/> Rating: **1/2

EXPECTATIONS

Director Puneet Sira may still be waiting for box office success but he certainly has good taste for music. It was evidenced earlier in his debut flick I - Proud To Be Indian and very recently, his Tain Leke from Jai Veeru has been enjoying tremendous success, although belatedly. In Kissan, his third flick, one doesn't look for a blockbuster score but still expects that it would at the least turn out to be a decent affair.

MUSIC

Composer Daboo Malik, who had also created music for I - Proud To Be Indian, gets a reasonably good project for himself in the form of Kissan which is a Ronnie Screwvala and Sohail Khan production. Panchi Jalonvi writes the lyrics with contribution from S.R. Bharti, K. Juneja and Salim Bijnori.

There is a surprise at the very beginning as there is a fair dose of Western influence in 'Punjabi Munde' which is a quintessential 'bhangra' song.

With Earl D's rap being an integral part of this full-on-hungama-and-celebration track, the song gives a winning start to Kissan.

A rather large team of Laabh Janjuwa, Shakti Singh, Daboo Malik, Parthiv Gohil, Sunidhi Chauhan, and Siddharth Singh is formulated which comes together to bring in that energy to 'Punjabi Munde'. Written by S.R. Bharti and K. Juneja, the song later comes in a relatively shorter 'remix version'. This one is for the clubs and discotheques!

Lyricist Panchi Jalonvi takes on from here as he comes up with mushy lyrics (belonging to the 90s) for 'Humko Kehna Hai'. Does the song work?

Oh absolutely yes, especially due to the fact that Shaan and Shreya Ghoshal recreate the moments that were once the hallmark of Udit Narayan-Alka Yagnik outings.

A number that follows Bollywood formula to the T and has Daboo Malik sticking to the basics, 'Humko Kehna Hai' is a kind of melodic outing that always works! The song stays on to be Indian to the core and keeps the listener entertained.

It's time for yet another team outing as Ad Boyz, Abhijit Ghoshal, Daboo Malik, Tarranum, Sujata Majumdar and Pavni Pandey come together for 'Jhoomo Re Jhoomo'.

A celebration number that comes with its Punjab flavour intact, it has words like 'soniye' and 'mahive' making regular appearance. The song doesn't break any new grounds but is pacy enough to keep the listener engaged for its near six minutes duration. The euphoria settles down with 'Neeche Saari Duniya' which has a devotional appeal to it. A kind of number where the screen is expected to be filled with montages around a Kissan working on fields, 'Neeche Saari Duniya' is a theme track that should ideally be played during the opening credit rolls.

Salim Bijnori writes this song which is primarily a Roopkumar Rathod outing with Harshdeep Kaur chipping in as well. Last to come is 'Waqt Ki Dhoop' which seems to be made for the pre-climax of the film.

A number with a theme of revolution to it, 'Waqt Ki Dhoop' is a Toshi solo and is about people coming together and moving ahead to fight against oppression.

OVERALL

The music of Kissan is as per the script. One expected a couple of celebration tracks with a Punjabi flavour to them, a couple of situational songs and a romantic track, if the narrative allows.

Well, this is exactly what Daboo Malik and his team have to offer in Kissan which is not a musical in the making but has a decent soundtrack that doesn't allow boredom to set in.

OUR PICK(S)

Humko Kehna Hai, Punjabi Munde