Jiya Re - Jab Tak Hai Jaan by Neeti Mohan, Sofia Ashraf, A.R. Rahman, Gulzar

Neeti Mohan, Sofia Ashraf, A.R. Rahman, Gulzar has delivered memorable performances before, but Jiya Re - Jab Tak Hai Jaan sits comfortably among the very best. Behind the melody is the work of A.R. Rahman, whose composition choices give Jiya Re - Jab Tak Hai Jaan its distinctive texture.

The voice of Neeti Mohan, Sofia Ashraf, A.R. Rahman, Gulzar carries Jiya Re - Jab Tak Hai Jaan effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. The story told by Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh in Jab Tak Hai Jaan finds its musical expression here — Jiya Re - Jab Tak Hai Jaan is where the film's heart beats loudest.

The 2012 release gave fans something to hold onto — a track built for repeated listening rather than a single play. 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.

The concision of Jiya Re - Jab Tak Hai Jaan — just 5:18 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. Songs like Jiya Re - Jab Tak Hai Jaan are the reason people fall in love with Hindi music and never quite fall out of it.