RMIM Puraskaar
Top Film Songs
क्रम
Rank
गीत
Song
संगीतकार, गीतकार, गायक
Music Director, Lyricist, Singer(s)
अंक
Score (5)
ज्यूरी की राय
Jury's say (Expand or Collpase all)
1

मैं तुम्हारा  (दिल बेचारा)

mai.n tumhaaraa (Dil Bechara)

Tags: angst, ballad, belonging, dark, dreamy, dulcet, flute, kashish, mature, melancholic, muted, pensive, poignant, reassurance, regret, romantic, romantic: soulful, sad, soft, somber, soulful, stirring, vocal acrobatics

ए आर रहमान
A R Rahman

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

जोनिता गाँधी, हृदय गट्टानी
Jonita Gandhi, Hriday Gattani

3.47
A prayer about eternal love, life. Makes you feel the passage of time and seasons. Such a carefully constructed piece with minimum yet precise arrangement - that flute! In a largely harmony based album, this one's the winner. -Anup

Tugs at your heartstrings at the very first hearing. Best song on the album. -Anish

The soul of Dil Bechara. Only great composers like Rahman who have faith in the melody they’ve composed would opt for a minimal background orchestration. Hriday and Jonita pour their heart into this stirring composition. The song soars even higher when Hriday croons ‘Main jaaDon ke mahine ki tarah, aur tum ho pashmine ki tarah’. Awesome lyrics by Amitabh. It’s one of the finest songs of the year! -Mihir

Lovely melody. -Aditya

Main Tumhara is yet another AR showcase of stunning vocal harmonies, only that this one is mellower, deeper and somber when compared to Khulke. Navin's flute, the keys and Jonita lift up Hriday's soaring vocals in the Antara and what an unusual Antara it is : That dip in the melody before Hriday and Jonita launch into the Jadon ki Mahine ki tarah line is captivating and is my favorite portion of the song. -Krithikaa

The best song of this album. "मैं जाड़ों के महीने की तरह, और तुम हो पशमीने की तरह, मैं दीवारों की तरह हूँ, तुम जैसे हो दरीचा, मैं बगीचा, जो तुमने सींचा" - Bahut bahut bahut umda! Bravo Ambitabh!! -Akanksha

Anything said about this song is too little. Jonita and Hriday complement each other beautifully, while Rahman's minimal but exquisite arrangements make the song sound grander with every subsequent listen. Flutes, strings, piano -- it all makes for an opulent listen. Amitabh writes apt metaphorical lyrics that give you goosebumps. -Rujul

This song takes time to grow on you. Jonita is good. -Vaishali

Simple and joyous, it converys emotions with a surprising honesty and purity. -Svetlana

I hriday Hriday's voice :). -UVR

Affectingly sung by Gattani. But feels like it drops off abruptly. -Trisha

There's a pervading sense of loss, the flute interludes are good but you get a feeling the song is searching for something deep and not finding it. -Subrat

Some excellent lyrics could have taken this beautiful, lilting melody to an altogether different level. Still a brilliant Rahman piece! -Aman

The repetition of the "main tumhara" phrase imparts a prayer like quality to this quietly moving song. -Shalini

I love the way this song about 'incompleteness' ends *midway* thorugh a phrase/couplet which makes it appear incomplete. Love the the way the song is arranged -- relying mostly on the vocals, with very little instrumentation and splashes of piano notes. The Deewar-Dareecha analogy is quite original! Can't remember when was the last time I hear the word 'dareecha' in a song, which was nicely rhymed with 'seencha'. -Vishal
2

तारे गिन  (दिल बेचारा)

taare gin (Dil Bechara)

Tags: bolly waltz, breezy, dreamy, emotional, harmonious,, heartfelt, love, love ballad, mature, melodious, night tunes, old-world, piano, romantic, slow, smooth, under the starry skies, upbeat, violins, waltzy, western-style

ए आर रहमान
A R Rahman

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

मोहित चौहान, श्रेया घोषाल
Mohit Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal

3.40
One of the best songs of the year. It’s a sweet waltzy tune with two lead singers harmonizing together. The dreaminess of the song is amplified by Mohit and Shreya’s gorgeous vocals, and Amitabh’s choice of phrases like counting the stars in the sky. The song has been meticulously composed by Rahman. The last one minute of the violin solo is simply otherworldly. -Mihir

Fresh and youthful, even when slightly overdone. Made me think of a sixties Broadway musical. -Trisha

Shreya and Mohit's vocals uplift this breezy composition. -Anish

Once again splendid use of harmonies by Rahman here, the overlaying of the slow, waltzy Taare Ginn portion and the double timed Jabse Hua portions works to fine effect. And the icing on the cake is of course Mohit Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal handling the singing. -Vipin

Loved the minimal, piano and strings based arrangement. The interchanging harmony and melody lines between the two singers does wonders to the song! -Vishal

Singing is top draw. Mohit Chauhan is not heard too often these days and it is good to hear him here. There's a sense of familiarity but it is the cosy instead of the boring kind. -Subrat

Lovely orchestration in the background. -Vaishali

Shreya's voice sounds very pleasant. The lyrics didn’t appeal me but the recurring theme of harmonies in this album make it likeable. -Akanksha

Walt(z) Disney. -Anup

Rahman has created a well-structured melody with intricate countermelodies, both singers complementing each other impeccably. The waltz feel accompanied with the swelling and ebbing of the strings creates a dreamlike feel altogether. Amitabh Bhattacharya's lyrics are fine, especially in the antara. The antara is the culmination of the best of all the departments -- music, composition, lyrics and singing! -Rujul

Taare Ginn is the best of the Dil Bechara soundtrack. Mohit Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal's overlapping vocals sound gorgeous. It works perfectly as the background piece to the famous Sushant Singh Rajput's picture counting stars through his telescope. -Aman

AR captures the fresh, dewy, exhilarating feeling of falling in love for the first time in this lovely understated waltz . Mohit and Shreya G are operating in top gear here and the overlap between their voices in the Antara works magic. At 4:17, Taare Ginn is longer than the average bollywood love song today and yet you keep wanting more as the song ends on a stupendous emotional high with that segue into horizon of saudade violin feature. -Krithikaa

Why Manoj here and not Hriday G.? -UVR

Loved the structure of the song with the overlapping vocals and the fast-slow tempo. -Shalini
3

छपाक शीर्षक गीत  (छपाक)

chhapaak Title Track (Chhapaak)

Tags: angry, dard, dark, destruction, fluid, hard-hitting, haunting, identity, intense, mature, melancholic, melodious, ominous, pensive, philosophical, poignant, real, sad, sentimental, social message, soulful, strong, theme song, thought-provoking

शंकर-एहसान-लॉय
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

गुलज़ार
Gulzar

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

3.33
Loved this song all through. Excellent music. Gulzar's signature metaphors: dhoop ko grahan lag gaya, chhapaak se pehchaan le gaya -- excellent way to encode the poignance of the evil act that is the seed of the movie. Arijit's sings his heart out and his voice fits this song so well. -UVR

Gulzar's lyrics wrap social message and a grimy reality into one, while Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy back it up with a just-as-haunting melody that falls into the Vishal Bhardwaj zone. Arijit renders is efficiently; you can feel the impact of the social issue being represented. -Rujul

Lyrical and yet momentous-sounding song, I thought. Classic Arijit Singh rendition. The words flow very well with the music. 'Chhapaak', an onomatopaeic word for the sound of a splash, conveys the sense of suddenness, accidental-ness and yet fluidity. -Trisha

Gulzar does a msterful job at writing a seemingly tricky tiltle track for the film. -Anish

"छपाक से पहचान ले गया" Who other than Gulzar sahab could have attempted to write a song on a topic as sensitive as the act of acid attack. एक चेहरा गिरा, जैसे मोहरा गिरा explains how a human being's face/their identity is reduced to being a pawn in the game of somebody's ego. It is also worth noting that the song does not mention the gender aspect but emphasises on the impact of such a brutal act on broader humanity. I might be underplaying Arijit's aalaaps and SEL's low-key but emphatic music, but it is really the lyrics that caught most of my attention in this song. -Akanksha

Sheer genius of Gulzar. His writing deserves accolades here. The pathos..imagery..description of the horrific incident in the protagonist's life. The usage of the word छपाक -- identity being taken away through just a splash of something. His writing is the star of this haunting track. Arijit’s rendition is impactful. -Mihir

Gulzar's lines brilliantly capture the protagonist's pain and trauma, and SEL give it a befittingly pensive musical treatment. Arijit too is in top form behind the mic. -Vipin

The lyrics are the hero of the song, and the music complements it really well. -Amborish

What a wonderful song! Music by S-E-L (although it feels like a Vishal Bharadwaj song) and words by Gulzar perfectly convey the wrecking of one's identity because of one event. So nice to hear lyrics like dhoop ko grahan lag gaya. Best use of Arijit's voice in the year. -Vaishali

Gulzar, who had previously written the line 'Meri aawaz hi pehchan hai' -- that my *voice* is my identity -- here compares the loss of *face* to the loss of identity. -Vishal

Arijit Singh channeling his inner Sukhwinder. Lyrics are relevant for the plot of the film. But underwhelming overall. -Subrat

The famous "andha kuaan" makes a reappearance! -Shalini

Chhapaak had released. Me and a female friend saw the film at a Bandra theatre. We were moved by some scenes. Yet what hit the most was the line - "Chhapaak se pehchan le gaya". We walked till Pali Hill and stood outside Boskiyana, marvelling at Gulzar Saab's house and words. Such a simple and powerful line. -Anup

The line 'chhapaak se pehchaan le gaya' sums up the whole film. Even Arijit sounds good in this one. -Aditya

Gulzar's lyrics add depth to Laxmi's story and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy give a soul-stirring composition, supported well with Arijit's engaging vocals. -Aman
4

खुलके जीने का  (दिल बेचारा)

khulake jiine kaa (Dil Bechara)

Tags: bittersweet, carpe diem, cheerful, dancy, dreamy, european, freedom, harmonious, hopeful, idyllic, inspirational, joie de vivre, lively, motivational, peppy, philosophical, positive, romantic, romantic duet, upbeat, uplifting, western, wordplay, happy

ए आर रहमान
A R Rahman

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

अरिजित सिंह, शाशा तिरुपति
Arijit Singh, Shashaa Tirupati

3.29
Enjoyable. Harmonies rendered so beautifully that you can almost feel yourself twirling in a tango. While the lyrics say "आओ, फ़िल्मों के बेअदब गाने गाते हैं", the lyrics are full of अदब and poise! -Akanksha

5 starts for the singing -- Arijit and Shasha are so perfectly in sync, it makes the heart glad to hear. ARR, hats off to you, sir! -UVR

The music is not vintage ARR but it is better than what's going around. Amitabh B is doing his Gulzar impersonation and the overall feel is trite. -Subrat

The lyrics are a major let down. Arijit and Shashaa are good on vocals. -Aman

After a long time, we have a lovely conversational duet. Rahman makes use of harmonies for this track. We get to hear overlapped voices of Arijit and Shashaa during most parts of the song. They sound great singing together. Esp. Arijit hasn’t sounded this good/different in a while. There’s also a scale change towards the end. Amitabh Bhattacharya’s words help to keep the mood light. The innocence of ‘Aao filmon ke be-adab gaane gaate hai, Heroine-Hero aaj hum tum bann jate hai’...Sweet! -Mihir

Good harmony, heavy-weight philosophy conveyed through light-weight lyrics. -Aditya

The breezy rendition aids the pleasant fantasy feel. But something about the speeding up in the latter half doesn't work. -Trisha

The lilting melody helps making this song aptly cheerful, and both singers complement each other well. The antaras are structured beautifully. Probably one of the most positive songs in recent times. Rahman uses flutes, pianos, strings beautifully and Amitabh's lyrics go with the positive theme of the song. I noticed that Arijit gets his solo portions while Shashaa provides adequate hums in the background; would have liked the reverse in some portions. -Rujul

Rahman's use of harmonies in Dil Bechara soundtrack was exceptional - and this song presented one of the finest specimens of it; two brilliant singers in fine form, love how both of them keep switching between higher and lower registers. -Vipin

The octave-apart voices from both singers seemed a little gimmicky to me at first, but it works marvelously! Gem of a song! We can always count on Amitabh Bhattachrya to introduce words into Bollywood songs that were hardly ever heard before -- case in point 'maheen' (fine/feeble). -Vishal

Khulke Jeene Ke is one of my top choices for the song of the year . Rahman throws a lot of things into the mix to create a stunning pot-pourri and everything in the mix works spectacularly, from the stong melody, quirky, fun and introspective lyrics, the European treatment for the orchestral work and stunning vocal harmonies. Its been ages since one has heard such stunning vocal harmonies in Bollywood. -Krithikaa

The unconventional tune grows with repeated hearings. Amitabh B's lyrics are very good. -Anish

Feels like a Salil Chowdhury song from a Basu Chatterjee film. -Anup

Experimention with scales, different kind of sound. -Vaishali
5

और तन्हा  (लव आज कल)

aur tanhaa (Love Aaj Kal)

Tags: angst, atmospheric, break-up, brooding, dard, desi rock, easy listening, evocative, haunting, loneliness, longing, love ballad, melancholic, pensive, philosophical, romantic, sad, sentimental, separation, solitude, soulful, travel, virah

प्रीतम
Pritam

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

केके
KK

3.28
Best song of the album. Probably, best film song of the year as well! This one takes you back to the old KK-Pritam melodies which they used to produce quite often. KK’s voice sounds as fresh as it was decades ago. He puts his heart and soul into this superlative track. Most Imtiaz Ali films have that one big climactic song. This one is the ‘Naadan Parindey’ or ‘Haafiz Haafiz’ of the ‘Love Aaj Kal’ album. Pritam’s arresting melody with a beautiful melancholic touch, soft rock arrangement, haunting chorus, feel of the Himalayan mountains, KK’s soaring vocals, and Irshad Kamil’s poetry make this song a winner for me. -Mihir

