Maa - Taare Zameen Par by Shankar Mahadevan

The Taare Zameen Par album has several strong tracks, but Maa - Taare Zameen Par is the one most listeners come back to first. Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy built the instrumental foundation carefully here — every element earns its place in the mix.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Maa - Taare Zameen Par, Shankar Mahadevan clearly belongs in the second group. Hearing Maa - Taare Zameen Par without thinking of a talented ensemble cast is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Taare Zameen Par.

2007 marked the release of Taare Zameen Par, and Maa - Taare Zameen Par was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. Listeners have described the experience of Maa - Taare Zameen Par differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

At 5:10, 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 Shankar Mahadevan and Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy, working together, are capable of something well above the ordinary.