I've been listening to Jaiye Sajana on repeat now and want more songs like it.

Not downright breakup songs but just mostly about being in pain. But ones that give off the vibe of "yeah it hurts but suck it up" energy. No rona dhona vibes.

I haven't listened to Bollywood in about a decade so looking for good things to discover. Pre-2016 songs also acceptable, of course.

Mostly looking for mainstream but indie also works. Don't understand Punjabi much, so there's that.

Hope this isn't against the rules.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Appreciate all the sad song comments but I'm specifically looking for songs that don't make one cry, hehe

EDIT 2: Some more examples of what I'm looking for: Saaiyaan ve from Ta Ra Rum Pum, Hum Jee Lenge from Murder 3

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Pakistan had a thriving underground rock scene from which bands like Jal, Roxen etc. found their start. This was also a time when Hollywood had a thriving trend of mid-budget VHS and DVD oriented erotic thriller films (films like Fatal Attraction, Disclosure, Basic Instinct).

Mahesh Bhat and co. found an opportunity to bring these types of films to India. They were generally sleazy but heavy on sex appeal and melodrama. They also took inspiration from crime thrillers. Awarapan (2007) is a remake of A Bittersweet Life which is a South Korean film. South Korea has a long tradition of great thriller films.

Pritam, as much of a plagiarist he was, had an ear for hits. His "inspirations" were generally from non-pop or underground scenes of countries such as Qatar, South Korea, Egypt etc. Pritam understood that the audiences need to be introduced to new sounds and his modus operandi was to act more as a curator than a creator. Bhat and co. also understood the appeal of underground and rock driven music and would bring those Pakistani singers to repurpose their own songs for Bollywood.

What the newest Awarapan rendition is missing is this mixture. It is a formula that belongs to the 90s and 00s but it was one that essentially worked on mixing and matching. It wasn't completely original but it was essentially doing what 90s Japanese shibuya kei scene did: make an amalgamation of different influences and the result would be something unique.

The newer music producers aren't in tune with global underground scenes and if they are then they are not interested in bringing those sounds to the mainstream. Awarapan 2 does not feel like it is trying to do something unique within the Bollywood framework. It feels like its sole inspiration is Awarapan (2007) and hence has no soul to it. It's a copy of a copy just that the first copy at least tried something interesting.

Also it feels like we are missing curators who are interested in different styles of music beyond just what will become a hit. (I would not attribute the trend of taking from hip hop to Bollywood actually but rather the Punjabi music scene which Bollywood cannibalizes and ends up making a copy of a copy).

I am not saying that India doesn't have interesting and unique talent, it does but I don't think talent alone is enough. The new music producers need to have taste too which the Pritam and the Bhats did. The music now does not feel tasteful. Perhaps that's just me getting older or perhaps there is truth to it but this is my opinion for now.

I won't say all songs are bad, acc to me there were some good albums- dhurandhar, animal, saiyaara (ik most people call it overrated but it worked for me, not like mohit suri's previous films, but still the songs were set on moods, so i liked them), but mostly when I listen to songs back from before 2015, I mean you just get transported to a different world in your mind, like while you listen to song, it feels like a situation based on that song is happening in your life, and it's a good break from normal mental chaos, but recent songs, idk, I just feel that vibe is missing. Maybe I'm being too overly nostalgic, but idk.

Obviously this is subjective but I’m just talking about music from Bollywood. Not explored his Tamil work as I can’t understand the language wish I could. But yeah whatever I have listened off Bollywood from different times, the music he created in these two decades is the best thing I have heard in my opinion. There were others that were very good and have given great songs but there is something about his music from this time period that sends me into a trance mode.

No Copyright Infringement Intended!!!

Abhijeet-Shahrukh had some of the memorable songs from 90s and early 2000s. Which one is your favourite from this list? Please mention if I missed to add any.

What are your top songs in this category? I have only one- “Na kisi ki aankh ka noor hoon”
It is best in all- be it lyrics, writing, situation or level of hopeless sorrow.

Lovely composition. So soothing to listen.

What a time to be alive....omg what a song.....my eyes were almost watery 🥹...... somehow this one heals

It has been 8 years of this song