You will fight them tooth and nail, and yet, they will be the first ones you turn to when you want a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to rant — sibling relationships encompass a gamut of moods. And there is music to suit every mood. So, celebrate every aspect of this relationship with your sibling with this Rakhi playlist.
‘She Can’ by Raghav Meattle
Written by Meattle for his sister, She Can is for that spunky sibling and all that they get away with. Each line is a reminder of the deep-rooted love that lies beneath the mischief, and Meattle says more than once that ‘she’ could change his whole world, but he wouldn’t complain. “She can bat those eyes and get away with crime.”
‘Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin’ from ‘Agneepath’
Sonu Nigam’s magical voice, and the emotional story of Agneepath means that chances are, this one will make you sob. After having to live away from his sister throughout her childhood, Vijay (Hrithik Roshan) is finally reunited with Shiksha (Kanika Tiwari), as this emotional number plays. The lyrics emphasise how reuniting with your sibling is a respite for the aching heart. Needless to say, every time we hear it, it makes us want to pick up the phone and check up on our siblings.
‘Maula’ by Anuv Jain
His fourth single, Anuv Jain wrote Maula when he was 17 to voice his twin sister’s feelings on losing their father. The song perfectly articulates the complexity of grief, where you question why someone left while hoping for their return. Jain’s sensitivity to his sister’s pain, while nursing his own, comes through in a shining example of how, beneath all the fun and fights, siblings share the deepest sense of empathy.
‘Apun Bola’ from ‘Josh’
Among the many moods and emotions siblings share, pulling the other’s leg has its own joy! This song is the perfect example of ‘I have your back, but I will still tease you mercilessly.’ Max (Shah Rukh Khan) and Shirley’s (Aishwarya Rai) incredible chemistry made them one of the most iconic siblings on screen, and Apun Bola is representative of this, with the song being a narration of Max’s unsuccessful attempts at love, as Shirley openly mocks his misery!
‘Rooth ke Humse’ from ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’
Everyone has that one moment when reality hits, and they realise the love they share for their sibling goes beyond their everyday mischief and ganging up against the parents. When his brother, Ratan (Mamik Singh) is injured and in hospital, Sanjay (Aamir Khan) truly realises what his elder brother — almost a parental figure in this instance — means to him. This acts as a major shift in his character arc, leading him to grow up and train to fulfil his brother’s dream. It may not feature a traditional brother-sister duo, but this Jatin-Lalit number fits into our Rakhi playlist because not only does love for your sibling go beyond gender, it also reminds us of the moment we truly started valuing our siblings for reasons beyond just being related.
‘Gallan Goodiyaan’ from ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’
Kabir (Ranveer Singh) and Ayesha (Priyanka Chopra) were yet another duo that gave us #SiblingGoals, while portraying the messy imperfections of the dynamic. While much of the movie was them protecting each other against their parents, this song brought out a more fun side as they owned the dance floor and let themselves loose, reinforcing how we often tend to go back to our carefree childhoods when we live away from our siblings and get together after a while. It is probably a mandatory number on the Sangeet playlist for every sibling and family performance.
‘Phoolon ka Taron ka’ from ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’
This Lata Mangeshkar number is as sweet as it gets, proclaiming profound love for the sister who is unlike any, and isn’t told so enough. It captures the innocence of childhood, and the adoration one feels for a younger sibling. Besides bringing out the impulse of picking up the phone and telling them how much you love them, if you play this song for your sister, you might even get an extra Dairy Milk for sweetness!
‘Bhaiya Mere Rakhi Ke Bandhan Ko’ from ‘Chhoti Behan’
No matter which year it is, a Rakhi playlist can never really be complete without this iconic, albeit cheesy, song. Lata Mangeshkar brings all her heart and sweetness to this song — a sister beckoning her brother to be there, no matter what. Despite being over 60 years old, there is something extremely catchy about the music.The lyrics might be a bit dated, but the emotions of wanting to be better for our sibling, and not disappointing them, won’t get old.