Milliblog Weeklies – India’s only multilingual, weekly new music playlist.
Week 204: On Spotify | On YouTube
14 songs this week. All the songs are available on both YouTube and Spotify.
Aap Jaisa Koi – An Action Hero (Biddu, Tanishk Bagchi) – Hindi: Even though it feels like Tanishk has defanged the punch from Biddu’s effervescent original, the singing by Zahrah S Khan and Altamash Faridi adds a new zing to the recreation! That, plus the original’s timeless appeal helps this new version sail through!
Rubaaiyaan, Phero Na Najariya & Udh Jaayega – Qala (Amit Trivedi, Sagar Desai) – Hindi: I finally caught up with Monica, O My Darling and thoroughly enjoyed both the film and Achint’s songs (and much of the backgrounds derived from the songs). But I stand by what I had written last week about not particularly enjoying the film’s songs as standalone, listenable musical pieces.
The reason why I invoke that soundtrack is to compare it to what Amit does in Qala. While Vasan Bala gets Achint to create really enjoyable and thematically appropriate songs in Monica, they are also intentionally crafted to add to the darkly humorous situations in the film (with hilarious lyrics!). They are an integral part of the film’s mood and narrative.
In Qala, Amit invokes a different period in Indian film music but he treats them as serious musical pieces without caricaturing artists from that era (which was intentionally important in Monica, though). And so, Shahid Mallya and Sireesha Bhagavatula hold their own in Amit’s (and the Sagar Desai-composed Udh Jaayega) melodies that are less derivative of the period and more original while only evoking a whiff of nostalgia.
While Rubaaiyaan’s charming lightness comes from Shahid’s excellent singing, he is equally good in the Kabir bhajan Udh Jaayega. Sireesha, much like Ghodey Pe Sawaar (about which I wrote last week), is fantastic with the soulful and pensive Phero Na Najariya.
Chal Chakka – Gatta Kusthi (Justin Prabhakaran) – Tamil: Justin’s nod to early Rahman-style music (Yaaro Yaarodi, perhaps!) is a bit apparent, but he makes it sound unique enough as it progresses, and also in that extended, cleverly misdirecting prelude that appears again towards the end. Benny Dayal (and the chorus) is in his ebullient self.
Anjanathi – Pattathu Arasan (Ghibran) – Tamil: Unfortunately, after Yaaro Yaaro, the rest of the soundtrack is hardly a patch on the Sarkunam-Ghibran repertoire. Anjanathi is the only other song that made the cut for me, that too, thanks more to the early-Rahman sound than Ghibran’s own!
Boss Party – Waltair Veerayya (Devi Sri Prasad) – Telugu: This is DSP going as “mass” as he can for the sake of a lungi-clad Chiranjeevi. The reggaeton-soaked tune is more than adequately catchy and even takes on an extra bouncy detour toward the end!
Kayalum Kandalum – The Teacher (Dawn Vincent) – Malayalam: More than the actual melody (handled aptly by Sreenanda Sreekumar), it’s Dawn’s overall sound that impresses even more. The interlude that plays after the pallavi is both brilliantly resonant and a beautifully inventive showcase of the Kerala-sound!
Raymo Faymo – Raymo (Arjun Janya) – Kannada: For a movie about 2 singers, Arjun’s (working with director Pavan Wadeyar for the first time) music in this soundtrack is rather uninspiring. The one song that worked for me was the title song. Arjun mounts the song very well and Sanjith Hegde does the honors in elevating it.
Dooradinda – Mysore Diaries (Charan Raj) – Kannada: It looks like this song was first released 2 years ago and is now being re-released since, I presume, the film is finally seeing the light of day. Did I miss this when it released first, or didn’t I like it enough… I do not recall. I do like it now 🙂 It’s a lovely ode to both friendship and Mysuru! That hook, ‘Sneha andhre hajaru namage naave rajaru, is terrific given how often and how well it is used in the song.
Shehnaiyan & Rahiyo Na – Jadu Salona (Amit Trivedi) – Hindi/Indipop: A rather simple and straight song that is totally in sync with Amit’s templates. And yet, thanks to Rupali Moghe’s (and Amit Trivedi’s) singing, and Durgesh Bhosle’s shehnai, the mild lilt in the melody comes out better and engages. But Rahiyo Na works more easily given the catchy bounce and effortless lilt.
Lakiro – Lakiro (Parth Bharat Thakkar) – Gujarati: The sound Parth mounts here is superbly expansive and showy, with a brilliant brass section! Amit Trivedi’s singing is top notch and it all comes together wonderfully in a joyous outburst.
Load Hai – Raftaar, ft. Yunan (Hindi/Indipop): Dilin Nair aka Raftaar surprises with Load Hai! Instead of rap or hip hop, he opts for a synthpop sound here and it works effortlessly, creating a catchy vibe that is easy on the ears and the feet!
