Rating: **

Rock On, Phoonk, Mumbai Meri Jaan, Welcome To Sajjanpur, A Wednesday, 1920 - Unconventional subjects have worked at the box office if one looks at the spate of releases in the quarter gone by.

In the times when low/medium budget films are earning decent revenues for themselves, arrives Dasvidaniya' (that stands for 'Goodbye' in Russian) which features Vinay Pathak in the lead.

Though one wonders about how songs would be placed in this unconventional film, Kailash Kher has been roped in as a composer and lyricist. In fact, he also sings each of the songs in the film!

The first to come is 'Alvida' which marks a bitter-sweet beginning to Dasvidaniya. A number about living life for each of the moments lying ahead of you, 'Alvida' narrates the tale of the protagonist who only has a few more days to live and wishes to let go of all the pain around him and only look at the brighter side of the moments available to him.

As Kailash Kher plays the triple role of composer, lyricist and singer, 'Alvida' moves at a slow pace with slight Western arrangements given to it.

With philosophical undertones to it, 'Alvida' is mainly a situational track that should play in the background at numerous junctures in the film. Later in the album, Paresh and Naresh join Kailash for the 'remix version' of the track that has a lounge feel to it.

Reminding of the kind of tracks that were heard in Basu Chatterjee and Hrishikesh Mukherjee films of the 70s where characters (like Amol Palekar, Deven Verma and company) impromptu started playing a song in the household setting, 'Mumma' is the next to arrive.

A sweet sounding number which is a Kailash Kher show all the way again, it is the simplicity of the proceedings that wins the round for 'Mumma'.

Ok, so you won't find the number being set as a mobile ringtone but in the periphery of the film, this track about two sons (Vinay Pathak and Gaurav Gera) singing a song for their mother should add value to the narrative.

Going all the way back into the 50s and 60s, 'Muskura' has the kind of sound that Raj Kapoor used in number of his films.

Due to a distinct Russian feel to it, the effect is even more apparent since Raj Kapoor had a fetish for wooing Russian audience. Since Dasvidaniya itself is derived from the Russian language, it was expected to have this sound in the album.

A feel good number about living life, it moves at a slow pace and is mainly for those who revel hearing Mohammed Rafi songs till date. What is further surprising is to see Sonu Nigam's name on the credits since he modulates his voice considerably in 'Muskura'. There is also an 'instrumental' version of the song which marks an end to the album.

Dasvidaniya is a short album that mainly has three original tracks. While none of them are expected to go any further beyond the film's release, they should manage to contribute to the narrative.