1. Aint No Sunshine When She’s Gone - Otis Redding
Everyone has their own heart break song and this is mine. I began listening to this when I was in my 20s in college. I also listen to this song whenever I feel romantic. This song has a build up and it goes into staccato where the singer sings ‘I know I know’ 26 times. Otis Redding knows how to build a perfect Symphony and the way it builds up is very simulating and has made me a better chef. Understanding the composition and how it affects people, helps me with my creativity. When I shape my menu, my food has to be like the Otis Redding song. Every layer sings together, suddenly everything goes quiet and there is a great grand opera ending. That song inspired me to express myself and believe it or not, my beat ideas in art and food have come after heartbreaks post break-ups have been my most creative phases.
2. Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si by Kishore Kumar (Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi)
This is a beautiful and romantic song and tells me how everything can be expressed without saying much. Lips are a feature that are suttly expressive in a woman but Madhubala speaks a lot through eyes. There is a want, a keenness in desire. It is the wanting in this song that appeals to me. Old madhubala songs have so much simple sensuality. The beauty of black and white cinema was the symbolism , the ability to say a lot with so less and I also attribute it to Indian women. Their grace, poise and the ability to express without saying a lot.
3. Forever And For Always by Shania Twain
I have been crazy about Shania ever since I was a teenager. This song has been visualized so well. It is the perfect and ideal love story filled with hope. The couple grows up together and grows old together. It is a great fantasy to live where you don’t have to go through break-ups and relationships to get what you want from another person. Simple gestures that depict desire like smiling, holding hands and subtle actions that express come through this song.
4. Jaane Jigar Jaaneman - Aashiqui
Anu was my Teenage crush when I was 16. The way she portrays herself and the pure gorgeousness on screen is at its best in this song. When I was in High school, having a girlfriend meant holding hands and going on pizza dates. This song made me feel a clear need to be in an emotional, sensual, strong and passionate relationship with someone. That whole movie, all the songs and especially Anu.
5. Sajna Ve Sajna – Gurdas Mann
I have to include a Punjabi song in my playlist. The song is being expressed by a man for his lover and says that whatever she throws at, good or bad, with or without malice is bliss for me. In a Sufi song, you can traverse between a God and your beloved and talk about either or both of them simultaneously. You can swtich between them anytime and that your beloved and god is one. Love being the true sacred emotion that makes the world happen . There is a humility in romance, true love makes you humble.
6. Ik Kudi Jida Naam Mohabbat- Mahinder Kapoor written by Shiv Kumar Batalvi
Shiv Kumar Batalvi is the king of sorrow. He talks so profoundly about Virah (separation). This song was also picturised in Udta Punjab recently. He has inspired me a lot even in my writing. I write a lot of very funny or very sad stuff. He helps me think about the very sad stuff. It he who taught me about doing everything with passion . He is passionate about everything that is born out of love even if it is pain. He taught me to be the same through it all. If I love intensely, I will cry over my heart break with the same or more intensity. He loves intensely but loses even more intensely. There is a co-relation between creativity, passion and feeling. If you don’t know how to feel love, desire and pain, you can’t be creative. Batalvi teaches me to do everything with the same intensity.
Tune in to the playlist of all of Ranveer Brar's Sexy Saturday Songs here.
Co-ordinated by Preksha Malu.
