Top Film Songs of 2022

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)

शौक़ (कला)

shauq (Qala)

Tags: bichadna, boat, boats, calmness, classical, coldnight, dreamy, ghazal, heartbreak, hopeless love, love, lullaby, moody, old school, peace, philosophical, folk, river, romantic, songs of rivers, upbeat, water

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

वरुण ग्रोवर
Varun Grover

शाहिद माल्या, सिरीषा भागवतुला, स्वानंद किरकिरे
Shahid Mallya, Sireesha Bhagavatula, Swanand Kirkire

3.83

Toggle Jury's comments

The feels! This has got to be the song of the year, for me. -Meera

"Guftagu" with the soft "g"? At least in a period piece they should have taken better care. Initial male voice, I guess, is deliberately projected with some "non-singer" quality. Shahid Mallya shines again, even if he doesn't necessarily sound like he is of that era. -Sanjeev

Is it a case of one lyricist singing another lyricist's words? Any such cases? Many intriguing constructions in lyrics. -Ashok

Amazing atmospheric composition, draws you in . Varun grover shines : "Doobti Hai Tujh Mein Aaj Meri Kashti / Guftagu Mein Utri Baat Ki Tarah". -Arun

A superb composition, wonderful lyrics, and lovely music. -Pankaj

The dichotomy used in the lyrics in a simple manner is very difficult to achieve. This song also elevates the lyrics by very good singing. -Pradeep

Best album of the year. Music, lyrics, singing - this album hits the spot in each aspect. One can almost feel the love with which each song has been made. Beautifully transports you to an era gone by. One of Amit Trivedi's outstanding works. The lyrics for each of the songs are sheer poetry. This film will be remembered for its music! -Svetlana

So joyful. One of the best songs of the year. -Zico

Such a soothing melody. Well- crafted words by Varun Grover. It is sung very well both by Shahid Mallya (who gets some of his best songs from Amit Trivedi) and the wonderful find, Sireesha Bhagavatula. I like how Amit Trivedi gets the mood, the gentle pace, and even the period of the song correct by keeping the arrangement simple, yet very elegant. Reminded me of some old boatman's song by S.D.Burman. -Sunil

Tranquil beats, gossamer lyricism. -Sukanya

Great dissonance in the three voices singing the song, great composition. -Tatsam

If the singer had focused a bit more on pronunciations of basic words I would have given it a higher rating in singing. Mujko instead of mujhko is just not done. -Neha

Not a bad tune, I wish there was a better singer than Shahid Mallya. -Ketan

A worthy contender for lullaby of the decade? So much beauty to this track - simple and complex at the same time - be it the minimal arrangements that definitely take you for a breezy ride or Shahid Mallya's balmy vocals or Varun Grover's creative wordplay. -Shasank

घोड़े पे सवार (कला)

gho.De pe sawaar (Qala)

Tags: chhed-chhaad, classic, classical, consent, fun, love, me too, meaningful, melodious, nostalgia, nostalgic, old school charm, period, retro, romantic, slow, upbeat

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

सिरीषा भागवतुला
Sireesha Bhagavatula

3.27

Toggle Jury's comments

Very SD Burman, pleasant and uncluttered. Classic Amitabh bhattacharya : "Ankhiyon Se Thag Ke Bharna / Woh Jaane Batiyon Se Zurmana". -Arun

Good Amit Trivedi melody, but not much else. -Tatsam

Amit Trivedi and Amitabh Bhattacharya could have gone anywhere with the premise of this track but they manage to strike a perfect balance between musical innovation and invoking the vibe of a bygone golden era. The melody and production are purposefully old school and conventional but pack charm! As good as it is here, Shireesha Bhagavatula's singing misses the mark by a slight bit for me, especially after watching what the track is alluding to in terms of a singer's skill in the movie itself. -Shasank

Retro vibes galore. -Sukanya

A stunning topical song with meaningful lyrics. Sireesha Bhagavatula’s voice is perfect. -Pankaj

I don't get the appeal of this song. -Neha

Nice enough song. sajaniaa stands for a mele -- sajanawaa? -Ashok

Total 50s throwback - expecting Hemant Kumar and Geeta Dutt to show up. Female vocals don't quite create the effect. Lyrics a thinly-veiled rant against social mores of the time? -Sanjeev

Loved this song, though it is the weakest song in the album, It's still so good. -Anuradha

The song has an old-style charm to it. Seems appropriate for a period film. Sireesha Bhagavatula is a wonderful find. Grateful for Amit Trivedi for introducing so many new voices. -Sunil

Can't get the tune or words out of my head. Beautiful! -Meera

Trivedi in form, recalls 'Sanwaar Loon'; lovely old fashioned singing. -Zico

Good attempt at a 50's song. Sireesha is trying to do a Geeta, the rhythm and the tune are C. Ramchandra-ish and the interludes are OPN style-basically all over the place. -Ketan

C Ramachandra type beat structure. -Pradeep

रुबाइयाँ (कला)

rubaaiyaa.N (Qala)

Tags: classical, dark, dreamy, eerie, horse ride, longing duet, love, love duet, moody, old school, period, poem, retro, semi classical, romantic, spooky, sweetness, traditional, upbeat

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

स्वानंद किरकिरे
Swanand Kirkire

शाहिद माल्या
Shahid Mallya

3.23

Toggle Jury's comments

The clarinet+Shahid Mallya's coy vocals make this almost unmissable. Should've been in the film! -Tatsam

"tidke" means cracked -- i learned a new word! -Arun

This should have been an instrumental version. The Hemant Kumarish music is better than the Hemant Kumarish singing. -Ketan

A very complex track in melody and character, Shahid Mallya emotes the notions of this song so elegantly. The arrangements are also very out of the box compared to the rest of the tracks in this album. Swanand Kirkire's lyrics also have an interesting tinge to them. -Shasank

Some weird processing on the vocals in the beginning; channelling Sajjad Hussain?? Song conspicuously grew on me as I listened to it, but can't put my finger on why... -Sanjeev

The clarinet and the violins, the beat and the side-rhythms recreate the period very well. Shahid Mallya is a very melodious and soulful singer. Good music by Amit Trivedi. -Sunil

Fantastic song; superbly composed. One of Amit Trivedi’s best. -Pankaj

Qala is, to me, this year's best album overall. -Anuradha

1940's mood brilliantly created by Amit trivedi and adequately supported by Shahid. -Pradeep

Transports to the golden era of Hindi film music. -Sukanya

Shahid Mallya's breakout album (finally!). Top arrangement. -Zico

Shahid Mallya should try to get better at lower registers. -Ashok

तेरे हवाले (लाल सिंह चड्ढा)

tere hawaale (Laal Singh Chaddha)

Tags: classical, devotion, duet, estranged, feelings of love, gurbani, love, melancholic, quasi-qawwali, romantic, sentimental, soulful, sufi, traditional

प्रीतम
Pritam

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

अरिजित सिंह, शिल्पा राव
Arijit Singh, Shilpa Rao

3.13

Toggle Jury's comments

Best song of Laal Singh Chaddha. -Sukanya

One of the best songs of the year. Shilpa Rao’s voice is soothing. Arijit, like always, is wonderful. -Pankaj

Sincerity and clear-headedness can go a long way in making an honest, good song. -Tatsam

Arijit handles the high octave melody, while Shilpa takes care of the lower octaves, and Pritam balancing the love ballad with harmonium over strings. Gives me a feel of ai hairat-e-aashiqui. Shilpa rao shines! -Pradeep

Another song in this year's list that uses the harmonium to set the track up in a very creative way, the rest of the track uses typical arrangements to uplift a unique repartee between Arijit Singh and Shilpa Rao rendering a very introspective, lowkey melody. There's pain here but also a very strangely satisfying sense of redemption. -Shasank

I like the arrangement, it's almost like a devotional song. -Zico

It is very pleasing to hear the sound of a harmonium in a modern song. Amitabh Bhattacharya crystallizes the essence of the characters of the film so well in his words. -Sunil

Nice tune. My problem is that the voice does not fit Aamir the romantic actor's face. Arijit is a 'dukhi aatma' singer the way he sings. That's like asking Mahendra Kapoor to sing for Rajesh Khanna (shudder). -Ketan

The organ and tabla were a bit of a fresh air amidst some of the synthetic music this year. -Meera

Shilpa Rao should sing more. -Neha

Shilpa Rao is extremely good in this song. -Anuradha

Another pleasant listen, music, and voices (particularly Shilpa Rao) - I do like same-octave duets...but tune is formulaic, algorithmic and everything is so processed...nothing distinctive about it. -Sanjeev

Fine enough song, but too long given the paucity of musical ideas. -Ashok

ये एक ज़िंदगी (मोनिका, ओ माइ डार्लिंग)

ye ek zi.ndagii (Monica, O My Darling)

Tags: 80s, classical, dance, dance beats, disco, funky, groovy, m, nightclub, nostalgia, philosophical, popular, pulpy, retro, cabaret, upbeat, quirky

अचिंत, मिकी मैकक्लियरी
Achint, Mikey McCleary

वरुण ग्रोवर
Varun Grover

अनुपमा चक्रवर्ती श्रीवास्तव
Anupama Chakraborty Shrivastava

3.02

Toggle Jury's comments

Well done on recreating an Kalyanji-Anandji-Asha-Bhosle-esque number! -Meera

Excellent way to combine a tribute + showcase one's individuality. The voice casting goes such a long way in authenticity. -Tatsam

What a fun song! Feels like the remix of an old song, but it is not. Anupama Chakraborty Shrivastava is the find of the year. -Pankaj

Floor burning energy flowing out of every direction, zip, zap, zoom. -Sukanya

Anupama does a passable imitation of Asha and the song works because of the catchy tune. -Ketan

After Scam 1992, Achint delivers well in this soundtrack. He creates the vibe of the 1980's reminiscent of 'Raat baaqi Baat Baaqi' from 'Namak Halaal'. Anupama Chakraborty Shrivastava emulates 'Asha Bhosle' very effectively. Varun Grover does a phenomenal job of recreating the era, the exuberance, the excitement while giving some catchy playful words even to the chorus. This is a fun song. -Sunil

Couldn't relate to the song. Sounds a total mess to me. -Ashok

Masala song of the year! guilty pleasure -- missing Asha tai! -Arun

1980's vibe created purposefully with Lionel richie, Chaalbaaz sounds and lyrics. -Pradeep

