Classmate by Diler Kharkiya

Classmate is the kind of song that earns its place in a playlist and then refuses to leave. Credit goes to Aman Jaji for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

Diler Kharkiya inhabits this song completely, making every phrase feel like it was written specifically for this voice. Anjali Raghav gave the film its soul, and Classmate is the song that most directly channels that feeling into music.

When it came out in 2020, Classmate felt timely. Years later, it feels timeless. There is no right time to listen to Classmate. There is only the moment you press play and realise it was the right choice.

Running to 3:51, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. The song continues to find new listeners, which is the surest sign that it was made with something genuine at its core.