Revolution Evolution

A Consummate Soundtrack

The tragedie of "Omkara" is encompassed melliflously in the score by Vishal Bharadwaj. Very few times does an OST come along, which is as eclectic (or as we say in Hindi, "hat ke") as it is comprehensive. A Chennai Philharmonic Orchestra blended with musicians from London and other parts of the world, come together to make a veritable musical battlefield, that is Omkara. The last album of this intensity, in my opinion, was Taal, and before that, Dil Se. But that's primarily cuz A R Rahman is God.

The title track is Energy. Namak is passionate, Beedi is naughty, O Saathi Re is heart-rendered, and Naina is painful. With each song having its own integral identity, Omkara comes across as an album that Vishal Bharadwaj has worked on diligently, and experimented and re-experimented with at multiple stages.

Not just in rhythm, most of the songs have such a meteoric rise and speedy build-up, that it is almost difficult for the listener to keep up with the songs' enthusiasm. Especially Namak, which, in addition to the usage of the word "Issak", is a song that I don't think too many people will appreciate, understand or evaluate. Accentuated by Rekha Bharadwaj's sensual vocals, Namak's diversity is its sex appeal - before you get used to the thumri-like nature of the song, you are delicately surprised by the usage of light piano interludes, put off at first and then entranced by the strings set that is ushered in, suddenly.

Till the closing riffs of the Instrumental minute and a half long "Tragedie of Omkara" track, in which you can literally feel the chorus section weep their emotions across to you, listening to this OST is almost Hitchcockian because you never know what to expect. In an era of predictability, commercialism and Himesh Reshammiya, this soundtrack comes across as the essential breath of fresh air after the suffocation of monotony. More like this, Bollywood. More like this.