Attempt at a distinctly Asha-Piya Tu vibe...kinda sorta gets there. Lots of weird effects...or is it just the ubiquitous pitch correction gone wild? -Sanjeev

A cracker of a song in a cracker of a film. So much mischief in the singing, the arrangements, and the words. They got the assignment and how! -Shasank

Another great album of the year. Lively, refreshing, and so groovy! Captures the retro vibe to the T! -Svetlana

Very catchy but singing leaves a lot to be desired. In Asha's mould but not good enough. Missed Asha for this one. -Neha

फेरो ना नजरिया (कला)

phero naa najariyaa (Qala)

Tags: breakdown, classical, dark, emotional, love, melancholic, nostalgia, period, poignant, retro, sad, semi classical, semi-classical, thumri, traditional

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

कौसर मुनीर
Kausar Munir

सिरीषा भागवतुला
Sireesha Bhagavatula

2.96

Toggle Jury's comments

Mostly ok, but the singer's voice doesn't have a sense of authority and the climax becomes dull. -Ashok

Sireesha Bhagavatula is a great discovery. Good music and arrangement by Amit Trivedi. -Sunil

Again lovely singing by Sireesha Bhagavatula. Very classical vibes. -Pankaj

"Baadal na tore udhedoongi ab se" - beautiful. I was only imagining how Begum Akhtar would have sung this! -Arun

Chhoti instead of choti is just not done. :(. -Neha

Poignant. And beautiful use of onomatopoeia in the stanzas. -Meera

Pristine composition, also a fine example of contemporarising a semi-classical melody really well. -Tatsam

Classical raga based composition. Love the sitar usage. -Pradeep

Beautiful composition, beautiful rendition. -Sukanya

The harmonium adds an intriguing layer of yearning to this track, accentuated by a classical assortment of instruments that all blend well with the melody. My only frustration is that there is an overreliance on a chorus line, as with many recent Amit Trivedi tracks, despite this one's classical ghazal-ish setting. Perhaps AT can take a lesson or two from SLB in setting such tracks to breakthrough their boundaries. Sireesha Bhagavatula's vocals are on point but do not emote the pain in the song's premise and Kausar Munir's words that well. -Shasank

She can't pronounce basic words, forget sing. Kudos on the usage of sarangi. -Ketan

This could have been an absolutely stunning song had the vocals been less matter-of-fact and detached. Why does she says "chhoTi" for "choTi"? -Sanjeev

कहानी (लाल सिंह चड्ढा)

kahaanii (Laal Singh Chaddha)

Tags: ballad, dreamy, emotional, fantasy, feel good, floating, inspiration, kiddie song, life, mellow, morning wind, motivation, nostalgic, philosophical, philosophy, raindrops, romantic, slow, soul, sweet, upbeat

प्रीतम
Pritam

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

सोनू निगम
Sonu Nigam

2.94

Toggle Jury's comments

Another promotional number from Pritam that could have easily become an overtly saccharine excess of nostalgia, but Pritam delivers a simple, hummable, yet consistently interesting melody that is interspersed with characterful and upbeat production and arrangements. Then he brings Sonu Nigam out of his typical hiding for that effortless charm he always brings to the singing. Everything here, including the lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya seems very simple, but the discerning can tell that there's a thoughtful effort that went into it all. -Shasank

Meditative, but gets monotonous. "pam pararapam" doesn't propel it enough. If I revisit the song, it'll be for the lyrics. -Ashok

One of the most beautiful songs of the year. Lovely lyrics about the stories of our lives, complemented by Sonu Nigam’s singing. -Pankaj

The singing takes this average song a few levels up. The arrangements are similar to Barfi. -Pradeep

The metaphors draw up a beautiful visual imagery, music and singing complement. -Meera

Thankfully Sonu sounds good here, better from his over-emoting days. Very serviceable stuff from Pritam and Amitabh combo. Shades of 3 Idiots and Lage Raho Munnabhai. -Arun

The deceptive simplicity of its music and lyrics is what makes this song special. Refreshing to hear Sonu Nigam! -Svetlana

Good to hear traces of the Sonu of old. Nice accordion effect. -Ketan

Fairytale-ish. -Zico

Casts a spell of enchantment. -Sukanya

Exquisite, simple melody -- sung by Sonu Nigam using a light touch. -Tatsam

Auto tune does no one any favours. -Anuradha

Lovely song. -Neha

Amitabh Bhattacharya has consistently written good lyrics for this entire soundtrack. This song is no different. Sonu is effortless as usual. -Sunil

मेरे ढोलणा (भूल भुलैया 2)

mere DholaNaa (Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2)

Tags: classical, classically-based, dynamic, folk, haunting, odissi, remixed, romantic, semi classical, traditional

प्रीतम
Pritam

समीर
Sameer

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.89

Toggle Jury's comments

Arijit hits it out of the park with his laid back singing, the high and low range, and the various murkis delivered to perfection. -Pradeep

Some things in the universe have a destiny. As much as this song was originally adorned so beautifully by Shreya Ghoshal and M.G.Sreekumar, it was this song's destiny to be sung by Arijit Singh, in such a seamless, elegant, and effortless fashion, almost as if he was just freestyling it at a friend's party. Brilliant stuff. The production keeps it very close to the original, only reprogrammed for better clarity in the arrangements. And the music still has all its grandeur, after all these years. Sameer's lyrics also make you miss for an era slightly bygone. One of the few good things to have come out of a sequel to the original movie. -Shasank

Solid Pritam composition brought back to life in compelling fashion. -Tatsam

A good instance of if it ain't broke, don't fix it. -Sukanya

Amazing vocal performance here by Arijit. His singing talent after listening to this song and the rapid sargam taans make you realize how much potential he has and how in many of the songs he is given he is being pigeon-holed in a very narrow range and style. He can really be a composer's dream with his ability to render so many different kinds of songs. This was a compelling sequel to the earlier Shreya Ghoshal version. The only thing going against it was that there was nothing much different from the earlier version. -Sunil

Six minutes of unholy mess. Might as well enjoy it, I suppose--it'll be ubiquitous. Reviving Sameer's lyrics must count as a negative. -Ashok

I find this inspired in its phrasing by "Baaje go beena" by Salil from Marjina Abdullah. The tune is so good that even Arijit can't ruin it. -Ketan

Who knew Arijit could justice to fast classical taans! -Arun

This was always a winner. Thankful that this rendition has lived up to its previous versions. No '4' for Arijit though, while the precision in notes was there, he lacked the emotion IMHO. -Meera

Curious to hear more classically-based stuff in his voice, enjoyed it (though also curious to hear a non-studio rendition). -Sanjeev

अटक गया (बधाई दो)

aTak gayaa (Badhaai Do)

Tags: breezy, charming, cute, first love, laid-back, love, love ballad, mellow, playful, pleasant, romance, romantic, slow, upbeat

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

वरुण ग्रोवर
Varun Grover

अरिजित सिंह, रूपाली मोघे
Arijit Singh, Rupali Moghe

2.85

Toggle Jury's comments

For a change, Arijit sounds different, not auto-tuned to sound angsty as always. -Anuradha

I liked the female version better. -Pradeep

Beautiful singing by Arijit; the phrase ‘Atak Gaya Hai’ is wonderful. -Pankaj

Arijit can't do nothing wrong it seems! -Arun

Amit Trivedi occasionally pulls out a unicorn out of his magician's hat! Adorning a gorgeous melody, the string work in this song offers a sublime layer to build the lazy, laid back, spring-like feel, with mischief in the percussions and a bubbly joy in Arijit's singing, This song showcases the kind of fun, quirky yet normalized way we need to be talking about love more, particularly involving gay folks involved. Varun Grover's lyrics do just that! A song I hold so dearly to my heart. -Shasank

The only thing 'atak gaya hain' is Arijit's voice like a needle on a broken record. -Ketan

Beautiful melody. -Sunil

Quite ordinary. -Ashok

Has a catchy hook, truly atak gaya. -Sukanya

While he isn't a favorite, there is something very earnest about his voice that makes his song so believable and enhances. The same song in another voice may not sound so good. -Neha

I am not anti-Arijit...I am anti this flat, lazy, "couldn't care less", style of singing that people seem to think is so endearing... -Sanjeev

Curious if the film had a batman esque 'BOOM' appear on the screen too :) Pleasant, sweet song. -Meera

Simple, sincere, and changes things up for Arijit Singh (what a relief!). -Tatsam

फिर न ऐसी रात आएगी (लाल सिंह चड्ढा)

phir na aisii raat aaegii (Laal Singh Chaddha)

Tags: arijit ballad, ballad, dulcet, flashback, holding on, intense, longing, love, melancholic, melancholy, midnight musing, restless, romance, romantic, sad, songs of night and love, wistful

प्रीतम
Pritam

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.84

Toggle Jury's comments

Yet another track from this album that defies its template and goes the extra mile with a soulful melody from Pritam, delivered effectively by Arijit. As with the other tracks in this album, the arrangements are simple and are in service of the vocals. -Shasank

Starts wonderfully, but then segues into a very generic sounding hook. Falls short of great. -Zico

Vocalized interlude, by itself is a good idea, but should be better. -Ashok

A sublime melody. -Sukanya

It's Arijit: Rinse repeat, rinse repeat reviews of his other songs. -Ketan

More typical Arijit song in some ways - but a bit of a softer touch here? -Sanjeev

Sincerity and clear-headedness can go a long way in making an honest, good song. -Tatsam

In the third line Pritam moves away from his typical template and I liked that. Rest is a normal Pritam. -Pradeep

Arijit can sing these in his sleep. -Arun

Arijit Singh is wonderful here. The music is fantastic. -Pankaj

Lovely lovely song. -Neha

मेरी जान (गंगूबाई काठियावाड़ी)

merii jaan (Gangubai Kathiawadi)

Tags: beats, contemporary, experimental, funky, fusion, groovy, intimate, love, moody, opera, period, playful, popular, retro, romantic, romantic, seductive, sexy, throwback

संजय लीला भंसाली
Sanjay Leela Bhansali

कुमार
Kumaar

नीति मोहन
Neeti Mohan

2.80

Toggle Jury's comments

Excellent singing to a typical 1950 cabaret template. -Pradeep

Intro music deliberately comical (situational)? Neeti Mohan very fun to listen to...throwback to the Geeta Dutt-OP Nayyar days? Babuji Dheere Chalna, Haji Baba, Jata Kahaan Hai Deewaane, etc. -Sanjeev