Unobjectionable, but feels generic. -Trisha

The song hit me like a breath of fresh air while watching the otherwise dull film. -Anish

KK proves that he is still the numero uno when it comes to owning pop-rock ballads that talk about love and its various aspects. He sounds divine in the pain filled Aur Tanha, which is a joint contender for song of the year with Khulke jeene ka. The north eastern sounding chorus, those amazing guitars, Kamil saab's wonderful lyric and KK's angst filled voice scorch your heart and leaves tears behind. -Krithikaa

That cooing by KK in the beginning of the song is haunting and beautiful. Loved the way 'yun' is (correctly) emphasized in the line: 'Yun tera hone bhi, aur tanhaa karta.'. -Vishal

KK should be getting to sing many more songs than he does. He's the only good thing about this song. -UVR

This is probably my favourite song of the year. Pritam's subtle but hard-hitting rock template (always works) fused with some interesting tribal elements, and the humming in the interludes, makes the music of the song strong. Add to that, K.K.'s seasoned vocals, and the song goes to greater heights. Kamil saab's lyrics are thought-provoking. -Rujul

Give KK all the Best Singer awards. What a haunting melody - makes loneliness palpable. -Anup

8 out of 11 songs in this album have been nominated here. Goes to show the power of the album and the range of songs! Aur Tanha.. Whatayy song - Pritam never fails!! KK we love you. Why dont you sing more often? This is for you - यूँ तेरा होना भी और तन्हा करता. -Akanksha

It is always a joy to hear KK sing, especially of late when it has become such a rare occurrence. Man's in fine form here, reuniting with Pritam for a song that evokes a pleasant throwback to their Life in a Metro days. Excellent use of the gospel-esque backing vocals as well by the composer. -Vipin

Gripping and unique. Pritam, KK and Irshad come together to give a melancholic song and yet it doesn't sound sad! -Aman

Easy on the ear. -Aditya

It is great to hear KK. The singing is good and Irshad Kamil stays away from Gulzar-itis that seems to have afflicted any half-decent song this year. -Subrat

Lots of "Oooo"s and "Aaaas" in songs this year. This was the only one where the use of "Oo Oo" didn't make me roll my eyes. Nice to hear KK after a while. -Shalini
6

खुलने दो  (छपाक)

khulane do (Chhapaak)

Tags: calming, dawn after a long night, encouragement, hard-hitting, haunting, hope, hopeful, inspirational, mature, meditative, melancholy, philosophical, positivity, real, soothing, thought-provoking, umeed

शंकर-एहसान-लॉय
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

गुलज़ार
Gulzar

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

3.22
Beautiful music arrangement that open up and grows big for the words 'khulne do'. -Vaishali

Sometimes the music has to play second fiddle when the poetry is exceptional. This one does just that. -Amborish

Well written, composed and sung. -Aditya

Arijit's voice is better than he allows it to sound. I could hear Shankar's characteristic singing nuances in his singing here ... which, I suppose we should give Shankar a few plus points for not trying to sing this himself? :). -UVR

The lovely strings and Arijit's singing are the highs of this song. -Krithikaa

Arijit sings it straight for once and SEL get out of the way of Gulzar's lyrics and let the words free. -Shalini

I like the lyrics very much, especially the first line. -Trisha

Haven't seen the film but the song evokes certain images in my head when I hear it. -Anish

Arijit in an optimistic frame and sounding different (instead of the usual lament). -Subrat

A serene, soulful, heart-tugging song about the hope for a brighter future. Gulzar’s poetry, Arijit’s heartfelt rendition and SEL’s pensive yet calming music make this song one of the finest of the year. -Mihir

A gentle song that oozes positivity. Wonderfully tuned by the trio. -Karthik

Notice Gulzar Sahab's observation about the appearance of the movie's protagonist in these lines - 'Palkein toh nahi hai nazar uthne lagi hai'. -Akanksha

The only quibble I have about this song is how short it is. Absolute beauty from the SEL-Gulzar team. Arijit Singh is chosen to deliver this one too, and he does not disappoint at all. -Vipin

A haunting melody by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy that stays with you for long. The short duration makes me want to loop the song more, and the composition of the antara is especially beautiful. Gulzar's lyrics are a breeze of positivity. -Rujul

'Palken to naheen hai, nazar uthne lagi hai' shows how Gulzar customizes his lyrics for the character he's writing for. -Vishal
7

एक टुकड़ा धूप  (थप्पड़)

ek Tuka.Daa dhuup (Thappad)

Tags: break-up, calm, dark, diasappointment, doori, dulcet, emotional, evocative, hopeful, mature, melancholic, pathos, philosophical, poignant, reflective, sad, semi-classical, sentimental, separation, slow, soft, soothing, sorrowful, soulful

अनुराग सैकिया
Anurag Saikia

शकील आज़मी
Shakeel Azmi

राघव चैतन्य
Raghav Chaitanya

3.13
The shehnaai is definitely the highlight, but Anurag Saikia's slow and mature composition makes for a thoughtful listen. Debutant Raghav Chaitanya does a great job fitting into the male Bollywood singer mould of these days. -Rujul

Raghav Chaitanya makes a fantastic debut in this poignant Anurag Saikia's composition. -Aman

Very evocative and a well-sung, great lyrics. -Amborish

A mellow contemplative song about separation, sorrow and moving on. -Krithikaa

Really liked the depth and melody of this one. -Svetlana

I didn't like the singing. Points are for the lyrics. -UVR

Anurag Saikia has been quietly delivering some fine songs over the past couple of years - 2020 in particular was a great year for the man considering his output across movies and web series. This beauty he composed for Thappad right on top of that list - lovely melody that is aptly backed by the tender arrangement; particularly love the use of shehnai. Fine work also by lyricist Shakeel Azmi and singer Raghav Chaitanya (who seems to be a regular fixture in Saikia's works). -Vipin

Nice rendition by Raghav Chaitanya, and wonderful lyrics by Shakeel Azmi.I especially liked the following lines: 'Ek dhaage mein hai uljhe yun, ki bunte bunte khul gaye. Hum they deewaron pe likhe, barish aayi dhul gaye'. -Vishal

Break-up song of the year. -Anup

Would have been a truly stellar song with these Shakeel Azmi lyrics, if it wasn't for the generic arrangement. -Trisha

ek tukda dhoop ka andar andar nam sa hai…. What a line for the protagonist of the film! -Aditya

Again a predictable track for this year - soulful, Arijit Singh style of singing (the singer is Raghav) and some decent writing. -Subrat

Simple yet moving song from the film ‘Thappad’. I’ve enjoyed Raghav Chaitanya’s cover versions on his Youtube channel. Here also he puts his heart & soul into this heavy emotional number. The song scores in all three departments - music, lyrics, singing. -Mihir

Shakeel Azmi's lyrics stand out. -Anish

टूट के हम दोनों में, जो बचा वो कम सा है
एक टुकड़ा धूप का, अंदर अंदर नम सा है
Raghav's singing very aptly conveys the helplessness in these lyrics by Shakeel Azmi. Lovely song. -Akanksha

Loved Raghav Chaitanya's voice and use of shenai in the background. -Vaishali
8

हरदम हमदम  (लूडो)

haradam hamadam (Ludo)

Tags: ballad, classical plus electronic, dance, earworm, edm, fusion, ghazal, ghazal pop, hindustani-chill, love song, melodious, peppy, qawwali, quirky, romantic, semiclassical, sentimental, soothing, soulful, sweet

प्रीतम
Pritam

सईद क़ादरी
Sayeed Quadri

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

3.10
The best from Ludo. Arijit Singh at his best. Pritam has literally killed the song. Once the harmonium kicks in, the melody is a complete earworm. Shilpa Rao's version is a tad bit better due to her earthy vocals! -Aman

Song of the year! -Anup

Nothing new, but nicely done. -Trisha

A wonderful melange of ghazal and EDM elements -- Sayeed Quadri's lyrics complement the adorable composition well, while Arijit renders it with ease. The sarod and sitar is a beautiful touch, while the other techno programming makes the song sound upbeat and quirky. Well-programmed and aptly crisp song. -Rujul

This is Pritam's year. Ludo is another winner of an album and differently from Love Aaj Kal, it is more to Pritam's credit than to the lyricists. The semi-classical touches with the sarod are lovely. -Akanksha

Brings back memories of Arijit from Phir Le Aaya or Raabta. Though the Shilpa Rao version of the song is better. -Subrat

I was glad to see lyricist Sayeed Quadri's name in the credits after a long time. Arijit does what he does well -- but the true highlights of this song for me was that groovy harmonium (by Feroz Shah) and Sarod (by Roopak Naigaonkar). -Vishal

Wonderful rendition by the singers on both the versions. -Anish

The team that gave us the beautiful Phir Le Aaya Dil in Barfi, reunite to produce another lovely in the same zone. One of the best songs from the soundtrack. -Vipin

Pritam inserts from interesting instrumentals into the backing track that make you sit up and say 'what was that?' and play the song again. An enjoyable song. -UVR

Seems to be a re-tread of the "ya to aabaad kardo" number with "hardam humdaam" as the rhyming equivalent of "aabaad barbaad.". -Shalini

Harmoniums, keys and an almost synth sounding bass support Arijit as he sings about his lady love. The sitar phrase scintillates and makes you swing your head side to side. -Krithikaa

This stunning track from Ludo is among my favorite songs of the year. Pritam has produced a ghazal-ish melody with a beautiful use of Sarod. He has collaborated with his long time associate Sayeed Quadri for the simple and elegant lyrics here. The song transitions from gorgeous ‘mukhda’ to a spectacular ‘antara’ when Arijit goes ‘Kitna hoon chahta kaise kahoon usse..’. After ‘Phir Le Aaya Dil’ from Barfi, this track is another gem from the team of Basu-Pritam-Sayeed-Arijit. -Mihir
9

शायद  (लव आज कल)

shaayad (Love Aaj Kal)

Tags: atmospheric, desi rock, dreamy, easy listening, emotional co-dependency, falling in love, heartfelt, love, love ballad, love song, lush, pyaar vyaar, romantic, soulful

प्रीतम
Pritam

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

3.09
A typical Pritam melody, this one - immensely hummable and likeable (and presented in multiple versions) and very likely to be stuck in your head for a long time. Excellent delivery by Arijit Singh. -Vipin

Have to admit (grudgingly) that Arijit sounds good here :). -Aditya

An exquisite melody by Pritam giving you the feeling of first love. The song has been composed in order to depict an innocent love story from 1990. It gives out very QSQT or Pehla Nasha vibes. Arijit Singh is at his best singing Irshad Kamil’s incredible lines. He is phenomenal every time he sings high pitched ‘jo tum na ho..’. Loved the use of acoustic guitar. Listen to the other two versions of the song as well. The reprise version is beautiful with additional female vocals. The third one is released as a lockdown version with a new antara by Irshad Kamil. -Mihir

One of the very best, by Pritam. Harks back to an era when melody ruled Hindi film music. -Karthik

The first flush of love sort of song. Arijit breezes through it. -Subrat

Earwormy. -Trisha

The 'hawaayein' of this year! Arijit and Pritam don’t falter anywhere and make an extremely hummable song. Ghalib's क़ासिद के आते आते is simplified by Irshaas sahab for this generation in 'Khud hi sawaal karke, Khud hi jawaab dena teri taraf se'. P.S. If Irshaad sb is reading this, my 4 year old asks Alexa to "play Shayad by arijit and Irshaad kaamil". Credit mil gaya yaar. -Akanksha



Irshad Kamil's spectacular lyrics encapsulated within Pritam's lush, sprawling and slow bruning melody weaves magic in the air. -Krithikaa

Song of the year. Na chahiye kuch tumse zyaada, tumse kam nahi - Exacty what I feel for the track. Pritam saves the year for Hindi film music through Love Aaj Kal. -Aman





Arijit does his thing again. He can probably sing songs like this in his sleep now! -Vishal





Is it just me or. -Shalini

This song was one of the first earworms of the year -- the flute piece is immensely addictive, and Pritam's tune is one of the calmest we have heard in recent years. Irshad Kamil works wonders with the lyrics yet again. -Rujul

10

मेरा नाम किज़ी  (दिल बेचारा)

meraa naam Kizie (Dil Bechara)

Tags: bolly-jazz, breezy, character calling card, chirpy, harmony, introduction song, jazz, jazzy, jolly, joyful, light, old-world, peppy, upbeat, playful, retro, romantic, self-description, serenade, vintage, western, whimsical

ए आर रहमान
A R Rahman

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

आदित्य नारायण, पूर्वी कौटिश, अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Aditya Narayan, Poorvi Koutish, Amitabh Bhattacharya

3.04
Loved the clarinet! Apparently, this song was added to the album as an afterthought; I am so glad that they did! Aditya Narayan totally rocked his part of the song! -Vishal

Aditya Narayan?! He sounds so different! Wonderful. Amitabh B.'s lyrics are enjoyable -- "raahat mein lipti si bechaini," waah! As I hear this song, it strikes me that ARR has been scoring for films for 3 decades ... and he still manages to keep it fresh and interesting. What a guy! -UVR

Thorwback to OP Nayyar and the 60s. Bombay Velvet kind of air about the song. Don't mind it at all. -Subrat

The cheerful and happy-go-lucky jazz touch in the music is remarkable in this one. While Rahman succeeds to create an intricate harmony between the lead singers, the way they deliver it is beyond expectations. Special mention to the resonant quality of Poorvi Koutish's voice. -Rujul

C. Ramachandra in 2020. -Anup

A lively, cheerful song set in an old school jazz universe. Rahman chooses an interesting set of singers for this one-- Poorvi Koutish and Aditya Narayan. We haven’t heard Aditya like this before. His singing is fantastic. The way both of them play around with words (especially Kizie, Manny), their western style of singing, while keeping the mood of the song intact is praiseworthy. Rahman ends the song on a high note with a splendid instrumental piece. -Mihir

