Veerappan Music Review: A Disastrous Score

Now were they really serious when they thought of putting together a soundtrack for Veerappan? There have been bad albums and there would be bad albums. However, something like this is so tough to even comprehend. A film about a sandalwood smuggler has three songs and each one of these is an item number. Really? More disappointing is the fact that none of these clicks and in fact is as jarring as it gets.

Sample this - the first in line is Mucchi Re. Now what was that all about? And what are composer Jeet Ganguly and lyricist Manoj Muntashir doing here? No one really knows as Mohan Kanan just goes about singing this one without any rhyme or reason. Set in the middle of a jungle with a young woman dancing amongst bandits, it is not even well picturised, which only makes it all the more disappointing.

Sharib-Toshi, known mainly for their melodies with a touch of sufi rock to them, are entrusted with the remaining numbers. They pair up with lyricist Manoj Yadav and their first offering is the title of Veer Veer Veerappan. A disastrous number from the word go, it shoots itself in the foot the moment newbie Payal Dev is brought on board. She just kills the song (in a bad way) along with the composers who also turn singer here. This one is meant to be a fusion of item number and situational soundtrack, and fails on both counts. This isn't all as there is a rap version thrown in as well. Now that one I skipped mid-way itself.

The biggest heartbreak though is in the form of Khallas which does its best to make one forget the stunning performance put together by Isha Kopphikar in Company. Unfortunately, Zareen Khan comes nowhere close to the sensuality Isha had brought on screen. She isn't helped either by Jasmine Sandlas' rendition which is truly annoying and makes one wonder how Asha Bhosle would be reacting to the version.

Veerappan is a truly avoidable score and doesn't deserve a second hearing.

Our picks: None