Chura Ke Leja

Himesh – the pre ABA composer is back with his typical unique HR melody after ages.

The song begins with majestic catchy feel good guitar riffs and joined in by off-da-hook catchy pre ABA styled female chorus theme piece until 0.15, along with intermittent dafli skips.

The band-baaja-baaraat tune piece plays from 0.16 to 0.17, along with off-da-hook fast drum-roll beats from 0.17 to 0.18 that give intermittent kick followed by clap effect.

The peppy Shehnayi theme piece that reminds of the peppey Shehnayi theme piece of LAGAN LAGI from DANGEROUS ISHHQ plays from 0.32 to 0.42 along with profound heavy underlying drum skips.

Upon listening Palak’s mukhda line SHAAM TERI RUKMANI PALKE BITHAAKE BETHI HAI from 0.43 to 0.52, one remembers the mukhda line from 1.00 to 1.13 in KYA DIL NE KAHAA TITLE TRAX.

The mukhda line, CHURAKE LEGA BHAGAKE LEGA UTHAKE LEJA YAAR is simple yet catchy.

Palak’s line, PYAAAAAAR (off-da-hook prolonged singing) from 1.01 to 1.03, 1.12 to 1.13 & 1.44 to 1.45

Off-da-hook fast drum-roll beats from 1.02 to 1.03 & 1.12 to 1.13 & 1.36 to 1.37 give intermittent effect.

Yash Raj’s croons his lines with awesome sooth feel vocals from 0.19 to 1.35 in semi plugged mode along with intermittent catchy tune. Sincere dedicated singing by him.

Between mukhda & 1st stanza, the clap effect enhances the overall rhythm and catchiness of the peppy Shehnayi theme piece.

1st stanza

Off-da-hook tabla hit pattern from 2.12 to 2.14 kick starts the stanza.

Palak’s continues her melodious singing on typical unique HR melody, with emphasis on lines, RANGH YEH MENDHI KAAAA (terrific catchy typical unique HR melody note) from 2.12 to 2.14, YEH CHURI KANGNAAAA (terrific catchy typical unique HR melody note) from 2.17 to 2.17, GHODI CHAR KE AAJA (terrific catchy typical unique HR melody note) from 2.28 to 2.30

It is a delight to hear lyrics consisting of words CHURI KANGNA as it takes the listener down the memory lane into pre ABA era.

Yash Raj’s lines from 2.33 to 2.43 along with off-da-hook profound heavy underlying drum skips, are likeably hummable.

Between 1st & 2nd stanza, the classical adlip and prolonged alaap from 2.59 to 3.15 is melodious, followed by a catchy tune piece with feel factor from 3.15 to 3.37, especially from 3.26 to 3.37

2nd stanza

Off-da-hook tabla hit pattern from 3.38 to 3.39 kick starts the stanza.

Palak’s continues her melodious singing on typical unique HR melody, with emphasis on lines, TU JOH BOLE TOH (terrific catchy typical unique HR melody note) from 3.37 to 3.39, HAI TERE LIYE HI (terrific catchy typical unique HR melody note) from 3.51 to 3.53, JAB PYAAR KIYA TOH (terrific catchy typical unique HR melody note) from 3.52 to 3.54

Yash Raj’s lines from 3.57 to 4.07 along with off-da-hook profound heavy underlying drum skips, are likeably hummable.

Majestic tune flick at 4.07 gives great overall melody effect to Yash Raj’s line.

Terrific rising tune piece from 4.12 to 4.14 and intermittent tune piece from 4.19 to 4.21 enhance the overall melody impact of Palak’s lines.

Off-da-hook catchy pre ABA styled female theme chorus theme is back towards the song’s end from 4.23 onwards, along with soulful killer desperation plea male alaap with emphasis from (HISTORY fulltu high pitch, pours his heart out) from 4.36 to 4.39 that strikes a chord.

Highlights of this song:

1. Palak Muchhal’s melodious vocals and Yash Raj Kapil’s sooth feel vocals.

2. Majestic catchy feel good guitar riffs at start, band-baaja-baaraat tune piece, off-da-hook fast drum-roll beats, profound heavy underlying drum skips, intermittent clap effect, dafli effect and off-da-hook tabla hit pattern at start of stanzas.

3. Catchy tune piece with feel factor in between 2nd stanza gap.

4. Off-da-hook catchy pre ABA styled female chorus theme.

5. Soulful killer desperation plea male alaap at end.

Jhoom Barabar Jhoom

The song begins with an electro tune piece and constant underlying metal guitar until 0.31

Lyrics such as JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM that are heard umpteen times give a strong déjà-vu feel.