Aditya and Poorvi are excellent in this old word Jazz melody and their voice sounds delectable in the lower registers. The wind instrument similar to the Oboe/Clarinet is very very charming and leads the song its frothy and heady conclusion. -Krithikaa

Poorvi Koutish and Aditya Narayan have sung this song really well! That said, the song itself doesn’t stand apart from other similar songs in the album. I'm sure this song was meant to move the movie's screenplay forward but on its own it won't stay with me for long. -Akanksha

Western-derived, but in a good way. And sung with great flair. -Trisha

The last one minute is where Rahman is having complete fun. -Aman

The opening notes of Clarinet perfectly sets the stage for the frothy number that follows. -Shalini

Nice rhythm, the instrumental portion at the end is very good. -Aditya

Cute, unassuming and fun. -Anish

This one carries a lovely old world jazz-y charm about it. Aditya Narayan and Poorvi Koutish are fab, but equally captivating are the clarinet/oboe solos strewn across the song. -Vipin

Instrumental improvisations towards the end are nice. -Vaishali
11

रे बावरी  (तैश)

re baawarii (Taish)

Tags: breezy, electronic, experimental, fusion, harmonic, hindustani-chill, lounge, panaah, pyaar vyaar, rock ballad, romantic, semi classical, semi-classical, soaked in love, traditional, traditional lyrics, trance music

गोविंद वसंत
Govind Vasantha

हुसैन हैदरी
Hussain Haidry

प्रार्थना इंद्रजीत, गोविंद वसंत
Prarthna Indrajith, Govind Vasantha

3.02
Govind Vasantha's Hindi debut deserved way more credit and hype than it actually got. Man's always had a flair for haunting, ambient sort of pieces, and here he comes up with another such gem. -Vipin

Wonderfully immersive tune. -Anish

Interesting experimentation with Carnatic influence. -Vaishali

I'm sure the bird sounds at the end have some deep meaning, but yeah…. -Shalini

The music is imaginative and fresh. The blending of different instruments in the ending section of the track is excellent. -Aman

Can't quite slot this track. The tempo is upbeat and then there are some Sufi, classical elements that take it a different way. -Subrat

A fantastic Hindi film debut by Govind Vasantha who has more than adequately proven himself in Tamil and Malayalam already. -Karthik

I have been biased towards the Sona Mohapatra version of this song from the outset. That said, this version is also immensely beautiful -- the young Prarthna takes Govind Vasantha's Hindi debut to a different level of excellence. The composer uses interesting sound effects to make the song more appealing, and the racy rock rhythm gives it an infectious quality. The layering of the vocals has been designed wonderfully as well, and the sarangi bits are goosebump-inducing. -Rujul

Govind Vasantha makes a wonderul bollywood debut with Baawri , where the scorcher of the tune and that Sarangi/Esraj interludes win our hearts at the first listen. Govind and Prarthna's voices seem to be processed which is a little off putting. The pal pal ginke, raahein takhthi line is a winner though. -Krithikaa

The music is beautiful and so is the singing. Loved the arrangements too! But I had a really hard time deciphering Hussain Haidry's lyrics because of how they are sung. They are clearer in Sona Mohapatra's version. Overall, I loved the song and have played it multiple times. -Akanksha

Bejoy Nambiar is known for using stylish soundscapes for his movies. ‘Re Bawree’ is a gorgeous track by Govind Vasantha. The music production is top-notch. -Mihir

Welcome Govind Vasantha to the Hindi Film Music. -Anup

The musical arrangement irritated me. -Trisha

I hope we see more of Govind Vasantha in the coming year. -UVR

Refreshing to hear new kind of sound. -Svetlana
12

मेहरमा  (लव आज कल)

meharamaa (Love Aaj Kal)

Tags: ballad, desi rock, heartbreak, judaai, loneliness, longing, lost in thoughts and memories, melancholic, melancholy, missing, pathos, philosophical, romantic, sad, sentimental, separation, serene, soulful

प्रीतम
Pritam

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

दर्शन रावल, अंतरा मित्रा
Darshan Raval, Antara Mitra

3.00
Irshad Kamil's lyric is an emotional and poetic essay on what one essentially calls "Beedh main tanhai". Song has some lovely violin phrases and a lovely subdued Tabla to keep the rhythm. -Krithikaa

The lyrics of the antara blew me away; Irshad Kamil is a master of philosophical lyrics. Pritam uses a tried-and-tested violin and tabla rhythm to prop the melody, but it works. The high notes in the melody are characteristic of Pritam. -Rujul

Slightly conventional tune. The antara is better than the mukhda. -Anish

I remember listening to the album on loop for 15 days straight and how everyday I was still discovering the depth of the lyrics written in this album. One such day was spent reflecting on the following.
जो शोर का हिस्सा हुई, वो आवाज़ हूँ
लोगों में हूँ .....पर तन्हा हूँ मैं

दुनिया मुझे खुद से जुदा ही करती रही
बोलूं.... मगर ना बातें करूँ

..... ये क्या हूँ मैं?
Darshan and more importantly Antara have both sung it perfectly but how does one think beyond the lyrics!! -Akanksha

Nothing memorable about it. Pritam on autopilot.. -Trisha

Wish it was just a female solo - liked her voice. -Shalini

Darshan Raval and Antara Mitra do a top job delivering this melody, and Shirish Malhotra's viola refrain adds to the wistfulness. -Vipin

Darshan Raval and Antara Mitra both are exceptionally good. Irshad Kamil's words pierce right through your heart. And Pritam comes up with a great hummable tune! -Aman

This is an immensely gorgeous track from the ‘Love Aaj Kal’ soundtrack. Darshan Raval’s velvety voice is an apt choice for this sweet yet melancholic number. Pritam’s minimalist arrangement, Darshan’s splendid vocals, Antara’s cameo, and Irshad saab’s words come together nicely. -Mihir

The rating for singing is mainly for the female vocalist. -Armeen

Preetam digs into the old pitaara of his sad songs from Ali's previous films. That viola brings enough rona-dhona into the song. Singing is good. -Subrat
13

दो दिन का ये मेला  (गुलाबो सिताबो)

do din kaa ye melaa (Gulabo Sitabo)

Tags: bangla-folk, contemplative, earthy, earworm, evocative, melancholy, folk, folk rock, folksy, fusion, heavenly classical guitar, indie, indie-folk, motivational, musings, philosophical, quirky, resonant, street performance, zindagi

अनुज गर्ग
Anuj Garg

दिनेश पंत
Dinesh Pant

राहुल राम
Rahul Ram

2.99
Anuj Garg's composition could slot right into a Coke Studio Set or an Indian Ocean album, and not just because the band's frontman Rahul Ram is singing it. Very neatly arranged piece. -Vipin

Well written & performed…reminiscent of the songs of bauls and fakirs. -Amborish

Lyricist, Dinesh Pant and composer, Anuj Garg have created some of the best music of the year for this film including this song. Rahul Ram's singing is the cherry on top. -Vaishali

Gulabo Sitabo was not only one of the best films of 2020 but also delivered one of the best music albums. माटी का बर्तन है प्यारे, माटी में मिल जाना है - Rahul Ram in his typical style summarises the ephemeral nature of life through his lyrics, singing and music. Particularly meaningful in a year when we lost so many of our own..ab to sirf हवाओं में बहती कहानियाँ है. -Akanksha

Interesting strings. -Aditya

Loved the use of electric guitars, and Rahul Ram's voice here feels like coming home. Comforting folksy song in a lovely album. -Trisha

Nice to hear Rahul Ram after such a long time. -Aman

I loved the use of muted electric guitar, which is a rarity in Bollywood! -Vishal

Another amazing philosophical folk song from this soundtrack. Anuj Garg showcases his immense talent in constructing a song properly, the layered way in which the instruments are introduced at the beginning of the song is to be noted, as is the impeccable fusion in the interlude. Rahul Ram renders this song quite effortlessly; it is right up his alley. -Rujul

Rahul Ram's folksy vocals was what worked best for me in this song. Simple but effective contemplative lyrics -- I liked them! -UVR

Rahul Ram's voice fits the sog like a glove, the ektara keeps company and the Kabir-esque lyrics are wonderful to hear. -Subrat
13

दिल जुलाहा  (लूडो)

dil julaahaa (Ludo)

Tags: baul-blues, bihu, dil, earthy, folk, folksy, foot-tapping, fun, fusion, light, light music, metaphorical, peppy, perky, philocophical, philosophical, playful, quirky, romantic, travel music, tribal, upbeat, whimsical

प्रीतम
Pritam

स्वानंद किरकिरे
Swanand Kirkire

दर्शन रावल
Darshan Raval

2.99
Reminded me of the wonderful Barfi title track by the same composer-lyricist team. -Anish

The Bihu rhythm brings the quirkiness to this song. The happy-go-lucky tune couled with that rhythm really helps in making this song being what it is. Darshan surprisingly aces the vocals; we have never heard him in this avatar. Swanand Kirkire's metaphorical lyrics are quirky as well. All in all, this song harks back to the Barfi and Jagga Jasoos albums in the best possible ways. -Rujul

Rustic music is well supported by Swanand Kirkire's alliteration filled lyrics. -Akanksha

Kudos to Pritam for utilizing traditional Asames instruments like toka, pepa, and gogona (played by Jayanta Sonowal). Darshan Raval's full-throated rendition is perfect for this song... he sounds very much like Swanand Kirkire (who wrote the lyriccs of this song.). -Vishal

I swear I can't tell these singers apart. They all sound the same. -Shalini

Swanand's wonderul wordsabout love adorn this folksy peppy north eastern tune to create a lovely song that envelops you within its warm embrace. -Krithikaa

This is a colorful, folksy number from Ludo. An addictive tune set to North-eastern beats sung by Darshan Raval. This lively track seems to have its origins in Anurag-Pritam’s Jagga Jasoos universe. -Mihir

Swanand Kirkire ने यहाँ कुछ बेहतरीन इस्तिलाहें ईजाद की हैं. लिरिक्स की वजह से गाने की उम्र दराज़ हुई है, वरना बहुत ख़ास बात तो कोई नहीं थी इस में. -UVR

Loved the easy flow of the words, sustaining the 'julaha' metaphor beautifully through textures of cloth – makhmal, resham, khaddar; styles of clothing, and techniques – stitching, knitting, etc. -Trisha

Always a sucker for exotic-sounding instruments; and this song has a lot of those, supporting a delightful folk ditty. Equally alluring are Swanand Kirkires weaving-related analogies for love. -Vipin

Playful lyrics by Swanand Kirkire and Darshan Raval's singing are refreshing. -Vaishali

The lyricist Swanand Kirkire should have sung the track himself, perfectly suits to his voice. -Aman

Foot tapping, catchy tune and the singer does justice to it. Swnanad's lines carry the weaving analogy well. -Subrat
15

वही हैं रस्ते  (पंगा)

wahii hai.n raste (Panga)

Tags: doori, evocative, faasle, folk, haunting, lonely, longing, loss, mature, melancholic, missing, pathos, philosophical, sad, sentimental, separation, slow, soft, soulful

शंकर-एहसान-लॉय
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

जावेद अख़्तर
Javed Akhtar

मोहन कन्नन, असीस कौर
Mohan Kannan, Asees Kaur

2.93
Mohan Kannan and Asees Kaur sound good together. -Trisha

Mohan Kannan is the saving grace here. -Aman

The Mohan-SEL combination always works wonders. His great baritone is tailor-made for SEL's sad songs. Here, he renders the high notes effortlessly. The song has shades of Ek Nadi Thi from Mirzya and Ove Jaaniya from Katti Batti, and seems as well-rounded as both of those songs. -Rujul

Dil par bhaari khadmon pe chalte tanhayyion ke lamhe, sings Mohan Kannan, moving out heart and emotions and the gentle twanging guitar makes us stop and contemplate the depth of emotions behind the words. Mohan Kannan's ragged voice drips with emotion in an oh so lovely way. -Krithikaa

Again, the female voice, though good, does not go well with the feel of the song. -Aditya

There is a lot going in the arrangement here yet feels minimal - neatly done. -Anup

Two thoughts about this song, both of which I can't quite believe I am saying. One, this song needed better lyrics, in absence of which, it is not memorable or hummable despite have been sung well. Can't believe I am saying this for a Javed Akhtar song. And two, that Asees Kaur sounds more pleasant and in control than Mohan Kannan. -Akanksha

Both singers, Mohan Kannan and Anees Kaur, did a fantastic job! Some of the melodic countours are so beautiful; quintessential Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy! -Vishal

I liked it. The lyrics are good and the orchestration stays minimal. -Subrat

I found this to be the best song of the movie. Both singers have sung it with a lot of sukoon. Asees Kaur's voice has a depth that hits the spot, and Mohan Kannan sounds like a good Shankar, like Shankar used to about 10 years ago. -UVR

The composition is reminiscent of SD Burman’s style of music. The rawness of Mohan’s vocals suits the song. Glad to see the SEL-JA team back creating music. -Mihir

Soulful duet. Mohan Kannan sounds a lot like Shankar. Asees Kaur in the lower octave was perfect for the song. -Vaishali

Different musical influences come together in an excellent manner. -Anish

Shankar Ehsaan Loy are strong contenders for composers of the year based on the quality of their output across movies and web series - this folk-flavoured piece from Pangaa was one of their top songs. Beautiful writing by Javed Akhtar, delivered in style by Mohan and Asees Kaur. -Vipin
16

रहोगी मेरी  (लव आज कल)

rahogii merii (Love Aaj Kal)

Tags: ballad, breezy, calm, longing, love, love ballad, romance, romantic, romantic: soulful, smouldering, soothing, soulful

प्रीतम
Pritam

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.90
Personal favourite of the year! -Anup

