Dedh Ishqiya – Music Review (Bollywood Soundtrack)

Dedh_Ishqiya_Teaser_PosterYou can listen to the soundtrack here.

Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar’s adaptation of Begum Akhtar’s bhairavi-based dadra Hamari Atariya starts off sounding very ARR-eque, especially the chorus. The high point of the song is easily Rekha Bhardwaj’s singing (and of course Madhuri onscreen, once the full video is out). But for the guitars, the arrangement is strictly, albeit richly, conventional, and something about it makes the song tedious beyond a point. No such problems with Rekha’s second song Jagaave Saari Raina though (khamaaj raag I think), the lady nails the singing and Vishal (along with producer Simaab Sen) the arrangement – watch out for some awesome sitar by Niladri Kumar. And the short bols segment by Pt. Birju Maharaj is the icing on the cake! Dil Ka Mizaaj brings back that Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji combo, but this one takes a different route that is not as effective, but the result is still beautiful – particularly for the way the composer (Clinton Cerejo is the producer in this case) employs the strings and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s vocal range. The remix adds a bit too much of techno elements and makes it a noisy affair.

Tushar Parte’s fabulous guitar arrangements rule the sedate melody that is Zabaan Jale Hai, even as Rahat Fateh Ali Khan conveys the soulfulness in his familiar yet flawlessly nuanced manner. While Ishqiya had Ibn-e-Batuta, Dedh Ishqiya has Horn Ok Please (Pleej actually). It is Yo Yo Honey Singh this time with Sukhwinder Singh, and the results are pretty much the same – the energy from the singers is infectious, the song as such marginally entertaining. And since it is Yo Yo Honey Singh, there is also a rap section that wackily references Gulzar’s own legendary lyrics from Aandhi. Kya Hoga is as energetic as a qawwali gets, Vishal and Simaab getting an elaborate set of instruments going in the background while the vocalists – Master Saleem, Shahid Mallya, Jazim Sharma, Jamal Akbar – do a brilliant job on their part.

Dedh Ishqiya. Misses a gem like Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji, but as a soundtrack scores higher than its predecessor.

Music Aloud Rating: 8/10

Top Recos: Jagaave Saari Raina, Dil Ka Mizaaj, Kya Hoga

Producer/arranger credits:

Atariya – Clinton Cerejo, Hitesh Sonik, Simaab Sen

Dil ka Mizaaj – Clinton Cerejo

Zabaan Jale Hai – Guitar arrangement/production: Tushar Parte, Track production: Simaab Sen

Jagaave Saari Raina – Simaab Sen

Kya Hoga – Simaab Sen

Live rhythms for Atariya, Kya Hoga, Jagaave designed and arranged by Sanjiv Sen.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,