Sound Byte

Todh Diya was made for KK, but Kreem doesn’t do badly either. In fact, it’s melancholy that brings out the best in him. There’s a hint of Persia in the santoor interlude and the rest of it is Indian folk. Yeh Zindagi, by Ali and Sunidhi Chauhan, in a surprisingly mellow mood, brings back memories of Tu Mile. Main Na Janoo Kaisi Kasak Hai, where Gayatri Iyer hits those painfully high notes, just doesn’t work well for the album. Kreem’s scored much better in the past.

Yahaan
THE film’s soundtrack is as enchanting as its setting (Kashmir), thanks to sensible, understated soundscaping by Shantanu Moitra. The lyrics, with credits shared by Gulzar and Nizami Bandhu, are also impressive.

The album opens with Naam Adaa Likhna written by Gulzar, an ode to Adaa, the film’s heroine. The duet by Shreya Ghoshal and Shaan is a lingering melody, which creates a sense of being part of a love story that’s set in the Valley. Urzu Urzu Durkut is catchy and embodies the spirit of freedom and innocence. Ghoshal makes a sweep, rendering the female playback in this one too.

She also takes on a Punjabi wedding number called Mele Chaliyan, complete with the dhol and dholak thump. Bandhu brings down the tempo with Ajmer Wale Khwaja, a devotional track which he’s sung and composed. The track is a change from regular devotional numbers, since it’s more of a fusion experiment. There are remixes of Mele Chaliyan and Naam Ada Likhna, which have also been programmed tastefully. A good pick.