A beautiful melody from the Love Aaj Kal soundtrack rendered with just the right amount of affection, tenderness, longing by Arijit Singh. It’s a shining example of Arijit’s command over his craft. The way he sings the last-- ‘chahe bolo ya na bolo’--amazing! Also, this is the quintessential “Imtiaz Ali” love song of the album. Pure gold! -Mihir

This is a mood number. It reprises many familiar road trip solos familiar in Al's films. -Subrat

An Arijit song that works well. -Trisha

Rahogi Meri is a lovely tune rendered commendably by Arijit but is weaker when compared to its alternate haan tum ho. -Krithikaa

Another one of Arijit's typical dreamy, lulling rendition. -Vishal

Solo version of "haan tum ho" suffers from the lack of Shilpa Rao. -Shalini

Rahogi Meri is I think the underrated gem from the OST. Pritam's beautiful music, Irshad Kamil's wonderful words and Arijit's excellent singing. Plus the last 40 seconds with Arijit's humming is ufff….magical! -Aman

The songs scores high on all the three departments. -Anish

A more stripped version of the Haan Tum Ho arrangements, doesn't make for as interesting of a listen, but the composition and that humming portion still remain as winners. What's more, Pritam adds his trademark rock template, reminding one of albums like Tum Mile and Crook. -Rujul

Music reminded me of Coldplay's Yellow! -Svetlana

This is Ariit's song through and through. He has sung it with great conviction and unapologetically in his own style. -Akanksha
17

मर जाएँ हम  (शिकारा)

mar jaae.N ham (Shikara)

Tags: atmospheric, easy listening, emotional, geet mala, grand, haunting, hypnotic, love ballad, mature, old-school, opulent, raat in the pahadi regions, romantic, romantic, soulful, semiclassical, serene, tranquil, winter-warmth

संदेश शांडिल्य
Sandesh Shandilya

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

पापोन, श्रद्धा मिश्रा
Papon, Shradha Mishra

2.88
The composer who has been perennially destined to go under the radar despite delivering some incredible tunes over the past many years, Sandesh Shandilya faced pretty much the same fate with Shikara's soundtrack this year. And this haunting piece was the pick of the album. -Vipin

I found the lyrics quite underwhelming and the song average. Papon's voice is always enchanting though. -Vishal

Papon and Shradha Mishra lift this otherwise generic arrangement, with its sune-sune se lyrics. -Trisha

I absolutely love the sound of Shraddha Mishra's voice here: perfect mix of sharpness and warmth. Papon provides a good foil for her to shine through. -UVR

Sandesh Shandilya creates magic with the atmospheric arrangements, making the song sound opulent, and fitting for a film set in the valleys of Kashmir. The vocalists complement each other well -- Shradha Misra with her distinct voice and Papon with his great baritone. -Rujul

Good melody. -Aditya

Keeps growing on you with repeated hearings. -Anish

A calm and soothing track by Sandesh Shandilya with fine lyrics by Irshad Kamil. -Aman

The team of Sandesh Shandilya and Irshad Kamil is back. Understated singing by Papon & Shradha. A haunting melody. -Mihir

Didn’t work for me at all! -Akanksha

Beautiful duet created by Sandesh Shandilya. Sounds of santoor paints a serene picture of Kashmir. Papon and Shradda Mishra's 'thehrav' in singing adds to the tranquility. Despite the music, the lyrics (by Irshad Kamil) seem to have a foreboding of something ominous that is to come. -Vaishali

Delightful melody that uses the singers' diligent and nuanced vocals to make a terrific impact. -Karthik

The santoor and the sound of the shikaara in the Dal make their appearance to evoke the Valley and there's enough 'vaadi' feel to the song thanks to the composer who grew up in Kashmir. Papon is good but there's really nothing much to do in this predictable slow, soft number. -Subrat

No one can ace the Pahadi genre like Sandesh Shandilya and Mar Jaayen Hum is right up there with some of the best winter composition. This song gives you the same warmth as that of a thick, warm, sweater on a snowy night in the mountains. -Krithikaa

Mar gaye hum. Death by boredom. -Anup
18

क्या लेके आयो जग में  (गुलाबो सिताबो)

kyaa leke aayo jag me.n (Gulabo Sitabo)

Tags: bandhu blues, bangla-folk, contemplative, earthy, folk, folk music, folksy, fusion, indie, indie-folk music, motivational, pensive, philosophical, reflective, rhythmic, truism, zindagi

शांतनु मोइत्रा
Shantanu Moitra

विनोद दुबे
Vinod Dubey

विनोद दुबे
Vinod Dubey

2.86
Raw vocals, philosophical lyrics, unobtrusive music: what's not to like! -UVR

Vinod Dubey borrows the opening lines from an old bhajan and makes it his own by providing not just warnings ('kshan-bhangur kaaya') but also solace ('ho ishwar tere saath'). -Vishal

Rather liked this one and If I squint just right, I can hear Kavi Pradeep singing. -Shalini

Has a wonderful folksy tune…written well, sung well. -Amborish

Great choice of singer. -Anup

Shantanu Moitra's minimal fusion works well, and the choice of singer makes the song more interesting and true to its genre. The strings portion towards the end boosts the song in its likeability quotient. -Rujul

The wandering mendicant kind of track, bit of Kabir, Dada Burman and travel vibes thrown in. Lovely to listen. -Subrat

This Kabir-like song, written and sung by Vinod Dubey, is one of the best film songs of the year. Shantanu Moitra creates the perfect folk music vibe with minimal instrumentation, reminiscent of wise men who used to sing on the streets. -Vaishali

Usage of words like 'kshaNbhangur' in such an organic way and that too in this time and age are really welcome. The use of 'aayo' together with 'jaayega', 'laaya', etc. sounds a bit odd though. -Aditya

Baul style singing by Vinod Dubey is just so authentic that the lyrics hit differently. Shantanu Moitra is a master of such tunes and has composed the song suitably. -Akanksha

The wisdom of bhakti saints like Kabir poured into new lyrical, rhythmic form. -Trisha

The tune, lyrics and vocals complement each other well. -Anish
19

दो का चार  (चमन बहार)

do kaa chaar (Chaman Bahaar)

Tags: 90's style, bollywood-celtic, breezy, celtic waltz, cheerful, dulcet, evocative, romantic, love, love at first sight, mature, opulent, plastic, quirky, random, retro, romantic, rustic, sweet, symphonic, varnan

अंशुमन मुखर्जी
Anshuman Mukherjee

अपूर्व धर बडगइयाँ
Apurva Dhar Badgaiyan

सोनू निगम
Sonu Nigam

2.83
One of the best debuts of the year - wish the movie had been a bit higher profile so composer Anshuman Mukherjee may have received some well-deserved plaudits. Brilliant melody, a lovely waltzy arrangement, and a pitch-perfect rendition from Sonu Nigam. -Vipin

Not a very good song but nice to hear Sonu's voice. And the violin pieces stands out. -Aditya

Apurva Dhar Badgaiya's lyrics are so aptly written for the protagonist who runs a 'paan ka galla (shop)'. I chuckled at the line 'Ho jaata hu battees'. And there's a reference to the traditional Unani (Yunani) medicine, can you believe it?! Nice use of violin too! Sonu Nigam's rendition -- which I personally enjoyed tremendously -- seems a little old fashioned, to be honest. It may not appeal to a young listener who (unlike me) didn't grow up in the 90's. -Vishal

Cant believe I'm saying this, but Sonu Nigam's characteristic overemoting was…comforting. Truly must be the end times. :-D. -Shalini

Sonu Nigam doing Sonu Nigam things - overemoting, drawing out the last word of every line with a grunt. Lyrics are rubbish. -Subrat

With all the waltz and orchestra heavy (but so badly mixed), it feels wannabe Ajay Atul. Is that tremolo or age catching up with Sonu Nigam? Pedestrian lyrics with random words strung together to sound rustic/rural/desi cool. -Anup

"मैं बेतोड़ दर्द की कहानी, तू ही तो है मेरा मलहम यूनानी" - Anyone who has travelled the streets of smaller Indian towns has seen the adverts of Yunani dawai painted all over! तू ज़र्दे की हिचकी, गुलकंद का तोला, तू मीठा पान, मैं कत्था कोरिया - The lyrics of this song are so truly earthy and novel. Apurva Dhar Badgaiyan has carried this song vallantly on his shoulders. -Akanksha

Lyrics and musical hook aren't bad, but Sonu Nigam's voice makes everything feel artificial. -Trisha

Wonderful singing by Sonu Nigam. Evookes nostalgia. -Amborish

5 for the lyrics -- which I liked Very Much -- translated to 4 for the overall song. Look, new metaphors using everyday language, everyday words, is not something you come across too often these days. As for Sonu ... I wanted to like him, but he is (as usual) trying entirely too hard. Sigh. -UVR

A charming Indian melody that is based on a lilting strings-piano arrangement, this one harks back to Ajay-Atul's style of composition. Sonu Nigam after so long is a pleasure to listen to, and the man's voice doesn't seem to have aged. The lyrics too, are quite innovative -- "Tu hi toh hai mera marham Yunani"! -Rujul

Sonu Nigam aces this celtic belter of a tune that encompasses some wonderful phrases like Zarde ki Hichki, Gulkand ka Thola, Charas ka Jhola, Nasha Zafrani etc. The soaring string interludes and Sonu's uber romantic singing prove that this song is superior to its spiritual predecessor from Zero, Mera Naam Tu. -Krithikaa

Quirky lyrics, Sonu Nigam's singing and breezy arrangement make this a compelling track. -Aman

This kind of honey-soaked melody goes perfectly well with Sonu Nigam’s voice. The expressive singing along with the quirky lyrics make a decent track. But the methaphors get annoying after a point. -Mihir

The lyrics and the rendition by Sonu Nigam are the star of the song. -Anish
19

दिल ज़रा ठहर  (अटकन चटकन)

dil zaraa Thahar (Atkan Chatkan)

Tags: bachpan, classical, desires, folksy, gentle, grand, lilting, new age sentimental, percussive, raga, retro feel, rhythmic, romantic, semi-classical, slow, soulful

शिवामणि
Shivamani

रक़ीब आलम
Raqueeb Aalam

हरिहरन, रूना शिवामणि
Hariharan, Runa Shivamani

2.83
Hariharan, Runa, Flutes and Harmonium form a lovely quartet in this song about aspirations, desires and dream. Shivamani composes a lovely Antara where the halka harmonium and the flute soar into the sky even as Runa and Hariharan keep the proceedings grounded. The second interlude with the solo flute is the sone pe suhaga,. -Krithikaa

Lyrics feel forced into the beat. -Armeen

I liked the constant accompaniment by harmonium (played by Pradeep Pandit). What a delight to hear Hariharan after a long time! -Vishal

Reminscences of childhood, inspiring. -Subrat

Lovely classical-based melody that finds the perfect treatment at the hands of two exceptional singers - Hariharan and Runa Sivamani - and Sivamani with a very fitting arrangement to back them up. -Vipin

Heard this for the first time in RMIM nominations. Nothing remarkable. -Akanksha

A charming and skillfully arranged song with the use of various instruments. Reminiscent of ARR-Chitra songs from the ‘90s. The singing is first-rate. Would love to hear more songs from Sivamani’s new avatar as a composer. -Mihir

Among the more elaborately arranged, ambitious songs of the year. And sweetly sung. -Trisha

Tender, sweet song created by Sivamani. Heard Hariharan in Hindi films after a long time. -Vaishali

Amazing Indian classical arrangements make this song with its compelling three-beat rhythm sound even more addictive. Runa Shivamani and Hariharan make for a great combo. The lyrics too, by Raqueeb Alam, showcase the excitement in the song beautifully. -Rujul

The music was great. Ruma uses her voice so well. Poor pronunciation strikes again, this time from Hariharan, a veteran who should know better than to say "GHumaan", "Khaaishon". Runa struggles with the aspirated consonants. -UVR

So lyrical, rhythmic and refreshing! -Svetlana

A masterful composition and a very distinctive sound, like some of Rahman's earlier work. -Amborish

Simple and pleasant tune. Minimal but impactful backgrouhds. -Anish

This has been a find for me. Good percussion. The composition has a very South feel to it. Liked it a lot. -Aditya
21

मदारी का बंदर  (गुलाबो सिताबो)

madaarii kaa ba.ndar (Gulabo Sitabo)

Tags: bengali-rock, commentary, contemplative, earthy, fickle mann, folk, folk music, folk-rock, folksy, fun, fusion, heavenly strings, indie, indie-folk music, philosophical, quirky, sarcastic, wry

अनुज गर्ग
Anuj Garg

दिनेश पंत
Dinesh Pant

तोषी रैना, अनुज गर्ग
Tochi Raina, Anuj Garg

2.82
Dinesh Pant's lyrics are sharp and funny and philosophical, while being apposite for the specific situation. A song thatmakes a success of rhyming sikandar with bandar demands applause. -Trisha

The most accesible song on the album. Interesting to hear Tochi and Anuj's contrasting voices on the track. -Anish

A catchy, folk number that's playful and forgettable. -Subrat

The lyrics of this song are another level! Different from a few other songs in this album that are deeply similar to writings by Bhakti saints, this song captures the same spirit but in more original lyrics. Hard to select from so many remarkable lines in the song, but "खन-खन खनके गिनती के सिक्के, साँसों की टकसाल में" will remain with me as some of the most poetic lines from 2020. Full marks to Dinesh Pant. -Akanksha

Anuj Garg's excellent folk fusion composition is a super enaging listen with wonderful word play / The best part of the song is he change in tempo in Antara, accompanied by wonderful string work before going back to the laid back tempo of the mukdha. Totally loop worthy. -Krithikaa

Anuj Garg brings to this album yet another beautiful fusion song. A song tailor made for Tochi Raina, and with beautiful lyrics by Dinesh Pant, this one happens to be my favourite from the Gulabo Sitabo album. The uptempo portion in the antara is aptly inspirational. -Rujul

