Hindi Film Songs: Best of 2009

Here’s the sixth edition of the list of my best Hindi film songs from the year (previous lists: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008).

Reiterating the disclaimers:
1. The songs aren't listed in any particular order. I have just listed them in the order in which I came across them.
2. I try to listen to each new album that comes out at least once. However, there are simply too many new movies and too many songs to follow. It is possible that some may have been omitted.
3. I am going to attempt to limit the number of songs per movie to three. That does not imply that there aren’t any more on the movie’s list that I like. I follow that rule under most circumstances just to keep the length of the list in check.


Here’s the year end assessment: The quality of music in Hindi film music continues to go downhill, at least in my perspective. Music directors are not creating melodies that I can quote a year down the line. It is almost like songs are made with a few fixed hooks, with no role in really pushing a movie’s story forward, with singers whose names I can’t possibly recall, the need for gayaki in music is going down because beats are the major constituent of a song and a certain ‘voice’ is a substitute for actual training in singing. I could almost count on my fingertips the number of soundtracks that were good this year, and if you take out Rehman, who is consistently producing some really quality music, there are fewer music directors whom could you count on producing great music (the Pritams and the Shankar/Ehsaan/Loys are doing a higher volume with mixed results). And pray tell me if the songs are in Hindi or in Hinglish: why on earth do we need English lyrics in every song? Is it required? Does it enhance the quality of the song? I don't believe so. I think I am a little disillusioned by the results and am wondering if this is the last edition I will produce on this topic. Let’s just leave the decision to next year. I am open to suggestions on songs that you think should be on the list but are missing. I am also open to debates on my choices but as is the nature of blogging, one who owns the blog has the final say. Hope you enjoy it.

I am off to India in a few days so I am publishing the list in advance and if you don’t hear from me on your responses, apologies in advance. I’ll get back to you once I get back.

Song : Aasma Odh Kar
Movie Name: 13 B
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan, Chitra
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics : Neelesh Misra
Why is it on the list? : Surprising to find such a refreshing melody in what is a movie in the horror/thriller genre. Chitra sounds especially sweet rendering this song.


Song : Delhi Destiny
Movie Name : 99
Singer : Raja Hasan
Music Director : Ashu
Lyrics: Vaibhav Modi
Why is it on the list? : Sweet amalgamation of western sounds, Indian alaaps, Raja Hasan’s crisp vocals and good lyrics.


Song : All Izz Well
Movie Name : 3 Idiots
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Swanand Kirkire
Music Director : Shantanu Moitra
Lyrics : Swanand Kirkire
Why is it on the list? : The movie is just releasing but I can already see this as a campus anthem. Sample the lyrics that make it thus: 'Confusion hi confusion hai, Solution kuch pata nahin, Solution jo mile toh saala question ka ab pata nahin'


Song : Give Me Some Sunshine
Movie Name : 3 Idiots
Singer : Suraj Jagan, Sharman Joshi
Music Director : Shantanu Moitra
Lyrics : Swanand Kirkire
Why is it on the list? : IITs must be torture chambers, or at least that’s what I make of the rather morose outlook on a life in education. The sentiment for obtaining a simpler childhood is well expressed.


Song : Chiggy Wiggy
Movie Name : Blue
Singer : Kylie Minogue, Sonu Nigam
Music Director : Rehman AR
Lyrics : Abbas Tyrewala
Why is it on the list? : The combination is quite unique though the output could have been better. It is on the list primarily because of the rarity factor.


Song : Rehnuma
Movie Name : Blue
Singer : Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam
Music Director : Rehman AR
Lyrics : Abbas Tyrewala
Why is it on the list? : There is a little bit of James Bond in this song. One of the better compositions of what was a below par score from Rehman.


Song : Rishte Naate
Movie Name : De Dana Dan
Singer : Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Suzanne D’Mello
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Why is it on the list? : Nice and easy melody for Pritam. Surprising choice of singer: one would have expected someone like Shaan to have rendered this song instead.


Song : Baamulaiza
Movie Name : De Dana Dan
Singer : Domnique Cerejo, Mika Singh, Style Bhai
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Why is it on the list? : It’s the calypso with singers ranging from Mika Singh to Style Bhai (remember him?) Catchy.


