Zulf Bikhrati Chali Aayee Ho - Ek Kali Muskayee by Madan Mohan, Mohammed Rafi

Madan Mohan, Mohammed Rafi has delivered memorable performances before, but Zulf Bikhrati Chali Aayee Ho - Ek Kali Muskayee sits comfortably among the very best. Madan Mohan built the instrumental foundation carefully here — every element earns its place in the mix.

Madan Mohan, Mohammed Rafi inhabits this song completely, making every phrase feel like it was written specifically for this voice. Featuring Joy Mukherjee, Naina Joglekar, Ashok Kumar, Mahmood, Om Prakash, Lalita Pawar, Nirupa Roy, Suresh, the song carries the weight of the film's emotional arc and delivers it with conviction.

1968 was a strong year for Hindi music, and Zulf Bikhrati Chali Aayee Ho - Ek Kali Muskayee was among the reasons why. Listeners have described the experience of Zulf Bikhrati Chali Aayee Ho - Ek Kali Muskayee differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

Running to 6:27, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Hindi in recent memory — and the numbers agree.