Tumhi dekho na (Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna)

There are some songs that stay with you even if you hear them once. Tumhi dekho na from Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, sung gorgeously by Alka Yagnik and Sonu Nigam, is one such. On a soggy winter afternoon, this song about finding love in the most unexpected places, lingers. Javed Akhtar’s soulful lines... Jaagi jaagi si hain, phir bhi khwaabon mein hain/ Khoyi khoyi zindagi... feels like the tenderness of the winter sun. It’s a delicate, inimitable melody that never lets go. Vintage Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

Kahaan hoon main (Highway)

Imtiaz Ali’s Highway is a special film filled with special songs. Almost as if enveloping the harsh, brutal realities of its protagonists Veera (Alia Bhatt) and Mahabir (Randeep Hooda), A.R. Rahman’s music charts the many impediments in their journey. Kahaan hoon main finds them at the moment of mutual acceptance. Jonita Gandhi’s controlled interplay between the lines, Sochun na kya peechhey hain/Dekhun naa jo aagey hain evoke the feeling that living in the moment is what matters the most. You immediately feel transported to the hills.

Ay hairathe (Guru)

A timeless beauty, which feels like a prayer in itself. Imagine playing this melody on a chilly, cloudy day. Gulzar’s magical lines, Jinhein dekha nahin kal tak/Kahin bhi ab kok mein woh chehrein bote hain, rendered in Hariharan and Alka Yagnik’s intimate yet playful vocals, remain unforgettable. It melds beautifully into the narrative of Mani Ratnam’s Guru and hits differently when you realise that the leads — Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan — are a real-life couple. Can one ever thank A.R. Rahman enough?

Bolna (Kapoor & Sons)

This Tanishk Bagchi composition finds Arijit Singh in one of his most relaxed, serene turns. The singer gives it his all in the beautifully written number by Dr Devender Kafir that lands ever so gentle on the ears. A good ol’ cup of hot chocolate and this song on a winter weekend. Time can pause for a while.

Chhalka chhalka re (Saathiya)

Tired of Sara Ali Khan going Chaka chak in Atrangi Re? No one can beat Rani Mukerji’s infectiousness in Chhalka chhalka re, another A.R. Rahman gem that has aged like fine wine. The playfulness of the chorus, the energy of the drum beats, coupled with the radiant voices of Mahalakshmi Iyer and Richa Sharma make this song very special. Perfect for a winter wedding song!

Rait zara si (Atrangi Re)

Haath mein teri khushboo hain/Khushboo se dil behla hain. A song so new and yet feels so irresistible. Only Rahman can bring that magic. Arijit Singh continues to rule as the voice of the doomed romantic in this effortlessly beautiful rendition, evocatively penned by Irshad Kamil. The interludes, which make any Rahman song stand out from the rest, flow effortlessly. Shashaa Tirupati’s vocals make this song linger like a cup of warm, aromatic tea.

Monta re (Lootera)

With its roots in baul beats, this Amit Trivedi-Amitabh Bhattacharya composition will tip-toe its way to your heart on a winter morning. In Vikramaditya Motwane’s Lootera, this song arrives early, much before things begin to unravel for the worse. Beautifully capturing the humble beginnings of a mutual attraction, Monta re grounds them with Swanand Kirkire’s earthy vocals. Lines like Fateh kare qile saare, bhed jaaye deewarein/Prem koi sendh laage leave behind a sweet aftertaste that make you return to its beauty over and over again.

Zehnaseeb (Hasee Toh Phasee)

Hasee Toh Phasee is a beautiful film and the soul-stirring Vishal-Shekhar composition Zehnaseeb forms its beating heart. Zehnaseeb is an unusually sonorous word which means ‘my luck’ in Urdu, and kudos to Amitabh Bhattacharya for bringing this into every Bolly lover’s dictionary. Chinmayi Sripada’s voice contours the tonal and rhythmical changes so effortlessly, you won’t even realise when it comes to an end. Definitely a song to keep on loop and warm up to.

Bol na halke halke (Jhoom Barabar Jhoom)

Any fan of Bollywood melody will invariably have this song embedded in their heart. A true generational song, instantly recognisable among so many other Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy creations, with even the flute version still as resplendent as ever. Trust Gulzar to come up with lines like, Aa neend ka sauda kare/ Ik khwaab de, ik khwaab le and make it run in Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s Sufi-infused vocals. The criminally underrated Mahalakshmi Iyer is a wonder in this playful, languid duet. They don’t make songs like these anymore.

Agar tum saath ho (Tamasha)

A haunting tune that refuses to leave you, this Rahman composition drips like honey at the end of a cold, unforgiving day. Nothing short of a meditative reflection on love and closure and everything in between, Arijit Singh infuses his portions with two tonally different vocal registers, giving us the definitive ‘heartbreak song’ for this generation. Irshad Kamil’s unusual shifts, beginning from Pal bhar theher jaao, to pausing at Main dhal jaati hoon teri aadaton mein restlessly evoke the lover’s plea to freeze time.