Fight Club Music
Review
Bharat Shah returns to present a film after a
considerable gap with 'Fight Club'. A
Sohail Khan production, 'Fight Club' is a true
blue multi-starrer with a huge starcast that
comprises of Suneil Shetty, Zayed Khan, Riteish
Deshmukh, Sohail Khan, Dino Morea, Aashish
Chaudhary, Ashmit Patel, Yash Tonk, Rahul Dev,
Dia Mirza, Neha Dhupia and Amrita Arora. Vicky
Chopra makes his debut as a director for this
action film that has music by 'action-thriller'
favorite Pritam [Dhoom, Chocolate, Ek Khiladi
Ek Haseena]. Mayur Puri, who is fast
becoming a regular with Pritam, is the lyricist.
There are only four unique songs in the album with three of them appearing as remixes. First song to come is 'Yeh Khuda' that begins as a Pritam special with an English rap by Indee. The setting of the song has an obvious hangover from 'Dus Bahane' in the way it has been treated. Whether it’s the girls in the background or the rendition by K.K. or the beats or the overall music arrangements that are highly westernized, there is so much of 'on your face' attitude in 'Yeh Khuda'. But doesn’t anyone mind that? Not at all as this song too is high on rhythm and turns out to be pretty catchy in the end. The high point of the album is the female voice that follows the song throughout in the background and the rap that makes it a good club number. Ditto with the 'remix' version by Ishq (who also does the rap) & Vish that moves on a faster pace.
Pakistani artist Ali Zafar's superhit 'Channo' from 'Huqa Pani' is reworded as 'Chhore Ki Baatein' in 'Fight Club'. And no, this time around neither are there any claims of inspiration nor has the composer blatantly lifted the song. Instead due credit has been given to Ali Zafar with Pritam primarily rearranging the song to a certain level. A highly catchy number, it is special due to one big reason – return of Amit Kumar. There is always a big question mark on Amit Kumar's frequent absence from the music scene for years at large. Would he be finally making a comeback and stay behind the mike for good with 'Chhore'? Shweta Pandit who impressed one and all in her songs for 'Neal N Nikki' is at her naughty-n-tantalizing best in this Mayur Puri written number that has Amrita Arora and Dino Morea enjoying their moves! Remix version by Iimu Ali doesn't really change the graph of the song in a big way as the original tune by itself is so engrossing!
Shweta Pandit returns to do a solo 'Joshile
Java Ho', the music of which is a direct
copy of Pritam's own 'Mummy Ko Nahi Hai Pata'
[Chocolate]. Rhythm, beats and funky
arrangements are all there but somehow the zing
is missing in this situational song to make it
good enough for a repeat listening. That's the
reason one wonders why the song gets repeated
after a gap as it is nothing more than ordinary!
After a lot of beats, rhythm and high energy songs comes 'Bolo Na Tum Zara' that is as a welcome change, especially after 'Joshile'. This Neelesh Mishra written love song is sung by the romantic duo of Shaan and Shreya Ghoshal. An extremely soft number with simple lyrics about the essence of love, this one is straight from the heart. For a soothing song like this, one wonders what would be in store from the remix version. Mansour is the person behind the remix version who makes the song sound more IN with the mood of the rest of the album. Still, one prefers to go on a romantic journey with the original version!
Except for 'Joshile', the other three songs 'Yeh Khuda', 'Chhore' and 'Bolo Na' are all decent. One would have loved the album further if only there were no remixes at all since they do not add much value. There won't be anything everlasting or memorable 6 months from now, but still 'Fight Club' is a fine popcorn album that is fun till it lasts.
Fanaa Music
Review
Extraordinary? Well, if there was any other way
that was more apt for terming the expectations
from this Yash Raj Films' next, then it may as
well have been placed here. And why not? After
all 'Fanaa' is the biggest film coming
from YRF since 'Veer-Zaara'! Though there
were 'Bunty Aur Babli', 'Salaam
Namaste' and 'Neal N Nikki' in
between [with popular music as well], none can
really match the scale of the kind of
expectations one has from 'Fanaa', both
from the music and the movie. Starring Aamir
Khan and Kajol in lead along with Tabu, Rishi
Kapoor, Shiney Ahuja and Kiron Kher, 'Fanaa'
is the third directorial outing for Kunal Kohli
[incidentally each being with YRF] after 'Mujhse
Dosti Karoge' and 'Hum Tum'. Jatin
Lalit, who have composed for the last biggie
before their split, team up with Prasoon Joshi
who has done some tremendous work recently in
films like 'Rang De Basanti', 'Hum Tum',
'Rok So To Rok Lo' and 'Phir Milenge',
to name a few. Since 'Fanaa' means
completely destroyed, it leads to an eventual
curiosity about the film's plot.
