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From achingly pensive ballads to chart-topping bangers, from audio clips that went viral on Instagram reels to that special song that felt like it was made just for you, 2023 has had quite the soundtrack. Often, it felt like there was more hype around the song than the film itself — remember the hullabaloo around Deepika Padukone in Pathaan’s “Besharam Rang”? Nearly five million Instagram reels have been made to the sound of “Tere Vaaste” from the sleeper hit Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, while the deliberately easy-to-follow hook step of “What Jhumka” (from Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani) had the entire internet dancing along with it.
Sometimes, a few songs in a soundtrack rise far above the rest. Sonu Nigam made a fabulous return to form with the upbeat “Shehzada” (the title track of Shehzada), which conjures up a theatrical ensemble of dancers in your mind as you listen to it. (Listen for the way the song expertly plays with the beat before the final chorus.) From Vishal Bhardwaj’s Khufiya, it is “Tanhai” that stands out. The atmospheric duet of longing is driven by the lusciously-voiced Kiran and Nivi alongside Bhardwaj himself, with stirring lyrics by Gulzar.
For our top 10 soundtracks of 2023, we looked for entire albums and in many cases, this meant putting on blinders about the film for which the songs were written. Here’s our top 10, listed in alphabetical order.
Rarely has a single line of one song been able to put an entire film into perspective. Anurag Kashyap’s Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat had the phrase “An Amit Trivedi Musical” on all its posters. Though the soundtrack was technically unveiled in December 2022, the film came out in early 2023 to reviews that ranged from mixed to negative. However, the soundtrack is a different ball game altogether. The electric “Banjaare” (sung by Nikhita Gandhi) introduces us to our main characters, and establishes the main motif of the film: “Pyar mein doobe do dil banjaare (Two nomadic hearts, drowning in love)”. “Woman Desi”, “Ghanghor Connection” and “Netflix & Chill” are arguably less memorable, with more English words in their lyrics than entirely necessary, but they’re appealing nonetheless. Abhay Jodhpurkar’s voice is melancholic and dreamlike in the haunting track “Duniya”. “Ye sach hai ya koi bharam? (Is this real or an illusion?)” he croons, affecting the listener with a forlorn helplessness.
The crown jewel of Almost Pyaar’s soundtrack is the thumping “Mohabbat Se Kranti”, which plays at the end of the film. Kashyap has said that he made the film for this one line: “Mohabbat se hi toh kranti aayegi (Revolution will be born out of love)”. Sung by Raghav Chaitanya and Neha Tawde, the song is rich with reckless rebellion, carrying the kind of blazing hope we need in these divisive times.
The score of Animal is composed by Harshwardhan Rameshwar and its soundtrack — curated by director Sandeep Reddy Vanga himself — is credited to an impressive assortment of artists. The result: An album packed with evocative songs. “Hua Main”, composed by Pritam’s musical platform Jam8, is the soundtrack to Vijay and Geetanjali’s love story. There’s a raw desperation in singer Raghav Chaitanya’s voice as he sings about a love like no one’s ever known before. “Arjan Vailly”, performed by Bhupinder Babbal and composed by Manan Bhardwaj, is a war-cry of a song that accompanies Vijay’s pre-interval extravaganza of violence. Arijit Singh brings to life the desolation of “Satranga”, composed by Shreyas Puranik. “Pehle Bhi Main” feels like the spiritual successor to the excellent “Kaise Hua” from Kabir Singh (2019); both songs possess composer-singer Vishal Mishra’s distinct brand of musicality.
Perhaps the most moving song in the Animal soundtrack is “Saari Duniya Jalaa Denge”, written and composed by Jaani and performed by B Praak. Drawing on the Punjabi folk tradition of Tappa, it also features a truly gorgeous piano melody at the end. There’s also an interpretation of the Iranian song “Jamal Jamaloo”, which has since gone majorly viral. Animal opens and closes to the haunting strains of “Papa Meri Jaan”, composed by Harshavardhan Rameshwar and sung by Sonu Nigam. At one point in the film, the melody sounds uncannily like something that might be rendered by a child ghost in a horror film. The wistful song perfectly encapsulates the father-son conflict at the heart of the film.
