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Rating : 4.5/5 (Four-and-half-stars)
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Rating : 4.5/5 (Four-and-half-stars)
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‘Barfi!’ brings back the hit pair of Pritam and Anurag Basu together after ‘Life In A ..Metro’ with a big bang. If there were huge standards set then, this one surpasses even those benchmarks and makes the duo a force to reckon with, especially Pritam who has seen delivered quite a few hits but tasted them with a pinch of salt. ‘Barfi!’ music reminds one of the yesteryear scores which were melodious, fun and made your heart sing along. The album has eight tracks and as they play they grow on the listener.
Title track ‘Barfi!’ is an apt way to start the journey. It is a masterpiece rendered by Mohit Chauhan who in his most adorable and silky voice makes you enter the world of ‘Murphy’, oops ‘Barfi!’. Lyricist Swanand Kirkire gets highly creative for this song and his lyrics remind one of the kind written by the likes of Javed Akhtar or Gulzar. One does not get to hear such spin of words any more and one can be expected to be bowled over in the very first listening. Overall composition, especially the whistling at the very onset, is a treat to ears.
There is another version of the same song titled ‘Ala Barfi!’ in Swanand’s own voice. It is slightly different from Mohit’s version and is styled on the vocals a la Kishore Kumar. Brilliance strikes in both versions and the listener can be expected to lap them up all.
Next in line is another heart warming romantic song ‘Main Kya Karoon’. Pritam has given break to his music troupe member Nikhil Paul George who has collaborated with him behind the scenes in many of his hit compositions. His vocals suit the composition and variations brought by him make the song one of the best that one would have heard in recent times. Ashish Pandit has written the lyrics of the song, which are very meaningful.
Album moves forward with Papon and Sunidhi Chauhan adding another jewel in the journey of melodies through ‘Kyon’. It is a smooth and slow romantic track with charming lyrics (penned by Neelesh Mishra) that go with the tune. Papon’s voice dominates the song and you are drawn deeper in the world of ‘Barfi!’ world which looks more and more inviting.
‘Aashiyan‘ is the next stop in the journey. This track reminds one of yesteryear’s romantic melodies sung by Asha Bhonsle and Kishore Kumar. In this case, Shreya Ghoshal and Nikhil Paul George aptly manage in creating the right atmosphere. A fantastic composition, this one has a very European feel to it. There is a certain naughtiness and playfulness in the song which should be a treat to watch if picturised well on screen.
The musical journey continues with ‘Phir Le Aya Dil’ that is yet another outstanding composition by Pritam. This track borders on the brinks of being a ‘Ghazal’ while being unusual for the film set up. Rekha Bhardwaj has sung this one really beautifully while lyrics are very meaningful and poetic too, something which is difficult to find nowadays.
There is also a ‘reprise version’ of the same track in a male voice and frankly this one is better than the original. Arijit Singh is on a high after ‘Yaariyan’ & ‘Raabta’ and he delivers another gem this time around. As is a known fact, he is a trained classical singer. Now Pritam has given him a chance to showcase his talent and he has given it all. This track can definitely be treated as one of the best tracks of the year till now.
Arijit Singh continues his magical spell with the next track ‘Saanwali Si Raat’ as well. It’s a very soft and sweet lullaby that grows on the listener and makes you forget your worries. It is a fitting end to an album like ‘Barfi!’ which transports one to another world.
Pritam has seen a share of controversies in his career regarding plagiarism. He has seen it all has lived with the accusations. However, anyone who would hear the music of ‘Barfi!’ would definitely believe that he is on his way to excellence. Music of the movie has established that Pritam has ‘arrived’ and definitely shut his critics for good. Anurag Basu too must be elated that the music is already climbing charts and had made its mark. In simple words, ‘Barfi!’ is excellent music on all counts. Very rarely does one get to hear an album where you can hear a complete soundtrack without skipping tracks; this is one of them. So, just play, enjoy the music and the world of ‘Barfi!’.
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