This has been a fantastic year for Bollywood. Some of the year’s biggest hits were delivered in 2013 including Chennai Express, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Aashiqui 2, Race 2, Raanjhana and many others. When it comes to music however, very few movies actually managed to grab the audience’s attention. Stand-out titles include Chennai Express, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and of course the sombre Aashiqui 2. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela is an addition to that list. The director has turned full-fledged music director with Ram Leela, delivering ten very different songs that will surely grab the imagination of all Bhansali fans. With Ram Leela, Bhansali experiments with Rajasthani folk music and an array of voices. The result is an amalgam oozing with brilliance written all over it!
Bhoomika Trivedi introduces the album with Ram Chahe Leela. My money is on this song being that item number picturised on former Miss World , the Exotic Priyanka Chopra. The song has a sensually deep theme with beautiful lyrics.
Shail Hada features on three songs. His first is the spicy Lahu Munh Lag Gaya. You will enjoy this if you liked Ismail Darbar’s music on Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Hada comes in with the equally-appealing Poore Chand . This song is recommended for repeat-play at high volume. Hada’s last song comes in the form of Ang Laga De where he is given able support by Aditi Paul. If you liked More Piya from Devdas, you will enjoy this song. The song is beautifully written to perfection and has an intoxicating effect.
Shreya Ghoshal who sang most of the songs on Bhansali’s Devdas and Sawaariya is made to sing on only two songs on Ram Leela. As they say in show business, it’s not about how much you are given but more about what you do with the little you are afforded. Ghoshal impresses in Nagada Sang Dhol. This can be accepted as a tribute to Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’s pulsating Dholi Taaro Dhol Baaje. It is perfect timing for Navatri too as this song is going to get popular by the day. Ghoshal’s other song, Dhoop is yet to grow on me but has its own old-world charm.
My two favourite tracks on the album are Arijit Singh’s sublime Laal Ishq and the folk Mor Bani Thanghat Kare. Listening to Arijit Singh on Laal Ishq transcends listener to another world- a world filled with love and relentless passion. My guess is that Bhansali wanted to fuse the worlds of Sufi & traditional folk music and Ghazals here.
The other two tracks on Ram Leela by Aditya Narayan Ishqyaun Dishqyaun and Tattad Tattad are not as polished in comparison to the other . Not to sound harsh but I think Narayan needs more refining . I am sure once the movie releases, these two songs will begin to grow on me and other Bhansali fans alike.
The Bollywood Tempest loves Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s work on Ram Leela. Our rating is a smouldering 9.5/10 for excellence its regally authentic take on Bollywood music. Hats of to the multifaceted Sanjay Leela Bhansali!
The Bollywood Tempest
The Track list of Ram-Leela
- “Ram Chahe Leela” by Bhoomi Trivedi
- “Lahu Munh Lag Gaya” by Shail Hada
- “Ang Laga De” by Aditi Paul & Shail Hada
- “Poore Chand” by Shail Hada
- “Nagada Sang Dhol” by Shreya Ghoshal & Osman Mir
- “Laal Ishq” by Arijit Singh
- “Ishqyaun Dhishqyaun” by Aditya Narayan
- “Mor Bani Thanghat Kare (Traditional)” by Osman Mir & Aditi Paul
- “Dhoop” by Shreya Ghoshal
- Tattad Tattad” by Aditya Narayan
Total Length 47:09
