Showing posts with label SHANKAR EHSAAN LOY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SHANKAR EHSAAN LOY. Show all posts

DON 2 - THE CHASE CONTINUES: Shah Rukh is Back!

 
DON 2: The Chase Continues review by Diana (Italian Cinema Hindi Blog)

Rating: *****

Have you been on holiday and have totally relaxed? Have you been enjoying the seasonal festive banquets, oblivious to whatever is happening in other parts of the world? Or have you returned to normal daily life, becoming absorbed in the same everyday boring duties? 

In case you did not know: THE KING IS BACK. 

Drop it all and take the first plane to Mumbai, London or any other place in the civilized world (Fiji, for example!) And without stopping for food, sleep or even calling your mother to tell her you have landed safely, head to the nearest cinema to watch Don 2: The Chase Continues. You will never be the same again.




PLOT
Don (Shah Rukh Khan, who else?) has been ruling the Asian underworld for five years. By becoming increasingly powerful,  he has ended up challenging drug traffickers who operate in the European market and has therefore become an inconvenient competitor for them. He has less friends than foes and there are many enemies who wish him dead. He therefore decides to surrender to the police in Malaysia, not without offering an agreement to his old acquaintances, "wild cat" Roma (Priyanka Chopra) and inspector Malik (Om Puri). Don is hence arrested but once he finds himself in jail, he eventually meets Vardhaan (Boman Irani).

REVIEW
In 2006, Farhan Akthar took up a challenge against living legend Amitabh Bachchan by directing a remake of Don (1978). Don: the Chase Begins Again was born. The ending was different from the original and the main characters were revamped. The locations, soundtrack and general look of the film became modern and refined.  

Shah Rukh Khan, having reached the utmost peak of his charm, returned to the screen successfully starring as a villain. The King of Bollywood was perfect for the part and he skillfully reinvented the role and made it fully his own. Five long years afterwards, a sequel seemed inevitable given that Shah Rukh Khan absolutely shines in the role of Don. The storyline's possibilities are endless, the opportunity was there to be seized. Additionally, SRK and Farhan Akhtar have raging fun together (see it for yourself by watching both Shah Rukh and Farhan Akhtar interviewing each other on The Times of India website). 

Don 2 follows in the same style as Don: The Chase Begins Again and does not disappoint at all. Greater action, a fast pace, surprising and spectacular special effects. The film is an Indian blockbuster that is closer to what we are used to watching in Western cinema, even though Bollywood, of course, has never had anything to envy. With Don 2, however, even the die-hard fan of action-movies "Made in the USA" will be seduced. The movie's feel is very cosmopolitan, but, fortunately, lasting over two hours, the film will present a special screening at the 62 th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival.The most refined palates, that of the bloodthirsty Hindi cinema, do not feel betrayed. The plot is intriguing, the direction is in the hands of one of the "boys" most stylish and talented on the square (by Farhan!), The protagonist is one of those that leave their mark. Don 2 is already a legend. Stone-cold audiences and wallflowers should refrain from watching. Everyone else... HAVE FUN!



Positive points: 
- Don, sporting wild long hair, kicks and punches better than a jujitsu champion, wearing a uber-cool cream coloured linen jacket.
- Don wearing an orange uniform in prison dominates a handful of shots, erasing decades of cinema by  becoming the most unrepentant, brazen and sexy quintessential bandit ever to have graced the screen.
- Don, and his dangerously swaggering walk, his new-dandy look (the leather jacket worn under the coat will might make sensitive souls lose a few hours of sleep), walking the streets of Berlin totally free.
- Don, cigarette in hand, voluptuously surrounded by a cloud of smoke throwing a smug glance at the mirror. 
- Don, the irresistibly seductive and elusive criminal. Don and the sexy villainous look in his eye. Don and his vitriolic wisecracks. Don: ruthless, sardonic, arrogant, über-cool, elegantly self-controlled, at times becoming suddenly angry and impetuous, burning ice. D-O-N!
Warning: Impressionable young girls are adviced to handle with caution.
- Shah Rukh Khan, who, shortly before the sixth minute, relieves the pain and frustration of all his Italian fans repaying their devotion with a few simple words: "Italian restaurant... you know spaghetti bolognese, a glass of red wine... What? Don't you like Italian food? What a shame..."
- The D initial of Don, tattooed on Shah Rukh Khan's arm, which is, among other things, protected by copyright
- Hrithik Roshan appears in the film during a delicious cameo. It is only a few minutes but is truly tasty. 
- The song Zara Dil ko Thaam Lo and its Making Of.