"Tere Dil Mein Meri Sanson Ko Panaah Mil Jaaye...Tere Ishq Mein Meri Jaan Fanaa Ho Jaaye"
This very line that makes an appearance in every promotional medium for 'Fanaa' sets the mood for the album and the film to follow. The first track 'Chand Sifarish' is the one which is known more as 'Subhan Allah' due to these two words been heard in the promos. Shaan's humming that opens up the number, very well establishes the song to be truly belonging to a Yash Chopra film. Melodious to the core, it is followed by Kailash Kher's crooning of 'Subhan Allah' and extremely catchy beats that arouses good hopes from the rest of the song. Poetic to the core, this well written number is also accompanied by the sound of a whistle and turns out to be a good fusion of Arabic and Indian melody. The real surprise comes mid-way through the number where the sound of santoor (one of the favorite music instruments in Yash Chopra films) is heard. A lyrical beauty with the term 'Fanaa' making an appearance at number of places, it has a good melodious appeal and is undoubtedly a popular number to have arrived this season.
'Mere Hath Mein' is the second number in succession with the term 'Fanaa' woven in the song. A song about a couple who are truly in love and just need each other's company, it too is based on sheer poetry and comes quite close to Javed Akhtar saab's style. Both Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan sing the number in a low pitch and one can expect a scenic beauty forming the song's background. A slow moving number with a touch of Kashmiri style of music to it, it is the first track where Kajol and Aamir Khan lend their vocals. But no, they don't sing the song. Instead they narrate a line or two that fits in well with the mood of the song. While Kajol says the line 'Tere Dil Mein..." that is the highlight of the film's promotion, Aamir Khan says:
"Rone De Aaj Humko Tu Aankhen Sujane De, Bahon Mein Le Le Aur Khud Ko Bheeg Jaane De
Hai Jo Seene Mein Qaid Dariya Wo Chooth Jaayega, Hai Itna Dard Ke Tera Daaman Bheeg Jaayega"
He further aptly wraps up the song with "Adhoori Saans Thi, Dhadkan Adhoori Thi, Adhoore Hum, Magar Ab Chaand Poora Hai Falak Pe, Aur Ab Poore Hain Hum", hence conveying the sense of being highly satisfied and completeness in love. It may not be the easiest number to sing aloud due to its poetic feel but it still makes a great impression while being heard. This is proved to be true when an instrumental 'Lounge Mix' of the same arrives in the form of 'Destroyed in Love'. Dhrubajyoti Phukan programs the number and does a good job in coming up with a true lounge version. With a haunting appeal to boast, it should be an easy pick for the lovers of lounge music
Sound of whistle is heard again at the very
beginning of 'Chanda Chamke'. A
children's number which is the first ever in the
album to be reminding of Jatin Lalit's vintage
style, it redefines the tongue twisting 'Chandu
Ke Chacha Ne Chandu Ki Chachi Ko' by coming
up with a new tongue twister. Mahalaxmi Iyer and
Babul Supriyo pair up for this 'feel-good'
number while Kajol and Aamir Khan too join in
for two more tongue twisters! A difficult number
sung with ease by everyone along with child
artist Master Akshay Bhagwat, it is going to be
a sure shot popular number, at least with the
kids. And yes, unlike the previous two songs, it
is of the kind that will be sung along by many
due to a sheer challenge of getting it's words
and tune right!
Poetry and melody make a lethal combination once again for 'Dekho Na', yet another melodious duet by Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan. At this point of time, one realizes that Udit Narayan, who has been a regular with YRF, is missing from the entire album! But you don’t mind that as Sonu Nigam and everyone else has done a great job so far to create a mesmerizing impact. 'Dekho Na' has an old world charm to it with the music belonging to the 50-60s variety and reminding of the numerous such romantic songs to have been featured on the likes of Dev Anand and others. One of the best songs to have arrived in the album, it has an innocent feel to it due to an overall beautiful treatment. While Sonu Nigam is wonderful as always [especially in numbers like this], special mention for Sunidhi Chauhan as from hereon she should be taken seriously by the composers who have otherwise utilized her potential mainly for item songs or fast paced high-on-beats numbers!
It's time for Mahalaxmi Iyer to arrive with the first (and the only solo) number of the album. 'Des Rangila' is a peppy 'I Love My Nation' number that has a strong North Indian flavor to it and guarantees a colorful picturization. The song mentions everything from Indian tradition, culture to festivals and comes quite close to 'Aisa Desh Hai Mera' [Veer-Zaara]. Ending with the sound of 'Jaya Hey' from 'Jana Gana Mana', expect an eye candy outing when the song arrives on screen.
The first ever track with a strong western influence, the Club Mix of 'Chand Sifarish' comes as 'Fanaa for You' that completely changes the mood and style of the song. DJ Aqeel does a tremendous job to make it fit for the yuppy crowds as he jazzes up the song completely by also incorporating the words 'Fanaa For You' intermittently in the number. A rocking end to the album, it is just hard to believe that how one single number could be treated in two completely opposite ways while keeping the melody and basic context intact?!
