Nakash sang this catchy trAcK

Since we are now in the lockdown, any song that contains the word party is bound to be viewed with a bit of suspicion.

And if one insists that it is fakht pavitra (Marathi for, “Just a gathering where bhajans will be sung and alcohol won’t be served”), a few people obviously won’t respond too well to it.

But Pavitra Party was the title of a catchy song from Lootcase. It was three minutes and 51 seconds long.

Shreyas Jain penned the Rohan-Vinayak composition, which was rendered by Nakash Aziz, Keka Ghoshal and Arhaan Hussain.  

An idiomatic exPReSsion inspired it

Although it doesn’t make sense to literally translate a Hindi idiom, muft ka chandan ghis mere Nandan means, “The sandalwood paste is free of cost. Apply as much of it as you wish, my Nandan”.

It basically means, “Make the most of the available opportunities”.

And that was exactly what Shreyas Jain did – he didn’t just pen, but also sang Muft Ka Chandan.

Romy and Pinky Maidasani joined him behind the microphone.

The Rohan-Vinayak composition was the shortest of the three tracks from Lootcase on this blog – it was three minutes and 26 seconds long.

Mr Hariharan ‘bag’ged this track

The title of this post hopefully won’t leave anyone wondering whether the legendary Hariharan rendered Laal Rang Ki Peti – it was sung by Vivek Hariharan.

It was the longest of the three songs from Lootcase (2020) on this blog – it was four minutes and 16 seconds long.

By no means would it would be incorrect to state that it was the ‘title track’ of the film, which revolves around a suitacase that’s, in fact, red.

And unlike the next two tracks from the film, it was penned by Kapil Sawant, and composed by Amar Mangrulkar.

Garg rendered it with Raina

If the eight tracks from Gulabo Sitabo on this blog were arranged in the ascending order of their durations, Madari Ka Bandar would be the last – it was four minutes and 10 seconds long.

It also happened to be the only duet on the soundtrack of the film.

The involvement of Anuj Garg in the song wasn’t restricted to composing it, but he (To)chipped in with his vocals too.

Of course, the man with whom he shared singing credits was the one and only Mr Raina.

No prizes for guessing that Dinesh Pant penned it.

Dubey penned and sang it

The second contribution of Shantanu to the soundtrack of Gulabo Sitabo was a (Moi)track titled Kya Leke Aayo Jag Mein.

Its title could be translated to, “What have you come into this world with?”

Well, there’s no two ways about the fact that the composer came into the world with a bagful of talent*.

The song was three minutes and a second long.

The involvement of Vinod Dubey in it wasn’t restricted to penning it, but he rendered it too.

(*Note: Moitra composed two instrumental pieces – the film’s theme music and a clarinet theme too.)

Singh went behind the Mik(a)rophone

Of late, Hindi film music aficionados’ ears have become so accustomed to listening to the voices of a new crop of Punjabi singers that they have all but forgotten the OG (original gangster) of the genre – the one and only Mika Singh.

He recently went behind the microphone to render Kanjoos.

The song, from Gulabo Sitabo, was two minutes and 50 seconds long.

If one weren’t effusive in his/her praise of Shantanu, who composed the (Moi)track, he/she would certainly be dubbed a kanjoos (miser).

It was lyricist Puneet Sharma’s second contribution to the film’s soundtrack.  

The multi-talented Mishra rendered it

Actor on stage as well as on screen – Check.

Scriptwriter – Check.

Composer – Check.

Lyricist – Check.

Singer – Check.

No, I’m not describing Kishore Kumar, but one of the finest all-rounders in the Hindi film industry at present – Piyush Mishra.

It was a pity that his involvement in the soundtrack of Gulabo Sitabo was restricted to the shortest of the eight tracks in the film – Jootam Phenk.

A couple of minutes and seven minutes long, it was composer Abhishek Arora’s sole contribution to the film’s soundtrack.

It was one of the two tracks penned by Puneet Sharma.

It was reprised by Raina

It is only ‘fair’ that the Reprise version of a song like Do Din Ka Yeh Mela, from Gulabo Sitabo, is rendered by a man whose talent matches that of Rahul Ram, who is a powerhouse performer.

And the man who (To)chipped in with his vocals was the one and only Mr Raina.

While on the subject of matching, that was precisely the case with the durations of both the versions – like the main version, this one was three minutes and 33 seconds long as well.

Dinesh Pant penned the track, which Anuj Garg composed.

  

Rahul Ram rocked this version

Do Din Ka Yeh Mela was the second song on the soundtrack of Gulabo Sitabo which could be called, “Do versions ka woh gaana”.