Negative points:
Negative points? Hahahahahahaha! 

TRIVIA- The film's official website is highly interactive. You may even register and participate as an agent aiming to capture Don.- Don 2 is the first sequel in SRK's career. For Farhan Akhtar it has implied a return to directing after a five year absence. He had not experimented anymore behind the camera ever since he had filmed Don: The Chase Begins Again.- Don 2 was created in 3D with the help of Chuck Comisky, who has already participated as technical staff in Avatar and Sanctum.- Many of the phrases uttered by Don, in the first film, have become popular and gained cult status. One of these: "Capturing Don is not difficult, it is impossible", is already a catchphrase.
 During the promotion of the sequel, a set of videos under the title "Don Says" have been released, featuring the best lines from Don. My favorite? "Who says miracles do not exist Take a close look at me."  Don Says videos.
- To the delight of fans and marketing gadget lovers, producers have also planned the release of a comic book, Don: The Origin, which unveils Don's background as well as a video game for Playstation 3 and the Android platform.
- For a taste of the beautiful soundtrack, head to the following links: Hai ye Maya, Mujhko Pehchaanlo and Dushman Mera Don 2.
- To enjoy the scenic shot where SRK is launched from the roof of the Park Inn Hotel at Alexanderplatz in Berlin, click here.

Visit the Don 2 official website
Purchase the Don 2 soundtrack
Read about Don 2 in Wikipedia
Download Don 2: The Game Lite for Apple devices
Play with Don 2 on Facebook
Follow Don 2 on Facebook and Twitter



DON 2 
Starring: Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Kunal Kapoor, Boman Irani, Om Puri, Aly KhanJabar, Sahil Shroff, Florian Lukas, Special Appearance - Hrithik Roshan 
Written by Farhan Akhtar, Ameet Shah, Amrish Mehta
Directed by Farhan Akhtar 
Produced by Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani and Shahrukh Khan
Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Lyrics Javed Akhtar
Choreography by Vaibhavi Merchant 
Distributed by Reliance EntertainmentYear 2011

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BOLLYWOOD 2011 MUSIC HITS: 12 songs to welcome 2012

Image by: Manbiz - Spicytec
Establishing a list of the greatest songs of an entire year is always a difficult task BUT the Hindi Cinema Blog is one to love a challenge, so fasten your seat belts for the 2011 musical ride! We are recommending 12 tunes to start the millenium's 12th year! Check out our recommendations for the best Catchy Dance Tunes, Starry-Eyed Love Tunes and Alternative Tunes of 2011!


CATCHY DANCE TUNES 2011

And the winners are:
Akon sings for SRK's Ra.One


1. Chammak Challo’ introduced the longest awaited film this year: Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor's Ra.One, the song in question starring none other than Akon's voice. You may read our review of the film here.
Chammak Challo by Akon on Grooveshark


 
2.‘Jalebi Bai’ (Double Dhamaal - starring Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi) has Shweta Tiwari strutting her item stuff and doing a Ritu Pathak lip-sync throughout the upbeat song.
Jalebi Bai by Ritu Pathak on Grooveshark






3.'Character Dheela’ (Ready - starring Salman Khan and Asin) was criticized for its lyrics and Pritam was claimed to be incurring in plagiarism due to the song's extreme resemblance with 'Mohabbat Naam Hai  Kiska' from 2001 film Ajnabee. In any case, the reggaeton-like rhythm invaded radio stations and had more than one of us nodding to the beat.



