Happy Diwali Songs: The Best Bollywood Diwali Songs to Play Tonight, With Videos
Happy Diwali, everyone!
The house is cleaned (mostly). The rangoli is done (by someone else). The diyas are out and somebody in your family is already asking, "Gaana lagao na."
So here it is. The Bollywood Diwali songs that deserve your speaker tonight, from the retro classics your nani hums to the bangers your cousins will dance to. Every video is right here, so you don't even have to leave the page.
1. Happy Diwali (Home Delivery, 2005)
Let's start with the most literal Diwali song ever made. It's called "Happy Diwali". It says "Happy Diwali". It does exactly what it promises. Composed by Vishal-Shekhar, with Sunidhi Chauhan among the voices, it's pure cheer.
2. Aayi Hai Diwali Suno Ji Gharwali (Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya, 2001)
If you grew up in the 2000s, this is THE Diwali song. Govinda, Juhi Chawla and Tabu, a festival dance, and a Himesh Reshammiya tune sung by Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu, Shaan and more. It's loud, it's silly and it's perfect. This video alone has crossed 50 million views.
3. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham title song (2001)
The emotional one. Lata Mangeshkar's voice, Jatin-Lalit's music and the Raichand family's Diwali. Jaya Bachchan doing the aarti, Shah Rukh Khan arriving by helicopter, because of course he does. Karan Johar basically invented the "big family Diwali" aesthetic with this scene.
4. Jalte Diye (Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, 2015)
A song literally about burning lamps, so it's an easy pick. Himesh Reshammiya's music, lyrics by Irshad Kamil, and a palace full of light with Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor. Sooraj Barjatya does festive warmth better than anyone.
5. Pairon Mein Bandhan Hai (Mohabbatein, 2000)
Okay, it's not strictly a Diwali song, but it turns up on almost every festive playlist for a reason. Jatin-Lalit and Anand Bakshi made something that still fills a dance floor 26 years later. Six young lovers, one strict principal, zero chill.
6. Mele Hain Chiragon Ke (Nazrana, 1961)
Now we go old school. Lata Mangeshkar, music by Ravi, lyrics by Rajendra Krishan, with Raj Kapoor and Vyjayanthimala on screen. "Mele hain chiragon ke" means "fairs of lamps", and it captures a quieter, more tender kind of Diwali.
7. Deep Diwali Ke Jhoothe (Jugnu, 1973)
Kishore Kumar and Sushma Shrestha, composed by S.D. Burman, lyrics by Anand Bakshi, picturised on Dharmendra. This is the one for the 70s fans, playful and a little cheeky.
How to build your Diwali playlist
Start with the classics while the puja is on. Mele Hain Chiragon Ke and the K3G title song set the mood.
Go big after dinner. Aayi Hai Diwali and Happy Diwali are for when the family gets up and dances.
End on the bangers. Pairon Mein Bandhan Hai is the perfect bridge into whatever party songs your cousins demand next.
My take
Here's what I love. Bollywood has been making Diwali songs for decades, and they cover every mood: devotional, romantic, silly, emotional. Our festivals don't have one soundtrack. They have a whole jukebox.
Wishing you and your family a very happy, safe and bright Diwali.
Speaking of songs that never die, read the story of Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja and the Soviet Union. And if you're watching a film tonight, check out the Ramayana box office update.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular Bollywood Diwali song?
Two of the most played are 'Aayi Hai Diwali Suno Ji Gharwali' from Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya (2001) and 'Happy Diwali' from Home Delivery (2005).
Which Diwali song is in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham?
The title song, sung by Lata Mangeshkar and composed by Jatin-Lalit, plays as the Raichand family celebrates Diwali.
Who sang 'Happy Diwali' from Home Delivery?
It was composed by Vishal-Shekhar, with vocals by a group of singers including Sunidhi Chauhan.
What are some old Hindi Diwali songs?
'Mele Hain Chiragon Ke' from Nazrana (1961), sung by Lata Mangeshkar, and 'Deep Diwali Ke Jhoothe' from Jugnu (1973), sung by Kishore Kumar and Sushma Shrestha.
Vishal Waghela is the Co-Founder of AltBollywood and a proud neo-generalist who refuses to pick a lane. Film, music, memes, fashion, AI, internet subcultures: if pop culture touches it, he's already three rabbit holes deep. He writes the way he lives online, loud, emotional, a little chaotic and always honest about why culture makes us feel things. Come argue with him on Instagram at @vishal.waghe1a.
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