Bhansali milking the sensuality of the situation, and succeeding. Neeti Mohan is brilliant in how playful she is. -Tatsam

Neeti Mohan supremacy. -Zico

Spectacular singing by Neeti Mohan. The opening beats on the saxophone are wonderful. Fusion is nicely done. -Pankaj

Except for the hook tune which may have served well for Instagram reels, the song didn’t do anything for me. -Meera

SLB works something unique into the world of Kathiawadi both in the song's premise as well as musical execution. This is such a refreshing track to listen to, be it in the specific pitch Neeti Mohan's vocals are set at, the minimalist yet quirky arrangements, and the general soundscape of the track. -Shasank

Weird song but somehow enjoyable! Another retro song from many this year. -Arun

Trying to get female singer yodel wasn't so hot an idea. -Ashok

Gotta love Neeti Mohan for doing a good Geeta Dutt impersonation. And as if that was not enough she throws in a yodel. -Ketan

It was enjoyable to hear Neeti Mohan sing, especially yoddle in this playful song. This song has a lovely arrangement. -Sunil

Neeti Mohan does the trick. -Sukanya

तुर कल्लेयाँ (लाल सिंह चड्ढा)

tur kalleyaa.N (Laal Singh Chaddha)

Tags: affection, anthem, background, devotional, dramatic, introspective, love, melancholic, meditative, motivating, motivational, philosophical, sufi., romance, rousing, soothing, striving, sufi

प्रीतम
Pritam

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

शादाब फ़रीदी, अल्तमश फ़रीदी, अरिजित सिंह
Shadab Faridi, Altamash Faridi, Arijit Singh

2.80

Toggle Jury's comments

Energetic singing carries the song. -Sanjeev

Predictable and boring. -Meera

What could have been a good song descends into screaming. :(. -Ketan

Garden variety sufi number. -Arun

Another favorite from the album. Philosophical lyrics, beautifully sung. -Pankaj

Beautiful words by Amitabh Bhattacharya. Impressed by his abilities to write so well even in Punjabi. -Sunil

This is my favorite anthem from the year - a passionate melody punctuated by a very inspiring string layers and the punchy vocals. A very different take on the redemption song, full of musical hope and tearjerking power. Words of striking clarity from Amitabh Bhattacharya, and Pritam yet against sneak in a track of ingenuity into a template. -Shasank

The lyrics and singing make this song above average. -Pradeep

बोल (पीएस 1)

bol (PS1)

Tags: boat, charming, fun, love, mellow, mischievous, playful, quirky, river, slow, soft, sweet, teasing, upbeat

ए आर रहमान
A R Rahman

महबूब
Mehboob

श्रेया घोषाल
Shreya Ghoshal

2.79

Toggle Jury's comments

Shreya has sung so many Malayalam songs with perfect diction that she now sounds like a Malayali singing Hindi songs. :). -Anuradha

Something so soothing and melodious about the music and singing here, which makes one listen to it more than once. -Svetlana

Earworm potential is immense. -Sukanya

So so so disappointed with ARR and Shreya. -Neha

Interesting tune by ARR. Shreya keeps her exuberance at the right level. -Ketan

Shortest song in the list. Sprightly. Mani Ratnam has gone back to Mehboob as lyricist. -Ashok

Minimal arrangement and very good singing drives this song. -Pradeep

Shreya Ghoshal’s singing is lovely, but apart from it, did not work for me. -Pankaj

Using the voice as an instrument, beautiful! -Meera

These "b-side" tracks are what make Rahman the legend he is, in my opinion. A track that wasn't even fully used in the film, it bursts at the seems with so much verve - instantly bringing us into the mischief and frolic the characters are indulging in. The structure, melody, and production are all so out of the box for a situation that has been seen in hundreds of films. Shows why Rahman is a master of creativity. Shreya Ghoshal is at the top of her game here. Mehboob's lyrics don't quite have the effortlessness of the Tamizh original words but fit the tune and do the job decently. The only reason this track doesn't get a 5 is coz its too short and doesn't go into a full fledged stanza. -Shasank

it's a little too... Short. -Zico

OK finally some full-on singing, even if it's sugary-sweet - lyrics aren't particularly imaginative. -Sanjeev

Playful catchy song from ARR. Uses the talents of Shreya very well here. Also beautiful backing vocals creating a lovely and arresting melody. -Sunil

मैं की कराँ (लाल सिंह चड्ढा)

mai.n kii karaa.N (Laal Singh Chaddha)

Tags: carefree, charming, childlike, cute, endearing, floating, happy, innocent, love, nostalgic, playful, raindrops, romantic, romantic, punjabi, slow, sweet, upbeat, weightless

प्रीतम
Pritam

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

सोनू निगम, रोमी
Sonu Nigam, Romy

2.78

Toggle Jury's comments

Good wordplay by Amitabh, not much impressive otherwise. -Arun

Sonu is decent. The rest of the song is ho-hum. -Ketan

Very average. -Meera

Enjoying Sonu's simple, gimmick-free, to the point rendition. Nice contrast with the other intense vocals. -Sanjeev

Its heartfelt, gentle touches linger on. -Sukanya

A melody bubbling with mischief and charm, this track takes a simple string heavy arrangement and layers a few marvels on top, such as that saxophone bridge or Romy's stunning vocals, that perfectly complement Sonu Nigam's simpler vocals. A breezy track that misrepresents the sheer challenges of coming up with one that simple. -Shasank

Good. Pleasant. -Neha

Sonu is good as usual, but the vocals by Romy add an extra layer of beauty to this song. -Sunil

A nice touch to bring in the two voices, both of which are wonderful. Music is lovely. -Pankaj

Simplicity, done well. -Tatsam

Pritam and Barfi hangover; good singing. -Pradeep

OK, but doesn't measure up to "kinnaa sonaa" it refers to; again, for me, problem with Punjabi-Hindi mix. -Ashok

It's a sweet Jack-and-Jill song but it's destroyed by the angst in the middle. -Anuradha

केसरिया (ब्रह्मास्त्र)

kesariyaa (Brahmastra)

Tags: emotional, feel good, filmi, grungy, joy, lovey dovey, peppy, popular, romance, romantic, soothing, traditional, upbeat

प्रीतम
Pritam

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.77

Toggle Jury's comments

The singing and the interludes (veena) take this song to the next level .. -Pradeep

Probably a contender for song of the year, Pritam delivers a knocker of a melody to keep up with the pressures of delivering the primary promotional number of what was arguably a watershed movie for Bollywood in the year. Pritam has outdone himself in delivering unique melodies for template scenarios in films this year and Kesariya is a prime example. He sticks to the soft rock genre, which is a big forte for him, but layers effective arrangements all around to keep the song peppy and solid even without its melody. The melody is a beauty, unconventional at times and always uplifting. Striking guitar work at all the levels - bass, rhythm, and lead. Amitabh Bhattacharya's lyrics, while sufficient, are all over the place in terms of sincerity, much like the movie's plot. Arijit's singing is capable and effective as always, but pales in comparison to the Sid Sriram version of the song in Tamizh. -Shasank

Arijit is getting to be very repetitive. These lyrics deserved a better melody and better singing. -Anuradha

Exaggerated. Amitabh Bhattacharya descends to using "lav sToriyaa.N"! -Ashok

Except the love storiyaan bit, the song is perfect. Arijit Singh is very good. -Pankaj

So Pritam! But Arijit takes this few notches higher with his craft to lift what are otherwise repetitive antaras. -Meera

Blah! -Arun

I know the song got a lot of flak for "lovestoriyaan". But if we let hinglish pass in other songs I am good with this one. I enjoy this song each time I hear it. Lovely. It is the song of the year for me along with deva deva. -Neha

Nice song, well sung. Doesn't require any more versions for Instagram purposes. -Tatsam

Not badly done but somehow feels very formulaic (e.g. extended forays in the upper octave). -Sanjeev

Coloured in all things awesome and Arijit. -Sukanya

Arijit's singing makes this song sound harder than it is. -Ketan

We all ended up liking this song, didn't we? Also, I *like* 'love storiyaan'. -Zico

प्लीज (डार्लिंग्स)

Pleaj (Darlings)

Tags: busy, comedy, faux jazz, dark, dark humor romance, fun, funky, groovy, innovative, orchestra, party, peppy, playful, quirky, reggae, upbeat, weird

विशाल भारद्वाज
Vishal Bhardwaj

गुलज़ार
Gulzar

मिका सिंह
Mika Singh

2.73

Toggle Jury's comments

Different and very context-oriented. Less recall value. -Pradeep

Loved the offs in this song, and the quirky lyrics complement both music and context. -Anuradha

Rocking number! -Neha

How good is Mika when he is cast right by a composer. -Zico

Why has no one ever thought of using Mika Singh this way! He infuses so much verve into the song, barging into the club of the few singers who can emote as well as breath life into a simple tune. Gulzar gets the assignment with this song, making words like pista and dry fruit feel both correct and melodious in this quirky song, accompanying a satisfactory tune from Vishal Bhardwaj, who has always excelled at surprisingly proficient production and arrangements. Such a fun song, I wish it only had a slightly catchier tune. -Shasank

Mika semi-ironically singing Gulzar's words turns out to be more fun than expected. -Tatsam

Works better in the movie than standalone. -Sukanya

Seen the movie, messed up - darkly comic situational song? -Sanjeev

One wonders whether the lyricist of Harindranath Chattopadhyay, with Gulzar descending to miss-kiss, jhooT-bruit tukbandi. I suppose all is fair in a song supposed to be humorous. -Ashok

What a fun song! Mika in his element. And great arrangements too. -Meera

Mika Singh makes this song memorable. -Pankaj

The song has a good jazzy arrangement. As Gulzar wrote the song, it came as a surprise. It reminded me of "Goli maar bheje mein" from 'Satya' which was also compsoed by Vishal Bharadwaj. -Sunil

Really nice tune with a jazzy orchestration that had my foot tapping. Will give the composer points for creativity and deduct them for picking a singer who does not match the tune's beauty. -Ketan

जब सैंयाँ (गंगूबाई काठियावाड़ी)

jab sai.nyaa.N (Gangubai Kathiawadi)

