Without Amitabh Bachchan’s dialogues introducing us to the new ‘Zanjeer’, what could bring us to lend our ears to this Mumbai Ka Hero? Mika swags it, peppered by Bachchan and Talia Bentson who raps about the kooky cop. Its smartly arranged, but its coolth annoys.

Next arrives Pinky Paisewali, sung by Mamta Sharma, the item number you will love to hate this time of the year when Ganpati celebrations begin. ‘Arre stop it yaar, arre baba bas,’ she throws a fit towards the end of the song. Our sentiments clearly.

Lamhaa Tera Mera is the staple love duet sung by Wajhi Farooki and Palak Mucchal. He sounds like a Atif Aslam clone. She like Shreya Ghoshal. Alternatively, the two make up for a lack of hiring the more established names.

Khochey Pathan Ki Zabaan is the qawalli to replace the original film’s Yaari Hai Imaan Mera. Can Khochey Pathan match Yaari’s stunning rebab? What is Khochey Pathan anyways? Does trigger a wild goose chase. It means, a pucca Pathan’s word. Sukhwinder Singh, Shabab Sabri, Meet Bros Anjjan are the triumvirate pronouncing the edict. It resounds, beating to a different drum. Does not echo the soul stirring proclamations of Manna Dey or Pran’s jubilant dance.

Shweta Pandit sings the Helenesque Kaatilana in Pancham trippy sound of drum, pipes, techno beats. The recent glut of such inspired numbers in films like ‘The Dirty Picture,’ the ‘Once Upon A Time In Mumbai’ series trying to capture on retro classics, presentation is often clumsy. Why do we remember those trashy Helen item numbers? Helen!

Shreya Ghoshal is Shakila Banoo, and that brings us to a close on the soundtrack made up of three composers (Meet Bros, Chirantan Bhatt, Anand Raaj Anand) forming a chain link of item numbers. Sort of fail proof, this chainmail of Zanjeer.