Song : Masakali
Movie Name : Delhi 6
Singer : Mohit Chauhan
Music Director : Rahman AR
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list? : Now this is what I call an album. Outstanding music by Rehman and the Prasoon/Rahman team served up some really good melodies. Mohit Chauhan is presented in a very different light by Rahman and he shines. Rehman’s orchestration takes this song to the next level.


Song : Arziyan
Movie Name : Delhi 6
Singer : Javed Ali, Kailash Kher
Music Director : Rahman AR
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list? : Javed Ali and Kailash Kher complement each other very well in this song. Prasoon though shines through the best. ‘Daraarein Daraarein Hai Maathe Pe Maula, Marrammat Muqaddar Ki Kar Do Maula’. Nicely done.


Song : Bhor Bhaye
Movie Name : Delhi 6
Singer : Shreya Ghoshal, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
Music Director : Rahman AR
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list? : What an outstanding achievement this. A bandish composed in Gujri Todi, the overlaying of the recording of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan with Shreya’s recital is quite subtly done. Shreya did very well here.


Song : Emosanal Attyachaar (Brass Band Version)
Movie Name : Dev D
Singer : Bony Chakravarthy
Music Director : Amit Trivedi
Lyrics : Amitabh Bhattacharya
Why is it on the list? : Here’s another good album for this year. In terms of taking the story forward, only a few of them have any role to play, but we are going the way of Hollywood movies now. I am going to pick this song for the use of the brass band, whose unique use makes this song so likeable.


Song : Nayan Tarse
Movie Name : Dev D
Singer : Amit Trivedi
Music Director : Amit Trivedi
Lyrics : Amitabh Bhattacharya
Why is it on the list? : The music director doubles up as the singer for this song, which starts off slowly and becomes a full blown rock track towards the end and you will find yourself nodding your head vigorously to the beats as it progresses.


Song : Yahi Meri Zindagi
Movie Name : Dev D
Singer : Aditi Singh Sharma
Music Director : Amit Trivedi
Lyrics : Amitabh Bhattacharya
Why is it on the list? : Some scope for female singers now. Aditi’s voice and her rendition suit the mood and message of the song really well.


Song : Ishq Hi Rab Hai
Movie Name : Dil Bole Hadippa
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics : Jaideep Sahni
Why is it on the list? :Dissapointing album from the Yash Raj stable. This one’s sort of ok. Jaideep Sahni’s comparing India to jhappis is interesting.


Song : Aarambh
Movie Name : Gulaal
Singer : Piyush Mishra
Music Director : Piyush Mishra
Lyrics : Piyush Mishra
Why is it on the list? : Piyush Mishra, the actor, was a surprise as a singer/lyricist/music director. His first attempt has been really good. This song is a call to arms and the chaste Hindi is a pleasure to here.


Song : Aisi Sazaa
Movie Name : Gulaal
Singer : Shilpa Rao
Music Director : Piyush Mishra
Lyrics : Piyush Mishra
Why is it on the list? : Shilpa Rao does a commendable job carrying this song with a lot of pathos and very little support from the instruments.


Song : Ranaji
Movie Name : Gulaal
Singer : Rekha Bhardwaj
Music Director : Piyush Mishra
Lyrics : Piyush Mishra
Why is it on the list? : How many Hindi film songs are going to have a reference to Bush, Afghanistan, beer all at one go? Rekha Bharadwaj seems to be enjoying herself in this song.


Song : Bebo
Movie Name : Kambakkht Ishq
Singer : Alisha Chinai
Lyrics: Anvita Dutt Guptan
Music Director: Anu Malik
Why is it on the list? : For old times’ sake. This is the kind of song that the Anu Malik/Alisha Chinai combination spewed with alarming regularity in the 90s.


Song : Lakh Lakh
Movie Name : Kambakkht Ishq
Singer : Neeraj Sridhar
Lyrics: Anvita Dutt Guptan
Music Director: Anu Malik
Why is it on the list? : Foot-tapping number with the right choice of singer.

Song : Pata Hi Na Chala (Sad)
Movie Name : Lottery
Singer : Abhijeet Sawant, Santosh Singh
Music Director : Santosh Singh
Why is it on the list? : Remember Abhijeet Sawant, the first Indian Idol? Apparently he made his movie debut with this movie, which I confess I hadn’t heard off until I came across its music. There are perkier version of this song, but I liked this one.


