Welcome to Volume 2 of our Flashback Series, where we roll out the red carpet for the songs that walked so today’s chartbusters could run (and occasionally trip on their auto-tune). Today’s rewind button takes us all the way back to 1977 — the year Star Wars hit the screens, Elvis left the building, and Amar Akbar Anthony dropped one of the most iconic qawwalis ever: "Parda Hai Parda." If you haven’t belted this out at a family function or mimed it at a college cultural night, can you even call yourself filmi?
Cue Rishi Kapoor in a sherwani, harmonium in hand, and full qawwal energy. The scene? A crowded open-air mehfil. The mission? Win the heart of the lovely Dr. Salma (played by Neetu Singh). The obstacle? Salma’s overprotective, veil-obsessed father Tayyab Ali (Mukri in peak comic form). The weapon? A qawwali so charming, cheeky, and tuneful that even the dupattas start dancing.
Penned by the ever-poetic Anand Bakshi, composed by legends Laxmikant–Pyarelal, and brought to roaring, melodic life by Mohammed Rafi (and one sneaky line by Amit Kumar for Amitabh Bachchan), Parda Hai Parda is more than a song — it’s an event. It’s equal parts flirtation and celebration, with Rafi in glorious form, riffing like the rockstar he was, and Rishi Kapoor giving peak rom-com lead with side curls bouncing and that mischievous glint in his eye.
Let’s also not forget the genius of Manmohan Desai’s direction — somehow balancing qawwali, secret family reunions, dramatic irony, and comic relief in one scene. As Akbar sings, in strolls Anthony Gonsalves (Bachchan, in his drunk poet avatar) and Bharati (Nirupa Roy), none the wiser that they’re watching their long-lost brother and son. It’s pure Bollywood masala, wrapped in rhythm and rhyme.
And yes — Parda Hai Parda didn’t just dominate Amar Akbar Anthony; it dominated 1977. It ranked #2 on the Binaca Geetmala year-end chart, helped secure Laxmikant–Pyarelal the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director, and got Rafi a nomination for Best Male Playback Singer (though he won for another banger, Kya Hua Tera Wada). That’s the kind of flex only Rafi Saab could pull — nominated twice, wins once, and no one’s mad about it.
What’s more magical? This song has been revamped, reimagined, and referenced in every decade since — from stage parodies to wedding playlists to film homages. But the OG? She still sparkles. Still makes us smile. Still gets the party going.
Because Parda Hai Parda isn’t just about veils — it’s about love busting through them with dholaks, harmoniums, and a wink.
Check Out The Song:-