Unusual instruments and rhythm makes this philosophical song even more interesting. It fits well in the movie. Good singing by Tochi Raina and Anuj Garg. Although he seems to have composed music for filmspreviously, this may be the breakout yearfor this talented composer. -Vaishali

This is a random connection, but the lyrics reminded me of a song from Aankhen (1993): 'Bade kaam ka bandar, naache to sikandar..'. -Vishal

Very Indian Ocean feels. Good instrumentation and arrangement. -Aman

Like some of the other songs of the album, the strings are the highlight. -Aditya
22

मसखरी  (दिल बेचारा)

masakharii (Dil Bechara)

Tags: chirpy, cute, fooling around, fun, happy, humorous, innocent, inspirational, joie de vivre, kanjira, light, light songs, light-hearted, lively, lyrics, mandolin-jam, peppy, philosophical, playful, positive

ए आर रहमान
A R Rahman

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

सुनिधि चौहान, हृदय गट्टानी
Sunidhi Chauhan, Hriday Gattani

2.74
Mandolins, Banjos and Kanjiras create a backdrop for Hriday and Sunidi to indulge in fun and frolic with a lovely tune which has a strong call-back to Matarghasti and its own unique identity at the same time. If this song had released during the caller tune era, one can imagine hearing the Mandolin + Banjo hook when calling friends and family. -Krithikaa

The hook music is catchy. -Aman

Just the kind of song for Sunidhi. -Aditya

A harmless fun kind of song; loved the use of South Indian percussion in the arrangements along with the otherwise European-sounding instruments. Sunidhi aces the singing, while Hriday provides a cute soft edge. Amitabh's lyrics are quirky as expected. This song kind of sounds like Rahman in Trivedi mode. -Rujul

Good to hear Sunidhi in this kind of song. I'm tired of this sort of lyrics though. -Subrat

A decent but less palatable "Matargashti". -Vishal

Good rendition. -Anish

A spirited song and ARR’s throwback to Matargashti. It is Sunidhi Chauhan who owns this track. Her voice is enough to lift up the mood. That lively and comforting voice of Sunidhi which I’ve enjoyed in songs like ‘Mere sang chal toh zara’ and ‘Gun gun guna re’ makes a comeback here. Hriday Gattani’s voice compliments her really well. Amitabh Bhattacharya’s words contribute to the fun quotient of this playful track. -Mihir

I would have liked to switch out Hriday Gattani's voice for Manoj Chauhan's in this song, and Manoj for Hriday's in Taare Ginn. Also, did anyone else feel that this song sounds somewhat Amit Trivedi'ish in tune and arrangement, or is it just me? -UVR

Not one of my favorites in the album. -Akanksha

Kanjira and peedahari balm are the winner. -Anup

AR Rahman and Amitabh Bhattacharya do a splendid job imitating the feel of an advertising jingle, with the recognizable words “peedahari balm” as the centrepiece. But the song feels a little too self-conscious in the end. -Trisha
23

दिल ने कहा  (पंगा)

dil ne kahaa (Panga)

Tags: breathless, dance, dhol, duet, folksy, upbeat, fusion, happy-go-lucky, light-hearted, lilting, love ballad, old-school, pyaar vyaar, qawwali, quirky, retro feel, rock, romantic

शंकर-एहसान-लॉय
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

जावेद अख़्तर
Javed Akhtar

शाहिद माल्या, असीस कौर
Shahid Mallya, Asees Kaur

2.72
The heavily electronically post-processed voices didn't work for me. -UVR

Both the versions workalmost equally well for me. -Anish

A melodious track by SEL & Javed saab. A song that is conversational in nature. When you hear the ‘Saansein..’ portion, you immediately know it’s SEL composition. -Mihir

The first stanza goes on and on. Then some bhangra beats takes over and take the song in to a predictable rut. -Subrat

A pleasant and breezy romantic number in the trademark Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy zone, this one has an infectious tune, especially to the mukhda up till the hookline. The Qawwali elements fused with rock in the hookline really pack a punch. -Rujul

Sort of sweet to see lyrics like "palken jhuk ne lagi" in a modern day song. -Shalini

Fun, foot tapping song reminds of Shankar Mahadevan's Breathless a bit. -Vaishali

A gorgeous song that blends the melody with a kind of ebullient energy. Thoroughly infectious. -Karthik

Shahid Mallya and Asees Kaur's vocals uplift the otherwise average song. -Aman

Asees is very good here. Lovely chorus too. -Anup

SEL strike pay dirt with the turn the tune takes at the Dekho Dheere Dheere line and that twist keeps the listener hooked to the song, causing them to loop the multiple song despite the inherent familiarity of the tune. Is it only me or is there a nod back to Ude Jab Jab Zulfein at places? -Krithikaa

Reminds one of 70s classics, feels like it would be perfect to dance to at a wedding. -Trisha

The song starts with a really long line, written by Javed Akhtar, that traverses several (five?) bars starting with 'Pehle pehal' and ending at 'Mil gaya ve'. -Vishal

Has a distinct SEL stamp. The female voice lacks the earthy feel needed for this song. Lyrics are typically Javed Akhtar. -Aditya
24

हाँ मैं ग़लत  (लव आज कल)

haa.N mai.n Galat (Love Aaj Kal)

Tags: catchy, club, dance, disco, energetic, foot-tapping, fun, groovy, melancholic, naagin, party, peppy, pritam-vibe, pulsating, punchy, rebellious, recreation, remake, retro, retro-retro, spirited, twist, upbeat, youthful

प्रीतम
Pritam

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

अरिजित सिंह, शाश्वत सिंह
Arijit Singh, Shashwat Singh

2.70
A good dance number with a twist to the original Twist. -Akanksha

The minimal processing throughout the song makes the EDM drop with the naagin tune stand out even more, while Shashwat and Arijit complement each other beautifully. Pritam's composition is quite simple, but his team works hard to decorate the song in order to make it more interesting. -Rujul

The "been" music was a nice "twist." Even Arjit was less annoying than usual. -Shalini

Might have rated a bit higher had they not used man dole in the interlude. -Armeen

This is a perfect example of how a remake of a popular song should be done. Pritam reinterprets his 2009 Love Aaj Kal’s chartbuster track for Love Aaj Kal- 2020. The modern orchestration and Irshad Kamil’s updated lyrics fit perfectly into the song. -Mihir

Enjoyable twist on the twist from the original Love Aaj Kal. -Vaishali

A great twist to the Twist from the first Love Aaj Kal. This one's much better with better lyrics, better music and better singers. Addictive! -Aman

Loved this throwback. Addictive energy. -Trisha

Arijit can sing differently from his usual type. This is fun and his modulations carry the song. Irshad's words reminds me of Matargasti. The Twist hook of Nagin is back. All fun. -Subrat

This "twist" recreation is functional and fun. -Krithikaa

The Naagin hook blends in seamlessly with the song. Great fun to listen to. -Anish

The most fun song of 2020. The blending of the Hemant Kumar’s sapera-been interlude from Nagin in the song amps up the fun element. -Karthik

Recreation of a recreation created with the sole intention of evoking memories of the earlier hit. -Aditya

Irshad Kamil falls back on another common one of this themes of being 'galat' (wrong/mistaken). He had written about this in Sada Haq: 'Main sahi samaj ke jo bhi kahoon, tum kehte ho galat. Main galat hoon phir kaun sahi'. Also, here's a totally random connection: that 'Galti se hi to duniya bani' line reminded me of Douglas Adam's famous line from The Restaurant at the End of the Universe: 'In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.'. -Vishal
24

आबाद बर्बाद  (लूडो)

aabaad barbaad (Ludo)

Tags: arzi, breezy, easy listening, edm, evocative, feel-good, foot tapping, fresh, fusion, ghazal, laidback, love, love ballad, pritam-vibe, request, romantic

प्रीतम
Pritam

संदीप श्रीवास्तव
Sandeep Shrivastava

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.70
Pritam manages to concoct an amazingly fresh tune that blends classical ghazal elements with techno sounds. The sarangi is an adorable touch, as is the wonderful sound processing by Team Pritam. Arijit plays a great role in making the song sound as fresh as it is, and the cherry on top is the processed vocals by Shreya Phukan! The second antara is especially beautiful, and the Urdu lyrics by Sandeep Srivastava bring a smile to the face. -Rujul

Didn't expect words like Mizraab and qaabil-e-daad in a film song of 2020. Overall, a pleasant song that lingers on. -Aditya

A vintage Pritam melody but it is let down by overdone electronic orchestration. Arijit’s earnest singing tries to salvage the song. -Mihir

Interesting use of sarangi in an otherwise electronic arrangement. Enjoyable. -Vaishali

Stays with you. Interesting composition, lyrics-wise as well. -Amborish

Nothing to recommend. I seem to have heard the same track many times over in the last 3 years. -Subrat

That splash of sarangi by Ghulam Ali is so good! The lines "Meetha sa ye zehar main to peeta rahuga" suits so well for Rajkumar Rao's memorable character, Alu. -Vishal

Something sad, something melancholic about this song. But all is wrapped in a upbeat, club arrangement. The use of sarangi here reminds me of Uyirin Nadhiye (Mayaanadhi). Pritam-Basu zindabad. -Anup

Surprisingly addictive. -Trisha

Khaabon ko jagah naa mili aankhon mein, wahan pehle se hi sailaab tha….nagmein banata fira saazon pe, dil apna fakat mizraab tha - Among the finest lyrics from past year. Written beautifully by Sandeep Srivastava. -Aman

Imaginative arrangements. Highly engaging tune. -Anish

Sarangi! :) Catchy song which I am sure will be loved by many. -Akanksha

A lovely Pritam tune from the mid to late 2000s, that has been jazzed up and modernized. -Krithikaa
26

ख़ुशमिज़ाज  (दरबान)

Khushmizaaj (Darbaan)

Tags: breezy, carpe diem, cheerful, desi rock, easy listening, fun, gorgeous, happy, heavenly guitar, idyllic, khoj, light mood, love ballad, natural, philosophical, positive, rock, romantic, soothing, soulful, upbeat, thanksgiving, travel, uplifting

अमर्त्य बोबो राहुत
Amartya Bobo Rahut

मनोज यादव
Manoj Yadav

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.66
Another brilliant composition that went under the radar due to the movie it appeared in. Breezy track that would make a perfect roadtrip companion. -Vipin

Amartya Raut composes a stand out tune to envelop Manoj's beautiful words about life and Arijit elucidates it beautifully with this singing. The lovely guitar work is a sone pe suhaga bonus. -Krithikaa

The wonderful work with the strings opens up this song in a manner that suits its title. This song really does lift your mood, and Arijit's voice adds to that effect. Amartya Rahut has devised an amazingly energetic arrangement, with the rock kicking in at just the right time. Manoj Yadav's lyrics also mirror the fun element in the composition and vocals. -Rujul

Nothing extraordinary about the song. Simple, pleasant and easy to sing along. -Anish

Arijit in fine form and the music and signing elevate this despite the Gulzar-itis that the lyrics suffer (atthani, zindagi ke bulbule and the works). -Subrat

Sweet, cheerful song. -Vaishali

This is one of my favorite Arijit tracks this year. It’s an exquisite composition by Amartya Bobo Rahut. The song unfolds in such a delicate manner with gorgeous guitar work in the background. Arijit’s singing is outstanding. -Mihir

Breezy, idyllic, and instantly catchy! -Vishal

Pretentious lyrics. -Aditya

Same singing as almost all his songs.. Sigh. -Svetlana

Don't the music directors get tired of hearing Arijit singing every song? Don't get me wrong, he did very well here, but honestly by the time I got to this song, my ears were well and truly bleeding from hearing Arijit in them. -UVR
27

जुगनू  (पंगा)

juganuu (Panga)

Tags: aspirational, folksy, evocative, fresh, hopeful, inspirational, jugalbandi, philosophical, qawwali, qawwali feel, rhythmic, sufi, uplifting, zindagi

शंकर-एहसान-लॉय
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

जावेद अख़्तर
Javed Akhtar

सनी हिंदुस्तानी, शंकर महादेवन
Sunny Hindustani, Shankar Mahadevan

2.62
Loved Javed Akhtar's analogy of comparing 'desire' to those fireflies that light up in the darkest of nights. Both, Shankar Mahadevan and Sunny Hindustani are in full form and sound splendid! -Vishal

Wonderfully sung by Shankar Mahadevan and Sunny. -Anish

The title hook music is good, otherwise nothing exceptional. -Aman

A great composition, and written well too. -Amborish

My pick of the album (Panga). Just the opening notes by Shankar Mahadevan are enough to pull you into the song. The song has got a soaring melody, sufi/spiritual tone, Javed sahab's verses, and competent vocals of Shankar & Sunny. Lovely jugalbandi between the two fantastic singers. -Mihir

A song with no pretenses, just simple, small pleasures. -Shalini

An engaging SEL melody that is pleasant in all aspects but doesn't stand out. -Krithikaa

Run of the mill stuff. -Subrat

The lyrics begin well, but end up disappointing. Still, a nice uplifting feel to the song. -Trisha

A fresh Qawwali that lifts up your mood instantly, both lyrically and musically. The hookline packs a punch, and Shankar and Sunny perform a wonderful jugalbandi. This was probably a teaser for the greatness that SEL would bring later in Bandish Bandits. -Rujul

Sunny's "Rs" are weird: nagar, dagar-dagar, raat bhar, magar! Javed Akhtar weaves some interesting phrases here, but the singing is a deal-breaker for me. -UVR
28

हाँ तुम हो  (लव आज कल)

haa.N tum ho (Love Aaj Kal)

Tags: anthemic, ballad, boring, desi rock, janam janam ka saath, longing, love, love song, romantic, soul-pop, soulful, soulmates, strings, uplifting

प्रीतम
Pritam

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

अरिजित सिंह, शिल्पा राव
Arijit Singh, Shilpa Rao

2.61
Shilpa Rao is an old favoruite and it is good to have her back. The sarangi is a good touch. Very Imitiaz Ali kind of song in a good way even if Arijit is in familiar space. -Subrat

The esraj in the middle is quite nice. I like Rahogi meri more. -Akanksha

I liked the use of sarangi (or is it dilruba?) in the first interlude. -Vishal

Typical Pritam song. Typical Arijit singing. Shilpa Rao's talent is wasted in the song. -Vaishali

I prefer ‘Rahogi Meri’ over this version. This one pales in comparison despite Shilpa Rao’s presence. -Mihir

The tune, lyrics and the rendition play an equalpart in bringing out the emotions in the song. -Anish

Difficult to pick a favourite between Haan Tum Ho and Rahogi Meri. Pritam adds beauty to the already beautiful Rahogi Meri and then Shilpa Rao is the icing on the cake. Lovely! -Aman

Opening with amazing guitarwork, and progressing with a catchy rhythm along with the trademark Pritam choir vocals, this song soon made its way to the top of mylist of favourite songs from this album and also from the year. The classical elements introduced in this version too, make it race miles ahead of the original version Rahogi Meri. Shilpa's cameo towards the end is mindblowing. Irshad Kamil's lyrics are aptly refreshing. -Rujul

Haan Tum Ho is a better version of Rahogi Meri with the Sarangi and slower tempo increasing the beauty of the original tune. Shilpa's humming and cameo acts as the sone pe suhaga. -Krithikaa

Generic Arijit song. -Trisha
29

आधे आधे से  (रात अकेली है)

aadhe aadhe se (Raat Akeli Hai)

Tags: calm, contemplative, dark, evocative, melancholy, fusion, haunting, introspective, kashish, melancholy, moody, night-calm, philisophical, raag-mellow, romantic, ruminative, sad, safar, semiclassical, sentimental, slow, soulful

स्नेहा खानवलकर
Sneha Khanwalkar

राज शेखर
Raj Shekhar

मिका सिंह, शिल्पा राव
Mika Singh, Shilpa Rao

2.58
Lovely song- enhanced by the sounds of varied instruments, did not feel overdone. Loved Shilpa Rao's voice. Pleasantly surprised to hear Mika Singh sing this non-Punjabi song well. -Vaishali

Shilpa Rao is assuringly good and Mika channels his quieter self into the mood of the song. Music by Sneha is good and Raj Shekhar while doing Gulzar impersonation has made sure he doesn't go overboard with imagery. -Subrat

Sneha Khanwalkar is known to create amazing experiments -- proved here by the choice of Mika to render this semiclassical romantic song. The song overall is a calm and soothing romantic song with an atmospheric use of guitars and digital beats. Shilpa and Mika complement each other well. -Rujul

Mika's singing at the lower register is an obvious disadvantage to this lovely song which has Sneha's lovely voice and some lovely instruments as the only adornments to its tune. -Krithikaa

VB meets Mithoon. -Anup

It is refreshing to hear Mika Singh sing a soft melody instead of the usual dance-y ones where he was beginning to get really repetitive. Lovely melody from Sneha Khanwalkaras well, we don't get to hear a lot of this kind from the composer. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt's mohan veena stands out in the arrangement. Fab lyrics from Raj Shekhar as well. -Vipin

The song has a an emotional core that sticks and refuses to let go. -Amborish

I liked the lyrics and the feel, but it was ruined by the laziness of the singing -- Mika Singh's half-baked pronunciation, and Shilpa Rao being breathy, which simply isnt the same as soulful. -Trisha

Meandering track. -Mihir

That veena (by Vishwa Mohan Bhatt), plucks (by Tapas Roy) and supressed percussion contributes heavily to the moody ambiance of this haunting song. -Vishal

Loved the way Rajshekhar played around with aadha/aadhi. -Anish

Decent lyrics. Nice string interludes. Needed a different male singer though. -Aditya

Sneha Kanwalkar's music is usually quite unique but the hook line of this song kept reminding me of something similar. I finally placed it as 'Bade achhe lagte hai' that seems to have a resemblance to its meter and the pause before hook line. That said, I liked the song and particularly the use of Mika's voice that came in rather unpredictably but suited the song well. -Akanksha

I stuggled with identifying the mood/genre for a number of songs including this one and none of the usual cues , the tune, the lyrics, the emoting, the movie scene helped clear my confusion. Virtually every song is either blandly generic or mystifyingly ambiguous. And since they're all background songs now the song picturazation is of no help. -Shalini

The song in the end credits is reflective of the mood of the film. Sneha Khanwalkar has utilised Mika Singh so well in the track. -Aman

Mika has tried to break out of his "cookie cutter", and I respect him for it, but his voice isn't suited to this type of song. -UVR
30

रुबरू  (जिन्नी वेड्स सनी)

rubaroo (Ginny Weds Sunny)

Tags: ballad, easy listening, ghazal, heartfelt, introspective, longing for piya, love ballad, mann ka faasla, melancholic, pathos, regret, romantic, rueful, sad, sentimental, soulful, soulful, evocative

जाँ निसार लोन
Jaan Nissar Lone

पीर ज़हूर
Peer Zahoor

कमाल ख़ान
Kamal Khan

2.55
Pretty peppy for a "sad song", but I guess that's how it is nowadays. Not complaining actually, since I like the uptempo sad song. -Shalini

Glad the singer did not succumb to the current casual/careless trend in singing. -Armeen

Kamal Khan breathes life into this ghazal. -Vishal

One of those sad songs that have been composed in a very banal manner. The arrangements are the typical rock+flute type, and sadly does not do justice to Kamaal Khan's great rendition. -Rujul

Towers above the other songs in the album. So much warmth. -Anish

When was the last time one heard a ghazal in a Hindi film? How I wish they had not messed up the meter in one of the stanzas. -Aditya

A familiar brooding ghazal kind of a number. The singing is suffused with emotions. An average track. -Subrat

This song feels like gold when you first come across it in a particularly unbearable movie! Kamal Khan has given this ghazal like song a rustic feel despite the use of guitar. -Akanksha

Kamaal Khan sounds like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in certain places and that sounds lovely. -Krithikaa

A+ to the song for being a Ghazal, B- to the MD for needlessly messing with the metric structure for some perceived singing beauty. Kamal Khan has an adequately nice voice, but pronunciation is not this singer's strong point, sadly. -UVR

A soothing romantic track sung by Kamal Khan (of Sa-re-ga-ma-pa fame). There is an inherent melody in the composition. Kamal’s effortless singing takes you back to ‘Ishq Sufiyana’ times. I quite enjoyed this track. -Mihir

The song is instantly uplifted due to the soulful singing. -Amborish
31

कहूँ - रिप्राइज़  (गिल्टी)

kahuu.N - Reprise (Guilty)

Tags: anthem, breaking free from shackles, club track, contemplative, desi pop, desi rock, edgy, edm, electronica, evocative, haunting, indie, inner voice, inspirational, introspective, pop, psychedelic, rock, self expression, techno, trancey, transcending

अंकुर तिवारी
Ankur Tewari

कौसर मुनीर
Kausar Munir

दिव्या एल
Divya L

2.53
"Suno ke lab azaad hai" is great lyrical subversion here for the theme of the film. Also a very well produced track. -Anup

Prateek Kuhaad'esque song that sounded very similar to Saansein (Kaarwan) in the beginning. -Akanksha

Subversive, very cool. -Trisha

Powerful. Divya L is quite the surpise package in the song! -Aman

Recalls Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" in it's general tone/vocal effects. -Shalini

A slow burner, with numerous interesting elements along the way. Wouldn't revisit it, but the hookline is catchy. -Rujul

This is an incredible track by Ankur Tewari & Kausar Munir. It deserves a much wider exposure. The song has got a haunting melody and very fresh perspective in terms of composition, music arrangements & lyrics. I particularly love how the word ‘Kahun’ is used musically by Ankur. The singing is top-notch --the way khamoshiyon se, sargoshiyon se is sung and then the crescendo of ‘Kahun’. Towards the end, there’s even a hat tip to Faiz. Spectacular song. -Mihir

A bold number, executed boldly. -Amborish

A series of words uttered disjointedly in a raspy voice followed by a melodic hook is an overused pattern in Indie songs. -Vishal

A soft, defiant track where the lyrics and the singing is held in tight leash to match the mood. Plus some Faiz helps. -Subrat

Good backgrounds. Found the tune and the lyrics to be quite ordinary. -Anish

Neither the original nor the reprise was impressive enough. Also, not relevant to RMIM Puraskaar, but the film did not really work for me. -UVR
32

मन की डोरी  (गुंजन सक्सेना)

man kii Dorii (Gunjan Saxena)

Tags: aspirational, ballad, catchy, easy, easy listening, fun, happy, higher calling, hopeful, innocent, inspirational, light-hearted, love song, naya naya pyaar, perky, philosophical, pleasant, positive, romantic, soulful, sweet, travel, uplifting

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

कौसर मुनीर
Kausar Munir

अरमान मलिक
Armaan Malik

2.47
Endearing. -Svetlana

A very Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy-like arrangement props an adorable melody which Armaan Malik quite maturely carries on his shoulders. The hookline is aptly fresh and peppy. -Rujul

A simple, foot tapping track with Armaan Mallik delivering the goods. -Subrat

Happy melody, well sung by Armaan Malik. Simple percussion in the background adds to the beauty of the song. -Vaishali

Nothing interesting, pretty bland. -Aman

Amit Trivedi is almost in the Shankar Ehsaan Loy zone with this one - there is a clever subterfuge in Kausar Munir's lines, portraying the protagonist's love for flying in an almost romantic fashion. And Armaan Malik takes care of the delivery in style. -Vipin

I love the part which goes, "tu jahaan wahaan leke jaaye….". -Anish

Mann ki dori reminds me of that dewy fresh in love feels that one still gets from listening to Mere Zindagi Main Aaye ho, only that Mann ki Dori is about falling in love with one's profession and a higher calling . -Krithikaa

Fresh and melodious, I like the simplicity of it. -Trisha

Amit Trivedi’s instantly likeable melody and neat arrangement along with Armaan’s delightful vocals. Kausar Munir’s usage of ‘mann ki dori’ refers to the protagonist's love for flying. -Mihir

Simple, catchy tune. Pleasant listen. -Shalini
33

मेरी तुम हो  (लूडो)

merii tum ho (Ludo)

Tags: bonding, breezy, catchy, desi rock, easy listening, fresh, hummable, idyllic, infectious, love, milan, pyar ke rang, romantic, romantic: evocative, sentimental, soft, soulful

प्रीतम
Pritam

संदीप श्रीवास्तव, श्लोक लाल
Sandeep Shrivastava, Shloke Lal

जुबिन नौटियाल, ऐश किंग
Jubin Nautiyal, Ash King

2.42
Meri Tum Ho is a twin of Haan Tum Ho from Love Aaj Kal, the latter being superior of course. Jubin do a super commendable job with the vocals especially the falsetto around aarzoo line. Pul Sa Koi Bandhne Laga Rishta hua is one of my favorite lines from this song. -Krithikaa

Classic Pritam melody with apt choice of singer(s). The song sounds simple and honest. Not overdone on the music arrangements part. -Mihir

I like the tumbledown, plink-plonk quality of the musical arrangement. -Trisha

What stands out right away are the wonderful wind instruments. The layering of the melody is done well, and Pritam's inimitable use of the chorus is prominent here, taking us back to albums like Barfi and Shaadi ke Side Effects. The coupling of Jubin with Ash King sounds surprisingly fresh, though one wishes for a solo version sung by Ash. Both singers handle the falsetto notes brilliantly. -Rujul

Jubin Nautiyal's raspy voice suits this idyllic, soft-rock song so well. Loved 'Pool sa koi bandhne lagaa' line. -Vishal

Not as good as the other tracks in Ludo. Average stuff from Pritam. -Aman

Does Jubin Nautial know how to say 'g' or is 'ग़' the only thing that comes out of it? What is "ग़ुम हो", "ग़ूँजा" and all that? -UVR

Wonderful concoction of acoustic guitar, percussions and flute. -Anish

Instruments, chorus and arrangements lift up an average song. -Akanksha

Again a familiar feel to the music. Pritam seems to be reheating old tracks from his Anurag Basu music bank. -Subrat
34

भारत की बेटी  (गुंजन सक्सेना)

bhaarat kii beTii (Gunjan Saxena)

Tags: anthemic, aspirational, encourging, girl child anthem, girl power, inspirational, inspiring, motivational, nationalism lite, ode to daughter, patriotic, patronizing, propagandist, rousing, sarkaari, soulful, tribute, women empowerment

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

कौसर मुनीर
Kausar Munir

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.34
A non-chest thumping patriotic track that fits well within the context of the film. -Aman

The team of Amit Trivedi & Kausar Munir deliver a glorious anthemic track for this patriotic film. There are Shehnai bits by Omkar Dhumal. Arijit Singh’s smooth rendition elevates the song. TV reality shows seem to have adopted this song for their bg score:). -Mihir

Arijit's rendition complements Amit's pleasant tune. Lyrics are quite ordinary. -Anish

Nice use of shehnai for a patriotic song. Reminded me of the patriotic classic 'Ye Jo Des' (Swades), although this song failed to impress. -Vishal

All the tropes of deshbhakti and inspiration are there/ Arijit is good, Kausar Munir's lyrics check the boxes and the shehnai works. -Subrat

I wanted to give the music a 4 just for that naadaswaram. I loved it when Amit used it in that Aiyaa song, and I love it here. -UVR

What was the need of adding those Punjabi words!! Good choice of Shehnai as the main instrument. -Aditya

जीती रहो, जीतती रहो' summarises the spirit of Gunjan's dad (and so many other progressive dads of girls). Amit Trivedi's music especially towards the end crescendo is uplifting and quite patriotic. -Akanksha

Something Rahman like happening and still a new refreshing sound. Very evocative! -Svetlana

Standard-issue Amit Trivedi template is the bane of this melody and the lovely Shenai phrases do not provide relief from the fatigue. -Krithikaa