Although it wouldn’t be incorrect to state that it was a plum assignment that landed in Anuj’s lap, it was also a ‘Garg’antuan responsibility, because he was tasked with composing both the versions.

However, Rahul Ram was roped in to render the main version, and there’s no two ways about the fact that he rocked the track, which was penned by Dinesh Pant, and was three minutes and 33 seconds long.

 

Bhanwari sang the female version

Those who regularly watch Coke Studio India – a.k.a. Coke Studio @ MTV – would remember Bhanwari Devi, who appeared (alongside rapper Hard Kaur) in a track titled Kattey, which was among the tracks in Ram Sampath’s episode in the third season, which aired on August 24, 2013 and was the second episode of the season.

Her earthy vocals seemed apt for the Reprise version of Budhau from Gulabo Sitabo.

The only track from the film that was rendered by a lady, it was three minutes and 15 seconds long.

Dinesh Pant penned the Anuj Garg composition.

These little-known talents ‘Cash’ed in

As far as the soundtracks of Shoojit Sircar films are concerned, Hindi film music buffs can always expect a few surprises.

And the songs of his 2020 offering Gulabo Sitabo were no different.

These included a couple of tracks with a couple of versions apiece.

One of them was Budhau, which was composed by newbie Anuj Garg.

The longer version of the song, which Dinesh Pant penned, was three minutes and 38 seconds long.

It was rendered by Bal Kishore Das Loiwal, a Dehradun-based country singer who goes by an interesting stage name – Bobby Cash.

An international soNG was recreated

Do You Love Me – a recreation of the late Lebanese composer Bendali’s* song of the same name, which has similarities with British record producer TroyBoi’s track Do You – was the longer of the two tracks from Baaghi 3 on this blog – it was three minutes and 21 seconds long.

No prizes for guessing that the song, which Nikhita Gandhi rendered, wasn’t just penned, but also composed by Tanishk Bagchi.

(*Note: Bendali’s first name, Rene, is French for reborn. The listeners wished he were. But he certainly would not have enjoyed the mutilation of his track.)

It wasn’t on DJs’ playL(ahir)ists

Bhankas wasn’t just a word of Ek Aankh Marun Toh, the Bappi Lahiri composition from Tohfa (1984), but it is also Mumbai slang for nonsense. And that was precisely what its recreated version [from Baaghi 3 (2020)] was.

If the two tracks from the film on this blog were arranged in the alphabetical order, and in the ascending order of their durations, the Tanishk Bagchi composition would be the first – it was two minutes and 38 seconds long.

Lahiri was joined behind the microphone by Dev Negi and Jonita Gandhi.

Shabbir Ahmed penned this version.

This soNG was a Remake

I had not heard the songs of Angrezi Medium, which released in March 2020 and was Irrfan’s last film before he died of a colon infection at the age of 53 on April 29.

While paying a tribute to him, I heard Nachan Nu Jee Karda, the only song from the film on this blog.

A couple of minutes and 48 seconds long, the track – which wasn’t just penned, but also composed by Tanishk Bagchi – was a remake of Nachana Aonda Ni, from Tum Bin 2 (2016).

It was rendered by Romy and Nikhita Gandhi.

Romy rendered this recreated number

The last two words in the title of the film (Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan) should’ve served as a warning to those on the recreation bandwagon to get off it, but no one paid them any heed.

Pyaar Tenu Karda Gabru was the recreated version of Gabru, a song from Yo Yo Honey Singh’s 2011 album, International Villager.

Needless to say, it was credited to Tanishk Bagchi.

Penned by Vayu and sung by Romy, it was the longest of the three tracks from the film on this blog – it was two minutes and 45 seconds long.

Indeed, Khurrana was kaafi talented

It is not just yours truly, but also countless other Hindi film music aficionados, who are of the opinion that a balancing act by Tanishk Bagchi is the need of the hour, because there’s no two ways about the fact that there’s more to him than his shoddy recreations.

This was evident from Mere Liye Tum Kaafi Ho, his co-composition from Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan.

A couple of minutes and a dozen seconds long, it was penned by Vayu, who shared the composing credits with him.

The track was rendered by the talented Ayushmann Khurrana.

It was Zara sa disAPpointing

Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka was a made-for-television film which was telecast in 1989, and its songs – which were penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri and composed by Anand-Milind – became very popular.

One of these was Kya Karte The Saajna.

(Ud)It was rendered by Anuradha Paudwal and Mr Narayan.

A recreated version of the track – credited to none other than Tanishk Bagchi – featured on the soundtrack of Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan.

Vayu penned the track, which was rendered by Zara Khan.

Paudwal’s voice was retained.

A couple of minutes and 48 seconds long, it was a massive letdown.