Music Review: Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji

EXPECTATIONS There are good expectations from the music of Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji for multiple reasons. Firstly and most importantly, the film bings together the team of Pritam, Emraan Hashmi and Ajay Devgn which did wonders in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai earlier this year. Secondly, the film showcases a new side of Madhur Bhandarkar with romcom being the chosen flavour. For his last musical Fashion, he had extracted some fantastic musical score from Salim-Sulaiman. One expects him to have done something similar for his newest endeavour as well. Neelesh Mishra, Kumaar, Sanjay Chhel and Sayeed Quadri write.

MUSIC The album begins with a song which is pretty much the kind that one expects from a Pritam-Emraan combo. A soft love song with a childlike feel to it, ‘Abhi Kuch Dino Se’ has a quintessential Mohit Chauhan stamp to it as the singer gets behind the mike. Also, one can’t miss the countryside melody to it as Pritam spins a tune that is easy on ears and becomes catchy after a single listening itself. While the ‘mukhda’ hooks you instantly, the ‘antara’ is set in the 70s and brings one close to the kind of middle-of-the-road cinema which was made in that era. A song by Neelesh Mishra which should get popular in weeks to come. The song which should appeal instantly to all those who have grown on Sonu Nigam’s songs from Deewana, Yaad and Jaan (three cult non-film albums that the singer made a few years ago) is ‘Tere Bin’. Easily the song of the album, ‘Tere Bin’ has some heart felt lyrics by Kumaar (the young man is indeed spinning some very good words film after film) that make an instant connect with those deeply in love. Yet again, the ‘sur’ of the album doesn’t see any deviation whatsoever with first ‘Abhi Kuch Dino Se’ and now ‘Tere Bin’ ensuring that the melody being created here remains intact. No wonder, this song is special enough to be repeated in a ‘remix version’ (one doesn’t quite mind that here) as well as the ‘reprise version’ (by Naresh Iyer). Though there is absolutely nothing wrong with Naresh’s version here (in fact it doesn’t even sound much different either), one would still want to go back to what Sonu renders. To bring in some variety in the album comes ‘Yeh Dil Hai Nakhrewala’ which is a jazz track sung by new find Shefali Alvaris. Frankly, this is one sing that one takes time to warm up to. Again, the song doesn’t offend one by any means. However, in an album where one was primarily hunting for a few more love songs, a naughty track like this which is written by Neelesh Mishra and has a 50s/60s setting to it, isn’t quite the kind that one was expecting to come soon after. The ‘remix version’ though (by Antara Mitra) is spunkier and does catch your attention. Nevertheless, one moves on to ‘Jadugari’ which again ends up giving what one was expecting from a Pritam soundtrack here. A rhythmic number which again has soft undertone to it, ‘Jadugari’ has a soft feel to it, courtesy the manner in which Kunal Ganjawala sings it. While one is tempted to believe that this would be picturised on Emraan Hashmi, it won’t be surprising if Ajay Devgn manages to bag it as well. A song with a trademark Pritam feel to it, ‘Jadugari’ appears effortless and this is where its win lies. Last to come is ‘Beshuba’ which is the first and the only duet in this album made of solo tracks. Antara Mitra is in her elements once again after ‘Bheegi Si’ (Raajneeti) and it is just apt that she takes the lead in this love song which has some new lyrics by Sayeed Quadri. She is later joined by Kunal Ganjawala who further adds on to the youth appeal of the album. Yet again, ‘Beshuba’ is one of those songs where just one listening can confirm that it is a song composed by Pritam.

OVERALL Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji is a good album which has a consistent sound to it (except for ‘Yeh Dil Hai Nakhrewala’ which is not bad but does deviate a little from the rest of the songs). As expected from Madhur Bhandarkar, he makes Pritam compose some classy tunes which go well with the urban romcom genre. Due to this reason, the album doesn’t have any hardcore massy number that could have possibly acted as an anchor on which Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji could have entirely depended upon. This also means that the album would need a certain time period in which it can be nurtured so that it finds widespread all around acceptability. This Pritam soundtrack would find more audience for itself once the film releases and turns into a (possible) success.

OUR PICK(S) Tere Bin, Abhi Kuch Dino Se, Jadugari