Following a string of hit songs such as Sooraj Dooba Hai (Roy, 2015), Soch Na Sake (Airlift, 2016) and Kar Gayi Chull (Kapoor & Sons, 2016) on multi-composer soundtracks, M.S. Dhoni – The Untold Story marks Amaal Mallik’s first solo-composer album, and he makes the most of it.
In Neeraj Pandey’s biopic, actor Sushant Singh Rajput takes on the formidable task of playing cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The September 30 release co-stars Anupam Kher and Bhumika Chawla. The lyrics are by Manoj Muntashir.
The mellow sounds of Besabriyaan, backed by ambient flutes, guitars and stringed instruments, place singer Armaan Malik (the composer’s brother, who spells his surname differently) in the midst of a breezy ballad. His vocal pitch and the tune compliment each other, never reaching for a loud sound even when the orchestration is equipped with woodwinds, bass guitar and a live strings section conducted by Suresh Lalvani. The composer keeps the decibel on the pleasing side of the scale.
Palak Muchhal sings Kaun Tujhe, a wispy romantic track calibrated through staccato beats and terse lyrics. The track is light and evocative in her soft timbre, combined with a slow rhythm and lush musical arrangement.
Armaan Malik returns for the symphonic sounds of Jab Tak, keeping his vocals low. Muntashir’s poetic lines about messing up the lover’s hair and drowning in the undercurrents of passion are sung in a drawl bearing a westernised accent. The hybrid sound of pop vocals and string instruments is reminiscent of the chamber pop song Earned It by the Canadian singer The Weeknd.
The redux version of Jab Tak has Malik yodelling to an upbeat guitar accompaniment. It adds pep to the sweeping melody but dilutes the original.
No film score seems to be complete without Arijit Singh. Phir Kabhi is the mandatory track oozing with syrupy sweetness. It suffers from familiarity, showcasing the same twee sound that marks most of his romantic ballads. The composer tries to offset Singh’s voice with a woman’s incoherent warble and a humming chorus in the background, but these sound effects only amplify Singh’s lead vocals.
The rock-infused Parwah Nahi, sung by Siddharth Basrur, relies heavily on the excellent guitar interlude and chorus refrain of the words parwah nahi (don’t care) to create an anthemic sound, but the end result is uninspiring.
Padhoge Likhoge rearranges the words of the Hindi proverb “Padhoge likhoge banoge nawab, kheloge koodoge hoge kharab” (Education will make you a prince, sports will ruin your life) to suit the aspirations of the film’s lead character. Singers Ananya Nanda and Adithyan A Prithviraj render the song like a playful banter between two kids arguing about their choices. The loud drums and shehnai incorporating street music feels gimmicky, designed for a whistle and clap ovation.
Rochak Kohli composes and sings Har Gully Mein Dhoni Hai, the only guest composition on the album. Its soaring tune and motivational lyrics have a more engaging impact than the previous two tracks. Mallik has a hit strike rate with the mushy numbers, but he has his work cut out for him if he wants to diversify into other styles.