2006 gave us Rang De Basanti(Verdict: Great songs)
2007 gave us Guru(Verdict: Gung-ho music)
2008 gave us Jodha Akhbar(Verdict: Works well on screen)
Now.2009.
If expectations are in any case high for any Rahman music after givinga dud in the form of the Hindi remake Ghajini(Slow songs and rushedlyrics do-no-work in an action movie mind you), it’s high with RakeyshMehra after Blockbuster and path-breaking film, Rang De Basanti.
Now he’s back with Delhi 6. But does Rahman succeed the second time around? Not really and here’s why:
Arzyian, a bhajan song. Not the kind you would play in your car with full blast. Maybe for sleeping. Kailash Kher and Javed Ali aptly support the song but it could’ve been better. It’s one of those songs that associate well with the film rather than listening to it.
Masakilli with Mohit Chauhan rocks. Great tune and https://lyrics.
Tumre Bhavan mein is something you would hear in a Sooraj Bhartja movie. Nothing great, skippable.
Bhor Bhaye is a weird composition. Mainly because the singers pairing of Shreya Goshal and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali. That and the balance of Classical and modern music is jarringly bad.
Delhi 6 fails to work because it tries to be another Rang De. Fact. You do not put nasal and sruthi-less singers like Blaaze and Tanvi in a song like this. Total turn off and I god wonder how it’s going to fit in an off-beat author-backed film like this. Why the rapping?
Prasoon Joshi is slowly loosing steam and you can tell with Dil Gira Darfataan with debutant Ash King and Chinmayye. Later parts of the song is so lifted from "Sneghithenee/Chupke Se" from Alaipaiuthey/Saathiya.
At last, a song called Genda Phool saves this not-so-great soundtrack thanks to Rekha Bharadwaj. Again, situational but it’s worth a hear after hearing below average tunes so far.
Hey Kaala Bandar , please hit the skip button. Waste of composition and a rip off from Rang De’s "Be a Rebel remix" Again, were they composing this in the middle of the night where everyone’s in deep sleep? Or was this during lunch break?
Amitabh Bachchan chips in for a couple of seconds in Noor as Aamir did in Rang De’s "Lalkaar" No need to comment on this. But the last track of the album, Rehna Tu by Rahman himself strikes a chord. It syncs well with the tune of the song and moreover. Quite catchy after a couple of hears.
Rang De Basanti was far-far better than this. For a author-backed film, Delhi 6 fails to strike anything good other than Masakilli or Rehna Tu. May work when the film release, regardless of box-office verdict. Anyways, nothing great from Delhi-6. Was expecting grand after the miserable Ghajini. I expect better work in Raavana/Asokavanam.
EDIT(2/11): Because of my damn adoration of Rehna Tu(Courtesy of my repeat button), This gets a 3-star. But still, it’s a decent album [not Jodha Akhbar good although]. Gave album 10 hearings after the much disappointed comments I’ve received.