 

4. 'Singham’ (Singham - starring Ajay Devgan) reminds us a bit of the Dabangg title tune but we loved watching Ajay Devgan doing the macho man dance along with all those drums!
Singham - www.Songs.PK by Sukhwinder Singh on Grooveshark




Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara cast
dripping RED tomato juice



5. Last but not least, 'Paint it Red’ (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - starring Farhan Akhtar, Katrina Kaif and Hrithik Roshan) had crowds dancing to a feel good, chill-out, catchy tune and we thank Shankar Ehsaan Loy for that one. Read our review of the film here.
Ik Junoon by Zindagi Na Milegi Dubara on Grooveshark








STARRY-EYED LOVE TUNES 2011

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
6. ** Drum Roll ** The simply sweet and inspirational 'Khwabon Ke Parinday' from film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara placed Alyssa Mendonsa's deliciously unpretentious vocals in everyone's memory. 
Khaabon Ke Parinday - www.Songs.PK by Mohit Chauhan, Alyssa Mendonsa on Grooveshark


7. 'Kaisa Yeh Ishq Hai' (Mere Brother Ki Dulhan starring Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif) was a song that made us say "YESSSS!" for the Sohail Sen we had been waiting for since his highly commendable work in the What's Your Rashee soundtrack. Read our review of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan here.


8. Pritam gifted the audiences a special soundtrack in Mausam, starring Sonam Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor. Our choice from this soundtrack is 'Rabba Main Toh Mar Gaya Oye', with the beautiful voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Read our review of the film here.
Rabba Main Toh Mar Gaya Oye by Shahid Mallya on Grooveshark


Mausam

ALTERNATIVE TUNES IN THE SPOTLIGHT 2011


9. If our dear readers allow us to cheat a teeny weeny bit just this once, we want to recommend the entire Delhi Belly soundtrack, fitting it in as one song... Yes, we know, we know. It counts more songs than should fit in a Top Hits list but we guarantee that the raving is justified. Ram Sampath hit gold with an innovative album to accompany its quirky film, starring Imran Khan, Vir Das and Kunal Roy Kapoor. Ja Chudailfor example has the greatest heavy metal voice we have ever listened to in Hindi (Suraj Jagan). Other special mentions in the album go to the 'Bedardi Raja' Grind Mix, to the soulful 'Saigal Blues' (in our opinion the best track in the album) and the obvious hit: 'Bhaag DK Bose’. Read our review of the film here.


10. And since you already allowed us to cheat once, we want to repeat the feat for fun's sake and also recommend another full soundtrack in this category: AR Rahman's Rockstar, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri. Special mentions go to the gypsy-like 'Haawa Haawa', to 'Jo Bhi Mein', the instrumental 'Dichotomy of Fame', 'Kun Faya Kun' and  'Sadda Haq'. You can read our review of the film here.

Darrling - 7 Khoon Maaf

11. All right, moving on to more alternative musical pastures... The year opened with us celebrating the return of Vishal Bhardwaj and a smashing ‘Daarling’ for 7 Khoon Maaf. Read our soundtrack review here
Darling - www.Songs.PK by Usha Uthup, Rekha Bharadwaj on Grooveshark



Bhare Naina - Ra.One


12. Our last recommendation is a song that closed this 2011 with a powerful and poignant rendition by Nandini Shrikar,Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani:  'Bhare Naina' (Ra.One).
04 - Ra.One - Bhare Naina by Vishal Dadlani & Shekhar Ravjiani on Grooveshark






So ends another year filled with music and entertainment. You will now have a song to think about for each of the clock's 12 chimes as the new year sets in. The Hindi Cinema Blog wishes all our readers a fantastic 2012 filled with joyful entertainment shared with loved ones. Happy Filmi and Musical New Year!

Note: To purchase the songs and soundtracks recommended above, click on the corresponding red bold-type link and you will be redirected.

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ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA -The Ultimate Road Trip








Zoya Akhtar knocks it out of the park with her second film. This fresh and full-of-life movie has breathed new zindagi into Hindi cinema much like Dil Chahta Hai did back in 2001. This delicious adventure takes place in Spain and was beautifully filmed in additional locations such as Egypt and India.



