Tiger Shroff’s ‘Unbelievable’ Singing Debut

The credits for Tiger Shroff's 'Unbelievable' are … well, unbelievable. Three people are credited with composing it -Daniel Glavin, Kevin Pabon, and Avitesh Shrivastav. I wish there was more to say about the music, but it's one of the slippery tunes that you forget while you're listening to it. I tried humming it, and failed. 

More strikingly, however, we have three lyricists on board – Avitesh Shrivastav, Daniel Glavin, and Kevin Pabon. With so many heads together, if the resulting concoction is, "My hands are lovin' your body/ Let me grip that waist/Let me get that taste, girl", this is either a serious case of spoiled broth by too-make-cooks or just too-little-books. Any compliment to Shroff's vocals must also be paid to the machines used to make him sound like this. It's smooth as butter, the industrial kind. 

Perhaps the makers thought Shroff's dance moves in the video will blind all anyway, who is going to care about the damned lyrics? That would have made sense if this wasn't Shroff's debut single. Besides if 2020 taught us anything it is to not under-estimate the power of lyrics- from lyricists calling for greater recognition, to lyricists coming under fire for questionable word choices. 

Shroff previously attempted singing during the #IForIndia campaign, where he earnestly but tunelessly crooned 'Theher Ja' from October. This was perhaps taken too seriously by the makers of this video, for Shroff is playing a hotel employee here (one that was played by Varun Dhawan in October). Clearly, a bad one, who uses empty rooms to make-out and empty ballrooms to break-out. It's always a joy to see Shroff play foot-loose however, the mediocrity of everything surrounding his dance pales.

This includes the direction by Punit Malhotra (I Hate Luv Storys, Gori Tere Pyaar Mein, Student Of The Year 2). Between the black-and-white frames, and black-and-white uniforms, there is little colour, and little joy. It's an insipid creation- one that doesn't make a point or have a narrative. Tiger Shroff and Simona Jesenska (who is credited as "Talent" and not under "Starring"- whatever that difference means) pursue their affair in what looks like a loss-making hotel during lean-season. It's cut-to Shroff performing as a singer to an empty audience. Even while pretend-singing the poor thing is made to moon-walk in place. Whatever it is, it worked- this thing has been trending on YouTube for two days.