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 Producer Kumar Mangat has a keen ear for music, no doubt about it. Why else then would he select a total of six music directors to produce the soundtrack for his last movie, Sunday? And it kind of worked because the music turned out to be a decent, if unspectacular, music production. And to his credit, he continued to employ this strategy for his latest movie, the romantic Haal-e-Dil. Whilst there are only four music directors this time round, we do have much bigger names including Vishal Bhardwaj, Pritam, Anand Raj Anand and the upcoming Raghav Sachar (the only music director he retains from Sunday). Does the strategy pay off or fail? And is it more successful than Sunday?
Most people recognize him for his talents in movie making but Vishal Bhardwaj is also one of the most underrated music composers in India today. Remember Omkara was just as brilliant a soundtrack as it was a movie. Vishal was responsible for both. His attention to originality and pure /authentic orchestration in his music is commendable. With Haal-e-Dil title track he shines head and shoulders above the rest with the most multifaceted track on offer. Vishal proves the full extent of his mastery with two lengthy versions; which you prefer will depend on a number of things including your own taste and state of mind / mood. Either way both are unique in their own way and both connect with you after prolonged listening. Part way through Haal-e-Dil (1) your senses are warped into a trance which is created by a stunning background orchestration that is kept alive throughout by Vishal. To begin with the lack of pace nags at you a little but eventually its impact is to soothe your inner feelings for your loved one...that soft dhol play mixed with subtle strings are a joy to one’s ears! As the track progresses, the composer experiments with subtle but deft variations including the use of modern sounds but listen closely as only the keenest of ears will recognize these! Only then will you begin to appreciate its true quality. The choice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan as singer only enhances its standing. He is simply marvelous in his subdued rendition! The introduction of Shreya Ghoshal as support including chants of aaja mahiya aaja… only adds more glitter to an already golden track. Lyrics by Munna Dhiman are top notch. Haal-e-Dil (2) ) should not go unnoticed either as its quality is virtually on par with the original. The mood is a little more upbeat here but the effect of a trance is re-created via the use of soft melodious beats that are enacted in quite brilliant fashion! Further colour and texture is provided by a number of powerful instrumental plays including the flute and the guitar. As regards singing, Rekha Bhardwaj offers some of the most unique vocals in the industry and one feels she is being under-utilised. Thankfully Vishal recognizes his wife's talents and his decision to select her is wholly vindicated. She is a breath of fresh air! The only possible downside to these tracks are the length; at sub 7:00 mins, that in itself can put listeners off but this reviewer would urge you to stick to what is undoubtedly the hidden gem of Haal-e-Dil, a truly engrossing effort. But we must move on now to see what else the soundtrack offers… Like him or loathe him Anand Raj Anand (ARA) knows what it takes to mould ‘old school’ music in today’s scene when music genres have generally turned in the opposite direction. That he has achieved this successfully is only credit to him. His first offering for Haal-e-Dil is in the form of the irresistible Jeeta Hoon. This romantic track portrays the feelings and passion held by someone who is crazy in love and this is achieved thanks to some varied arrangements against the backdrop of some contrasting vocals. ARA uses traditional instruments for each stanza but as the feelings grow so does the passion and at that point he turns up the pace, volume and seamlessly switches to a more western, soft rock melody which packs a punch against some stirring vocals by Sonu Nigaam! In particular the build up of the feelings he renders during the chorus erupt into a gulf of passionate alaaps, the effect is simple but brilliant!…Pamela Jain provides for the contrasting sweet vocals in the stanza but Sonu steals the limelight yet again. Lyrics by Sameer are fine. This is an instantly likeable track and another winner for the soundtrack.
Raghav Sachar is the latest music sensation to hit Bollywood. His music for 1-2-3 is one of the freshest of the year so far. His first song for this soundtrack is Rang and it comes in two versions. Firstly we have the standard version led by Sonu’s serene vocals. In fact apart from Sonu, who breezes through this with effortless charm, there is nothing special about the rest of the track, it’s just a pleasant and relaxing listen about the colour that sets into the life of someone who has fallen in love. The lyrics are by Aditya Dhar. Compared to the original, Rang Remix is an enjoyable alternative thanks to some punchier orchestration. Also the composer proves his all round talents with a great rendition, way to go Raghav! ARA brings takes us back to ‘old school’ with Oye Hoye. But whereas with Jeeta Hoon, we had variety and creativity, Oye Hoye lacks experimentation and consequently drags e.g. that dhol play is pretty standard stuff in this day and age. The only saving grace is Udit Narayan who sounds in top form. What a great professional he is to show this level of consistency and enthusiasm after all these years. Hats off to him! He is supported in the singing department by Pamela Jain. But lyrics by Sameer are average. The song is undeniably the weakest thus far. Thankfully ARA leaves on a decent note with Rani, an uplifting romantic song with a vintage feel for all the bachelors out there looking for their perfect soul mate! Sonu is becoming a favourite amongst the composers of this soundtrack but in truth the song does not test his vocals whatsoever because in reality he can perform to these in his sleep. Unfortunately lyrics by Sameer are average again. Whilst an enjoyable listen, the track does not leave any lasting impression. Not to be outdone, Raghav returns for the final song Khwahish, a touching little number that turns out to be a highlight of the soundtrack. This one sounds fresh thanks to some neat synth orchestration coupled with some great singing by Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan and Raghav himself. The intermittent breaks of speech only strengthen the impact. Aditya Dhar provides some decent lyrics. This is a fitting end to the OST! Kumar Mangat’s strategy pays off big time as the music of Haal-e-Dil is a great success despite the movie’s ill fated performance at the box office. And the difference this time is the selection of composers who deliver in their own trademark fashion to provide variety and depth. In particular Vishal Bhardwaj’s title track is masterful and easily the best here. Overall the OST comes highly recommended for all you romantics and / or Sonu fans.
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Right, it’s time to ease those feelings now and have a little fun! So arrives a timely hip hop / bhangra track, Agg Lage Aaj Kal De Fashion Nu by Pritam. Very few MDs know what it takes to deliver at the highest level like he does and yes his reputation is somewhat tarnished but you have to admire his resolute abilities to churn out winners on a consistent level. With Agg Lage he doesn’t disappoint either and it has the potential to appeal to a number of listeners. The tune has a good dance vibe but you have to say the USP is the superb singing by Labh Janjua and Hard Kaur! Lyrics by Shabir Ahmed provide for a good mix of Hinglish lines, just what you need for this type of track that provides some variety. Not bad!