HIndie Awards 2017: Best Original Song

Best Original Song

Do I have to say it again?

And again?

Well here goes, Music is the centre piece of Hindi cinema and it will remain so for years, even though somewhat sadly the lip-sync song seems to be on its last knees.

Anyways without songs, Hindi cinema just wouldn't feel right no matter what anyone says.

And for these films it adds double, so let's not waste time and here are the honourable mentions;

Jag Ghoomeya, Sultan-The heartthrob romantic track that completely encapsulate what and why Sultan is about and that at the end of the day it is a romantic film. Despite all his bad moves and downfall, this is the moment that endears you to Sultan thanks to an affable performance by Salman Khan.

Haat Mullah, Jugni-The energetic duet brims with passion and sensation, in its spark creating the very purity that brings Vibs and Mastana together and ironically the very reason why the moment should be left alone and not extended. Makes you see the other side of what the drive of music does for the absolutely goofy Mastana.

Just go To Hell Dil, Dear Zindagi-A blasting outcry of pain but spirit and who else but Sunidi Chauhan to sing it.

Jeete Hain Chal, Neerja-Hopeful and powerful just like its titular character, this song defines the very spirit of Neerja Bhanot and her absolute bravery

Saathi Re, Kapoor and Sons-The ode to the pains of family, the loss of time and the grief over a loved one, absolutely painful. If you don't shed a tear during this one, you're dead [just kidding].

The Rest of the Udta Punjab album-Fun, rocking and tunes that are just worth listening to on a loop. Ikk Kudi sadly isn't an original song, so it doesn't make the list; but Shahid Mallaya's rendition makes you realize just what our unnamed Alia Bhatt means to Tommy Singh.

The Soundtrack of Sairat-Simply sublime and each song is used as an intelligent character driven piece, a wonderful throwback to how mainstream cinema worked at one point. If only I had broken my rules and nominated this despite language differences.

I could go on and on, but if I'm forgetting anything please forgive me...

"Da Da Dasse", 

Amit Trivedi with Kanika Kapoor and Babu Haabi 

for Udta Punjab

As soon as the electric riff begins, Da Da Dasse hits its stride with a jamming venomous song backed by the seductive vocals of Kanika Kapoor. The song itself plays to the idea of the mental deterioration of its characters and the warning sign lyrics that then escalate into the whole morality play the Udta Punjab becomes about.

It has an addictive beat that just hits the right pieces when playing in terms of the foreshadowing and fearsome decision Alia Bhatt's character will make. The rap portion both rustic as well as creating a jarring vibe with the situation despite the lyrics, giving it the suffocating yet lyrical fantasy feeling.

Basically and embodiment of 'Mary Jane' horrific arc.

"Kaari Kaari", 

Shantanu Moitra with Qurat-ul-Ain-Balouch 

for Pink

Ultimately Pink is about the pains of subjugation faced by women everyday in a patriarchal society, Kaari Kaari is driven by this very notion yet its ethereal tune and powerful vocals bring about a pathos of the condition that the films mechanical approach rarely hits.

It's the only song that plays through the film, because it very much reaffirms the point between the all is lost moment and the push towards victory that comes with the three girls heroic resurrection and fight against the system and society.

The sadness brimming in Kaari Kaari turns into a light cry for hope, it's absolutely stunning as the rendition comes together into a fiery call.

"Channa Mereya" 

Pritam with Amitabh Bhattacharya and Arijit Singh 

for Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

The music of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil very much echoes the emotional core of the flawed picture, it tells the story much better than the story itself and that is the absolute mastery of commercial cinema that still remains with Karan Johar.

At the heart of it is the pain filled Channa Mereya that echoes the very essence of unrequited love. It strikes a chord cause the music is overflowing with the very heartbreak that Ayan needs to feel in order to become the musician he wishes to be.

This is one song where the performances hit their peak as the child like Ayan is played with a painful child like madness by Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma holding the scene with her slow and heartbreaking realization of what is happening to him and how she will have to break her friends heart.

Powerful stuff.

"Behooda" 

Ram Sampath with Varun Grover and Nayantara Bhatkal 

for Raman Raghav 2.0

Probably the craziest song on the list.

Layered and playful, an ode not only to the madness and absolute evil of Rammana but also a love ballad sung by him [at least in his mind] to his mirrored counterpart Raghavan. Behooda plays on the duality of evil within the two central characters.

The sheer brilliance of Behooda lies in its contrasting tune which sucks you into the world of darkness and the lyrics/vocals/visuals that accompany it which disenfranchise the viewers. It is both a poetic indictment and celebration of violence of an unearthly kind.

The existentialism it speaks of is laid on thick, giving the music an evil ethereal quality that transcends the audience into a high and pushes them into the very depths of their own dark psyches.

Bestial at its best.

"Haanikaarak Bapu", 

Pritam with Amitabh Bhattacharya and Sarwar Khan, Sartaz Khan and Saddy Ahmad 

for Dangal

While Dangal does feature its own rousing sports anthem like any picture of such a nature, the quirky and eccentric nature of the lead protagonists sports aspirations is captured in this brilliantly constructed training montage musical piece.

It's neither rousing nor inspirational, rather carries great character depth in the form of a childish plea against a tyrannical father that forms the basis of an intriguingly visualized training montage.

The rustic lyrics are matched with soft and gentile voices of the Khan brothers matched impecabbly well by the innocence laden performances of Zaira Wasim and Suhani Bhatnagar adding for a flavorful song about childhood lost and driving goal found.

This is old school Hindi cinema at its best, having a song propel character and plot forward while never failing to entertain as a musical piece.

And the Winner is...

"Haanikaarak Bapu", 

Pritam with Amitabh Bhattacharya and Sarwar Khan, Sartaz Khan and Saddy Ahmad 

for Dangal!!!

A first big win for Dangal, is there more in the future for the best Hindi film of 2016 as voted on IMDB?!

Up Next: A new award, which film gets its sound mixing up to point!

'Nuff Said,

Aneesh Raikundalia