Song : Sapnon Se Bhare Naina
Movie Name : Luck By Chance
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list? : Farhan Akhtar is by most counts always going to get movies with excellent music in them, and Luck By Chance was no different. The song conveys the urgency and ambition of the protagonist effectively.


Song : Yeh Zindagi Bhi
Movie Name : Luck By Chance
Singer : Loy Mendonsa, Shekhar Ravjiani
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: Another par for the course song from the movie


Song : Dil Todnewale
Movie Name : Mere Gharib Nawaz
Singer : Kavita Krishnamurthy
Music Director : Ghulam Ali
Lyrics : Suroor Lucknow
Why is it on the list?: Probably the most obscure movie of 2009 for me. This is an old-style ditty but Kavita makes a rare appearance and impresses. The music is purportedly by Ghulam Ali and I am assuming it is THE Ghulam Ali, but I haven’t confirmed that yet.


Song : Hai Junoon
Movie Name : New York
Singer : Kay Kay
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics : Sandeep Shrivastava
Why is it on the list?: A refreshing song in an otherwise disappointing soundtrack.

Song : Janeman
Movie Name : Radio
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya, Shreya Ghoshal
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyrics : Subrat Sinha
Why is it on the list?: Himesh is back with a vengeance with some good songs on this soundtrack. He holds centerstage in this song with minimal intrusion by instruments. Shreya gives good company to Himesh in the song.


Song : Teri Meri Dosti Ka Aasman
Movie Name : Radio
Singer : Himesh Reshammiya, Shreya Ghoshal
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyrics : Subrat Sinha
Why is it on the list?: Beautifully paced song with clean arrangements again. Himesh does a good job as a composer and also with his ‘new’ voice.


Song : Mareeze Mohabbat
Movie Name : Short Kut - The Con Is On
Singer : Hrishikesh Kamerkar, Kirti Sagathia, Nikita Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan
Music Director : Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: Has the Salaam-E-Ishq hangover but is equally catchy.

Song : Kal Nau Baje
Movie Name : Short Kut - The Con Is On
Singer : Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam
Music Director : Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: I am amused and pleased by the inventive lyrics. Co-ordinating a date over the moon. Nice melody.

Song : Haafiz Khuda
Movie Name : 8 x 10 Tasveer
Singer : Mohit Chauhan, Tulsi Kumar
Music Director : Salim Sulaiman
Lyrics : Irfan Siddiqui
Why is it on the list?: A lot was expected from this movie that turned out to be a complete dud. Mohit Chauhan does a good job with this soft number.

Song : Tu Jaane Na
Movie Name : Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani
Singer : Atif Aslam
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Why is it on the list?: It always amazes me how a singer like Atif manages to be so successful. He is an ordinary singer, but somehow the uniqueness of the voice is all is required in today’s day and age. This song strikes a chord with the listener due to its tune.

Song : Haan Main Jitni Martaba
Movie Name : All The Best
Singer : Kay Kay, Yashita
Music Director : Pritam
Lyrics : Kumaar
Why is it on the list?: Kay Kay infuses a lot of energy in this hummable ditty from Pritam


Song : Khudaya Khair
Movie Name : Billu Barber
Singer : Akriti Kakkar, Monali, Soham
Music Director : Pritam
Lyrics : Gulzar
Why is it on the list?: Soham of the ‘In Dino’ fame makes an appearance here and carries the breezy song well.


Song : Jaoon Kahan
Movie Name : Billu Barber
Singer : Raahat Fateh Ali Khan
Music Director : Pritam
Lyrics : Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list?: Rahat has the right voice for this song and Sayeed Quadri does a good job with the lyrics. Very non-Pritam song from Pritam.


Song : Tere Naina
Movie Name : Chandni Chowk To China
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan
Music Director : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Lyrics : Rajat Arora
Why is it on the list?: The only bright spark in what was a hugely disappointing album.


Song : Zulfaen Khol Khal Ke
Movie Name : Do Knot Disturb
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Anuradha Sriram
Music Director : Nadeem-Shravan
Lyrics : Sameer
Why is it on the list?: Oh Boy! This is a blast from the past. A Govinda movie with music by Nadeem-Shravan and music by Sameer. This is here for nostalgia’s sake.


