Kutta – Pyaar Ka Punchnama (Hindi – Luv Ranjan)
In a soundtrack with other composers like Clinton Cerejo and Hitesh Sonik (Yes! Of Stanley Ka Dabba fame!) the only song that stood out was Luv Ranjan’s corny song Kutta, sung by Mika Singh. You listen to Kutta once and you’d know!
Life bahot simple hai, Dabba, Nanhi si jaan & Tere andar – Stanley Ka Dabba (Hindi – Hitesh Sonik)
One of my favorite soundtracks in recent times! Shankar Mahadevan’s Nanhi si jaan tops my list, followed closely by Vishal Dadlani’s Tere andar bhi. Life bahot and Dabba are great examples of simple tunes and heart-warming lyrics!
Kichu kichu – Suriya Nagaram (Tamil – Fen Viallee)
One of those recent tracks in Tamil that threw me completely out of comfort zone. I had a similar feeling while listening to A R Rahman’s ‘I miss you da’ from Sakkarakatti, though Kichu kichu is several notches more unpredictable…as unpredictable as the composer’s strange name!
Character dheela & Dhinka chika – Ready (Hindi – Pritam & Devi Sri Prasad)
If Character dheela is street-smart, Dhinka chika is 10 times more so! Both are immensely whistle-worthy!
Kaathiruppen (Tamil – Ilayaraja)
For some reason, this song brought back memories of Chinna Gounder to me, even though tune-wise it has nothing similar. Perhaps it is that serene rhythms in the song…similar to ‘Muthu mani maala’?
Sarphira sa – Luv U…Mr.Kalakaar (Hindi – Sandesh Shandilya)
I can’t imagine this song in anybody else’s voice besides Neeraj Shridhar. Lovely tune by Sandesh, but even better choice for the voice!
Idhazhil – Naanga (Tamil – Bala Bharathy)
It must be that raaga Hamsanadham that works instantly in this song’s favor. Like Karthik sings in the song, ‘Idhu murayo’, it is not fair to compare this version of the raaga with perhaps the best ever Hamsanadham rendition in Tamil cinema – Ilayaraja’s ‘Thendral vandhu’ from Thendrale Ennai Thodu. So, if you do not composer, this is a mighty impressive version indeed!
Tonight – Luv Ka The End (Hindi – Ram Sampath)
Another song that I can’t think of any other voice besides the one chosen – Suman Sridhar rocks this song!
Rasathi – Avan Ivan (Tamil – Yuvan Shankar Raja)
This is one heck of a psychedelic soundscape…particularly that ‘Kaattu sirukkiye’ portion! However, as I had mentioned in this soundtrack’s review, I do lose interest in that flat ‘Aaanaai naan vandhadhum’, though I completely understand that it may have significance within the film – tune-wise it bores me, before bringing the punchy ‘Kaatu sirukkiye’ back.
Bhojhal se – I Am (Hindi – Rajiv Bhalla)
KK is the man for this soulful, pensive track! The tune literally moves you with its words! And it is particularly interesting that this song by Rajiv Bhalla is my chosen one for this list and not any of the 3 songs composed by Amit Trivedi.
Aariro – Dheiva Thirumagan (Tamil – GV Prakash Kumar)
The song that impacts the most in the soundtrack – a haunting, if a bit too filmy lullaby.
Sandhikkaadha kangalil & Nee korinaal – 180 (Tamil – Sharreth Vasudevan)
Having gone completely ga-ga over this soundtrack, let me just say that these are two of the best tracks I have heard in Tamil music this year…yet.
Gaddi moudan ge & Bandiya tu – Dharti (Punjabi – Jaidev Kumar)
With Rabbi Shergill crooning Bandiya tu, can Jaidev Kumar go wrong? Of course not! Great combo and a super track! Jaidev pulls off the Punju hip-pop impressively in Mika’s Gaddi moudan ge.
Infatuation, Dhooram, Thiru thiru & That is Mahalakhsmi – 100% Love (Telugu – Devi Sri Prasad)
One of the best Telugu soundtracks this year…yet! Tons of great songs and these 4 stay on top of my mind. Particularly Dhooram!
Saibo & Karma is a bitch – Shor In The City (Hindi – Sachin Jigar)
If the former is a delightful melody, the latter reinvents Amit Trivedi! Two knockout songs by Sachin Jigar.
Bavani varugiraa & Annanmaar kathai – Ponnar Shankar (Tamil – Ilayaraja)
The veteran makes his presence felt and how! Just try tracking the unusual flow in both these songs and you know why he is the Maestro!
The entire album – Rewind: None Lost Memories (Indipop – Band Called Nine)
Nothing more to add about this album, besides the fact that this is exactly how I envisage IndiPop albums should be created – thematic and rich in music.
Nede nede – A Strange Love Story (Hindi – Santokh Singh)
A bizarre album with a out of business actors and a B-grade looking Ashutosh Rana trying to look menacing from the CD cover? Sheesh! But don’t miss Santokh Singh’s (the CD doesn’t give individual break-up between the 3 composers – I’m assuming this is by Santokh) ‘Nede nede’, sung beautifully by Sukhwinder Singh! Had this been in a better soundtrack this song would definitely be talked about.
Meherbaan, Laila & Khel khel mein – 1 (Indipop – Faridkot)
The only 3 songs that stood out for me in Faridkot’s debut album…one in which they say they have added ‘confused pop’ songs that they have been playing on stage for a long time. The sound is distinctly Pakistani Rock, but lead vocalist Inderpreet Singh’s punchy vocals add enough uniqueness.