Aji Zara Rukiye - Pyar Deewana by Kishore Kumar, Lala Assar Sattar

Kishore Kumar, Lala Assar Sattar has delivered memorable performances before, but Aji Zara Rukiye - Pyar Deewana sits comfortably among the very best. The production by Lala Assar Sattar is understated in the best way — supportive without overshadowing the vocal.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Aji Zara Rukiye - Pyar Deewana, Kishore Kumar, Lala Assar Sattar clearly belongs in the second group. The story told by Kishore Kumar, Mumtaz in Pyar Deewana finds its musical expression here — Aji Zara Rukiye - Pyar Deewana is where the film's heart beats loudest.

1972 marked the release of Pyar Deewana, and Aji Zara Rukiye - Pyar Deewana was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. The mood of the track shifts subtly as it progresses, giving even a single listen a sense of journey.

The concision of Aji Zara Rukiye - Pyar Deewana — just 3:32 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. The song continues to find new listeners, which is the surest sign that it was made with something genuine at its core.