This year saw a steep decline in the annoying remixes and remakes department, at least when it comes to the big screen
2023 proved one thing – good music WILL bring folks back into the theaters! This year, films like “Pathaan” and “Zara Hatke Zara Bachke” gave us hit numbers before the release of the film, helping to make them both box office successes.
Of course not always do tracks resonate without context, and at a time when most films are now using the strategy of multiple composers, there is a bit of an identity crisis happening where there seems to be a lack of cohesion when it comes to a film soundtrack. Thankfully, there are some visionary film directors who took a more Western approach of using songs that fit a mood rather than trying to fit a song into a scene. One such example is Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s “Animal” which despite multiple music composers, found a way to incorporate all the songs well into the film’s narrative.
2023 thankfully saw a steep decline in the annoying remixes and remakes department, at least when it comes to the big screen. Music banks many hungry young singers and their endless mashups seem to compensate for this.
For me, the year felt hopeful as melody slowly started creeping back in. While Arijit Singh and Pritam continued to dominate the charts, we also saw the welcome return of Shankar-Ehsan-Loy and Vishal & Sheykhar. Payal Dev gave the boys a run for their money by composing one of the best romantic tracks of the year. Shilpa Rao continued her slam-dunk record of always giving us a smash hit, while voices like Vishal Mishra, Rashmeet Kaur, and Siddharth Mahadevan gave us hope about the future of Hindi film music.
A special shoutout to lyricist Irshad Kamil, who features several tracks on the chart this year alongside regulars like Amitabh Bhattacharya and Kumaar.
To ensure a more diverse Top 30, we capped the number of songs from any individual film to two, and straight/direct-lift remixes/covers were also not included.
Without further ado, here are the Top 30 Hindi Film Songs of 2023.
Composed energetically by Rishi Dutta with meaningful lyrics from Kundan Vidyarthi and Baba Bulleh Shah, the title track to the empowering-road trip film “Dhak Dhak” marked a welcome return of Sunidhi Chauhan who has epitomized the strength of a woman since she stepped on the scene. With Jatinder Singh adding an emotional depth to the single, this refreshing track is much the film it supports, a breath of fresh air.
Listen“Jamnapaar” is the type of situational song that used to fill up film soundtracks about a decade ago. But this “item” song feels hatke because you can’t separate the track from the fact that actor Ayushmann Khurrana is performing for his life as his (or as they think, her) alter ego. Neha Kakkar always excels at these kinds of songs and Meet Bros who also composed the music offer just the right level of support to make this “seeti bajao” track from “Dream Girl 2” work.
ListenAnother song that feels like it should have come out a decade ago but somehow feels refreshing again in 2023 is “Soniye Je”. Composed, performed and written by Vishal Mishra, the foot-tapping number from the underwhelming “Gumraah” works because Mishra’s energy leaves no room for not to be 100% entertained. By the second chorus, we’re dancing along to the track and we don’t want to stop!
ListenThe first of countless singles this year that combine the music of Pritam with the vocals of Arijit Singh, “Ruaan” from “Tiger 3” proved why the two work so well together. The emotionally touching ballad with sensitive lyrics by Irshad Kamil worked perfectly to showcase the ongoing love between Tiger and Zoya, the YRF Spy Universe’s OG royal couple.
ListenThe first of music composer Pritam’s collaborations with lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya on this year’s list, “Sahibaa” feels like an old school Pritam composition but thanks to the very current vocals of Darshan Raval and Antara Mitra, they elevate the otherwise pleasant track to 2023 romantic levels. It also just felt refreshing for Pritam to give other male singers a chance to showcase their talents over his compositions!
ListenThe less said about the film “Bawaal” the better it is. But that’s not to say that the music needs to be skipped. The highlight of the soundtrack was “Tumhe Kitna Pyaar Karte”. The Mithoon composed track features Arijit Singh along with the composer himself for a beautiful melodious and dare I say underrated single. Maybe it was the film but the song unjustly failed to set the charts on fire despite being on Singh’s strongest vocal performances of the year.
