Hate Story   Producer: Vikram Bhatt Director: Vivek Agnihotri Starring: Paoli Dam, Gulshan Devaiya, Nikhil Dwivedi Music: Harshit Saxena Lyrics: Kumaar Singers: Harshit Saxena, Krishna Buera, Sunidhi Chauhan Audio On: T Series    Number of Songs: 6 Album Released on: 01 April 2012 Reviewed by: Gianysh Toolsee  - Rating: 6.5 / 10 More Reviews and Analysis by PB Critics:     • Feature Review by Atta Khan - Rating: 6.0 / 10   Let us know what you think about this review

The soundtrack opens up with “Mahe Jaan” which contains a soothing melody. The highlight of this song keep on increasing the more one listens to it. The USP is the voice of Harshit Saxena which has given the song the structure to include an original chorus and an excellent accompaniment with the flute (Naveen Kumar), violins (Chandan and Group) and zingy sounds. The singer showcases his prowess in the high pitched antara and the ending of the song. Special mention to the rock guitar (Pawan Raseily) in the second interlude which has a blend of flute music too – smaller details which get unnoticed. Programmed by Roop Mahanta, unlike many new songs which are composed in a rushed manner, the composer in Harshit Saxena delivers a deep song which has a greater shelf life than many of the songs heard these days.

“Mahe Jaan (Rock Version)” is an upbeat version of original track and is more targeted at connoisseurs of soft rock. From start to finish, there is a strong rock flavor (Pawan Raseily) which is present in the interludes and the music arrangements. Harshit Saxena’s voice still blend in this version and the track keeps the essence of the original. Programmed by Bunty Rajput, it is an honest effort from the composer and the singer. The track shines with high pitched renditions in the second half. “Mahe Jaan (Rock Version)” is worth a listen.

“Dil Kanch Sa” is the surprise of the soundtrack as it turns out to be the best composed song for this erotic thriller. Krishna Buera puts his soul into the song and delivers successfully in each stanza. It is also very refreshing to notice such a tune from the young composer’s stable. It starts off with a prelude with captivating music and above average programming by Bunty Rajput. It furthermore progresses with fantastic singing and tabla/percussions (Prasad) in the background. The tune stands out and there is a nice swift progression in the antaras. However, the second interlude music could have been better. The song ends with Krishna displaying his vocal repertoire. “Dil Kanch Sa” shows the potential in the composer to come up with numbers which hit the right chords.

“Dil Kanch Sa (Heart & Soul)” by Harshit Saxena is another winner and is a pure example how the singer can tackle any octave in a song.

Sunidhi Chauhan’s offering in the peppy “Raat” is an respectable effort due to the simplistic arrangements by Bunty Rajput. The song has a cabaret feel to it and synchs well with the overall theme of the narrative. There is a good mix of guitar (Ramesh Iyer) and other instruments, which makes the song easy on the ears. Background vocals by Suzanne D’Mello are good. This being said, the song does not break any grounds and it would have been a great opportunity for Harshit Saxena to smash the charts. However, it does suit the situation and makes up for a good listen nevertheless. “Raat (Remix)” by Kiran Kamath is adequate with the standard beats.

Harshit Saxena’s full fledged soundtrack as a solo music director is a success with two solid tracks “Mahe Jaan” and “Dil Kanch Sa”. The young composer also succeeds in not repeating the success formula from his hit track from Murder 2 and breaks the mould to show versatility in composing at a very early stage in his career. The music of Hate Story shows that Harshit Saxena has potential to compose for bigger ventures and should be given more chances in the future to display his skills. Overall, a great effort!