/> Music composers: Sachin-Jigar

Singers: Mohit Chauhan, Prathiba Bhagel, Rashid Khan, Rahul Ram, Sachinn Gupta, Ankit Tiwari, Tarun Sagar, Mamta Sharma, Papon, Kirti Sagathia, Raghubir Yadav, Malini Awasthi and Smriti Jain

Rating: * * *

The music of director Manish Tiwary's forthcoming movie "Issaq" boasts of an intelligent blend of instruments and singer's voices. The film is said to be a contemporary take on William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and the composers have taken special care to bring out the passion loud and clear.

The first track "Issaq tera" is an out-and-out winner, with singer Mohit Chauhan spinning magic with his voice. This soft number, where the sound of the flute is very soothing to the ears, talks about a simple and sweet love story. It has good lyrics and once you warm up to it, you're left asking for more.

"Issaq tera" has a duet version as well. Singer Smriti Jain joins Mohit behind the mike for the number, which begins with a grand instrumental piece. The singers complement each other very well in this short, but beautiful number.


The next album on the list is "Jheeni re jheeni". Do not make the mistake of writing it off as a slow-paced track based on its beginning. Singer Rashid Khan takes the number to sky soaring notes after the first few seconds. Sung with a tinge of regional flavour with the sound of classical instruments like sarangi, it is difficult to classify the genre of the song. But this one's definitely very passionate.

There's a duet for this one too! Singer Pratibha adds her soothing vocals to the high energy sound of Rashid's voice. The introduction of the table beats takes the song to very different level. This is like a rare combination of classical singing and music fused with a contemporary touch. An excellent composition! The beauty of lyrics here, are not be missed.

The third track "Bhole chale" talks about the journey of Lord Shiva with an entourage to wed Parvati. Sung by Rahul Ram and Sachinn Gupta, the fast-paced song is full of mischief. It slows down a bit in between to reflect a soothing and melodious sound, but eventually picks up pace. A touch of rock music makes its presence felt, but it does not take away the attention from the singer's impressive energy.


Next up is "Aag ka dariya", sung by Ankit Tiwary. Aggression is the keyword here. With alternative rock backing the song, this one reiterates the line - "Ek aag ka dariya hai aur doob ke jana hai". The tempo of the song changes from time to time as the singer talks about beauty of the female protagonist in the movie.

The unplugged version of "Aag ka dariya" changes the soul of the song completely, and for good. Ankit's vocals are better sounding here. There is also an ear-catching jugalbandi of sorts between the flute and the guitar.

You know it when an item song is added just for the heck of it! And the track "Enne unne" is just that! It may not be a hardcore item track, but serves the same purpose. It is sung by Tarun Sagar, Mamta Sharma, Papon and Kirti Sagathia. The listener struggles to find the reason and logic behind the song.

The next track is "Bhagan Ke rekhan ki". It is tough to slot it, but it has a 'wedding song' kind of a feel to it. It kickstars with a shehnai, and Malini sings the song well. Raghubir Yadav's voice brings a change for the listener.


Overall, the "Issaq" soundtrack scores well. The composers have tuned the singers and the music in an almost impeccable manner. Love, revenge, passion and sadness - what else can one require for a complete musical experience!