Murder 2

MUSIC REVIEW,

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EXPECTATIONS

There are immense expectations from the music of Murder 2. Leave aside the fact that it is a sequel to Murder, the songs of which play till date, the film also marks the coming together of Emraan Hashmi, Bhatts and Mohit Suri, something that always works. Period. Now with the brand name of Murder being attached to it, there is another added advantage that sets in. A word of caution here though. A great set up also means huge expectations which means anything less than very good isn't something that audience would take lightly. While keeping these facts in mind, one plays on Murder 2 which has an ensemble of composers (Harshit Saxena, Sangeet & Siddharth Haldipur, Mithoon) coming together to create the film's soundtrack.

MUSIC


Murder 2 starts off with a cracker of a track, 'Haal E Dil', which marks the arrival of new talent Harshit Saxena. A product of many talent shows on television, Harshit does tremendously well in the capacity of both singer as well as a composer as he goes about creating 'Haal E Dil' which is a sure shot chartbuster in the offing. Never mind the slight references that one gets of Emraan's own 'Zara Si' (Jannat) or 'Mahie' (Raaz - the Mystery Continues), 'Haal E Dil' is exactly what one expects from a quintessential Emraan Hashmi number. A love song by Sayeed Quadri which yet again boasts of a different writing style, 'Haal E Dil' arrives in an 'acoustic' version as well which deserves to be played for your loved one.

Kumaar writes 'Aa Zara' which appears to be a club dance floor number featuring the leading lady who could well be gyrating next to a pole. Honestly, it takes time to settle down to the sound of this Sangeet & Siddharth Haldipur creation as to begin with, it does appear to be an ordinary composition and not quite unique, something which is expected in a Bhatt enterprise. However as one listens to this Sunidhi Chauhan song carefully and also closely studies lyrics by Kumaar, you realise that the song has a theme attached to that and would make much better sense in the film's narrative. Also, the song's 'reloaded version' only adds further zing to the tune with clear hint of 'Raati Baaki' (Namak Halaal) making it an enjoyable affair after all.

'Aye Khuda' is unlike anything that one has heard for a long time in Bollywood. This time around it is even more difficult to comprehend the tune as it is strictly situational and is certainly not the kind that you want to hum around. With a sad appeal to it, this Mithoon composed as well as written number has some meaningful lyrics to it but one still wonders whether the song would be able to hold it's fort during the film's narrative. However after hearing the 'remix version', one is rest assured that this Kshitij Tarey, Saim Bhat and Mithoon track would play at multiple instances in the film and make much better sense when seen along with the storytelling.

One does get to hear eventually what one was looking for with Mithoon spinning a melodious tune for 'Phir Mohabbat'. A love song which is quite heart felt and has a soulful appeal to it, 'Phir Mohabbat' is an almost unplugged number where Mohd. Irfan holds fort. What also impresses in a big way are lyrics by Sayeed Quadri that pretty much convey the turmoil that the protagonist is going through while contemplating whether to allow himself to fall in love or not. This is the highlight number of the album other than 'Haal E Dil' and for the followers of classy love songs; this one is a welcome gift.

Surprisingly though, 'Tujhko Bhulaana' which is sung by Sangeet Haldipur and Roshni Baptist, turns out to be barely average and even though it has a passionate setting to it with a good hook, the overall package has a heard-before feel to it. In fact the sound created by Sangeet & Siddharth Haldipur has a 80s feel to it and though it may just about manage to create some interest with help from visuals, this Sayeed Quadri written song in isolation isn't the kind that you want to play on repeatedly.

OVERALL

Eventually Murder 2 turns out to be a mixed bag with a definite chartbuster ('Haal E Dil'), a good track ('Phir Mohabbat'), a couple of situational numbers ('Aye Khuda, Aa Zara') and a barely passable song ('Tujhko Bhulaana'). Of course one did except the album to be slightly better at the least. However if one leaves aside the fact that it is a franchise that one is listening to, Murder 2 turns out to be a good deal overall. Having said that, it would be the brand value by itself which would ensure that Murder 2 sails smooth at the stands.

OUR PICK(S)

Haal E Dil, Phir Mohabbat, Aye Khuda