Tags: balcony, bhansali, classical, dreamy, ghazal, love, lyrical, melancholic, old school, playful, romance, romantic, sad, semi classical, sensual, slow, throwback, thumri

संजय लीला भंसाली
Sanjay Leela Bhansali

ए एम तूराज़
A M Turaz

श्रेया घोषाल
Shreya Ghoshal

2.71

Toggle Jury's comments

Great to see Shreya back in form and how! -Arun

A good classical number in raag Pilu, however the overall song impacts less than the individual contribution as there is nothing new. -Pradeep

Beautiful composition; the singing is perfect. -Pankaj

Not the best but the melody, use of instruments and Shreya's singing do weave a moment of wah! -Meera

Slightly better than ok. -Ashok

Bhansali melody supremacy. -Tatsam

Such a dreamy composition from Sanjay Leela Bhansali who is arguably one of the finest composers we have, a fact oft-underlooked. Perfectly tailored for Shreya Ghoshal, the melody and the mood soars way above the production, which could have had more to it. A M Turaz' lyrics also stand out for their sharpness. -Shasank

Nice opening and usage of sarangi. I like the understated orchestration, allowing the singer's voice to take the lead. Just wish Shreya was less shrill. -Ketan

Nice sarangi/harmonium work; Shreya delivers despite the overall vocal range of the song being conspicuously limited. -Sanjeev

Shreya supremacy, 'nuff said! -Sukanya

बादल से दोस्ती (झुंड)

baadal se dostii (Jhund)

Tags: anthem, cheerful, contrasting, emotional, energy, hopeful, inspiration, inspirational, intense, melancholic, motivating, motivational, mountain peak, orchestra, post-modern fusion

अजय-अतुल
Ajay-Atul

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

सिड श्रीराम
Sid Sriram

2.68

Toggle Jury's comments

A rousing anthem that is definitely old school but employs all its pieces to a stunning effect. Sid Sriram knocks it out of the park with his usual panache, balancing both low and high notes deftly. The production, arrangements, and lyrics are all traditional, yet used with precise accuracy to bolster the beautiful melody. -Shasank

The song stands out for its lyrics and singing, the music disappointed though. -Meera

Every song of Jhund is a gem in its own right. -Sukanya

Beautiful song. Sid Sriram is wonderful. Lyrics are wonderful. -Pankaj

Sid Sriram has a good range, uses dynamics very well. Lovely use of chorus in this song. -Sunil

Ajay-Atul have become very predictable and repetitive. -Neha

Music inadequate to the lyrics. -Ashok

Love Sid Sriram's range of singing. He goes high and then goes very low. -Pradeep

Ajay-Atul's ode to 'Adiye' is absolutely spectacular, perfectly aided by Amitabh Bhattacharya's lyrics. -Tatsam

A wonderful tune drowned by Ajay-Atul's loud and unnecessary orchestration, since they feel that unless you hit the audience with a sledgehammer the song won't register. -Ketan

Good intensity and contrast in the vocals....why are we doing the "Zilllllndagi" thing? You can execute that turn without using the letter "L". -Sanjeev

फ़र्श पे खड़े (मोनिका, ओ माइ डार्लिंग)

farsh pe kha.De (Monica, O My Darling)

Tags: bollywood 80s tribute, floating, funky, hemant, mellow, melodious, moody, nostalgia, pahadi, philosophical, retro, retro feel, self aware, spoofy, retro, romantic, whacky

अचिंत
Achint

वरुण ग्रोवर
Varun Grover

साग्निक सेन
Sagnik Sen

2.68

Toggle Jury's comments

The singing reminded me a bit of Jagjit Singh’s voice. -Pankaj

One of this year's standout tracks for sure--the Hemant Kumar inspired singing being the highlight. -Zico

The lyrics have a wry, tongue-in-cheek humour, and the song sounds fresh. -Anuradha

Return of Hemant Kumar? OK, I'm interested enough to know about the thought process. -Sanjeev

Another Hemant Kumar impersonator who does a bad job. Well, now you know where to go for sleeping aids. -Ketan

After a long time, a Hemant Kumar clone. Pleasing song. -Sunil

Hemant Kumar type voice and arrangement brings back memories of that era. -Pradeep

An idiosyncratic ode to vintage. -Sukanya

Hemant kumar style is imitated so well! Expected something better from Varun grover. -Arun

Nicely sung tribute, also great production by Achint. -Tatsam

Stellar lyrics and soothing tunes. -Svetlana

All points for the fun lyrics, didn't manage to warm up to the rest of the style though. -Meera

Very retro in Hemant mode. Apt for movie but stand-alone didn't think much of it. Not one I would listen to again. -Neha

Looks like the MD fell in love with the opening words. -Ashok

लाइलाज (डार्लिंग्स)

laailaaj (Darlings)

Tags: ballad, bright, feelings, heart, hopeless romantic, love, moody, pahadi, romance, romantic, slow, upbeat, whimsical

विशाल भारद्वाज
Vishal Bhardwaj

गुलज़ार
Gulzar

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.66

Toggle Jury's comments

Typical VB melody but minimal arrangements, Arijit's singing is good. -Pradeep

Full of vintage VB-Gulzar feeling. -Zico

If Vishal Bhardwaj was a musical genre, this song belongs there. -Sukanya

Vishal Bhardwaj still has many arrows in his quiver of whimsical melodies that throw out the structural rulebook for romantic melodies and strike a direct shot at your heart with simple, earnest music. Gulzar's lyrics don't throw a thousand platitudes at you, choosing to let each line slowly build up to a larger narrative. For some reason, Arijit sounds pretty coarse here though, contrary to the mood of the song. -Shasank

Beautiful words by Gulzar. How do you describe the love of a wife for her husband who is abusive- he does it so well here. Vishal's team arranges this song in a lovely manner. -Sunil

Boring of the corny variety. -Ashok

This sufi-esque tune is worthy of a better singer. -Ketan

VB+Gulzar+Arijit = reliable as always. -Tatsam

फिर भी ये ज़ख्मों का मोहताज है, लाइलाज है, लाइलाज है| The extremities, the dilemmas, the pain and joys of love - all that we surrender to, so beautifully expressed! 4 points for encapsulating these so succinctly. -Meera

Love the word play. -Arun

Lovely song. -Neha

मुस्कुराहट (गंगूबाई काठियावाड़ी)

muskuraahaT (Gangubai Kathiawadi)

Tags: ballad, bhansali, breakup, changing moods, classical, dark, despondent, ghazal, ghazal-esque, ghazal, gloomy, heartbreak, melancholic, pathos, sad, sadness, semi classical, semi-classical, slow, tragic

संजय लीला भंसाली
Sanjay Leela Bhansali

ए एम तूराज़
A M Turaz

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

2.64

Toggle Jury's comments

Boring composition but Arijit throws his punches nonetheless. -Arun

I hear a mix of 'Rasm-e-ulfat ko nibhayee' by Madan Mohan and Chitra Singh's "Raat bhi neend bhi" from Unforgettables album. Which is better than hearing Arijit wail, as if he was having a lobotomy-or giving us one. -Ketan

Reminiscent of 'rasm-e-ulfat', but nicely done. -Meera

Arijit should sing more ghazals. -Sukanya

SLB's ghazal-ish tracks have a very specific crystalline aspect to them, always perfectly pitched by Arijit's calculated renditions. This one falls along that line of formidable tracks, punctuated by solid string work in the arrangements. This one isn't as rousing as, say "Laal Ishq", but delivers a specific mood quite well. -Shasank

This is a difficult-to-sing song and Arijit does an excellent job; however the overall mood changes and may not have much recall value. -Pradeep

Weak melody remains weak however much you get the singer to struggle and contort. -Ashok

Exquisite song all round. -Tatsam

"Rasm-e-Ulfat" inspired? Well done Arijit - nice phirat, and easy reach into both lower and higher registers...doubts about how much was sung at a stretch aside, even skeptic me has to admit studio effects can only add so much. -Sanjeev

देवा देवा (ब्रह्मास्त्र)

devaa devaa (Brahmastra)

Tags: atmospheric, devotion, easy listen, electronic, elevating, energy, inspirational, love, motivating, mountain, pacy, peace, popular, religious, romantic, spiritual, training montage trance, upbeat

प्रीतम
Pritam

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

अरिजित सिंह, जोनिता गाँधी
Arijit Singh, Jonita Gandhi

2.62

Toggle Jury's comments

Arijit takes the song and listener on a serious high, the best kind. -Sukanya

I sense more involvement from Arijit in this one...climbs way up the octave easily. Tune reminds me of a certain Rick Astley song :-). -Sanjeev

Just a catchy tune. -Meera

Song grows on you after listening after some time. -Pankaj

Arijit is the only superhero in this movie. -Tatsam

Is this a bhajan? Romantic song? Dance song? It's impossible to make out from the singing. -Ketan

Big sound. I watched the picturization; perhaps a mistake, because I was impressed by the visuals, which are better than the song. -Ashok

I hate that they make Arijit sound the same in all his songs, but strangely, his songs are earworms. -Anuradha

Typical Pritam template. Arijit and the lyrics drive this song. -Pradeep

Beautiful song. And singing. -Neha

It's warm and happy, nicely grows on you. -Zico

जादू (नज़र अंदाज़)

jaadoo (Nazar Andaaz)

Tags: anticipation, atmospheric, belonging, calm, dreamy, melancholic, mellow, melody, minimalistic, quiet, romantic, sad

विशाल मिश्रा
Vishal Mishra

राज शेखर
Raj Shekhar

परंपरा टंडन, विशाल मिश्रा
Parampara Tandon, Vishal Mishra

2.52

Toggle Jury's comments

Ghazal-type mood with minimal arrangements. Reminds of the Sunidhi's "manwa" song from October. -Pradeep

What a beautiful song. If it wasn't for this exercise I would have missed it. Looks like I missed the movie as well. -Neha

All aspects are just about ok. -Ashok

Lovely singing by Parampara Tandon- carrying the melody with minimal music. -Sunil

Voice is pretty and tuneful, but overly breathy in parts, pronunciation is not consistent (some indistinct, some mispronounced). -Sanjeev

Might want to get that cold/blocked nose looked at before you sing and mangle words. -Ketan

