COMPLETING THE BHATTS’ INCOMPLETENESS!! (HAMARI ADHURI KAHANI – Music Review)

Music Album Details
♪ Music by: Jeet Gannguli, Mithoon & Ami Mishra
♪ Lyrics by: Rashmi Singh, Virag Mishra, Sayeed Quadri & Kunaal Vermaa
♪ Music Label: Sony Music
♪ Music Released On: 20th May, 2015
♪ Movie Releases On: 12th June, 2015

Hamari Adhuri Kahani Album Cover

To hear the full songs of this album on Saavn CLICK HERE

To buy this album on iTunes CLICK HERE

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Hamari Adhuri Kahani is an upcoming Bollywood romantic drama, directed by the “master” of these intense love films, Mohit Suri. The film stars Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Rajkummar Rao in leading roles, and is produced by Mahesh Bhatt, Mukesh Bhatt and Vishesh Bhatt. The movie is about a married woman who develops a budding romance with a hotel magnate until her past comes back to haunt her. We all know that Vishesh Films have been letting us down for quite some time (their last fully satisfying album was ‘Citylights’) and both their films this year, ‘Khamoshiyan’ & ‘Mr. X’ have tanked at the box office as well as not had a very satisfying album! However, this time, Mohit Suri is heading the project. With that, the film can be guaranteed to be a success! Also, the music album to the film has to be great if it’s him as the director, and Bhatts as producers! Like a double dhamaka! This time, the favourite, Ankit Tiwari hasn’t been approached (or maybe his song hasn’t been retained? That sounds more believable), and the three composers working on the soundtrack are Jeet Gannguli with two songs and one version of one of them, Mithoon with one song, and as it is Mohit Suri’s tradition to launch a new face in each album, here he launches debutant Ami Mishra, who has composed one song in two versions. So what are we waiting for? Let’s drown into the music of ‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani’, and decode whether it, itself, is incomplete (adhoora) or not! 🙂

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1. Hamari Adhuri Kahani / Hamari Adhuri Kahani (Encore)
Singers ~ Arijit Singh / Jeet Gannguli, Music by ~ Jeet Gannguli, Lyrics by ~ Rashmi – Virag (Rashmi Singh & Virag Mishra)

Jeet Gannguli gets to compose the opening piece for the album. Whenever Jeet composes for the Bhatts, you can almost always expect him to compose the title track. He did it for ‘Citylights’, ‘Khamoshiyan’, and even ‘Mr. X’. Now he starts off the album with the title track here, too! I wonder…should I start calling him the Bhatt Title Track Man now? 😀 Anyways, about the song. Ever since ‘Citylights’ album had mesmerized us in terms of both music and lyrics, the duo of Jeet Gannguli and Rashmi Singh has remained intact, appearing together in almost all the songs they did afterwards for the Bhatts (‘Baatein Yeh Kabhi Na’ from ‘Khamoshiyan’ was an exception) Now, for the title song of this much-hyped film, another man joins the duo to make it a trio, none other than Rashmi’s husband, Virag Mishra. The regular singer, Arijit, comes aboard, and tada! here we have for us a scintillating combination, all set to entice us with their song. The song kicks off with very soft and sublime piano notes, such that grab your attention instantly, and would make you emotional right away. A beautiful violin is played after that, which just makes you ready for the even more touching melody to follow. Yes, the song is extremely heart-touching, and sure to melt even the baddest of bad person’s heart. Arijit’s coarse and grainy textured voice helps to increase the emotional factor of the song, at the same time not making it sound too sappy and indigestible either. His delivery of each word is full of emotion, and on top of that, the tune of what he sings, and the words that he sings, all of it has the unmistakable to-fall-for type of quality. Jeet has composed something not really identifiable as something from him. Usually, he sticks to simplicity, and excels in simplicity. However, this time, he chooses the path which Mithoon usually treads, and that is, to try and deliver the best in complexity. The composition has many different twists and turns — starting off quietly, getting more intense as it goes, reaching a climax before the hookline and suddenly becoming soft again in the hookline. The antaras are quiet too, and that is why, they may not sound appealing to everyone. Mostly, the whole song is enticing in its composition. Arrangements are also not regular Jeet Gannguli – Vishesh Films arrangements, which have always been guitars mainly. Here, the guitars take the backseat, allowing wonderful goosebumps-provoking violins and flute to work their magic on the listeners. The rattles and shakers and water drips in the first interlude sound magical and so does the wonderful santoor in the second interlude, which also has a heavenly church-like violin part after that. Rashmi-Virag come together for the best and really weave out the best they could. As complex as other things in the song may be, they, however, have stuck to simplicity and excelled. The pain in the song really stands out thanks to their lyrics. There is an ‘encore’ version to this song, sung by the composer himself, in a rather folksy way, with a very noticeable nasal twang to his voice. For those who want a break from Arijit, this version is recommendable, but I think it doesn’t hold as much magic as Arijit’s version. Instead of that, an ‘unplugged’ version by Arijit or Jeet, anyone, would have sufficed! However Jeet has sung in the ‘Encore’, let’s not pay attention, because he deserves a standing ovation and a very very big round of applause for his extraordinary work in composing and arranging this song to the meaningful lyrics of Rashmi-Virag!! #5StarHotelSong!!

