Brahman by Ritesh Pandey

Ritesh Pandey has delivered memorable performances before, but Brahman sits comfortably among the very best. Behind the melody is the work of Shyam Sunder, whose composition choices give Brahman its distinctive texture.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Brahman, Ritesh Pandey clearly belongs in the second group. For fans of a talented ensemble cast, Brahman is one of those songs that immediately conjures specific scenes and emotions.

The 2022 release gave fans something to hold onto — a track built for repeated listening rather than a single play. Brahman is the song for the end of a long day when you want music that understands something without being asked to explain it.

The concision of Brahman — just 3:09 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. Songs like Brahman are the reason people fall in love with Bhojpuri music and never quite fall out of it.