Yaar Dhokhebaj by Pardeep Jandli

Yaar Dhokhebaj works because it does not try to do too much — it finds one feeling and holds it perfectly. Behind the melody is the work of K2 Haryanvi, whose composition choices give Yaar Dhokhebaj its distinctive texture.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Yaar Dhokhebaj, Pardeep Jandli clearly belongs in the second group. The song is tied to a talented ensemble cast, whose presence gives Yaar Dhokhebaj a visual dimension that fans of the film will always associate with it.

2021 was a strong year for Haryanvi music, and Yaar Dhokhebaj was among the reasons why. There is a quality to Yaar Dhokhebaj that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

Running to 4:32, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. The track stands as evidence that Pardeep Jandli and K2 Haryanvi, working together, are capable of something well above the ordinary.