From Tapori to Tantalising: Salman's hit songs over the years

If there's Salman Khan in a film, it goes without saying there will be mass-friendly songs to justify his superstar image. Over his long career, Salman has had a bumper crop of chartbuster numbers, which can be classified from tapori to tantalising (think the towel dance).

The actor may not be the best shaker in show-town, but he has a very unique style, entirely his own invention, which never fails to please his fans. If you've noticed, he has his signature moves; so if in the Dabangg title song he brings the house down by fiddling with his belt, in the upcoming Ready, he puts his hands in his trouser pockets and goes for the booty-shake.

Here's looking at some of Salman's most popular tunes, on which the Sallu fans in your family still dance every time it plays on the radio.

Character Dheela, Ready

One look at the Neeraj Shridhar-rendered number, featured in Anees Bazmee's upcoming comedy Ready, and you know it is vintage Salman.

With Katrina Kaif lookalike Zarine Khan in tow, Salman introduces another of his new moves, by holding his foot in one hand and finger gestures at another. The body-building freak that Salman is, is he exercising, by any chance?  True, the music here is peppy and bears most of the hallmarks of any Rajinikanth film (Ready is, by the way, a remake of a South Indian film).

The couple even do take-off on songs from Shree 420, Sholay and Mughal-E-Azam. Meanwhile, the Dhinka Chika video is quickly turning into another anthem.

One of the biggest hits of Salman's career, Dabangg also features some of the best songs ever picturised on the actor. Amongst them, Hud hud Dabangg takes the cake.

As Salman walks against the backdrop of a setting sun, he announces that the day may be turning into dusk, he has arrived. Next, he breaks into the song-and-dance routine, shaking a leg with the Laalgunj folks. The belt style, as it has come to be known, will be remembered for quite some time now.

Composed by his in-house music director duo Sajid-Wajid, Jalwa is full-on masala, replete with garish close-ups and jazzy moves.

All thanks to Prabhu Deva, the film's director who choreographed it. Watch out for Salman matching steps with the legendary dancer himself towards the end. And of course, the guest performer and Salman's then close buddy, Govinda.

At first, Salman does a Bo Derek, emerging out of the sea, that is. The actor is accompanied in the jamboree by the hyper-energetic Govinda.

Shot entirely on a beach, maybe the virgin seas of Thailand, with bikini-clad girls who look straight out of the Kingfisher calendar, Salman and Govinda make for a good pair. The only hitch (oops, we didn't mean Hitch) is that wish the Love Doctor got the real gal instead of Chi Chi, if only for purely emotional reasons. 

The towel was a bigger sell-out than Salman's rather odd hairdo. The towel act, as it were, became associated with this song in which Salman features opposite Priyanka Chopra. Even today whenever Salman performs on stage, he receives requests to dance on this one.

The song was, incidentally, choreographed by Farah Khan on whose show Tere Mere Beach Mein Salman auctioned the famous towel with an autograph.

The first time Salman-Anu Malik combination worked, it was in this David Dhawan comedy more than a decade ago. Shot like a flashy club number, it's got a very youngish-looking Salman getting jiggy with old favourite Karisma Kapoor.

With cheesy lines like Tan tana tan tan tan tara, chalti hai kya nau se baara, no wonder why it turned out to be such a chart-topper.

While watching Shree 420 on a video in a bus, Salman and co-star Raveena Tandon transport into a dreamy world. Sung beautifully by Lata Mangeshkar and S P Balasubramaniam, this one is one of the better tributes to cinema, especially the classics of Raj Kapoor.

Another song from the same film, Tumse Se Jo Dekhte Hi, is made up of street names in Mumbai. Check out.

A mix of Disco Dancer and MJ's brisk moves, this number from an old-time Salman film showcases his rather early talent to be a successful mass hero.

When looked today, the choreography and shot-taking appears jarring and dated but it represents the times it was set in. Good thing is, it has stuck to our memory. There must be something, ain't it?