When a film releases after being stuck in the cans for years, one does not have too many expectations from it and the music it carries. There are several reasons, however, one has some expectations from the music of ‘Woh Bhi Din The’, a film which was shot in 2013 and has just released on a streaming platform.
‘Woh Bhi Din The’ is directed by Sajid Ali who had earlier helmed ‘Laila Majnu’ (2018; technically the second film he directed). ‘Laila Majnu’, arguably, featured the best Hindi film soundtrack of 2018. Joi Barua, who had composed one half of the ‘Laila Majnu’ album, has done all the songs and the score for this film. All the songs have been written by the ever-dependable Irshad Kamil. Together, Joi and Irshad have created some memorable songs for ‘Laila Majnu’ and ‘Thai Massage’. This film, of course, brought them together for the first time.
Since ‘Woh Bhi Din The’ is a teenage/high-school drama showcasing the kind of emotions people go through at that stage, one would expect the film to have good music. The film has eight original tracks (with one of them being a reprise/alternate version of one of the songs) and that is quite a rarity in today’s times. Since the film is set in the early ‘90s, one expects the soundtrack to bring a whiff of those times as well.
The album opens with, what today’s youth would call, a banger of a track. “Banjaare”, which has a retro-rock sound to it, does an incredible job of showcasing youthful fervour and the kind of enthusiasm a lot of people have when they are 16-17 years of age. Joi Barua, Rana Mazumder, Manik Batra and Adarsh Gourav’s voices blend into each other seamlessly and together, the four vocalists represent the indomitable spirit of a bunch of teenagers. While a few lines written by Irshad Kamil have a philosophical bent to it, some of the other lines showcase the emotions and feelings of teenagers in a simple, straightforward and colourful manner.
After a track filled with joie de vivre, arrives an intense song in the form of “Yeh Silsila”. The lines written by Irshad Kamil wonderfully give an idea about the thoughts of a teenager dealing with matters of the heart. Joi Barua composes a tender melody which would grow on you with every hearing. As a vocalist, Javed Ali brings a lot of sensitivity to the song which works greatly in its favour. He also brings out the sense of melancholy in the song to the fore effectively. “Mujhko Mili”, the alternative version of the track, has a happier tone to it. Joi’s voice brings in a new flavour to the song. “Mujhko Mili” has been written by guest lyricist Vishwadeep Zeest.
A few English rendered by Jonita Gandhi mark the arrival of “Higher”. Jonita’s smooth rendition is one of the highlights of the song. The song has a dreamy vibe to it and gives an essence of the kind of emotions young individuals go through when they are in love. The Hindi lyrics, written by Irshad Kamil, add a lot of value to the song. The use of synths add a nice retro touch to the song. This is the kind of song you would want to listen to on a long drive.
“Main pasand thi toh tum mujhe bataate, main tumhare intezaar mein hi rahi…”, the opening lines written by Irshad Kamil set the tone for the song. “Awaargi”, which talks about love and infatuation, has an upbeat rhythm to it. There is something about the song that makes you feel nostalgic and implore you to revisit some of those moments you might have gone through when you were younger. Joi composes a lovely tune which has a nice sing-along quality to it. Sunidhi Chauhan does a brilliant job as a vocalist. “Theek bhi ho jayenge, kharab toh ho jaane do…”, Irshad Kamil, yet again, writes the kind of lines that encapsulate the teenage spirit.
“Roothoon”, one of the best songs on the album, has been rendered by Zubin Garg and Monali Thakur. The song has a touch of Assamese folk in it and boasts of the kind of tune that would make you hit the replay button on your device at least a couple of times. The song sounds extremely sweet and several interesting layers which you discover as you keep listening to it. The way the composition takes a different turn after reaching a particular point (“saari ki saari….”) is very interesting. It feels refreshing to hear Zubin’s voice in a Hindi film after a long time. While Monali sounds good, the way she pronounces a few words (“main hoon zyaada hi aadhi…”) makes it a little difficult for one to decipher them.
“Adhoore”, a song steeped in melancholy, arrives in the film at a juncture when things are not going right. “Jo the apne who door kaise huye, kaise mujhse kasoor huye….”, the lyrics written by Irshad Kamil familiarises one with the mental state of the protagonist. Listening to this track could prove to be cathartic for many owing to the way it has been designed. When the song hits a crescendo, you cannot help but sing along the lines “aage hain, mere aage hain raaste….”. Suraj Jagan brings great energy to the song. Here is another singer whose voice deserves to be heard more in Hindi films. The arrangements, comprising of instruments like drums and electric guitar, play an important in elevating emotions at the right points.
“Woh Bhi Din The”, the title track, has a rock-and-grunge feel to it and is sung by Joi Barua and Amit Mishra. The song has an infectious groove and been arranged very well. The hook line “lauta de yaari waale din…” is very catchy and contributes greatly towards lending an anthem-like feel to the song. Both Joi and Amit sing the song with a lot of enthusiasm and that works very well for it. “aawaragardi khulke jaari thi, apni panwaadi se udhaari thi, padhte the aakhir ke mahinon mein, hosh nahin the, hoshiyaari thi…”, the lines written by Irshad Kamil bring a smile on one’s lips instantly.
The album culminates with “Guzarish”, a synth-driven pop song that arrives at a time when the students from the school are enjoying themselves at a makeshift studio. The brief given to Joi was, perhaps, to create a song that would have a ‘90s pop feel to it. While Joi does that, he also ensures that the song has the kind of understated innocence befitting teenagers.
Despite being made a decade ago, the ‘Woh Bhi Din The’ album does not sound dated at all. The songs sound fresh and are very likeable. The album does not offer a single dull moment and each of the eight songs leaves an impact. The songs encapsulate a variety of emotions young individuals go through when they are on the verge of becoming adults and are discovering several things for the first time.