Song : Ummeed
Movie Name : Firaaq
Singer : Rekha Bharadwaj
Music Director : Rajat Dholakia
Lyrics : Gulzar
Why is it on the list?: Rekha’s voice carries the hopelessness of the situation very well. Gulzar’s lyrics hit the mark.


Song : Tu Hai Rab Mera
Movie Name : Jugaad
Singer : Krishna
Music Director : Sachin Gupta
Lyrics : Rohit Sharma
Why is it on the list?: Wouldn’t have expected anything out of this movie, but I came across this excellent melody. As is the norm, this song has a good Sufi flavor.


Song : Dhan Te Nan
Movie Name : Kaminey
Singer : Sukhwinder Singh, Vishal Dadlani
Music Director : Vishal Bhardwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Why is it on the list?: Need I say anything?


Song : Kaminey
Movie Name : Kaminey
Singer : Vishal Bhardwaj
Music Director : Vishal Bhardwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Why is it on the list?: This is a triumph for the Vishal-Gulzar duo. How do you take a cuss word like Kaminey and manage to weave a song around it so beautifully?


Song : Pehli Baar Mohabbat
Movie Name : Kaminey
Singer : Mohit Chauhan
Music Director : Vishal Bhardwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Why is it on the list?: The first notes on the piano set the theme for the song that instantaneously bring a sense of soothing calm further enhanced by Mohit Chauhan’s voice. Gulzar writes breezy inventive lyrics:’Yaad hain, peepal ke jiske ghane saaye mein. Humne gilahari ke jhoothe mutter khaaye the’


Song : Shukran Allah
Movie Name : Kurbaan
Singer : Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal
Music Director : Salim-Sulaiman, Salim Merchant
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list?: Salim-Sulaiman are back to their patented style of using Arabic phrases in their songs (they did it ‘Mar Jawaan’ in Fashion) and the result is a nice breezy melody with the Sonu-Shreya pair in full flow


Song : Ali Maula
Movie Name : Kurbaan
Singer : Salim Merchant
Music Director : Salim-Sulaiman
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list?: The second best song of the movie is a situational set-up. Salim takes to the mike himself in rendering this song. Also makes me wonder if ‘Maula’ is the word of the year with so many movies with at least one song with Maula in the title.


Song : Khanabadosh
Movie Name : London Dreams
Singer : Mohan
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list?: Following Rock On, this was a movie based on SEL had to give music for and they did a good job by not attempting to repeat the formula. This is a good foot-tapping number that Ajay Devgan uses to establish himself as a singer in the movie.

Song : Khwab Jo
Movie Name : London Dreams
Singer : Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shankar Mahadevan
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list?: A soft number, an excellent male duet and a well-written song.

Song : Ajj Din Chadheya
Movie Name : Love Aaj Kal
Singer : Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics : Irshad Kamil
Why is it on the list?: Pritam gets a shot to repeat his success with Imtiaz Ali and Rahat gets a song to suit his voice.

Song : Chor Bazari
Movie Name : Love Aaj Kal
Singer : Neeraj Shridhar, Sunidhi Chauhan
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics : Irshad Kamil
Why is it on the list?: Song that addresses an interesting situation yet manages to stay a lot of fun.

Song : Ye Dooriyan
Movie Name : Love Aaj Kal
Singer : Mohit Chauhan
Music Director : Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics : Irshad Kamil
Why is it on the list?: Seems like you can’t get a hit movie score without a song by Mohit Chauhan. Nice ditty.

Song : Khudaya Ve
Movie Name : Luck
Singer : Salim Merchant
Music Director : Salim-Sulaiman
Lyrics : Shabbir Ahmed
Why is it on the list?: Salim Merchant lifts the song with his vocals, which was the one bright spark in an otherwise disappointing album.

Song : Mudhi Mudhi Ittefaq Se
Movie Name : Paa
Singer : Shilpa Rao
Music Director : Ilayaraja
Lyrics : Swanand Kirkire
Why is it on the list?: Ilayaraja rarely composes movies for Hindi film songs but it is always good to hear songs from him. Shilpa Rao does a good job in handling the jumbled lyrics Swanand serves up.

Song : Maahi
Movie Name : Raaz - The Mystery Continues
Singer : Toshi
Music Director : Sharib-Toshi
Lyrics : Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list?: Toshi rides on Sayeed’s lyrics and makes an impact with the song. The best composition of the movie.