2. Humnava
Singer ~ Papon, Music by ~ Mithoon, Lyrics by ~ Sayeed Quadri

Mithoon enters the soundtrack next, and as always, leaves us awestruck with his mesmerizing sound. For this album, he decides to do something special. All his regulars — Arijit, Mohammed Irfan, Mustafa Zahid — he puts them aside, and who does he choose to do the honours on this track? The one and only, Papon! This year Papon has been on a roll, with his songs from ‘Baby’, ‘Hawaizaada’, ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ and the most recent ‘Bombay Velvet’ all being exceptional, and now he bags his first song with Mithoon, for a Bhatt film! 🙂 Great job! He makes excellent use of his opportunity, and renders Mithoon’s soulful composition with the touch of excellence that only he could have done! With his silk-smooth voice, he works wonders and sheds all his inhibitions, easily giving one of his career’s best performances. Mithoon’s composition, too, has to be praised here. A soft, soulful, romantic number, not too heavy on the ears, but with Mithoon’s characteristic complexity definitely evident. It goes right to your heart and, stubborn as it is, sits right in there. 😀 And you, too wish not to let it go for a long time. The tune is instantly lovable, unlike Mithoon’s other gradually growing tunes. This one immediately comes across as sweet and lovely. Shades of 90s Rahman are audible in the antara, and that might tick some people off, while it may make others, like me, love the track even more! Mithoon has provided apt arrangements, with his regular beats, the ones that we heard in ‘Banjaara’ (Ek Villain) and ‘Baarish’ (Yaariyan) leading the song, and other beautiful sounds like the Mithoon-ish guitars, violin impressing. Papon’s wonderful aalaps sound divine, and after ‘Moh Moh Ke Dhaage’ and this, I want to see him in an out-and-out classical song. 😀 Surprisingly enough, Mithoon doesn’t write his own lyrics this time, but composes on none other than Sayeed Quadri’s words, and as usual, Quadri writes perfect lyrics, that touch the heart. Altogether, it makes an outstanding outing by Mithoon and Sayeed Quadri, made even more mystical by Papon’s silky voice! #5StarHotelSong!!

3. Hasi (Male Version) / Hasi (Female Version)
Singers ~ Ami Mishra / Shreya Ghoshal, Music by ~ Ami Mishra, Lyrics by ~ Kunaal Vermaa

Time for the newcomer to step into the soundtrack. Ami Mishra makes his dream debut, in a Mohit Suri film, that is being produced by Vishesh Films. What more could he have asked for!? He follows the typical Bhattish template but the result is something that would really make you happy. A soft rock song, with the normal touch of romance in it that all Mohit Suri film songs have, and also a catchy flavour to it. Unlike other typical Bhatt songs, this one grew on me quickly, and I found myself liking it, after which I found myself criticizing myself for liking it, but then deciding I like it a lot. 😛 In other, plain and simple words, I liked the typicality of it! 😅😅 Ami has created a rock song, full of romance, having a quite simple but really entertaining tune, quite like Ankit Tiwari and got immensely successful with ‘Sunn Raha Hai’ (Aashiqui 2). Rock guitars, drums are the core of arrangements, with other techno beats occasionally coming in. Kunaal’s lyrics are also simple, and nothing extraordinary, but appealing and going with the flow of the composition, or it might be the other way around also. Ami sings well, and has complete control over his own composition. The actual vocals part of the song gets over quite soon, after which there’s a whole rock solo, which acts as the conclusion. Nothing extraordinary, but not bad either! Things get more interesting in the Female Version. Shreya Ghoshal, the nightingale, takes over with a spellbinding hum for starters, and after that, everything seems like a fantasy. Only because of her voice, which anyone would find, makes a huge, huge difference. The arrangements are not necessarily traditionally Indian classical arrangements, but are definitely softer than the male version. They are a mix of everything. The Indian flavour is added by enchanting flute, and some beats on which the whole track plays. Guitars feature here too, but stay in the background. A soothing interlude joins the two parts of the song. And that interlude contains magic. Flute, piano and a sudden jazz flavour with the trumpet, that disappears as soon as it comes, makes your heart happy. Kunaal alters lyrics for this version, making it sound more suitable for a girl to be singing. Both versions are equally good, but the female version will get many more takers, simply because of Shreya Ghoshal, and also because of the soothing arrangements there. #5StarHotelSong!!

