With aggressive promotion and its inherent good quality, the music of 2 States should do well, says Joginder Tuteja.
Within weeks of Sajid Nadiadwala presenting Highway and Karan Johar releasing Hasee Toh Phasee, the two filmmakers have come together for 2 States.
The duo's combined sensibilities have rubbed off on the soundtrack of the Arjun Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer and the end result is quite classy.
Helming this musical affair are composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya.
Aditi Singh Sharma’s Offo has the quintessential sound of an American prom night. While the music doesn't break any barriers, what makes the song catchy is the Hollywood treatment it gets both in terms of composition, singing and lyrics.
A decent, if not exceptional start, to 2 States.
What does turn out to be exceptional is Locha-e-Ulfat. The way the composers put together the beats in this foot-tapping number grabs your attention.
Usually, beats are used to intersperse portions; here, they are integrated with the voice. That is the USP of this number. The fun lyrics make it an urban, contemporary song which goes well with the mood of the film. Benny Dayal’s rendition is spot-on.
Arijit Singh gets a call from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy for the soulful Mast Magan and he is more than happy to oblige. More like the sound we heard in My Name Is Khan rather than Aashiqui 2, Mast Magan has a slight Sufi touch though it is inherently a Bollywood number.
Arijit is joined by Chinmayi Sripada and both render the song well. It may not be an instant chartbuster, but will be heard long after the film is out of the theatres.
Since the film is produced by two men (Sajid and Karan) who believe in entertaining movies, a song with a Punjabi base was bound to be included.
Iski Uski is powered by the chorus of Shankar Mahadevan, Siddharth Mahadevan, Amitabh Bhattacharya and Gaurav Gupta. Later, Shahid Mallya and Akriti Kakkar join the fun; the latter impresses again.
Iski Uski is a a peppy song that will be played at celebratory events.
K Mohan’s rendition of Chaandaniya has the trademark Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy stamp. It has a sad, but not depressing, undertone and flows well with a good mix of instruments keeping up the pace.
Upcoming singer Yashita Sharma lends her unique voice to the song which is important for the film's narrative.
With Hulla Re, Shankar, Siddharth, Amitabh and Gaurav come together again. A Punjabi track with a Dhol Bajda mood, stage and setting, it is essentially a shaadi-byaah number.
Shankar and Siddharth are the lead singers. They are joined by Rasika Shekhar who sings intermittently in Tamil.
Last year, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy had done quite well with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. With the score of 2 States, they make a re-entry into the Karan-Sajid camp.
Amitabh Bhattacharya has written some interesting lyrics.
With aggressive promotion and its inherent good quality, the music of 2 States should do well.
Rediff Rating: 
