Cocktail Review

Cocktail is the next big release that Bollywood is getting hyped up about. Starring Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty, Cocktail is a romantic comedy with a love triangle. Pritam is responsible for the soundtrack which is a substantial ten songs long.

The album kicks off with the peppy Tumhi Ho Bandhu. It has a nice summary feel and is quite catchy. Daru Desi is somehow subtle and understated. With its minor key and dark tones the song is quite unique and sophisticated.

Second Hand Jawani is indeed second hand. It is a copy of Some Boy by the Kray Twins. Even though I didn’t instantly recognise her voice, I never thought I would hear Punjabi singer Miss Pooja on a Bollywood album. But the song is a waste of her vocal talents. Second Hand Jawani is one of the weakest songs on the album as there are too many elements which do not fit together and the lyrics sound odd. The soundtrack lacks a big Bhangra number and it’s a shame that Miss Pooja didn’t have the opportunity to provide it.

Cocktail borrows another song that many have heard before. A version of Jugni first appeared on the Pakistani Coke Studio in season 3. Bhangra fans may know of another version by Dr Zeus. The Cocktail version is the best. It is soulful and has a distinct modern edge to it.

Tere Naam Japdhi Phiran starts off badly with clichéd English lyrics and is further spoiled by more English sections. Had these not been there this would have been a brilliant song. Javed Bashir sings traditional Punjabi lyrics over plenty of bass. There is a great contrast between his rustic vocals and the modern accompaniment. I have an urge to edit out the English parts which only seem to ruin it. Don’t bother with the remix.

There are two versions of Yaarian on the soundtrack. The first is Mohan Kanan and it has a nice soft rock feel. There is a lovely unaccompanied vocal section in the middle before it builds nicely towards the end. I prefer the second version which is sung by Sunidhi Chauhan. It is quieter and the addition of strings make it more elegant.

As with Yaarian, there are two version of Lootna. The first is starts off slow and soulful before some dubstep kicks in for the chorus. It works well, but there is a sample which sounds like and old 80s computer game. There is a change in mood halfway through which adds interest, but confuses the overall feel of the song. The second version of Lootna is better. It is softer without the dubstep and adds some rock guitar.

Verdict: There are a couple of songs where Cocktail fails, but despite this it has nice combination of good songs and vocalists. Memorable and well put together by Pritam, Cocktail has the right mix to appeal to a wide audience. Expect this to be playing everywhere for the next few months.