For all those who lament the lack of good poetic lyrics in Hindi music , I would recommend Gulal. Intense emotions sets the stage for good music and a film that focuses on revolution gives ample scope to musician and lyricist to bring forth a fine track and Piyush Mishra wearing both hats comes through with flying colors. "This film was inspried by Sahir Ludhianvi’s lyrics to “Yeh mehlon, yeh takhton, yeh taajon ki duniya from Pyaasa. The film is dedicated to all poets who had and have a vision for Bharat.

Gulaal, starring Kay Kay Menon, Aditya Srivastav, Piyush Mishra, Raj Singh Chaudhary(Raja Chaudhary), Ayesha Mohan, Abhimanyu Singh, Deepak Dobriyal, Mahi Gill, Pankaj Jha, Jessie Randhawa and Mukesh Bhatt, set in Rajasthan against a feudal backdrop is quite an off-beat and yet impressive film.

Gulaal is an experimental score, which delves into the 60’s music; an era characterized with the frequent use of mujras. The album kicks of with a modern day lighthearted mujra 'Ranaji" where quite a few real life issues are dealt with in a light hearted manner. Backed by the tabla and the accompanying instruments like the harmonium and the sarangi, the singer quickly enters into the character of the main protagonist. The music is very folksy.

The mood changes immediately with the arrival of 'Yaara Maula' which is a haunting soft rock piece that is dark & disturbing. A rock theme-based supports the vocals of Rahul Ram and Aushim Chakravarty. The disturbances of the mind of the protagonists is depicted with a highly distant voice which starts off the prelude, which comprises of gentle touches on the piano and crisp arrangements. 'Yaara Maula' does turn a little theatrical, especially towards the end, but that doesn't take away from the impact it manages to create. Same is the case with 'Sheher' that has a revolutionary mood to it. This is the longest track in album which lasts nearly 7 mins,

Rekha Bharadwaj’s Beedo goes with the theme of the movie, just like ‘Ranaji’. Set in the 60’s style, her voice emerges as the winner in this track. With the tabla, the harmonium and the accompanying instruments, ‘Beedo’ is a situational number with the chorus chipping in the masala ingredients. Piyush Mishra also incorporates folk instruments and vocals to polish it in a rustic fashion.

There is darkness, melancholy and tears in Duniya. Piyush Mishra’s voice further reiterates the point. Moving at a slow pace, the low octave opening including pitched-down vocals, throws deep thoughts on the mindset of the character.Duniya' takes one back into the 50s and is a number based on Guru Dutt's 'Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To' [Pyaasa]. A sad number which is quite heavy in nature and reaches it's crescendo with the arrival of key words 'Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To' [which are presented verbatim in the song], it brings back the genre of music that has been long forgotten.  

Piyush Mishra shows the competitive warrior spirit in Arambh. The number opens up with a prelude with creates an impact, at first listen. Highly embedded in the warrior type of music, ‘Arambh’ is again a situational track. The whistling in the middle amidst the entire chorus’s singing, makes the piece very interesting. The track is also excellently orchestrated and arranged.

Expressive minus the music would qualify Raat Ke Musafir. Rahul Ram’s rendition is superb. The slow guitar music allows the audience to fully concentrate on the voice. This is brilliantly individual stuff. Hypnotic at places, ‘Raat Ke Musafir’ is a piece out of the ordinary.

Possibly the highlight of this experimental score is Aisi Sazaa by Shilpa Rao. Musically magic, this is a poignant track with a dark theme in the background. The sounds of lightning, thunders and rain are also heard. Shilpa Rao casts her evocative vocal spell adding depth and passion to the lyrics, written by Piyush Mishra. The song has a lush and semi-classical texture. ‘Aisi Sazaa’ does not come with the hype tag, and is a gem. Highly recommended!

Gulaal is an experimental soundtrack for a Bollywood film and Piyush Mishra and Anurag Kashyap deserve appreciation for thinking out of the box and creating a sound that is different from the routine.

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