BizAsia Music Review: ‘All Is Well’
Director Umesh Shukla created waves with his last project ��Oh My God�۪ (2012) with a small budget but a really big story with a very important social issue. He is back again with ��All Is Well�۪ (2015) with a social issue but within the setup of a crazy family starring Abhishek Bachchan, Asin, Rishi Kapoor and Supriya Pathak. His style of storytelling with a comedy angle is quite refreshing making this film one to look out for. What Shukla brings differently to this project is a mainstream soundtrack that is already creating waves across radio and TV channels bringing substantial attention to this film. Himesh Reshammiya, Amaal Mallik, Meet Bros Anjjan and Mithoon have cumulatively put this soundtrack together.
Think superhit dance tunes in recent times including Saiyaan Superstar and Sooraj Dooba Hai and the expectations are set clear with Amaal Mallik�۪s opening party song Chaar Shanivaar. Combine the strong vocals of Vishal Dadlani with the rap of Badshah and the supporting vocals of Armaan Malik and we have a hit formula. Vishal is amazing as always while Badshah�۪s rap is not too great but decent enough to make this a big hit. Shabbir Ahmed puts a very catchy lyric combination that everyone can sing along to. The concept of 4 Saturdays in a week surely does appeal to all especially when you are having one of those weeks, and this song is a total remedy to those blues with a sing along melody perfectly put together to a very full music range by Amaal. The Mumbai style street party with dhols is excellently put together to a very strong party synth. Sure shot party favourite this year!
Seems no album this year is complete without a song by Arijit Singh who takes the mic next with Baaton Ko Teri, a slow romantic ballad that works perfectly for Arijit. Although this is a decent song overall, there is something about the melody and composition that doesn�۪t work. Himesh is behind the music and it clearly sounds like his work. Listening through the song it becomes clear that Himesh would have done a better job here as this is purely a composition for his style of delivery. Arijit does well but is not able to do justice to the song as such. Shabbir Ahmed�۪s lyrics are well written with a strong concept yet again. Himesh keeps it simple musically but the string lead gives the song a very sad down beat that even a good piano and acoustic guitar solo in the middle is not able to help revive. This is not the best of sad love songs.
Party goes to the next level with Nachan Farrate with the super successful combination of Kanika Kapoor and Anjjan Bros. This is perhaps one of their best works together as Meet Bros cross musical boundaries with this arrangement and production. The modern urban sound is perfectly composed to combine deep bass, Hip Hop with a Punjabi feel. Kumaar delivers amazing lyrics yet again with the Nachan Farrate hook that is super groovy. The electronic music production is beautifully programmed that makes this song an easy dance floor burner. Kanika�۪s vocals work their magic again with tons of attitude and oomph. What doesn�۪t work for this song is the below average music video. Who takes Sonakshi Sinha as an item girl?? That too with the odd dancing by Abhishek! Clearly this is the best party song recently with the best audio and perhaps the most ordinary video.
Mithoon with Tulsi Kumar deliver the best song on the album that is musically blissful and iconic in so many ways! Taking the classic Ae Mere Humsafar from ��Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak�۪ (1988) Mithoon creates the sound of 2015 love songs. It is not easy to take a Majrooh Sultanpuri and Anand Milind composition that is one of the most iconic love songs in a century and give it a modern twist. But Mithoon does not disappoint.. he only makes it better with his own voice. The amazing piano, acoustic guitar and mouth organ work to a soft subtle beat is truly mesmerising and puts one in the calmest of the moods. Amitabh Verma has written some new lyrics for this song keeping the aesthetics of the original alive. Tulsi Kumar and Mithoon�۪s vocals are spotless that are balanced not to go too deep and let the deep lounge composition take the lead with sort of flat vocals that work really well. This is a piece of genius even though it is not purely original.
Tu Milade in the voice of Ankit Tiwari and the lyrics of Mayur Puri is a strong rock love song with a deep melody that summarises the tense love standoff between the characters who want to be together but apart by circumstances. Puri�۪s lyrics are simple and effective that are well delivered in the voice of Ankit Tiwari. This is yet another Himesh composition that is true to his style and trademark but not as good as the earlier love song with Arijit Singh. One can skip this if you don�۪t have the patience for this genre.
Yolo is a desi Hip Hop song in the voice of Indian Idol winner Sreerama Chandra to the music composition of Himesh and lyrics by Kumaar. Clearly not one of the best works of Kumaar this song sounds like Punjabi Hip Hop that one would hear coming out of the Birmingham Punjabi camps. Himesh does a good job in getting UK desi Hip Hop production right with a good mix of synths and even dhol to the urban beat. Sreerama�۪s vocals are good but the song lacks personality. It goes from being very cool to uncool very quickly in parts which makes it an average song that won�۪t be very successful in the clubs or charts.
FINAL WORD
Umesh puts together a strong soundtrack for ��All Is Well�۪ that is commercially strong compared to his previous projects that should definitely add to better ticket sales at the cinemas around the world. The mix of good party songs including hits Nachan Farrate and Char Shanivaar with lover�۪s paradise song Mere Humsafar and Baaton Ko Teri make this OST a decent entertainer. There is no really bad song on the album and even the average songs have potential to succeed with the right airplay and marketing. The singers rule the album yet again including Mithoon, Tulsi Kumar, Vishal Dadlani and Kanika Kapoor who all steal the show on their respective songs. Himesh tries too hard to turn other singers into him on his compositions that clearly don�۪t impress. Overall this is a hit soundtrack thanks to three massive tunes that will set milestones for songs forthcoming this year in the party and romantic genres.
BizAsia Showbiz Rating ��� 8/10
