New Delhi: One of the defining pillars of Dhurandhar’s success was its music. From reviving one of Shah Rukh Khan’s favourite qawwali, ‘Yeh Ishq Ishq Hai’ from Barsaat Ki Raat (1960), to bringing the Bahraini track FA9LA by Flipperachi into the Indian mainstream, filmmaker Aditya Dhar gave audiences a memorable album. For the sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, he has worked with the same composer, Shashwat Sachdev.
The Dhurandhar 2 album features five tracks. And, their collective run time is just over 19 minutes, which is tight for a four-hour-long Bollywood movie. There are no item numbers.
The sequel leans into a grittier sound with Aari Aari, a track that has already clocked 28 million views on YouTube. Sachdev’s version of Aari Aari, originally a Bombay Rockers hit from the early 2000s, blends contemporary electronic production with its nostalgic Punjabi-pop core.
Navtej Singh Rehal of Bombay Rockers returns with the iconic Aari Aari chant, while Khan Saab, Jasmine Sandlas, and Sudhir Yaduvanshi do the vocals. Rappers Rebel and Token also lend their voices.
Dhurandhar 2 also has a qawwali—Sachdev revisits the legacy of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and revives the iconic Jaan Se Guzarte Hain. It is originally a 1977 qawwali from the album Maikadah, Vol. 15.
This new rendition, featuring Khaan Saab with lyrics by Irshad Kamil, leans into a more traditional soundscape, contrary to the whole album. The composition retains a strong classical essence, allowing its timeless emotional depth to come through while still fitting seamlessly within the film’s musical world.
Also read: Dhurandhar success made Aditya Dhar unpopular. Wife Yami Gautam is also being snubbed
The Punjabi backbone
One of the strongest threads running through Dhurandhar 2 is its Punjabi flavour. Even when the album experiments with different styles, it consistently returns to that “Punjabiness.”
Destiny – Mann Atkeya is one of the album’s most cross-cultural tracks. It’s Western on the surface, but deeply Punjabi at heart. Shahzad Ali’s vocals bring a raw, textured quality that carries echoes of traditional Punjabi melodies, while Token adds a modern rap.
Jasmine Sandlas and Satinder Sartaaj, two of Punjab’s prominent voices, have also been roped in for Dhurandhar 2. They come together for the track, Jaiye Sajana. The song was performed live at the album launch.