In 2007, Anurag Basu’s Life in a... Metro tugged at the heartstrings with a soundtrack that echoed heartbreak, hope, betrayal and longing. It was not just a movie, but an urban moodboard packed with emotions.

Seventeen years later, the musical duo of Basu and Pritam reunited for Metro… In Dino, currently running in theatres, offering an album that fans and music enthusiasts have found equally soulful, but with a change in tone and tenor.

In a face off between the two soundtracks, music emerges as the ultimate winner.

‘Urban, messy, delightful, and messy again’

While Life In a Metro songs focussed more on personal solitude, inner battles and longing, the soundtrack of Metro… In Dino recognises the complexity of interpersonal relationships in a modern urban setting.

The soundtrack of the 2025 film exchanges bold proclamations for quiet compassion.

“#MetroInDino definitely brought back memories of #LifeInAMetro - the storytelling, the glorious music, all of it still a classic. This one is urban, messy, delightful, and messy again. Credit to @ipritamofficial for delivering a beautiful score that truly elevates the experience,” wrote an X user.

‘Water for a parched soul’

Life in a... Metro integrated the songs as part of the character’s internal dialogue. In Dino, Alvida, and O Meri Jaan captured confessions and yearning. Sayeed Quadri’s lyrics were familiar and personal. Each song was a testament to some character's raw and unresolved emotions.

This time, the songs go beyond introspection while exploring romance, relationships and struggles — a shift that is perhaps a nod to how life has changed in cities over the past 17 years.

“#MetroInDino soundtrack feels like water for a parched soul. My friends

@ipritamofficial @neeleshmisra @mayurpuri and others have collaborated to create a rainbow of melodies. At par with the #LifeInAMetro soundtrack and that's a huge compliment. It's a winner in all respects,” wrote a social media user, praising the album’s sonic resonance with contemporary viewers.

‘Good… but incomplete without KK’s touch’

While Life in a… Metro had KK’s soulful voice, Metro… In Dino has Arijit Singh doing what he does best. The void created by KK’s absence is evident in the latter, say fans.

“Listening to the music of Metro... In Dino I can't help but feel the loss of KK's death. His voice made the music of Life in a Metro magical. The music of this album might be very good but it'll always remain incomplete without KK's touch!

An even sadder coincidence is that KK sang "Alvida" in the same album,” wrote an Instagram user.

Several other fans remarked that they still miss the ‘soulful’ vocals of the late singer KK, who passed away in 2022.

‘Living up to the OG’

Music lovers have heaped praise on Arijit Singh for capturing the poetic essence of cherishing a relationship despite a heartbreak. Songs like Zamaana Lage, Dil Ka Kya and Qayde Se reflect love, loss and longing as truthfully as In Dino, Alvida, and O Meri Jaan.

“This new metro inn dino music seems to be living up to the OG…We need mid 2000s music back,” wrote an X user.

While both albums come from the same team, the 2025 soundtrack is more global and introspective, whereas the 2007 original was raw, emotional, and visceral.

‘Feels like noise’

Some fans argue that the latest instalment lags behind the original film, both in terms of storytelling and music.

The songs of Life in a… Metro features Pritam’s work that skillfully intertwines soft rock and acoustic pop. It showcases KK and James’s vocals with electric guitar and piano accompaniment, allowing their voices to shine. The songs Alvida and Rishtey give an honest representation of urban rawness.

In the Metro… In Dino, the musical palette is blended with layers and experimentation. It features lo-fi beats, ambient textures, understated electronics, and neo-soul influences. For example, Mausam, which is a modern rendition of Ul Jafri’s ghazal, incorporates a deeply adaptive approach to a new era of classical music.

The experimentation seems to have left some fans of the original album disappointed.

“Didn't like the Metro In Dino album much tbh. Only 2 songs are decent and both are sung by Arijit, rest have disappointing lyrics and idk what Pritam da wants to do but music is so loud in some songs, it feels like noise. Expected a lot but it's not even close to Life in a Metro,” wrote an X user.