Chhabi Dikhla Ja - Shatranj Ke Khilari by Reba Muhuri, Satyajit Ray

Released as part of Shatranj Ke Khilari, Chhabi Dikhla Ja - Shatranj Ke Khilari announced itself as a standout the moment it reached listeners. Satyajit Ray has a history of strong work, and the music on Chhabi Dikhla Ja - Shatranj Ke Khilari is among the most memorable of it.

Reba Muhuri, Satyajit Ray brings a warmth to Chhabi Dikhla Ja - Shatranj Ke Khilari that no production choice could manufacture — it has to be felt, and here it is. Hearing Chhabi Dikhla Ja - Shatranj Ke Khilari without thinking of Sanjeev Kumar, Shabana Azmi, Amjad Khan, Farida Jalal, Farooq Sheikh is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Shatranj Ke Khilari.

1977 marked the release of Shatranj Ke Khilari, and Chhabi Dikhla Ja - Shatranj Ke Khilari was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. It is the kind of track that works at full volume with friends and equally well in a quiet room alone — the mood adjusts without the song changing.

At 7:56, the track does not overstay its welcome — it says what it needs to say and leaves the listener wanting more. The track stands as evidence that Reba Muhuri, Satyajit Ray and Satyajit Ray, working together, are capable of something well above the ordinary.