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Music Review
 
 
 
Mary Kom

Music Review – Mary Kom

By Tejaswi

Rating: 4 / 5

Sports as a genre is a relatively untouched topic as far as Hindi films are concerned and sports biographies even more so. The last we saw was the critically acclaimed Bhaag Milkha Bhaag but even then this is an area where film makers have rarely ventured to. Therefore it is highly appreciable that Director Omung Kumar has ventured into relatively unchartered territory with a biographical film on India’s celebrated female boxer, Mary Kom. National Award winning actress Priyanka Chopra plays the inspiring Mary Kom who has successfully managed to make a mark in a sport which is hitherto considered a male territory. Indeed no marks for guessing that the soundtrack for this film will be rousing and inspirational keeping up with the mood and setting of the film. But one can also expect other musical genres in this soundtrack since it also deals with human emotions. Therefore it will be quite interesting to see what newcomer composers Shashi Suman and Shivam (former Indian Idol Finalists) have in store for us.

The album opens with the racy Ziddi Dil. Composer Vishal Dadlani who has been doubling up as a singer quite frequently in recent times has lent his voice for this track which celebrates the never-say-die spirit of the protagonist. The composition (Shashi Suman) though peppy and catchy is not exactly out-of-the-box but Vishal’s spirited singing makes all the difference and transforms what is essentially a regular number into a stunning track! A superb start to the album indeed!

Looks like the trend is such that almost every major album seems incomplete without a track from the current favorite singer, Arijit Singh and so is indeed the case even in Mary Kom with the singer getting behind the mike for the melodious Sukoon Mila. This Sandeep Singh written number is as romantic as it gets and composer Shivam has indeed got it right by getting the man with the golden voice to croon this lovable romantic melody. Suffice to say that Arijit nails this number as only as he can and one can safely say that the composers have yet another winner on their hands!

Sunidhi Chauhan manages to convey the struggle and heartbreak of the protagonist marvelously in Adhure so much so that one can almost empathize with the emotional state of the former! Add to that the folksy feel to the composition (Shashi Suman), the soulful humming by the background vocalist (uncredited) and last but not the least the simple but impactful lyrics (Prashant Ingole) transports one to musical heaven! That’s three on three for these young and talented composers! Way to go indeed!

Teri Baari is the motivational song one has been waiting to hear in a very long time! Mohit Chauhan takes over the mike for this one and does a terrific job. One has to especially give it to him for coming out of his comfort zone of soft romantic melodies and shifting gears to sing a racy and energetic song such as this one and still emerging victorious as usual. Right from the inspirational lyrics (Prashant Ingole) to the mind-blowing composition (Shashi Suman) to of course the splendid singing, Teri Baari has everything it takes to cover the distance!

Arijit is in his comfort zone yet again in Saudebaazi which is yet another romantic melody but this time Shashi Suman takes the composition honors. The track is light and breezy with the hook line “beautiful lage saara jahaan” turning out to be quite catchy and Arijit excels in his rendition as always. But on the downside compared to the earlier tracks, this one is quite frothy and lacks depth in its composition and seems just like any other regular romantic track. That said, Saudebaazi will have its share of fans since it is not exactly a mediocre number but due to the high standards which we have come to expect from this album it falls a little short of expectations.

Salaam India manages to reignite the patriotic fervor in the listeners with the energetic yet soulful composition stirring our innermost feelings. Debutante Shivam gets two other seasoned composers, Vishal Dadlani and Salim Merchant to exercise their vocal chords for this rousing anthem which is sure to have a powerful impact on screen. Sandeep Singh’s words ooze patriotism and is rousing enough for the listeners to chant along with the track with full zeal and spirit!

For those who felt that Priyanka Chopra’s vocals sound processed and stylized, please listen to Chaoro and then make up your mind! Composed by Shashi Suman, this heart-warming lullaby sees Priyanka’s vocal chords in all its unprocessed glory. Priyanka sounds unbelievingly good and the composer also keeps the arrangement to a minimum giving a chance for Priyanka to showcase her natural and powerful vocal chords. There is no doubt indeed that Chaoro is really the best singing debut for Priyanka in Bollywood and also a fitting answer to all her critics and naysayers who keep raising questions about her singing skills.

To sum up one can positively say that Mary Kom is an astounding debut from composers Shivam and Shashi Suman who manage to exceed our expectations by giving us an album which does not contain a single bad number, a feat which even seasoned composers have difficulty achieving! Kudos to these former Indian Idol contestants who have proved their mettle in their debut and one wishes to see more of these talented youngsters even in the future.

My Picks: Adhura, Chaoro, Ziddi Dil, Salaam India, Teri Baari and Sukoon Mila