The film takes us along on an extended road trip- cum bachelor party with three old friends from school. Kabir (Abhay Deol), an all-around great guy who has just become engaged to Natasha (Kalki Koechlin) the daughter of a rich hotelier, Imraan (Farhan Akhtar), a free-spirited guy who is best friends with his inner child and always has a smooth line for the ladies, and Arjun (Hrithik Roshan), a work-a-holic financial trader who values money and success over all else--who had to be convinced to miss work and go on the trip as promised.

The three friends eventually make it to the starting point in Barcelona, Spain and set off on their journey. They know their route on the map, but none know exactly how the trip will change their lives. Mystery awaits at each destination, as they have all agreed to choose one adventure sport and the others have no idea what the other has chosen. The condition of the pact; no one is allowed to back out, no matter what. Fear has no seat on this road trip.

The film is carried by it's brilliant comedic timing and wonderfully delivered dialogue, particularly in the banter between the three friends. The audience, young and old, was in absolute splits. Much of the witty dialogue was given to Farhan's character, and he did not disappoint. As a member of the audience, I truly felt as though I had been invited along for the ride.

But the film is not all one-liners and the playful execution of college-inspired pranks on unsuspecting Spanish citizens; it teaches the importance of letting go of fear, reservations, personal pain, loss, and above all; to learn to live outside of your comfort zone and truly savor each moment. And of course what Hindi film would be complete without a love story or two? Katrina Kaif plays Laila, a fashion student from London who takes time off every year to be a diving instructor. Laila catches both Imraan's and Arjun's eye, but she has eyes for only one and through her free spirited love for life, she shows him how to be truly free.

The lessons learned about life and living for each of the characters are embedded in and around the adventure sports themselves. A cathartic emotional moment came about for Arjun after the scuba diving trip. The guys then learn to let go and truly fly during a skydiving adventure, and then finally make the choice to always live life with no regrets while running for their lives in Pamplona during the Running of the Bulls Festival.

An extra juicy treat comes when they decide to paint the day red during an improptu trip to the La Tomatina festival in Buñol.


The film would not have the had same appeal without the wonderful soundtrack and background score by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and the lyrics/poems beautifully penned by Javed Akhtar. I was reminded once again of the power of a perfectly suited background score when I was brought to the verge of tears during scenes that would have taken a completely different emotional tone had the score been more upbeat. I love how something so seamlessly integrated into a film can evoke such strong emotions.


Life imitated art for Ehsaan Noorani, one of the music composers for the film. After some encouraging conversations in the recording studio between he and Farhan Akhtar regarding the exhilarating experience of skydiving, Ehsaan decided to give it a go on his recent trip to the United States.

You can view the complete video of his ZNMD inspired skydiving adventure here.





ZNMD is a great entertainer and has been showing to packed houses both in India and abroad. It's definitely worth a watch. Who knows, it may not change your life but it will certainly make you laugh, feel good, and walk out of the theatre wondering; "Am I living my life to the fullest?"

Visit the ZNMD official website here.
Visit the ZNMD Facebook page.


ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Production: Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Sunitha Ram
Screenplay: Reema Kagti, Zoya Akhtar
Cast: Katrina Kaif, Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin
Soundtrack and background score: Shankar Ehsaan Loy
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IIFA ROCKS! 2011: A Date with India's Creative Minds

One of the questions most often asked of music composers is "How do you compose a song?" Thanks to the IIFA 2011 Music Workshop, we have the answer.

In a live demonstration, for the first time in history, famed composers Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Salim Merchant, Vishal Bhardwaj and lyricist Javed Akhtar come together to create a musical delight before our eyes. Kalyan "Johnny Bongo" Pathak from Chicago joined them on percussion.

To begin, Javed Akhtar came up with two lines of lyrics which he pondered on and dictated to his partner, Shabana Azmi. When the lyrics were completed, Shankar called out the key and Ehsaan Noorani began banging out a melody on his guitar as Loy Mendonsa put his magic to the keyboard. Shankar Mahadevan used his amazing voice to fuse it all together, organically working on the tune with Vishal Bhardwaj and Salim Merchant joining in.

