A large part of India gets more than 75% its annual rainfall during the monsoon season which runs from June through September. This rain provides much-needed water for agriculture, hydro-electric power, potable water, and other important purposes. In the drier regions of India you can still find working stepwells - such as that picturized in the 2005 film Paheli - which were built centuries ago as a means to collect water during the monsoon season for use year-round.
It's no wonder that rain is a standard feature in Bollywood films. Sometimes rain is enjoyed. Item numbers are purposely performed in the rain (see, "Singin' in the Rain: 5 Favorite Bollywood Rain Dances"). In other stories, rain is seen as leading to flooding and destruction as in the films My Name is Khan (2010) or Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola (2013).
In Yash Chopra's 2004 romantic drama Veer-Zaara, rain makes a frequent appearance as a participant in the joys and sorrows of Indian Squadron Leader Veer Pratap Singh (Shah Rukh Khan) and Pakistani Zaara Haayat Khan (Preity Zinta).
Here are some of the scenes where rain plays a role.
A free-spirited Zaara dances in the rain in the courtyard of her home in Lahore, Pakistan while her governess or "Bebe" (Zohra Sehgal) looks on ...
... the same courtyard where Zaara learns that her Bebe is dying.
On their way to Kiratpur, Veer and Zaara take refuge from the torrential rain under a tarp on a wagon - and snack on sugar cane.
A guard takes shelter from the rain outside Veer's jail cell ...
... while inside the cell, the rain can be heard in the background as Saamiya Siddiqui (Rani Mukjerji) offers Veer some sweets made by her mother.
A downpour of rain can't stop Zaara from daydreaming of Veer - dreams which are taking over all her waking moments ...
... and despite trying, Zaara can't run away from her thoughts of Veer.
At the shrine, a storm breaks and in the downpour Zaara sees the solitary figure of Veer ...
In the rain, Veer's bus traveling from Lahore to Amritsar loses control on the wet mountain road.
Veer and Zaara are once again united ...
... and once again separated ...
Read more about the film Veer-Zaara and its stars Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta.