2025

Gives a vintage feel with the hoof beat rhythm. Lyrics are poetic and simple. -Deepa

Hemant Kumar meets Mohd. Rafi? Soft corner for "retro" stuff that is at least somewhat tastefully done. Nice female voice, vaguely Shreya-esque but not quite as goody-goody. -Sanjeev

Song of 2026 for me. Immediate liking on first hear and immense repeat value. Fresh and frothy composition by Amit Trivedi, OPN nostalgia in modern orchetration. Arijit sounds light despite his heavy voice. Lyrics are decent too. -Shivani

Song of the year for me! It perched at the top of my personal ranking the day it dropped all the way back in January 2025 and did not get displaced all the way through to the end of the year. There is something so incredibly effusive about this song that it just makes me break into a smile on every listen. Amit Trivedi creates another duet firmly fixed in the retro mold after "ghoDe pe sanwaar" (Qala) and "nahi ji nahi ji" (Jubilee) that it now feels like he is secretly time-travelling! Be it the "tonga beats" or the orchestration in the interludes, it all works like a charming ode to the golden 50s and 60s. And his trusted companion in all this, Amitabh Bhattacharya, pens a song that could have, in lesser talented hands, easily slipped into the simplistic territory - there is a playfulness here but one that comes with heft (इश्क़ हुआ तो आने लगी तहज़ीब, अजीब-ओ-ग़रीब तरकीब लगाए नसीब). Arijit Singh sounds so fresh in his rendition, that I am more than happy to overlook the next 5 songs where he lazes around. Notice the way he sings मिलना नहीं था मिलवा दिया with that little dip in मिलना and मिलवा, oh, now that's how you add dynamics to singing while elevating the mood of song. Absolutely beautiful. But, the cherry on the top of this masterful melody was Hansika Pareek! She sings in the Shreya Ghoshal/Palak Muchhal style, but she sounded tailor-made for this song. There are no unnecessary embellishments or an effort to overdo any harkats, she perfectly captures the nabz of the song and sounds like a songbird. Ah, guess what, I am smiling again - magic of music! -Apoorv

Musical style is rooted in popular Indian film music of the 50s, characterized by catchy melodies, expressive vocals yet modern instrumentation. -Ajay

Very sweet song that has a beautiful old-world charm to it. -Anish

Can be heard for harmless nice positive vibes, with some OP Nayyarish treatment in Melody. Hansika has a late but nice cameo and compliments Arijit well. -Pavan

Cute throwback song that had me fantisizing how wonderful it would have sounded in Rafi and Asha's voices. Sigh. -Shalini

Gimmicky and thin. -Manjiri

Charming OP Nayyar-esque track. The occasional backing vocals are a nice touch. -Uday

In Ajeeb O Gareeb, Amit gets the retro Hindi filmy music style beautifully well while not going overboard with the ‘ghoda-ghadi’ sound (given the film’s theme built around the horse) and using it only incidentally. -Karthik

OPNayyar-esque, sweet song with old time feel and instruments. Amit Trivedi's journey in recreating the feel from old hindi film music continues. -Vaishali

Amit Trivedi is becoming exclusively good in the retro genre! -Nagarajan

Felt that old Amit Trivedi magic once again. -Runcil

It is reminiscent of old songs, and very appealing. -Vidyu

A harmonious melody that comes together really well in Abhay Jodhpurkar and Aanandi Joshi’s singing. -Karthik

Refreshingly soulful composition. -Vidyu

Beautiful composition by Justin, specially the chorus use in Saare jag me followed by techno Sarangi. . We need more of Justin in Hindi cinema. Abhay does well too with emotional curve of the song, specially stanzas. . Also Justin's use of Saare jag me after Kathak bols again provides a good culmination. -Pavan

Interesting composition, almost like a devotional song, with a nice change of pace near the end. -Uday

Abhay Jodhpurkar's voice is soothing. You feel pleasant listening to this song, buoyed by Justin Prabhakaran's composition and production. -Runcil

Justin Prabharan-Abhay Jodhpurkar collaboration is cementing strong. -Nagarajan

Like Justin's lead voice and the mix of chorus. -Ajay

A promising start to the song, let down by reasons I can't put a finger on; maybe it is too many things coming together including the use of pooja bells (gives it almost a bhajan feel, some spiritual lyrics might have worked well). Just not working for me. -Shivani

Beautifully sung by Abhay Jodhpurkar and Aanandi Joshi. The instrumental additions in the interludes and background, chorus are all well used -they don't overwhelm the song (except a bit at the end). -Vaishali

The pièce de résistance of a stellar musical album! Justin Prabhakaran creates a memorable melody here and he is ably supported by his artists. Akkarsh Kashyap's sentimental Violin refrains, Kishore Kumar's meandering Sitar riffs, the string of Guitars that magically appear and bind the song together at different intervals and then the immaculate Percussion procession laced with Ashwin Subramaiyan's konnakol towards the end culminating into the symphonic zenith is a treat to the senses. Abhay Jodhpurkar's controlled and assured singing with seemingly particular attention towards keeping the pronunciations softer, only adds to the magical feel of the song. Not to forget an excellent usage of the backing vocals. Truly a song that is going stay with me for a while. -Apoorv

"Tuuum Ja Rahe The, Hamase Jo Roothe" - not sure I like the octave-ing in the chorus or the doublespeed sargams, but otherwise pretty well-sung. Rhythm at the end a little aggressive for the mood. -Sanjeev

Nothing distinctive. Garden variety music that breaks my heart and head. -Manjiri

This one was almost like a romantic bhajan. -Shalini

Free-flowing tune by Justin Prabhakaran that is well-complemented by Rajshekhar's lyrics and Abhay Jodhpurkar's vocals. -Anish

Full-on singing by both Jazim S. And Himani K - definite repeat value. Sparse orchestration helps enjoy the voices. The chorus "Ooooo" between the male and female verses feels a little tacky. -Sanjeev

Trademark Vishal composition, evocative singing by Jazim Sharma and Himani Kapoor. -Uday

Hauntingly beautiful and nostalgic. -Vidyu

Lovely, wistful track, beautifully composed and sung with restraint. -Vaishali

Soulful, poetic, and nostalgic romantic music, blending traditional sounds with modern textures. Enjoyed Gulzar Sahab's poetry, often incorporating Punjabi elements and traditional themes of longing. -Ajay

Not a fan of Punjabi lyrics, more so when they are used to make only a hook line. And yet, quite like how Gulzar has written the full song in the language. Again, this is a template song with male singing high pitch and female singing low pitch (Himani doesn't have a higher range). Despite, this fits beautifully as the inherent Punjabi female voice is husky and their folk compositions are mostly made this way. -Shivani

Trying to remember the last time Gulzar wrote an entirely Punjabi song in a Hindi film - the man can do it all! Chosing Jazim and Himani to sing this was a fabulous choice by Vishal Bhardwaj, not only does it bring a level of authenticity in the diction, their voices inherently have a layer of pathos to them, and that works wonders with this mood of this song. Both create an engaging feel with heft in their singing and Vishal keeps the orchestration to a minimum letting the song settle over the listener like a warm blanket. -Apoorv

The tune has a heard-before feel to it. The lyrics and vocals significantly enhance its appeal. -Anish

Gulzar goes full Punjabi after long. . -Pavan

The music, the lyrics, the rendition are all in harmony in this quietly powerful song. -Shalini

A winsome country number by Trivedi, sweetened further by strings. -Uday

The entire talented team involved here seemed to be invested in creating excellence. Javed Ali and Papon's cross-scale symphonies throughout are magical and they are both playing to their strengths - Javed brings verve, Papon brings calm - together they are fire! Amit Trivedi created a humble melody, tuned it to have Raja Rasaily's Guitar as company and left it to his capable singers to take Varun Grover's expressive words (the thought behind तो सीधी राह पे भी यूँ ही टेढ़े चलें हम। is going to linger with me for a while) home! And homebound it went! -Apoorv

Varun Grover's lyrics and Papon and Javed Ali's singing worked much better than Amit's tune. -Anish

Happy compositions are Amit Trivedi's forte; they give hope. Love the use of Guitar throughout. Javed sounds very fresh and light, Papon's heavy voice however feels slightly misfit for the song despite good singing. -Shivani

The Amit Trivedi kind that I miss the most. More of this duet please. -Nagarajan

This track has such a rich musical arrangement. Sung so sincerely and tenderly by Javed Ali and Papon. I had to go back and listen to the sensitive lyrics again. -Vaishali

Feel Good, Spirited. . Garda ude lifts the spirits…. -Pavan

Refreshing! -Vidyu

Amit brings back his Kai Po Che-level sound in Yaar Mere, particularly in the breakout ‘Garda ude’ line. But this is, beyond that soaring line, a delivcate duet with great balance between the two singers. -Karthik

Classic friendship theme song reminding me of 'Kai Po Che' soundtrack. Blends traditional Indian melodies with contemporary sound fusion and emotional depth. The vocals blend themes of friendship and resilience well. Love their crescendos. -Ajay

Initially, I felt the lack of a burst towards the end after the build-up in the middle hindered the song. Over a few listens though, I was in love with it. Any qualms I had with it vanished. This is a beautiful song. Both Javed Ali and Papon complement each other, perfectly in line with the theme of friendship. Trivedi's best song in years. -Runcil

Like both the harmony and contrast Javed Ali and Papon's voices. Javed Ali opens up nicely up top, with Papon's texture providing a nice foil. Nice flourish from JA to finish off the song. -Sanjeev

This is not a musically challenging or ambitious song and is the better for it. The straightforward tune and light orchestration allows one to focus on the lyrics which are quite moving. -Shalini

All these years I heard songs which made out the lover to the coveted "chhaoN" in the unforgiving sunlight and here comes this 91-year old man making me fall in love with "dhoop" - what a rarified talent! And I am so glad there exists a Vishal Bhardwaj who unleashed a youthfulness in Gulzar and gave us some of the finest lyrical and musical melodies over the last 30 years. This one is a worthy addition to that ouevre. There is THehraav, there is sehajta, and there is rooh. Arijit manages to shed the lazy rendition (which he seems to do a lot more often with Vishal's songs) giving it the life it needs, but it is the choir-like backing vocals that enhance the song for me. A worthy under-rated soundtrack of this year! -Apoorv

Pleasant but completely routine. It sounds like every other song of this genre of slightly urdu, sufi style love. -Manjiri

Instantly recognisable as Vishal's music, with Arijit doing a Vishal-like vocal. Lacks that extra something. -Uday

The "maile ho na jaaye paaon" refrain does have a haunting effect. .. Slightly more than the typical flat, "deadpan" too-cool-to care mode of expression, but only slightly. -Sanjeev

Signature Vishal Bhardwaj, what's not to love. -Nagarajan

A gentle offer of emotional closeness, protection and reassurance woven into equally gentle words. -Deepa

Arijit Singh sings the song very well but misses out on nukhtas (e. G hon is pronounced as ho). -Anish

Beautiful meody and lyrics. Pity it had to be Arijit Singh. -Shalini

Lyrics were what caught my attention before I even knew they were written by Gulzar saab. -Vaishali

Expressive vocals by Arijit Singh, innocent lyrics by Gulzar Sahab, and soothing composition by Vishal Bharadwaj. Blends modern sensibilities with classic romantic Indian film music. Interesting end to the song. -Ajay

A decent listen for its mood, but Vishal conciously trying a hand at his 90s walk-with-me romantic template (Jahaan tum le chalo songs] and missing Suresh Wadkar (& his innocense) terribly here. Arijit is just Ok. . The pauses in between works quite well in bringing a lazy elegance in the proceedings…. -Pavan

There’s a dreamy quality in the melody that Vishal embellishes with a gorgeous chorus (Vaishnavi Bhuyar, Surabhi Khekale, Vasudha Tiwari, Sonal Choubisa, Sushmita Narayan and Bandita Bharti). Vishal even infuses an intriguingly lovely diversion with the ‘Jahan Baithen Wahan Dhoop’ line! -Karthik

Sounds okay. A good mix of different songs. -Vidyu

Could play this song on repeat mode for sleeping off, in a good way, like you hear something soothing without noticing anything much. Love Arijit when his voice sounds a bit dry and broken like in the song. -Shivani

A dreamy ode to a lover. Its soundscape makes it perfect for night-time listening. -Runcil

Warm, gentle melodic song. Well sung. This album is probably the best of the year. -Vaishali

We need more of Justin. -Pavan

Gentle tune on lively rhythms, heartfelt emotions with rich musical arrangements. -Ajay

Vishal Mishra seems to have produced a tonal quality very similar to Madhavan's, you could almost forget it isn't Madhavan singing himself. Raj Shekhar writes romance beautifully. Mila tujhe to ye laga, Kyun na tujhe pehle mila. .I am reminded of Javed Akhta in Duplicate - Tum mujhe kyun nahin mile pehle, Roz kehke mujhse ladti hai from Kaththai aankhonwali ik ladki. Overall, easy on ears. -Shivani

Wonderful harmonies. -Runcil

Lukewarm lyrics, simplistic tune, voices aren't bad, though the male voice is doing the "erratic tremor" thing again. -Sanjeev

Delightful love song with an airy, twinkling arrangement. -Uday

This soundtrack has all my heart! And this song is the refreshing after meal desert that makes the whole thing worthwhile. The backing vocals are absolutely perfect here and that "uu u uu" has been in my head for a while now. Vishal Mishra continues to shine and this time with a more controlled, sedate singing which was exactly what was required here. Prateeksha Srivastava is what brings the required sweetness. Notice her sing "qaafi hain" in the first stanza - ah, sugary sweetness! Justin Prabhakaran was simply composing on another level for this film, every song that came out was stellar - this one right up there as well. -Apoorv

Soothing and beautiful! -Vidyu

The song has the kind of tenderness that warms the cockles of your heart instantly. -Anish

Mila Tujhe shines with the soft, waltz’y vocal rhythm that opens the song, and the immensely likeable singing by Vishal Mishra and Prateeksha Srivastava. -Karthik

Wow. . My favorite song of the year. Heard it multiple times and still does not tire on me. Tanishq Bagchi has put his heart into the composition which fit the lyrics and adapts to the situation yet keeping its identity. Electric guitar is perfectly used and Faheem's singing rises to the occasion to make it a befitting title song. -Ajay

Vocals overall not bad, but not buying the "Pukaaroo~~~~oo~~~~oo~~~~~ooon"; Song is too long for its own good. -Sanjeev

Situational track, grows gradually, works much better with the movie. First impression was. .. Kitna pukaroon oooon ooounnn ouuunnnn. . Didn't they find a better filler. However, not that bad overall. Make it an Arijit and you will surely think it was Pritam. -Shivani

Faheem's song. . Some old vibes from Pritam of Vishes films. -Pavan

Immersive song that scores high on all aspects. Faheem Abdullah's voice suits the song very well. -Anish

Faheem's vocal texture reminds me a bit of Adnan Sami with a mix of B Praak, which works nicely in this electronic heavy ballad. Good control over his breath and overall a good new voice to keep an eye out for. Tanishk Bagchi is in his element here and like he does more often than not, creates another viral song. -Apoorv

Singing carries a routine tune. Also, Instagram fatigue, it was overplayed and it was pretty mediocre for that. -Manjiri

Irresistible earworm-y mopey stadium rock. -Uday

Faheem Abdullah, what a voice. Good Bollywood debut for him and hope to hear even more of him in the future. -Runcil

A breezy romantic song that has been composed, written, sung and arranged very well. -Anish

It sounds too similar to Khairiyat losing the originality aspect. -Vidyu

Immersive and intimate. Absorbed in melody. That change to tabla midways, makes lot of difference. -Deepa

Shaswat does a very audible job with the Arijit template. The melodic structure of the mukhda using repeated patterns - सा नि॒सा नि॒सा नि॒सारे॒ग॒रे॒सा नि॒ धनि॒ धनि॒ धनि॒सारे॒सानि॒ ध॒ पध॒ पध॒ (this can continue to पध॒नि॒सानि॒ध॒ प but here he then infuses it with his creation) - of using a descending alankaar makes it a wonderful composition. Was also reminded of Kehna hi kya (Bombay) in terms of composition as well as when the second antara switches from synth to classical notes and tabla. Particularly like the refrain "tera hua" in the lower notes while smoothly descending from the high notes of Gehra hua. .. Was the moment I kept waiting for throughout the song. I was slightly disappointed by the lyrics what with everyone wanting/writing a hook like to catch on to. -Shivani

I was going to rate this higher but I'm a little amused at how much Shashwat Sachdev has gotten away by making the arrangement sound similar to Yeh Haseen Vadiyaan in places while still being distinct enough. Overall, great tune though and his production throughout this song, keeping the instrumentation varied as we advance in this 6-minute song, is something that impressed me. -Runcil

The constant pronunciation of "agar" with the anglicized "r" sound kept nagging at me. The song was moving along at an expected rhythm, but the Tabla addition for the final cross-line was pretty fun. Generic otherwise. -Apoorv

The song took a couple of listens to grow on me. I found the use of the plucked instruments very intriguing. Also interesting use of sarangi at the end. -Vaishali

Even though there seems to be a lot of ‘Pudhu VeLLai Mazhai’ (Roja) in the background, this is still a lovely song. Arijit Singh and Armaan Khan handle the sweeping melody phenomenally well, particularly the ‘Gehra Hua’ hook. -Karthik

Took some time to get used to this melody, especially how it does a mood shift in the middle with the introduction of the Tabla. Good one, but not my pick of the album. -Nagarajan

Romantic soft arrangement with warm melodies, and Arijit Singh's signature vocals, blending traditional Indian music elements with contemporary cinematic sounds. -Ajay

Earnest but dull. -Manjiri

Too smooth and bland despite stealing from multiple Rahman classics. -Uday

Arjit & Arman float well on flowing riffs put on Shashwat. The arrangement is interesting and makes is a better listen. -Pavan

Arijit doing the "erratic tremor" thing. .. Random qawwali segment inserted? Kept searching for Armaan Khan before realizing they just wanted four lines of sargam from him. .. Was hoping for more. -Sanjeev

The composition doesn't lives up to the quality of Gulzar lyrics. Vishal Mishra is functional but stylized singing reduces the impact, should have been crooned by the other Vishal [Bhardwaj] for better impact/. -Pavan

Quite a bleak outlook towards things, but the Vishal's along with Gulzar manage to create the sombre ambiance - especially Dilshan Khan's Sarangi in the second interlude is particularly haunting. Love the unembellished composition and rendition, although I would not have minded Vishal Bhardwaj singing this himself. -Apoorv

Moody track with a smooth Vishal vocal that lacks a bit of excitement. -Uday

It is always a treat for music lovers when Gulzar and Vishal Bhardwaj together. What lovely lyrics! -Deepa

Soulful song highlighting Gulzar Sahab's lyrics, yet blends Indian folk, classical influences, Sufi sounds, and contemporary styles. The deep, poetic lyrics by Gulzar create emotionally resonant and melodically diverse soundtrack. -Ajay

Vocals and backing create the mood well! -Sanjeev

Gulzar's lyrics and Vishal Mishra's vocals do the heavy lifting here. -Anish

What bleak, deeply melancholic lyrics. -Shalini

Signature Vishal Bhardwaj composition. The mukhda so reminds of a famous old advert music I am unable to recall. -Shivani

Vishal scores again with a pensive melody, this time in tow with Gulzar’s verse and Vishal Misra’s vocals. Fantastic guitar work in the background elevates this song significantly. -Karthik

A performative song that is fun to listen to courtesy Shashwat Dwivedi's quirky lyrics and Madhubanti Bagchi's superb rendition. -Anish

Catchy number with unpredictable and non-conventional melody, aiming for a unique feel. Lyrics match the vibe. -Ajay

When the song came out it didn't impress much but while listen to the annual playlist this brought so much of relief. The team of Anurag Saikia & Shashwat packs some punches and Madhubanti delivers the well. It surely demands a rerun. -Pavan

Too amused by its own cleverness. -Uday

I was not prepared for a zinger like this! Shashwant Dwivedi, take a bow for channeling the inner cheeky Gulzar but stamping it entirely by your own prowess. What banger lyrics! (हम छे घंटे की Picture है, तुम घुटने भर की झील, इतना deep emotion को कैसे करोगे feel?). This is truly creativity in writing without making it corny and then Anurag Saikia (in a year to cherish), tunes it with such verve that the song becomes an instant classic. Madhubanti Bagchi also threads that needle with precision (just like she did with 'ui amma' this year) by sounding coy but classy. What a mood changer! Impressive. Innovative. Impeccable. -Apoorv

Spunky song with unusual, quirky lyrics, sung with lot of swag and tayyari by Madhubanti Bagchi. Made me want to watch the movie…fillam dekho is is great PR for the film: -). -Vaishali

"Humein samajhne se eajee hai Ghalib, Khusro, Mir" might be my favourite lyric from any song last year, and this is a song that is filled with gem after gem of smart, winking lines. -Runcil

Cranky quirky lyrics by Shashwat Dwivedi elevate this desi song to a completely different level, absolutely loved them. Heard the first time while during this exercise and have been looping since. Anurag Saikia has composed it with restrain, also not allowed the singer to go overboard. 2025 Has been the year of Madhubanti Bagchi, she needs to ensure her rustic voice doesn't get typecast in these type of songs. Only nitpick from an extremely enjoyable song: Needed to pronounce Zulam/Zulmi without the nuqta to go with the basic premise of the song, wonder why she/they didn't. -Shivani

Enjoyed the various plays on words! -Sanjeev

Such a fun song. The voice somehow reminds of Rekha Bharadwj's tonal quality. -Deepa

Likely the equivalent of the stunner 'Pottakaatil Poovasam' in Pariyerum Perumal by Santhosh Narayanan, the song shines in its own right. -Nagarajan

Easy going tune with simple yet fresh lyrics. Good to hear new male voices being used in mainstream films. -Ajay

Darshan Raval and Jonita Gandhi handle the lilting melody that I can only describe as cozy – it feels so close and soft, amped up by Gurpreet Saini’s lines. -Karthik

Cute-sy melody. -Runcil

Pareet is what does the tarick (even if it was done for making it fit in a proper singing meter - just a guess - it kind of comes across as cute). Enjoyable ditty, pleasant acoustic guitars and both the singers too seem to be enjoying while singing. -Shivani

A catchy love song that keeps you engaged throughout its duration. -Anish

Couldn't get past the way the singers pronounce "preet" as pa reet." Understand it's intentional but that doesn't mean I have to like it! -Shalini

"Pa-reet" - didn't know that was a thing but I guess it must be…Both male and female vocals are nice but curves sound a little "angular" in spots. -Sanjeev

The singer contrast works well. . Laagi laagi hook gives it so much of vibes. -Pavan

Had a good catchy feel to it, if a bit simplistic. Rochak Kohli continues to impress. -Apoorv

A mature love song sung with a lot of tenderness. -Anish

Beautiful, feel good song. -Vidyu

A delightful treat from an obscure film. Kaalidhar Laapata's music is quintessential Amit Trivedi but one where they are at their melodic best. And the choice to have Deepali Sathe sung this was perfect - her no frills singing paired with that dulcet voice is a treat to listen to. Jubin also sounds controlled and collected which adds to the charm of the song. A big chunk of the credit to maintain the simplicity and effusiveness of this song, are Geet Sagar's words:.
मन थका था, अधपका था, ख़ुद में बाँधे सब रखा था, तू मिला तो आस लौटी है.
हो, उड़ना चाहे, जीना चाहे, सारे ग़म हैं पीना चाहे, तू मिला तो प्यास लौटी है.

A song that has sustaining power, and one that will linger in the air as a smile lands on your face. -Apoorv

Amit Trivedi gives a decent composition, but nothing more than that. . -Pavan

The emotional conflict beautifully brought out in the lyrics which are bittersweet. Joy, fear, uneasiness all rolled into one. -Deepa

Beautiful melodic trio. Well sung by all the singers. -Vaishali

Have liked Deepali Sathe's voice from her reality days. Would have loved had she sang more like herself than emulating Shreya or Palak. She doesn't sound a clone however. Amit Trivedi has made a pleasant composition. Geet Sagar does a decent job in lyrics. -Shivani

Fresh new voices good for late night listening. :) Nice romantic melody. -Ajay

Slight lyrical effort, still bland. -Manjiri

Interesting approach with three voices. Don't remember hearing the female voice before but like it. -Sanjeev

Some Ghulam Ali vibes? Singer is from "Saare Ke Saare Ke Akele" (Jubilee), here as there, the voice is nice and has some "phirat", but "aakaar" is a little artificial and sur could be a little more "locked". -Sanjeev

Reminiscent of Ghulam Ali ghazals like "hungama kyon barpa" with the simple harmonium accompaniment. -Shalini

Rohit Sharma made a splash with his noteworthy ghazal-numa songs in "The Signature" in 2024 and he continues to engage with this sombre, sophisticated, and subtle form of music with sincerity and solemnity. Shellee's searingly simple yet incredibly self-assured words make a mark (यारियों के हम हैं मुर्शीद, हम ही तो मुरीद हैं; यार गर हैं रू-ब-रू, तो लम्हा लम्हा ईद हैं) and then Devendrapal Singh once again manages to stand out from the current crop of singers as one to look out for. He has a certain amount of gravitas to his singing which has become rarer and when given a song to dig his teeth in, he has repeated proven to be reliable. A much needed soothing song this year! -Apoorv

Melodious song - fresh as it leans away from typical remixed music, aiming for a more heartfelt, , and "close to home" feel. -Ajay

Pleasant surprise to hear a ghazal in these times, even better when there's a prominent use of Harmonium in the traditional mould. -Shivani

Promising but fails to deliver and ends up like a liquor ad song. -Pavan

Traditional ghazal-type song with harmonium and tabla and reall good singing. -Vaishali

Devender Singh Pal's voice does wonders to the song. -Anish

Emotional ghazal. -Vidyu

A track that feels like it belongs in a house party scene in an '80s Hindi film. -Uday

In Metro Mood, still doesn't announce itself. Short phrasing sounds like too many speed breakers… Guitar riffs are familiar. -Pavan

Interesting vocal contrast between the "soft as raindrops" beginning and the "explosive" chorus. My favorite part is the distinctly Indian electric guitar solo before the verse. -Sanjeev

The way Pritam lands each word in ‘Dil Ka Kya’ is just one of the many charming part so this lovely song. -Karthik

Raghav Chaitanya's KK-esque vocal goes harder than Pritam's composition. -Uday

Good song with a nice operatic vibe to it. -Anish

Noisy little affair. -Shalini

Words lost in the high pitched copmposition and singing. Percussion is too overpowering. Cannot really figure out what is being sung. -Shivani

My favourite song off the Metro In Dino album, even if I prefer Vishal Mishra's voice as well as Pritam's production on that version better. But this is as good. Raghav Chaitanya brings a sensitivity to the song that Mishra doesn't. -Runcil

Decent singing carries it. -Manjiri

Sounds very similar to Alvida and other such songs. -Vidyu

Raghav goes grunge and does it well. But the real star here is Meghdeep Bose and Roland Fernandes's Guitars and Raj Kumar Dewan's Bass across the interludes. Can't help but wonder the wonder that KK would have done with this one - this had his signature all over it. -Apoorv

Lovely Sufi chorus harmonies with modern rock/fusion, Hindustani classical influences, electric bass, harmonium, tabla, and Rahman's signature immersive sound, creating an interesting listen based on a blended genre. Complex work will need several listens to appreciate the finer points. -Ajay

Love how percussion stands out in this song. -Nagarajan

While I understand I am in a strict minority here, but ARR singing is not my favorite element of his musical oeuvre. Ofcourse he has some stellar songs as a singer, but the serious lack of vocal range and yet the continual urge to sing in the higher octaves was something I never understood. The same problem plagues this song for me. Too screechy and yet too monotonous. Special mention to Rahul Prakash's Tabla here, great dynamism that captures the mood of the song wonderfully. -Apoorv

Pairing the tabla and lead guitar is a stroke of genius. -Runcil

Don't understand why Rehman insists upon destroying his own composiitons by singing them. This was painful. -Shalini

Loud emotion, little originality. -Manjiri

Soulful qawalli that reminded me of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's Saanson Ki Mala. -Anish

A dark qawwali with an incredible intense ending. -Uday

His all-round genius aside - I have ARR qawwali fatigue. .. And his singing and pronunciation still don't do it for me. The sargams are (as often they are) gratuitous and boring (speed just makes them sound cluttered). -Sanjeev

The qawwali doesn't work despite ARR going back to his taraana aalaap, which is less efferctive this time. . -Pavan

Unflashy, sincere words of surrender and dedication with quietly effective music. -Deepa

Signature ARR, both in music and singing. The kind of composition where you'd not bother about singing or lyrics, just keep hearing with eyes closed, "hoping" to take you to a trance, because it sure isn't at par with his earlier works in the genre. Still, a decent one. -Shivani

Good fun for some interestng lyrics and singing. -Pavan

Catchy vibrant tune blending traditional Indian sounds with modern dance music and signature Amit Trivedi arrangements. The tune is not developed through the song, but love the chorus and the building of the crescendo. -Ajay

A fun, dance track. Madhubanti Bagchi is my favorite singer of this year. -Vaishali

Quite like the folkish treatment in both the composition and especially the lyrics.
Qatal Krey Upar Se Bole Margayi Re - very gaanv ki nachili kataniyan feel. Don't really like the tonal quality Madhubanti has come up with, she has sung it fantastic nevertheless. -Shivani

Very catchy dance number. Fanastic worldplay by Amitabh Bhattcaharya. -Anish

"Standard" item song? But sigh of relief upon hearing an unpretentious "desi" tune. Female vocals - nailed it! -Sanjeev

What a romp! We need one every year and this is deserves all the praise it gets. Amit Trivedi is a master of this genre and he does not disappoint - never thought I would hear Shehnai (by Omkar Dhumal) used as it was in that interlude. Amitabh Bhattacharya as usual manages to infuse gravitas to the romp - he doesn't bother being tongue-in-cheek, he is right in your face (काहे की मर्दानगी तेरी, आया न औरत का दिल अगर छू के देखना) but does it with a little wink and that hits paydirt! But if it was Anupama Chakraborty Shrivastava a couple of years ago, this time it is Madhubanti Bagchi's time to shine. She threads the needle between being playful and poignancy with panache. -Apoorv

For all intents and purposes, this song is owned by Keba Jeremiah's Bass and Gino Banks' Drums - everything and everyone else is gravy on top. Particularly love the chord change in the second interlude which takes the song into its riveting cresendo. Arijit's control of the high notes along with his breath control is commendable and he manages the pitch progressions seamlessly. A worth addition to a very different ARR album. -Apoorv

There's a lot to like about the song sonically, but the way it slowly shifts into prog rock territory is by far what I love about it. Superb move to get Gino Banks on drums. -Runcil

The opening hum doesn't do justice to the mood and the track that follows. Experimental and cliched at the same time. Love it nonetheless. -Nagarajan

A cliched Arijit detracts from a few interesting things going on. -Uday

Apart from composing an accessible tune, Rahman arranges it very well. The lyrics by Irshad Kamil and the rendition by Arijit Singh, both, are brilliant. -Anish

ARR-Kamil disappointss here and how… Sounds like an extended song from Saiyyara. -Pavan

More weird Arijit - is he channeling ARR, Atif Aslam, or some other "inspiration"…the humming is more irritating each time I hear it…the pageantry of the rock drums/guitars, orchestral strings, and choirs says "action sequence" - need to watch the movie? -Sanjeev

This song literally screams "overwrought and all the frentic violin/guitar playing and drum banging turns out to be much ado over nothing. -Shalini

A. R. Rahman's signature soulful piano, powerful vocals (Arijit Singh), and modern production for another intense, emotional love song. -Ajay

Blends traditional Ghazal poetry with modern Pop and Rock elements. Contemporary production, synths, and electric guitars alongside classical Urdu lyrics, create a soulful, emotionally deep soundtrack that explores the theme of the movie. Interesting experiment that evokes urban loneliness with a modern twist on old-world charm. -Ajay

Adaptation of the famous gazal; well-sung by both (including faintly audible alaaps by Shilpa Rao), nicely-done arrangement. -Sanjeev

B Praak makes Shipa sound subdued, by design it seems. . Lyrics rating only for new additions. -Pavan

B Praak makes such an unusual partner to Shilpa Rao's voice but it works because of that pairing. Helps that Pritam has crafted a beautiful melody. -Runcil

The one set of songs (this and Papon's tandem) from a overwhelmingly good soundtrack that just did not work for me. It felt run-of-the-mill and something that I hear atleast once every year is some film. B Praak and Shilpa are competent singers, but I feel my ears are growing jaded to these type of songs and this type of singing. -Apoorv

B Praak was an unusual choice for this song. Sandeep Shrivastava's builds on Momin Khan Momin's ghazal nicely. -Anish

Liked Shilpa, did not like male singer. Had to go listen to "main teri nazar ka suroor hoon" thanks to the "tumhe yaad ho na ho" coda of this song. -Shalini

Pritam does something interesting by bringing in B Praak and Shilpa Rao, while the original had just Papon. The duet, amped up version offers a genuinely different experience. -Karthik

Shilpa's voice never fails for any ghazalish melodic structure, the reason of 0. 25 In singing. Pritam's composition for the female part is very likeable. The high pitched male part of composition makes it a template too often heard and ignored. -Shivani

The sounds buried deeper in the mix are more intriguing than the main melody and vocals. -Uday

Kavita Seth sings this jazz-tinged song with a lot of grace. -Anish

Great to hear Kavita Seth after a while in this. Kavita-Kanishk produce an appealing melody, with some wonderful arrangments. -Nagarajan

Oh, what effusive sultriness in Kavita Seth's voice! Not to mention her crystal clear diction that adds to the dynamism of the song. ID Rao's Saxophone and Shomu Seal's Guitar complement her voice to perfection creating a delightfully swaying ambiance. The mother-son composer duo of Kavita and Kanishk Seth come up with a composition that lilts through the air and is reminisant of the club songs of yore, yet manages a fresh sound akin to an Amit Trivedi. -Apoorv

Vocals weighty and textured, but also a little viscous. Backdrop (drums/bass/guitar/sax) is attractive - but ordinary tune essentially gives the vocals nowhere to go. .. -Sanjeev

Fresh take on ghazals with a sensual, longing feel. The song uniquely blends New-Age/Modern Jazz with retro vibes, Sufi, and a touch of cabaret/burlesque. Very creative in terms of electronic elements and traditional Indian poetry set to contemporary sounds,. -Ajay

Liked the bits of jazz infused in the composition. Average song otherwise. -Shivani

Nice to hear a more mature, feminine voice. -Shalini

Slinky jazz pop with a nice low-key vocal. -Uday

Boring. . Despite some interesting arrangements with Sax & Trumpets, but the melody sounds heavily inspired from past and gives suna suna sa feel. -Pavan

Refreshing sound for a love song. Lovely to hear Kavita Seth. -Runcil

Nice melody but Pritam's treatment of it is plain in comparison. -Runcil

Pleasant enough listen, good for driving, not sure what else - sounds like he is saying "ma-haw-bat" in several spots, copy-paste artifact? Antara is surprisingly unmelodic compared to mukhda. -Sanjeev

