Year wrap: Revisiting our favorite Bollywood music albums of 2022
Oh, the sweet, unparalleled symphony of music! Dancing and singing have been the beating heart of Bollywood films ever since the industry came into being, and it's almost blasphemous to think of any film sans several hummable, memorable songs. This year, too, the industry witnessed no dearth of rhythmic melodies with a high recall value. Here are our favorite music albums of 2022.
'Shamshera'
Shamshera may have grasped terribly at straws critically and commercially, but its music album is a collection of powerful songs that blends extremely well with the ferocious, valiant story of the titular hero. Sukhwinder Singh, Mithoon, Arijit Singh, and Richa Sharma were among the many artists who contributed to the terrific album and one can't get enough of the title track, Fitoor, and Parinda.
'Ek Villain Returns'
A few cinephiles have described Ek Villain Returns' soundtrack as "a gorgeous album that belonged to an entirely different film." With Ankit Tiwari recreating the cult title track and Tara Sutaria singing her first mainstream song, there was little that could go wrong with this album. Dil (two versions), Galliyan Returns, Shaamat (two versions), and Naa Tere Bin make up the soundtrack.
'Monica, O My Darling'
Counted amongst the finest films of the year, Monica, O My Darling's album has the rare ability to take you back in time, so much so, that you would feel it has songs straight from the '80s. Yeh Ek Zindagi, I Love You So Much, Hills of Malabar, and more—Achint Thakkar's album may as well be one of the most experimental Bollywood albums ever.
Here's a sneak peek into the music-making process
'Gangubai Kathiawadi'
Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali took it upon himself to score the music of Gangubai Kathiawadi and was supported by Ankit Balhara and Sanchit Balhara. The album is dipped in the mellifluous voices of Neeti Mohan, Archana Gore, Arijit Singh, Shail Hada, and Bhansali's frequent collaborator Shreya Ghoshal, among others. While all songs have a beauty of their own, Muskurahat and Dholida stand out effortlessly.
'Brahmastra: Part One—Shiva'
If there's one thing we can say about Brahmastra's album, it would be this: the wait was worth it. The king of chartbuster melodies, Pritam churned out melodies that took social media by storm, and the film's pulsating soundtracks enamored theatrical audiences, too. Who can forget the unprecedented hype manufactured by Kesariya or the way Rasiya became an instant youth favorite within days?
'JugJugg Jeeyo'
There was a time when all we heard was music from this film! Composed by Tanishk Bagchi, the album had groovy numbers such as Dupatta, Rangisari, and the instantly catchy The Punjaabaan Song. These foot-tapping numbers were perfectly balanced by emotional melodies such as Saavan and Rok Leyy. While Saavan chronicles a broken heart's woes, Rok Leyy is about a bride's departure from home.