The following two videos capture the composition session from start to finish.














In the following video, distinguished guest Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, delights the audience with a unique and pace by pace account of how the 'Rang de Basanti' title song emerged thanks to A.R. Rahman (and here Aline CineHindi, my fellow blogger and huge fan of Mr. Mehra, gleefully jumps up and down because I brought back this exclusive video for her).




It is rare for the general public to get a glimpse of the meeting of brilliant minds blending their creativity and making magic happen. The music workshop was definitely the highlight of IIFA for me and I was thrilled to learn more about the creative process. I found it extremely heartwarming to watch it take place before my eyes, seeing wonderful people connecting and coming together to make a beautiful piece of music. A very memorable date and memorable sounds.
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SHANKAR EHSAAN LOY rock America!



America here we go!

Shankar Ehsaan Loy, otherwise known as SEL, are set to hit the road to perform for their fan base in the USA and Canada this summer. Their long awaited visit to America is finally a dream come true thanks to the Inspiration Aman Ki Asha Tour, which will be presenting not only the famous trio but also a fabulously impressive musician palette featuring Raman Mahadevan ('Kholo Kholo' - Taare Zameen Par), Richa Sharma ('Sajda'-My Name is Khan), Mahalakshmi Iyer ('Jai Ho'-Slumdog Millionaire), Shafqat Amanat Ali ('Mitwa' - KANK) and Anusha Mani ('Lazy Lamhe'-Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic). 

Don't miss this chance to see India's hottest band playing some of Hindi cinema's most memorable tunes. Check out the tour information below for tickets and whatever you do.... ROCK ON!!

SEL INSPIRATION TOUR SCHEDULE


JULY 2010

17th -- New Jersey -- For more information call: 201-805-9426

18th -- Toronto - Sky Dome - Mohinder Singh , Eglinton Carpet - For more information call: 416-783-1141 / 416-407-0000

23rd -- Chicago - Rosemont Theatre - Sahil& LA Tan - For more information call: 773-764-7576

24th -- SFO - Oakland Arena - Mehta Entertainment - For more information call: 510-785-2300 or 877-445-8517 

25th -- Vancouver - PNE- Kamal Video - For more information call: 604-592-9777 or 604-833-1977

30th -- Washington D.C. - Constitution Hall - Menu Sabharwal - For more information call: 703-989-1289 

31st -- Dallas - Garland Special Event Center - Mehta Production - For more information call: 972-971-9095 or 972-398-3828


AUGUST
1st -- Los Angeles - The LA Forum - Mehta Entertainment-- For more information call: 877-445-8517 or 510-785-2300

6th -- Houston - Berry Center - For more information call: Rajinder Singh-- StarPromotions- 281-345-4500

7th -- Atlanta - Raheem Paracha - For more information call: (770) 899-4737

14th -- Seattle - Comcast Arena Balbir Walia - For more information call: 206-660-4921


ONLINE TICKET VENDORS

Ticketmaster

Desi Club


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Eknazar
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KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK: The man behind the thriller


'Karthik Calling Karthik', a slow romantic-thriller starring Farhan Akhtar, Deepika Padukone and a futuristic soundtrack by Shankar Ehsaan Loy, is Vijay Lalwani's maiden feature film.  Prior to his directorial debut, for which he took up the roles of story/screenplay writer, director and producer, Lalwani worked in the advertisement industry and received numerous awards for his work, including a Cannes Lion award in 2004. He has graciously accepted to answer some of HCB's questions during one of Bollywood Hungama's live chat sessions.



HCB: How did the character of Karthik come to mind?
VL: Karthik was my main character from the start. I needed a troubled soul for the film, so I created him. The script required him to be weak... disturbed... etc. I fleshed (his character) when the story was still being crafted.

HCB: What comes easier to you: writing or directing?
VL: Writing comes easily. It requires only me. Directing requires coordinating with many many more, hence I am still learning...

