Music can be an essential aspect of filmmaking. Even silent movies were never really silent but were accompanied by live musicians. However, contemporary soundtracks are often tossed together like a careless salad—the choices dictated by publishing rights, not whether the songs are emotionally right.
Fortunately, Indian-American director Nayan Padrai wanted to choose carefully when picking the music for his cross-cultural romantic comedy, When Harry Tries to Marry. The soundtrack CD reveals an ear for the tasteful yet sharp-elbowed pop end of alternative. Songs by Sarah Sharp, the June Junes and other contemporary bands could easily glue themselves to memory; Padrai also incorporates the moody shimmer of Indi-pop of Shreya Goshal, the Bollywood drama of Udit Narayan and the dance floor-filling electronica of Small*Star.
