Without any doubt, expectations surmount whenever a filmmaker like Nikhil Advani, who has always been a expert of excellent music, teams up with music giants of the stature of T-Series and so is the case in their latest venture, PATIALA HOUSE. The film stars Akshay Kumar whose films have always boasted of chartbusting music and Anushka Sharma who too has been very lucky as far as music of her films is concerned. And it is just a coincidence that the music of both their latest, TEES MAAR KHAN and BAND BAAJA BAARAAT is top of the charts presently. And we are quite sure that their next, PATIALA HOUSE, will follow suit. The reason being the multitalented Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy who have been assigned the task of handling the music department this time too, very much like Nikhil’s last three ventures, KAL HO NA HO, SALAAM-E-ISHQ and CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA.
Since the film is about a UK based Sikh family, it’s but natural that the music will have heavy Punjabi influences and the very first song, “Laungda Lashkara”, is one such number. Hard Kaur, who also features in the film, spices up the mood and sends the tempo racing as she starts the proceedings with her much loved characteristic rap which features intermittently during the whole song and is one of the highlights of the track. Jassi (‘Dil Legayi Kudi..’ fame) is in cracking form as he renders this very different Punjabi love song, along with the sweet sounding Mahalaxmi Iyer, who modulates her vocals to match Anushka’s husky ones. The tune that Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy choose is very rhythmic and foot tapping and the arrangements are not too harsh and loud, after all it’s SEL and they never go over the top! It’s after quite a while that we have had a sweet Punjabi favoured love song that we fall in love with instantly (like in LOVE AAJ KAL), one which leaves the listener asking for more. Anvita Dutt deserves credit for conjuring up lyrics that are not heavy duty and has just the right mix of Punjabi, English and Hindi, yet simple and comprehensible, one which most people can understand without taxing their brains. The remix version “Laungda Lashkara” by Harry Anand is more pacy making the song even more dance oriented targeting the youth and GenX.
All those who have loved S-E-L in their last chartbusting yet classy outing, MY NAME IS KHAN, this one is for them as the next song is pretty much in the same corridor as ‘Noor-E-Khuda”. Soothing piano notes, just the right precursor that sets up the somber mood and commences the song, “Kyun Main Jaagoon”, a semi-philosophical, introspective, soulful number. Shafqat Amanat Ali is excellent as his vocals convey the cry of anguish of the main protagonist played by Akshay Kumar with ease.
There was no need for a remix version and “Rola Pe Gaya Remix” by Harry Anand can be called space filler but the fun continues here as well so one does not mind at all.
