Ramgopal Varma’s latest production ‘Road’ is a gritty thriller featuring Vivek Oberoi, Antara Maali and Manoj Bajpai. Its music, by Sandesh Shandilya (of K3G fame), is in keeping with the film’s theme.

However, film’s director Rajat Mukherji roped in as many as five different songwriters – Khilesh Sharma, Jaideep Sahni, Nitin Raikwar, Makrand Deshpande and Taabish Romani – to pen the lyrics.

‘Road’ opens with the titillating number Makhmali Ye Badan, rendered zealously by Sonu Nigam and honey-voiced Sanjeevani. The song is a romantic number with sensuous lyrics from Khilesh Sharma. The same song is later repeated in the album.

The album then switches from the romantic to the upbeat mood with the pacy track Raste Raste, an experimental composition with unexpected twists. Petite singer Sunidhi Chauhan shares the microphone with husky-voiced Vinod Rathod for this song, which is set to lyrics by Jaideep Sahni

The highlight of the album is the tapori song Khullam Khulla Pyar which is partly reminiscent of Kallu Mama from Varma’s crime thriller Satya. The song, pictured on newcomer Koena Mitra, has Sunidhi Chauhan showing her vocal range to the hilt.

Lyricist Nitin Raikwar has composed the music for Toofan Sa, which resembles a western composition with digitally created sound effects in the backdrop. The song has been impressively rendered by the indipopper KK.

Next song, Pehli Nazar Mein, is an offbeat composition interspersed with some good pieces of Indian classical music. Theatre artist Makrand Deshpande has written the lyrics for this song.

‘Road Rage’ and Road Ke Har Mod Pe have an interesting combination of western and Indian instruments. Particularly outstanding is singer Gary Lawyer’s rich baritone that almost seems to skim through the lows and highs of the minor musical scale.

On the whole, ‘Road’ has a delectable medley of songs that vary from catchy, foot-tapping melodies to romantic and erotic tunes.