Team FC
In the tearjerker that is Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), this is the one upbeat moment. The uptight Naina (Preity Zinta) takes off her specs and jacket to reveal she is, in fact, the cool girl. Throwing caution to the wind and hands in the air, she gave us, with help from KK, Shaan, Vasundhara Das and Loy Mendonsa, a party anthem that works just as well whether you want to dance alone in your bedroom or you’re out with friends.
From Aksar (2005) and sung by KK and Sunidhi Chauhan, the male-gazey visuals do an injustice to this song, which remains memorable for its catchy lyrics, like “Tere bina meri subah nahi jalti, tere bina meri shaam nahi dhalti (My day doesn't begin or end without you.)” Yes, the verses in English sound odd and contrived, but just focus on KK singing about an all-consuming love.
In this ballad from Om Shanti Om (2007), KK gets the mix of playfulness and longing just right as he sings praises of the beloved, recalling the lover’s gaze, how just their breathing makes one’s heart fly like a kite, and generally making romantic clichés sound good. The song is picturised on a besotted fan (Shah Rukh Khan) following his favourite actress (Deepika Padukone) after her dupatta gets caught on his wrist. Is it logical? Of course not. But does KK’s voice match Khan’s mesmerized expression perfectly? Yes.
Need a pick-me-up? New York’s (2009) “Hai Junoon” may be the song you need. With uplifting lyrics, a delightful melody and the unwavering determination in KK’s voice, “Hai Junoon” is just the kind of musical pep talk that you need in the middle of the week. “Dil ki kitab pe kuch toh naya likho (Write something new in the book of your longings)” urges lyricist Sandeep Shrivastava, and KK’s voice makes this message feel all the more persuasive.
In this song from Woh Lamhe (2006), KK lends his voice to Shiney Ahuja’s character Aditya who is besotted with Sana (Kangana Ranaut). Unfortunately for Aditya, in the music video, Sana seems more taken by a blue motorcycle. The song oscillates between viewing the world through rose-tinted glasses and deliberating if this really is true love. It’s the ballad you need for when you’re feeling deeply emo.