Beautiful, sincere melody accompanied by a great voice! -Tatsam

She has a unique voice. Lovely song. -Anuradha

Somehow, this track is greater than the sum of its parts. Led soulfully by Parampara Tandon, the production trusts its melody and doesn't overwhelm the listener with any unnecessary arrangements, leading to a beautifully simply track. Interesting wordplay by Raj Sekhar. -Shasank

Makes for a nice (female) double bill with Baanjara from Ek Villain. -Zico

Dulcet tunes. -Sukanya

डूबे (गहराइयाँ)

Doobe (Gehraiyyan)

Tags: anthem, awesome, bassy, club, contemporary, dance, dance, electronica, feel good, fun, groovy, lounge, loungey, modern love, party, popular, romantic, trippin, upbeat

ओफ़, सवेरा
OAFF, Savera

कौसर मुनीर
Kausar Munir

लोतिका झा, सवेरा मेहता
Lothika Jha, Savera Mehta

2.52

Toggle Jury's comments

The female singer here has been exchanging notes with the male singer in "Beqaaboo". Ugh. -Sanjeev

One of the most beautiful songs of the year. Lothika’s voice is lovely. -Pankaj

Super catchy, finger snapping rhythm. -Sukanya

I quite like the newness in sound in the Gehraiyyan soundtrack. -Zico

Key parts are not highlighted well. -Ashok

Despite lyrics and singing that is only ample for this genre of music and cinema, the music and production of this song is stellar. One of those tracks that is too good to be true for the current state of Hindi film music! Tremendous work by OAFF and Savera who blend in many layers yet nothing overwhelms the listener, only adding to the overall peppiness of the track. -Shasank

Lazy singing but I guess that was the brief. -Meera

Typical electronically processed sounds. -Pradeep

Music and singing are just super! -Neha

A bright spark of a song (without being too memorable, but glorious while it lasts). -Tatsam

Nice lounge feeling and great uncluttered arrangement. -Arun

This song gives me the feeling of being near the ocean- the sound of the waves, an expansiveness, a feel of losing oneself in the vastness of the sea. -Sunil

Maybe the song is telling us "doob jao" or "suffer". -Ketan

सुन ऐ मिली (मिली)

sun ai milii (Mili)

Tags: anthem, atmospheric, background, calm, charming, cute, dreamy, drive, easy listen, floating, inspiration, introspective, life, motivation, motivational, operatic, philosophical, slice of life, techno, upbeat

ए आर रहमान
A R Rahman

जावेद अख़्तर
Javed Akhtar

विशाल मिश्रा
Vishal Mishra

2.42

Toggle Jury's comments

Easy breezy. -Sukanya

This is a genre that only Rahman gets into, with gusto, to plumb out gems like this one. Tracks that feel like they're perpetually floating in the air, breezy yet complex, light to the ears but deep in emotion. Vishal Mishra knocks it out of the park with his delicate operatic singing. -Shasank

Interesting subdued effect carried all the way through. Works. -Ashok

Combining slow vocals by Vishal Mishra with fast-paced music creates a very pleasing effect. These sounds and effects created by the electronic instruments along with the vocal harmonies have the ARR stamp all over it. -Sunil

Very average song with potential to be better. -Neha

Not ARR's best but there's always some innovation and unpredictability to look forward to in his compositions! -Meera

"Sun Emily"? Words thrown together in quick succession to be catchy. Not doing anything for me. Another song that just happens to have Hindi words...Male vocals are nice with good range. -Sanjeev

ARR falls into the techno trap he invented and now believes singers should recite and not sing. -Ketan

Was expecting some special lyrics from Javed akhtar. -Arun

The arrangement of having a sitar layered with the male voice done beautifully by ARR. -Pradeep

आँखें जुड़ीं (चक्की)

aa.Nkhe.n ju.Dii.n (Chakki)

Tags: breezy, chilled-out, complex, fusion, homegrown fusion, laid back, lazy, mellow, pensive, romance, romantic, duet, soothing

इंडियन ओशन
Indian Ocean

वरुण ग्रोवर
Varun Grover

पापोन, मोनाली ठाकुर
Papon, Monali Thakur

2.40

Toggle Jury's comments

Oh boy! Why and how did I miss the song and soundtrack and movie. What a beautiful song. -Neha

Nice, not exceptional. -Sukanya

Starts off simple, but eventually sneaks up on you. -Tatsam

Nice but not as great as Qala or Monica - better than Gehraiyan for sure. -Svetlana

The sax is lovely. -Zico

You could tell this was an Indian Ocean song without looking at the credits. The drum work and guitar layers are complex and intriguing, and so is the melody - providing interesting delayed gratification with its high notes while also giving a laid back vibe. A fascinating, interesting song. Varun Grover's lyrics are good but I'd have loved a bit more magic in the expressions. Papon and Monali Thakur's singing though is on point, perfectly toned for this type of track. -Shasank

Good to hear a saxophone solo. Papon has surely done some paap to sing that way. Monali saves the day with a nice tune that seems to pick up in the second half. -Ketan

I had never heard of the movie, or the song, or that Indian Ocean had come up with this new album. Good discovery thanks to RMIM Puraskaar. Love the shift in the tempo in the song. Papon is not utilized enough in hindi movies. He has a lot of potential. It was good to hear a good saxophone interlude before the pace of the song picks up. The song had a pleasing arrangement. -Sunil

Guitar prelude more than a minute...even if it's chopped in the movie, it's long to listen to...Voices good (nice movement by Monali T in the antara), but song overall is lethargic, takes too long to get going anywhere. -Sanjeev

Melodious enough; some corny rhyming. -Ashok

Nothing much stands out. -Pankaj

Music cleverly uses 2 different scales; guitar using a bhupali type while the melody starts on a different note suddenly. Saxophone adds to the love mood nicely. -Pradeep

A song needs to be greater than the sum of its parts. Unfortunately, neither of the parts here are even interacting with each other in any way. A bit of a waste of good talent, IMHO. -Meera

फ़ितूर (शमशेरा)

fitoor (Shamshera)

Tags: bittersweet, gentle, qawwali, calm, dreamy, emotional, intense, lake, love, love ballad, mellow, obsessive, passion, romance, romantic, sensuous, slow, valley

मिथुन
Mithoon

करन मल्होत्रा
Karan Malhotra

अरिजित सिंह, नीति मोहन, सुदीप जयपुरवाले
Arijit Singh, Neeti Mohan, Sudeep Jaipurwale

2.40

Toggle Jury's comments

Neeti Mohan is a very talented singer. This song made me think of earlier tracks from Sanjay Leela Bhansali movies. -Sunil

Lovely start and quickly goes down the disappointment road. -Neha

Mellow winner. -Sukanya

Parts of this remind of ishq pe zor hai hai ye wo aatish Ghalib from Satrangi re. -Svetlana

Has the signature Mithoon unusualness, quite like the uncluttered arrangement. -Zico

Too much of a drag for me, unfortunately. -Meera

Exquisite Mithoon melody, soars despite doing the only the basics of a 'good' song. -Tatsam

Too many sections and artificial constructs. -Ashok

Vocals well-done, particularly female...the male chorus on the Darbari-based "Ye Ishq Ki Baarish..." sounds forced and awkward - but strangely, less so second time through at the end when it's doubled in the higher octave. -Sanjeev

Beautifully sung by Neeti Mohan. Lovely composition. -Pankaj

Arijit sounded angsty at first, but Neeti Mohan has a lovely voice and lifted this song. -Anuradha

Typical Mithoon template melody; singing takes the song to the next level. -Pradeep

Neeti Mohan is good. Background percussion is nicely played. Chorus adds a great effect. -Ketan

Maybe a hit on TikTok and Insta Reels, but for me, this largely oscillates between moments of brilliance and mainstream mediocrity. Mithoon seems to be largely stuck in the same genre as Aashiqui 2 with his music, which prevents this one from soaring with the bursts of intelligence the initial parts of this track's melody has. Karan Malhotra's lyrics too largely rehash things heard in other tracks. Neeti Mohan brings a nice melancholy to the track, although this would have been an opportunity to hear somebody else's voice other than Arijit. -Shasank

एक बूँद (डॉक्टर जी)

ek boo.Nd (Doctor G)

Tags: self-improvement montage, calm, emotional, inspiration, motivating, peaceful, philosophical, redemption, reflective, relaxing, romantic, duet, slow, thoughtful, upbeat

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

पुनीत शर्मा
Puneet Sharma

मधुबंती बागची, अभय जोधपुरकर
Madhubanti Bagchi, Abhay Jodhpurkar

2.33

Toggle Jury's comments

Nice - works. -Svetlana

Abhay Jodhpurkar is as usual effortless. Madhubanti Bagchi is a good discovery. Amit Trivedi has had a very productive year. -Sunil

That he's been around for a while, why isn't Abhay Jodhpurkar singing as much as Arijit? -Meera

Such a sweet song. -Neha

Not a very ambitious song in context, conception, or execution, but everything here works well together in isolation, removed from the inevitable comparisons with the rest of the tracks here. Puneet Sharma's lyrics are particularly interesting, telling a cohesive story through specific analogies. Abhay Jodhpurkar's vocals always stand apart and its a shame we don't hear more from him. -Shasank

The mandolin hook brings back old Amit Trivedi memories; the takeoff that Abhay does with sapno tale is the highlight of this song. -Pradeep

The song grew on me. -Anuradha

The music and the female singer's voice is soothing and a balm in this day and age of dhinchak music. -Ketan

Soulful track that works better in context of the movie. -Sukanya

Enjoying both voices...might actually feel like hearing this one again... -Sanjeev

OK only. -Ashok

It's a bit generic, and yet has a simplicity. -Zico

मैं तो मैं हूँ (मिली)

mai.n to mai.n hoo.N (Mili)

Tags: dynamic, female autonomy anthem, happy, hopeful, peppy, pop, self-love, spirited, upbeat

ए आर रहमान
A R Rahman

जावेद अख़्तर
Javed Akhtar

अभिलाषा सिन्हा
Abhilasha Sinha

2.30

Toggle Jury's comments

Tune of key words "mai.n to mai.n hoo.N" should be exhilarating; I found it irritating. -Ashok

Main to main hoon, that's a nice catch line, but an average song nonetheless. -Meera

Not bad, but still ordinary by ARR's high standards. -Tatsam

A breezy song. -Pradeep

ARR's tune isn't bad but the singer is bleating her "main" in "main hoon". Nice Indian banjo usage. -Ketan

Whatever! -Neha

Abhilasha Sinha is a good singer and delivers a great vocal performance here. -Sunil

Deliberate tremor in the female voice for effect; singing and pronunciation sound weirdly affected in Verse 1, Verse 2 better; interesting extended offbeat section to begin upto chorus...like the guitars...not buying the "Main To Main Hoon" as a hook... -Sanjeev

A complex melody and production from Rahman that is surely among the many B-side tracks from him that are more interesting to study than to listen to, even though this one is decently catchy. Abhilasha Sinha handles it with aplomb but I can't help but wonder what it would have been like if helmed by Jonita Gandhi or Neeti Mohan. -Shasank

Abhilasha Sinha's vivacious voice instantly wins over. -Sukanya

आया ये झुंड है (झुंड)

aayaa ye jhu.nD hai (Jhund)

Tags: ambitious, anthem, anthemic, casual, chorus, dancey, driving force, drums, energetic, fiery, folksy, genre-bending, happy, inspirational, title track, masti, powerful, pumping, sporty, street music, tapori, theme song, upbeat

अजय-अतुल
Ajay-Atul

अजय, अतुल, जय, मल्हार, सरजा
Ajay, Atul, Jay, Mallhar, Sarja

2.28

Toggle Jury's comments

Ajay-Atul have one and only percussion track which drowns out the voice. Why bother with lyrics? -Ketan

Found it just noisy. -Ashok

Ajay-Atul in their absolute prime. I wish I could inject their beats into my bloodstream. -Tatsam

Catchy, but need more context to get into it. He does the Marathi thing ("dz" instead of "z") on the word "roz..." - on purpose? -Sanjeev

Fantastic beats, very catchy, memorable. -Pankaj

Kinda catchy and blaaah at the same time. -Neha

A typical song template that I have heard before for dance songs ; Trumpet usage was nice. -Pradeep

My top song of the year. -Zico

Fun. -Svetlana

Wait, what… This wasn't 'chikni chameli' set to male voices?! Very forgettable. -Meera

A very old school song, both in terms of melody and arrangements - nothing wrong with that as it fits its situation well but it is all within a template and does little to break out of it or offer any sparkle within. Atul Gogavale's singing and Amitabh Bhattacharya's lyrics are adequate but did not do much for me. -Shasank

Trust Ajay-atul to come up with really rousing compositions. Lovely use of the trumpet and the percussion section. The tapori lyrics suite the film so well. -Sunil

It's not a song, it's a full-scale rebellion. Stirring stuff. -Sukanya

The techno music is a ear-hazard. -Anuradha

रसिया (ब्रह्मास्त्र)

rasiyaa (Brahmastra)

Tags: filmi, filmy, happy, love, love feelings, popular, romance, romantic, sentimental, slow, soothing

प्रीतम
Pritam

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

श्रेया घोषाल, तुषार जोशी
Shreya Ghoshal, Tushar Joshi

2.22

Toggle Jury's comments

Doesn’t have the star quality of the other songs in the album. -Sukanya

It's a nice melody and Interesting how Tushar and Shreya sing different tunes together at times. -Ketan

Compared to the other two songs of the film this one was a such a downer. -Neha

Pritam template; the mandolin interludes and the singing lift it above average. -Pradeep

Vocals are fresh - like the same-octave vocals in the chorus. Predictable but an eminently enjoyable listen. -Sanjeev

Melody has to be more muscular for such a wordy song. -Ashok

From Pritam's assembly line of not-bad, 65/100 melodies factory. -Tatsam

Love the combination of Tushar Joshi and Shreya Ghoshal. Beautiful calming music. -Pankaj

I couldn’t tell the difference between this song and a million others sung by Arijit and composed by Pritam. -Meera

Somewhat of a lazier production as compared to the reprise version sung by Arijit, which is a shame coz Tushar Joshi and Shreya Ghoshal do a fine job here with the vocals. But then, when has Ghoshal not done a fine job! The melody oozes soul. -Shasank

गहराइयाँ (गहराइयाँ)

gaharaaiyaa.N (Gehraiyyan)

Tags: acoustic, ambient, electronica, love ballad, atmospheric, calm, dreamy, longing, loungey, melancholy, moody, peaceful, relaxing, romance, sad, worli seaface emotion

ओफ़, सवेरा
OAFF, Savera

अंकुर तिवारी
Ankur Tewari

लोतिका झा, सवेरा मेहता, कबीर कठपालिया
Lothika Jha, Savera Mehta, Kabeer Kathpalia

2.21

Toggle Jury's comments

Lothica is one of the finds of the year. -Zico

Someone should have told her to spit out the marble in her mouth before singing. -Ketan

Strong melody, nice production. Organically sounds like someone getting emo in their sea-facing apartment on the 21st floor. -Tatsam

Wonderful beats and music. -Pankaj

Pointless repetition of the title word. -Ashok

I do wish singing out of tune is not the trend. -Anuradha

"Rudderless" singing for effect... -Sanjeev

Good background song. -Sunil

Addictive, surreal, sexy. -Sukanya

A pop song with nice arrangements using strings. -Pradeep

जलवानुमा (हीरोपंती 2)

jalawaanumaa (Heropanti 2)

Tags: bhakti, classical, heartbreak, heavy, love, melancholic, qawwali, romance, romantic, sufi, sufi-ish

ए आर रहमान
A R Rahman

महबूब
Mehboob

पूजा तिवारी, जावेद अली
Pooja Tiwari, Javed Ali

2.11

Toggle Jury's comments

Who is this new singer! She is good. Lovely vocal quality. -Neha

The chorus is very good. -Zico

A bore from Mehboob-ARR. -Ashok

Needed that extra bite. -Sukanya

Many things to be thankful for: Mostly unplugged music (non-electronic). Good music, minimal orchestration, and most importantly ARR did not sing. -Ketan

Pooja Tiwari and Javed Ali are so refreshing to listen to in this qawwali-esque number which proves that, even in a relatively above-average track from Rahman, we can expect sheer class in the production (guitars hiding in the background) and breaths of fresh air in the melodic structures. -Shasank

Pooja Tiwari’s voice is powerful. -Pankaj

I like the overlapping voices toward the end, nice texture from female vocals. -Sanjeev

Good to hear a new female voice other than the usual ARR suspects. The shehnai (or similar pipes) were reminiscent of the magic 'Dichotomy of Life' was, in another more musical life. -Meera

It's a good classical number based on Charukeshi, however nothing new. -Pradeep

Rare insipid Rahman qawwali. -Tatsam

दिल की गली (जयेशभाई जोरदार)

dil kii galii (Jayeshbhai Jordaar)

Tags: acoustic, bossa nova, breeze, breezy, cold, dreamy, drive, funky, latin, loungey, love ballad, peppy, upbeat, upbeat road song

विशाल-शेखर
Vishal-Shekhar

जयदीप साहनी
Jaideep Sahni

कात्यायनी, शेखर रावजियानी
Katyayani, Shekhar Ravjiani

2.06

Toggle Jury's comments

Throwback to vintage Vishal-Shekhar, where they weren't afraid to sound like an underground garage band. -Tatsam

Nothing unique but good. -Svetlana

I like the female voice texture and the low range, but that "flat, bored" thing is happening again - but for that I'd like the song even better. -Sanjeev

Nothing much there. -Ashok

Guitar chord loop and Pianos drive the groove, the arrangements are very good. -Pradeep

This is the biggest surprise for me from the entire playlist! I did not expect a jazzy free-flowing number to come out of Bollywood of 2022. The melody flows through many curves, staying fresh and exceptional. The light arrangements work beautifully and complement Katyayani's vocals perfectly. -Shasank

The dreaminess made me think of 'Meethi Boliyaan'. -Zico

Breezy and forgettable. -Meera

Khwabon ke parindey's poor cousin. -Sukanya

Nice catchy tune. Like the understated rhythm, the female singer has a smoky drawl that works well. -Ketan

Beautifully sung by Katyayani. Fresh voice. -Pankaj

घेरे (ऍन ऐक्शन हीरो)

ghere (An Action Hero)

Tags: angry, cathy, chasing, dark, fun, funky, groovy, hip hop, hiphop, motivational, peppy, popular, rap, thriller, upbeat

पराग छाबड़ा
Parag Chhabra

वायु
Vayu

विवेक हरिहरन, डेविल, पराग छाबड़ा
Vivek Hariharan, D'Evil, Parag Chhabra

2.04

Toggle Jury's comments

Clearly this song was recorded when the singer had diarrhea and could only hold it in for 208 seconds. I mean, what's the hurry? Can you take the time to say the words legibly. -Ketan

Exciting beats, lyrics build on the tense tempo. -Sukanya

Mess of the fast rap variety. -Ashok

Different. -Svetlana

Great arrangement by Parag and powerful singing. -Pradeep

Nice way to incorporate hip hop. -Tatsam

Fun! -Meera

Parag Chhabra is a welcome addition to the Indian Music Scene. This was quite an engaging composition. Looking forward to more good work from him. -Sunil

Singing is edgy with some attitude - song on the whole has a magnetism that I can't put my finger on. -Sanjeev

A potent melody wrapped in a relatively routine hip hop production. Despite having inventive percussion work, it chooses to largely remain within a template, but perhaps that is by design to let the melody soar. Lyrics are on point. -Shasank

गया गया गया (चुप)

gayaa gayaa gayaa (Chup)

Tags: calm, dulcet, emotional, laid back, love, mellow, ocean, raindrop, romance, romantic, duet, slow

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

स्वानंद किरकिरे
Swanand Kirkire

रूपाली मोघे, शाश्वत सिंह
Rupali Moghe, Shashwat Singh

2.04

Toggle Jury's comments

The male singer is better, the female singer is definitely a good singer but not in this song. -Anuradha

The alliteration (anupras alankar) and its rhythmic use was the only good thing for me in the song. -Meera

Voices are pleasant - like the female dipping into the lower octave. On the whole, simplistic tune (vaguely 90s-ish, can imagine Kumar Sanu singing it), but interesting use of instruments... -Sanjeev

Rupali Moghe's singing and the intricacies in melody and production in the stanza save this song from feeling like yet another mellow romantic Bollywood track. That said, the melody offers some enjoyable highs all around. Its a good track in its on right, but I'm afraid a bit forgetful in the long run, which applies to the lyrics by Swanand Kirkire as well. -Shasank

