Papon Songs: 15 Essential Tracks From Assam to Bollywood

The best Papon songs, from Moh Moh Ke Dhaage and Jiyein Kyun to Coke Studio's Tokari and his 2026 ghazal single Apne Khilaaf, with year and film.

Key facts

Real name: Angaraag Mahanta, born 24 November 1975 in Nagaon, Assam.
Hindi film debut: "Om Mantra" from Strings: Bound by Faith (2006), composed by Zubeen Garg.
Biggest song: "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage" (Dum Laga Ke Haisha, 2015) won the IIFA, Screen, Mirchi and GiMA best male playback awards.
Band: Papon and The East India Company, an electronic folk-fusion band formed in 2007.
Coke Studio: Sang in Seasons 1 and 2 and was one of the 13 producers of Coke Studio @ MTV Season 3 (2013).
2026 release: "Apne Khilaaf", the first single from the two-EP ghazal project Mehfilz with Papon.

The best Papon songs start with "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage" from Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), which won him the IIFA, Screen, Mirchi and GiMA awards for best male playback. Next come "Jiyein Kyun" (Dum Maaro Dum, 2011), "Kyon" (Barfi!), "Bulleya" (Sultan, 2016) and "Humnava" (2015). Papon, born Angaraag Mahanta in Nagaon, Assam, in 1975, also fronts the folk-fusion band Papon and The East India Company. In 2026 he released "Apne Khilaaf", the first single from his ghazal project Mehfilz with Papon.

The list below mixes the film hits most people search for with the Assamese, Coke Studio and independent songs that explain why he is more than a playback voice. Every entry gives the year, the source film or project, and why it matters.

Who is Papon

Papon is the stage name of Angaraag Mahanta, son of the Assamese singers Khagen Mahanta and Archana Mahanta. Wikipedia records his official debut as the Assamese track "Gaantu je gaai asila", from the 1988 album Aamiu Gao Gaan. He has sung in Assamese, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, Urdu, Mising, Bodo, Tiwa, Punjabi and Odia.

His Hindi film debut was "Mantra (Om)", composed by Zubeen Garg for Strings: Bound by Faith (2006). In 2007 he formed Papon and The East India Company, an electronic folk-fusion band with Brin Desai and Hameem Kader on live electronics. Wikipedia notes the band played the SAARC Music Band Festival in New Delhi twice, as well as the Eastwind Festival, the Kovalam Literary Festival and the NH7 Weekender in Pune.

1. Moh Moh Ke Dhaage (2015)

From Dum Laga Ke Haisha, composed by Anu Malik, with Monali Thakur also credited on the official YRF upload. Papon's version is the song that defines him for most listeners. Rolling Stone India calls it a ballad that became "a cultural phenomenon". It won him Best Male Playback at the 22nd Screen Awards, the 8th Mirchi Music Awards, GiMA 2016 and the 17th IIFA Awards, and earned a nomination at the 61st Filmfare Awards.

2. Jiyein Kyun (2011)

From Dum Maaro Dum. Wikipedia calls it his first big hit. It is a slow, inward song about heartbreak and doubt, and Papon sang it again for his MTV Unplugged episode in 2014.

3. Kyon (2012)

From Barfi!, a duet with Sunidhi Chauhan. Rolling Stone India picks it as the song that showed his range: breezy on the surface but carrying the film's emotional weight.

4. Bulleya (2016)

From Sultan. Rolling Stone India praises how it blends Sufi mysticism with contemporary sounds, and calls its emotion and vocal intensity a standout in his career.

5. Humnava (2015)

From Hamari Adhuri Kahani. Rolling Stone India says his voice turned this melancholic track into "an anthem for unrequited love". It came out in 2015, the same year as "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage".

6. Lakeerein (2014)

From Kya Dilli Kya Lahore. The lyric is a poem by Gulzar, and Papon's restraint suits words written to be read as much as sung.

7. Sun Ri Bavli (2014)

From Nagesh Kukunoor's Lakshmi. Wikipedia lists it among his 2014 film songs, alongside "Lakeerein".

8. Kaun Mera

From Special 26. Rolling Stone India singles it out for the vulnerability in his delivery, and Papon carried it into his MTV Unplugged set as well.

9. Tu Jo Mila (Reprise)

From Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Rolling Stone India says his reprise added "a soulful and introspective layer" to the original, and lists it among his essential songs.

