#17 Rang De Basanti: Top 100 Bollywood Albums

Music: A.R. Rahman

Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi 

Label: Sony BMG

Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

As its title implied, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti and its soundtrack had a dominant revolutionary bent. AR Rahman had worked on a related subject earlier, having composed music for a biopic of the person generally associated with the phrase, The Legend of Bhagat Singh. Rang De Basanti, while similarly conveying a revolutionary fervour and Punjabi folk flavour, required it done with a youthful zest – and AR Rahman, working with Prasoon Joshi, concocted a heady musical mélange that did all that and more. The movie also featured one of AR Rahman's best background scores. 

Best Song of Rang De Basanti: My favourite from the album is the lullaby-ish Lukka Chhuppi. Prasoon Joshi's words implying a hide-and-seek between a mother and her son, attained particularly heart-rending quality given the movie situation it was used in. The use of Lata Mangeshkar as the mother's voice also worked as a throwback of sorts, since the mother was played onscreen by Waheeda Rehman.

1. Ik Onkar (Singer: Harshdeep Kaur)
2. Rang De Basanti (Singers: Daler Mehndi, K.S. Chitra)
3. Paathshala (Singers: Naresh Iyer, Mohammed Aslam)
4. Tu Bin Bataaye (Singers: Madhushree, Naresh Iyer)
5. Khalbali (Singers: A.R. Rahman, Mohammed Aslam, Nacim)
6. Khoon Chala (Singer: Mohit Chauhan)
7. Paathshala: Be A Rebel (Singers: Naresh Iyer, Mohammed Aslam, Blaaze)
8. Lukka Chhuppi (Singer: A.R. Rahman, Lata Mangeshkar)
9. Lalkaar (Singer: Aamir Khan)
10. Roobaroo (Singer: A.R. Rahman, Naresh Iyer)

Listen to the entire album of Rang De Basanti here:

(With contributions by Praveen VR, co-founder of musicaloud.com)

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