Songs at the end of the review.
Ajay Atul have always been ace with grand, orchestral compositions. In Yad Lagla they once again drive that point home – the song is built on a mind-blowing Western classical influenced arrangement. Strings section and wind/brass section dominate the soundscape that is punctuated by the duo’s trademark folk percussion on just two occasions, one of which accompanies a beautiful female humming bit (I suspect that voice belongs to Shreya Ghoshal, though nobody is officially credited it is indeed Shreya Ghoshal, as confirmed by this tweet – Zee are generally prompt with crediting; wonder what happened this time). The vocals are otherwise a solo act by Ajay Gogavle and he does a wonderful job of taking us through the highs and lows of the irresistibly haunting melody. Composers employ the same combination of haunting melody and grandiose orchestration to equally scintillating effect in Sairat Zaala Ji. Except there is more folk here, and a definite Ilayaraja flavour in the melody and treatment. The song especially touches a goosebump-inducing high around the interludes – while the first interlude takes a classical route to build to a crescendo, the second achieves the same with a Celtic flavour. Ajay handles the vocals for this track as well, along with the brilliant Chinmayi Sripada.
The guitar-horn combination in Aatach Baya Ka Baavarla gives me a 90s college song kind of vibe (Koi Mila Gaya anyone?) – thoroughly engaging track once again; especially for the way the mellower melodic portions break into an explosion of drums and guitars and horns around that title hook every time. And there is of course Shreya Ghoshal owning the vocals department as she usually does, with excellent support from the ladies’ chorus. In Zingaat the composers pick up the ever-energetic Marathi folk dance template and spruce it up with synth and brass elements. Ajay and Atul together handle the vocals for this one. The song does however emerge as the relative runt of the litter, the pacing of the track doesn’t quite work for me.
Sairat. But for that last track, another brilliant soundtrack by Ajay Atul! I have said this before and I say it again, Bollywood really is losing out big time by not having these guys compose more. Then again, wouldn’t be the first such instance for the industry.
Music Aloud Rating: 8.5/10
Top Recos: Yad Lagla, Sairat Zaala Ji, Aatach Baya Ka Baavarla
