Who can forget Aishwarya Rai Bachchan dancing in the rain in Barso Re (Guru) or Sridevi's seductive blue sari from Kate Nahin Kat Te (Mr India)? The ethereal, romantic beauty of rain songs are imprinted in our collective memory, and they have been a staple of Hindi cinema over the decades. But the shooting of rain songs is quite the opposite of the romance they portray – with logistical challenges, detailed coordination between production departments and an extensive backend crew that must function in sync. This monsoon, we explain the mechanics of a rain song shoot.

Kareena plays a sex worker in Chameli, but the rain song brought out the child within her. Rain songs are difficult to shoot and you have to constantly coordinate with the cinematographer to get the desired effect and the correct camera exposure. I wanted the set to look very realistic, like a Mumbai street in the rains. Kareena was dancing in a sari and there were several rehearsals before the final take, and the outfit kept getting heavier in the water. But the difficulty did not show on her face. Saroj Khan was the choreographer and she ensured that her dance and expressions were perfect. The film was shot in 28 days and we put aside two days just for this song.

No rain song is complete without rain machines that are used to create what production teams call ‘controlled rain’.

Swapnil Bhalerao, who was the production designer for the new Tip Tip Barsa Paani song from Sooryavanshi, says, “We had around 24 water tankers on set for the shooting of the song. For closeup shots, we use three-four nozzles to shower water over the actors. To ensure hygiene, we use alum to purify the water. Some actors demand that mineral water is used for closeups. If the rain song is being shot in winter, the water must be heated as well. While shooting rain songs in the day is relatively easier, for night shoots we have a safety team to look after the electrical setup. The SFX department is in charge of creating thunder and lightning effects in the song.”

Tip Tip Barsa Paani was shot over four days on a set in Hyderabad.

One crucial aspect of a rain song is the makeup of the actors involved, since it needs to stay in place for hours while the song is shot. Makeup artist Suraj Shekhar Sharma, who oversaw Shraddha Kapoor's makeup during the shoot of Cham Cham, says, “We use waterproof high-definition makeup that does not come off, and a primer and fixer to ensure it stays in place. During shot breaks, we keep an eye out to see if a touchup is required. It’s very important to dry their hair between takes so that an actor doesn’t fall ill.”

Cham Cham, which also featured Tiger Shroff, was shot over four days, partly on a set in Mumbai and at a real railway station in Kerala.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s costume was created from fabric sourced from shops in and around Chor bazar in Mumbai. Antique saris and brocade borders with gharchola and bandhani fabric were chosen to create her ghagra-choli in Guru’s iconic Barso Re song.

“The costumes were sturdy, but I was paranoid that the vintage fabric may disintegrate in the pressure of the artificial rain. There were scenes of her jumping into a river and swimming, and swinging from a tree. She had to wear the costumes through the entire course of the shoot, which lasted a couple of days. It would be a disaster if the colour started running from the fabrics. Luckily though, it all worked out fine,” says Ameira Punvani, costume designer of Guru.

Rs. 25-30 lakh is the per day cost of shooting a rain song, depending on the scale of production

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Dancing in the rain is difficult, as there is always the danger of slipping and falling. Lip syncing to the lyrics and having the correct facial expression can also be tough to pull off. Aesthetics go for a toss and it’s important as a choreographer to remember that the dance steps should not be too difficult for the actors to pull off. I was part of a music video for the song Aao Na sung by Vishal Mishra, where I realized first-hand the difficulty of lip syncing in a rain song

- Terence Lewis, choreographer