Chennai Express - Chennai Express by Vishal And Shekhar, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, Jonita Gandhi

There is an honesty to Chennai Express - Chennai Express that separates it from most Hindi songs released around the same time. Vishal And Shekhar sets the tone from the very first bar — it is clear from the opening notes that this song means business.

The performance by Vishal And Shekhar, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, Jonita Gandhi is the centrepiece here — controlled where it needs to be, open where it counts. The song is tied to Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Satyaraj, Nikitandhir, Priya Mani, whose presence gives Chennai Express - Chennai Express a visual dimension that fans of the film will always associate with it.

When it came out in 2013, Chennai Express - Chennai Express felt timely. Years later, it feels timeless. The mood of the track shifts subtly as it progresses, giving even a single listen a sense of journey.

Running to 4:43, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. The staying power of Chennai Express - Chennai Express is not a mystery. It is just what happens when every element of a song is exactly right.