Tum Ho - Raqeeb by Tulsi Kumar, Zubeen Garg

The Raqeeb album has several strong tracks, but Tum Ho - Raqeeb is the one most listeners come back to first. What makes Tum Ho - Raqeeb musically distinctive is the composition by Pritam, which balances simplicity with depth.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Tum Ho - Raqeeb, Tulsi Kumar, Zubeen Garg clearly belongs in the second group. The connection between a talented ensemble cast and this song is part of what makes it resonate beyond the film itself.

By the end of 2007, Tum Ho - Raqeeb had moved well beyond its original audience and into everyday playlists. It fits the playlist for almost any occasion, which is rare — most songs have a narrow emotional window. This one does not.

Running to 5:35, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. For anyone yet to hear Tum Ho - Raqeeb, the experience ahead is a good one. For those returning, it will be as good as they remember.