Dum Dum - Phillauri by Shashwat Sachdev, Romy, Vivek Hariharan

Dum Dum - Phillauri is one of those rare Hindi tracks that manages to feel both fresh and familiar the moment it begins. Behind the melody is the work of Shashwat Sachdev, whose composition choices give Dum Dum - Phillauri its distinctive texture.

Shashwat Sachdev, Romy, Vivek Hariharan's vocal here has a quality that is difficult to describe but impossible to miss — it simply feels true. Anushka Sharma, Diljit Dosanjh, Suraj Sharma, Mehreen Pirzada are at the heart of Phillauri, and Dum Dum - Phillauri captures their dynamic at its most compelling.

The song dates from 2017, but nothing about it sounds dated — the emotions it captures are not tied to a moment. Listeners have described the experience of Dum Dum - Phillauri differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

Running to 5:12, 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.