ListenWhen composer Ram Sampath and singer Sona Mohaptra come together in the studio (they are already together in real life as husband and wife!), there is always going to be magic. That proved to be the case yet again with “Nikar Chalo Re” from “Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery”. With lyrics by Ashok Mishra, the song seems to have fallen under the radar of many despite the fact that this pair has given us timeless hits like “Ambarsariya” from “Fukrey” and “Jiya Laage Na” from “Talaash”. Here’s hoping the song and the film get the props they are due in the years to come!
ListenWhile the Jubin Nautiyal sung track ‘Rabba Janda” proved to be the popular cut from “Mission Majnu”, the better composition was the Raj Barman performed single “Channa Ve Assi Marjawange”. With music by Raghav Sachar and lyrics by Rohit Sharma, the romantic single offered a sweetness and innocence that felt authentic to the film and not just a music-bank leftover single.
ListenWho would have thought that the Rajshri Production “Dono” would have ended up having one of the best soundtracks of the year. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy did a fantastic job with the album (unlike the other Nepo-filled film “The Archies” which the less said about the film and its music, the better). “Khatt Mitthiyaan” reminds you of classic S-E-L compositions from their heyday back in the mid 2000’s. The Himani Kapoor performed track works because the music combined with Kapoor’s vocals and the tasteful lyrics from Irshad Kamil all come together beautifully to create a timeless romantic bop that we’ll likely be singing along to for years to come.
ListenWho actually saw “Thai Massage”? The Gajraj Rao/Divyenndu film may not have had many takers but the short soundtrack to the film proved to be a gem. “Kyon” in particular, sung by Amit Mishra and Jonita Gandhi proved to be the real winner. Composed by Joi Barua and with reflective lyrics from Irshad Kamil, this is a hauntingly beautiful track that really deserved more attention. Here’s hoping this one gets its due in time.
ListenThe quintessential “party” song has slowly but surely been experiencing a death in Hindi films. The oversaturation turned an otherwise enjoyable experience into an opportunity for a music video to sell products even moreso than the film. Thankfully “Thank You For Coming” was in on the joke and this QARAN jam featuring the composer himself alongside Nikhita Gandhi, The Rish and Arjun does it right with “Desi Wine”. The “Roka” party playlist ditty worked well because it wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel but the song managed to fit the style and forwardness of the genre and gender-busting film.
ListenThe beauty of “Dil Jhoom” from “Gadar 2” isn’t just in its simplicity but rather that despite it sounding like a modern Mithoon tune, it strangely fits well being set in another era. That is because of timeless melody the song evokes. Arijit Singh is in fine form here in this Sayeed Quadri penned ballad. The film was a blockbuster and while the two songs from the original film made a big impact, all over again, this one became the new standout track thanks to Mithoon’s composition.
ListenThe minute “Nazar Lag Jayegi” starts, you know exactly what you’re getting. The Javed Ali performed track with music by Ravi Basrur and lyrics by Irshad Kamil feels so familiar infact you have to check yourself to make sure if it’s an original or a cover of some Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan song. Thankfully it checks out and this original composition is the centerpiece of the underperforming “Bholaa”. Ajay Devgn has always found a way to deliver that one central song for each of his films and this is certainly the “one” that will stand the test of time even if the movie does not.
ListenWhen Karan Johar dropped “Tum Kya Mile” as the first track to be released from his film “Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani” there were two instant reactions. One, the music video felt straight out of a Yash Chopra film and two, the sound wasn’t exactly mindblowing. Thankfully, like many of Pritam’s timeless compositions, it grows with age. While I still find remnants of the brilliant “Aahista” from the ridiculously underrated “Laila Majnu” by composer Niladri Kumar here, there is enough of the Dharma/Jatin-Lalit school of music that makes for a good balance between mainstream and mesmerizing. Definitely not the strongest romantic number of the year but definitely gets better with age.
ListenAn offbeat but “hatke” film with a heartfelt composition by Vishal Mishra proved that he is able to tap into the heartstrings of yesteryear and today’s audience. “Janiye” from “Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga” is heightened with the presence of Rashmeet Kaur making for a pair finding that delicate playful balance between love and lust. Innocence personified and amplified here.