Audiences may be sceptical about the writing, performances and direction of a film, but when Anirudh is the music director, we know that “avan pathipan” (he will take care of it). And man, does he cook! Jailer is neither the first film of Rajinikanth that Anirudh scored for nor will it be his last, but Anirudh delivers banger after banger in the film like it is the last time he is ever going to compose for the superstar. The legendary “Hukum - Thalaivar Alappara” has been the song of the year with its references to Rajinikanth’s stardom and its massy beats.
There are many bangers in Jailer (we’re not a fan of “Kaavaalaa” but hey, it’s still a chart-topper). However, among all the larger-than-life songs is the soothing father-and-son ballad “Rathamaarey”. Sung by Vishal Mishra, the song talks about a father looking at his son being a dad and his legacy continuing. The album sadly holds the distinction of being a Rajinikanth soundtrack with no song by legendary singer S. P. Balasubramaniam. However, the soul is still not missing.
Jawan marked the Hindi film debut of composer Anirudh Ravichander. The title track is a triumph, from the instantly memorable whistling to Raja Kumari’s rap verses. Though “Zinda Banda” may have felt underwhelming when it initially dropped, the song came alive in the film as Azad (Shah Rukh Khan) and the inmates of the women’s prison come together in energetic choreography (with a special cameo from director Atlee). The song also weaves the Jawan theme into the lively instrumental section after each chorus. “Chaleya” may just be the best romantic song of the year, thanks to Arijit Singh and Shilpa Rao’s dulcet tones, (We also have a particular fondness for the Tamil version of the song “Hayyoda”, sung by Anirudh and Priya Mali.) “Faraatta” is the weakest track on the album, which has also been padded with the Arabic version of “Chaleya”. Jawan ends on a jubilant note with “Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya”, which is a playful nod to the song “Ramaiya Vastavaiya" from Shree 420 (1955). The EDM drop is an acquired taste, but Vishal Dadlani’s powerful vocals and Shilpa Rao’s glorious alto redeem the song.
Not once, not twice, but thrice, Amit Trivedi's music has lifted Vikramaditya Motwane's artistry into the realm of the sublime. The last 10 minutes of the show, in which a film studio is melancholically dismantled and the respective arcs end in despair, plays out to “Saare Ke Saare Akele”, an ode to Kaagaz Ke Phool's “Dekhi Zamane Ki Yaari”, also shot in a studio that is strewn with the detritus of a glittering past. This tension, between being original and paying an ode, is something Trivedi manages with melodic grace in the Jubilee soundtrack, aided by Kausar Munir's haunting lyrics. Munir nestles odes to Hindi film classics but also finds ways to spin an evocative phrase, an idiom, comparing the heart aflutter in love to an 'Udankhatola' (flying machine). There is the notorious joy, the nakhrapan of the times, the 1940s-50s, that she brings out through the songs like “Nahin Ji Nahin” and the pathos with a pinch of haye-uff in “Voh Tere Mere Ishq Ka” and sadness with a celebration in “Dariyacha Raja”. Jubilee is the only streaming show that had a soundtrack rich enough to hold its own next to conventional film soundtracks.
The year has been good for Anirudh Ravichander. While he was missing for most of the first half, he delivered three amazing soundtracks that travelled the world in three months. While Jailer and Jawan were inventive in their own ways, Anirudh shone the brightest when he was working with his ‘EDM paiyyan’ Lokesh Kanagaraj. The soundtrack to the Vijay-starrer Leo may not have as many musical moments as Kanagaraj’s previous outing Vikram (2022), but it is still distinctive.
The film strays away from Vikram’s trance-heavy sound and instead goes the hard rock way with tracks such as “Badass” and “Bloody Sweet”. The latter has some amazing guitar from Siddarth Basrur and “Badass” has drums that remind you of “Battle without Honor or Humanity” in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill soundtrack. Of course, all the bangers lie in the score or the blended songs such as “I am Scared” and “Villain Yaaru”. One cannot categorise the wonderful “Ratata”, but it just fits, and the mashup “Lokiverse 2.0” is just nerdy heaven for all LCU enthusiasts. There is also the soulful and soothing “Anbenum” which feels like a breeze of snowy air much like the setting of the film in Himachal Pradesh.