10. Baba Bolta Hain Bas Ho Gaya (2018)

From Sanju. This one is a playful change of pace. Wikipedia notes that the song comments on the gap between the "real" and "reel" Sanjay Dutt, and Times of India called it a funny take on how celebrities feel about gossip.

11. Tokari (2012)

From Coke Studio @ MTV Season 2, with Sugandha Garg. Rolling Stone India calls it a tribute to his roots built on Assamese folk elements. Of all his songs, this is the best starting point for listeners who know only his film work.

12. The Coke Studio Season 3 episode (2013)

Papon was one of the 13 music producers who curated their own compositions in Coke Studio @ MTV Season 3, and Wikipedia lists six songs from his set:

"Dinae Dinae", with Harshdeep Kaur
"Baisara Beera", with Kalpana Patowary
"Khumaar"
"Jhumoor", with Dulal Manki and Simanta Shekhar
"Benaam Khwaayishein", with Anweshaa
"Tauba", with Benny Dayal

Earlier, in Season 1 (2011), he sang "Pak Pak (Bihu Naam)" and appeared on the ensemble track "Tere Naam".

13. Jonaaki Raati

Rolling Stone India's essentials list calls this Assamese track a timeless piece that shows "his deep connection to his roots", and places it on his album The Story So Far. Wikipedia separately records Junaki Raati as the title of his first album, released in 2004. Whichever release you find it on, it is a gentle, nostalgic song and a good entry point to his Assamese catalogue.

14. Jajabor (2013)

The theme song for MTV Roadies X: Battle for Glory. Wikipedia notes that jajabor is an Assamese word for traveller.

15. Apne Khilaaf (2026)

The first single from Mehfilz with Papon, a two-EP ghazal project. Variety India reported on 2 June 2026 that the video, directed by Parasher Baruah, was shot live in a living-room setting, with celebrity friends including Pankaj Tripathi, Meiyang Chang and Suchitra Pillai cheering him on. The project features lyrics by Irshad Kamil and Vaibhav Modi, and Papon said he wanted songs "that carry the soul and beauty of ghazals while speaking to today's generation". A second song, "Yaar Khafaa", is also credited to Irshad Kamil on Papon's YouTube channel.

Papon's independent and collaborative songs

Beyond film and Coke Studio, a few collaborations are worth finding:

"Khule Da Rabb", recorded with Rabbi Shergill for episode six of The Dewarists
"O Megh", with Shantanu Moitra for The Dewarists Season 4, inspired by a Rabindranath Tagore poem
The Story So Far (2012), which includes "Baarish Ki Boondein", and The Story Now (2016), with "Sahil Sahil" and "Loving A Dream", according to Wikipedia
"Ati Nohoi, Duti Nohoi", an unreleased Zubeen Garg song from the Silaa album that Papon launched on 19 September 2026 for Zubeen Divas, as India Today NE reported

For the wider context of his home state's music, see our guides to Assamese singers and Northeast India bands and artists.

Why Papon matters to Indian independent music

Papon grew up in a family of Assamese singers and kept a band, Assamese albums and TV-music projects going alongside his film work, carrying Assamese folk onto national platforms such as Coke Studio, MTV Unplugged and The Dewarists. Readers who like that balance between film hits and personal records will find a similar story in our guide to Lucky Ali songs.

His 2026 work keeps that split. Mehfilz with Papon grew out of his Shaam-e-Mehfil ghazal concerts, which Variety India described as a series of covers and new takes on well-known ghazals.

FAQ

What is Papon's most famous song?

"Moh Moh Ke Dhaage" from Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) is his best-known song. It won him the IIFA, Screen, Mirchi and GiMA awards for best male playback.

What is Papon's real name?

Papon's real name is Angaraag Mahanta. He was born on 24 November 1975 in Nagaon, Assam.

What is Papon's band called?

His band is Papon and The East India Company, an electronic folk-fusion group he formed in 2007.

Did Papon sing in Coke Studio?

Yes. He sang "Pak Pak (Bihu Naam)" in Coke Studio @ MTV Season 1 and "Tokari" in Season 2, and he was one of the producers of Season 3 in 2013, with songs including "Tauba" and "Benaam Khwaayishein".

What is Papon's new song in 2026?

"Apne Khilaaf", released in June 2026, is the first single from his two-EP ghazal project Mehfilz with Papon. In September 2026 he also released Zubeen Garg's unreleased song "Ati Nohoi, Duti Nohoi".