The graph of the mukhda hook line, CHAL JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM HAI ISHQ KRISHNA KI LEELA seems incomplete n forceful as if something is missing, nevertheless is well structured.

The best tune in mukhda is Vineet’s line, AFRA TAFREE EK BEFIKREE REHTI HAI-AAI (awesome high pitched note), DUNIYA DEEWANO KE FAZEETE KARTI HAI–AAI (awesome high pitched note)

The pedestrian, absurd and absurd lyrics line, TUNE DUKTI RAG PE UNGLI RAKHDI HAI MAAHIYA (OUCH) are a spoilsport and distasteful.

Dukhti rag = hurting vein

You put a finger on my hurting vein, o beloved = you pressed my already hurting vein.

Ouch, that ought to be one of the most painful lyric ever.

Profound heavy drum-roll hits from 1.24 to 1.25 & 1.54 to 1.55 give sahi intermittent effect.

Between mukhda & 1st stanza, the peppy harmonium piece which vaguly reminds of the peppy harmounum theme piece of Gore Mukhde Pe from Special 26, is joined by dholak beats.

1st stanza

The tune of Vineet’s lines is simple.

The tune of male chorus is simple, along with clap effect that gives a Qawali touch and whereby the mood is kept upbeat.

Between 1st & 2nd stanza, prolonged Qawali styled male alaap is joined in by dholak beats and peppy harmonium piece with constant underlying metal guitar.

2nd stanza

The tune of Vineet’s lines is simple.

The tune of male chorus is simple, along with clap effect that gives a Qawali touch and whereby the mood is kept upbeat.

Highlights of this song:

Vineet’s vocals, especially his mukhda lines with feel factor.

Underlying beats which have a Qawali touch.

Electro tune piece and constant underlying metal guitar at start, peppy harmonium piece, profound heavy fast drum roll beats and intermittent clap effect.

Teerat Meri Tu

The song begins with a harmonium piece in unplugged mode, joined in by a semi plugged bazz sound from 0.07 onwards.

The tune of Vineet’s line, TEERAT MERI TU-UU-UU (much like offering a Muslim prayer) followed by a start-stop gap from 0.26 to 0.30 & 1.08 to 1.11 is similar to the tune of Zubeen Garg’s line, DARDE ARMAAN-AAAAAAN (much like offering a Muslim prayer) followed by a start-stop gap from 1.02 to 1.08 in DARD-E-DIL from GOOD BOY BAD BOY.

The underlying beats comprised of dholak skip pattern and intermittent repetitive clap effect from 0.32 onwards, have a Qawali touch.

Vineet’s line, BISMILLAH (awesome fulltu high pitch) from 0.37 to 0.38

Fast paced tabla hits from 0.44 to 0.46 in unplugged mode that give a semi classical touch, followed by off-da-hook drum hit pattern from 0.47 to 0.48

Off-da-hook raw drum hits at 1.12

Between mukhda & 1st stanza, a Sufi-ana tune piece with Pakistani flavor plays from 1.16 to 1.32 along with an off-da-hook instrumental effect from 1.32 to 1.38, followed by Muslim chants and prolonged alaap along with underlying heavy drum skip pattern until 1.47 and harmonium piece.

1st stanza

The tune from 2.00 to 2.15 is simple.

The vocal throw and vibrato with gradual vocal deepening emphasis in Palak’s prolonged alaap NAAAAAAAA from 2.18 to 2.20 is awesome.

Between 1st & 2nd stanza, Shabab Sabri’s emphasis vocals with fariyaad from 3.02 to 3.23 along with semi plugged Sufi tune piece and off-da-hook instrumental effect from 3.04 to 3.24, get into hard core Qawali mode, followed by Harmonium piece from 3.23 to 3.36

2nd stanza

The tune from 3.36 to 3.51 is simple.

The vocal throw and vibrato with gradual vocal deepening emphasis in Palak’s prolonged alaap JAHAAAAN from 3.54 to 3.57 is awesome.

The song ends with a Sufi tune from 4.38 onwards.

Highlights of this song:

1. Vineet Singh’s feel vocals, Palak’s vocals and Shadab Sabri’s croons in between 2nd stanza gap.

2. Underlying beats comprised of dholak skip pattern and intermittent repetitive clap effect.

3. Fast paced tabla hits in unplugged mode that give a semi classical touch, harmonium piece and off-da-hook drum hit pattern.

