Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan: Naiyo Lagda feels like a throwback to the 90s melodies in exotic locations

As you age, there’s an unexplained sense of comfort that you derive from music that you grew up with - it’s as if a part of you doesn’t want to judge those times and savour it purely for the nostalgia alone. In times when Hindi cinema is distancing itself from its musical roots drastically, Naiyo Lagda, the first single from Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan feels like a nostalgic throwback to the melodies of the 90s with words like ‘vaada’, ‘piya’ , ’bechain’ and ‘faasla’ thrown into the mix.

Look beyond the oddity of Salman Khan and Pooja Hegde’s pairing and the lazy choreography (we understand they’re too much of a distraction) and rather go about your work while just listening to its audio version, you certainly won’t mind Naiyo Lagda. The song is clearly aimed at listeners who’re missing the simplistically composed numbers sung by the likes of Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik during the Nadeem-Shravan and Jatin-Lalit era in the 90s.

How can one forget that the number brings together two names that gave us the equally similar Teri Meri from Bodyguard? We’re talking of composer Himesh Reshammiya and lyricist Shabbir Ahmed. The song is benefited by the conviction of its singers Kamaal Khan and Palak Muchhal (whose voice continues to resemble Shreya Ghoshal’s, probably unintentionally).

For someone who’s not familiar (or fond of) the 90s/early 2000s music, it’s understandable if they do not like Naiyo Lagda. The very basic instrumentation isn’t certainly in sync with the times. While it may sound nostalgic to some, one can’t dispute the fact that it contributes to its outdated vibe. Only a handful of mainstream Hindi films continue to have dream sequences in exotic locations - the placement of the song within the film may decide its impact too.

One thing’s certain - music buffs will either enjoy Naiyo Lagda or they won’t and the reactions will be extreme. Venkatesh plays Pooja Hegde’s on-screen brother in the film directed by Farhad Samji and produced by Salma Khan.