Phir Bhi - Via Darjeeling by Kunal Ganjawala

Not every song from Via Darjeeling lingers, but Phir Bhi - Via Darjeeling is the one that stays. The arrangement here is the work of Prabuddha Banerjee, and it shows genuine craft in how it builds and releases.

Kunal Ganjawala brings a warmth to Phir Bhi - Via Darjeeling that no production choice could manufacture — it has to be felt, and here it is. Kay Kay Menon, Sonali Kulkarni, Parvin Dabas, Rajat Kapur, Simone Singh, Vinay Pathak, Sandhya Mridul, Prashant Narayanan, Rupam Islam gave the film its soul, and Phir Bhi - Via Darjeeling is the song that most directly channels that feeling into music.

When it came out in 2008, Phir Bhi - Via Darjeeling felt timely. Years later, it feels timeless. Some music is background. Phir Bhi - Via Darjeeling demands attention — not aggressively, but in the way a good conversation does.

Running to 4:46, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. This is music that holds up — not because it is perfect, but because it is honest, and honesty in a song is irreplaceable.