Yaariyan Review {2.0/5} & Review Rating
Just recently, the music of Sunday released and had a distinctive appeal to it due to six composers coming together to create a song apiece
for the film. Bollywood's Punjabi counterparts have also done something similar quite recently, as witnessed in the soundtrack of Yaariyan.
Produced by Pinky Basrao and directed by Deepak Grewal, the film has 4 composers - Onkar, Jaidev Kumar, Sachin Ahuja and Aadesh Shrivastava -
coming together with Onkar dominating the scene with 3 songs to his credit. Babu Mann, Dev Kohli, Amardeep Gill, Sham-Balkar and Mohan Nangla
have written lyrics for the film. Surprising part though is that even with Gurdas Mann playing a lead role in the film hasn't composed a single track in
the film. How one wishes he had done that though!
The opening track ‘Yaariyan’ is special since it brings together two of the most talented singers/performers/composers from Punjab -
Gurdas Mann and Sukhwinder Singh. Though none of the two has composed in Yaariyan, they lend their vocals to the title song, which also
comes later in the 'remix version'. Even while the number is high on tempo, has a 'celebration of friendship' feel to it and has the much mandated
'dhol beats' flavor to it, the final outcome is not the kind as one would have expected from an opening number of a high profile film like this. There is
a slight Western flavor given to the song as well but the song falls short of being a chartbuster variety. This is a kind of number, which comprises of
the routine Punjabi flavor!
Gurdas Mann's solo, which comes next, 'Wajda Tunak Tunak Ik Tara', makes for a much better hear than the opening number. While yet
again the song carries a Punjabi folk feel to it, it belongs to the kind which invariably gets your feet tapping. Jaidev Kumar, who has been one of the
most prolific composers when it comes to Punjabi music, is good here as well. He makes full use of Gurdas Mann's prowess behind the mike and gets
the right energy in place to create a number that has good potential of finding popularity amongst it's target audience i.e. Punjabis up North.
Mellow sound of piano, which kick-starts the proceedings for 'Bada Kuchh Kehna Hai' promises a romantic rendezvous in the offering.
However, beyond the opening 30 seconds, the song turns out to be absolutely pedestrian with seemingly no progress being made from the kind of
music which was created around couple of decades back. Composer Sachin Ahuja may have his reasons to keep the proceedings low key in 'Bada
Kuchh Kehna Hai' but the way Sonu Nigam and Tarannum go around with their rendition is sans any energy, which makes this love song a kind
of number, which comes and disappears in a jiffy!
Remember 'Chakna Chakna', the chartbuster track from Namastey London, which made waves last year? 'Watan Door Lage Ne
Mele' which comes next has it's roots in the same folk tune from where Himesh Reshammiya seemingly got his inspiration. Composed by
Jaidev Kumar, this number stays truly rooted to the traditional flavor with even the orchestra and arrangements staying within the boundaries.
Crooned by Gurdas Mann and Feroz Khan, the song doesn't quite manage to hold your attention and makes you skip forward to the next song in the
pipeline.
The way 'Ki Aye Kise Da Kasoor' begins, it almost enters the Karan Johar territory while coming quite close to the title song of Kabhi
Khushi Kabhi Gham. However, expectations of getting a chartbuster track in the album are shortlived as Sadhna Sargam and composer Onkar
take a sad route for this song which only comes with a situational appeal. First and the only track in the album, which is a female solo, 'Ki Aye Kise
Da Kasoor' just passes muster and more or less seals the fate of this barely average album.
With Aadesh Shrivastava's name on the credits, one wonders if there would be something to cheer about before the album comes to a conclusion.
Sonu Nigam and Alisha Chinoy are added reasons to assume better results and thankfully, 'C'mon C'mon' turns out to be one of those
rare numbers in Yaariyan, which work to some extent. The number mixes Punjabi flavor with Western arrangements and also incorporates feel
good elements, a la Johar and Chopra, to create a NRI market for the album.
To conclude the album, Onkar composes as well as sings 'Time Chakna', which musically has a feel similar to that of 'Wajda Tunak
Tunak Ik Tara'. Yet again, the song sticks to traditional roots though English rap-n-reggae interspersions are unnecessary interruptions more
than anything else.
After hearing, the entire soundtrack of Yaariyan one is tad disappointed, because with a name as big as Gurdas Mann, the least one expects is
a chartbuster soundtrack. Sadly, that's not quite the case here with the only song which promises to go some distance being Aadesh Shrivastava
composed 'C'mon C'mon'.