Holi by Pratik Choudhury, Jayati Naskar, Raka Bhattacharya, Abhra Ghosh, Shoubhik Mishra, Anindya Bhattacharya

Not every song from Holi lingers, but Holi is the one that stays. The music, composed by Kabir Suman, carries the song forward with a confidence that matches the performance.

Every line Pratik Choudhury, Jayati Naskar, Raka Bhattacharya, Abhra Ghosh, Shoubhik Mishra, Anindya Bhattacharya sings feels considered, as though the performance was thought through long before recording began. The song is tied to a talented ensemble cast, whose presence gives Holi a visual dimension that fans of the film will always associate with it.

When it came out in 2018, Holi felt timely. Years later, it feels timeless. Whether it plays on a long drive, during a quiet evening at home, or through earphones on a crowded commute, the song meets the listener where they are.

The concision of Holi — just 1:04 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. It is, at the end of it, a very good song — and sometimes that is the only explanation that matters.