Bollywood songs are heard far beyond the borders of India. The lines of Bollywood songs are some of the most memorized and repeated expressions in India. Yet, since Bollywood has not been considered formal literature, the lyrics of the Bollywood songs have not been studied in an academic setting.
The language of the filmi songs can be complex. It is termed Hindi in India and Urdu in Pakistan, though the base language is predominantly Urdu. Many songs are saturated with Persian terms, sometimes in shuddha Hindi. It is not uncommon now to see usage of English words. Several dialects have been used: Braj, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Rajasthani. Occasionally a few lines in another Indian language , or even a foreign language are added for mystery.
Bollywood Top 5 Songs