HCB: Did you receive any advice from any of your film industry seniors during the writing or directing phases, if so from who?
VL: I actually received no advice because I did not have the fortune of meeting as many people as I would have liked then. However, Rensil D'Silva, a good friend of mine, did encourage and support me a lot. In fact he suggested I directed KCK.

HCB: Vijay, it has been a pleasure to be able to interact with you.


Visit the Karthik Calling Karthik official website

For more on Vijay Lalwani, check out Verve Online's exclusive interview with the director.

Buy the 'Karthik Calling Karthik' soundtrack on Itunes.

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MY NAME IS KHAN MUSIC REVIEW



Karan Johar's 'My Name is Khan' is one of 2010's largely awaited films, starring the legendary on-screen couple, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Its recently launched soundtrack has started creating buzz. Listeners can thank the production house and Itunes for making all music tracks available online to listeners worldwide, 3 days before the official store launch, in an unprecedented marketing strategy. 

Music directors, Shankar Ehsaan Loy, are back with a pleasant song bouquet, featuring six original compositions. The album also includes four memorable tracks from other Karan Johar films: 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Suraj Hua Maddham', 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna' and 'Kal Ho Naa Ho'.

'Sajda' is an enveloping first track sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shankar Mahadevan and Richa Sharma. The combination of these three voices singing together in response to each other is a particular treat for the ears while dholak and tabla build up as the song progresses.

Following this enthralling opening, 'Noor-e-khuda' comes and goes between soft, almost naked vocals, and a gentle guitar ballad featuring Adnan Sami alongside Shankar, who can make any track shine. No romantically sweet ballad would however be complete without Shreya Ghoshal's voice. She graces the song towards its last half, rising the level of tenderness to the exact dose required.

Shankar Ehsaan Loy had been known to appreciate and rope in the fantastic classical voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan from Pakistan in recent years. They have now repeated the feat by bringing Shafqat Amanat Ali's ('Tum Mile' and 'KANK') talent from across the border to the fore once again in 'Tere naina', which may become the album's favourite track for many Indian but also foreign listeners. Despite its undoubtable international appeal, the song somehow appears to instrumentally mirror the album's inital track. Shafqat's voice succeeds in elevating its essence.  

Next comes a Sufi melody, 'Allah hi rahem', sung by Rashid Ali. It seems to be a situational track that will certainly shine brighter once listeners can see its picturization in the film. Instruments and rythms also seem to be repeating themselves a bit in this track, possibly marking the fact that this is again an SEL album for a Dharma Productions film, a repeated collaboration that goes long back and has produced some very successful and musically beautiful soundtracks. The album's sound might however seem a bit too familiar to avid listeners already acquainted with Hindi film music.

The following track is the 'My Name is Khan' theme. Shankar Ehsaan Loy have long proved their talent in terms of instrumental and background music (let us remember the felicitous release of the 'Taare Zameen Par' background score). This track is no exception. Knowing Karan Johar's films, the song may soon be responsible for heart tugging and tear jerking reactions in cinemas throughout the world.

'Rang de' is a pop rock number and the last of the album's original compositions. It ends in a high note with joyous and soul lifting lyrics sung by Shankar and Suraj Jagan. 

On the whole, 'My Name is Khan' promises to please the ears of film viewers across cultures with a light dose of Sufi style music delivered in a romantic-pop or rock-pop envelope. This genre has become a trademark of Karan Johar's films and will be easily recognized by his followers in Europe and America.

One of the album's strengths is the quality of its vocals and the selected voice combinations. I would personally recommend alternative SEL albums to first time Hindi music listeners, for a richer and more original experience. Soft pop music lovers who know the trio's music should enjoy this soundtrack however and continue to eagerly await the film release. Indulge your ears!


Music Directors: Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa
Lyricist: Niranjan Iyengar
Singers: Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Rashid Khan, Adnan Sami, Suraj Jagan, Richa Sharma and Shafqat Amanat Ali
 
Visit the film's Official Website




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