Sonchiriya music review: Vishal Bhardwaj's pensive, soulful soundtrack is filled to the brim with nostalgia

Sonchiriya primarily uses several rustic tones. The soundtrack begins with the haunting track titled 'Baaghi Re'. Mame Khan's piercing voice compliments Varun Grover's unapologetic lyrics perfectly. 'Baaghi Re' comes in with unabashed aura, almost declaring a challenge. A strong support is provided by Ankur Mukherjee through his work on the guitar. Vishal Bhardwaj returns to his Omkara days for this number, immediately evoking an image of the raw mud and the blistering sun.

Poster of Sonchiriya

'Sonchiraiya' follows next, creating a different ambiance altogether. Rekha Bhardwaj has often been used by Vishal to establish pathos which his music is anyway rich in. 'Sonchiraiya' succeeds in doing precisely that. The track borders on the dreamy nostalgia that could take listeners into their respective zones of zen. Grover is on-point again, bringing before audiences an odd sense of belonging. 'Sonchiraiya' is almost akin to a sorrowful lullaby.

Sonchiriya's soundtrack seems to oscillate between realism and fantasy (a musical space that Bhardwaj likes to often play with). 'Ruan Ruan' tends to inhabit the no-mans-land between the two realms mentioned. Arijit Singh's contemplative, lazy vocals suit the melody of the track perfectly. The song speaks of hope, trust and probably love. It creates an atmosphere of sweet, unadulterated courtship with shy smiles and goofy jokes. 'Naina Na Maar' on the contrary is a clear declaration of desire. Sukhwinder Singh's powerful voice makes the approaches even bolder. Rekha joins in, pleasantly teasing Sukhwinder's indulgent overtures. The dialect in the song is also rustic, a combination that has worked with Singh's tonality and Bhardwaj's quirky music in the past.

Sushant Singh Rajput in a still from Sonchiriya. Image from Twitter@ItsSSR

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'Saanp Khavega' is a stirring yet pensive track. Probably Bhardwaj's most unconventional work, 'Saanp Khavega' warns listeners of imminent danger. The choir, consisting of singers Mridul Ghosh, Sudhanshu Shome, Pankaj Dixit and Tanmay Bhawalkar, manage to weave the perfect canvas for Sukhwinder to deliver. The chorus-work is layered, but unfortunately gets slightly repetitive by the end of the track. This particular song, much like Bhardwaj's filmography, is sure to grow on audiences even though they do not complete fathom it at first. As if taking a cue from 'Saanp Khavega' the next track on the list is a grim reprised version of 'Sonchiraiya'. The track indulges in loud orchestral tones to establish an obvious darkness. Sonchiraiya Reprise is heavy, evoking a sense of foreboding. Yet again, Rekha proves that her voice fits numerous emotions as effortlessly as the other.

The 'Baaghi Re' remix, towards the end of the soundtrack, is a clear bonus. The already cathartic track gains from the revamped treatment it gets. Emotions of angst, frustration and rebellion (all three used by Bhardwaj as his cinematic motifs) shine through in this number. The Sonchiriya soundtrack is filled with strong emotive numbers that reach its true potential through the deft voices of Sukhwinder Singh, Rekha Bhardwaj, Mame Khan and Arijit Singh.

Sonchiriya, featuring Sushant Singh Rajput and Bhumi Pednekar in the lead, will release on 1 March.