EXPECTATIONS
You
don't
really
know
what
to
expect
from
Dev
D.
Considering
the
subject
(the
eternal
story
of
Devdas),
you
know
that
it
has
to
be
a
musical
in
the
offering.
Looking
at
the
inlay
card,
you
find
as
many
as
18
tracks
being
listed
(yes,
that's
right,
and
we
are
not
talking
about
the
remix
versions
here).
However,
knowing
the
director,
Anurag
Kashyap,
you
are
left
wondering
what
to
expect.
After
all
each
of
his
three
films
so
far,
No
Smoking,
Black
Friday
and
Paanch
(it's
music
was
released
years
back
though
the
film
is
still
awaited),
has
boasted
of
unusual
music.
With
all
due
credit
to
the
soundtracks,
they
may
not
have
made
waves
at
the
music
stands
but
they
have
certainly
been
noticed.
Still,
one
isn't
quite
sure
what
to
expect
from
the
commercial
standpoint.
And
then
a
number
like
'Emosanal
Attyachaar'
(yes,
that's
how
it
is
called)
comes
on
air
and
you
end
up
saying
to
yourself
-
'Ok,
so
let's
play
Dev
D
and
see
what
Anurag
and
his
team
has
to
offer
this
time
around'!
MUSIC
Amit
Trivedi,
who
has
earlier
composed
for
Aamir
gets
his
biggest
break
till
date
as
he
is
allowed
full
creative
freedom
sans
any
boundaries
for
his
original
soundtrack
of
Dev
D.
The
man
certainly
makes
full
use
of
the
opportunity
meted
out
to
him
and
goes
all
out
in
getting
a
totally
unexpected
score
for
the
film
in
place.
He
tries
out
just
about
everything,
whether
it
is
rock,
'bhangra',
fusion,
classical
and
the
works.
He
goes
overboard
too
at
a
few
junctions,
justifiably
so,
since
the
film
allows
him
to
explore
the
avenues
hitherto
unexplored
in
hardcore
Bollywood
outings.
This
is
the
reason
why
there
is
a
lot
happening
on
Dev
D.
To
begin
with
there
is
a
full-on
'bhangra-pop'
in
the
form
of
'Mahi
Mennu'.
Towards
the
album's
end,
there
is
a
rustic
and
totally
unadulterated
'Hikknaal'.
Both
the
songs
are
expected
to
blaze
on
loud
and
strong
at
the
dance
floors,
especially
up
North!
Trumpets
blow
hard
for
'Emosanal
Attyachaar'
which
is
just
the
song
for
the
marriage
processions.
Presley
meets
'bhojpuri'
meets
'bhangra-pop'
meets
Anurag
Kashyap
as
Amit
goes
all
out
in
making
the
number
as
quirky
as
possible.
'Duniya'
is
the
best
sounding
number
to
arrive
in
the
album
and
is
the
most
youthful
of
all
due
to
an
intrinsic
rhythm
to
it.
The
kind
of
sound
that
one
associates
with
Pakistani
artists
is
heard
in
'Aankh
Micholi'
which
only
adds
on
to
the
variety
of
this
album
that
continues
to
be
engaging
and
entertaining
song
after
song.
Soon
after
arrives
'Yahi
Meri
Zindagi'
that
has
an
international
pop
feel
to
it
while
'Ek
Hulchul
Si'
is
soft
rock.
On
the
other
hand
'Pardesi'
and
'Nayan
Tarse'
are
folk
fusion
tracks.
While
'Pardesi'
has
a
slight
Western
touch-up
to
it
while
remaining
rooted
throughout,
'Nayan
Tarse'
begins
with
a
slight
Indian
classical
shade
to
it,
only
to
become
a
full-on
rock
track
during
its
progression.
'Paayaliya'
follows
next
and
this
is
the
first
number
in
the
album
which
seems
to
be
in
the
true
'Devdas'
tradition,
courtesy
a
semi-classical
flavor.
'Saali
Khushi'
takes
the
audience
through
the
journey
of
the
protagonist
looking
for
happiness
and
you
can
actually
find
yourself
smiling
at
the
way
he
approaches
life
and
the
miseries
that
follow
with
it.
On
the
other
hand
'Dhol
Yaara
Dhol'
perks
up
the
situation
with
a
feel
good
romantic
feel
to
it,
though
with
a
different
flavor
due
to
a
folk
touch-up.
This
is
the
one
that
would
sound
as
good
on
a
desert
drive
as
a
lounge
outing!
There
is
an
extended
piano
piece
for
'Dil
Mein
Jaagi'
which
is
yet
another
number
to
have
an
international
feel
to
it.
With
Dev
and
Chanda
being
the
two
most
important
characters
in
Dev
D,
there
are
as
many
as
two
theme
piece
being
devoted
to
them
in
the
form
of
'Dev
Chanda'.
