Out of the four films directed by Vikas Bahl, three (‘Chillar Party’, ‘Queen’, ‘Shaandaar’) had music by Amit Trivedi. While Vikas got Ajay – Atul to compose songs for ‘Super 30’, he has got back to Amit with ‘Goodbye’, his most recent directorial venture. Since the trailer of this Amitabh Bachchan – Rashmika Mandanna starrer has indicated that the film will be high on emotions and speak about familial ties, one expects an elaborate album with songs encompassing a variety of moods and feelings. The album comprises of nine tracks, eight of which have been written by Swanand Kirkire. One song (“The Hic Song”) has been written by Vikas Bahl. Amit and Swanand had earlier collaborated on memorable albums like ‘Kai Po Che’ and ‘Fitoor’, among others.
The album opens with “Chann Pardesi”, a bittersweet melody featuring some beautiful Punjabi verses written by Swanand. The tune reminds one of a few songs composed by Amit in a similar space including “Dhak Dhuk” (‘English Vinglish’). Even though it is an original track, “Chann Pardesi” sounds like an amalgamation of a popular tune folk tune and a new composition. With repeated hearings, the song grows on you. The long interlude pieces almost have a calming effect on one’s senses.
For “Jaikal Mahakal”, Amit uses a popular bhajan tune (copyright free) as the base and designs a fresh composition around it. The arrangements suit the genre of the song and contribute towards evoking a sense of devotion for Lord Shiva. Amit’s presence and the nature of the song instantly remind one of “Namo Namo” from ‘Kedarnath’ (2018). It would have been, perhaps, a good idea to rope in a different voice for this track.
The film shows what a family goes through when the matriarch leaves for the heavenly abode. “Maaye” encapsulates the feelings of the children of a woman who is no longer around them. The decision of layering a song with multiple Indian instruments is not something that Amit makes very often. However, when he decides to use Indian instruments, he does it very well. The tune is highly immersive is well complemented by some thoughtful lyrics penned by Swanand Kirkire. Singers Deedar Kaur and Devenderpal Singh bring out the emotions in the song to the fore effectively.
More Indian instruments are heard in “Kanni Re Kanni”, a song that seems to have been designed for a celebratory event in the narrative. These are, perhaps, not live instruments and have been produced electronically but they add a lot of value to the song. Nakash Aziz sounds very different from his usual boisterous self and gives a very good account of himself. While listening to the song, you can’t help but tap your feet.
“The Hic Song”, the much-publicized club song from the film, adds a new flavour to this multi-layered song. The tune is quite catchy and the electronic beats, too, are the kind that will make you want to hit the dance floor right away. Sharvi Yadav and Rupali Moghe render the track with the right attitude. The one thing that lets the song down is its writing. The lyrics, written by Vikas Bahl, are juvenile. A professional lyricist would have written “laagi mujhe kick” instead of “laaga mujhe kick”. And, that’s not the only issue one has with the lyrics.
Amit Trivedi uses the popular happy birthday tune as the hookline for the “Happy Birthday” song he creates for the film while ensuring the rest of the song sounds different. The song has a vibrant feel to it and you find yourself smiling while listening to it. “Chalte chalte kitni door aa pahunche hain hum, Cash de kar likhwaayi hai dhun, so don’t frown, just smile….”, the quirky lyrics written by Swanand Kirkire contribute greatly towards making the song fun to listen to.
“Beautiful” is a feel-good that serves as a reflection of the sense of togetherness in a family. The song has a nice sing-along quality to it and has been produced well. The tune is pleasant, though not of chartbuster variety. “Mere dil ki yeh bagiya hai, jo is gulshan ki kaliyaan hain, yahaan har phool phool phool beautiful…”, Swanand’s wordplay is one of the highlights of the song. The popularity of this track would depend on the way it has been picturized in the film.
‘Goodbye’ is one of the better albums put together by Amit Trivedi in recent times. The songs complement the theme of the film well. Most of the tracks are the kind that can be enjoyed as standalone audio tracks.