Haruno Blog's

Singers: Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, Amitabh Bachchan, Shreya Ghosal, Sudesh Bhosle, Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani, Anushka Manchanda, Sunidhi Chauhan and Sanjay Dutt

Lyricists: Vishal Dadlani and Anvita Dutt Guptan

Music Directors: Vishal-Shekhar

Rating:***

The soundtrack of the much-talked about Amitabh Bachchan-starrer "Aladin", a contemporary take on the classic fairy tale, is racy and energetic. Composer duo Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani have tried to go beyond their usual tunes and beats.

"Aladin" contains six originals and two remixes. It opens with "Genie rap", where Amitabh turns rapper along with Anushka Manchanda. The song seems to be a situational number and doesn't interest much.

"Genie rap" has a remixed version too by DJ Suketu. This version is faster and has more beats.

Up next is "Tak dhina din", the title track. Sung by Shankar Mahadevan and Shaan, the song starts with a bang and is full of energy. The tempo is maintained all through.

Then we have a complete shift of genre with "O re saawariya". It has a soft start but picks up pace later. It's an entertaining piece with a mix of classical and rustic influences. Sudesh Bhonsle, Shreya Ghoshal, Shaan and Amitabh have lent their voice to the song.

"O re saawariya" has a remix version again by DJ Suketu. It is foot-tapping and adds more colour to the original song.

Next in line is the only soft number of the soundtrack "You may be", which has composers Vishal and Shekhar behind the microphone. A love ballad, it has a mix of English and Hindi lyrics. Soothing to the ears, "You may be" is a pleasing song.

"Bachke o bachke" sung by Shankar, Shaan and Sunidhi is another upbeat, foot-tapping number that has a long prelude. Initially the song seems just average, but it grows on you slowly.

Finally, there is "Giri giri", a different track sung by Sanjay Dutt. Sanjay doesn't do justice with the song and adds no vocal quality. It is an average number, even though the music is interesting.

On the whole, Vishal and Shekhar have composed fast-paced, high on beats songs and most of them are enjoyable.

Two people who meet after a hiatus of six years, now occupying different worlds. Evidently, they had moved on ...

What starts off as a seemingly innocuous encounter on the same flight back to Mumbai ends up as a roller-coaster ride through some of the darkest hours of Mumbai, as they see the city get swamped with disaster and loss ... and are forced to stick together in this time of crisis. The story shifts perspective between the past and the present, a glorious but crazy past of two starkly different people falling in love, the differences at first being exciting.

Gradually with time, they journey through the emotional pitfalls attached, the constant bickering, the frantic and urgent making up, and irreconcilable differences that give way to a final break up.

And then we see those very people struggling their way through a stormy night in Mumbai that threatens to take over the city, their fears and insecurities lying bare as their guard drops.

As emotions run high, the two learn more about each other on that night possibly than they knew in all those years of being together — tough situations call on some important revelations and they realize how transient and unpredictable life is and they need to make the most of the time that has been given to them together.