It's all about the parents. While Ravi Chopra's Baghban dealt with aged parents being neglected by their kids, Baabul revolves around a father-in-law's struggle to get his widowed daughter-in law remarried. Featuring Amitabh Bachchan [Images], Hema Malini [Images], Salman Khan [Images], Rani Mukerji [Images] and John Abraham [Images], Baabul is scheduled to release on December 8.

The film's music is by Aadesh Shrivastava, who blends merry and melodramatic together quite well.

Even as Come on Come on suffers from an acute hangover of Baghban's Meri makhna meri soniya, there is no denying the fact that the song brings the house down. Big B [Images] wields the microphone to engage in an endearing battle of one-upmanship with Sonu Nigam [Images] off screen and Salman Khan on screen. A high spirited arrangement only adds to the song's disco-happy temperament. DJ Suketu's pepped up remix, however, is intense on percussion and doesn't impress.

Then, it's the turn of the mellow and mushy Keh raha hai to take centre stage. A typically romance-filled exchange of vows and eternal love is carried out through the honey drenched vocals of Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghosal. It has a brief sad version too, namely Vada raha hai, suggesting some tragic occurrence in the storyline. Not a bad tune, but nothing great.

Don't miss: Amitabh, Salman scorch the ramp

Kunal Ganjawala tries to relieve his ladylove of desolation and depression with the melodic Bebasi dard ka aalam. The soothing notes of Bebasi and Ganjawala's elegant rendition conjure up a relaxed and likeable ambience. 
 
Gaa re mann is a bumpy mix of qawaali and Bollywood tra la las. A situational, screen-friendly ditty, it specifically illustrates the picture of a perfect family close on the heels of a foreboding tragedy. Remember Aaja ve mahi from Henna? Something along those lines, but while Gaa re mann might be fun on the eyes, it's not that pleasant to the ears. 

Ganjawala gets to croon the finest numbers on the soundtrack. After Bebasi, he makes a smashing comeback for Har manzar, a heady combination of catchy rhythm and charged emotionality.  DJ Suketu, in its remix spruces the already zingy composition with haunting retro and pop music elements, to rocking results.

A husky Richa Sharma carefully captures the sentiments and sensitivity of a bride leaving her paternal home in the Bidaai song.

Sonu Nigam poignantly conveys the turmoil of loss and grief in the semi-classical Baawri piya ki. Shrivastava cleverly lets Nigam's singing do all the expressing and keeps a minimalist arrangement.

Ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh aims at the heartstrings with Kehta hai baabul, which articulates (through Sameer's moving lyrics), a father's mixed feelings of anxiety and satisfaction, over letting go of his daughter after marriage.

The good thing about Baabul's soundtrack is its wide appeal. The album has something for all age groups and is mostly pleasant.

Rediff Rating: