It waS(hank)arun-of-the-mill, but (Al)katchy song

Rukhi Sukhi Roti wasn’t just a song from Nayak: The Real Hero, but also a lesson that many young couples in love must learn – there’s nothing wrong with being ambitious, but it’s absolutely important to stay grounded and be there for your partner, even if all you can do is share a dry roti and thanda thanda paani (cold water).

Having said that, this track, which was penned by Anand Bakshi and composed by A R Rahman, could, at best, be described as an average song.

It was rendered by Shankar Mahadevan and Alka Yagnik.

This song was SUng KlASSily

Agriculture is the mainstay of the Indian economy. That’s why Rain, rain, go away cannot, and will not, hold water in this country.

Only an invocation of the rain gods – like Ghanan Ghanan, which was from Lagaan and the desi antithesis of the aforementioned nursery rhyme – will.

The song was rendered by Alka Yagnik, Kishori Gowariker*, Shaan, Shankar Mahadevan, Sukhwinder Singh and Udit Narayan.

It was six minutes and 11 seconds long.

Javed Akhtar penned the track, which was composed by A R Rahman.

(*Note: She is the mother of Ashutosh Gowariker, the film’s director.)

Ms Krishnamurthy sang (Shank)arocking track

With Mahadevan Sha(nka)ring singing credits with Kavita Krishnamurthy*, and Prabhu Deva and Madhuri Dixit dancing, Kay Sera Sera, which derived its name from Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)**, was an audio-visual treat.

Javed Akhtar penned the track, which was six minutes and 51 seconds long.

The song, from Pukar, was a remake of Kadhal Nayagara from En Swasa Kaatre. Both the tracks were composed by A R Rahman.

(*Note: Swarnalatha joined them behind the microphone.)

[**Note: Rendered by Doris Day, it was from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956).]

Mr Mahadevan (Chi)nailed this track

To the listeners whose heads were a jumble trying to find out the meaning of the word Jumbalika, it can only be said that it was a track from Thakshak (1999). It was undoubtedly catchy.

It was reused from Jumbalakka from En Swasa Kaatre, a Tamil film which, incidentally, released the same year.

While the Tamil song was a male solo*, the Hindi version was a duet, rendered by Shankar Mahadevan and Alisha Chinai.

Jumbalika was penned by Mehboob.

Both the songs were composed by A R Rahman.

(*Note: That track was sung by Rafee.)

It certainly (Srini)vas (Shank)arocking (Chi)t(h)rack

It wouldn’t be incorrect to state that Ek Bagiya Mein, from Sapnay, was a typical A R Rahman composition – one that takes a while to grow on the listeners.

But once it does, it will be a track worth listening to repeatedly. And when one listens to it, it is bound to bring a smile to his/her face.

Javed Akhtar penned the track, which was five minutes and 53 seconds long.

There couldn’t have been a better crooner than Mr Mahadevan to render the track.

Srinivas and K S Chithra Sha(nka)red singing credits with him.

Rahman SaNg a catchy track

Undoubtedly the most popular song on the soundtrack of Humse Hai Muqabala, Urvashi Urvashi was also the longest – it was five minutes and 39 seconds long.

Incidentally, the Tamil original, titled Urvasi Urvasi, was as long as the Hindi version.

A R Rahman wasn’t just the composer of the song, but was also one of the three singers. Mr Mahadevan and Noell James Sha(nka)red singing credits with him.

By no means would it be wrong to state that the absurd lyrics – which were credited to P K Mishra – worked in favour of this catchy number.    

This NonSenSical track became popular

Patti Rap, from Humse Hai Muqabala, was the Hindi version of Pettai Rap, a rap-like track which interspersed English words with Hindi or Tamil ones, as was the case.

The original was in Madras Bashai, the slang used in Madras (now Chennai). Bashai is derived from bhasha, which means language).

A R Rahman composed both the versions of the track, which were four minutes and 23 seconds long.

P K Mishra penned the Hindi version of the track, which was rendered by Suresh Peters (who sang the Tamil version too), Noell James and Shankar Mahadevan.