However,
in
totality
they
last
for
only
a
little
over
4
minutes.
LYRICS
Shellee
gets
the
responsibility
to
write
songs
with
a
folk
flavor
to
them.
While
'Mahi
Mennu'
and
'Hikknaal'
are
full-on
Punjabi,
there
is
Rajasthani
folk
flavor
in
'Pardesi',
'Dhol
Yaara
Dhol'
and
'Ranjhana'.
Amitabh
Bhattacharya
has
assured
that
he
would
always
be
remembered
for
'Emosanal
Attyachaar'
during
his
entire
lifetime
and
beyond.
On
the
other
hand
his
'Duniya',
'Yahi
Meri
Zindagi'
as
well
as
'Aankh
Micholi'
(where
he
is
joined
by
Amit
Trivedi)
come
with
a
philosophical
touch
to
them.
His
lyrics
for
'Nayan
Tarse'
bring
the
angst
and
pain
of
the
protagonist
whereas
'Ek
Hulchul
Si'
is
about
hope
and
living
life.
VOCALS
Ever
so
consistent
Labh
Janjua,
who
has
mostly
been
heard
singing
for
Pritam,
gets
to
open
Dev
D
with
'Mahi
Mennu'.
Later
in
the
album
he
also
sings
'Hikknaal'
while
making
it
three
for
himself
by
singing
the
sad
version
of
'Mahi
Mennu'
too.
Band
Master
'Rangeela
And
Rasila'
are
in
great
form
as
they
make
'Emosanal
Attyachaar'
a
number
that
is
hard
to
forget
after
the
first
listening
itself.
Later
Bony
Chakravarthy
too
joins
the
fray
and
comes
up
with
a
'Rock
Version'
of
the
same
song.
However,
give
us
the
Band
Master
duo
anytime!
Comparatively
Joi,
who
gets
to
sing
his
only
rock
track
in
the
album,
brings
on
a
youthful
feel
to
'Ek
Hulchul
Si'
and
ensures
that
Amit
Trivedi's
confidence
in
getting
new
singers
on
board
for
Dev
D
is
justified.
Amit
Trivedi
brings
in
variety
to
the
proceedings
by
bringing
himself
behind
the
mike
with
'Duniya'
and
'Aankh
Micholi'
and
completely
justifies
his
presence
since
he
sings
the
two
tracks
in
completely
different
ways.
He
continues
to
surprise
as
a
singer
with
'Nayan
Tarse'
which
is
'classical
music'
meets
'rock'.
On
the
other
hand
in
'Saali
Khushi'
he
seems
to
be
in
an
intoxicated
state,
something
that
goes
with
the
theme
of
'Devdas'.
Tochi
gets
his
only
song
in
the
album,
a
solo,
as
he
sings
the
folk
fusion
track
'Pardesi'.
For
the
first
time
a
female
voice
is
heard
in
Dev
D
with
the
arrival
of
Aditi
Singh
Sharma.
A
relative
newcomer,
she
brings
in
a
Western
touch
to
her
voice.
Same
holds
good
for
Anusha
Mani
who
sings
as
well
as
writes
'Dil
Mein
Jaagi'.
However,
this
time
around
the
Western
influence
is
much
more
prominent.
Surprises
are
the
order
of
the
day
as
Shruti
Pathak,
who
was
so
husky
and
low-key
in
'Mar
Jaanva'
[Fashion],
one
of
the
best
songs
of
the
year
gone
by,
gives
an
altogether
different
account
of
herself
in
semi-classical
'Paayaliya'
which
she
not
just
sings
but
also
writes.
Shilpa
Rao
and
Kshitij
Tarey,
two
of
the
most
promising
newcomers
on
the
Bollywood
singing
scene
today,
get
two
duets
to
sing
-
'Dhol
Yaara
Dhol'
and
'Ranjhana'.
Do
they
do
well?
Of
course!
The
other
duet
couple
in
Dev
D,
Neuman
Pinto
and
Bianca
Gomes,
come
together
for
crooning
the
two
theme
versions
of
'Dev
Chanda'.
OVERALL
Amit
Trivedi
gives
an
excellent
start
to
the
year
by
presenting
to
audience
the
music
of
Dev
D,
which
brings
in
so
much
variety
to
proceedings
that
one
just
feels
truly
content.
These
are
the
kind
of
songs
that
should
play
for
bits
and
piece
in
the
narrative
of
Dev
D
and
add
great
value
to
it.
There
are
some
albums
that
make
you
say
-
'Chuck
the
very
thought
around
whether
this
album
will
do
well
commercially
or
not;
it
is
an
exemplary
piece
of
work
and
that's
what
that
matters
most'!
Well,
Dev
D
is
one
such
album.
Just
pick
this
one
quickly
from
the
shelves;
they
don't
make
such
albums
in
dozens!