Gulaab Gang / Almost there

Since the film is set in the Hindi heartland of India, one expects the soundtrack of Gulaab Gang to be a melange of earthy and folksy tunes. Although director Soumik Sen (also the composer of the film) tried his best to create rustic melodies, somewhere it falls short of being called flawless. While Sen and Shreya Narayan have penned one song each, lyricist Neha Saraf has penned five tracks.
The album opens with the chant of Gan, gagan gan, which is the hook line of the first song in the album, Gulabi. Singers Malabika Brahma and Shilpa Rao add the perfect punch and energy to the track. The use of drums and traditional instruments create an interesting rhythm, which grows on you every time you hear it. Gulabi is one of the best songs in the album.
Well-known classical singer Kaushiki Chakraborty has been roped in as the voice of Madhuri Dixit Nene in the film and we must say, Sen has made a great choice here. The classical contemporary Dheemi Dheemi Si, in Chakraborty’s voice, follows next. The lyrics are a blend of words centered around power and politics, making it a situational track. Brahma has also sung a few portions with ease. But the song does not leave an impact.
The well paced Sharm laaj starts off with some interesting matka sounds that add the rustic charm. What clearly sounds like a dance number, Sharm laaj is catchy; it has Brahma doing a decent job with the vocals again, along with Pavni Pandey. The lyrics are strictly okay.
The slow and soft Aankhiyaan is brilliantly sung by Chakraborty. With just the sounds of a guitar accompanying her voice. The song will remind you of the popular Paani paani re (Maachis). Saraf’s choice of words are impressive and is clearly the highlight of this song.
Chakraborty makes a comeback with Rang se hui. The folk melody is high on energy, with the use of dhol-tasha and pungi making a strong impact. Halfway through the song, you get bored and the song fails to connect.
The power of colour is evident in this album, as Nene’s mother Snehalatha Dixit opens for Rangi saari gulaabi. Nene takes over as the lead vocalist, as she croons this traditional pahadi dadra track with great ease and comfort. The song does make for a one time hear, but it’s not something that you would want to play on the loop.
Sen goes behind the mike for Teri jai ho, which is clearly an ode to womanhood by Soumik. What happens to be the only song with a male voice, Teri jai ho is a well composed track and lyrics by Sen are also good.
More than the songs, the stand-out element of the album is the way the singers have rendered the tracks. But overall, we can’t help but say that the album could have been better.