Song : Dhoop Ke Sikke
Movie Name : Sikandar
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan, Anusha Mani
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi
Why is it on the list?: Prasoon Joshi gets a chance to write about the innocence of children once again and SEL do a good job doing justice to the lyrics.

Song : Tum Mile (Rock)
Movie Name : Tum Mile
Singer : Shafqat Amanat Ali
Music Director : Pritam
Lyrics : Sayeed Quadri
Why is it on the list?: The rock version of the song gets a shot in the arm with Shafqat Amanat’s vocals.

Song : Iktara
Movie Name : Wake Up Sid
Singer : Kavita Seth
Music Director : Amit Trivedi
Lyrics : Amit Trivedi
Why is it on the list?: Amit Trivedi (of Dev D) is the guest composer for this song which turns out the best song of the movie. Kavita Seth, who has sung few song in Bollywood thus far brings freshness and charm to this song.

Song : Wake Up Sid
Movie Name : Wake Up Sid
Singer : Shankar Mahadevan
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: I love the way ‘Wake Up Sid’ comes in at the end of the mukhda. All Sids everywhere would be wise to wake up listening to this song.

Song : Bikhri Bikhri
Movie Name : Whats Your Raashee
Singer : Sohail Sen
Music Director : Sohail Sen
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: There were a lot of expectations from this movie in terms of its music, but I have picked up a couple of songs that I liked. This is one of them.

Song : Jao Na
Movie Name : Whats Your Raashee
Singer : Sohail Sen
Music Director : Sohail Sen
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Why is it on the list?: The song uses the guitar very effectively to set the rhythm for the vocals to follow suit and Soham does a good job with it.

Dissent

“You have to stand for something!”,
She yelled;
Hot streaks of aggression
Flitting across her pacifist face.

“You spineless coward!”,
She finished
With all the spite
She could muster

He shifted uncomfortably
Gazed at his shoe-laces
And with his mystical powers
Of cynicism
Made her vanish from his very presence

It’s as if
Ghosts of conscience spoke
To deaf ears of reality

Flash Backwards

I was watching the highlights of the day one of the test match at Brabourne being played between India and Sri Lanka and felt instantly nostalgic. The last time I was in there was in the year 1989 watching Australia play Pakistan in the Nehru Cup. 1989!! Given that there is a twenty year gap between a strong memory I possess and today, I must be growing old. I remember going into the match with my father, with the heightened expectation of seeing my cricketing hero in flesh and blood: Allan Border.

Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir formed a formidable bowling line-up for the Pakistanis and it was always going to be an engaging battle. These were the days when one-day scores weren't of the run-a-ball variety seen today. Pakistan went into bat first and scored over 200. Several times, Border ran back to the boundary to chase the ball and I jumped up and down in excitement. Wasim Akram hit a couple of huge sixes towards the end of the innings and I was pretty certain one of them was going to come in and hit me on my head. Thankfully, nothing of that sort happened and I spent the entire lunch excited in the anticipation of the run chase. Turns out the excitement was to end there. Imran Khan bowled exceptionally well and won the match for Pakistan. When the second Australian wicket fell, my heart lept in pride when the section of crowd I was in started chanting "Border, Border". To my rather limited worldview then, it was heartening to know that my favorite cricketer had other fans too. I joined in the chorus to the best that support my lungs could provide. Unfortunately, it was not to be the day I got to watch him rescue Australia. He pittered and pottered around for a while and ultimately got caught in the gully of Imran's bowling. When you don't watch a match from behind the bowler's arm, you lose out on so much of the details. In those days, there were no big screens on the ground and it was only after I got home and saw some highlights in the news on TV that I realised how much prodigious swing Imran had managed to extract from that pitch. It was not a match that had India in it, but I could hardly be called neutral.

There is something about that ritual: of waking up early in the morning to go to a cricket stadium, of a father taking a son along, partaking in the excitement and curiosity of the young one, creating memories that fire up after so many years. It is a rite of passage, a bonding ritual, a tender lesson. Here's to the hope that someday there will be at least one more trip to Brabourne, by a father and son with the last name Pandya. Perhaps twenty years after that, that son might reminisce the occasion as fondly.