As always what is a nice tune is ruined by the soft whispery singing that seems to be the norm. It's as if people forgot how to sing naturally. -Ketan

Something works for it overall. -Svetlana

Easy on ears. It's Amit trivedi trying Mithoon type sound. -Pradeep

Moderately interesting. -Ashok

जो तुम साथ हो (सलाम वेंकी)

jo tum saath ho (Salaam Venky)

Tags: anthem, dreamy, duet, romantic, hopeful, inspiration, mellow, motivation, partnership, pathos, philosophical, slow, soulful

मिथुन
Mithoon

अरिजित सिंह, श्रेया घोषाल
Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal

2.03

Toggle Jury's comments

Really nice opening tune. And then the singers come on. :(. -Ketan

Some formulas are always winners in my book and Mithoon taps into one of those to deliver a dreamy, euphoric anthem that works on an uplifting as well as a laid back level. Brilliant low-octave singing by Arijit to complement Shreya Ghoshal's ever-solid work here. A track to keep coming back to when the heart needs a balm. -Shasank

Standard Shreya Ghoshal fare. -Tatsam

I like the Arijit segments. -Zico

Filed under garden variety. -Sukanya

This song is response to the SEL song "Maa"; the arrangements are also very similar. -Pradeep

Shreya is way better than Arijit in this song. -Anuradha

It's rather unfortunate when many talents come together to give you an average/mediocre experience. -Meera

Weak words and melody stretched to nearly six minutes. -Ashok

LIke the low notes from Arijit, but overall voice throw is in the "hard, flat, careless" mode. Song is pretty but bland and forgettable. Sargams at the end are pointless. -Sanjeev

जादूगरी (जादूगर)

jaadoogarii (Jaadugar)

Tags: confession, filmy, happy, hopeful, love, love feelings, magic, romance, romantic, slow

नीलोत्पल बोरा
Nilotpal Bora

हुसैन हैदरी
Hussain Haidry

कार्तिक
Karthik

2.03

Toggle Jury's comments

Reminded me of Tera Naam Tu from Zero. -Pankaj

Good tune and orchestration with some pleasant twists. The singer's voice has a bit of that computerized feel to it (on headphones). -Ketan

There's some promise in the melody, the production, and the lyrics but it all gets pulled into a template with an underwhelming chorus. -Shasank

Kartik's 'clean' singing is the highlight. -Zico

Music reminds me of Ajay-Atul.. lyrics are charming and really make the best part of the song. -Svetlana

I detect a strong Ajay-Atul influence (a la "Mere Naam Tu") - good to hear Karthik after a long gap. -Sanjeev

Strictly ho-hum. -Sukanya

Flat, boring. -Ashok

Arrangements are very similar to Ajay-Atul's "Mere Naam tu". -Pradeep

Theek hi hai. -Neha

Nicely sung, great production. Safe melody though. -Tatsam

जोगन (गुडलक जेरी)

jogan (Goodluck Jerry)

Tags: anthem, contemporary, dubstep, frenzy, fusion, mixed bag, popular, quirky, schizophrenic, sufi, sufiesque, weird

पराग छाबड़ा
Parag Chhabra

राज शेखर
Raj Shekhar

रोमी, रूपाली जग्गा, निखिता गाँधी
Romy, Rupali Jagga, Nikhita Gandhi

1.96

Toggle Jury's comments

Sukhvinder like voice and singing style. All electronic music. What happened to using natural instruments? -Ketan

The fusion arrangements make this song different from the rest; Electronic/arabic and indian arrangements. -Pradeep

Lots of things combined but not sure I'm getting the point. -Sanjeev

I suppose it takes talent to mess up a song about "jogan". -Ashok

Another one I missed. -Neha

Top-heavy song. -Tatsam

Interesting fusion music and singing but not very memorable. -Pankaj

Nothing to write home about. -Sukanya

Raj Shekhar's lyrics, like the song says, never playing by the book. Enjoyed the Sukhwinder's singing too. -Meera

A conventional number but somehow packs a punch, either coz of the rousing melody, or the eager production, or the capable singing all around. -Shasank

The song is beautifully arranged. A second good song from Parag Chhabra. Look forward to more work by him. The entrie vocal ensemble complements each other well. Reminded me of Anand Raj Anand's work in "Kaante". -Sunil

Really liked how catchy this is. Special shoutout for the lyrics! -Svetlana

अपना बना ले (भेड़िया)

apanaa banaa le (Bhediya)

Tags: emotional, love, love ballad, mainstream, mirage, popular, romantic, soothing, soulful, upbeat

सचिन-जिगर
Sachin-Jigar

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

अरिजित सिंह
Arijit Singh

1.95

Toggle Jury's comments

Breezy melody, very listenable. -Arun

A catchy hook but that works only for Instagram reels. -Meera

Sachin-Jigar find some of their lost mojo with the melody of this song at least through the first half of it. The second half with Arijit going freestyle didn't work for me much within the general tune of this song ~ something only Pritam has excelled at mastering. Arijit's singing generally does not need questioning but it can sound very coarse at the high notes with the melody and production of this song. The production and arrangements are relatively mainstream and dont stand out per se, all embellished by the beautiful melody versus the other way around. Amitabh Bhattacharya's lyrics are a decent fit. If not for the stand out melody, this would have been too generic of a track. -Shasank

Predictable, "stock" Arijit number...these just didn't exist before he showed up. The "tere haan tere haan tere" intended to be catchy is droning and annoying as is the "Apna Bana Le" chorus... -Sanjeev

Personally, I find Arijit overexposed and quite often used in the same predictable way which gives me a feeling of déjà vu and 'oh no, not again' while as you can see from all the songs he has sung that he can be quite versatile. Unlike the yesteryears which prominently featured playback songs, singers like Kishore Kumar and Mohd. Rafi used to try and come close to the spoken voice of the hero. But now, with songs mostly in the background, singers do not attempt to do such a thing. The last part of the song after the 3:30 mark is well sung, different, and interesting. -Sunil

Read my other comments for Arijit elsewhere. No sense in repeating them. -Ketan

Standard fare. -Ashok

Lovely song by Sakshi. Arijit in the same song sounds like he usually does. While he is a good singer he sounds the same in all songs. -Neha

Liked Arijit’s singing as it is quite different from his other songs. -Pankaj

Feel Good typical bollywood song, easy on ears. -Pradeep

Not bad, but nothing to differentiate from scores of Arijit Singh's songs. -Tatsam

Lovey duet but cannot shrug off that heard-before feels. -Sukanya

बेक़ाबू (गहराइयाँ)

beqaaboo (Gehraiyyan)

Tags: anthem, beat, club, contemporary, easy listen, dance, electronic, electro, groovy, journey, lounge, loungey, party, popular, romantic, sundowner, travel, upbeat, yacht vibes

ओफ़, सवेरा
OAFF, Savera

कौसर मुनीर
Kausar Munir

सवेरा मेहता, शालमली खोलगड़े, कबीर कठपालिया
Savera Mehta, Shalmali Kholgade, Kabeer Kathpalia

1.88

Toggle Jury's comments

They lost me at KHafaah and KHud.If you can't get singers to pronounce the words correctly, don’t get them to sing. Unless it's ARR, of course! -Meera

Harmless. -Sukanya

More "I'm too cool" singing...affected isn't even the word for the male vocals...female vocals far more appealing. -Sanjeev

Absolute banger. -Zico

Very average. -Neha

Typical electronically processed sounds. -Pradeep

What Bollywood direly needs to do in terms of music is embrace indie talent. OAFF & Savera delivered a knocker of a soundtrack for Gehraiyaan. The production is such a breath of fresh air, despite mainstream melodies at play. The track doesn't do much in terms of lyrics though and doesn't use Shalmali Kholgade to full effect, although that may be a result of the genre its playing within. -Shasank

All I heard was programmed techno music and a God awful male voice. Why? -Ketan

Shortness the only merit. -Ashok

OAFF's aesthetic seems perfect to make any reel look upmarket. -Tatsam

Beautifully sung. -Pankaj

काला जादू (फ़्रेडी)

kaalaa jaadoo (Freddy)

Tags: anthem, blues-y, club, dance, dark, groovy, grungy, haunting, intense, popular, rock, romantic, rousing, suspense

प्रीतम
Pritam

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

अरिजित सिंह, निखिता गाँधी
Arijit Singh, Nikhita Gandhi

1.87

Toggle Jury's comments

A mess. -Ashok

The only underwhelming track from Pritam in this playlist - somehow just sticks to conventions and doesn't really stand out despite soaring ambitions laid out by the production and the arrangements. -Shasank

Nice blues type music and the voices capture that feeling quite well. -Ketan

Just what is the percentage of the songs in this list by Arijit. Every other song is by him. -Neha

Arijit has been used here in a slightly different way, almost in a style that Vishal Dadlani typically gets used. Good use of chorus. -Sunil

Arijit Singh trying to revive a dead-on-arrival melody. -Tatsam

Dramatic from start to finish. -Sukanya

Pritam goes to dark mode; the chorus and the main vocal harmonies are too good. -Pradeep

Good fun! -Meera

Arijit's flourishes elevate the track. -Zico

माहिया मैनू (जर्सी)

maahiyaa mainuu (Jersey)

Tags: ballad, emotional, euphoric, feelings, filmi, happy, love, melodic, romance, romantic, sufi rock, upbeat

सचेत-परंपरा
Sachet-Parampara

शेल्ली
Shellee

सचेत टंडन
Sachet Tandon

1.83

Toggle Jury's comments

Such a catchy refrain but couldn't do well with rest of the song :( jind meriye is a better song. -Neha

Subgenre: Kabir Singh! -Zico

Emotionally charged composition. -Sukanya

Sachet-Parampara's track packs a very strong, anthemic melody that requires little embellishment in terms of arrangements. It is instantly catchy and would probably stand the test of time. -Shasank

Just a catchy hook tune, the rest is pretty average. -Meera

Pleasing song by Sachet-Parampara and sung well by Sachet Tandon. -Sunil

A beautiful composition with meaningful lyrics. Shellee adapts lyrics nicely from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s song. -Pankaj

Tremor in the voice an Atif Aslam influence? -Sanjeev

Honest melody. Don't know whether it's honestly Panjabi. -Ashok

Has the HFM industry developed a MusicGPT AI tool? Cause every song sounds the same. Totally unimaginative background track. Put in at least half an ounce of effort maybe. -Ketan