4. Off-da-hook instrument effect from 1.32 to 1.38 in between 1st stanza gap & from 3.02 to 3.24 in 2nd stanza gap.

5. Sufi tunes used in between stanza gaps and right at the end.

Policegiri

The song begins with warm strings in unplugged mode until 0.13, joined in by funky acoustic rock guitar (voodoman) from 0.14 to 0.20, and OFF-DA-HOOK male classical adlip from 0.21 to 0.34, joined in by rhythmic foot tapping beats, and this is tremendous build up.

The energetic male classical chants along with off-da-hook intermittent male classical adlip from 0.35 to 1.02 along with underlying rhythmic beats get the listener into the zone and feel it big time by filling them with josh.

These underlying beats have an off-da-hook quick profound heavy drum hit pattern i.e. 0.43, 0.45, 0.47 n so on after every alternate second, due to which the song runs in a fast lane.

The composition pattern is very free flowing.

Aman Triikha rwaks it in this cult song that keeps on growing upon the listener. This is his best solo song sung till date.

He sings the mukhda lines with great energy and the right required attitude for such a power packed song.

Off-da-hook catchy feel good vocal alaap theme piece from 1.31 to 1.37 & 1.52 to 2.05 that reminds of and is similarly based on the off-da-hook catchy feel good vocal alaap theme piece in HUKKAH BAR from KHILADI 786, strikes a chord.

Great rhyming lyrics, JANTA JOH HO JAAYEGI SARFIRI CHALU KARDEGI WHO POLICEGIRI have a konnekt with the ordinary common man i.e. the masses.

Between mukhda & 1st stanza, the acoustic guitar riffs from 2.05 to 2.08 are joined by off-da-hook male classical adlip and repetitive drum hits from 2.09 to 2.13, followed by a catchy aggressive tune piece from 2.13 to 2.20 that sends the adrenaline shooting up.

1st stanza

Aman continues in his merry ways with his full on energetic vocals that do full justice do this theme song.

Between 1st & 2nd stanza, off-da-hook male classical adlip and acoustic guitar riffs along with underlying rhythmic beats from 3.16 to 3.23 followed by energetic male classical chants from 3.24 to 3.43

2nd stanza

Aman continues in his merry ways with his full on energetic vocals that do full justice do this theme song.

The song ends with a whoosh effect.

Highlights of this song:

1. Aman Triikha’s full on energetic singing with catchy feel good vocal alaap interlude theme intermittently throughout.

2. Underlying rhythmic foot tapping beats, warm strings in unplugged mode, acoustic rock guitar riffs,

3. Catchy aggressive tune piece in between 1st stanza gap that sends the adrenaline shooting up.

4. Off-da-hook intermittent male classical adlip.  

5. The energetic male classical chants.

My Picks

1. Chura Ke Leja

Either it looks as though while searching through his song bank, Himesh stumbled upon this melody that was hidden down somewhere since ages, or that Himesh actively n consciously went in to the pre ABA zone in terms of coming up with a typical unique HR melody. The latter is better, because it showcases that Himesh still very much has the germs of the pre ABA composer. The song is also formulated on the pattern of SAJAN TUMSE PYAAR KI LADAYI and ISHQ CHUNARIYA from MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA  in terms of orchestration, mood and celebratory feel. It remains to be seen how this song is received by the public, and for good old melody’s sake it is hoped that it is received well, unlike the previous pre ABA attempts in post ABA era in songs like DIL KI DARO DEEWAAR PE and TU HAI ISHQ MERA from FEAR which received a relatively lukewarm response which deterred Himesh to revisit his pre ABA compositional style, in terms of layout of orchestration and the melody.

2. Policegiri & Teerat Meri Tu

Policegiri

This power packed theme song sung which packs a good dose of adrenaline nitrate with full on aggressive orchestration and energetic singing which gives full on sike and josh, jazba n junoon to the listener and gets the adrenaline pumping is the perfectly apt to be the promotional prop, that could also compensate for the absence of remixes. Aman rwaks it in this cult song that keeps on growing upon the listener. This is Aman’s best solo sung song, and his second best overall after Hukkah Bar (which was sung in chorus). The song reminds the listener of the theme song of KURUKSHETRA in terms of the overall zone, but while Kurukshetra was more 'intense', this one is more 'bindaas n feel good'. There is a catchy high pitched vocal theme alaap OOOO in Hukkah Bar, and there is also a catchy high pitched vocal theme alaap in this song, and it is really admirable of Himesh to use such an off-da-hook commercial alaap in what is otherwise supposed to be a situational theme song. But because of such commercial sensibilities n inclusion of such commercial elements, this trax becomes one of the film's USP whereby its full impact will be felt in the song promos and film, as the song plays in background and police jeeps with flashing siren lights with various camera angles giving sike to the viewer.

