Khalnayak‘s
Choli
Ke
Peeche,
Duplicate‘s
Mere
Mehboob
Mere
Sanam,
Mrityudaata‘s
Na
Na
Na
Na
Re,
Hare
Rama
Hare
Krishna‘
Phoolon
Ka
Taaron
Ka,
Kabhi
Khushi
Kabhie
Gham‘s
Dekha
Tainu
Pehli,
it’s
an
endless
list
of
old
chartbusters
reborn
in
remixed
avatars
attempting
to
rev
up
Bollywood’s
drab
music
scene
in
2024.
If
that
doesn’t
tell
you
how
shaky
the
Hindi
film
music
scene
is,
nothing
will.
Melodies
that
stayed
on
in
the
mind
and
memory
are
too
few
and
far
between.
Except
the
ones
that
do
make
an
impression
are
definitely
worth
celebrating
for
their
refreshing
style
and
substance.
Here
are
Sukanya
Verma‘s
12
favourite
Hindi
songs
of
2024
in
no
particular
order.
Aaj
Ki
Raat
from
Stree
2
Music:
Sachin-Jigar
Lyrics:
Amitabh
Bhattacharya
Singers:
Madhubanti
Bagchi,
Divya
Kumar,
Sachin-Jigar
Ke
khareedi
nahi
ja
sakti
haseeno
ki
ijaazat,
Stree
2
isn’t
just
a
monster
hit
but
has
its
gender
politics
in
place
when
Tamannaah’s
sultry
item
song
packs
in
the
message
of
consent.
The
dance
ditty’s
ghazal-meets-chillout
vibe
and
Madhubanti’s
mesmerising
vocals
are
pure
velvet
in
motion.
Vida
Karo
from
Amar
Singh
Chamkila
Music:
A
R
Rahman
Lyrics:
Irshad
Kamil
Singers:
Arijit
Singh,
Jonita
Gandhi
A
constant
fixture
on
these
lists,
Arijit
Singh,
alongside
Jonita
pitching
in
able
support,
reserves
his
place
yet
again
and
most
deservedly
so
in
Irshad
Kamil’s
doleful
goodbyes
of
Rahman’s
poignant
composition,
illustrating
the
life
and
lament
of
a
misunderstood
music
icon,
both
hailed
and
hated
for
his
bold,
bawdy,
defiant
songs.
Ankhiyan
Gulab
from
Teri
Baaton
Mein
Aisa
Uljha
Jiya
Music:
Mitraz
Lyrics:
Mitraz
Singer:
Mitraz
Although
a
version
of
the
supremely
groovy,
super
addictive
Mitraz
banger
has
existed
independently
before
it
became
a
part
of
Shahid
Kapoor-Kriti
Sanon’s
foot
tapping
flirtatious
imagery,
I
heard
it
first
in
the
rom-com
and
haven’t
stopped
hearing
since.
Like
a
certain
K-Pop
brand
would
say,
smooth
like
butter.
Mere
Dholna
3.0
from
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa
3
Music:
Amaal
Mallik,
Pritam
Lyrics:
Sameer
Singer:
Sonu
Nigam
All
hail
Sonu
Nigam.
Pouring
an
entire
universe
of
ache
and
emotion
in
the
final
moments
of
an
utterly
silly
movie
and
making
it
so
heartfelt
that
you
end
up
excusing
all
the
buffoonery
preceding
it
—
what
a
legend!
Bhool
Bhulaiyaa
3‘s
surprise
twist
couldn’t
have
asked
for
a
better
expression
of
Manjulika’s
rage,
rancour
and
misery
than
the
seasoned
singer’s
ache
filled
anguish
and
alaap.
Dheeme
Dheeme
from
Laapataa
Ladies
Music:
Ram
Sampath
Lyrics:
Swanand
Kirkire
Singer:
Shreya
Ghosal
The
feel-good
fervour
achieved
in
the
course
of
Laapataa
Ladies
when
its
two
young
women
carve
their
independent
paths
towards
their
dreams
and
hopes
is
sublimely
captured
in
Swanand
Kirkire’s
poetry,
Ram
Sampath’s
tender
tunes
and
Shreya
Ghosal’s
moving
recital.
Keshava
Madhava
from
Kalki
2898
AD
Music:
Santhosh
Narayanan
Lyrics:
Siddharth-Garima
Singer:
Amitabh
Bachchan
When
the
Big
B
sings,
he
roars.
The
sheer
command
in
his
booming
baritone
and
dramatic
delivery
summoning
Krishna
on
war-torn
earth
sets
the
tone
for
Kalki
2898
AD‘s
mythological
epic.
Tu
Hai
Kahan
from
Do
Aur
Do
Pyaar
Music:
The
Local
Train
Lyrics:
The
Local
Train
Singer:
Lucky
Ali
Do
Aur
Do
Pyaar‘s
charming
musical
chair
of
married
couples
benefits
hugely
from
its
eclectic
soundtrack
of
indie
musicians.
Of
all
its
easy,
breezy
scores,
I
have
the
fondest
corner
for
Lucky
Ali’s
mountain
fresh
rendition
of
this
attractive
The
Local
Train
melody.
Noodle
Sa
Dil
from
All
India
Rank
Music:
Mayukh-Mainak
Lyrics:
Varun
Grover
Singer:
Aditi
Paul
Noodle
Sa
Dil‘s
retro
pop
music
feels
and
zingy
nostalgia
strikes
an
easy
chord
with
the
’90s
kid
boosted
by
Aditi
Paul’s
spunky
energy
and
Varun
Grover’s
droll
commentary
of
what
it
mean
to
be
young
and
alive
in
that
inimitable
era.
Pan
India
Area
King
from
Jigra
Music:
Achint
Lyrics:
Achint,
Varun
Grover,
Ajay
Jayanthi,
Vasan
Bala
&
Krishna
M
Sujith,
Paal
Dabba
Singers:
Paal
Dabba,
Achint
Vasan
Bala’s
signature
quirk
checks
in
its
presence
early
on
in
Achint’s
moody,
madcap,
trippy,
catchy
concoction
of
groove
and
gobbledygook.
Chiki
Chiki
Ya
Ya,
you
bet.
Gum
Ho
Kahan
from
I
Want
to
Talk
Music:
Taba
Chake
Lyrics:
Taba
Chake
Singer:
Taba
Chake
Hope
Hindi
music
industry
hears
more
of
this
Arunachal
native
and
one-man
army,
Taba
Chake,
what
with
his
gorgeously
mellow
take
on
life
and
its
many
quandaries,
which
liven
up
numerous
moments
of
Shoojit
Sircar’s
I
Want
to
Talk.
Tauba
Tauba
from
Bad
Newz
Music:
Karan
Aujla
Lyrics:
Karan
Aujla
Singer:
Karan
Aujla
The
combination
of
Indo-Canadian
musician
Karan
Aulja’s
snappy
tempo
and
sight
of
Vicky
Kaushal’s
snazzy
hot
stepper
are
a
match
made
in
loop
playing
heaven.
Naina
from
Crew
Music:
Raj
Ranjodh
Lyrics:
Raj
Ranjodh,
Badshah
Singers:
Diljit
Dosanjh,
Badshah
A
no-fuss,
playful
ditty
high
on
Diljit
Dosanjh’s
verve
and
whiz,
Naina
has
no
problem
activating
its
earworm
powers
within
the
listener.
