Rukmani Rukmani - Roja by A.R. Rahman, Baba Sehgal, Shweta Shetty

Released as part of Roja, Rukmani Rukmani - Roja announced itself as a standout the moment it reached listeners. A.R. Rahman's arrangement gives the track a layered quality that rewards repeated listening.

The voice of A.R. Rahman, Baba Sehgal, Shweta Shetty carries Rukmani Rukmani - Roja effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. Hearing Rukmani Rukmani - Roja without thinking of a talented ensemble cast is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Roja.

Released in 1992, it arrived at a time when Hindi music needed exactly this kind of sincerity. It fits the playlist for almost any occasion, which is rare — most songs have a narrow emotional window. This one does not.

The concision of Rukmani Rukmani - Roja — just 6:04 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. Songs like Rukmani Rukmani - Roja are the reason people fall in love with Hindi music and never quite fall out of it.