Chhath Puja in Hindi Cinema: From the 1961 Landmark Classic Bhaiya to Upcoming Releases

Before modern Bollywood features brought Chhath Puja to the forefront, Phani Majumdar's 1961 film Bhaiya introduced the sacred festival to Indian screens with music by Chitragupt.

The sacred rituals and cultural reverence surrounding Chhath Puja are witnessing a prominent revival across contemporary Hindi cinema. With major theatrical productions embedding the ancient festival into their core narratives, audiences are getting a fresh cinematic glimpse of eastern India's beloved folk tradition. However, bringing bamboo soop baskets, coconuts, and riverbank prayers to the silver screen is not a modern innovation. This visual journey traces its origins back over six decades to a pioneering cinematic work produced in 1961.

Phani Majumdar and the Historic Celluloid Milestone
In 1961, Nalanda Chitra Pratishthan backed an ambitious social drama titled Bhaiya, helmed by acclaimed filmmaker Phani Majumdar. Breaking away from conventional cinematic storytelling of that era, Majumdar achieved an industry first by dedicating narrative depth to the rigorous rituals, evening offerings, and spiritual austerity associated with Chhath.

While Bhaiya was primarily crafted in the Magahi tongue, its dialogue delivery was kept accessible and lucid, ensuring that mainstream Hindi-speaking filmgoers across northern territories could follow the emotional arc seamlessly. The project assembled a formidable ensemble of performers, featuring Tarun Bose, Achala Sachdev, Vijay Choudhary, Padma Khanna, Helen, Shubha Khote, and Ramayan Tiwari. Together, they portrayed the authentic warmth of rural domesticity and community life.

Usha Mangeshkar's Timeless Folk Hymn That Endures
The most lasting cultural contribution of Bhaiya emerged from its musical composition, particularly the devotional hymn dedicated to the sun god, titled Soopwe Nariyarawe Bajali Moori Maiya. Sung with emotional grace by Usha Mangeshkar, the sister of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, the track immediately struck a chord with listeners across heartland communities.

Veteran music composer Chitragupt arranged the soundtrack, capturing the serene devotion and morning mist of village ghats through traditional acoustic structures. The verses were penned collaboratively by Vidyavasini Devi and Prem Dhawan, embedding genuine soil-rooted idioms into every stanza. More than six decades later, this track remains an indispensable anthem during festive gatherings across Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, where loudspeakers continue to reverberate with its opening notes each autumn.

Shifting Mainstream Perceptions of Regional Folklore
Bhaiya entered theatres during an era when commercial Hindi productions rarely focused on regional dialects, local rituals, or rural customs. By weaving an authentic festival directly into a commercial family drama, the production challenged standard formulas and demonstrated that moviegoers eagerly embrace regional authenticity when handled with sensitivity and respect.

This breakthrough laid the foundation for subsequent pastoral masterpieces that explored village bonds and religious gatherings. Landmark cinematic works such as Nadiya Ke Paar and Laagi Naahi Chhoote Rama followed in its thematic footsteps, placing unvarnished rural life, familial devotion, and folk customs at the forefront of mainstream Indian filmmaking.

Modern Interpretations: The One and Yeh Prem Mol Liya
The legacy started by Bhaiya is actively expanding in the 2026 film calendar. In the romantic action drama The One, starring Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia, Chhath Puja plays an essential role in the overarching plot. The production recently unveiled its thematic track Chhathi Maiya, with Bhatia sharing how filming the sequences helped her comprehend the spiritual rigour demanded by the festival. The project is scheduled for its worldwide theatrical debut on September 25, 2026.

Simultaneously, filmmaker Sooraj R. Barjatya has integrated the sunrise offering into his upcoming drama Yeh Prem Mol Liya, pairing Ayushmann Khurrana with Sharvari. The film's title song, unveiled on September 21, 2026, juxtaposes wedding celebrations with traditional Chhath ceremonies on the riverbank. This family-oriented production is slated to arrive in cinemas on November 27, 2026, marking a full circle for the sacred festival on the silver screen.

What this means for you
The integration of regional folk festivals into mainstream cinema revitalizes India's cultural heritage on a pan-national scale while engaging younger generations.

• For Moviegoers: Audiences get to experience authentic traditional festivals portrayed through high-production contemporary visuals. Viewers can watch these depictions in The One starting September 25, 2026, and Yeh Prem Mol Liya on November 27, 2026.
• Cultural Awareness: Younger audiences gain a deeper appreciation of the spiritual and social discipline behind eastern India's primary festival. Mainstream stars representing these rites helps normalize diverse regional customs across all demographics.
• Music Industry Trends: Traditional folk hymns are receiving polished arrangements in major studio albums rather than being restricted to niche regional labels. This brings wider national recognition to historic folk poetry and heritage compositions.
• Boost for Regional Storytelling: Drawing inspiration from early experiments like Bhaiya, modern studios are encouraged to finance stories set in tier-two and rural regions. This creates broader employment opportunities for regional performers and technical crews.

Why this happened
The depiction of Chhath Puja in Hindi films is the continuation of a six-decade-old creative legacy initiated by the 1961 classic Bhaiya, which modern creators are now reviving to bring cultural authenticity to mainstream cinema.

• Historic Precedent: In 1961, director Phani Majumdar took a bold step by showcasing the sacred ritual and folk music of Chhath in his film Bhaiya. The project proved that moviegoers resonate strongly with indigenous cultural practices when depicted with sincerity.
• Contemporary Narrative Demand: Modern filmmakers are turning towards authentic Indian festivities to infuse organic emotion and regional realism into their scripts. Productions like The One and Yeh Prem Mol Liya integrated the festival to anchor their emotional story arcs.
• Audience Evolution: Mainstream audiences increasingly appreciate narratives reflecting family values, pastoral settings, and traditional heritage over generic commercial tropes. Following the lineage of rural classics like Nadiya Ke Paar, filmmakers continue to embrace rural ceremonies to build relatable drama.

Questions & Answers

1. Which film first depicted Chhath Puja on the silver screen?
The sacred festival was first depicted in the 1961 film Bhaiya, directed by Phani Majumdar.

2. Who performed the iconic Chhath song in the film Bhaiya?
The classic hymn was sung by Usha Mangeshkar, with musical composition arranged by Chitragupt.

3. What language was the film Bhaiya produced in and who starred in it?
It was primarily made in the Magahi language and featured actors like Tarun Bose, Achala Sachdev, Vijay Choudhary, and Helen.

4. When will the movie The One release and how does it feature Chhath?
The One will hit theatres on September 25, 2026, featuring Tamannaah Bhatia performing the holy rites of Chhath Puja.

5. Which upcoming Sooraj Barjatya film features Chhath Puja sequences?
Chhath rituals are featured in Sooraj R. Barjatya's Yeh Prem Mol Liya, which is scheduled for release on November 27, 2026.

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