangeela
9. Khamoshi
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Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directorial debut employs the stormy and serene contrasts of the ocean to convey the poignant graph of Khamoshi's story.
Especially hard-hitting is the moment when a deaf-mute Nana Patekar thrusts the cross into the sea to express his anguish following the loss of his little son.
In the final scene, he returns to the shore side to embrace his regained faith.
Image: Manisha Koirala and Salman Khan in Khamoshi
10. Yeh Nazdeekiyan
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Vinod Pande's take on infidelity starring Shabana Azmi, Marc Zuber and Parveen Babi features the late actress at her evocative best, shooting a modelling assignment on, where else, but the beach.
Image: Parveen Babi in Yeh Nazdeekiyan
11. Ek Duuje Ke Liye
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K Balachander's super successful love story of the 1980s is set in the uncorrupted scenery of Goan beaches.
It forms the backdrop for Vasu (Kamal Haasan) and Sapna's (Rati Agnihotri) youthful affections as well as the venue of its tragic demise.
Image: Kamal Haasan and Rati Agnihotri in Ek Duuje Ke Liye
12. Murder
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Their intimate scenes and Sherawat's dare-to-bare act against sizzling Thai beaches, however, is what the musical thriller is best remembered for.
Image: Mallika Sherawat in Murder
13. Shor
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Whether you may or may not recollect Manoj Kumar's Shor, there's just no forgetting Nanda's mellifluous definition of life Ek pyaar ka nagma hai (composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal) even as she dreamily strolls by the beach in the kerchief caper co-starring Jaya Bachchan.
Image: Nanda in Shor
14. Jalwa
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Naseeruddin Shah's turn as a dynamic Mumbai cop trying to hunt down his friend's killers leads to unofficially sneaking out leads concerning the crime mafia of Goa.
His interactions with Johnny Lever and Archana Puran Singh feature many such strategic moments on the beach in Pankaj Parashur's hit remake of Beverly Hills Cop.
Image: Naseeruddin Shah in Jalwa
15. Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa
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A song on the beach is mandatory for any film set in Goa.
Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa obliges on that front and more with Shah Rukh Khan's adorable antics in pursuit of his beloved Anna (Suchitra Krishnamurthy).
Image: Shah Rukh Khan in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa
16. Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya
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This Khan just loves the beach.
Judwaa, Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega, Khamoshi, Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge, God Tussi Great Ho, Wanted, Main Aur Mrs Khanna, Salman Khan is always prancing on desi shores or abroad.
But it's his shirtless, guitar-armed avatar crooning Oh O Jaanejaana in Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya that hits all the right notes.
Image: Salman Khan in Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya
17. Gumnaam
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Loosely inspired by Agatha Christie's novel, And Then There Were None, Gumnaam's mystery packs in all the omnious elements -- deserted island, huge mansion and several characters and their multiple motives.
It is, however, Helen's vivacious jig to Is duniya mein jeena hai on this very foreboding beach that is etched in viewer memory.
Image: Helen in Gumnaam
18. Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai
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In an alternate stuck-on-an-island scenario, the banter between Hrithik Roshan and Amisha Patel leads to much flirtation, song and dance designed to showcase its leads' talents along with the pristine white sands and aqua blue waters of Krabi, Thailand.
Image: Ameesha Patel and Hrithik Roshan in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai
19. Hu Tu Tu
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And the unusual pair of Suniel Shetty and Tabu, going by all the splashing chayi-chhappa-chayis, appears to be making the most of their time off.
Image: Suneil Shetty and Tabu in Hu Tu Tu
20. Dil Chahta Hai
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Away from nagging parents and every care in the world, three BFF take off on a spontaneous vacation in the coastal paradise called Goa.
And that iconic scene of Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna perched atop the Chapora Fort in Dil Chahta Hai continues to be one of the most popular poses to strike at the said location among thick pals.
Image: A scene from Dil Chahta Hai
21. Shaan
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Shaan may not have worked at the box office but Ramesh Sippy's stylish action film is big on edge-of-the-seat thrills.
One of them involves Sunil Dutt's execution, wherein he's chased by pack of blood-thirsty dogs on a remote island and ultimately shot down by the evil Shakaal (played by Kulbushan Kharbanda).
Image: A scene from Shaan
22. Jaanbaaz
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Sridevi transforms into a sari-clad vision, sashaying to Kalyanji-Anandji's spunky melody Har kisiko nahi milta to serenade Feroz Khan by the beach in the swagger-packed, Jaanbaaz.
Image: Sridevi and Feroze Khan in Jaanbaaz
23. Jism
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Jadoo and Nasha prevail as John Abraham-Bipasha Basu steam the screen with their lustful romp around the gorgeous Pondicherry seashore in their first-ever outing together, Jism.
Image: Bipasha Basu in Jism
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