*1990s 1. Dil Se (1998) *
A R Rahman gave some mind blowing soundtracks in the 90s but *Dil Se* takes the cake, the cake being the Filmfare for Best Music. With only 5 tracks, *Dil Se* took Indian Music to a whole new level. With the lyrical genius Gulzar behind the score, every single song is just out of this world. Sukwinder Singh and Swapna Awasti's 'Chaiya Chaiya' became the biggest hit of the year and went down in history as one of the most entertaining songs of Indian Cinema. 'Chaiya Chaiya' also earned Gulzar a Filmfare for Best Lyricist while Sukwinder Singh bagged the Filmfare for Best Playback Singer (Male). The title song sung by Rahman itself is pure genius while Sonu Nigam re-invented himself in 'Satrangi'. Lata Mageshkar's 'Jiya Jale' leaves you speechless, the songs shining moment being the exotic foreign lyrics interwoven with Lata's heavenly vocals. Nonetheless, the most applause-worthy song of the lot is Udit Narayan's 'Ae Ajnabi'. Relegated to simple mediocre songs about *chunaris* etc, Udit wows listeners with this number. He weaves through the complex melody with utmost ease, his haunting vocals heavy with melancholy. *2000s 1. Rang De Basanti (2006) * While A R Rahman is known to give audiences outstanding musical pieces, with *Rang De Basanti* he created something truly out of the ordinary. Rahman captured the million faces of *Rang De Basanti* with utmost ease and at the same time gave a soundtrack that captured the hearts of millions. Whether it be the heart pumping title song, the youthful 'Patshala', or the fun-filled 'Khalbali', Rahman struck gold. However, the real winners of the soundtrack are Rahman and Lata Mangeshkar's 'Lukka Chuppi' and Mohit Chauhan's 'Khoon Chala'. The emotions packed in these two numbers was incredible, especially the mother-son relationship invoked by Lata and Rahman. Then there was the lyrically fantastic 'Roobaro' sung by the extremely talented Naresh Iyer who also rendered the romantic 'Tu Bin Bataye' alongside Madhusree. Iyer's rendition of 'Roobaroo' earned him the R D Burman Award for New Musical Talent. The music of *Rang De Basanti *is an unforgettable experience. http://www.bollyspice.com/view.php/2860-greatest-bollywood-soundtracks-part-ii.html -- regards, Vithur
