Prakash Jha is renowned for making political films that are relevant and entertaining at the same time! Will he strike gold again with Satyagraha? We will just have to wait and see when the film releases on 30 August. Satyagraha has a phenomenal ensemble cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpayee and Amrita Rao in central roles. It is reportedly based on the current political climate that is affecting India and the goal to instigate change within the country. Satyagraha has two songs that have been composed by Salim-Sulaiman, who are famous for their work in films like Band Baaja Baraat (2010) and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008). The album also features composers by the likes of Meet Bros Anjaan, Aadesh Srivatava and Indian Ocean Band. The lyrics to all the songs have been penned by Prasoon Joshi, who has written songs for films like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Ishkq in Paris. So let’s check out what Satyagraha has to offer!
The first track is Satyagraha, which has been performed by Rajiv Sundaresan, Shivam Pathak and Shweta Pandit. Key lyrics have been taken from the Indian patriotic song ‘Raghupati Raghav Rajaram,’ which was famously sung by nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi during the 20th century Indian Independence movement. Although there are portions of newly written lyrics integrated into it, I absolutely love Salim-Sulaiman for reviving this traditionalist song for modern listeners. The music has also been well composed and contains a sizzling blend of Indian classical and upbeat samples to it. This one is definitely on my list of favourite Bollywood patriotic songs, as it truly reminds you just what a fascinating country India is with regards to its culture!
Next up is Aiyo Ji and it has been sung by Shraddha Pandit and Salim Merchant. The composition has strong techno elements to it that gives it some great spice. Shraddha also performs splendidly well and she gives it that essential desi flavour which the song required. You should definitely try this one out as it does have that appeal factor to it! It’s highly likely that you will enjoy the rhythmic beats and Shraddha’s cool vocals. The remix however is quite run-of-the-mill and there has been an attempt to make it into a club anthem, which sadly does not work too well.
Following this, we have Raske Bhare Tore Naina, which has been sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali and Arpita Chakraborty. Although the composition to this truly Indian ballad is not bad, it was quite average overall. You will enjoy hearing the raga elements that have been incorporated into the song. Yet it unfortunately does not manage to grip you in the same way as ‘Satyagraha’ and ‘Aiyo Ji’ did so. Overall, it is a song that could have been so much more, had more work been put into it. There is also a remix to this one, which in my opinion is slightly dry for my liking.
Janta Rocks is next and it features Meet Bros Anjaan. It can be said confidently that this highly upbeat song is unnecessarily long and tiring to listen to. Instruments like the guitar has been utilised quite a bit for this one. Yet the music, as well as the vocals is nothing special and hence; there is no spark to it at all. This one is definitely skip-worthy as it just does not make you go ‘wow’ when you hear it.
Finally we have the rock tune Hum Bhole The, which has been performed by Rahul Ram, Amit Kilam and Himanshu Joshi. Again like ‘Janta Rocks,’ this one unfortunately just drags on too much. Though there are some good use of instruments like the electric guitar and drums, it is disappointing and has little to excite you about; despite it being an up-tempo song. Hence, save yourself and give this a miss. You won’t regret it!
Like some of the other soundtracks to Prakash Jha’s films, Satyagraha is sadly an album that you will not find engaging to listen to. With the exception of Salim-Sulaiman’s compositions ‘Satyagraha’ and ‘Aiyo Ji,’ the rest of the songs are boring and lacking in energy. Having said this, it can be predicted that the film itself will be better received, in contrast to its soundtrack. With a stellar cast and a script that touches on serious issues affecting modern India, Satyagraha will surely be of interest for anyone who is either interested in or belongs to the world’s largest democracy.
