If you thought Bhaag Bhaag DK Bose was going to be the only highlight of Delhi Belly, you might be in for a surprise. The second song, Nakkadwaley Disco Udhaarwale Khisko is not on very different lines, though it doesn’t create such punny situations as the earlier one. Still, teri tirchhi nazar ne dil ko kar diya pancher is some really innovative use of Kirti Sagathia’s voice. And so is the song. Innovative, only two steps behind Emosanal Attyachar.

The next number, Saigal Blues, sung by Chetan Shashital, is almost clear by its name. The song is almost a clear cut copy of KL Saigal’s singing, with some twist, that will make the song run longer in this age.

The next song of the album is finally a little less into fun though it’s not all serious. Ram Sampath gets an item-ish Bedardi Raja for his wife, Sona Mahapatra. Okay composition, well sung.

The next number again has a name that would get people interested. Suraj Jagan sings this slightly espionage-y, very rocky Ja Chudail. Suraj almost does a Zehreelay Zehreelay with Chudail, but with the lyrics it has, the song is bound to be funny. I smell Dev.D to some extent, but not exactly in that way.

Ram Sampath comes up to sing the next normal and probably the first and only romantic number of the album, Tere Siva, with Tarannum Malik. The song has a slight ’90s touch though the song is very likable and lovely, something that has been seen in some other Ram Sampath songs too, I feel. Well composed, well sung, with a nice end.

Switty Switty Switty tera pyaar chahida. Sung by Kirti Sagathia. The song might not sound completely new as one can find some similar sounding songs before, in pieces, but the song as Ram and Kirti have made it is a bit different. A completely ‘Delhi’ sounding song, it has Sufi’ish touches (NO, this is NOT a Sufi song), a-very-Punjabi-mixed-Delhi’ish language, and that will (read chipku’ish-ness). The song should work well with this movie, though I’d see no future for this one in a normal movie I guess.

The next song, tere pyaar ne kar diya deewana/ I hate you like I love you is a beautifully confused song. The song starts in a good qawwali mood and shifts to almost a cheerleader song (rock n roll?). But the mixing is well done and in a way that it only makes the song interesting. Kudos to Ram Sampath for the composition and even Amitabh for writing this one.

And then, if the original tracks weren’t enough, there is a ‘punk’ version of Switty, sung by Kirti and Ram Sampath himself, though I liked the original more, as that one had taken me by more surprise.

Overall, Delhi Belly is what you had wanted it to be after that first trailer and that first song. There is still nothing better in the album, nor the album is what you’d say ‘musical,’ but then still for the album I’d say Go get it. Or in other words, bhaag bhaag!

Bahara is a light romantic song with medium pace and a touch of folk in the background. In fact, if I were to tell the composer for the song, I would probably have named Rahman.

The song starts with a beautiful rendition of

Ho tora saajan aayo tore des, Badli badra badla saavan,
Badla jag ne bhes re, Tora saajan aayo tore des

by Sona, somewhat in the background. After which Shreya starts with a sweet

Soyi soyi palkon pe chal ke, meri sapno ki khidki pe aa gaya
Aate jaate phir mere dil ke, in haathon mein woh khat pakda gaya.

The good thing, again, is that the lyrics of the song are quite good and lovable. Check these lines sung by Sona, well sung and well written.

Preet mein tori ore sawariya, Payal jaise chhanki bijuriya
Cham cham naache tanke badariya ho, Baadaliya tu barse ghana..

Probably it’s the goodness of song that made Vishal-Shekhar call upon Rahat Fateh Ali Khan to sing another version of the song. The best part is that this one is not a remix version either, but the folkish touch is quite reduced and Sona’s lines are almost removed as Rahat sings the song alone. In fact the lyrics are quite different from the original version, and while Shreya and Sona have done some wonderful singing for the song, Rahat sounds no less than the two together as he goes on taking his typical ‘harkats’ in between, while singing effortlessly. And yes, Rahat’s chill version happens to be almost a minute and half shorter than the original version.

I know I’d be asked which is the better version, a question I would like to avoid. So here is the answer to that too. I had already fallen for the original version before moving to chill. And for now I am loving both of them almost equally, original still having a slight upper hand, but I guess after some time Rahat may move up. Am I saying Rahat’s version is better? I don’t intend to, but maybe.

The album starts with Jab Mila tu, which is quite like Dostana’s Jaane Kyun. That way, the song cannot be called very fresh but sounds fine, and will be stuck to our tongues the way Jaane kyun did. I think.

The second song of the album is one of the best, or probably the best, Bin Tere (how many songs are called Bin tere, any idea?). Well, the song, sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan and Sunidhi Chauhan is a wonderful piece of music and definitely worth a listen. Go for it.

The third song of the album is a peppy title song, bas pyaar ka naam na lena, I hate love stories, sung by Vishal Dadlani. Very, very tongue sticking,though I don’t think it’s one for longer times.

Bahara is the next song of the album. The song came as a surprise to me as I had not expected Sona Mahapatra in a Vishal-Shekhar album. I wonder if she has ever worked with the duo. Well, Sona is not the only singer in the song, in fact she is more in the background while the song is actually sung by Shreya Ghoshal. A medium-fast-paced song with a touch of folk. Definitely a good one again.

They had one king of rock with them. But they brought in another one. Yes, Vishal Shekhar call in Suraj Jagan for their next number Sadka Kiya, with Mahalaxmi Iyer. Frankly, Sadka is probably the song I have loved the most till date and the more I am listening to it, the more I am falling into the song. A song that keeps itself light, has beats something like Falak tak (Tashan), with Suraj going high in places, in a way that you would love. The best part, on top of the wonderful music and singing, there are those great lyrics, sadka kiya yoon ishq ka, ke sar jhuka jahan, deedar hua. M lovin’it.

If this was not enough, here is more in remixes, no, reprises and mixes and remixes. The first to come up is Shekhar with a reprise of Bin Tere. Now there’s only a guitar (I hope I didn’t miss anything) and Shekhar’s voice. A real reprise, with hardly any background music. One of the toughest and the best things Shekhar has done. Kudos boy.

Now, a chill mix, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan singing what Shreya and Sona sang earlier. Definitely good work by Rahat and worth listening to song, but I think I have fallen for the original version already.

At the end there is a remix version of Bin Tere, which doesn’t sound bad.

Overall, I Hate Luv Storys seems to be a soundtrack which is better than plain good. A few songs may remind you of things here and there, but overall, almost every song of the album is good, which is a big deal. Well done Vishal-Shekhar.

My Picks: Bin Tere, Sadka Kiya.

But then, it had been long since I heard a full song sung by Sona. Of course there were jingles. Don’t remember for which scooty she sang a jingle, and then there was Paas Aao of Close Up, then the extended version and finally the song is coming there in her next album Raat/Din. Raat/Din, which is again composed by Ram Sampath, has an extended, full version of her wonderful jingle, Paas Aao na, and a new song Dil Jale, whose video is here.

The album is to be released ONLY through Nokia Music stores and hence becomes the first Indian album to be sold Only in the digital format.