Tum To Pardesi Ho - Mehandi by Babul, Kavita Krishnamurthy

Few songs from 1998 have held their ground as well as Tum To Pardesi Ho - Mehandi, a track that keeps finding new audiences. Babul sets the tone from the very first bar — it is clear from the opening notes that this song means business.

Babul, Kavita Krishnamurthy delivers the lyrics with a nuance that turns an already strong song into something genuinely moving. The chemistry of Faraaz Khan, Shakti Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Shagufta Ali, Shilpi is embedded in every moment of Tum To Pardesi Ho - Mehandi, making it as much a performance as a song.

1998 marked the release of Mehandi, and Tum To Pardesi Ho - Mehandi was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. The song rewards full attention but also works as company in the background — a flexibility that most tracks never achieve.

The concision of Tum To Pardesi Ho - Mehandi — just 6:45 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. The song continues to find new listeners, which is the surest sign that it was made with something genuine at its core.