Gangs of Wasseypur – Music Review

You can listen to the soundtrack here (link courtesy @navjotalive)

Manoj Tiwary’s Jiya Tu has already become famous over the internet, and for good reason too – Sneha Khanwalkar layering the singer’s folksy rendition over a techno template in her customary style. The double entendre-laden lyrics apart, Hunter is super fun especially for the accent of the lead singer Vedesh Sookoo (I assume) supported by Rajneesh, Shyamoo and Munna. Womaniya sung by Khushboo Raaj and Rekha Jha evoked memories of multiple songs (Om Shanti  Om, Chalat Musafir to name a couple off the top of mind) but is an engaging listen, the energy of the singers being a significant contributor here too. While Sneha uses a folk template to support the Live version, she takes the techno fusion route for the other. The pick of the soundtrack happens with the song named after the movie’s now-popular catchphrase Keh Ke Loonga, Amit Trivedi’s first ever playback for a different composer. Sneha’s eerily haunting arrangement that seems to feature quite a few intriguing sounds, and Piyush Mishra’s lines work quite well towards having you hooked. The composer’s adeptness at fusing discordant sounds comes to display again in Bhoos where she uses some lovely guitar to go with a folksy tune rendered commendably by Manish J Tipu (who composed for Phas Gaye Re Obama), Bhupesh Singh and the chorus.

Humni Ke Chhodi has Deepak Kumar doing a very melodious and lilting crooning with just a harmonium as backing – in fact this simple song is one of the most impactful song of the lot. Tain Tain To To has Sneha going absolutely crazy and random both in terms of tune and words, it was actually amusing to see Varun Grover credited as lyricist for this one! Soona Karke Gharwa and Bhaiyya did not work for me, both due to the singing mainly – Sujeet and Musahar of Sundarpur being the respective vocalists. But Ranjeet Baal Party’s recitation of Varun Grover’s lines in Aey Jawaanon impresses in both its forms (second being Loonga Loonga), more so in the original where the mixing of the folk beats is simply brilliant. And with that Sneha makes way for guest composer Piyush Mishra whose two songs are a stark contrast to what preceded them. Ik Bagal written and rendered by the composer himself is almost like a continuation of Duniya from Gulaal. Manmauji again has a very yesteryear sound about it, and the composer uses a very simple arrangement to accompany Usri Bannerjee’s (wife of singer Bonnie Chakraborthy, I got to know later) fittingly retro-styled rendition.

Gangs of Wasseypur.  Yet another proof of Sneha Khanwalkar’s penchant for out-of-the-ordinary sounds that are not always hummable, but effective nevertheless. And yet another proof of the fact that we should hear much much more of Piyush Mishra the composer.

Music Aloud Rating: 8.5/10

Top Recos: Keh Ke Loonga, Manmauji, Womaniya, Ik Bagal