Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. Just like the long name, the expectations from this movie are also huge with Salman Khan reuniting with his favourite director Sooraj Barjatya after a long time. With the kind of movies associated with the Barjatyas, it is no surprise that one expects traditional and pure melodies that have always been their trademark. Himesh Reshammiya is on board as the composer and with talented Irshad Kamil’s lyrics, the stage is set for a grand musical with some lilting melodies.
Prem Leela starts off the soundtrack with the vocals of Himesh protégés Aman Trikha and Vineet Singh. It is a celebratory number highlighting the essence of the Ramayana, which is also expected to be the introductory song of Prem(Salman). This situational track requires a few repeat listens to grow on the listener, though the arrangements are quite similar to Himesh’s previous works. Aman Trikha’s voice has an infectious energy and he puts in a commendable effort throughout handling the variations in pitch effectively. Slightly better arrangements would have worked more in favour of the song which would no doubt become popular with the video.
Rating: 3/5
The title track Prem Ratan Dhan Payo appears next, though one would have expected the title track to begin the album. Palak Muchal gets the onus of handling this prominent song and what an impact she leaves in the end! Right from the beginning of the song, it is crystal clear that this is going to be a lavish affair. The arrangements are so grand, the tune is extremely pleasing and Kamil’s words add a lot of depth to the fine composition. Himesh gives it a completely Indian orchestration while Palak’s singing is straight out of the top drawers. Though her voice is too similar to Shreya Ghoshal, she will leave the listeners floored without any doubt. Watch out for this lovely title track on the big screen!
Rating:4/5
The first two tracks are over and there is no sign of any established singer yet. Jalte Diye sees newbies Anweshaa, Vineet Singh and the experienced Harshdeep Kaur getting behind the mike. Harshdeep begins the track in her trademark husky tone and the moment Anweshaa enters the scene, one is left stunned to hear the kind of ease with which she has managed this semi classical outing. This composition flows like a free flowing river and is an absolute gem. Vineet handles his portions with great aplomb hardly ever putting a foot wrong. Irshad Kamil writes some beautiful lines which add vibrancy to the already fabulous tune. It is a big opportunity for these young talents and they make the most of it, delivering the best song of the year so far. Kudos to Himesh for this classy and masterful affair.
Rating: 4.5/5
The album has packed in serious punches on the quality front till now and we have Shaan singing the next track Aaj Unse Milna Hai. The tune and the arrangements are reminiscent of the 90’s and as the song starts unravelling, it brings a smile on a listener’s face as it is a literal Diwali treat! Though situational, the music has the power to catch hold of our attention on first listen itself. Shaan reminds one of Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan, yet he manages to hold his own ground in this feel good number. Kamil’s lyrics are simple, yet convey happiness. Himesh keeps the melodic quotient high throughout and his collaboration with Shaan after many years is surely a’sweet’ treat for music lovers. Expect this song to be a rage in weddings after the video is out. It’s a hattrick of sixers in the album now
Rating:4/5
The next track is Jab Tum Chaaho sung by Palak Muchal and Mohammad Irfan which is once again a throwback to the olden eras. It’s a naughty conversational number which can be expected to be played in a romantic juncture of the movie. Since the lyrics have a naughty appeal, one expects the singers also to follow suit. But it is slightly disappointing to hear the plain vocals of Palak and Irfan sans the treatment required for this number. Their voices had to convey more than what we get to listen here. Perhaps records of a few such songs of Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhonsle in a similar genre might have helped the singers here. The arrangements too are quite mundane and carry a heard before feel, but the song on a whole is peppy. This one might work more on screen.
Rating:2.5/5
Aman Trikha gets one more chance to do the honours of the next track Haalo Re. Now, this is an out and out dandiya number and the singer effortlessly manages to crawl into our hearts with a highly spirited and energetic rendition. Himesh keeps the arrangements minimal allowing Aman’s deep vocals to do all the talking. At a few junctures, Aman reminds one of Sukhwinder Singh, yet he maintains his own unique, authoritative style which is commendable, thus scaling one higher step compared to Prem Leela. One more song for people to dance to this Navratri! Himesh’s gamble of entrusting the job to new talent has paid dividends.
Rating: 3.5/5
Seeing Neeraj Shreedhar’s name on the credits, one is quite sure that Tod Tadaiyya is going to be a catchy, fun affair and the expectations are indeed true. This is a situational song believed to be played during a football match in the movie. If it is a game, then there are surely going to be a lot of fun moments and the song conveys the same too. Himesh keeps simple music arrangements and it is actually Neeti Mohan who steals the show here with her sultry rendition, carrying off high pitched notes too with a lot of panache. Neeraj Shreedhar goes about his job as he usually does and this one requires a few repeat hearings to register. More than the audio value, this track can work big time on the screen.
Rating: 3/5
The composer Himesh Reshammiya himself gets behind the mike to croon Bachpan Kaha?, a fantastic number which takes one on a nostalgic trip to childhood, where everything was so pure and simple. Himesh pulls off the track with elan, minus his nasal overtones to appeal to all sections of the audience. Special mention must be made of Irshad Kamil who writes such profound, heart warming and thought provoking https://lyrics. Himesh lets his voice and the lyrics do the trick and it succeeds! This is one more top class track in this melodious album. “Sapnon kaa who aangan kaha, darpan bata bachpan kaha? Seedha saral tha jeeven jaha, darpan bata, bachpan kaha?”
Rating: 4/5
Aaj Unse Milna Hai has two more short versions in the form of Murli Ki Taanon Si and Aaj Unse Kehna Hai. The former sees Shaan rendering a few lines while the chorus takes over in the later part. It has a very short duration, yet impressive. Aaj Inse Kehna Hai has Aishwarya behind the mike and she does a fabulous job indeed with her sweet vocals, before Palak and Shaan take over with their Prem Ratan parts bringing the album to its culmination. It is a fitting end indeed!
Prem Ratan Dhan Payo soundtrack delivers exactly as promised and lives up to its billing as the top album of the year. Somewhere, melody had got lost in Hindi music with filmmakers preferring catchy hooks, raps, beats and absurd https://lyrics. But melody backed with wonderful lyrics makes a grand comeback with this film .Himesh Reshammiya proves he is a master when it comes to such soulful, traditional and earthy music. Though it is not a perfect score, it has many memorable songs which would become more popular as the days progress. Jalte Diye, Title song, Aaj Unse Milna Hai, Haalo Re and Bachpan Kaha are sure shot winners while the other songs would need a bit of time to grow. The new singers do a fabulous job and make the most of their big opportunities and the makers must be given credit for having the courage to go ahead with young talent. On the whole, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo will go down as one of Himesh’s most accomplished works. Thumbs up.
Rating: 4/5