Music Review Ek Villain

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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USA: Free $30 Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…Expectations:

We have high expectations from Mohit Suri's first outside film – here is a filmmaker who is very intense, and likes his music to be similar in emotional quotient. Plus, we have his Aashiqui 2 as a predecessor.

Music:

'Galliyan' (Ankit Tiwari) is interesting as a concept, with the main lyrics ('Yahin marna aur jeena / Yahin mandir aur madina') striking a resonance with the listener. Frankly, I preferred the duet version by Shraddha Kapoor and Ankit Tiwari, as Ankit's vocals tend to be too harsh for a song in such a placid mood. This is a clear case of miscasting himself, as Ankit also composes the song. Here is a track that would have fitted the redoubtable KK like the proverbial glove, whereas Ankit sings it in a gimmicky tenor that sounds fake and for the genre of the song, mildly irritating. However, his orchestration is very impressive.

Manoj Muntashir's heart-to-heart lyrics could have eschewed patent contemporary words like 'sargoshi' 'kaafile' and 'duaaen'. Aashiqui 2 and Citylights are sparkling examples where simple language was used to communicate moods with concise effectiveness. That artlessness was needed here as well.

Having said that, Shraddha Kapoor is a revelation in both, her vocal texture and expressiveness, never mind the technical processing a singer's voice gets today. Considering that this is her professional debut, this near-cooing tone was just what the lyrics needed.

Mithoon's well-written and composed 'Banjaara' as sung by Mohammed Irfan, is a nice track. The haunting pace and the singer's expressive rendition take this song a notch higher than the lead track. We liked the novel touch of the singer taking some lines an octave higher to heighten the impact. In lesser songs of today, the gimmick of a different higher-pitched singer would have been utilized.

Mithoon also composes and writes two more songs here. We loved the ambience of 'Zaroorat' (Mustafa Zahid's deep voice is the USP of this number). The lyrics ( 'Andheron se tha mera rishta bada / Toone hi ujaalon se waaqif kiya / Ab lauta main hoon inn andheron mein') and the orchestration are a cut above the norm. We liked the juxtaposition of '60s-'70s melody with modern sound and the rock guitars. They impart a lot of weight to this lovely number and create the perfect aura.

'Humdard' (Arijit Singh) emerges as the loveliest song on the score, never mind if it is a slow beginner at the charts. Mithoon, who is fast emerging as a better writer than a composer, poses this intriguing query ( 'Pal do pal ki kyun hai zindagi / Iss pyaar ko hai sadiyan kaafi nahin / To khuda se maang loon / Mohlat main ek nayi') in the words. The song hits the right notes even in our hearts and Arijit Singh's vocals, of course, add the final lustre to this melody that whisks us straight to the golden era.

A completely synthetic number that sounds calculated is 'Awari' (Adnan Dhool-Momina Mustehsan). Despite its orchestral flashiness, the song is as conventionally contemporary as they come. But for Momina's punchy vocals, the song is an average number. It has everything a typical 'modern' song has, sadness expressed in (unnecessarily) higher octaves, 'trendy' lyrics that have no depth, lyrical gimmicks ( 'Awari') and over-loud orchestration.

Overall:

The music attempts to tread Aashiqui 2's terrain. However, while most of the songs are melodious, a comparable level of lyrical depth is missing- and therein lies the vital difference.

The rating, as always, is for the commercial prospects of the songs and their role in helping the film.

Our Pick:

'Galliyan', 'Zaroorat', 'Hamdard'

Music: Ankit Tiwari, Mithoon & Rabbi Ahmed-Adnan Dhool
Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir, Mithoon & Rabbi Ahmed-Adnan Dhool
Music Label: T-Series

Article written by staff at Bollywood Hungama. Read more

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