Kunal Kohli’s new film Teri Meri Kahaani looks to be a bit of throwback to the 90s love sagas with modern twists, similar to Love Aaj Kal‘s multiple love stories over different eras. Kohli started off so well with Hum Tum and Fanaa but really fizzled out after Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic, so he has a lot banking on Teri Meri Kahaani. He definitely has a sizzling leading couple with Shahid Kapur and Priyanka Chopra falling in love in 1910, 1960, and 2012. Admittedly, the promos felt a bit meh, but it was the catchy Mukhtasar that perhaps got you excited for the soundtrack. This time Kohli has gone to Sajid and Wajid to create a new chartbuster of an album, and perhaps testing their musical strengths away from the hero camps of Salman, and Akshay Kumar.
The album opens well with the song that caught the buzz, Mukhtasar, and it does have a melody quite similar to the title song from London Paris New York, especially when the electronic beats are laid down. While the LPNY had quite middling lyrics, Prasoon Joshi makes this one quite a gem with its eloquent lyrics like, “Mukhtasar mulaakat hai, Ankahi koi baat hai, Phir raat ki shaitaniyaan, Ya alag yeh jazbaat hai”. The piano melody keeps you hooked while the electronic beats may keep this one a fixture in the clubs. It is certainly one of the best songs on the album, especially for Wajid’s vocals which are so addictive and lovely. I was hoping for maybe an unplugged version of the song, just to savour Wajid’s singing and the lyrics. However, you can make do with the original version of this song as the electronic melody definitely stays with you. This is one of the songs that may have staying power beyond the movie’s release or it could just be trumped by the LPNY title song. We do get the requisite Remix version, done by DJ Suketu and it largely drowns Wajid’s voice in the overdone beats, but we do get female verse in English which livens it up a tad. Skip it!
A nice little qawalli follows, Allah Jaane, with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan taking the helm as usual. This one is the usual Sufi number for the album, and quite honestly it sounds like something you have heard before. The composition does liven up the proceedings, with its serene flute in the back and the tabla lining up the track. The lyrics are suitably romantic and simple, but what the composers can be lauded for is keeping Khan from his usual screeching. Khan sounds relaxed, and reliable, as he certainly makes the bridge of the song memorable, as the lyrics get sweeter and the music crescendos. Overall, the song is unmemorable but worth a listen anyway.
For the 1960s number, Jabse Mera Dil Ko Uff, Sajid and Wajid pull out all the stops to entertain on this track. The rollicking guitars that start the track set the tone for the rest of the song, where soon we get the aggressive guitars and horns chiming in in. Clearly the duo had been looking to the music of Teesri Manzil, and all of those fabulous Shammi Kapoor films. Sonu Nigam is powerful and brilliant here, and doing his Mohammed Rafi impression but staying distinctively Sonu as well. Sunidhi Chauhan tries to keep up with the tonal shifts of the song, but she does sound screechy at times. The song kicks up during the bridge and chorus where the orchestra and violins punctuate every verse. The song is so much fun, and I cannot wait to see how its picturised on Shahid! It has so many little details that keep you hooked, like the almost Spanish section midway or just Sonu’s effervescent vocals.
One of the gems on this album is, Humse Pyar Kar Le Tu, which fills in for the 1910 section of the film. It is such a pleasant track because it integrates all the singers so well, with the Sabri brothers taking over the main verses and conveying Javed’s (Shahid Kapur) pyar! We also get Mika Singh in the chorus and to give his usual Punjabi twang to this track. Shreya Ghosal is reliable as ever and does not resort to screeching when the music rises. The composition of the track is brilliant and keeps you hooked, especially the frequent harmonium hook and strings in the back. The lyrics are conversational and establish quite cute rapport between the two lovers. The song definitely has a retro sound that completely works with the time period they are in, even if their styling is quite incongruent to 1910! To completely undo the period feel of the song, we have a Remix, which sounds useless but some of the beats do hook you in. It does retain some of the flavour of the song, but speeds up all of the singers, which sounds unintentionally hilarious. Forward this one!
To end the album on a humdrum note is the Hinglish number, That’s I Really Wanna Do, where even the opening cheesy harmonica and guitar sets you up for a fluffy romantic song. The unfortunate female verse in English sounds horrid, but thankfully Shaan and Shreya Ghosal save the song. Shaan is in his comfort zone with a breezy song like this and keeps up with how quickly the verses come across. Shreya does flounder a bit in the song, as the fast opening verse I could barely make out what she sang, but she does finally find her groove later in the song. The composition is quite meh, with the lively trumpet in the back and guitars keeping the melody a bit fresh. This song is let down by the silly inconsequential lyrics. When the Mukhtasar melody appears for a tiny section, you are reminded of a much better song instead of this.
Teri Meri Kahaani is definitely one of the better albums by Sajid and Wajid where they prove their mettle outside of masala soundtracks. Yet the album is pleasing in the ears which means it’s going on the strength of 3 good songs, along with the curiosity factor of Shahid and Priyanka on screen again. Give this one a try.