This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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One expects a soundtrack which is rustic, yet a lot of fun, in Gangs Of Wasseypur. After all, Anurag Kashyap has cracked the code when it comes to music of some of his latest films, be it Shaitan (as a producer) and Dev D (as a director). While he has stuck to the film's theme for the respective soundtracks, he has shown the flair for commercial gains as well. With the promotion of Gangs Of Wasseypur in full steam, one expects the music to be hot as well, what with Sneha Khanwalkar (of Oye Lucky Lucky Oye fame) as the composer. Varun Grover is the lyricist here.
MUSIC
Expectedly, the album takes a smash start with 'Jiya Tu' which is as rooted to the cow belt as it can get. The pacing is just perfect, the pauses right and the arrangements a good fusion of Indian and Western that ensure that 'Jiya Tu' would be an absolute riot when it plays on the big screen. The song has already been dominating the music channels for quite some time now and with Manoj Tiwari getting just the right rustic flavour to the song, you know that 'Jiya Tu' is a popular number in the making, especially amongst its target audience.
Vedesh Sookoo, Rajneesh, Shyamoo and Munna come together for 'Hunter' and one can well say that it's a bunch of amateur singers who are roped in for the demand of the situation and don't do a bad job at that. A Hinglish number that is sung in a unique style which is irritating to the core (and hence solves the purpose for its very setting), 'Hunter' is the kind that you hear in the 'band baaja' routine during marriage processions in small towns.
Choice of unique singers continues with 'O Womaniya' which has Khushboo Raaj and Rekha Jha coming behind the mike. Catchy in its own strange way and rooted to the core, one is well transported into the world that Anurag Kashyap has created in his Wasseypur. Of course this is not the kind that sets the charts on fire but for the film's setting, this fun number should grab attention. The song is later repeated as 'Womaniya'.
However the track that could well find its way across different segments of audience is 'Keh Ke Lunga' which haunts with its sensuality and also borders on throwing a listener into a trance. Of course the lyrics by Piyush Mishra are risqué here and also border on being outright double meaning at points but still the way it is sung by Amit Trivedi and Sneha Khanwalkar makes you play it on repeatedly. Sung in a low husky voice with a setting where one expects smoke and darkness all around, 'Keh Ke Lunga' manages to stand out in this album that has as many as 13 tracks.
The way 'Bhoos' begins, it instantly reminds one of 'Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala' [Shree 420]. With a similar rhythmic motion to it, 'Bhoos' is rendered by Manish J. Tipu and Bhupesh Singh who keep the rustic mood intact and come up with a song which is basically to aid the film's narrative. The musical instruments too seem to be played live here with no touch up whatsoever by technology. What follows next is an all around show by Piyush Mishra who composes, writes and sings 'Ik Bagal'. Sounding like a number which is straight from the 50s, one waits to see how exactly is the song picturised in the film.
If 'Keh Ke Loonga' hinted on trance, 'Bhaiyya' takes many steps ahead in that direction and fuses Western arrangements with sounds of the interiors of India. Performed by 'The Musahar of Sundarpur', it has a haunting feel to it and though one can't make out a single word of what is actually being sung, it is clear that Sneha and Anurag have just let themselves lose in creating this soundtrack without worrying much from the commercial aspects.
This is apparent once again in 'Tain Tain To To' which is, as the title suggests, a lyric-less song and just has 'tain tain to to ti ti' and stuff alike filling in for the words here. Sneha brings herself on for the song (if we can call it one!) and adds good pace and rhythm to it while making one wonder how exactly would it play on screen. By this time one is a tad impatient to hear something that comes anywhere close to 'Jiya Tu' or 'Keh Le Loonga'. However that is not the case as 'Soona Kar Ke Gharwa' by Sujeet-Gaya doesn't quite fit the bill and only adds to the rooted tracks that aid the film's narrative but that's about it.
Perhaps Anurag and Sneha too were cognizant of that and hence bring on 'Aey Jawanon' at this point. A track that continues to bear a rural flavour, 'Aey Jawanon' is actually an extended musical piece that brings singers on the fore only in its other version 'Loonga Loonga'. With Ranjeet Baal Party and Akshay Verma at the helm of affairs, this one also amalgamates the sound of 'Keh Ke Lunga' in it. With Western arrangements taking this three minute long track forward, it does hold your attention for a while but doesn't quite go all the away.
Just like 'Ik Bagal' which was set in the 50s, even 'Manmauji' goes back in time with Usri Banerjee rendering words that are set by Piyush Mishra. It should do well for the film's situation but doesn't quite have the punch that 'Ranaji' from Anurag's own Gulaal had boasted of. The album concludes with 'Humni Ke Chhodi Ke' which has Deepak Kumar (from Muzzafarpur) coming behind the mike. The song is in the same mould as 'Soona Kar Ke Gharwa' and 'Bhoos' as far as being rooted is concerned and doesn't stand a chance outside the film's run.
OVERALL
One really expected a much more entertaining album in Gangs of Wasseypur but despite it being song-heavy, it doesn't quite boast of tracks that have a long lasting appeal. In fact even as background score, they may just about compliment the narrative even though one was look forward to something much more interesting in the offering, especially with Sneha Khanwalkar at the helm of affairs. Of course she sticks to the theme but in the process doesn't quite mould it in a way that could reach out to wider segment of audience.
OUR PICK(S)
Jiya Tu, Keh Ke Lunga, O Womaniya
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