A couple of years back, sometime in the month of December during my semester exams, I got the CD of Rang De Basanti after a week or so of its release. Listened to the songs and liked them all instantly. But since I was busy attending concerts on most of the days, I didn’t listen to the songs properly till January.

That was the time when there were heavy rains in Chennai and the semester exams kept on getting postponed. An exam was scheduled on a Monday and it was announced on TV on Sunday night that it was postponed! The subject was Antennas. It was postponed to a Monday again and it was on the previous day of the exam when I had lots to be studied (it’s always like that only on the previous day of an exam ;) ), that I became absolutely crazy about the title track of the movie. I couldn’t stop listening to the song at all, Antennas took a back seat and I sat with the lyrics in my hand in front of the music system and started singing along :D It was only after I could sing the whole song properly without forgetting the lyrics that I went back to studying with the song, ‘Rang De Basanti’, playing in the background! I really had lots to study and I decided that I won’t get more than a few hours of sleep when luck favoured me and it was announced that the exam was going to be postponed again! Immediately book closed and all concentration only on Rang De Basanti! :D And then, I fell in love with each and every song in the movie.

Ik Onkar

Listen to this with total silence surrounding you and you will find yourself being transported to a divine atmosphere. Remembering the scene in the movie when all of them visit the Golden temple will further help you. ;) But Rahman doesn’t let the mood linger longer with this song ending too soon and the next one being a complete contrast to this one.

Rang De Basanti

The opening beats give you only a sneak peek of the energy level of this song! Once Daler Mehndi starts singing ‘Thodi si dhool meri’, with every line the energy level seems to be on the rise. I like both Daler Mehndi and Chitra’s singing in this song. I love the way Daler mehndi goes ‘Mohe Mohe tu rang de basanti yaara’ at the end of Chitra’s ‘phir ek rang tu khila khila’. This is one of the few songs of Rahman where the first few lines keep repeating too many times throughout the song and yet doesn’t sound even a single bit boring.

Lose Control/Be a Rebel

The song is so aptly named! Makes you lose yourself completely to the song!
Na koi padnewala
Na koi seekhnewala
Makes you wish kaash apni paatshaala bhi aisi hui hoti :P I love the beats in this song. Say you are going in car in a highway at high speed. Listen to this song at high volume. Do I even have to say how it will be? :D Blaaze’s lyrics rocks in ‘Be a Rebel’!

Tu Bin Bataye

A soft, romantic song, this is probably one of a kind from Rahman. The first time I listened to it, I was wondering whether Naresh Iyer was even going to sing when midway through, came his voice. And what a voice he has got! It’s perfect for this song. There have been times when I have listened to his part alone so many times.

Lukka Chuppi

The guitar, the lyrics, Rahman’s voice, both Rahman and Lata singing each and every line with all the emotion and feel needed for it, the beautiful transition from Rahman singing, ‘yehaan sab kuch hai maa phir bhi lage bin tere mujhko akela’ to the wonderful swaras duet between Rahman and Lata, the song ending with Rahman’s swaras and Lata’s ‘Aaja saanjh hui mujhe teri fikhar’ – is there anything more you can ask for? :)

Khalbali

This was one song that with each listening, I seemed to like even more. Rahman blows you away with his music and singing. Arabic words thrown in here and there, the way Rahman goes ziddi ziddi, the percussion! Mind blowing track! I really wish I had the technical knowledge to write about this song in a better way! While I am at this song, how can I not mention about the title music of the movie? It’s something like an amazing remix of the Khalabali tune replete with excellent percussion and vocals!

Khoon Chala

I love the way the song starts so softly with the piano and and by the time it ends, some wonderful beats join the piano and the soulful rendition of Mohit Chauhan, adding all the more beauty to the mood of the song.

Roobaroo

The guitar, Naresh Iyer’s ‘Aye saala’, Rahman’s ‘Roobaroo’ - super song and a different kind of song too! Naresh Iyer proves the versatility of his voice in this album by singing each and every song with the right kind of feel.

I wouldn’t hesitate to term this album as the best one of Rahman in the last couple of years. No wonder Rahman himself calls it as one of his Top 10 best movie music scores in this interview!