ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the lyrics of the songs, present the analysis of the songs, and discuss the esthetic of the city as constituted by these songs. It argues that the case of film songs as archives of the city. Hyderabad functioned as the capital city of Hyderabad state, which was a part of the Indian union from 1948 to 1956. The Telugu connection to the city of Hyderabad is thus established using the Andhra history. Film songs in Telugu cinema come at several junctures of the narrative; sometimes they are a device to travel through time and space, sometimes a celebration of the protagonists being in love, sometimes singing the angst of the characters, sometimes as a comic interlude, in short, the situations for songs are infinite. Singing about the power of the rickshaw, the song also pledges its support to the labor class as opposed to the rich and powerful, as symbolized by the motor car.
