Apni Khushiyan Tujhko De Doon - Aap Ke Deewane by Mohammed Rafi, Amit Kumar

Few songs from 1980 have held their ground as well as Apni Khushiyan Tujhko De Doon - Aap Ke Deewane, a track that keeps finding new audiences. The music, composed by Rajesh Roshan, carries the song forward with a confidence that matches the performance.

Every line Mohammed Rafi, Amit Kumar sings feels considered, as though the performance was thought through long before recording began. Hearing Apni Khushiyan Tujhko De Doon - Aap Ke Deewane without thinking of Rishi Kapoor, Tina Munim, Rakesh Roshan, Ashok Kumar, Pran, Deven Verma is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Aap Ke Deewane.

The song dates from 1980, but nothing about it sounds dated — the emotions it captures are not tied to a moment. There is a quality to Apni Khushiyan Tujhko De Doon - Aap Ke Deewane that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

Running to 2:37, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Hindi in recent memory — and the numbers agree.