बाक़ी सब ठीक (भेड़िया)

baaqii sab Theek (Bhediya)

Tags: breezy, buddy song, conversational, car ride, chillout, cool, fun, catchy tune: title track, funky, hip-hop, innovative, journey. travel, peppy, popular, rap, road song, road trip, time-pass, travel, upbeat

सचिन-जिगर
Sachin-Jigar

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

सचिन संघवी, जिगर सरैया, अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya, Amitabh Bhattacharya

1.78

Toggle Jury's comments

A fun, aati kya khandala type conversational song. -Pradeep

Sachin-Jigar having fun with low stakes. -Tatsam

"Theek hai, bas."! -Meera

Fun Song. The first part before the latin-inspired later faster part reminded me of 'Khaana Khake, Daru Peeke chale gaye' from "Jagaa Jasoos" and 'Aati Kya Khandala' from "Ghulam". Very good arrangement and music. -Sunil

Too close to Aye Ganpat for its own good; SC-AB has done better work (like Go Goa Gone). -Zico

Very similar to khana khaake, daru peeke chale gaye from Jagga Jasoos. This is lazy work on the part of composer and lyricist. -Ketan

What sounds like a road trip track, this combines par for the course lyrics and singing but is uplifted a little bit by the funky production and arrangements that go all the way as to including some slap bass. A fun listen overall albeit one that doesn't break any new ground. -Shasank

Mercifully short. -Ashok

Fun song but I am done with rap lookalikes. -Neha

"Bas chal rahaa hai..." - exactly. Guess you "had to be there"...I do like the fast guitar passages at the end. -Sanjeev

This song has a very cool vibe about it, very enjoyable. -Pankaj

Infectiously informal vibes. -Sukanya

Fun time pass; different. -Svetlana

वो गलियाँ (शाबाश मिठु)

wo galiyaa.N (Shabash Mithu)

Tags: background, calm, dream, hopeful, inspiring, introspective, mellow, memories, moody, motivation, motivational, nostalgia, nostalgic, past, philosophical, sad

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

कौसर मुनीर
Kausar Munir

दीपाली साठे, शाश्वत सिंह
Deepali Sathe, Shashwat Singh

1.78

Toggle Jury's comments

Common place. -Sukanya

Beautifully written. -Meera

Nice use of chorus. Deepali is pretty good. -Ketan

Standard Amit Trivedi. -Ashok

Surely a pleasant listen. Like the female vocals slightly better than the male vocals. -Sanjeev

Very pleasing melody, with a lovely use of the flute, chorus and strings. Deepali and Shaswat are good new voices on the scene. Wishing they get more exposure. -Sunil

The usage of flute lifts the song a bit. -Pradeep

मखमली (सम्राट पृथ्वीराज)

makhamalii (Samrat Prithviraj)

Tags: filmi, love, mainstream, popular, romance, romantic, duet, soothing, upbeat, wedding

शंकर-एहसान-लॉय
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

वरुण ग्रोवर
Varun Grover

अरिजित सिंह, श्रेया घोषाल
Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal

1.73

Toggle Jury's comments

A conventional melody that is interesting in several places, I was slightly disappointed by this mainstream track, specially coming from Shankar Ehsaan Loy. The structure is lazy and wants to just jump to the main chorus, which feels out of sync with the rest of the inspired melody, as if it was tacked on in a rush to get it out of the studio for the film's promotions. SEL still find some creativity though, in the song's intro, outro, and the percussions. Shreya Ghoshal and Arijit Singh are spot on as always, but also feel like the composers took the easy way out ~ coz somewhat unique voices could have elevated this song's appeal further. Varun Grover's lyrics are fine, but it also feels like he wasn't given much to work with. -Shasank

Beautiful arrangement from SEL. Miss the days when we got a feed of 3-4 EP albums from this trio with their refreshing arrangements, released in their entirety and not one song at a time. -Sunil

Somewhat better than ok. Why not have Shankar sing it, I wonder. -Ashok

Beautiful lyrics, “Retein bhi hai makhmalli si.”. -Pankaj

Pretty music, nice vocals, saccharin-sweet, "been there, done that". -Sanjeev

Why is Shreya singing for a 2 year old? I never thought I would find a song where Arijit is the better singer. -Ketan

IMHO, the singers and words deserved a better tune. -Meera

Shankar+Ehsaan+Loy have rarely sounded so template-y. -Tatsam

माये (गुडबाय)

maaye (Goodbye)

Tags: anthem, classical, emotional, feelings, filmi, love, melancholic, memory, mourning, nostalgia, remorse, romantic, punjabi, sad, sentimental

अमित त्रिवेदी
Amit Trivedi

स्वानंद किरकिरे
Swanand Kirkire

दीदार कौर, देवेन्दरपाल सिंह
Deedar Kaur, Devenderpal Singh

1.68

Toggle Jury's comments

Song doesn't do anything excepting remind me that I have heard something like this somewhere, sometime before. -Ketan

Nothing strikingly original but voices, particularly female, are fresh and endearing. -Sanjeev

For the song with this sentiment, I was terribly disappointed. -Neha

Good composition, but would have been better without the jhinchak rhythm track. -Anuradha

Another honest melody. Punjabi-Hindi mix is always problematic for me. -Ashok

More of Devendarpal Singh, pls! -Zico

The singing by Devenderpal Singh and Deedar Kaur is simply wonderful. -Pankaj

Deedar Kaur and Devenderpal Singh are lovely finds by Amit Trivedi. He just like ARR and RBD has been very good on introducing a fresh crop of vocalists with each album, and he has been pretty prolific this year in his output. Swanand Kirkire's words are touching. -Sunil

Unremarkable. -Sukanya

What starts of as a stunning intro somehow descends into a relatively lackluster mix of melody, words, and uninspired arrangements, which is a shame, especially when you have Devendarpaul Singh at the helm. -Shasank

तुम जो मिलो (फ़्रेडी)

tum jo milo (Freddy)

Tags: beat, club, courtship, dj, evening coffee, filmi, fun, light hearted, love, mellow, popular, romance, romantic, slow, upbeat

प्रीतम
Pritam

इरशाद कामिल
Irshad Kamil

अभिजीत श्रीवास्तव
Abhijeet Srivastava

1.42

Toggle Jury's comments

Breezy and forgettable! -Meera

Like the Shreya Phukan's portion better. Underwhelmed by Irshad Kamil's words here. -Sunil

More doctored high-pitch singing, the English lyrics in between are just an annoying distraction. -Sanjeev

Like every other song I have heard. -Ketan

Recycled Pritam. -Sukanya

Would prefer to drink coffee away from this song. -Ashok

In many ways, this sounds a lot like Rasiya from Brahmastra, set to a more hip hop yet mellow and minimalist arrangement. It's a very pleasant song, treading a fine balance between template and free flowing creativity. Abhijeet Srivastava's vocals are a fresh breath, as well. -Shasank

हम नशे में तो नहीं (भूल भुलैया 2)

ham nashe me.n to nahii.n (Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2)

Tags: duet, romantic, feelings of love, filmi, love ballad, love song, minimal, romance, romantic, slow, trippy, upbeat

प्रीतम
Pritam

अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य
Amitabh Bhattacharya

अरिजित सिंह, तुलसी कुमार
Arijit Singh, Tulsi Kumar

1.34

Toggle Jury's comments

Quadruplication of "ham nashe me.n" tends to be boring; some interesting wordings. -Ashok

Same-octave duet, Arijit scales the high notes nicely with a light touch; female singer a bit over-reliant on the throaty, guttural thing? The repetitions of "Ham Nashe Men" feel a little predictable. -Sanjeev

(Arijit template) x done to death. -Tatsam

Tune is a basic set that one has heard often. The singers don't do anything to elevate the tune. -Ketan

Pritam manages to give a trippy feeling to the melody, and subtly bolsters that with the minimal yet very effective arrangements, all beautifully balanced by Arijit Singh and Tulsi Kumar's singing. Yet another track where Pritam manages to shine out of the conventions within a mainstream template. -Shasank

Tediously generic. -Sukanya

Breezy! -Meera

मितरा रे (रनवे 34)

mitaraa re (Runway 34)

Tags: anthem, ballad, filmi, love, melancholic, romance, soft rock, soul

जसलीन रॉयल
Jasleen Royal

आदित्य शर्मा
Aditya Sharma

अरिजित सिंह, जसलीन रॉयल
Arijit Singh, Jasleen Royal

1.28

Toggle Jury's comments

Why is everyone whispering singing in that raspy voice? What does it take to have a singer like Shamshad, Asha? Full throated but not loud. -Ketan

Nice touch from Arijit; layered female vocals sound slightly out of sync. -Sanjeev

Thoroughly banal lyrics. -Anuradha

Directionless. -Ashok

A lowkey yet fine melody that unfortunately feels to have come off an assembly line, despite some inspired guitar work in the arrangements, as well as some creative pacing and percussion work. Jasleen Royal's vocals get an interesting treatment. -Shasank

BRB, checking ChatGPT for kinder synonyms of "very, very average!". -Meera

Nothing to write home about. -Sukanya

The bits by Jasleen Royal are nicely done. -Pankaj

हीर राँझणा (बच्चन पांडे)

heer raa.NjhaNaa (Bachchhan Paandey)

Tags: duet, romantic, faux sufi, filmi, longing, love, mainstream, romance, romantic, traditional

अमाल मलिक
Amaal Malik

कुमार
Kumaar

अरिजित सिंह, श्रेया घोषाल
Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal

1.08

Toggle Jury's comments

Everything here works, but this track would be hard to point out in a lineup of similar tracks from so many other films. There's some magic in the latter halves with the melody and Shreya Goshal's vocal layers though. -Shasank

Another pleasant listen, but feels a lot like the previous song transposed a whole step up (Raga Pahadi base, keherwa, approximate tempo). -Sanjeev

Even Shreya, Arijit cannot lift this above the ordinary. -Sukanya

I'm surprised at the level of unimaginative juices flowing through some of this year's film music. -Meera

Just your average ditty. For once Arijit sounds good, but then Shreya sounds shrill and terrible. Do they draw straws to see who will sing worse before every song? -Ketan

Composition doesn't try to showcase the words. -Ashok