Aadat by Raftaar, Shirley Setia, Jubin Nautiyal

Released as part of Aadat, Aadat announced itself as a standout the moment it reached listeners. Credit goes to Sukumar Dutta for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

The performance by Raftaar, Shirley Setia, Jubin Nautiyal is the centrepiece here — controlled where it needs to be, open where it counts. On screen, a talented ensemble cast bring the emotional world of the song to life in a way that enhances rather than competes with the music.

Released in 2017, it arrived at a time when Indian Pop music needed exactly this kind of sincerity. Listeners have described the experience of Aadat differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

The 2:02 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. For anyone yet to hear Aadat, the experience ahead is a good one. For those returning, it will be as good as they remember.