Raazi (soundtrack)
Soundtrack album for the 2018 film Raazi.
The soundtrack for the 2018 spy film Raazi, directed by Meghna Gulzar, was composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy with lyrics by Gulzar. Released on 19 April 2018 by Zee Music Company, it featured only four songs, a smaller number than the trio's usual output. The lyrics were written before the music, and the album used traditional Kashmiri instruments.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
- Released
- 19 April 2018
- Studio
- Purple Haze Studios, Mumbai
- Genre
- Feature film soundtrack
- Length
- 18:58
- Language
- Hindi
- Label
- Zee Music Company
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ae Watan (Male) | 3:43 |
| 2 | Dilbaro | 5:14 |
| 3 | Raazi | 6:30 |
| 4 | Ae Watan (Female) | 3:31 |
Track listing from the source article.
Development
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy composed the musical score and soundtrack for Raazi in their first collaboration with Meghna Gulzar. The album contained four songs, fewer than their previous films which typically had five or six. Ehsaan Noorani explained that Meghna Gulzar is true to her film and script, and would not include a song unless necessary; a six-song album would have meant two songs not used in the movie, which he considered a waste. Shankar Mahadevan added that all songs were composed straight from the heart.
The film is set in Jammu and Kashmir, whose strong music influences shaped the soundscape. Mahadevan noted that the scales used had Afghani and Middle-Eastern influences, evident in the title track and Dilbaro, which begins with a Kashmiri folk song. The trio employed rabab and Afghani and Kashmiri instruments such as udu pots, hand drums, and frame drums, previously used for Mission Kashmir, and refrained from electronic instruments despite the popularity of electronic dance music in the late 2010s.
Composition
The song Ae Watan was considered crucial to the story, while the title track Raazi advances the narrative. Gulzar stated he wanted Ae Watan to become a song of the nation, speaking for all without prejudice, and that nationalism could be defined through it. The composition of Ae Watan began with lyrics written by Gulzar, which dictated the melody; the entire track was curated in an organic manner. The trio composed Ae Watan in Gulzar's living room and completed it within five minutes.
The portion Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua, written by Islamic philosopher and poet Muhammad Iqbal, was later used by Gulzar and included seamlessly so that people from both sides of the border could sing it, reflecting no prejudice of the border. The song Dilbaro is a traditional number with influences from Kashmiri folk, reflecting the film's theme. A particular line in Dilbaro, according to Mahadevan, can apply to any bidaai song, but in the film's context, a daughter whose father sends her as an Indian spy to Pakistan tells her father, 'This dehleez is too high for me, please help me cross', interpreting two distinct thoughts in the same vein.
Reception
Vipin Nair of The Hindu described the album as a gem of a soundtrack. Debarati Sen of The Times of India wrote that the 18-minute-long soundtrack is a medley of tunes and a must for music lovers and Gulzar fans. Devesh Sharma of Filmfare rated it four out of five, summarizing it as a short, sweet album well in keeping with the film's theme and an effective comeback for Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy. Devarsi Ghosh of Scroll.in stated that the soundtrack is not the sound and fury expected from a collaboration between Gulzar and Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, but despite appearing utilitarian for a thriller with minimal space for songs, it has its moments.
Suanshu Khurana of The Indian Express rated it three out of five, calling it a brilliant effort but wishing for more songs and more Kashmiri influences. Devansh Sharma of Firstpost summarized that while Ae Watan goes all out in its patriotic overtone, songs like Dilbaro and Raazi look at the film through a micro lens. Karthik Srinivasan of Milliblog said that for their total absence in 2017, Shankar Ehsaan Loy deliver a rich, thematic soundtrack to open 2018.
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