There are much better songs in this soundtrack than this oft-heard typical high-pitched Arijit angst. -Apoorv

Pritam signature in the song all the way. Disappointed to not find anything special or fresh musically. The songs seem to be designed to be played in the background versus being vocalized by the main characters. -Ajay

Decent atmosphere, still uninspired. -Manjiri

Too much of Arijit is now killing the pleasure, still he makes you forgive for the overdose with the love thrown in with politenss, in his rendering. -Pavan

Love the refrain where it goes to Main aur mohabbat kitni karoon. Also, quite liked the lyrics by Sandeep Shrivastav for the movie, specially this one. Arijit also emotes well and restrained, sounds beautifully soft wherever the lyrics demand. -Shivani

An impassioned Arijit vocal and stirring example of ghazal-rock. -Uday

Captivating composition and love the vocals. -Vidyu

Sandeep Srivastava's poignat lyrics give the song an edge. -Anish

Tried to create a typical Folk+HF melody. While the thought is appreciated, the output is not. Don't know who or what made Neeti sing the way she has sung; completely unrecognizable, unlikeable, and unlike her. Shaan seems to be effortful in emoting. -Shivani

What's this, an actual song to sing? Relishing the zesty vocals from both Shaan and Neeti Mohan, very slickly edited if at all. -Sanjeev

Romantic song incorporating elements of Desi Pop modern beats with traditional percussion sounds. Creates an interesting soft romantic effect with modern foot tapping music. -Ajay

Some points for Nostalgia only… Shaan in Saanu mode is not a great fit. . -Pavan

Captivating composition with lovely voices. -Vidyu

Liked the melody, liked the lyrics, liked Shaan, did not like the female singer. -Shalini

Lovely melody and easily mistaken for a song in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. -Nagarajan

Found the tune and the lyrics to be extremely underwhelming. -Anish

Good to hear Shaan again. -Vaishali

Soft and infectious. Holds up the melody till the end. -Deepa

Good to hear Shaan singing a song that works nicely with the texture of his voice, not sure if Neeti Mohan's voice worked as well though. Monty Sharma composed some nice tunes for this album and it was good to see him come back to compose an entire soundtrack. Loved the Sarod-Shehnai-Flute combo used in the interlude. -Apoorv

A touch of early Rahman in this track. -Uday

Beautiful composition. The lyrics, written by the composer himself, are filled with grammatical errors and other issues. -Anish

The most-Mithoon style song not compsoed by Mithoon! -Karthik

The almost listless singing drains all the emotional power of the lyrics. Needed a more charismatic, more emotive voice. -Shalini

Jubeen's soulful rendering makes this a memorable song. The work fits his vocals and conveys deep love and heartbreak. The rock version adds an Indie Rock/Pop-Rock flavor. Electric guitar is perfectly used and the song ends just right! Incredible album featuring variety of chartbusters with every song. -Ajay

Standard heartbreak template. -Manjiri

Had fun reading the MD's name. The Rish, as he likes to call himself, with Rishabh Kant in parenthesis. As for the composition - it's neither Rishabh Pant nor Rishabh Can't. Ki ho naa jaaye pyaar tumse mujhe, Kar dega barbaad ishq mujhe - these lines sum up the movie situation well. A couple of sparks in an otherwise unremakable song. -Shivani

The main hook is pretty addictive, but somehow the more you listen, it just melts into another one of the dozen Jubin songs. Nothing outstanding in the lyrics, but The Rish has managed to stitch together a melodious enough song. Overall perfectly serviceable. -Apoorv

One-a-year Ashiqui season is back. . Mohit Suri's album more than anyone else. Jubin's voice is tailor made for Suri's brand of suffering. -Pavan

The initial "Tujhse Door" feels flippant and slightly irritating (as are the "aalaaps" in the interlude), but the song grew on me somewhat after that. Pleasantly unexpected warmth when the vocals drop down for "Ke Ho Na Jaaye Pyaar". Sarangi pieces are nice. Eminently pleasant, but hard to call it memorable. No attempt to grab the appropriate consonants on "zaKHmon" and "Gam". -Sanjeev

A soulful, romantic ballad that blends traditional Bollywood melodies with A. R. Rahman's signature emotional depth. Probably the best song of that soundtrack strengthened by Arijit's vocals and some unusual harmonies that match the movie's situation. -Ajay

I was hoping for an "in lamhon ke daaman mein" or a "sapna hain sach hain" but while this had all the makings of being that one romantic song in a periodic film, the feel was a bit amiss. The Budapest Scoring Orchestra created a great Strings element to this, but the song never quite reached a crescendo and with Arijit at the helm, that felt like a miss. -Apoorv

Don't know whether it is the overdose of Arijit or the lyrics, I found both unnecessary in the song. Not that it's one of the best compositions as well but I feel I would like hearing an instrumental version better. -Shivani

A beautiful melody which keeps growing with every listening. -Anish

Reminscent of old ARR tracks and doent sound for the era its set. Nice listen when isolated from the film. ARR should have tried Abhay Jodhpurkar. -Pavan

There's a fine between soothing and boring. -Shalini

Mukhda feels like a nursery rhyme, then suddenly all kinds of melodic intricacy and delicacy in the antara. .. And then a random key change to finish it off? Where is it going and why? Guess I need to watch the movie? -Sanjeev

Didn't work for me, in either of the versions. -Nagarajan

Rahman is creating another new brand of music with this film. Signatures with soulful piano, and modern production creates an intense, emotional love song. Nice soft ending. -Ajay

This song took me a while to get used to because I lover certain parts of the song, like the two instrumental, operatic parts in the middle + when Jonita Gandhi enters the song towards the end. Just wish Nitesh Aher's parts—as much as I recognise that's what the film is demanding—weren't so. .. Pleading. -Runcil

