Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

Radio Mirchi Review
Film: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Music: Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Sony music
Rating: ****
When you set out to do something extraordinary, it seems fitting to begin invoking the Almighty’s name. That could explain the presence of the lilting Gurbani, sung by Daler Mehndi right at the beginning of the album.
Onward to Zinda, Siddharth Mahadevan’s debut playback track.Grungy at its core, it highlights his voice as one to be reckoned with. Raise the volume when you hear this one for maximum appeal. Loy Mendonsa (additional vocals) along with Rushad Mistry on bass give Javed Bashir company on Mera Yaar a great track that has some lovely lyrics (by Prasoon Joshi, where someone besotted by the object of his attention likens his love for his beloved to his love for god, with words like “Main mandar/masjad kyun jaawaa, mera yaar khuda hai” and encompasses the purity of love with: “Ishq karoon ya karoon ibaadat, ikko hi gal hai”.
Splendid stuff. Divya Kumar shines on the percussion-heavy (credited to Taufiq Quereshi) Maston Ka Jhund, a fun track that will have you up and dancing with gay abandon. Arif Lohar is in top form with the almost acoustic folksy title track. Listen to this one if only for the powerful lyrics. Spontaneity is the name of the game in slow motion Angreza, sung by Sukhwinder, Shankar and Loy. A melange of India-meets-Oz, it’s got a country music-like vibe that could catch on. O Rangrez, with Shreya Ghoshal and Javed Bashir on vocals, is the mellowest of the lot, a semi-classical piece that will find takers of a certain kind of music.
The rock version of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, sung by Siddharth again, is all fire and resolve, underlining the promise seen in Zinda. This soundtrack is as much a part of the story as the script.
IANS Review
Music Composers: EhsaanNoorani, LoyMendonsa, ShankarMahadevan
Singers: Daler Mehndi, Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy, Suhas Sawant, Raman Mahadevan, Mani Mahadevan, Siddharth Mahadevan, Javed Bashir, Divya Kumar, Arif Lohar, Loy Mendonsa, Sukhwinder Singh, Arshad Khan, Israj Khan, Tapas Roy, Vajid Ali, Yusuf Mohammed, Shreya Ghoshal
Rating: 2 1/2
The music of Rakesh Omprakash Mehra's ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ has eight tracks, including a Gurbani rendition. While a lot of the songs are inclined towards fun and passion, the romantic tracks also manage to steal a bit of limelight in the album.
The album starts with a Gurbani, soulfully rendered by Daler Mehndi to create a mood of peace.
Zinda, sung by multiple singers like Suhas Sawant, Raman Mahadevan, Mani Mahadevan and Siddharth Mahadevan, has an inspiring passion and intensity. The guitar riffs at the song's beginning are impressive, while the background music along with tough lyrics make the song very encouraging. From hard rock music in the background, the song gradually takes a turn towards a soft, smooth melody.
Javed Bashir has sung the next track Mera Yaar beautifully. Unlike usual romantic numbers, this one stands apart with Sufi music blended into the melody seamlessly. The lyrics prove to be a rare phenomenon with poetry being given a lot of space and the track is one of the high points of the album.
Maston ka jhund has already become the favourite of many youngsters. With singer Divya Kumar crooning in the track, it can be easily tagged as a boys' number. The beats are rhythmic and foot tapping.
Bhaag Milkha bhaag, the title track of the movie, is a little disappointing. Even though the lyrics are very powerful, the regular pace of the song makes it a little uninteresting for the listener. While singer Arif Lohar's voice is a treat for everyone, the listener keeps on waiting for a high adrenaline rushing twist, which never comes.
The rock version of title track makes up for the missing element in the previous number. Sung by Siddharth Mahadevan, it is really hard-hitting and inspirational. Not just the singer's voice but the music also compliments the feel of the track. A very good hear.
If there is one song in the album, which can be termed as simply "amazing", it is "Slow motion angreza". The song begins with singer Loy Mendosa singing in English. It has the style of country singing and is very catchy. The best part comes when Sukhwinder Singh comes behind the mike. His entry is commendable and is sure to have the listeners hooked on to it.
The last track is O Rangrez, which again has an ensemble of singers like Arshad Khan, Israj Khan, Tapas Roy, Vajid Ali, Yusuf Mohammed, Javed Bashir and Shreya Ghoshal contributing to the song. A romantic number, it also has some spiritual essence attached to its music. This is the only slow paced song in the album and has very beautiful lyrics. A listener might not be able to get attached to the rhythm initially, but it gradually grows on you. The beauty of the track might not be appealing to all as it is a low profiled song.
Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy have tried to infuse life and story in every track. While the tracks, which are peppy, score high, certain tracks may fail to meet expectations of the listeners. But, nonetheless, the music of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag does not disappoint.