15 songs you MUST LISTEN to

When a movie doesn't do well, a lot of fairly good things about it are overlooked or quickly forgotten.

Save for euphonious exceptions like Bombay Velvet and Mirzya, most delightful songs fade away into oblivion or never achieve the glory they deserve because the movie they featured in tanked at the box office.

In an era of trashy remixes, such injustice is even more glaring.

Instead of wasting your breath on badly recycled versions of beloved classics, listen to Sukanya Verma's pick of 15 under-rated Bollywood numbers.

 

Pashmina, Fitoor
Music: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Swanand Kirkire
Singer: Amit Trivedi

The leisurely passions and poetry of Pashmina is as smooth as the song title suggests.

Too bad Katrina Kaif's fiercely dyed red hair and stiff chemistry with Aditya Roy Kapur in this unwieldy Great Expectations remake gathered more notice.

 

Bhare Naina, Ra.One
Music: Vishal-Shekhar
Lyrics: Panchhi Jalonvi
Singers: Nandini Srikar, Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravijani, The Prague Philharmonic Choir

Shah Rukh Khan's superhero aspirations became a butt of a lot of ridicule even if Kareena Kapoor's red-hot overtures in Chammak Chalo drew eyeballs.

What's sad is how this classical, dramatic Nandini Srikar gem got left behind in the hullabaloo.

 

Kill Dil, Kill Dil
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Gulzar
Singers: Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan, Gulzar

Sacrilege is the deadly addictiveness of K-k-k-kill Dil completely wasted in the absolutely worthless drivel like Kill Dil.

 

Tera Naina, Chandni Chowk To China
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Rajat Arora
Singers: Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghosal

You simply cannot resist the mellow, melodious fervour of this lilting song of a lambasted movie. And yet, it is criminally under-rated.

 

Khaali Hai Tere Bina Dono Aankhiyan, Paheli
Music: M M Kreem
Lyrics: Gulzar
Singers: Hariharan, Bela Shinde

Paheli didn't do good business, but there's much to appreciate about its artistry, visuals and soulful score.

Especially the melancholic Khaali Hai Tere Bina, the sheer class of Hariharan's heartfelt lament will leave you awe inspired.

 

Khamakha, Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola
Music: Vishal Bhardwaj
Lyrics: Gulzar
Singers: Vishal Bhardwaj, Prem Dehati

The world may be polarised on Matru. Some found it absurd, some dubbed it a masterpiece.

But there's one thing even Gulabo, the pink buffalo will agree. High on Gulzar's characteristic whimsy and Vishal's reliable velvetiness, Khamakha is anything but.

 

Ghum Huye, David
Music: Bramfatura
Lyrics: Ankur Tewari
Singer: Siddharth Basrur

That new age Enigma-ish quality and pensive mood colouring the beats of Ghum Huye is easily my most haunting and cherished memory of Bejoy Nambiar's visually arresting offering.

 

Nain Parindey, Lafangey Parindey
Music: R Anandh
Lyrics: Swanand Kirkire
Singer: Shilpa Rao

I didn't care for this movie nor did the audience. But the songs are so, SO good.

Mann Lafanga sure struck a chord, Nain Parindey should too.

 

Meri Zindagi Mein Aaye Ho, Armaan
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singers: Sonu Nigam, Sunidhi Chauhan

The infectious cheer and sunniness of this super pleasant Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy ditty is nothing like the tedious slog Armaan turns out to be.

 

Jeeyein Kyun, Dum Maaro Dum
Music: Pritam
Lyrics: Jaideep Sahni
Singer: Papon

The only memorable thing about Rana Daggubati's Bollywood debut is the handsome actor lip syncing to the ardour filled craving of Pritam's Jeeyein Kyun.

 

Tu Hai, Mohenjo Daro
Music: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singers: A R Rahman, Sanah Moidutty

The crocodile became the face of Ashutosh Gowariker's relentlessly panned Mohenjo Daro. Somewhere under all those pile of jokes, Rahman's gentle Tu Hai lost all steam. It deserves a second chance.

 

Meer-E-Karwaan, Lucknow Central
Music: Rochak Kohli
Lyrics: Adheesh Verma
Singers: Amit Mishra, Neeti Mohan

The catchy rhythm and warm wonders of Lucknow Central's Meer-E-Karwaan insist it should have a better fate than the movie.

 

Ik Vaari Aa, Raabta
Music: Pritam
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Singer: Arijit Singh

Few remember the reincarnation monstrosity, but this breezy love song performed by the infallible Arijit Singh is just the sort of mood lifter you need these days.

 

Madno, Lamhaa
Music: Mithoon
Lyrics: Sayeed Qadri
Singers: Kshitij Tarey, Chinmayi

Dulcet, delicate and gentle on the ears -- pity how melodious beauties like Madno from Rahul Dholakia's Lamhaa sit and gather dust while dumb remixes enjoy all the promotion in the world.

 

Alaahda, Lekar Hum Deewana Dil
Music: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Singer: Shiraz Uppal

Even the likes of Rahman can get the blind eye treatment when a movie bombs. Something to that effect happens to the charm personified Alaahda, which marked Raj Kapoor's grandson Armaan Jain's acting debut.