Listen“Satranga” from “Animal” starts off like many other Arijit Singh and Pritam songs have. But then about a minute into the track, you realize that there is a sonic and style pivot that is happening, taking an otherwise formulaic track into a different almost retro Emraan Hashmi/Pritam era. It turns out that’s because the song is actually composed by Shreyas Puranik with lyrics by Siddharth-Garima. This different blood allows the song to marinate differently in the listeners mind making for a far more engaging track than initially expected.
ListenThe first of two songs to appear that officially make me feel old is “Agg Lagdi” from “Dono”. It isn’t so much the track itself but rather hearing the voice of Siddharth Mahadevan who literally at times sounds like a dead ringer for his father, Shankar Mahadevan. Mahadevan (the senior one) happens to be one of the composers of the track alongside Ehsan and Loy for this peppy dance number. Lisa Mishra accompanies on the Irshad Kamil written track. Another song that would work 20 years ago but manages to work today thanks to melodies and beats that don’t go out of style at any wedding.
ListenFrom “Bachna Ae Haseeno” to “Badtameez Dil”, actor Ranbir Kapoor has been the face of the fake trumpet playing for a generation now. So it was a welcome return to form the minute you hear the intro to Pritam’s “Pyaar Hota Kayi Baar Hai” from “Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar” soundtrack. You instantly can picture the visuals without ever actually seeing the video, a credit to both the composer and the actor and of course singer Arijit Singh who perfectly blends into this synergistic collision of fun.
ListenMuch like “Nazar Lag Jayegi” from “Bholaa”, there is a familiarity the minute you start listening to “Tere Vaaste” from “Zara Hatke Zara Bhachke”. But this also original composition penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya and with music by the always slightly hatke Sachin – Jigar works because of this likeness we feel the minute the music kicks in. Sang beautifully by Varun Jain with Shadab Faridi and Altamash Faridi with the music composers themselves offering backup, the track worked big time on the big screen and had the 90’s generation looking back fondly at the era of music.
ListenArguably the biggest song of last year (#1 streamed 2023 Hindi film track on YouTube) has to be this banger from “Pathan”. The year started off with a loud smack thanks to this Vishal & Sheykhar composition sang by Arijit Singh and Sukriti Kakar. The closing credit hit had the film’s lead star Shah Rukh Khan doing what he does best and the Arabic fusion made for the perfect global bop that had everyone dancing along and well, forgetting the fact that the two-and-a-half-hour film they just watched was such a hot mess.
ListenWhile “Main Nikla Gaddi Leke” was a beloved track from “Gadar” performed ebulliently by Udit Narayan in the original, my reason for including the “Gadar 2” version composed by Mithoon (although obviously original music composer Uttam Singh is credited too) is because for once, a remake, a remix, whatever you want to call this is done justice. The song isn’t just thrown in because it was the actor’s song, the song is thrown in because it was the hero of the first film’s song! And seeing the joy of Sunny Deol (and voiced by Udit Narayan) singing the track again this time with his screen son (but voiced by Narayan’s own son, Aditya Narayan), this was a timeless track updated with justice. It’s rare that a composer knows how to interpet a track so flawlessly and hats off to Mithoon here for leaving us with the same enjoyment we felt after the original came out and it just continues seamlessly here with the new version.
ListenThe second of two tracks featured from the Pritam composed “Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar” soundtrack is definitely the better production. “Tere Pyaar Mein” has all the key ingredients of a peppy love song and Arijit Singh’s and Nikhita Gandhi’s vocals play up the fun here without it sounding cheap or gimmicky. Kudos to Amitabh Bhattacharya for yet again finding ways to infuse the weirdest Hinglish phrases like “Tere jism ke har inch pe Meri har nazar fida hai”. Definitely gives “Kesariya” from “Brahmastra” a run for the money when it comes to this!
ListenThere were mixed reactions when the Kumaar-penned “Chaleya” was first released. Expectations were sky high for composer and arranger Anirudh Ravichander’s official foray into Hindi film music and in my opinion, he did not disappoint. Buoyed by strong vocals from Arijit Singh and Shilpa Rao, the melodious track took time to grow for audiences and as the film “Jawan” became a raging success, so too did the song. Honestly, the track stands alone on its own merits and in general any track that has Shilpa Rao attached, I’m in!
