"Shootout At Lokhandwala" is basically huge in every way. A
huge star cast, huge board of music composers and a huge team of singers.
Six originals, two remixes and one rap in this soundtrack are typical
of a movie of this genre, though not the kind that anyone would buy
its CD for. However, there are two tracks in this album that deserve
special mention.
"Ganpat" makes one wonder whether you're actually listening
to music of this sort. Now, the track may suit the situation in the
film but as an individual audio piece, it could seriously be missed.
The worst part is that Mika has sung it and it is not difficult to presume
what the outcome will be.
The completely English "Live by the Gun" is a theme song,
which doesn't really impress. But the lyrics are still praiseworthy,
the credit for which goes to Biddu who has also composed and sung it.
Next follows "Mere yaar", an item number picturised on Aarti
Chhabria, again a song with no fizz. A song to be fast-forwarded, for
sure, as neither the lyrics nor the music creates any impact.
But something nice finally - "Sone de maa" is composed by
Euphoria and sung by Palash. The lyrics talk about a guy who's tired
of all the chaos and scampering about and wants to put an end to it.
"Unke nashe mein" is an all-male track with Mika, Sukhwinder
Singh and Anand. It is definitely below average and the film could have
done without it, but the director was apparently desperate to get this
number included as he has penned the lyrics himself. Yes, Sanjay Gupta
has taken to writing lyrics.
Strings is back and that too with an amazingly nice track that is 'so'
them. "Aakhri alvida" sounds really good with Faisal Kapadia
and Bilal Maqsood doing the vocals. A real saviour!
After the entire ordeal of listening to this soundtrack, only "Aakhri
alvida" and "Sone de maa" deserve credit for good music.
The former will set the music industry buzzing while the latter, in
spite of being a great track, won't really turn out to be a phenomenal
success.
A lukewarm album, Gupta should have given serious thought to the composers
he was bringing on board - save Strings and Euphoria.