Imtiaz Ali and his team have always been known to have some phenomenal and heartwarming songs in their films. Although he is not helming as the director still he is the writer and expectedly very much involved in the project. Whether we look at Jab We Met, Rockstar or Imtiaz’s collaboration with Saif Ali Khan (Love Aaj Kal) and now Cocktail, get ready for a heady mix of Desi and Videsi sensibilities. Saif has pretty much made it his forte to get people grooving to fusion renditions. Cocktail, by the promos and look of it, is not going to be any exception.
‘Tumhi Ho Bandhu’ has already been making waves across the industry. Critics and audiences have lapped it up. The number is meticulously composed by Pritam who has managed to not go overboard with the techno beats. The melody is definitely catchy and impressive and the duo of Neeraj Sridhar and Kavita Seth actually work wonders for the song. Irshad Kamil does a fabulous job with the lyrics. He keeps things short, simple, sweet and effective. ‘Tumhi Ho Bandhu’ is not just going to be your caller tune but would also be a rage across the dance floors for a while to come.
‘Daaru Desi’ is a soft number contrary to what the common perception would be considering the title of the song. Three aspects stand out in the song apart from the soulful composition. The guitars work a therapeutic effect, Benny Dayal sings it beautifully and then Shalmali Kholgade just kills it. If you fell in love with Padeshaan of Ishaqzaade then it wasn’t a fluke and it is time you fall in love with Shalmali. ‘Daaru Desi’ is the track you would want to play if you are spending a lazy afternoon or heading for a long drive.
‘Yaariyaan’ takes Pritam back to his old school of rock blended in with Indian seasonings. While Mohan Kanan and Shilpa Rao sing it brilliantly, one cannot help but notice the striking similarities with so many western numbers from Coldplay to our very own Indian rock bands. ‘Yaariyaan’ could be a mesmerizing track for many who are not accustomed with this genre of music but for music lovers, this would just be an average experience. Irshad however impresses yet again with his brilliant wordings.
‘Second Hand Jawani’ is a bit of a distracter. The album had been faring well when this one comes up and does not entice you in any way. The composition is simple and the crooning does not make an impact. Perhaps the fusion tricks did not work with this one.
When you mix Western Pop and Indian Punjabi beats, you better do it well and with ‘Tera Naam Japdi Phira’, Pritam and his singers (Javed Bashir, Nikhil D’Souza, Shefali Alvares) hit the bulls eye.
‘Lutna’ and ‘Jugni’ bring the album to a close with a few remixes and reprises following up. ‘Jugni’ lacks the punch that the original Pakistani track had and ‘Lutna’ manages to end the Cocktail music experience on a high note.