Yashwanth Nag’s work in Pareshan has a wild spirit that makes the composer a talent to watch out for. Pareshan is a truly inventive soundtrack with indie energy that may sound like we are stereotyping it, but it is exactly this vibe that sets the album apart. The songs don’t adhere to any conventions and are committed to capturing the chaotic and funky nature of the lifestyle portrayed in the film. The way “Musi Musi Navvula” gets two versions — one is a full-on local, foot-tapping dance number; and the other, a sweet and playful rendition clearly alludes to a filmmaker and music composer having a blast with their work.
In Mani Ratnam’s adaptation of Kalki’s iconic novel series, the heartbreaking odyssey of Aditya Karikalan and Nandini’s romance is front and centre. Even as the Cholas and Pandyas battle for the throne, the film’s soul is driven by this tragedy. And what better entity to accentuate this gnawing feeling than A. R. Rahman’s magnificent score? Rahman’s intuitive use of score moves the story forward, and sometimes acts even as a gorgeous substitute for emotions that are too deep to be conveyed by dialogue. This reaches its peak with the lovely “Chinnanjiru Nilave”, a ballad that describes the film’s central romance much better than any other line or visual ever could.
Apart from Advaitha Gurumurthy’s mesmerising cinematography, the highlight of Hemanth M Rao’s Sapta Sagaradaache Ello is the beautiful soundtrack by Charan Raj. Reuniting with Rao for the third time, Charan Raj brings in his signature aural poetry to the visuals and soundtrack. The album is eclectic, beginning with a protest rap song by MC Bijju to the soothing synth-pop title track from Side A. Songs such as “Kanmareya Kade”, a lament for a dying relationship, and “Saagarda Aache”, accompanying the climactic stretch of lead character Manu’s descent into sadness stand out in the Side A album. Side B, however, goes hard. It’s a darker exploration of Manu’s mental state, switching between heavy sadness, remorse, to beautiful nostalgia for a relationship that was the best thing he ever had. The title track of Side B uses the same lyrics, but this time with a progressive rock flip, with Karthik Chenoji Rao’s rock vocals adding an eerie feeling to the familiar lyrics. Another standout is “Usire”, another sad lament but with Charan Raj’s favourite Sanjith Hegde adding a layer of desperation to the brilliant song. The soundtrack of the film nicely bookends with Srilakshmi Belmannu’s “Kadalanu”, which you will know the importance of if you have watched the film.
Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is a quintessential Pritam album, which means the songs feel delightfully contemporary and pleasantly familiar. “Tere Pyaar Mein” is almost hypnotic, with Arijit Singh and Nikhita Gandhi’s breezy vocals capturing that euphoric honeymoon phase. “Pyaar Hota Kayi Baar Hai” is the ultimate playboy anthem, whose infectious energy and tongue-in-cheek lyrics (by Amitabh Bhattacharya) work as a solid intro to Ranbir Kapoor’s roguish character in the film. Maybe it’s the hint of the saxophone or the fact that the two songs are similar in spirit, but we would love to hear a mash-up of “Pyaar Hota Kayi Baar Hai” with “Badtameez Dil” from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013). Speaking of intros, Shraddha Kapoor made her grand entry with the riotous “Maine Pi Rakhi Hai”, sung by Shreya Ghoshal. The singer takes on a suitably feisty attitude, and her dynamic vocal inflections make the song even more fun. Shashwat Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan are in fine form in the earworm “Show Me The Thumka”. Though the song’s awkward choreography has been the butt of many an internet joke, the track itself is remarkably catchy. The Tu Jhooti soundtrack, which also features the heartbreak-heavy “O Bedardeya” and the tender “Jaadui”, is able to stand on its own as an album, without the context of the film.
With inputs from Anushka Halve, Ram Venkat Srikar, Nishanth A. and Sruthi Ganapathy Raman.