Music Review: Dangal

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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EXPECTATIONS

Finally, soundtrack of one of the biggest films of 2016 has arrived. This is practically the last major album for film releases of the current year, and hence, one just hopes that composer Pritam and lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya churn out something interesting. There are four songs from the film that are already out along with the videos and hence you have a fair idea of the kind of Haryanvi flavor that the music carries.

MUSIC

It is a supremely fun start for Dangal as kids Sarwar Khan and Sartaz Khan Barna come together to croon ‘Haanikaarak Bapu’. Soaking in Haryanvi folk sound, this one is about kids wondering if their father (Bapu) is out for their lives by putting them through a series of gruelling sessions in order to get fit. A foot tapping number with some real fun lyrics, this one is a chartbuster from the word ‘go’!

The manner in which ‘Dhaakad’ begins, you are instantly reminded of ‘Banno’ (Tanu Weds Manu Returns). Well, that is understandable too considering the fact that both films had Haryanvi characters taking the centre-stage. This time around, it is Raftaar who gets into Haryanvi rap and the way he sets the base for ‘Dhaakad’ catches your attention straightaway. A ‘desi’ number all the way, it also has an ‘Aamir Khan version’ where the actor does well all over again to give a good account of himself as a singer. He sings this one at a low pitch and ends up making a high impression all over again.

The song that brings in a different sound in the course of the flow of the soundtrack is ‘Gilehriyaan‘. A sweet sounding number with a poetic feel to it, this one is sung quite well by Jonita Gandhi. She expresses the thoughts and emotions of a girl who is just exploring the sense of youthfulness after moving on from being a teenager. A situational song that should bring in some ‘thehrav’ in the narrative, it works well.

Next to arrive is the title song and the man who has been entrusted to do the job, Daler Mehndi, is in his characteristic thumping form. There is good build up to ‘Dangal‘ which has a good chorus going for it before Daler Mehndi takes centre-stage. Expect the sound of this song to play right through the narrative of the film, especially at the interval point and then during the climax. This one has an arresting sound.

As for those who need their regular dose of Arijit Singh in every soundtrack, there is ‘Naina’. Though the song is not the kind that gets on your lips after the first hearing itself, it sounds pleasant every time you play it around. A sad song which has Pritam delivering a kind of tune which doesn’t lend a usual platform to Arijit, it has quite some variation going for it which warrants that the song is given a close hearing.

Nooran sisters (Jyoti and Sultana) come together for ‘Idiot Banna’ and somehow end up sounding like Mamta Sharma. In fact the manner in which the song begins also reminds one of songs like ‘Munni Badnaam’, ‘Fevicol Se’ and ‘Tinku Jiya’ to name a few. Nonetheless, it is Amitabh Bhattacharya’s lyrics with Pritam’s setting of the song in the Haryanvi ambience that makes all the difference. The song is about a newly married woman wondering how her husband has entirely different ideas of romance and one can well expect this to be set in a flashback where Sakshi Tanwar remembers her earlier days with Aamir Khan.

OVERALL

The music of Dangal is largely entertaining and while it has a predominantly situational feel to it, all credit to Pritam and Amitabh Bhattacharya for still going ahead and adding good enough ingredients to the songs that are set to keeps the pace of the narrative flowing.

OUR PICK(S)

‘Haanikaarak Bapu’, ‘Dhaakad’, ‘Gilehriyaan’, ‘Dangal’

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