Welcome Back Review {3.0/5} & Review Rating
EXPECTATIONS
One expects a fun score in Welcome Back. Films coming from the house of Anees Bazmee are meant to boast of a breezy soundtrack and his Welcome too had a few chartbusters in there. Now for the film's sequel, one expects nothing lesser, especially with producer Firoz Nadiadwala making sure that this one too is a lavish outing. As is the current trend though, multiple composers and lyricists are roped in to do the job and what surprises one is to see as many as eight unique songs with a couple of remixes thrown in as well.
MUSIC
Meet Bros Anjjan kick-start the proceedings with Kumaar written celebration number 'Tutti Bole Wedding Di'. A fun track that follows the template of a quintessential Bollywood celebration number with a wedding theme thrown in and a horde of actors coming together to shake a leg or two, this one has a good hook to it which makes it pretty addictive. In fact it won't be surprising if this one adds on to the list of wedding celebration numbers up North in quick time to come. Meet Bros Anjjan, Shipra Goyal, Ambresh, Ved, Ashish, Ruchir and Bipin come together to make this one a foot tapping affair.
However what follows next makes you wonder in sheer amazement if Welcome Back had run out of options so quickly despite being a 10 track affair. For some strange reasons, an out and out below the belt item number '20-20' is thrown in which equates the game of cricket with love making! Anu Malik puts this one together with lyricists Manoj Muntashir and Shabbir Ahmed who let their imaginations run wild and make sure that this one caters entirely to the gentry. That said, the sound here is catchy and the lady roped in behind the mike is the usual suspect Mamta Sharma with Anu Malik and Shadaab chipping in as well.
Thankfully, there is a turnaround immediately after with a new team, Music Mg.., bringing in their own take on the title song 'Welcome Back - Title Track'. This one is addictive from the word 'Go' and one has to compliment Music Mg.. which comes along with Mika Singh to put together this foot tapping piece which has a good club sound to it. They move ahead with a tried and tested formula and in the process ensure that the new title song and the 'Beat Mix' version actually match up with the original Welcome. Music Mg.. write this one and also sing along with Mika and Geeta Jhala to deliver a potential chartbuster.
Next to arrive is a naughty number 'Meet Me Daily Baby' which, unlike '20-20', is thankfully not below the belt. With a 90s feel to it, this Siddhant Madhav sung and composed number (along with a 'remix', which has Harshit Saxena as the singer) is on the same lines as 'Kiya Kiya' [Welcome], which of course had a better hook. Though one can't say that for how many weeks would this Arafat Mehmood written number with Pawni A. Pandey and Hyasinth D'Souza as the singers would hang on. However for the duration that it plays, one waits to see how best newcomer Ankita Srivastava makes use of this opportunity.
There is a surprise in store with John Abraham making his debut as a singer. He gets to croon 'Time Lagaye Kaiko' which is put together by Nitin Raikwar, the lyricist behind 'tapori' songs like 'Aati Kya Khandala' [Ghulam] and 'Apun Bola' [Josh]. This one too is on the same lines and Anu Malik gets a 90s hook to it which could well have been picked by Govinda in his heydays. Yes, in the first hearing one does get a little bit shocked as you don't really associate a song like this with John. However, on repeated hearing, you do start getting a hang of it and also don't mind John as a singer who gets good support from Anmol Malik.
There is a disappointment in store though with Meet Bros Anjjan reuniting with Kumaar for 'Nas Nas Mein' which is one of the most uninspiring party numbers that one has come across of late. Even as Shabab Sabri tries to get all energetic with this number that could well be a tribute to Firoz Khan (who was in the earlier Welcome), the overall impact created by the song doesn't quite warrant another hearing. One now waits to see how the song is picturised as the voices of Rani Hazarika and Deane Sequiera may just bring in some seductive appeal.
The album moves into the safe territory with the traditional 'Damaa Dam Mast Kalandar'. Mika Singh is the right man for the job and he gets his throat to good use with this version which is a follow up to his own rendition of the song a couple of years for D-Day. However, the surprise inclusion here is Yo Yo Honey Singh who gets into this avtar for the first time in a Hindi film and does a rather good job with his interspersions. He chips in well for Kumaar written words and composes the portion well too.
Last to arrive is 'Welcome Back - Theme' which is entirely different from a couple of title track versions that were heard during the play of the album so far. However, what one can't miss is the fact that Abhishek Ray rehashes his own title song composition for Yeh Saali Zindagi and comes up with this version. In fact not just the composition but even the entire styling too is on the same lines with the start, middle and end being on exactly the same lines, and also the female voice which is heard in the background. Nevertheless, one just hopes that this Manvendra and Abhishek Ray sung number does get its due now.
OVERALL
The music of Welcome Back delivers a little better than what one had expected from it and for that the credit must go to a couple of instant chartbusters that it boasts of - 'Welcome Back - Title Track' and 'Tutti Bole Wedding Di'. Except for '20-20' and 'Nas Nas Mein', rest of the tracks fit in well too, hence making Welcome Back one big party and celebration album.
OUR PICK(S)
'Welcome Back - Title Track', 'Tutti Bole Wedding Di', 'Time Lagaye Kaiko', 'Damaa Dam Mast Kalandar'
