Bandook by Raxstar, Badshah

Raxstar, Badshah has delivered memorable performances before, but Bandook sits comfortably among the very best. Sunit has a history of strong work, and the music on Bandook is among the most memorable of it.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Bandook, Raxstar, Badshah clearly belongs in the second group. 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.

2014 was a strong year for Indian Pop music, and Bandook was among the reasons why. Bandook is the song for the end of a long day when you want music that understands something without being asked to explain it.

The 3:44 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. Songs like Bandook are the reason people fall in love with Indian Pop music and never quite fall out of it.