Baba Ki Bitiya - Mehandi by Babul, Anuradha Paudwal

Baba Ki Bitiya - Mehandi is the kind of song that earns its place in a playlist and then refuses to leave. Credit goes to Babul for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

The voice of Babul, Anuradha Paudwal carries Baba Ki Bitiya - Mehandi effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. Featuring Faraaz Khan, Shakti Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Shagufta Ali, Shilpi, the song carries the weight of the film's emotional arc and delivers it with conviction.

In 1998, Hindi produced many songs, but Baba Ki Bitiya - Mehandi was one of the handful that genuinely cut through. The mood of the track shifts subtly as it progresses, giving even a single listen a sense of journey.

At 6:03, the track does not overstay its welcome — it says what it needs to say and leaves the listener wanting more. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Hindi in recent memory — and the numbers agree.