Zaroori Nai by B Praak, Jaani

There is an honesty to Zaroori Nai that separates it from most Punjabi songs released around the same time. B Praak sets the tone from the very first bar — it is clear from the opening notes that this song means business.

Every line B Praak, Jaani sings feels considered, as though the performance was thought through long before recording began. Hearing Zaroori Nai without thinking of a talented ensemble cast is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Lekh.

The song dates from 2022, but nothing about it sounds dated — the emotions it captures are not tied to a moment. The emotional register of Zaroori Nai is wide enough to fit celebration and solitude equally well.

The concision of Zaroori Nai — just 4:24 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. Years from now, Zaroori Nai will still be the track that plays at the right moment and lands exactly as it did the first time.