Songs and musician credits at the end.
This review first appeared in the Mumbai edition of The Hindu.
Composer Amit Trivedi channels his Udta Punjab vein to create an incredibly catchy theme song for the vigilante group that features in Bhavesh Joshi – Insaaf. Prominently featuring in the song is a rapper who was incidentally also part of Udta Punjab’s soundtrack – Babu Haabi. Haabi and Naezy’s attitude and energy contribute big time to Hum Hain Insaaf’s appeal. Haabi and Naezy share writing credits for the song with the movie’s writer-producer Anurag Kashyap (interestingly, the last time Kashyap penned a song was also for a Vikramaditya Motwane film – Udaan). Rest of the album’s songs are penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya. While the Trivedi and Bhattacharya are no strangers to quirky songs bordering on crass, having delivered quite a few entertaining ones in the past. While Chyavanprash too starts off promisingly, the lyricist treads a bit too far down the crassness route in his attempts to describe the “health benefits” in the lover’s actions and qualities, and that has a telling effect on the song. The composer’s arrangement, while clearly a nod to the 90s soundscape, also features some of his trademark flourishes. Divya Kumar leads the singing on this one, while Pragati Joshi and Arohi Mhatre form a very effective wacky chorus.
Qasam Kha Li Maine comes across a bit as a companion piece to Trivedi’s own Jhuk Na Paaoonga from Raid earlier this year – the sound is similar, Bhattacharya’s lines reflect similar intent as the latter, and leading the singing is again Papon. A decent track, nevertheless. Amit Trivedi gets behind the mic for the soundtrack’s best song titled Tafreeh, a supposed ode to friendship and to seizing the day. Bhattacharya’s lines are neatly crafted to convey the theme, built around that wonderful word that titles the composition. Trivedi’s arrangement rides on an alluring rhythm and progressively gains intensity, ending the song on a high.
Two songs that measure up to Amit Trivedi’s standards. Which is possibly par for the course for the kind of movie that Bhavesh Joshi Super Hero promises to be, but given that this is the director-composer-lyricist team that gave us Udaan and Lootera, I had higher hopes.
Music Aloud Rating: 3/5
Top Recos: Tafreeh, Hum Hain Insaaf, Qasam Kha Li
Musician Credits
1. Hum Hain Insaaf
Singers: Babu Haabi & Naezy
Music: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Anurag Kashyap, Babu Haabi & Naezy
Produced & Arranged By: Amit Trivedi
Recording Engineers A T Studios Mumbai: Abhishek Sortey & Urmila Sutar
Assisted By: Firoz Shaikh
Mixed & Mastered By: Shadab Rayeen, A T Studios & New Edge – Mumbai
Assisted By: Abhishek Sortey & Dhananjay Khapekar
Executive Producer A T Studios: Krutee Trivedi
Head Of Production A T Studios: Aashish Narula
Programmed By: Amit Trivedi, Gourab Dutta & Vineeth Jayan
Backing Vocals By: Rajiv Sundaresan, Suhas Sawant & Arun Kamath
2. Chavanprash
Singer: Divya Kumar
Additional Vocals: Pragati Joshi & Arohi Mhatre
Music: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Arranged By: Amit Trivedi
Programmed By: Amit Trivedi, Gourab Dutta & Vineeth Jayan
Produced & Arranged By: Amit Trivedi
Recording Engineers A T Studios Mumbai: Abhishek Sortey & Urmila Sutar
Assisted By: Firoz Shaikh
Mixed & Mastered By: Shadab Rayeen, A T Studios & New Edge – Mumbai
Assisted By: Abhishek Sortey & Dhananjay Khapekar
Executive Producer A T Studios: Krutee Trivedi
Head Of Production A T Studios: Aashish Narula
Programmed By: Amit Trivedi & Vineeth Jayan
Guitar By: Sanjoy Das
Backing Vocals By: Rajiv Sundaresan, Suhas Sawant & Arun Kamath
3. Tafreeh
Singer: Amit Trivedi
Music: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Produced & Arranged By: Amit Trivedi
Recording Engineers A T Studios Mumbai: Abhishek Sortey & Urmila Sutar
Assisted By: Firoz Shaikh
Mixed & Mastered By: Shadab Rayeen, A T Studios & New Edge – Mumbai
Assisted By: Abhishek Sortey & Dhananjay Khapekar
Executive Producer A T Studios: Krutee Trivedi
Head Of Production A T Studios: Aashish Narula
Programmed By: Amit Trivedi & Gourab Dutta
Guitar By: Rhythm Shaw
Backing Vocals By: Rajiv Sundaresan, Suhas Sawant & Arun Kamath
4. Qasam Kha Li
Singer: Papon
Music: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Produced & Arranged By: Amit Trivedi
Recording Engineers A T Studios Mumbai: Abhishek Sortey & Urmila Sutar
Assisted By: Firoz Shaikh
Mixed & Mastered By: Shadab Rayeen, A T Studios & New Edge – Mumbai Assisted By: Abhishek Sortey & Dhananjay Khapekar
Executive Producer A T Studios: Krutee Trivedi
Head Of Production A T Studios: Aashish Narula
Programmed By: Amit Trivedi & Gourab Dutta
Guitar By: Warren Mendonsa
Backing Vocals By: Rajiv Sundaresan , Suhas Sawant & Arun Kamath
