Neither Salman Khan nor Sajid-Wajid have had a hit since Partner but for Sajid-Wajid, at least, it looks like that will change with the release of the music for Main aur Mrs. Khanna as the Ali brothers have given the Khan brothers a solid soundtrack with a couple of potential hits. Main aur Mrs. Khanna, directed by Prem Soni stars brothers Salman and Sohail Khan and Kareena Kapoor as the titular Mrs. Khanna. The film is set to release on October 16th.
The Main aur Mrs. Khanna soundtrack album, which is on the T-Series label, starts off with the vocals of Sonu Nigam, unaccompanied, leading into the bittersweet Don’t Say Alvida. Sonu is at his romantic best here, lightly touching the beginning of the line and smoothly crooning to the chorus. A nice mix of percussion backs him up and strings with just a hint of Spanish guitar, letting the vocals take center stage. Shreya Ghosal and Suzzanne D’Melo also feature on the track, but Sonu’s magnificent performance is the main draw. ‘Don’t Say Alvida’ has the potential to become a sentimental hit like ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’.
Happening is an out-and-out Sunidhi Chauhan item song. She works well with Sajid-Wajid and this song is no exception. Sunidhi belts out the lyrics with so much energy that your feet won’t be able to stop tapping as the tempo ramps up higher and higher and Sunidhi and her male chorus whip the listener up into a rhythmic frenzy. ‘Happening has already drawn favorable comparisons with ‘Kajra Re’ and they are definitely justified. Picturized on Preity Zinta, ‘Happening’ will certainly be a hit on the dance floor.
After the ecstatic joy of ‘Happening’, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan provides a moment of solemn introspection with Rabba. Both the beat and the melody are simple but the composition and the selective use of a string section to augment the heartfelt vocals make for a very compelling listen. Depending on how this is picturized, it’s very possible there won’t be a dry eye in the theatre.
The soft-rock feel of Tum Ne Socha is unusual for a film soundtrack. Wajid’s vocals are plain but serviceable and Shreya Ghosal’s vocals give an aura of sweetness to the otherwise solid rock track. The backing chorus and synthesizers give ‘Tum Ne Socha’ more of an 1980s feel than was perhaps intended but they don’t detract from the overall enjoyment of the song.
Rounding out the album is Mrs. Khanna, which is a light-hearted song. The lyrics are a bit silly and didn’t grab me on the first listen but ‘Mrs. Khanna’ has an incredibly catchy hook and is a grower. The playful dhol beat is augmented with some interesting choices in instruments with everything from electric guitar to piano fading in and out behind the incessant drums. Shaan does most of the heavy lifting on vocals but Sunidhi Chauhan, Bappi Lahiri, Neuman Pinto, and Suzanne D’Mello also join in.
Finally, no soundtrack album is complete these days without a couple of remixes and Main aur Mrs. Khanna is no exception. The remix of ‘Happening’ kicks up the pace and evens the tempo to make it perfect for the clubs – expect to hear this one being played for the next few months. The ‘Don’t Say Alvida’ remix is interesting but unsatisfying – the heavy beat and techo synth sounds drown out Sonu’s vocals, which were the real selling point of the original track.
Overall, Main aur Mrs. Khanna, is a solid soundtrack with a good variety of songs and some excellent performances from Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan, in particular. ‘Don’t Say Alvida’ will be a sentimental favorite and ‘Happening’ should definitely be a hit in the clubs! Even if Salman Khan doesn’t have a hit in the film, Sajid-Wajid definitely have one with this soundtrack. Sajid-Wajid are back!
