Arjun Patiala music review: This soundtrack has little to offer other than mediocre Punjabi rap

Diljit Dosanjh and Kriti Sanon come together for one of this week’s most anticipated releases, Arjun Patiala . From the first look of the film, Arjun Patiala can be billed as a quirky small-town comedy, which also deals with important social issues. Though the makers have hardly given any conclusive snippets into the film’s plot, the interesting casting and a touch of magic realism promise a fun watch. Being one of the main elements in the film, the music then proves less than sufficient. ‘ Main Deewana Tera ’ is clearly the party song for this feature, a required add-on which seems a must these days with most films. Composed by Sachin-Jigar and Guru Randhawa, the number comfortably slips into the realm of innumerable Punjabi-lyric heavy groovy numbers. The lyrics to this foot-tapping track (courtesy Randhawa) are not only odd but somehow seems deliberately weird (maybe owing to the characters’ oddities in the film). This concoction, when lip-synced by Dosanjh, may actually end up sounding funny, an effect which the makers are probably rooting for. Exhibit A: “Jo tu kahe toh main tere liye Moon ko apna friend bana lun/ Agar kare dil tera, Usko apne paas bula lun” (If you wish I’d make the Moon my friend, if you desire I’ll summon it to my side). But other than the crazy lyrics, there is not much going on for the song. [caption id=“attachment_6975411” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Still from Arjun Patiala. YouTube screengrab[/caption] Hitmaker Randhawa’s ‘ Crazy Habibi vs Decent Munda ’ has all the ingredients for the making of a chart-topper — Punjabi lyrics (again), party setting, and a cameo by a popular actor (in this case, Sunny Leone). However, it takes a special ability for a song to be completely un-impressionable at all. From the rendition to the done-to-death lyrics, it is hard to differentiate this song from any of the party anthems that have come out in the last year. Benny Dayal’s rendition of the Arabic portions are a treat however, but Randhawa’s one-tone vocal notes bring the song down. What ought to be a peppy number, thus, fails to create any impact. ‘ Dil Todeya ’, a track which has been sung by Diljit Dosanjh, is probably one of the best tracks in the entire mix. A concoction of Punjabi lyrics (third time’s a charm) with orchestral notes, and the lyrics (Guru Randhawa) talk about lost love. Dosanjh’s clear voice shines through and makes a genuine case for a man pining for his beloved. Sachin-Jigar and Randhawa’s composition sits perfectly with Diljit’s enthusiastic voice. ‘ Sachiya Mohabbatan ’ is singer Sachet Tandon’s tribute to Ayushmann Khurrana’s ‘Pani Da Rang’ from Vicky Donor. That’s not to say that the two tracks have similar tunes or lyrics, but thematically the two songs are in the same realm. Tandon’s sweet voice enlivens Priya Saraiya’s poignant lyrics. Sans heavy orchestra, the song rides on the simplicity of Kalyan Baruah’s guitar and Shirish Malhotra’s western flute. ‘ Sip Sip ’ is essentially a Punjabi rap number on cocaine. Guru Bhullar and Akash D concoct a loud, brusque song on well… drinking (no prizes for guessing). This number is a low point in the otherwise mediocre soundtrack. Akash D’s lyrics and music are sure to haunt audiences, especially the oft-repeated “Sip sip kar piyunga, par piyunga bottle saari.” (I’ll take sips, but will surely finish the bottle). The Arjun Patiala soundtrack has very little to offer in terms of music. Party numbers and Punjabi thumping music aside, there is hardly anything going for it. The film is slated to release on 26 July, and clashe with Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao-starrer whodunit  Judgementall Hai Kya . Listen to the album here