Music Review: Delhi Belly

Yet another Aamir Khan production is around the corner, this time starring nephew Imran Khan - it's none other than the long-awaited Delhi Belly!

In a change of pace from the heap of romantic comedies the young star has featured in thus far, this one is a buddy flick of three friends, and Imran's character in particular is supposedly quite out of the ordinary. Costarring along side Imran in this flick are Vir Das, Kunal Roy Kapoor, Poorna Jagannathan, and Shenaz Treasuryvala. Right from the first promo, viewers have been able to discern that this film will be unlike any they've seen before. It's expected, then, that composer Ram Sampath has created a soundtrack that's just as fresh and interesting as the film promises to be.

 

The first song of the album, for which promos are already on air and grabbing attention, certainly lives up to that promise. "Bhaag D.K Bhose, Aandhi Aayi" is in a genre of its own, with Ram Sampath singing the song himself, bringing it to life with his energetic and enthusiastic rendition. One can't help but pay close attention to the lyrics in this track, because they are just that hilarious! The orchestration of the song is also right on the money; an authentic rock sound is created with just enough electric guitar and drums. While it might not sound worth your while initially, it gains likability with each repeat listen.

 

Next up is "Nakkaddwaley Disco, Udaarwaley Disco". Another genre-bending endeavor, this track chooses to reinvent the qawwali in a way which you may never have heard before. Keerthi Sagathia's vocals fit the song well, knowing just how to present the (once again) hilarious lyrics. This track, too, might take multiple plays to grow on you, but eventually it will reel you in with it's air of masti.

"Saigal Blues" is next up in the album, featuring Chetan Shasital impersonating the legendary singer K.L Saigal. The drop in pace is well suited to this track. Overall though, "Saigal Blues" might have taken the quirky quotient a bit too far and is unlikely to win much favor.

 

"Bedardi Raja" is pleasantly nostalgic, a folksy track that transports listeners to an idyllic village setting, attributed by Sona Mohapatra's deep and rich vocals which adds to the rustic feel of the song. The orchestration creates the homey mood right from the opening notes. This song is also one that will grow on you with time, especially if the picturization matches and enhances the folksy mood created up by the music.

 

"Bedardi Raja" also has a 'Grind Mix' which changes the entire feel of the song. While the original version was a throwback to olden times, this one is as modern and electrifying as it gets. Though drastic, the changes are not bad. Sona Mohapatra sings this version as well, and surprisingly suits both genres equally well and proves her versatility early on. For ears accustomed to contemporary synthesized sounds but still craving some variety, this version will definitely do the trick.

 

"Jaa Chudail" picks up where "Bhaag D.K Bhose, Aandhi Aayi" left off, carrying forward with the same punk rock edge. This time we are treated to a deeper sound courtesy of Suraj Jagan's vocals. Like the rest of the album, this song also is also filled with playful and fun lyrics which might manage to make you break out into a smile or laugh. Overall the individual parts of the song - the drums, the guitar, the lyrics, Jagan's voice - all fit together to make a pretty likable whole.

 

It's quite a surprise to hear a slow romantic track in this album, seeing as how the previous ones were uptempo rock songs, but "Tere Siva" comes as a pleasant shock. The softness and gentility of both the lyrics as well as Ram Sampath and Tarannum Mallik's playback is a welcome change from the dominant mood of the album, adding a much needed variation to make it a well-rounded offering. Definitely worth a listen, since this one is so easy on the ears.

 

"Switty Tera Pyaar Chaida" is next in the album, and it brings back the charged up tempo from the earlier songs but in a different avatar. This time a Punjabi flavor takes over, and vocals are handled by Keerthi Sagathia. Just a warning - certain parts of the song will so make you cringe, that you might just rethink the craving for something hatke that brought you to the album in the first place.

 

There is also a punk version of "Switty Tera Pyaar Chaida", again sung by Keerthi Sagathia and Ram Sampath. As soon as the song starts out you can tell this is the punk version due to it's louder nature than the originals. The previous flavor of the song is lost to guitar riffs, save for the Punjabi-ish lyrics. In spite of the other changes, what was cringe-inducing in the original is retained in this version so... yeah, skip it.

 

Finishing off the soundtrack is "I Hate You (Like I Love You)" , a song  belted out by a whole host of singers. The song starts off in the qawwali territory, but that is soon interrupted by Aamir Khan, who as you'll hear, joins in to recite a few lines every now and then during the track.  Eventually the mike is passed along to Keerthi Sagathia, Sona Mohapatra and Shazneen Arethna. The song changes styles even more often than it changes singers; it transforms from qawwali to typical 80s kitsch to dance track and back again. After another interlude from Aamir that at first seems to be the end of the song, you get the real climax in which a rather decent attempt has been made at combining all those genres at once. It is a fun-filled and interesting listen, and definitely deserves your attention.

 

Overall, Delhi Belly ends up fully delivering on its promise of bringing you something unique and interesting, at least on the musical front. There is plenty of variety to cater to all sorts of tastes, and while not all tracks will not make it onto your playlist after an initial listening, most of them will get there eventually with growth from each listen. Even within each song (save for a handful of misses), there is enough variety to satisfy some musical needs. The soundtrack definitely deserves a chance, and depending on how memorably they are presented in the film, its originality will have a lasting impact on both listeners and the music scene as a whole.

 

BollyCurry's Rating: 3/5