Film: Bhaag Johnny
Label: T-Series
Music: Sajid-Wajid, Devi Sri Prasad, Yo Yo Honey Singh and Mithoon
Lyrics: Faaiz Anwaar, Kumaar, Yo Yo Honey Singh, Amitabh Verma and Arko
This is a T-Series production, and, quite obviously, there has to be a re-created old song in it (a T-Series tradition for over two years in multiple films, no doubt because of the paucity of talent and melody today, taking advantage of their extensive film and non-film repertoire).
This time, it’s “Iss Qadar Pyar Hai,” which was from Sonu Nigam’s super-selling 2000 album “Deewana,” which is rehashed by Arko (additional lyrics and music) and sung by Ankit Tiwari, another T-Series favorite. Happily, the original is not mutilated, as has happened in most such cases, and both Ankit and Arko take care of the musical aspect, though Arko’s add-on lyrics are a glut of typical modern clichés.
The other catchy song (Surprise! Surprise! And quite a pleasant one despite the few ubiquitous Punjabi words) is “Aankhon Aankhon,” composed, written and sung by Yo Yo Honey Singh. A catchy ‘mukhda,’ whose beginning (unintentionally) has the same notes as the cult line “Mere Sapnon Ki Rani” from “Aradhana,” it is a nice number that is mercifully in Hindi, and Yo Yo has sung it straight like a mainstream singer. The tune, too, is not a harkening back to his earlier works (a habit with him till now) in sound and tenor.
Mithoon’s compositions “Kinna Sona” (Sunil Kamath) and “Meri Zindagi” (Rahul Vaidya) are ho-hum creations, but the good thing is that they do not sound like the standard, monotonous and aggrieved songs this composer makes all the time! We only have a quarrel with Amitabh Verma, that brilliant lyricist who does limited but excellent and meaningful work and last wrote “Love Is a Waste of Time” in “PK.” Verma writes overdone cliché after cliché in every line of these two numbers. Et tu, Verma?
Finally, the lead track “Daddy Mummy” is seductively and forcefully delivered by a resonant South voice, M.M. Manasi, along with its composer Devi Sri Prasad (one song in “Jai Ho!” and a hook in “Ready”). The song is a typically modern number with some audacious words, not really classy, but it works somehow despite Kumaar’s lyrical levels as the new, substandard version of Sameer in these times. But we would love to hear more of Manasi in films to come.
Rating: 2.5/5