Shaandaar Music Review: Almost Shaandaar

Celebrated 'Queen' maker Vikas Bahl is ready with his third offering Shaandaar starring Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. The film touted as 'India's first destination wedding film' is creating the right buzz with the audience with everyone looking forward to seeing how this film featuring the fresh pairing of Shahid and Alia will turn out under the able guidance of Bahl who literally made Kangana the 'queen bee' of Bollywood with Queen. Naturally, the music by Amit Trivedi is also a highlight of this romcom and one can expect Trivedi to come up with a delightful album which should do justice to our expectations. The album has five tracks written by Amitabh Bhattacharya and one looks forward to listening to them. So let's tune in!

So if you are one of those who has still not got hooked to Gulaabo, then I assure you that you are in a minority! If Trivedi's retro-pop addictive beats and Vishal Dadlani's energetic singing were not enough, lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya provides the icing on the cake with his uber-cool lyrics. Dadlani's female counterpart, Anusha Mani matches Vishal's spirited singing but it is the singer-composer who walks away with all the glory in this one. A must have on your playlist, Gulaabo is sure to get you up and moving!

Trivedi follows it up with an equally fabulous Shaam Shaandar which has the composer himself getting behind the mike. Though his voice sounds a little odd for Shahid, the track still works mainly because of the techno arrangement which is interspersed with wedding instruments like Dhol and Horns (in tune with the theme of the film). This party number surprisingly though is a solo number and not a duet which is usually the norm especially if the lead actress also features in the song. But credit to Trivedi for ensuring that the listener does not miss the presence of a female voice and just ends up grooving to the catchy beats.

If you are a lover of sweet and mushy songs, then Nazdeekiyan is for you. Trivedi's orchestration has a dreamy feel and is brilliant and so is Neeti Mohan's vocals. If there is one thing that pulls this track down, it is Nikhil Paul George's vocals. The singer has a lazy drawl which seems at odds with the mood and nature of the song. That said, the track still remains one of my favorites simply due to Trivedi's mind-blowing arrangement.

Trivedi belts out a Qawwali with Senti Wali Mental which at a duration of around 9 minutes is the longest track of the album. With such a lengthy track, it is but natural for the song to switch modes lest it become monotonous. The song has a conversational feel in the beginning aided by some quirky lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya. Considering the 'destination wedding' theme of the film, this song should most likely be a Sangeet number what with thelight–hearted boy-girl bantering being the major highlight of this number. The track starts off slowly but gains pace midway ending with a resounding finale which should get you intrigued. The singers (Arijit Singh, Neeti Mohan, Swanand Kirkire, Amit Trivedi) have all done a good job but this track might not find a place in your playlist simply because it is more situational and not very likely to have a repeat value.

Amitabh Bhattacharya's lyrics are the highlight of the final track of the album, Raitaa Phailgaya. Some ridiculously funny lyrics which is bound to bring a smile to your face, this one is a whacky track with a techno-punjabi feel to it. Divya Kumar sings enthusiastically but again, this one is a situational number and might have a better impact onscreen.

To sum up, the soundtrack of Shaandaar is fun and lively as was expected though a couple of tracks drags it down. Most of the tracks have a 'hit' quality to them which is what one had hoped from Amit Trivedi. With the songs already climbing up the charts, this album is on its way to becoming a super hit.