I like some of the gentle wordplay “jeeti raho, jeet-ti raho”. Though it annoyed me that that the chorus is an afterthought: the song was clearly written as “Bhaarat ki naari”, not “beti” -- the rhymes are hamaari, nyaari, pyaari. But on the whole, not a bad song, given its message-y brief. -Trisha

Jeeti raho, jeet-ti raho, Kausar Munir. The wordplay lends such great musicality to it, and thank you Arijit for not eating words here. Amit Trivedi should stop using shennai though to manipulate us in emotional songs - it's predictable now. -Anup

A very typical Amit Trivedi melody, but some takeaways from the song is Arijit's great rendition, the rousing brass instruments, the wonderful shehnai and the wonderful kids' chorus. -Rujul
35

झिलमिल पिया  (शकुंतला देवी)

jhilamil piyaa (Shakuntala Devi)

Tags: addictive, barsaat, dance, drunken, flamenco, foot tapping, fun, light, lilting, opn-vibe, party, raat, retro, retro feel, rhythmic, romantic, sultry

सचिन-जिगर
Sachin-Jigar

प्रिया सरैया
Priya Saraiya

बेनी दयाल, मोनाली ठाकुर
Benny Dayal, Monali Thakur

2.33
Boy, I miss Geeta Dutt. -Shalini

Charming. -Svetlana

The song has a retro vibe to it but it doesn’t try anything new here. The composition sounds monotonous and dated. Only Benny & Monali’s vocals are the saving grace. -Mihir

Another track that channels the soul of OP Nayyar this year. Monali Thakur is wonderful and those interludes remind you of those 50s Guru Dutt noir tracks. -Subrat

Monali's voice is delicious. -UVR

Piya revamps the late 60s / early 70s jazzy discoish sound fabulous. The subtle keys and sax in the first Antara works and horn section seguing the Antara back to the Mukhda is fun, given the change in tempo. -Krithikaa

Catchy, old hindi film dance song feel. Lovely number by Sachin-Jigar. -Vaishali

Different from rest of the stuff in 2020, but that's just about it. Singers are a let down. -Aditya

Reminiscent of certain Vishal Bhardwaj songs, but excellently designed and rendered. -Trisha

The slow rhythm helps in making this song adequately sultry and catchy, but it bursts into a peppy brass party number in the interlude. Benny and Monali sound amazing, while Priya's lyrics aptly have an old-world charm. -Rujul

Sachin-Jigar get influenced from several Hindi songs from the 60s. -Anish
36

परमेसरा  (लव आज कल)

paramesaraa (Love Aaj Kal)

Tags: commentary, critique, desi rap, energetic, folksy, funny, hiphop, hiphop bhajan, humorous, innovative, quirky, rant, rap, satirical, social commentary, upbeat

प्रीतम
Pritam

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

रफ़्तार
Raftaar

2.31
It is something, I don't know what. But I heard through it once. It is fun but not my kind of song. -Subrat

Parmesaraa is a searing commentary on youth and their follies and their approach to life and romance in general. -Krithikaa

Smart and sharp lyrics by Irshad Kamil. -Aman

Quirky fun! -Svetlana

Interesting lyrics by Irshad Kamil. -Vaishali

Situational song. Irshad's words shine. -Anish

Rap turns into ganga aarti! गिल्टों में, शर्मों में, उलझे हैं धर्मों में ….. Social दरिंदे हैं, कहने को है बंदे हैं… Kitni waah waahi lenge Irshaad sir? Showing a mirror to the world of today! -Akanksha

The humorous line by Irshad Kamil get a punchy arrangement to complement them, while Raftaar delivers with a punch. Another winner from Pritam-Raftaar after Dhaakad from Dangal. The highlight of this song is the quirky lyrics. -Rujul

Gimmicky. -Aditya

Enjoyed the wordiness, the linguistic mixture, the wryness.. -Trisha

Irshad Kamil’s social commentary on today’s generation. ‘Social darinde hai, kehne ko bande hai, parmeshwara o parmeshwara..’. -Mihir

This elicted a laugh for the unsentimental but honest lyrics. -Shalini
36

डोरी टुट्ट गैयाँ  (गुंजन सक्सेना)

Dorii TuTT gaiyaa.N (Gunjan Saxena)

Tags: angst, break-up, calm, disappointment, evocative, longing, loss, melancholic, meloncholy, pathos, philosophical, poignant, punjabi, reflective, regret, sad, separation, serene, slow, soothing, sorrow, spoken word feel

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

कौसर मुनीर
Kausar Munir

रेखा भारद्वाज
Rekha Bhardwaj

2.31
The star of Dori is that lovely first interlude that features the flute. It is very difficult to steal the spotlight from Rekha Bhardwaj in emotive numbers but the flute does that here in an effortless and non-chalant way. -Krithikaa

Rekha ji can't make up for an average song. -Trisha

Enough of out-of-context use of Punjabi words!!! -Aditya

Nothing, except for Rekha B's rendition, worked for me. -Anish

What is this language? Hindi? Punjabi? Hinjabi? Very disappointing. Kausar Munir is capable of better. What happened to her? -UVR

The first collaboration between Rekha Bhardwaj and Amit Trivedi results in a mature and dulcet melody (albeit very much in the Trivedi zone of composition). The song makes for a poiugnant listen, and there is some great use of wind instruments and guitars. -Rujul

Once Rekha Bhardwaj sings a song, she makes it her own and it's hard to imagine that song in other singer's voice. -Vishal

Fascinatingly layered and captivating voice. -Svetlana

A sad, somber number lifted by Rekha B's evocative singing. -Subrat

This is a typical Rekha Bharadwaj song and has a similar impact. Still struggle to see the logic of Punjabi lyrics despite being filmed on a protagonist from Hindi heartland. -Akanksha

Delicate, meloncholic song, beautifully written by Kausar Munir and sung by Rekha Bharadwaj. -Vaishali

Tugs at the heart strings, this one - the song is all about Rekha Bhardwaj's delivery of Kausar Munir's lines, and Paras Nath's flute. -Vipin
36

मेरे लिये तुम काफ़ी हो  (शुभ मंगल ज़्यादा सावधान)

mere liye tum kaafii ho (Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan)

Tags: anthem, breezy, campfire, desi rock, innocent, light, love ballad, love song, minimalist, romantic, romatic, soulful, senerading soulmate

तनिष्क-वायु
Tanishk-Vayu

वायु
Vayu

आयुष्मान खुराना
Ayushmann Khurrana

2.31
Such a talented all rounder Ayushmann Khurrana is. Lovely to hear him sing this simple, sweet song. -Vaishali

Lyrics are the highpoint of the song. -Anish

The composition is nothing we haven't heard before, I never really understood the hype of this song; it sounds quite regular, and in my opininon, could have used a better singer. -Rujul

Simple and sweet. Nothing unique. -Aman

I wanted to give this more points, because I really admire Ayushmann Khurana as one of the most talented guys in Bollywood these days, but that isn't one of the criteria. -UVR

Ayushmann probably shouldn't quit his day job, but a singing career is a viable backup plan. -Shalini

Not the best one but what a catchy ear worm. -Svetlana

One of the contenders for love song of the year. A comforting melody you could play on loop. Tanishk & Vayu have created a gem of a track lovingly sung by Ayushmann Khurrana. The guitar based arrangement has been kept minimal and the focus has been on Ayushmann’s trademark easy-on-ears singing. Vayu has kept the lyrics gender neutral. A stunning number! -Mihir

The lyrics in the context of the film's plot is on point. The song is in Khurana zone and he sings it within his constraints. Those zabardasti ordinary lyrics have become a norm this year. -Subrat
39

माय भवानी  (तान्हाजी)

maay bhawaanii (Tanhaji)

Tags: anthem, battle call, bollywood devotional, celebratory, devotional, energetic, festive, folk, maharashtrian folk, maratha, masculine, patriotic, patriotic: devotional, rambunctious, religious, rousing, uksana, valour, war, war cry

अजय-अतुल
Ajay-Atul

स्वानंद किरकिरे
Swanand Kirkire

श्रेया घोषाल, सुखविंदर सिंह
Shreya Ghoshal, Sukhwinder Singh

2.23
Predictable historical movie song. -Akanksha

Why must they make Tanhaji dance, is beyond me. -Armeen

Quite a generic song. -Svetlana

This Ajay-Atul track captures the essence of the festival of Shimga/Holi celebrated in Konkan region. There are a plethora of traditional Marathi instruments used keeping the setting and the period of the film in mind. Kirkire’s celebratory lyrics, Sukhi’s spirited singing, Shreya’s softer singing bits come together to produce this big festive song. It is Ajay-Atul’s hat tip to Laxmikant-Pyarelal style of music. -Mihir

Ajay-Atul on auto pilot serve up an engaging call to higher purpose/goals in Maay Bhavani . Sukhi and Shreya are at their peak prowess as usual. -Krithikaa

Big drums - check, nagadas - check, chorus - check; let's go to war now. -Subrat

Percussion is the high point of this Ajay-Atul song. -Vaishali

Harks back to Ajay-Atul's Marathi song "Malharwari". The energetic percussions coupled with Sukhwinder's ebullient rendition, makes this song really infectious. The chorus does a wonderful job with the Marathi chants, and Shreya shines in a small cameo performance. Porbably the best folk song (in a commercial film) in recent times, as it does justice to Maharashtrian folk festivities. -Rujul

Typical Ajay-Atul fare, Sukhwinder is at home in these type of songs. -UVR

Very 2000s, circa Mangal Panedy, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, etc. -Shalini

Good orchestration, as always in Ajay-Atul's music. -Aman

The female vocals feel tacked on. As does some of the musical arrangement. -Trisha
40

धक धक  (लव आज कल)

dhak dhak (Love Aaj Kal)

Tags: afro beats, afro-pahadi, caribbean, catchy, commentary, dance, energetic, folk, fun, funky, funny philosophical, fusion, light-hearted, love commentary, pahadi-folk, peppy, quirky, rhythmic, social commentary, tribal, upbeat, wordplay, youthful

प्रीतम
Pritam

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

निखिता गाँधी, अकासा सिंह
Nikhita Gandhi, Akasa Singh

2.22
Wisdom of the - Internet Ke Gyaani Jaanen Kaun Kabira Rumi Hai! What a stinging line! -Aditya

The least favourite from the OST. -Aman

The rhythm and beats are fun. But nothing memorable. -Subrat

Catchy hookline. Good wordplay by Irshad. -Anish

Catchy but arrangement feels too crowded. -Trisha

African tribal vocals open this song, and throughout, it provides a steady pulsating rhythm and a very unique feel to the song. The two singers, Nikhita and Akasa render this song as energetically as could be imagined, and Kamil's quirky lyrics complement all these elements. -Rujul

A situational number. Irshad Kamil’s incredible writing is the star of the song. Amazing wordplay on display-- qayamat se qayamat tak. -Mihir

The African beats are quite catchy and suit the quirky lyrics well. Not too difficult a song to sing but Nikita Gandhi has ensured that ' samaa bandh jaaye'. -Akanksha
41

कुड़ी नू नचने दे  (अंग्रेज़ी मीडियम)

ku.Dii nuu nachane de (Angrezi Medium)

Tags: bollywood-celtic, breezy, chirpy, dance, dancey, desi pop, ethnic, feel-good, fun, girl power, groovy, happy, inspirational, peppy, punjabi, punjabi pop, rhythmic, upbeat, women empowerment, women's lib

सचिन-जिगर
Sachin-Jigar

प्रिया सरैया
Priya Saraiya

विशाल दादलानी, सचिन-जिगर
Vishal Dadlani, Sachin-Jigar

2.14
"Trippy and catchy track powered by Vishal Dadlani's engagingvocals. -Aman

A fantastic track exuding infectious energy supported by Dadlani’s vibrant singing. It’s a perfect song to instantly lift your mood. Hashtag #goodvibesonly. -Mihir

Notwithstanding the overdose of dance covers on this song that we witnessed during the lockdown, listening to it at the end of the year after so long brings back all the freshness I felt on the first listen. That goes to show that Sachin-Jigar have created a catchy and fresh song. Vishal Dadlani's effervescent rendition is a highlight of the song. -Rujul

There was no reason for this song to be in Punjabi given the context of the film. -Aditya

A good peppy song to lift spirits in the middle of COVID-19 gloom. -Akanksha

An upbeat Arzi that requests socity to let women be.The celtic touch and Vishal Dadlani are additional niceness. -Krithikaa

Run of the mill bhangra pop. -Subrat

It annoyed me to hear Vishal repeatedly singing ""saaREyaan fikraan nuun chhad ke"". Why? fikar is a feminine noun. ""saaRIyaan fikraan"". Points cut for bad pronunciation. -UVR

Song has a nice, sing-along quality. Pretty average lyrics. -Anish

Something fun about it. -Trisha"
41

रोशनी सी  (तैश)

roshanii sii (Taish)

Tags: club track, dark, edgy, edm, electronic, entrancing, experimental, foreboding, fusion, god knows!, gypsy on a journey, intense, lounge, nasha, peppy, upbeat, pulsating, raat, raw, silver lining, stylish, techno, trance music, trancey, trippy

प्रशांत पिल्लइ
Prashant Pillai

हुसैन हैदरी
Hussain Haidry

अश्विन गोपकुमार, प्रीति पिल्लइ
Ashwin Gopakumar, Preeti Pillai

2.14
The flute piece towards the end is lovely. -Aman

Poor singing. Couldn't make out the words. -Shalini

There's an air of menace in this EDM laced party song. A lot of different from what's on offer this year. -Subrat

Very upbeat and uplifting. Well composed. -Amborish

Generic, unmemorable. -Trisha

A great bassline propels this song to new levels. Prashant Pillai's arrangements are aptly experimental, making for an interesting listen with an amazing mix of flutes and techno elements. -Rujul