The starting string section in unplugged mode until 0:13 gives a feel of rising run at dawn and hero cop preparing to do his duty (almost Dabangg-esque), the funky retro vintage guitar riff from 0:14 onwards has a rugged old age school feel to it, joined in by male chants and urgency rhythmic drum beat which is great build up to this point, the alaap OOO OOO is likeable, stanza lyrics like Hume Thokna Hai, Use Phodna Hai are hilarious but relevant...with a situational theme song around the title Policegiri, one can't expect that much,,,but HR delivered a decently apt song that did justice to the film's theme and narrative, and could be played in News Hour debates on news channels when there are debates on topics of revolution, badlaav, andolan and brashtachaar...the song has that sight Kurukshetra (2000) Theme feel to it.

Teerat Meri Tu

It has mixed elements of Qawali and Sufi. Himesh – the composer shows his grasp in these genres, especially by the use of Sufi tunes in between stanza gaps and at the end, and prayer/fariyaad type alaaps in stanza gaps which are the hard core nuances of this genre. It is one of the rare songs of Himesh in the Qawaali mode, along with Aawan Aakhiyaan and Tu Hoor Pari which has slight traces of this genre. It is a track that grows with repeat hears and appeals more over time. It has sincere singing by Vineet Singh, bhaut shidat aur imandaari se gaaya hai. if Sonu listens this song, he will regret why he created differences with Himesh, but Sonu Nigam's loss is Vineet Singh's gain. This song is tailor made for Sonu Nigam n Shreya Ghoshal. It is not to take anything away from Vineet Singh n Palak Mucchal coz they did full justice to the song, but if Sonu Nigam n Sherya Ghoshal would have sung it, it would have taken the song to a higher level n league altogether n have got more exposure n popularity (than it actually has) due to the brand Sonu n Shreya and their large fan following. Gaane pe aur chaar chand lag jaate n its impact would have increased manifolds. The hang of this statement can be felt if their vocal combo is heard in TU HI MERA DIL HAI from YAKEEN, and then imagine if they sung Teerat Meri Tu in the same mode.

4. Jhoom Barabar Jhoom

It is an average track in the Qawali zone, due to underlying beats and male chorus in stanza along with clap effect, and prolonged male alaap in between 2nd stanza gap. Lyrics play a spoilsport in this peppy feel good track, and give it a strong sense of déjà-vu feel. Himesh should refrain from using lyrics like JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM, which have been killed to death n been used umpteen times before. At least these lyrics suited in JAAVE SARI DUNIYA due to bindaas upbeat nature of the song, but it took away a lot in this song n gave it a strong deja-vu feel. Such mediocrity doesn't suit Himesh.

Verdict

The pick of the lot and USP of album are Chura Ke Leja (which thrives more on melody) and Policegiri (which thrives more on rhythm). The remaining two tracks Tu Teerat Meri and Jhoom Barabar Jhoom are in the Qawali / Sufi zone.

As a composer

 > It is a musical delight to hear a pre ABA melody like Chura Ka Leja after ages.

> Himesh shows that he can compose theme tracks according to the film’s requirements which can be one of its USP of the storyline.

> Himesh has taken a gamble and a commercial experiment of some sort by taking all of his prodigy's and no veteran singer in the album. This has nothing to do with the talent and capability of his prodigy's, but due to the fact that having some veterans in the album would have enhanced the commercial success of the album even more, because those songs would have gained more popularity due to the brand of the veteran singers and their immense fan following.

Orchestration

> Best orchestration is in Policegiri track which is full on, with the underlying foot tapping rhythmic beats with an off-da-hook quick profound heavy drum hit pattern after every alternate second, and the aggressive tune piece in between 1st stanza gap.

Singing

> Yash Raj Kapil’s sooth feel vocals in Chura Ke Leja.

> Aman Trikha’s energetic vocals in Policegiri with off-da-hook catchy feel good vocal interlude alaap, which is his best sung solo track till date.

> Palak Muchhal’s melodious vocals in Chura Ke Leja.

Lyrics

> Outstanding lyrics by Shabbir Ahmed in Policegiri track.

Conclusion

One feels that there is a gamble taken here because Chura Ka Leja, while being melodious actually belongs to Himesh’s pre ABA era gone by and it is waited to be seen how this song is received going as per today’s trends, and while Policegiri is mainly a theme song but still not just a situational song but one which can be used as promotional prop, and intermittently throughout the film during key scenes involving the protagonist.

In addition to these songs, one feels that there should perhaps have been one more track as a ‘safe play’ to take the album into comfortable and secure zone. However, considering that Policegiri is a film in action genre where scope for music is usually limited for such films, there is decently good music in it nevertheless.