Nice arrangement with piano. -Vidyu

One of those AR Rahman songs that's hard to wrap around the head with. Nitesh sounds much like AR Rahman in places (with better enunciation and sound). This song takes me to Uyir Uruguthey from Cobra. -Nagarajan

Five minutes of torture. -Shalini

If not for that Bass and Piano symphony running in the background, I would have been hell-bent on refusing this to be an AR Rahman composition. This felt contrived and Nitesh Aher's laissez-faire singing (which is very much in the ARR vein) just grated on me throughout. Sadly not for me. -Apoorv

Mukhda an explicit nod to Pilu. Nitish Aher had me fooled into thinking I was actually enjoying ARR's vocals. .. Lyrics a little muddled in spots, odd pronunciation of 'khwwwwwwwaaab", well-sung by Jonita Gandhi. -Sanjeev

An intricate composition by A. R. Rahman that keeps growing on you with every listen. -Anish

Rahman of old but without the same impact of old. . -Pavan

Another decent composition marred by singing. Nitesh Aher sounds like a tired ARR and feels dragged in the higher notes. Somehow, the lyrics don't seem to be very fitting either. -Shivani

Overall a disappointing album from ARR. -Vaishali

Andrew Lloyd Webber-style arrangement by his former collaborator. -Uday

Arijit is earnest and shows his flair in spots (like the pull on "apna banaa~~~~ne ke liye last time through). .. But it sounds like a dozen other songs of his. Hard to call it memorable. -Sanjeev

Good listening. Classic Arijit feel! -Vidyu

Love the progression of the bass and the sophistication of the harmonies as the song progresses. Arijit Singh's voice is synonymous with modern Hindi romantic hits, and this song with Mithoon's sensitive melodies hits that spot. The song creates a deep emotional core be-fitting as one of Arijit's best in 2025. -Ajay

The song of Saiyaara and who better than Arijit to voice it. He has done similar numbers across the Aashiqui's and other Bhatt Productions and Mithoon compositions, so he can tap into the emotion pretty much at will at this point because there isn't a real challenge presented here. Low hanging fruit plucked serviceably. -Apoorv

Morose stadium rock. -Uday

Sounds very similar to many of Mithoon's compositions. The lyrics did not work for me at all. -Anish

The Saiyyara songs works well when they are heard as album, for the ambiance all over, but have lesser impact when heard in isolation… The progression is predictable and overall the mood and the sadness lacks grip. -Pavan

Feels like background score. -Manjiri

Not a bad composition but not really notable either. -Shivani

Title track-level genericism. -Manjiri

Sounds similar to other bollywood songs of this genre. Lacks originality. -Vidyu

Well-srtuctured composition that does not break any new ground. Benefits hugely from Vishal Mishra's vocals. -Anish

A catchy hook by Kaushik-Guddu, sung by them only. Vishal Mishra is OK here. -Pavan

Progressive Melodic House remixes, romantic tones, and pop/dance sounds, expressing the film's core theme. Alternating between soft acoustics and modern sensibilities creates a unique effect. -Ajay

Another song reminding of Kehna hi kya when the tabla is introduced with notes. Vishal Mishra sounds better than his other songs with a marked individuality in his tonal quality. -Shivani

Too much, too loud, too repetitive. The Harmonium and Tabla/Dholak make a good appearance but the whole thing was rather cacophonous. Can't stand the anglicized 'fir' anymore. Are we losing the 'ph (फ)' sound? -Apoorv

When the ‘Tu hi armaan’ line explodes, guitars blazing the backdrop, I was pleasantly taken aback because the opening of the song hardly prepared me for that 🙂 Kaushik-Giddu’s composition and music sound like the power version of a Mithoon song, considering the latter has almost seemed to have given up composing anything energetic and focusing more on musically anemic melodies. Excellent singing by Vishal Mishra too, as always. -Karthik

More of the "erratic tremor" vocalism. .. Voice is otherwise not bad, easy reach into the upper octave, musical backdrop including harmonium/rabab flavors is nice enough. .. Song sections feel a little disjoint. -Sanjeev

Melodious soft number with a mix of Arijit's beautiful voice and occasional high notes that are becoming an Arijit signature trademark. -Ajay

Hybrid Arijit? Mostly full-on singer, but part-straightjacket too; Wasn't quite hooked by the mukhda but the antara got more of my attention. .. Interesting female vocals. -Sanjeev

Reminded me of many of the love songs that started getting popular in the mid 2000s. -Anish

I used to be extremely delighted when I used to identify an OP Nayyar or a Salil Chaudhary or a Shankar-Jaikishan song on a first listen - I guessed this to be an Arijit Singh song under Tanishk Bagchi without knowing the credits. Should I be happy that the pair has carved a niche or be sad that it is the same rinse and repeat formula? Afsana Khan sounds like mix between Sonu and Neha Kakkar with a touch of Sunidhi thrown in. -Apoorv

Same-octave duet creates a nice effect, pleasant enough listen. -Sanjeev

Functional, but works as a Party-First, Film-Later item from Pritam's bank. Made for community listenings/dancing at Wedding entires and reels in this season than leisurely listen. -Pavan

Formulaic and forgettable. Why would it be nominated. -Manjiri

This slots itself perfectly in the War, Fighter, Bang Bang world of cool and suave Hrithik Roshan songs that are technically polished and laced a foot-tapping energy - only difference being this time its Pritam and Arijit Singh instead of Vishal-Shekhar and Vishal Dadlani. The effect is the same, the feelings are the same. I will groove to this, dance at the club on this, but it will be forgotten or confused for those other Hrithik songs in a few years. -Apoorv

Loved the mix of the voices that blend well, harmonies. The tune doesn't seem like something new. It reminded me of Surili Akhiyon wali in a different scale/arrangement. -Vidyu

Biased towards sound of Amitabh B.' S words - he writes very lyrically. Not a big fan of Punjabi Hindi genre of songs. Melodious soft number with a mix of Arijit's beautiful voice and occasional high notes that are becoming an Arijit signature trademark. -Ajay

Good pop number. -Runcil

A breezy romantic number that also makes you tap your feet while listening to it. -Anish