A.R. Rahman Classics-Part 1

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In this list, I am going to celebrate India's only Academy award winning music director A.R. Rahman. The obvious realization that one list is inadequate when it comes to A.R. Rahman's very best, I will come up with more such lists again. This is the first in the lot. In this list, we are going to look back at some of the classics of the 90's. A.R. Rahman started off his career by composing jingles for ads, the most famous one being the use of Mozart's Symphony No. 25 in Titan's ad. This ad is still recognized by its music and makes a lot of 90's kids like me nostalgic. Before we move on to the list let's dive down the memory lane with this ad.

Apart from ads, Rahman gave background scores for Television series and documentaries. Rahman has won two Academy Awards, two Grammy awards, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, besides winning 6 National Awards. Undoubtedly he has the best credentials that any composer can have. This bears testimony to his sheer brilliance in creating mellifluous harmony that has been scintillating us since decades. Let's take a look at his journey and relive the wonderful compositions of the Mozart of Madras. Since most of his original songs are in Tamil, I will also provide links to the original Tamil songs as well. So buckle up, guys! And enjoy the ride.

1. Roja Jaaneman...(Roja)

Roja is the explosive debut of the Mozart of Madras, that catapulted him into the fame overnight. The soundtrack of Roja has found its way into TIME magazine's All Time Best Soundtracks. The song has been sung by S.P. Balasubramanium and Sujatha Mohan. The melodious voice of S.P. Balasubramanium and the magic of Rahman make this song so special that even after 27 years this song still captivates our senses. If you have not got enough of the song, check out the original Tamil track:

Kadhal Rojave....

Apart from Roja Jaaneman, all the other tracks of the movie were superhit and are still admired for the stunning composition. The music of this movie had set a benchmark in the music industry and also marked the arrival of the Mozart of Madras. I will have to make a special list for Roja. All songs are so special, that I can't sin to miss out on  any single one of them. But here are few more songs from the movie that enthralls us even after almost three decades. Let's take a look at few more beautiful songs from the movie. 

Suggested:

Ye Haseen Vaadiyan...(Roja)

Ye Haseen Vaadiyan has been sung by the melodious duo of K.S. Chitra and S.P. Balasubramanium is an intense romantic duet from the movie. What makes the song so special is the astounding atmospherics used by A.R. Rahman. The track moves on slowly as the atmospherics enthrall us. Here's the original Tamil song:

Puthu Vellai Mazhai...

Choti Si Asha...

Another soundtrack that is still familiar to the 90's kids is Choti Si Asha or Chinna Chinna Aasai in Tamil. The song has been sung by Minmini and is again made awesome by the brilliant use of atmospherics. Here is the Tamil version:

Chinna Chinna Aasai...

The song was so popular that popular chocolate brand has launched a toffee named Aasay and used the track for its advertisement! The song in Tamil is also sung by Minmini who wrote the lyrics in Malayalam as A.R. Rahman's mother narrated it to her and later sung it.

2. Tu Hi Re...(Bombay)

Another evergreen song is Tu Hi Re from 1995 Mani Ratnam flick Bombay. The music of this movie is considered as one of the early milestones of A.R. Rahman's career. The song is sung by Kavita Krishnamurthy and Hariharan. The duo of Hariharan and A.R. Rahman is going to appear a lot of times in this list owing to the magic they create together. The song expresses distress of lovers who are craving for each other. Here is the original Tamil version of the song:

Uyire Uyire...

Suggested:

Humma Humma....

The playful song still continues to be popular among people of all ages and not just the millennials.  This is evident by the fact that after 21 years, the song was recreated by A.R. Rahman for the movie OK Jaanu and became instant hit and has over 250 million plus views on YouTube!

3. Urvashi...(Humse Hai Muqabala)

Another feather in the cap of the maestro was the 1994 movie Kadhalan or Humse Hai Muqabala in Hindi. The song Urvashi Urvashi is known for the dance moves of Prabhu Deva and the awesome music of A.R. Rahman. The 'Take It Easy Policy' advocated in the song still works in real life sometimes, ain't? The song has been sung by A.R, Rahman, Suresh Peters and Shahul Ahmed. Here is the Tamil version:

Urvashi Urvashi...(Tamil)

Suggested:

Muqala Muqabala...

