‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama’ (2011), Luv Ranjan’s debut film as a director, featured quite a fun soundtrack put together by a bunch of composers including Clinton Cerejo, Hitesh Sonik, AD Boyz and Luv himself. Some of the songs from the film had become popular (‘Ban Gaya Kutta’, ‘Ishq Na Kariyo Kaake’, ‘Chak Glassy’ and ‘Baawre’) back then. Since then, one has begun to expect a bunch of popular songs from every film helmed by Luv. Even some of the films produced (and not directed) by him have had some interesting music.
‘Pehla Pyaar Doosri Baar’, a new film co-produced by Luv along with Ankur Garg, seems to have the kind of flavour that one associates with the romantic comedies directed by him. This one, however, has been directed by Anuj Saini. Featuring six newcomers in principal roles, the film has a seven-track album put together by composer Rochak Kohli. Three songs (‘Jaane Kis Mod Pe’, ‘Chaand’ and ‘Saale Dil’) have been written by Gurpreet Saini. Two (‘Puraane Din’ and ‘Kamaal’) are credited to Kumaar and one (‘Pyaar Manga Hai Tumhi Se’) is penned by Raj Shekhar.
As soon you see the title of the first song on the album, a Bappi Lahiri composed song starts playing in your head. For a moment, you wonder if “Pyaar Manga Hai Tumhi Se” is a recreated version of “Pyaar Manga Hai Tumhi Se” from ‘College Girl’ (1978). However, as you hit the play button and start listening to the song, you realize the only thing common to the two songs is the fact that they happen to be romantic numbers.
“Jahaan dil hai wahin rakh le, tu naam apne mujhe likh le, bada seedha sa hai sauda, ke maine pyaar ke badle, pyaar maanga hai tumhi se”, the opening lines, written by Raj Shekhar, set the tone for the song and give you a good idea about what you should be expecting from it, as far as the feel is concerned. When the song starts off, you expect it to be a slow-paced romantic number. However, as soon as the first antara arrives, you realize it is an uptempo song. The tune, composed by Rochak, does a very good job at bringing out the intense emotions in the character’s heart. The song kick starts the album on a very good note and now, one keenly looks forward to what it offers next.
“Kitaabon se aankhein chura ke, hum yaaron pe shaamein lutate the, sadkon pe tafri udaate the”, Kumaar’s simple and effective lines make one go a trip down memory lane and feel nostalgic immediately. “Purane Din”, the second song on the album, is a gentle reminder of the fact that the film, among other things, is about friendships and reunions. Rochak composes a tune, which just like Kumaar’s verses, is simple, heartfelt and efficacious. If promoted well, this might end up becoming the next song that gets played at reunions and get-togethers or any occasion when a bunch of friends come together to relive old memories and have a good time.
Darshan Raval’s velvety voice welcomes you into the fold of “Jaane Kis Mod Pe”. Going by the lyrics and the kind of energy the song has, one gets the feeling that this song arrives at a juncture in the film when the protagonists are hopeful about finding love or on the verge of committing to somebody. “Galiyon kinaaron mein, vaadiyon pahadon mein, ya kisi nadiya ke paar, jaane kis mod pe mil jaaye tujhe pyaar”, Gurpreet writes some nice lines about the organic process of finding love. Rochak’s tune is punchy and hook line does its job of getting registered in your mind instantly very well.
The album goes into a slightly intense space with “Chaand”. The song, in parts, has the kind of feel that one associates with a composition that is woven around a ghazal. The song has a somber feel to it which Faheem Abdullah brings to the fore beautifully. Rochak composes a tune which, for the lack of a better word, is heady. It hooks you right from the beginning and has an addictive quality to it. Gurpreet writes some good lines that complement also complement the tune well. The unplugged version, rendered by Aditya Rikhari, is a few seconds longer. Like the original, this one is worth your time too.
When a song is titled “Saale Dil”, you expect it to be a quirky song steeped in pathos. And, that’s what the song turns out to be. Rochak composes a bluesy tune which serves as the perfect foil for the lyrics written by Gurpreet. “Do pal ki hai teri talab aashiqui, tujhse mujhse zaroori atlab aashiqui, har shaam tu uski baahon mein mile, jaise beer hai tu aur hai pub aashiqui”, Gurpreet does a good job at writing verses that strike a fine balance between being quirky and melancholic. Aditya Rikhari sings the song with a drawl and the kind of attitude that works brilliantly for it.
Rochak’s brief for “Kamaal”, perhaps, was to come up with a song that would have influences of Punjabi folk music and ghazal gaayki in it. Rochak himself gets behind the mic for this one. The song suits Rochak’s voice and he does a good job as a vocalist. Kumaar’s lyrics, which are a mix of Hindi and Punjabi verses, are mellifluous and do a good job at conveying the feelings of a lovesick man.
An additional song, which was not a part of the original album launched initially, is rolled out in the form of “Zulmi”. This one is composed by Tanishk Bagchi and written by Kumaar. The song, which is shorter than three minutes, has a nice groove to it and keeps you engaged as a listener throughout its short duration. Heer’s rendition, which oscillates between being sensuous and spirited, is one of the highlights of the track.
In today’s times, seeing a film’s album drop weeks before the film hits the theatres is a rare (and refreshing!) thing. Perhaps, the idea was to let the music serve as a good marketing tool for this romantic comedy which largely features fresh faces. In the past, Rochak has got a few opportunities to carry an album on his shoulders. Whenever he has been provided with that opportunity (‘The Music Teacher’, ‘Ishq Vishk Reloaded’), he has done well. With ‘Pehla Pyaar Doosri Baar’, he has delivered an album that is consistently engaging and has some good variety to boast of as well.