4. Yeh Kaisi Jagah
Singer ~ Deepali Sathe, Music by ~ Jeet Gannguli, Lyrics by ~ Rashmi-Virag (Rashmi Singh & Virag Mishra)

Jeet returns to conclude the album. He started off the album with an impressive melody, which makes us hope that he ends it with just the same impressiveness. This time he composes a completely female song, and doesn’t choose Palak Muchhal this time, but chooses one of the singers he’s worked with in Bengali music industry, Deepali Sathe. It is not her debut song, but definitely her biggest song. She’s sung previously for movies like ‘Ankur Arora Murder Case’, ‘War… Chhod Na Yaar’, ‘Gang of Ghosts’ and is one of the many singers of ‘Daingad Daingad’ from ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’. So we can just imagine how big this song is for her! Plus, it’s her first solo song. So it’s all up to Jeet Gannguli, to launch her with the best possible composition. The song is essentially about the feelings of the character of Vidya Balan, a woman who is married but falls in love with someone else. The turmoil in her mind is aptly presented in front of us by Rashmi & Virag who have done a splendid job with the lyrics. They have used the situation of Meerabai — a devotee of Lord Krishna, to bring out the feelings of the woman in the song. I found this quite commendable! Deepali sings beautifully, and showcases her talent for the first time in such a complete and fulfilling way, making both the listener and herself happy. There is a male voice that keeps singing wonderful aalaaps in the interludes and at the end of the song, which sounds a lot like Zubeen Garg, but whoever it is, hasn’t been credited!  Jeet’s arrangements are spectacular, as well, again with flute and guitars leading. The other beats that accompany these instruments are just brilliant! Thanks to them, the composition, which does actually let you divert your attention from the track, can be heard again and again and also be forgiven. Some parts in the composition sound a bit too typical and outdated, too. Therefore, the track doesn’t keep you busy for a long time. You gradually lose interest as the number of times you hear it increase, and after that, you might just hear it only for the wonderful singing, lyrics and arrangements! Not a perfect song, as far as composition goes, but more than perfect when it comes to lyrics, arrangements and the vocals! Special mention for the uncredited male vocals!

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Hamari Adhuri Kahani is an album that finally gives us what we’ve been expecting for a long year from Vishesh Films — a complete, fulfilling album, that gives you the typical Bhatt stuff, but without the staleness and with the addictiveness. Jeet Gannguli and Mithoon, who always impress, do it once more with the intervention of Mohit Suri’s musical ear and taste, and Mohit Suri brings forward a star in the making, Ami Mishra, from whom I’m expecting a lot and something very different, as soon as he comes out of the Vishesh Films banner. He must not continue doing the same stuff, so that it becomes so repetitive that people get fed up of it, as is the case with Ankit Tiwari now. Also, Mohit Suri has returned with an album better than his last, and Bhatts have returned with an album better than both of their last two combined! 😜 Overall, an album that completes the incompleteness of Bhatt music that we had been witnessing so far this year!

Final Rating for This Album: सा < रे < ग < म < प < ध < नी < सां

Note: The letter which has been underlined is the final rating.

Recommended Listening Order: Humnava > Hasi (Both Versions) > Hamari Adhuri Kahani > Yeh Kaisi Jagah > Hamari Adhuri Kahani (Encore)

Which is your favorite song from Hamari Adhuri Kahani? Please vote for it below! 🙂

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