A.R Rahman, in the ‘making of’ video for ‘Saans’ from Jab Tak Hai Jaan said he used violins to signify tension and romantic suspense.

For me Saans did not work – it was bogged down by lazy writing and safe (mediocre for Rahman) composition.

Pritam’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil title song accomplishes that goal of creating tension and romantic suspense through music, and how!

The song is one of those that are instantly catchy in the Pritam way, yet don’t play by the usual, dependable mukhda-anatara-mukhda-antara rules. The opening notes on the piano set the tone for the pain that is interspersed throughout. Later even when the piano notes are eclipsed, the drums in some way reminds me of the Kal-ho-na-ho heartbeats, although on steroids; and much less hopeful.

The first few lines from Arijit starting with Tu Safar Mera sound magical on Kapoor in the trailer because not just the scene, the song (at least that intro) also sounds like it’s been done in a single take – kudos to Pritam for keeping Arjit Singh’s ‘breath’ audible between lines- as that makes it more believable if Kapoor is playing a singer in the film.

Then the violins kick in and then the drums. And it doesn’t get complicated further. Hence the instant connection. There isn’t much to get used to. It easily replaces the Bambai meri jaan tune for the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil words.

The lyrics by Bhattacharya talk of pain and make sense when thought of as being about one sided unrequited love. The tone is defiant, like that last line from the teaser that talk about ownership and rights of such affection. There’s no begging for love although he’s pining for his beloved.

The tone however changes. It begins with the acknowledgement that Tere Bina Guzara ae dil hai mushkil. He wants to be worth her love. There’s a desire to be loved back.

The second paragraph gets more desperate and Singh’s vocals become a pitch higher. He’s pining and he’s wanting to be loved, even if it comes in heaven – he wants to be acknowledged, recognized. Even if he receives pain, he says it will be a prize.

The last paragraph, most difficult and different tells that he’s given up, not on his love but on his want of being loved. His one sided love is strong enough and he isn’t waiting to be loved back. He’s taking in his own journey without relying on the destination. There’s no Manzil anymore just the Safar. This paragraph changes the tune but beautifully comes back with Safar Khoobsurat Hai Manzil Se Bhi lines. He finds solace in the lonely journey and his journey doesn’t owe anything to the destination. The first line was Tu Safar Mera, Tu Hi Meri Manzil and the last ones say something like Safar Manzil ka Mohtaj nahi and Adhura hoke bhi hai ishq mera kaamil (or kaabil?).

Arijit Singh has been used in a way Jeet Ganguly usually uses him, which is good. Singh’s voice is right now in a dangerous place – at the border of being tediously repetitive or criminally overused.

The teaser is one of the bests that have come from Bollywood lately. It’s been a while we have been emotionally attached, then slapped and challenged. Romantic movies are somehow looked down upon as if the new generation doesn’t love love anymore. Romantic movies have a burden of also being funny and irreverent and light. Even YJHD sufferers from a lumbered requisite, even forced, “light” first half.

It’s been a long time we’ve been betrayed by love, pained by rejection or crushed by expectations. It’s been a while we have seen melody come from beautiful pain or drowned in a flood of relatable emotions in unrelatable characters. Yes we need the Kashyap, Bannerjee, Sircar, or Maneesh Sharma kind of films, because they’re real – the pain in them is disturbing, the love practical and the rejection shattering.

But we also need to be voyeurs every now and then to peer into lives of beautiful rich people in picturesque locations going through what real people go through in their ‘localities’ or ‘chawls’. I love the fact that this feels emotional and dramatic without being overtly sentimental like We Are Family’s trailer was.

Perhaps I’m reading too much in too little but so far so good ADHM. Take us through the wringer and you’ll be a winner.

PS: See this link for K Jo’s throwback’s to his own films that’s apparent from the teaser.