Muqala Muqabala is again the combination of Prabhu Deva's stunning dance moves and A.R. Rahman's awesome music. The song is popular even today to such an extent that the song was used again in the year 2013, in Prabhu Deva's movie ABCD. 

Here's the Tamil Version:

4. Tanha Tanha Yahan Pe Jeena...(Rangeela)

Rangeela is another movie that can have its own list of A.R. Rahman hits. Tanha Tanha was sung by the melodious Asha Bhosale. The song was admired for its music along with its sensuousness and hotness. But the movie had two songs sung by Asha Bhosale that are popular till date. The other song sung by Asha Bhosale was Rangeela Re, which is another playful melodious track from the movie. Check it out below:

Suggested:

Rangeela Title Song...

Kya Kare Kya Na Kare:

Another popular song from the movie Rangeela is Kya Kare Kya Na Kare. The song is sung by Udit Narayan.

5. O Bhavre...(Daud)

Asha Bhosale's voice and Urmila Matondkar are complementary to each other and you add A.R. Rahman to the mix and you get yet another masterpiece. This time from the movie Daud, the song O Bhavre has been sung by Asha Bhosale and Malayalam music legend Yeshudas. 

Suggested: 

Another awesome track from the movie Daud is Shabba Shabba sung by Ranu Mukherjee, Sonu Nigam and Neeraj Vohra, who has delivered a splendid performance as Chaco in the movie. 

6. Dil Se...(Dil Se)

Dil Se was yet another milestone of A.R. Rahman's early days that deserves a list of its own. The song Dil Se was sung by the maestro himself. The lyrics of this awesome song were penned down by Gulzar.  The suggested list for this movie is really long, but each deserve its mention as there is hardly any song from this movie which wasn't a hit.

Sandhosha Kanneere...(Uyire)

The Tamil version of the song known as Sandhosa Kanneere meaning the tears of joy. The song is sung by A.R. Rahman.

Suggested:

Chaiyya Chaiyya...

This song has been voted as top 10 best songs of all times by people from 155 countries in a survey conducted by BBC. That itself explains the popularity of this song. This song has been sung by Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi. The song is based on Sufi folk song Thaiya Thaiya whose lyrics have been penned down by Bulleh Shah. One of my personal favourites, I have still have pale but sweet memories of singing this song out loud as a 5 year old. Nostalgic indeed! Check out the Tamil version of the song:

Thaiya Thaiya...(Uyire)

Jiya Jale...(Dil Se)

The sensous song sung by the legendary Bharat Ratna awardee Lata Mangeshkar and M.G. Shreekumar is hailed as one of A.R. Rahman's all time best. The song is set up in the backdrop of beautiful Kerala backwaters and the music also shows a lot of Malayalam influence. The Malayalam part of the song has been sung by M.G. Shreekumar.  Here's the Tamil version of the song:

Nenjinile Nenjinile...(Uyire)

The song is sung by South Indian music legend S. Janaki and the Malayalam part has been sung by M.G. Shreekumar.

Ae Ajnabi Tu Bhi Kabhi...

The soulful song has been sung by Udit Narayan and Mahalaxmi. The lyrics of the song have been penned down by the legendary Gulzar. The song depicts a distressed lover's appeal to his love interest to respond to him. The song is indeed one of  A.R. Rahman's classics without which any list is incomplete.

Poongatrile Un Swasathai...

The Tamil version of the song sung by Unni Menon and Swarnalatha is equally soulful.

Tu Hi Tu Satrangi Re...

This romantic duet has been sung by Sonu Nigam and Kavita Krishnamoorthy. The melodious voice of Sonu Nigam, Gulzar's lyrics and A.R. Rahman's music makes the song special. 

Enuyire Enuyire...

The equally awesome Tamil version sung by Sujatha and Srinivas. 