Prashant Pillai has been a regular fixture in Bejoy Nambiar's soundtracks. Listening to his songs in those movies, it is easy to see why. The same goes for this song - an immersive electronic piece. -Vipin

Techno with soul. Very good lyrics by Hussain Haidry. -Anish

Moody and atmospheric! -Vishal
43

अँगना  (भंगड़ा पा ले)

a.Nganaa (Bhangra Paa Le)

Tags: dil, folksy, evocative, grand, longing, love song, pathos, qawwali, retro, romantic, sad, sad love, soulful, sufi, traditional, waiting

अना रहमान
Ana Rehman

श्लोक लाल
Shloke Lal

श्रेया घोषाल, जावेद अली
Shreya Ghoshal, Javed Ali

2.08
The usual Shreya melodious number. She's in top form but nothing memorable. -Subrat

Composer, Ana Rehman managed to create a sense of longing and sadness in this song by interestingly choosing to use an upbeat rhythm. Beautifully sung by Shreya and Javed Ali. -Vaishali

The arrangements compliment the traditonal tune well. Excellent singing. -Anish

The song -- tune, arrangment, vocal layering, everything about it - feels straight out of an SEL soundtrack of the good kind. I can see myself playing this right alongside Sajdaa and feeling good about it. -UVR

The Angna Angna hook is so lovely, especially in Shreya's sweet voice.There is a very faint resemblance to O Rangreza that makes the song even more addictive. -Krithikaa

One of my favourite songs of the year, because of the wonderful traditional Indian arrangements and duet structure of the song. Ana Rehman should be lauded for making her first composition so strong, and the JAM8 team has provided apt arrangements in order to make the song sound interesting. Wonderful use of the Qawwali genre, coupled with exquisite background touches like strings, oud, dholaks, harmoniums, choruses, make this one of the most well-rounded songs of the year. That hookline really gives me goosebumps every time, especially the emotional turn it takes towards the end (Sab laage soona...). Of course, Shreya and Javed deliver the song beautifully. I am sure they were more than eager to make a song that harks back to traditional Bollywood melodies after so long. Equally apt eomtional lyrics by Shloke Lal round the song off well. -Rujul
43

बरस बरस  (दुर्गामती)

baras baras (Durgamati)

Tags: ballad, calm, filmy classical, haunting, kashish, longing, melancholic, nasal twang, pathos, romance, romantic, sad, soothing, soulful, soulful, upbeat, sufi

तनिष्क बागची
Tanishk Bagchi

तनिष्क बागची
Tanishk Bagchi

बी प्राक
B Praak

2.08
Overall, the song works except for the elctronic sound that distracts from a smooth melody. -Vaishali

Rare from Tanishq Bagchi to come up with an original song, but doesn't hold much attention and offers nothing new. -Aman

One gets a very strong sense of déjà vu. At least it does not follow the standard template of most songs these days. -Aditya

The song works in the context of the movie, perhaps, but it didn't work for me standing by itself. -UVR

B. Praak's voice should be legend. I love the simplicity of the words and their near-perfect cascading rhythm as set to Tanishk Bagchi's music. -Trisha

One of Tanishk's original songs, but not all that creative nevertheless. The vocals are jarring. If anything works, it is the calm arrangements, where Tanishk tries to employ elements like matka, guitars and even mandolin towards the end, to make the song sound more soothing. -Rujul

B Praak's annoying nasal twang ruins what could have been a decent tune. -Krithikaa

Minimal orchestra, harmonium, Sufi touch - all usual checks for a decent number. Not memorable. -Subrat

Tanishk shild have got a seasoned lyricist is fine. Rest everything woks. -Anish

Average lyrics and typical music. -Akanksha

B Praak does full justice to the melodious tune. -Vishal
45

पहेली  (शकुंतला देवी)

pahelii (Shakuntala Devi)

Tags: bittersweet, breezy, calm, childhood, cute, emotional, evocative, innocent, longing, lullaby, maa-beti, melancholic, melodious, mother-daughter, mother-daughter bonding, mother-daughter love, motherhood, philosophical, soothing

सचिन-जिगर
Sachin-Jigar

प्रिया सरैया
Priya Saraiya

श्रेया घोषाल
Shreya Ghoshal

1.98
Can we say it's a reverse lullaby - a daughter singing for mother? Complex emotion and a missed opportunity for some good lyric writing here. Even the composers did a rehash job. -Anup

A rare song of a daughter singing about her mother. -Vishal

A song that maintains Sachin-Jigar and Shreya Ghoshal's long track record of lovely melodic pieces. -Vipin

Soft, lilting melody by S-J. Shreya’s singing is fantastic as always. -Mihir

Good (as in "umm, yeah, ok, not bad") song. -UVR

Shreya Ghoshal's rendition is absolutely endearing. -Anish

Shreya sings in that hushed, sweet saccharine style that she has made her own. -Subrat

Shreya being her usual sacchrine annoying self. -Shalini

A typical Sachin-Jigar melody, but couldn't help but noticing that Shreya sounds a little off. The lyrics by Priya Saraiya are probably the best thing about the song, because of their innocence. -Rujul

Ticks all the boxes, but felt too cutesy. -Trisha

Ultra sweet for my taste. -Vaishali

For some strange reason, Paheli reminds me of Afeemi from Meri Pyaari Bandu, only that it is sweeter and is a lovely ode to a dysfunctional mother daughter relationship. -Krithikaa
46

जान बन गये  (ख़ुदा हाफ़िज़)

jaan ban gaye (Khuda Haafiz)

Tags: bhatt-music, calm, heartfelt, hindustani-chill, melodious, qawaali, qawwali, qawwali plus soul, romantic, semiclassical, slow, soothing, soulful

मिथुन
Mithoon

मिथुन
Mithoon

असीस कौर, मिथुन, विशाल मिश्रा
Asees Kaur, Mithoon, Vishal Mishra

1.97
The voices lend listenability to a predictable arrangement. -Trisha

Sounds like a leftover from a Mahesh Bhatt film. -Subrat

An aptly soothing romantic number with a Qawwali touch towards the end. Asees and Vishal complement each other well, but it is the minimal arrangements by Mithoon that makes the song sound beautiful. -Rujul

Asees Kaur sounds nice, but ugggggh, Vishal Mishra's trying to be all-too-sexxxyyyyy with that annoying voice texture of his was a total turnoff. -UVR

Sounds like a few other Mithoon songs. -Aditya

Quite like Vishal Mishra's voice and style. He has sung this with soul and the song is pleasant to the ears. -Akanksha

Female singer is not bad. The old-fashioned lyrics and the Qawaali vibe all add up to a charming song. -Shalini

Slow-burning melody. Lyrics could have been better. -Anish

A soothing and soulful Mithoon melody. Delicately composed, written and sung. Mithoon continues to remain one of the underrated composers of Hindi film industry. Vishal Mishra and Asees Kaur are sounding so different from their routine songs...thanks to the composer. A genuine, heartfelt track. -Mihir

Typical sprawling yet listenable Mithoon number. -Krithikaa

Sweet melody. Well sung by Mithoon and Asees Kaur. -Vaishali
47

दरियागंज  (जय मम्मी दी)

dariyaaga.nj (Jai Mammy Di)

Tags: calm, dulcet, easy listening, heavenly guitar, love song, melancholy,, pop, punjabi, pyaar vyaar, quirky, romantic, separation, slow, soft romantic, soulful

अमर्त्य बोबो राहुत
Amartya Bobo Rahut

सिद्धांत कौशल
Siddhant Kaushal

अरिजित सिंह, ध्वनि भानुशाली
Arijit Singh, Dhvani Bhanushali

1.94
Amartya Raut serves up yet another calling card to his name with Dariyaganj. The song has a lovely melodic structure that is enhanced by those lovely guitars and Arijit & Dhvani's singing. -Krithikaa

Simple and hummable track this from Amartya Rahut who had a good year in Bollywood, relatively speaking. -Vipin

Boooooooring! -Aditya

The only remarkable thing is the guitar perhaps. The lyrics are quite annoying. -Akanksha

Didn't really work for me. -Anish

A beautiful melody by Amartya Bobo Rahut with minimalist arrangement. It’s a soft romantic song that you could listen to on loop. Arijit’s voice is a delight to hear. Lovely track! -Mihir

Amartya Rahut composes an apt romantic song, rendered beautifully by Arijit, but could have used better lyrics than the current quasi-quirky lyrics. -Rujul

1 point to Arijit Singh for trying hard to make this average song sound good, and 1 to Siddhant Kaushal for the phrase "दरयागंज दे थाणे". -UVR

All repeat elements are here - a serviceable composition, Hinglish words and Arijit singing in his tired way. Yet it sounds better than sum of its parts. -Subrat

Nicely paced. -Trisha

A completely forgettable track! -Aman
48

फ़ॉरगेट मी नॉट  (कार्गो)

Forget Me Not (Cargo)

Tags: 80's, dance, dancey, edm, electronic, funk, funky, groovy, lounge, modern, electronic, peppy, peppy beat, percussive, pop, quirky, retro, rhythmic, romantic, space disco, techno, upbeat

सागर देसाई
Sagar Desai

मेघा रामास्वामी
Megha Ramaswamy

मेघा रामास्वामी
Megha Ramaswamy

1.86
Going by the unique theme of the film, this composition is very committed to that idea/theme - groovy yet sonic, ska/reggae feel. Cheeky lyrics work in that favour too. -Anup

A groovy, funky track from Netflix’s Sci-Fi film. The song gives very ‘80s pop music vibes. Fun track! -Mihir

The song works with the film. -Vaishali

The disco synth backbone of the song raises the listener's expectation but the singing is a little flat and underwhelms. -Krithikaa

I heard this song for the first time. It is a quirky and peppy number that has a nice rock and roll groove to it, and retro synth arrangements. Sagar Desai seldom disappoints. Megha Ramaswamy shows promise as a singer, but I would have preferred less autotune. -Rujul

The lyrics, like 'tu mera sunny sunny afternoon', by Ramaswamy sound banal. Otherwise, a decent track with some synth sound and reverb effects that are apt for a sci-fi movie. -Vishal

The music has a Nazia Hassan feel but this didn’t stick with me at all. -Akanksha

Quite unconventional. Forget Me Not, as the name says, is unforgettable! -Aman

Sagar Desai's quirky retro piece is a perfect theme song of sorts for the kind of movie Cargo is. Really catchy song, particularly for its arrangement. -Vipin

Too techno for my liking, although it is in line with the film's theme. -Aditya

Engaging tune. Nice synth. -Anish

Unobjectionable background music. -Trisha

Throwback to 80s-90s. Different and fun. -Subrat

I think the vocals and lyrics just got lost somewhere amongst the heavy, too loud ("digital acoustic") drum beats. I really wanted to like this more than I ended up liking it. -UVR
49

धीरे धीरे से  (गन्स ऑफ़ बनारस)

dheere dheere se (Guns of Banaras)

Tags: 90's style, duet, easy listening, falling in love, haunting, melodious, pyaar vyaar, retro, romantic, semiclassical

सोहेल सेन
Sohail Sen

समीर अंजान
Sameer Anjaan

मोहित चौहान, पवनी पांडे
Mohit Chauhan, Pawni Pandey

1.59
The song sounds dated. -Mihir

Sameer remains true to form -- reliably predictable and banal. I was disappointed that the phrase 'sham-o-sehar' did not make it to this song ;). -Vishal

Don't understand the need to for the cheesy English lyrics towards the end? Took off a half-point for that bit of inanity. -Shalini

A haunting romantic melody, and Mohit and Pawani provide adequate support to each other. However, the highlight is Sohail Sen's strong melody. Pawani's "saansein chalti ruk ruk ke" refrain is catchy! -Rujul

Surprised that this song is in the final nominees' list. Is this really one of the year's best songs? -UVR

A pretty ordinary song. Nothing remarkable about it. -Aman

Predictable track. Singing elevates it a notch. -Subrat

Pawni Pandey's sweet voice made the song more enjoyable. Music and lyrics are likable except for the lines in English towards the end that don't seem to serve any purpose. -Vaishali

Forgettable lyrics, template feel. -Trisha

Sohail Sen comes back from hiatus to serve up a frothy melody that is yet to scale his khelein hum jee jaan se peak. The transition to english verse is jarring and could have been done away with. -Krithikaa

Pleasant song except for the out-of-place rap portions by Sohail. -Anish
50

हमराह  (मलंग)

hamaraah (Malang)

Tags: background music, bhatt-music, bike ride in barsaat, catchy, dance, desi rock, edm, electronic, fresh, funky, lounge, melancholic, pathos, plastic, romantic, sawying in the disco, soft rock, travel, upbeat

द फ़्यूज़न प्रोजेक्ट
The Fusion Project

कुणाल वर्मा
Kunal Verma

सचेत टंडन
Sachet Tandon

1.53
The usual EDM feel to the interludes and the singing is that familiar Arijit Singh mould (although he's not the singer). -Subrat

Definition of ordinary. -Shalini

Sachet-Parampara create yet another Bhatt Template melody that’s easy on the ears. -Krithikaa

Pointless. -Trisha

Nothing really stood out for me. -Anish

Groovy and peppy track. -Aman

Humraah is a quintessential Mohit Suri film track. Sachet Tandon’s voice complements this song. This EDM love track follows the pattern of-- slow buildup leading to a beat drop. Apt for Goa-travel video in the film. -Mihir

A fresh EDM number that stands out in the otherwise quite banal album of Malang. Sachet Tandon's vocals are apt for the song, but what hooked me the most was the drop portion. -Rujul
गानों को अंक केवल श्रेष्ठता के लिए दिए गए हैं. केवल औसत से बेहतर प्रदर्शन के लिए अंक हैं. अधिकतम अंक 5.
The ratings/scores are on a positive-only scale. This means that an average or ok song gets a zero and the ratings go up from there. Maximum 5 marks.

Top Albums - Top Non-Film Songs

Other Nominated Songs

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Vinay P Jain. Feedback to giitaayan at gmail dot com. February 2021.