Music personalities on their favourite love songs

“If music be the food of love, play on”. The line from William Shakespeare's “Twelfth Night” rings a chord at the best of times--more so on Valentine's Day. Can the day of candlelight, roses and gifts really be complete without melody? The Daily Star spoke to the foremost talents in the music world to gauge the one love song that moves them above all the rest:

Shabnam Mushtari
It is most important for an artiste to comprehend the true meaning of a song, well captured in emotive lyrics. However, it is a mix of lyrics, tune and the emotion of the song that really moves me. For me “Diyo Na Diyo Na Phele Diyo Na” by Nilufar Yasmin and “Ami Toh Amar Golpo Bolechhi, Tumi Keno Ka(n)dley” — are  beautiful, highly touching  love songs.

Iffat Ara Nargis
There are countless numbers of golden oldies that I prefer to sing. But, I rate “Tumi Je Amar” from the iconic film “Harano Sur”, as the best love song to date. The emotion in this song is a league apart. The expressions and the metaphors are incomparable.

Aditi Mohsin
There are countless Tagore songs that are my favourite. However, During Tagore's early years, the song “Amaro Poran Jaha Chaye” and a song  during his mature years that he devoted to Victoria Ocampo “Ogo Amaro Chiro Ochena Pordeshi” are among my favourites that I prefer to present to audience at all times.

Rokeya Prachi
The song “Eka Mor Gaan-er Tori”, rendered by Srabani Sen, appears to me as the best romantic song ever. The words, melody and rendition resemble my story and I feel the song being rendered only for me. Apart from romance, love and nostalgia, it is a hope-inspiring song. Srabani's another record “Tobu Mon-e Rekho” I think is the second best one that helps to comprehend and seek another human being in oneself.   

Kabir Bokul 
“Amaro Poran Jaha Chaye' is undoubtedly the best romantic song I have come across. The song used to touch my heart when I was joining college, and still does. Even today I hum the song; I have even adapted it in one of my songs, “Tomake Je Kotha Ami Boltey Chai”.

Dinat Jahan Munni
It's very difficult to single out just one song but “Amar Shopno Tumi” by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle; “Ei Mon Tomake Dilam”, and “Eki Shonar Aloye”, two Sabina Yasmin numbers -- are my top choices. The songs really steal my heart and I feel it will be easy on every ears.

Mahmuduzzaman Babu
There is a wide range of love songs all across the globe that has been immensely popular for years on.  But if you ask me, the one song that immediately comes to mind is by Hemant Mukherjee “Ei Raat Tomar Amar”. In the first stanza it says, “Tumi Achho Ami Achhi Tai”, meaning I am here because of you, an ultimate expression of dhrupadi bhalobasha (classical love).