By Satyajit, Bollywood Trade News Network

Sanjay Gupta honed the spark and glint of internationally branded musical formats into his style of action potboilers with grand success. The upbeat trend continued in his last releases and now when the baton has shifted to Apoorva Lakhia in SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA, there seems to be array of vivid musical talents clubbed together in a contemporary Bollywood format. After formidable link-up with music duo Vishal-Shekhar (MUSAFIR, KAANTE and ZINDA), SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA (SOAL) cocktails different blends of different styles of musical work from the Indi-pop brigade of EUPHORIA, Mika, Biddu along with their favorite STRINGS. Despite all hullabaloos of celebrated names, the album fails to match their musical standards and ends up as another average grosser.

Anand Raj Anand’s Punjabi musical punch hires its rhythmical fuel and fire from Mika’s “Ishq Brandy” and crankshafts its thrill “n” zest into the pulse of raunchy dance bar soundtrack “Mere Yaar”. The flaming and aggravating musical flares up with extra enthused musical arrangements as it tries its best to match with raunchiness of “Beedi” (OMKARA). Anand Raj Anand’s impetuous Punjabi lingo gets into the act fiercely while Sunidhi’s impromptu silken rendition sizzles into musical thump. This overtly hyped number will score maximum with its seductively paced choreographic skills and will positively be full-size amusement for frontbenchers. If numbers like “Beedi” and “Namak” enthralls and tantalizes your senses then this probably will be another eye-teaser that might pull off surprise.

The multifaceted Sufi rock of Pakistani band STRINGS who scintillated with “Yeh Hai Meri Kahani” (ZINDA) returns with a feel of “It’s never been right time to say goodbye” in impressive “Aakhri Alvida”. The lively feel of subtle guitar strumming followed by a concoction of enthused electric and base guitar strumming, soft piano notes and inspired percussions sets a tempo of action packed thrilling events. This euphorically sentimental soundtrack is enriched with Anwar Maqsood’s emotionally penned lyrics “Is dard dil mein, dil mein rehne do, Jo khauf hai Ankho mein, Ankhon se behne do, Dukh ki nadi, Chup chap behne do, Jo kehna hai dheere se kehdo, Yeh Aakhri Alvida na ho…” The tonality of this number sounds similar to their superhit track “Najane Kyon” (album DHAANI) encapsulating the blood-spilling gory events of the film and promises itself to be their second presentable offering in Bollywood. Nikhil Chinappa and DJ Nawed “club” mix version of this rip-roaring rock number has the desired ingredients of hip-shaking flavors of rocking the floors.

Sanjay Dutt pioneered the art of exhibiting “bhai” culture in filmdom and now he stands on the other side as his contemporaries (Vivek Oberoi, Tushar Kapoor etc) gets into “bhai” act in a creepy dance bar soundtrack “Ganpat”. It’s a messy soundtrack where bunch of dreaded “bhai” celebrate in intoxication and shows their cruel dominance in all sections of society (films, politics etc). The bawdy lyrics along with sluggish paced music makes itself as cheap imitation of lewd hip-hop numbers that are full of rude and crude filth. Skip it! “Ganpat Rap” is dramatic version where the horrifying underworld encounters makes slapdash presence through bawdy dialogues, sounds and noises

After conceiving messy and chaotic “Ganpat”, Mika gets into another “bhai” act in an impoverished lyrical work by Sanjay Gupta to produce another mediocre dance bar number “Unke Nashe Mein”. Anand Raj Anand’s pulsating musical work grips well with Sukhwindra Singh and Mika’s throaty vocals but this “goon” specialist offering ends up as another mediocre offering. Even the “club” mix version by DJ Nawed Chinappa sounds too meek as a disco offering and ends up as damp squib.

Biddu augments from extinction and tries to mesmerize his relaxing “lounge” music impact into the subtle classical western music tonality in the thematically conceived “Live by the gun”. It neither falls into his “Diamond Sutra” style of relaxation music nor energize senses with compelling disco beats commotions. Biddu’s husky vocal rendition sounds meek inspiration to the likes of all time greats John Denver, Cliff Richards but it fails to be anything sentimentally extravagant in its lackluster rendition. This overtly westernized number has strong proclivity and leaning of a typical Hollywood’s action potboiler’s theme track but some time inspirations don’t work positively.

EUPHORIA, the much deserving pop group proves to be strongest ace in this bundle of experimentation as their modest and honey melting Indi-pop style excels magnificently in delivering soul-stirring “Sone De Maa”. This heart-piercing soundtrack props out to be worthy contrast from their everlasting work “Maiye Re” (featuring Rimi Sen in pop album “Phir Dhoom”) with strong Bollywood’s 70’s core melodic base. Dr. Palash Sen, lead vocalist prowess is catalyzed soulfully with Deekshant Sherwat’s realistically penned lines “Teri Kahani Mein Jeeta Tha Beta tera, Tu hi Bata Maa kya Jhotha Tha Kissa Tha Tera…” The mesmerizing concoction of stringed and auto-phonic musical instruments forms a fabulous “jugalbandi” that brings back bygone era of 60’s and 70’s with present state of declining morality. After pop album “Mehfuz”, the prodigal pop group really gets into their act splendidly and makes a noteworthy presence (if not successful) in tinsel town and richly deserves to be heard again and again. Praiseworthy!

SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA pinnacles in soothing flair of sentimentalism in the form of soulful ballads by Indian rock band EUPHORIA (“Sone De Maa”) and Pakistani Sufi rock band STRINGS (“Aakhri Alvida”). There is sense of patchiness and disappointment from Bollywood contemporary Anand Raj Anand while yesteryear’s disco sensation Biddu and Punjabi pop singer Mika numbers simply adds to the list of unwanted guest.

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