7. Awara Bhavre...(Sapney)

The classic girlie song from the late 90s Awara Bhawre is one of A.R. Rahman's best works which still enthralls the listeners. The melodious voice behind the song is of Hema Sardesai and is from the 1997 Kajol and Prabhu Deva starrer Sapney.  Check out its Tamil version.

Poo Pookum Osai...(Minsara Kanavu)

Equally mellifluous song sung by Sujatha in Tamil. 

Suggested:

Chanda Re...

The romantic hit Chanda Re or Vennilave in Tamil is hailed as one of Hariharan's best songs. Here is the Tamil version of the song:

Vennilave Vennilave...

8. Mere Pass Hai Tu...(Taal)

What a decade it was for A.R. Rahman! From Roja to Taal, the songs of every movie were blockbusters. The last Bollywood movie in the 90's whose music was composed by A.R. Rahman is Taal. The movie is more known for its music than anything else. It was one of the biggest musical blockbusters of 1999. The soulful sing Nahin Samne has been sung by Hariharan and Sukhwinder Singh. The lyrics of the song have been penned down by Anand Bakshi. 

Suggested:

Ishq Bina Kya Jeena Yaaron...

This mellifluous track from Taal has been sung by A.R. Rahman, Sonu Nigam, Anuradha Sriram and Sujatha Mohan. The song is yet another example of A.R. Rahman's musical brilliance. The lyrics of the song has been penned down by Anand Bakshi.

Ramta Jogi...

Ramta Jogi is a song that would indulge your senses. The magical voice of Sukhwinder Singh with the musical excellence of A.R. Rahman make this song awesome. The female voice in the song is of Alka Yagnik and the lyrics of the song have been penned down by Anand Bakshi.

Taal Se Taal Mila...

Yet another A.R. Rahman classic from the movie Taal sung by Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan. The lyrics of the song have been penned down by Anand Bakshi.

Kahin Aag Lage...

Kahin Aag Lage is another hit song from the movie Taal. The song has been sung by legendary Asha Bhosale who has been accompanied by Richa Sharma. The voice of the child singer in the song is of a young Aditya Narayan.

9. Dheemi Dheemi...(1947 Earth)

The Mozart of Madras at his best! This song is mesmerizing. It’s astounding atmospherics and the soulful voice of Hariharan are simply beguiling. The song is slow paced but intense at the same time as if it is exemplifying a subtle yet intense feeling of passion. The song is from the movie 1947 Earth based on the story of partition of India in 1947. The film has really awesome songs. Few of them have been suggested below:

Suggested:

Ruth Aa Gayi Re...

The song sung by Sukhwinder Singh takes you to pre-independence Lahore with its rustic music and the festive fervour. The song has been composed magnificently and has been sung enthusiastically by Sukhwinder in his peculiar voice.

Ye Jo Zindagi Hai....

This intense romantic number is also sung by Hariharan. The beats and the slow passionate music with Hariharan's melodious voice makes it a soothing rendition. 

10. Sunta Hai Mera Khuda...(Pukaar)

Sunta Hai Mera Khuda from the National Award winning movie Pukar is hailed again as one of A.R. Rahman's evergreen songs. This song has been sung by Udit Narayan, Swarnalatha and Kavita Krishnamurthy. The lyrics of the song have been penned down by Javed Akhtar and Majrooh Sultanpuri. 

Suggested:

Kay Sara Sara...

Another scintillating song from the movie Pukar, Kay Sara Sara has been sung by Shankar Mahadevan and Kavita Krishnamurthy. This melodious song is yer another testimony to A.R. Rahman's brilliance. 

Ek Tu Hi Bharosa...90

This beautiful prayer song from Pukar has been sung by the Legendary Bharat Ratna awardee Lata Mangeshkar. The soulful and deepful prayer appealing to the almighty by calling him by his different names and seeking peace gives one goosebumps. The beautiful and deep lyrics of the song has been penned down by Majrooh Sultanpuri and Javed Akthar.

So here we are folks, the end of the first part of this list. We have covered the magnificent decade of 90s in this list. We would continue the journey further in our next list. Till then, Adios!