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After all the hype surrounding Ki & Ka’s trailer, the makers have released the full soundtrack for the film. The music for Ki & Ka has been composed by Meet Bros Anjjan, Mithoon, and Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics by Kumaar, Amitabh Bhattacharya, and Sayeed Quadri.
When the video for “High Heels” came out, viewers and listeners were not too fond of this track, as it did not seem to build up to the excitement generated by the trailer. To be honest, heard on its own without watching the video, there is nothing particularly unique about “High Heels”. Featuring Jaz Dhami, Yo Yo Honey Singh, and Aditi Singh Sharma, it falls into the category of a typical Punjabi rap/party song. However, compared to the others, Aditi‘s voice stands out in this track.
In contrast to the intense party vibes of “High Heels”, “Ji Huzoori” is slow, romantic, and melodious. Sung by Mithoon and Deepali, this song has a unique melody. The repeated tune and orchestration in the chorus make it even more catchy and haunting. The classical music elements of tabla and sitar fuse well with the more modern aspects of the song. While I wish Mithoon had introduced some harmonies towards the end of this track, “Ji Huzoori” is definitely my favorite in this album so far!
“Most Wanted Munda” is somewhat of a comedic song that bears resemblance to “Maa Da Laadla” from Dostana. Kumaar’s lyrics for this one are on point and really fit with the crux of the film by highlighting disparities in gender roles. Sung by Meet Bros Anjjan and Earl Edgar, this track has the same electronic vibes as “High Heels”, but my favorite part is the middle when the rhythm briefly slows to the beat of a train.
Upon reading that “Foolishq” was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, my expectations skyrocketed. Unfortunately, despite being rendered by soulful vocalists like Shreya Ghoshal and Armaan Mallik, the melody is a bit underwhelming and doesn’t live up to Ilaiyaraaja’s track record of unique compositions. As per his style, the song is rather minimalist, featuring little orchestration. Throughout this song, I felt myself waiting for something musically interesting and different to happen. Instead, it ended abruptly and anticlimactically. Hopefully, Ilaiyaraaja’s background music in the film is more intriguing!
“Pump It (The Workout Song)” features Meet Bros Anjjan, Yash Narvekar, and Komail Shayan on vocals. As the song’s title suggests, this is an energetic number that is great for working out. The banjo tune that appears every now and then is quite addictive and adds flavor to this fist-pumping song.
“Kabir Most Wanted Munda” is a duet reprise of “Most Wanted Munda” featuring Meet Bros Anjjan and Palak Muchhal. After Sonakshi Sinha, Ranveer Singh, and Varun Dhawan, the next actor to test out his rapping skills in mainstream Bollywood is none other than Arjun Kapoor, who flaunts the most wanted characteristics of Kabir in this track. The reprise has a different beat, which is a refreshing change and gives it the feel of a typical Bollywood wedding song.
Final Verdict: Ki & Ka is not a great soundtrack to listen to on its own. For a film that challenges gender roles, the melodies in this album are rather stereotypical and predictable. It is likely that the songs make more sense within the context of the film, but for now, we can only wait and watch how these tracks will be pictured in the movie!
Ki & Ka is an upcoming R Balki film starring Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor in lead roles. It is set to hit theaters on April 1, 2016.
