Mentally Playing: Background Score Attached

17th June 2026

Music has been an integral part of my life. Two years ago, I used to make a singing reel every Saturday; responsibilities took over, and I did not realise when I stopped. On the days I am quiet in the kitchen, my husband playfully asks, "Are you alright?"
My laundry playlist is a different mood; my mother-in-law once overheard me singing, "En aakhon ki masti ke...", followed by "Ik din bik jaega maati ke mol..." and ended up commenting, "I never thought your generation would humm these songs!"
On our 10th anniversary, I insisted my husband sing a song for me, and he said, "Bollywood has spoiled you and raised your expectations of romance. It does not happen in real life." I obviously had to roll my eyes to hear that coming from someone who apparently claims to be a part of a happening band in his college days. For someone who mentally imagines a background sound for almost every situation in her life, I would like to share some incidents that have fixed background songs for me (in my head, of course!)
When I see cryptic posts on social media by someone I know, and I very well know what's going on in their real life, in my head, I sing, "Ye public hain ye sab jaanti hain public hain... Aji andar kya hai, aji bahar kya hain... Andar kya hai, bahar kya hain, ye sab kuch pehchaanti hai..." Tell me, I am not the only one!
There was this particular occasion when someone dodged a request I made, very smartly. That came as an eye-opener: "Don't walk miles for those who do not care to cross the street for you." But there has to be an equivalent song for it, no?! Here you go....
"Sab kuch seekha humne, na seekhi hoshiyaro,
Sach hain duniya walo, ke hum hain anaadi..."
Relatable?
We have been looking for a prospect for my brother; it's been three years now. But I have already imagined myself performing on "Mere brother ki dulhan" at his sangeet. After three years, now everyone tells him, You try looking out for a girl; we are okay with love marriage too. I have been holding the flag of "Pyaar me 100 uljhane hain, pyaar mat karna, jeene marne ka koi ikraar mat karna." Your thoughts?



There is a whole list of songs that I listen to secretly while I work on the magazine. These songs are also responsible for hitting my dopamine at the right level. Let me share a few of those:
1) Pungi baja kar - Agent Vinod
2) Dil mera Muft ka - Agent Vinod
3) Jhalla - Ishqzaade
4) Chammak Challo - Ra.one
5) Desi Girl - Dostana
6) Latt Lag Gayi - Race 2
7) Kangna by Dr. Zeus
8) Jine mera Dil luteya - Jazzy B
9) Ishq Tera tadpave - Sukhbir
The number of times I have heard them is unhealthy; guilty as charged. But I have heard them before they were formally labelled as "Chatpate Gaane"!
Every 90s kid's 31st December plan used to be some award show playing on TV accompanied with Pav-Bhaji and Tawa Pulao. The easiest and most sorted ritual. On 31/12/25, we did the same. Zee Cine Awards was being broadcast, and the moment Nitin Mukesh walked on the stage as a presenter, I was reminded of little me giggling endlessly on, "Patli kamar hain, Teerchi nazar hain", just because I used to be reminded of him twerking his kamar as he sang those lines. Even Papa and Bhai had uncontrolled laughter for that performance.
There is a particular picture of me walking with my son in a park; it's been clicked from behind. I wish I had a video for that very moment. I would post it as a reel with background song, "Aa chal ke tujhe, main leke chalu, ek aise gagan ke talee. Jahan gham bhi na ho, aansu bhi na ho, bus pyaar hi pyaar pale.." A strong motherly urge to do this even today.
And then there are afternoons I spend trying to make sense of the world; the crochet flowers knitted by my Ma do have a smell. Yes, they do. And on those afternoons, "Naghme hain, shikwe hain, kisse hain, baatein hain. Baatein bhool jati hai, yaadein yaad aati hai.." plays on loop.
Music heals, music makes me feel better. When popular people from the music industry pass, I see people putting statuses and sharing long condolences. My way is to listen to their music, compositions, voices endlessly and fall asleep that night just with their work. That's what I did after KK, Lata ji, and Asha ji passed away. These incidents are fresh, and hence I remember them vividly. What is music to you? Would you like to join me for a random jamming session where we forget sur-taal-tempo and just scream our hearts out?

This post is a part of #MixtapeMoodBlogHop hosted by Sukaina Majeed and Manali Desai under the #EveryConversationMatters.