Ash Tray - No Smoking by Deva Sen Gupta, Gulzar

Not every song from No Smoking lingers, but Ash Tray - No Smoking is the one that stays. Credit goes to Deva Sen Gupta, Gulzar, Vishal Bhardwaj for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

The voice of Deva Sen Gupta, Gulzar carries Ash Tray - No Smoking effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. a talented ensemble cast are at the heart of No Smoking, and Ash Tray - No Smoking captures their dynamic at its most compelling.

In 2007, Hindi produced many songs, but Ash Tray - No Smoking was one of the handful that genuinely cut through. Ash Tray - No Smoking is the song for the end of a long day when you want music that understands something without being asked to explain it.

Running to 4:21, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. Ash Tray - No Smoking has earned its place in the catalogue of Hindi music that genuinely matters. The listeners who found it early already knew.