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Music: Shankar – Ehsaan – Loy
Lyrics: Gulzar
Singers: Daler Mehndi, Shankar Mahadevan, Siddharth Mahadevan, Mame Khan, Sain Zahoor, Sushmita Das, Nooran Sisters, Kaushiki Chakraborty
Album Released: September 2016
Shankar Ehsaan Loy are back in form! The Gulzar penned Punjabi folksy album with awesome lyrical richness produces engaging results, very much in theme with the legend of Mirzya. The multi-layered and complex instrumentation produces extremely opulent music, pleasing to the ears without unnecessarily overwhelming your senses!
‘Mirzya’: Album opens with the supremely impressive, conglomerate of phenomenal vocal chorus led by Daler Mehndi, and a grand, thumping beat! Very intricately composed and arranged, it grows on you with every listen, as you discover layer upon layer of melody. The incredible lyrics by Gulzar “Gol gol ghoome zameen, Aave na jaave kahin, Tere phere live zameen O Mirzya”, professes undying love for the main protagonist Mirzya, alluding to the epic scale of the lore. Superb!! 4.5/5
‘Teen Gawah Hain Ishq Ke’: In this album replete with folksy numbers, this is the only one that can be considered somewhat mainstream. Wonderfully sung by Siddharth Mahadevan, with Sain Zahoor’s soaring voice making the occasional appearance, this is a breezy love song, very light on the ears, yet lyrically very rich! How many different ways Gulzar can write about love?? 4/5
‘Chakora’: Another song seeped in Indian folklore, this fast-paced reminds us of the undying love between mythical bird Chakora and the moon. The song is a celebration of love, and sung well by Mame Khan, Sushmita Das, and Akhtar Chanal Zahiri. 3/5
‘Aave Re Hichki’: Shankar Mahadevan makes an appearance in the lullaby like light, albeit string-heavy song, along with Mame Khan. Flowing like a folksy-gypsy tune, the stunning mix of sarangi and guitar makes you sway to this lovely melody and takes you back to Rajasthani sands under a moonlit sky, giving a feel of “Morni Baagan Maa” from Lamhe (1990). 3.5/5
‘Hota Hai’: Set in a story telling style, this fast-paced, bold song, is about the tribulations and torment of intense love. Set in a beautiful folksy tune, Nooran Sisters, ably supported by Sain Zahoor, Akhtar Chanal Zahri, and Daler Mehndi create a hypnotic setting that grabs you and transports you into a magical world! 4/5
‘Ek Nadi Thi’: Nooran Sisters, who burst into the scene with the awesomely rendered “Patakha Guddi” from Highway, carry the album forward making their second appearance, supported by Mohan Kannan’s flawless rendition. Starting off like a minimally arranged folk track, the song attains a delightful color as the guitar kicks in! Gulzar’s sparkling imagination comes to the fore as he describes the river between the two banks … Ek nadi thi dono kinaare, tham ke baithi thi, todti to sailaab aa jata, karvat le to saari zameen beh jati! Awesome! 4.5/5
‘Doli Re Doli’: Great to hear genuinely sonorous jazz sound in a Bollywood album. Rendered in searing pathos by Shankar Mahadevan, following a minute of A Capella mode by Mame Khan, the jazz elements keep coming and going beautifully! The lyrics are about the girl growing up, and leaving her babul’s home in a doli. Blissful! 3/5
‘Kaaga’: Gulzar’s lyrics are about the woman asking the crow (kaaga) to bring her news from her pritam. Kaushiki Chakraborty nails this song and how! Her classical training shines splendidly, accentuated by her amazing sargam portions, outshining the dramatic orchestration. It may not top the charts for the mainstream listeners, but anyone with an ear and understanding of music should definitely go for it! 4/5
‘Mirzya (Theme)’: Instrumented by Broken Arrow, this sarangi-led instrumental springs out out of Teen Gawah’s. It is a sad and passionate composition but being purely instrumental, it may not find too many takers. 3/5
‘Mirza Se Darre Khuda’, ‘Yeh Wadiyan Doodiyan Kohre Ki’, ‘Mera Mirza Sher Jawan ‘, ‘Pooch Na Pende Mamle ‘, ‘Lahoo Luhaan Zameen Hui’, ‘Phaa Paye Na Ishq Da’: Then there are 6 more one-liners by Daler Mehndi, all set to the tune of the title Mirzya title song, presumably from the background score! Should presumably work well in the movie in a situational form.
A rich, remarkably diverse set of songs from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Glad to see you back in form sirs!!
OUR PICK(S):
‘Mirzya’, ‘Ek Nadi Thi’, ‘Teen Gawah Hain Ishq Ke’, ‘Hota Hai’
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