Nikhil Adavani's much-awaited follow up to Kal Ho Naa Ho, sans the Karan Johar support, looks gorgeous in its 30-second trailer.
Said to be loosely inspired by the 2003 ensemble hit, Love Actually, at least as far as the format goes -- six couples (Anil Kapoor-Juhi Chawla, Salman Khan-Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham-Vidya Balan, Govinda-Shannon Esra, Akshaye Khanna-Ayesha Takia and Sohail Khan-Isha Koppikar ), six romances, Salaam-e-Ishq has everyone's curious side up.
Capturing love in all its six flavours, melodies and moods, music directors Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy skilfully put together an assortment to relish.
The album opens with the freshness and fragrance of a brand new soap. With its clean cut notes and dazzling originality, Dil Kya Karen instantly impresses. What makes the song cool is that it doesn't belong to any particular genre. Instead, it gathers references from Afro-Caribbean, Spanish, Celtic and ethnic sets of world music. Sameer's lyrics, however, could have easily refrained from the usage of Hinglish. Also, the chorus bears a recurring resemblance to the ones in Jaane Kyun (Dil Chahta Hai) and Kuch Toh Hua Hai (Kal Ho Naa Ho).
It's time for fusion qawaali with the oomph personified Saiyaan re. Newbie Shilpa steals the show with her perfectly impish delivery. Despite Shankar Mahadevan's dynamic presence, this singer, to watch out for, is never once intimidated. 
Over the years, Shankar-Loy-Ehsaan have crafted a trademark style of turning murmuring flirtations into high-pitched, all-out declarations. Be it Dillagi (Dillagi), Kuch Naa kaho (Kuch Naa Kaho) or the recent chartbuster Mitwa (Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna). The next track of Salaam-e-Ishq falls in this category. The diverse shades of Shaan's spontaneity and Nihira's precision mix and match to alluring effect in the utterly silky and romance hued Mera Dil.
A line up of talented voices like Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghosal, Kunal Ganjawala, Sadhna Sargam and Mahadevan gather, to salute love in all its splendour, in the effervescent and overwhelming, Salaam-e-Ishq. The troika of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy cleverly lend a larger-than-life feel to this grand composition with generous and nifty use of dhols and
More pep comes your way with the zippy Punjabi entrée, Tenu leke. Picturised on Salman Khan and dozens of extras in bright outfits just outside London's majestic Saint Paul's Cathedral and National Library, this one's a foot-tapping delight. Strutting on a horse, donning nothing less than a shocking orange sherwani and truckloads of attitude to woo the girl, that's Salman-e-ishq for you. Full marks to Sonu Nigam for instilling rollicking gusto in the number
Post-Don: The Chase Begins Again, the remix mantra continues. This time around Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy add haunting, seductive dimensions in their night clubby mix of O P Nayyar's 1954 creation, Babuji (Aar Paar). Alas, Nihira is no Geeta Dutt and blandly croons the dizzy ditty without ever possessing the quality of a teasing temptress.
The husky baritone of Kailash Kher remarkably conveys the pathos and anguish of a relationship in Ya rabba. Truth be told when it comes to sad songs, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy are one of the best in the business. Tanhayi (Dillagi), Tanhayee (Dil Chahta Hai), Kal Ho Naa Ho-sad version (Kal ho naa ho), Kitni Baatein Yaad (Lakshya) and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (KANK) bear testimony to the fact.
Salaam-e-Ishq is a well-designed, wholesome soundtrack with emphasis on melody, beat and innovation. Featuring seven individual tracks, no sad versions or technically damaged retakes. It is seven out of seven! The musical trio succeed in getting the perfect score. Take a bow, you guys!
Rediff Rating: 
Images: When Salman Ignored John