Sure(sh)ly, it was a run-of-the-mill number

If the seven songs from Mimi on this blog were arranged in the alphabetical order, Yanne Yanne would be the last.

And it was a newcomer who was entrusted with the task of rendering it – her name is Rakshita Suresh.

However, there’s no two ways about the fact that though it was a run-of-the-mill song, it was undoubtedly a dream come true for the reality show alumna, because it was none other than A R Rahman who composed the track, which was three minutes and 24 seconds long, and was written by Amitabh Bhattacharya.

Rahman’s daughter Khatija sanG(arth)a duet

There are numerous instances of songs from films that have released in the last 10 years which have served as lullabies and put many an insomniac to sleep.

But the most popular lullaby – Rock A Bye Baby – inspired the title of a song from Mimi.

It was three minutes and 45 seconds long, and was the only duet in the film – it was sung by Khatija Rahman and Julia Gartha.

If the former’s last name is familiar, it is because she’s the daughter of A R Rahman, who composed the track (which Amitabh Bhattacharya wrote).

Rahman’s solo was the longest

Not only did A R Rahman compose Rihaayi De, but he was the man who rendered it as well.

And if the subject of the previous post was the shortest song on the soundtrack of Mimi, this song was the longest – it was half-a-dozen minutes and five seconds long.

The title of the song – which was written by Amitabh Bhattacharya – seemed to be the collective plea of people the world over, because they have been confined to their homes for the better part of the last 18 months – it could be translated to, “Release me”.

Shilpa’s solo was the shortest

Although Mimi was a July 2021 release in India, and had nothing to do with Diwali, there’s no two ways about the fact that Phuljhadiyon wasn’t a cracker of a song.

However, in this context, the song has nothing to do with the festival of lights – it could (colloquially) be translated to, “Beautiful women”.

The track, which was rendered by Shilpa Rao, was the shortest of the seven songs from the film on this blog – it was a couple of minutes and 59 seconds long.

Amitabh Bhattacharya wrote the song, which A R Rahman composed.

This SonG became quite popular

Seldom have songs from films released in the last decade managed to make their mark.

However, there are a few exceptions, but their popularity has been short-lived.

By no means would it be incorrect to state that Param Sundari, from Mimi, falls into that category.

And the lion’s share of the credit for that goes to Shreya Ghoshal, who rendered it.

The track – which could be translated to, “Eternal beauty” – was written by Amitabh Bhattacharya, and was composed by the one and only A R Rahman.

It was three minutes and 20 seconds long.

Shashaa was the go-‘tu’ singer

Hututu is an indigenous game that seems to have caught the fancy of many a person associated with Hindi film music.

And the latest to join the list – which includes the likes of Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Gulzar – was none other than A R Rahman.

Of course, he knew hu tu turn to (read: who to turn to) to render the song – the lady chosen for that job was Shashaa Tirupati.

Amitabh Bhattacharya – a KISSer when it comes to lyrics (because he keeps it simple, silly!) – wrote the song, which was three minutes and 52 seconds long.

Indeed, Kailash’s class was evident

It is always a pleasure to listen to a singer who happens to be an old favourite, and more so if his voice is unique.

There’s no two ways about the fact that that word perfectly describes the voice of Kailash Kher, who rendered Chhoti Si Chiraiya (which could be translated to, “A little bird”).

If the seven songs from Mimi (2021) on my blog dedicated to A R Rahman’s compositions were arranged in the alphabetical order, that track – which was four minutes and 35 seconds long – would be the first.

Amitabh Bhattacharya wrote it.

Singh’s solo was the shortest

If the seven tracks on the soundtrack of Atrangi Re were arranged in the alphabetical order, as well as in the descending order of their durations, Tumhein Mohabbat Hai would be the last – it was three minutes and seven seconds long.

It was the second contribution to the one and only Arijit Singh to the contribution of the film – but unlike Rait Zara Si, it was a solo.

The song was written by Irshad Kamil.

And with it, A R Rahman’s compositions from Hindi films that released in 2021 have come to a chronological end.

Rashid wasn’t a one-hit wonder

Remember Rashid Ali, who shot to fame with Kabhi Kabhi Aditi from the 2008 film Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na?

His most recent track was titled Toofan Si Kudi.

It was from Atrangi Re, and was written by Irshad Kamil.

The song was three minutes and 36 seconds long.

In fact, it was the third-longest of the four solos in the film, and the second-longest of the three male solos in the film.

By the way, both the tracks I have mentioned in the post were composed by the one and only A R Rahman.

THiS was Shreya’s second song

The soundtrack of Atrangi Re had three songs that began with the letter T.

The longest of those was Tera Rang – it was four minutes and 34 seconds long [which was just 17 seconds shorter than Rait Zara Si (the longest track in the film)].

In fact, it was the second-longest of the three duets on the film’s soundtrack, and the second contribution of Shreya Ghoshal to it.

She was joined behind the microphone by Haricharan Seshadri (who is credited mononymously).

The song, which was written by Irshad Kamil, was composed by A R Rahman.

They did a fantASTic job

Rait Zara Si – from Atrangi Re – was four minutes and 51 seconds long.

It wouldn’t be incorrect to state that, in a sense, the song was metaphorical.

That was because its title could be translated to, “A little sand”.

And nowadays, most Hindi film songs slip out of our memories like sand through our fingers.

But this song was unlikely to suffer the same fate as those, because it was penned by Irshad Kamil, and composed by A R Rahman.

Moreover, (Arij)it was rendered by Mr Singh and Shashaa Tirupati, who did an outstanding job.

Varadia sang this (Dhanu)short duet

Dhanush wasn’t one of the three leads in Atrangi Re, but he rendered one of the songs in the film as well.

It was titled Little Little, and was written by Irshad Kamil.

And it happened to be the shortest of the three duets in the film – it was four minutes and 18 seconds long.

The singer who joined him behind the microphone was Hiral Varadia.

The track marked his debut as a playback singer in Hindi films, and his maiden collaboration with the man who composed it – the one and only A R Rahman.

It was tailor-made for Mehndi

People growing up in the 1990s – yours truly included – remember Daler Mehndi as an Indipop artiste.

But there’s no two ways about the fact that the Hindi film industry didn’t waste any time in welcoming the king of Bhangra with open arms, and since then, music directors have been assigning him songs that only he can do justice to.

The latest of those was a solo from Atrangi Re.

It was titled Garda, and was three minutes and 44 seconds long.

The track, which was written by Irshad Kamil, was composed by A R Rahman.

Ghoshal’s rendition was indeed ‘engaging’

A R Rahman composed Rukmani Rukmani for his 1992 debut Roja, and the song wasn’t considered suitable fare for impressionable minds.

It took him 29 years – and if you would pardon the pun, scores of hit songs – to get naughty again, particularly with the verse in the middle of the ironically-named song Chaka Chak (which was, interestingly, a wife’s celebration of her husband’s second engagement).

The track was from the Christmas Eve release Atrangi Re, and was rendered by Shreya Ghoshal.

It was four minutes and 29 seconds long, and was penned by Irshad Kamil.