ListenThe second of two tracks featured from the “Zara Hatke Zara Bachke” soundtrack, this Arijit Singh ballad “Phir Aur Kya Chahiye” struck a chord with listeners not just because of his crooning but also thanks to the strong lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya and the melodies composed by Sachin – Jigar. At a time when Singh is the go-to for nearly every track, this one stood out a little bit more because Singh himself sounded relaxed, making for a more dynamic engaging performance.
ListenMuch like the above, Arijit Singh here in the “Dunki” song “Lutt Putt Gaya” gives an engaging performance that allows him to fly while so many of his other singles wish to keep him that box that we’re used to hearing him in. Pritam does a wonderful job with this peppy number aided tremendously by the clever lyricism of Swanand Kirkire and IP Singh. Situational songs usually become standouts after the film’s release (especially of Rajkumar Hirani films) but this light and breezy track doesn’t need the visuals to just have tapping your foot along.
ListenB Praak has found his niche as the sort Punjabi version of Sonu Nigam over the past few years. His ability to strike an emotional chord with each has literally gotten him billions of plays. So hearing “Saari Duniya Jalaa Denge” in “Animal” – to hear the hurt, the pain, the anger, the love, the passion, the obsession – everything that encapsulated actor Ranbir Kapoor’s character in the film – it was like an ethereal match made in heaven (or hell). Kudos to composer and lyricist Jaani for this gem of a song and Sandeep Reddy Vanga for boldly opting to use the song as part of “the” choreographed fight sequence in the film where Kapoor’s character comes head to head with the villain of the film, Bobby Deol.
Listen“Leke Prabhu Ka Naam” follows a similar musical landscape as “Jhoome Jo Pathaan” – I mean after all they are part of the same YRF spy universe, right? The Arabic tint on the song goes one step further here as that has been a staple of the “Tiger” franchise and of course having leads Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif shaking a leg doesn’t hurt. I was genuinely surprised when I saw that Pritam had compose the track as it felt straight out of the Vishal-Shekykhar playbook. I was even more dumbfounded when I realized that’s Arijit Singh singing (he sounds very much like Vishal here at points). But that’s called range and Nikhita Gandhi accompanies Singh for the ride on this Amitabh Bhattarcharya-penned track.
ListenWhile the “Satyaprem Ki Katha” soundtrack was overpacked with far too many underwhelming numbers, there was a standout track, “Naseeb Se” composed by Payal Dev, the only female composer to feature on this chart. With lyrics by A.M. Turaz, the track performed by Vishal Mishra and Dev herself is the ultimate romantic number. While the film proved to be a bit of a hodge-podge yet topical, this song seemed match up to the better parts of the film. A timeless track for sure.
ListenMadan Mohan’s timeless classic “Jhoomka Gira Re” sung to perfection by Asha Bhosle back in the 1966’s “Mere Saaya” got a fascinating facelift courtesy of composer Pritam. Unlike most remakes and remixes, rather than just lift the chorus of the song or just add jhankaar beats to the new composition, here the composer and lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya take the song as inspiration for a whole new back and forth dance number sung with gusto by Arijit Singh and Jonita Gandhi. The track from “Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani” proved to be the most popular single from the soundtrack, proving that old is gold and gold is always gonna be a hit!
ListenOne of the first releases of the year also gives us the best song of the year. This Shilpa Rao-led single combined a number of things that proved to be a winning formula. For one, Rao whenever working with composers Vishal and Sheykhar, it almost always guarantees a smash. The Spanish lyrics (penned by Vishal himself) infused into the mix (with added vocals from Caralisa Monteiro) add for an international appeal and then there are the lyrics by Kumaar who finds a way to infuse some poetic freshness into the mix. The fact that the film was a blockbuster starring Shah Rukh Khan and the music video was picturized on a seductive Deepika Padukone – the song just turned into the ultimate banger but with heft and with legs. It’s rare to find a club song/party song feel timeless but here, Vishal and Sheykhar nailed it!
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