D O N

D O N
Music Review- Tushar Shukla


This has to be the most mature work of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy to date. Though it is hard to say if it is their best, but complex and multi-layered it is. One saw the same quality in Lakshya or Armaan.

Aaj ki raat
A slow techno groove that reminds one of Raat baaki and other seventies dance numbers done mostly by Bappi Lahiri, opens this easily consumable dance track. This one does not take much time to get to you, but this fact also dilutes its credibility in going any further than that. More than the original genre of the 70’s dance hits, this mix is reminiscent of the Akbar Sami Jalwa mixes, especially the Sami mix of Raat Baaki comes closest to it.
The male vocals have been used rather intelligently, and the beat is pleasantly underplayed. The entire track has a generally low-key, non-offensive feel to it, which works in case of the kind of expectations the score and film have generated, and the same mood is followed in the slow fade out of the song.

Khaike paan
Allusions to the original are unavoidable. But the track scores in terms of its opening beat, which is faster yet groovy. The dhin tak dhin tak dhin is very much there, even though bleeding into a smarter electronic back beat. Sung rather exuberantly by Udit Narayan, one wonders if there could be a better substitute for him.
Nice to hear him after all these days. The song raises curiosity about how SRK has realized it on screen, which I must say is some task. He has taken ample interest in his spoken interludes which gel very well with Udit’s vocal main track.
Overall, a decent effort which might not re-invent the wheel but is good enough for the given circumstances. One appreciates the restraint practiced not to alter the basic essence of the now immortal track.

Main Hoon Don
This is my favorite of the lot, first because of its cosmic feel intro and subsequent solo. It is almost reminiscent of Vanraj Bhatia’s magical theme track for Discovery of India, the TV series.
Shaan exudes the phallic power required in the track, almost to the verge of self-obsession, an essential quality present in the original Don theme too.
One special mention for the lyrics. They deserve to be heard in isolation for their selection of words. Listen closely to “bahut hi khatarnak hoon main…” and you will know why.
SEL show their class in producing the most inspiring signature tune of the recent times. This required a certain level of work and they have done full justice to it. This has been a year of good signatures anyways, be it Rang de basanti, fanaa, omkara or this one.
Another commendable aspect is the retention of the question-answer format and the self-proclamatory tone of the track.
The violin solo and the following second verse give a depth to the character and the plot. The lyrics also complement the complexity of affairs here. And this is where one registers the presence of Farhan Akhtar as the man behind the music, who gives a character to the music and does not mind that coming in way of making the music a little less pleasing on the ears.
In simple terms, one could call that experimental, but I would not use it.

Don Remix
This mix carries the chilled out feel of the album, and is again brilliantly restrained in delivery. The grunge feel adds to the abrasive and acidic complex protagonist’s character, which I must say would be the dream project of any film composer.

I wish the background score carries the same maturity and depth.


Theme music
Knock knock knock
Yes, who is this?
Don.
Slow fade in establishes the mystery of Don. And the track serves the perfect compliment to the now quintessential sound of the album, and moreover sets the mood for an adventurous cinematic ride full of chases, betrayals, encounters, revelations, sabotages and the works.


Don Revisited
Midival Punditz are a renowned name in lounge and house circles, and they serve the guest composers here to further complicate the matters!
Their sound is more lounge than SEL’s versions, but it falls in with the genre of the film, with ample gray-ness and treason.
This track refurbishes the original themes and dialogues from Don in a techno avatar.
One can’t stop wondering at the timeless wonder that this plot is, and that makes the entire project so ambitious yet intriguing.


Ye mera dil
The intro reminds one of the famous Black Eyed Peas song. It later builds the mood for a ‘jhakaas’ dance track with enough verve and chutzpah. But the track comes with the heavy luggage of being one of the most played and remixed track in party circuits, so there is not really much room left in the audio aspect to explore anymore.
Now it is only up to the video if there is any wonders to be done.
Not much to comment on the music in this one. Everything falls down in this one, does not boast of the otherwise great work done in the other tracks.
More of an easy come-easier go number.

Moriya Re
This one is an original! And a fitting conclusion to the album. The genre of the loud, Ganesha number just goes to show the diversity and command of the composers with an equal ease that they show in their more commonly found and acceptable compositions.
Shankar does full justice to the vocals. And mark my words, this will be the most famous Ganesha song ever! And will feature in the now oversized crown of SRK’s community dance songs.
Musically, the chorus is impressive in its innovation with a western blend-in to an Indian Ganesha rhythm. But many might not like the number in the album, given the overall lounge feel. But that ‘situational;’ feel might also help it fetch the brownie points in terms of the narrative continuity in the film. More so, because I am told this song introduces the second protagonist in the film, a look alike of Don. So this serves the “Ee hai Mumbai nagariya” slot in the narrative.