Kai Po Che! Review {3.5/5} & Review Rating
EXPECTATIONS
There are very good expectations from the music of Kai Po Che! First and foremost you are sure that this won't be a conventional soundtrack. Secondly, director Abhishek Kapoor had showed his sensibilities as a storyteller in Rock On and one expects his stamp to be all the more prevalent in this film about friendship and celebration. Moreover with Amit Trivedi arriving on the scene and Swanand Kirkire taking over the responsibility of a lyricist, there is further weight added to Kai Po Che!
MUSIC
What strikes immediately is the fact that Kai Po Che! has just three songs. This, when Rock On was a full on musical! It must have required some real courage for Abhishek to go against some set expectations and arrive at a soundtrack which lasts a mere 12 minutes.
Nevertheless, as is turns out, it is the quality that speaks the loudest and the opening track 'Manja' is pretty much a testimony of that. A theme track which is a mix of celebration, hope, euphoric and even spiritual feel to it, it comes with a timeless quality attached to it. Amit Trivedi brings himself behind the mike for this song which has an unconventional play of melody, something that only adds on to the kind of variation that the album promises at the very start.
Shruti Pathak and Divya Kumar come together for a Navratra celebration number which is foot tapping to the core. While the traditional element is kept alive in this highly number, what is particularly noticeable is the way Amit Trivedi brings in a hint of Western elements to the arrangements as well while keeping the spirit of the situation intact. While Kirkire's lyrics continue to be poetic with a hint of philosophical touch to it, it is the way 'mukhda' and 'antara' are integrated with each other that brings spice to 'Shubhaarambh'. Another good song.
By the time new entrant Mili Nair (of Coke Studio fame) comes on scene with 'Meethi Boliyaan', you know that Kai Po Che! is indeed a classy album in the offering. While Amit Trivedi does maintain his own style for this slightly Westernised composition while also bringing himself behind the mike, one can sense a Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy influence in the overall sound. Yet again, as is the case in the earlier two tracks as well, it is the overall structuring of the song from start to finish which is really noticeable, especially since Amit doesn't take a conventional route and defies Bollywood norms.
OVERALL
Kai Po Che! is a classic case of quality winning over quantity. Despite just three songs in the soundtrack, one has a sense of contentment. In fact one almost feels happy that there were no additional songs, lest those may have diluted an impact that was created by Amit Trivedi in this short-n-sweet affair. Of course one waits to see how much popular do the songs turn out to be in long term since currently they are available only in the digital format. However good promotion of the songs online as well as satellite channels and an ever increasing buzz should not just compensate for that but also help the soundtrack grow to the next level.
OUR PICK(S)
Manja, Shubhaarambh, Meethi Boliyaan
