Lyrics - Niranjan Iyengar
Music - Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy(SEL)
Sajda -(Richa Sharma- Rahat fateh ali Khan) - Low and continous notes on the keyboard immediately tell you it is a karan johar movie music album and whatever doubt remains is cleared by Richa Sharma’s rendition of typical’I will die but love will remain’ words. RFAK comes in takes the song to somewhat different level but the chorus, in’oh-so-very-massy’ manner starts chanting’Sajda karu’ giving the song a very massy and’Philmy’ feel. Not one of RFAK’s best but that’s not his fault. He had a mediocre chorus to tackle. Richa sharma is as usual good. Yes you will hear’Beliya, Ranjhna, mahiya’ a lot.after all it is Karan Johar’s movie.no!(Typical Shankar Mahadevan is singing in the background, same sound.so many times.arrgh!)
Noor E Khuda(Shankar-Adnan Sami) -O Wow! The songs with a lovely Azaan *like sound from Shankar and backed with a soothing guitar and even more soothing Adnan Sami comes the most innovative song of this album. Deep words, deeper wordings. This song will take your breath away if you have ever fantasised about a world in which GOD is one and all are friends. Adnan Sami is just brilliant and Kudos to the composers because the song takes a *qawwali touch the moment you get used to the guitar which gets replaced by a faint Tabla, eventually all leading up to deep bass notes giving the song a very very mystical yet known feel. Shreya gets in and again does well.she wasn’t required here though(but welll it is a Karan Johar movie.everyone must come in every song.no?) *The Sarangi which ends the song is breath-taking and very very touchy! Good work!
Tere Naina(Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan) – Starts off as a typical SEL album. Shafqat does try to impress us with some lovely variations. Typically a song in which parents would take their kids out and the smokers will have their smoke. If I am right(I doubt though) this would be somewhere near to the post-intermission time. Nothing special except the qawwali setting and some mediocre chorus. Not one of Shafqat’s best
Allah hi Rahem(Ustaad Rashid Khan Saab) - Finally Rashid saab re-appears on the hindi film music scene(after jab we met’aaogey jab tum’). He is accompanied by a unique instrument used by the wandering faqirs called as Chimta. A faint Harmonium never leaves his company as Ustaad ji dives into the descriptions of Allah and his presence everywhere.pure divine. I might be a bit positively biased to Ustaad saab because I am just an awestruck fan of Ustaad saab since 8 years now, but by all means a lovely qawwali. No hysteria, just pure bliss as Ustaad saab ends this number slowly, almost putting us to face to face with Allah himself.
Khan Theme(Strings) - Sounds more like the casting music of the film with heavy Violins and elaborate musical setting.(Ah! the fascination with’all things big’ of Mr. Johar!)
Rang de(Shankar Mahadevan - Suraj Jagan) - The song with a beautiful message but arguably the weakest execution as you will feel the’soul’ is missing. The best part is the fusion of ’sarangi’ with electric guitar. Nice!. Could be a climax sort of a song wherein the audience arent paying much attention to the song anyway! Suraj Jagan comes in and goes out with consummate ease. Thank God for singers like him are getting more work. We need to hear you more Suraj!
Finally:
A music album which is very filmy albeit with a qawwali feel to the music and mystical https://lyrics. wont be a part of my regular hearing. Could catch up marginally when the film releases. Am I surprised? No! The film is supposed to carry a good message and isn’t a typical Karan Johar-ish ice candy drama. Definitely worth a buy to encourage Mr. Johar to innovate a bit more!
Peace and equanimity!