Music Review: Chalo Dilli

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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EXPECTATIONS One doesn’t have any clue whatsoever around what to expect from the music of Chalo Dilli. Since the film is based on ‘road movie’ genre and doesn’t quite have a conventional romance angle per se, it is difficult to pin point what exactly does Chalo Dilli soundtrack have in store for listeners. With various composers like Anand Raj Anand, Gourov Dasgupta, Sachin Gupta and Rohit Kulkarni coming up with a song apiece, you just play on the soundtrack with minimal expectations and hope to be surprised.

MUSIC The album kick-starts with the sound of ‘Chalo Dilli’ which has been blazing across all music channels that have been airing the film’s promos for around a fortnight now. A foot tapping number with a Punjabi base, courtesy Manthan’s lyrics and arrangements that have Western fusion to them, this Gourov Dasgupta composition turns out to be instantly catchy and makes you revisit it all over again. One of the better theme tracks to have come out in recent times, this Raja Hasan sung number has just the right kind of energy and spunk to it which was much needed for the film. ‘Matargashtiya’ carries forward the fun element with the Punjabi flavour remaining intact, what with Anand Raj Anand being the lyricist/composer here with Sukhwinder Singh doing the honours behind the mike. A song about being casual in approach and just allowing the time to fly past by, ‘Matargashtiya’ is a situational track that should look good on screen, courtesy picturisation that does promise effective storytelling. There is a surprise in store though with the album changing route and taking the item song lane, courtesy June Banerjee sung ‘Laila Mein Laila’ which has been adapted from the namesake number in Qurbani. While the latter was an out and out Western number, the former is a fusion mix with a Punjabi setting to it. So one pretty much foresees Yana Gupta (on whom the song is picturised) to get into a ‘Babuji’ [Dum] mode while gyrating to this one. While the ‘mukhda’ of ‘Laila Mein Laila’ is kept intact by Gourov Dasgupta, lyricist Manthan comes up with altogether different to give it a different dimension. The song, despite appearing in ‘Club Mix’ version as well, is not an instant chartbuster and one waits to see how Yana ends up enticing audience with her moves here. It’s the sound of Chalo Dilli that blazes all over again before Neeraj Shridhar starts crooning Hi 5. A Sachin Gupta composition which is all about having fun in life, forgetting your worries and living it all to the fullest, Hi 5 (heard again in ‘Club Mix’ version) has a celebration setting to it which has a mix of Hindi and English lyrics by Krishika Lulla (who is also the film’s producer) and Shabbir Ahmed. This is yet another track that has a situational appeal to it and doesn’t quite promise much once the film is off the screens. Those who have caught the promos of the film would realise that one of the standard lines mouthed by the film’s lead actor Vinay Pathak is ‘Kaun Si Badi Baat Ho Gayi’. A song based on the same lyrics by Shabbir Ahmed comes at this point in the album where yet again the album takes a Punjabi route. This time around the flavour is much more traditional and the results are good as well. Seemingly a pre-climax song where the protagonists find themselves at a juncture where they have to take some tough decisions, ‘Kaun Se Badi Baat’ composed by Rohit Kulkarni should prove to be effective on screen. Just before the album approaches its end, Rohit Kulkarni brings in an out and out English track titled ‘Moments In Life’. A background number that could perhaps be playing around the opening credit title roll or during introduction of Lara Dutta’s character, this Neisha Mascarenha written and Natalie Di Luccio sung track has a classy feel to it and lends a quality element to the album.

OVERALL Music of Chalo Dilli is better than what one expected from the soundtrack even though it doesn’t quite boast of that one big smash number that could have made all the difference. Also, majority of songs have a situational appeal to them which means that once the film is off theaters, there is minimal chance of the album finding much sustenance for itself. Though musically ‘Laila Mein Laila’ doesn’t turn out to be great shakes, it is one song that makers would have to rely open if they want the album to leave any impression commercially.

OUR PICK(S) Chalo Dilli, Kaun Se Badi Baat, Laila O Laila

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