2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

"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"

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

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

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

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