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 The last time Anurag Basu and UTV had teamed up with hitmaker Pritam Chakraborty to produce the soundtrack of their Life In A… Metro, the end result was nothing but sheer magic. Songs from the cult soundtrack are still heard till date. So it’s but natural that when Basu-UTV-Pritam were coming back for the soundtrack of Basu’s upcoming romantic comedy Barfi!, the expectations of the potential listener had to be heavy duty. On the top of it all, the director has always had some memorable songs in his films, some of the popular ones being Gangster (with Pritam again), Murder and Saaya. With Basu rising from the ashes of the burnt Kites, this one will need to deliver. However, let’s take a look at how the music is first. On the first look of the tracklist on the album cover, one can spot talent of the likes of Sayeed Quadri, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Rekha Bhardwaj and Swanand Kirkire, and the music lover inside him is immediately intrigued.
The opener is a sweeping, breezy romantic track called Main Kya Karoon that on it’s first listen, the listener will just fall in love with. This is the kind of track that hooks one in the very first hearing itself. Right from the beats and the percussion, to the acoustic guitar strums and the piano, anybody would end up doing a slow jig on this at one point of time or the other. Ashish Pandit’s lyrics have captured the essence of first love and the transformation into a die-hard romantic beautifully, and his writing is elevated to another level by the vocals. New find Nikhil Paul George sings with the kind of raw intensity and genuineness that very pleasantly catches you off-guard. The music ranges from subtle retro to country music and soul, but the genres are melded well to make for a brilliantly composed romantic track that has by now found huge commercial appeal. This is a brilliant opener, and an absolute must listen! The intensity of romance gets deeper with a tinge of heartbreak in Phir Le Aaya Dil. This is one song that not only arrives in three subtly different versions, but also deserves the kind of repeat it gets over the soundtrack. Rekha Bhardwaj’s version is one spoken from the point of view of Ileana D’Cruz’s character Shruti. The dholak, with the blend of acoustic guitar and grand piano in the background accounts for the magical listening that is bound to take you to another world altogether. Bhardwaj’s vocals have the right mixture of sweetness with some melancholic brush-strokes here and there. Arjit Singh’s reprisal throws light on Murphy’s emotional turmoil, and while the motif in the intro remains the same, the style of composition differs. Arjit’s semi-classical is slightly on the hardcore edge, and the music is packaged more like a contemporary ghazal would be. Harmoniums, synth-strings and guitar riffs have been used to amazing effect. While Bhardwaj’s version is sweet, mellow and picks in your heartstrings, the overall impact that the reprise featuring Arjit Singh leaves in your mind is hauntingly impactful. And if you’re still not satisfied, the end of the soundtrack will witness the arrival of it’s redux, which “restores” the song “back to it’s fullest life.” This time with Shafqat Amanat Ali behind the mike, the whole composition makes a 360° turn (for the very better). The intensity of the mood is delicately captured, and Amanat Ali manages to sing as effortlessly as he does. This is undoubtedly the most powerful version of the lot, with an understated touch that manages to move you a lot. The saarangi playing in the background lifts the track up notches higher. Sayeed Quadri’s writing has a lot of effect over the compositions. It well portrays the delicate phase of the history of heartbreak coming back to repeat itself (Woh Jo Adhoori Si Baat Baaqi Hai/Woh Jo Adhoori Si Yaad Baaqi Hai). The strong antaras paint the feeling of regret in a very poetic way. Listeners will take their pick; but this is surely one of the best songs to have come out this year. Strongly recommended!
Continuing in the same flow comes Kyon, where Papon (of Jiyein Kyun and Banao fame) gets to croon about the simple pleasures of life, and how two people can just indulge and never get out of them. The strings-dominant piece before Sunidhi Chauhan’s vocal entry comes back in the end with a different musical key, thus making the song even more haunting. The yesteryear feel is draped around as casually as a tee is worn, but it’s the soul that makes this song unique. Though light and fluffy, there’s an understatement of intensity in Neelesh Mishra’s writing that makes the song tick. Though there’s a contemporary feel to the vocals, it’s importantly the intensity that ticks, big time. The cute Murphy “Barfi” gets a song that suits his character to the T! Here comes Ala Barfi!, a charming song about the bumbling, innocent Murphy, his bittersweet history and his infectiously happy nature. Kirkire’s lyrics wonderfully canvas the character sketch of the protagonist, and Mohit’s vocals give this situational song the feel it requires. Wonderfully enough, despite being a situational song cut-out for Barfi’s character sketch, it’s a charming song that will take some time to grow upon the minds of the listeners. Lyricist Kirkire himself comes behind the mike to give his own Kaju Barfi twist to the proceedings, with an interesting prelude backing this version. The whistle still remains the motif for both the versions, and stands out. This by far one of the cuter songs Pritam has composed, and Kirkire’s lyrics have just made this song as sweet and charming as the sweet the movie’s named after. The album ends with the haunting Saawali Si Raat, doing the needful work of imprinting itself into the minds of the listeners. Arjit Singh has consistently proved himself to be versatile, as with Saawali Si Raat, he puts on display a completely hatke vocal range of his. Harps begin the song (also supporting it’s background throughout), and the guitar strings make this magical song even more magical. The minimalism of beats works well in the song, adding to its charm. Furthermore, Kirkire, through his writing, successfully manages to transport us into a surreal world. The dholak that appears in the second half of the song supports it very well. This has a particular mood setting that works bang on. Langorously painted, beautifully produced and sung, this one’s a gem! Yet another must listen! In conclusion, Barfi! stands out to be Pritam’s most heartfelt album in a long time. Additionally, it’s a terrific follow up from the Basu-Pritam-UTV team after Life in a... Metro. With Pritam's chartbusting compositions from Cocktail still making waves, this one just sets the bar dizzyingly high. Each song is composed with a certain class and heart-rending quality that grows on you, and deserves repeat. Songs like Ala Barfi, Phir Le Aaya Dil, and Main Kya Karoon have already made headway into the charts, and the rest will grow on to become popular once the film releases and people watch them in context. This is overall, a well themed, beautifully composed, brilliantly written assortment of gems that together form a magnificent music album! Grab your copy immediately!
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An accordion-filled prelude kickstarts the soundtrack’s next offering Aashiyaan. This song has a tangy flavor of the 60s and 70s and comes to us in two versions: a solo version by Nikhil Paul George and a duet also featuring Shreya Ghoshal. Lyricist Swanand Kirkire’s lyrics beautifully state the depth of relationship that the two protagonists might be in. Portraying the imagination of two people, longing for themselves settled in a faraway land, Kirkire’s lyrics are supported by Nikhil’s unconventional vocals that work big time. The beats and instruments used are infectious, and the mixing gives the song a very rich feel. Shreya Ghoshal lends her vocals to the duet, and gives her own to it, though the song has nothing different from the original. The song’s absolutely charming, and perfect for long drives and lazy weekend afternoons. Yet another winner!