Jan-Nov 2015 has seen a mixed bag of Bollywood music genres, but with clear winners in terms of music directors, singers, and lyricists. There are two categories in the countdown below-Catchy and Romantic. The common bar for these two genres is that they are harbingers of change-either the lyrics talk about change or the music itself is a change from the usual.
Catchy Numbers That Make Your Feet Tap
5. Prem Leela
Predicable but catchy, amusing lyrics with a story
Film: Prem Ratan Dhan Payo
Music: Himesh Reshammiya
Singers: Aman Trikha, Vineet Singh
Lyricist: Irshad Kamil
Lyrics snippet: “Jaise Radha Shyam se
Sita mili Ram se sab ko apna pyaar mile araam se”
Arabic overtones, folksy
Film: Phantom
Music: Pritam
Singer: Syed Asrar Shah
Lyricist: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Lyrics snippet: “Bandook dikha dikha ke kya pyar karegi; Chehra bhi kabhi
dikhana”
3. Superman
Rustic lyrics, full of “Tevar” attitude
Film: Tevar
Music Director: Sajid-Wajid
Singer: Wajid
Lyricist: Kausar Munir, Danish Sabri, Sajid
Lyrics Snippet: “Ek bata doon aap se, Nahi darta kisi ke baap se; Ja mere
naam ke bill faad le, Jo ukhaad na ukhaad le, Main toh Superman”
Superb lyrics, modern feel, smooth
Film: Roy
Music: Amaal Mallik
Singers: Arijit Singh, Aditi Sharma
Lyricist: Kumaar
Lyrics snippet: “Matlabi ho ja zara matlabi duniya ki sunta hai kyon Khud ke bhi sun le kabi, sooraj dooba hai yaaro”
1. Gulaabo
Peppy, whimsical, unusual lyrics, over all fantastic
Film: Shandaar
Music: Amit Trivedi
Singers: Vishal Dadlani, Anusha Mani
Lyricist: Anvita Dutt
Lyrics snippet: “Hey surma lagaa ke,
Latein uljha ke, Haath jiya pe mal-mal Tere chhajje ke niche khade hain, Phans
gaye jaise dal-dal”
Romantic Songs or Lyrics that Tug at Heartstrings
5. Jeena JeenaSweet, longing, modern
Film: Badlapur
Singer: Atif Aslam
Music: Sachin-Jigar
Lyricists: Dinesh Vijan & Priya Saraiya
Lyrics snippet: “Dehleez pe mere dil ki
Jo rakhe hain tune kadam; Tere naam
pe meri zindagi; Likh di mere
hum dum”
4. Tu Hai ki NahiUnexpected music arrangement with
some whistling thrown in
Film: Roy
Singer/ Composer: Ankit Tiwari
Lyrics: Abhendra Kumar Upadhyay
Lyrics snippet: “Tu wo lamha jo na
thehre Aane waala kal mera
Main aas paas tere aur mere paas Tu hai ke nahi”
3. SawareBeautiful opening, wistful
Film: Phantom
Singer: Arijit Singh
Music: Pritam
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Lyrics snippet: “Ishq ka yeh Sitam na
gawara hua pal; pal gin ke guzara, maano karza utaara”
2. Tum Saath HoClassic heart-wrenching
Film: Tamasha
Singer: Alka Yagnik, Arijit Singh
Lyrics Irshad Kamil
Lyrics snippet: “Bethi bethi bhaagi
phirun; Meri taraf aata har gham phisal
jaaye Agar tum saath ho”
1. Mar JaayenDramatic, lovesick
Film: LoveShuda
Singer: Atif Aslam
Music: Mithoon
Lyrics: Sayeed Quadri
Lyrics snippet: “Kaash woh pal paida
hi na ho, jis pal me tu nazar na aaye”
Priya Das is an enthusiastic follower of world music and avidly tracks intersecting points between folk, classical, jazz and other genres.