It is indeed a pity that this could well be the last album composed by Jatin Lalit because the fact is that while doing so, they have come up with one of their purest musical score ever. A guaranteed musical success for YRF, it completely justifies the hype surrounding it for all these months since the time the film has been in the making. A winner, 'Fanaa' should rise to the top of the charts in just a few days time and help the movie's promotion further.
(C/D/E)Ek Ajnabee Music
Review
If there is one movie that stands out amongst
the crowd of multiple high profile projects in
the coming few weeks, it is 'Ek Ajnabee'.
In the news since its inception and having
gained immense hype due to stylishly cut promos
and Big B's towering presence, 'Ek Ajnabee'
is the second directorial outing for Apoorva
Lakhia who comes with a slick urban movie set in
Bangkok after 'Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost'
that was set in rural India. Amar Mohile, who
came up with a defining musical score in 'Sarkar'
is the composer of all the songs in 'Ek
Ajnabee' except for one item number that
comes from guest composers Vishal-Shekhar.
Title track 'Ek Ajnabee (Mama Told Me)', which is in fact the solo composition by Vishal-Shekhar, marks the beginning of the album. There is a distinct hangover from two popular tracks by Vishal-Shekhar – 'Dus Bahane' and 'Deedar De' and the result is that while the song is a fine hear, it still doesn't have that much required zing to make it a chartbuster from the word GO. While Sunidhi Chauhan and Sukhwinder Singh are the singers in the foreground, Vishal Dadlani [who has also written the song] sings the English piece in the background. Arjun Rampal and Czech beauty Hannah feature in the song that somehow gives you the feeling of déjà vu when you see it on the screen.
A song that sketches the characteristic of the lead protagonist Amitabh Bachchan in the movie comes next, which is titled 'Barf Khushi Hai'. A slow paced song that has a painful feel to it and has the mention of 'Ek Ajnabee' throughout its length; it is an introspective number that should appear as a part of the background score. Kailash Kher demonstrates his finesse once again as he is just perfect in this superbly worded song by Jaideep Sahni. A philosophical track, it is not the one to be crooned around but should make an impact on screen with Big B featuring on the frames.
A touching song about the relationship between
Big B and the young girl whom he has to protect
as a part of his job, 'Tere Liye' is a
huge song for Kunal Ganjawala as he has to sing
for the character of none other then Amitabh
Bachchan. Another song that should be a part of
the background score, it is written by Sameer
and has a heartwarming feel to it. With western
arrangements complimenting Indian melody, it is
a melodious track that has a soothing feel to
it. It may seem just about ordinary when you
hear it first but after you have listened to it
4-5 times, you start catching its nuances. No
wonder the song grows on you as it appears
towards the end of the album as well.
Lalit Tiwari written 'They Don't Know' is the song about which much has been written in the past as it features Sanjay Dutt. A promotional number that may appear at the beginning of the movie, it is rendered by Kunal Ganjawala who sings with a rough husky accent. The number mentions all the wrongs and the crimes in this world and exposes the dirt in the society. A rocking track, it is the crooning of 'They Don't Know' by Joy across the track that haunts you long after the song is over. A raving track, it boasts of some gorgeous western beauties gyrating while Sanjay Dutt creates an aura with an unmatchable attitude. Action becomes bigger, better and even more happening when the remix version of this track appears as 'Blast U Between Your Eyes remix'. The arrangements get even more foot tapping and if not for the lyrics, it could have been a hot favorite for a DJ in the discotheques. 'They Don't Know' should be a talking point soon once the movie is about to be released.
'Let's rock, party and move your body' - that's
the message conveyed by 'Soniye' that has
Sunidhi Chauhan and KK coming together. With a
distinct flavor of 'Tauba Tauba' from 'Kaal'
coming across, it belongs to the genre of songs
that have worked in a big way in 2005. A
pulsating number that has its base in bhangra
beats, now it all depends upon the picturisation
of the song that would guide the direction that
the song's popularity would take. Also one
wonders why the song makes such a belated
appearance as it is one of the better tracks of
the album so far. A reason could be that the
makers would have wanted to first incorporate
those tracks in the albums that are directly
related to the movie's theme. A zappy track also
appearing as a 'Soniye Mix N Match Remix',
it makes 'Ek Ajnabee' an extended party
album after having started on a rather sober
note with tracks like 'Barf Khushi Hai'
and 'Tere Liye'. 'Soniye' deserves to be
promoted right away for the album to soar on
popularity.
A haunting background piece that has a rocking effect, 'Stranger On The Prowl' has all the elements required for a thriller. Shilpa Rao provides the backing vocals for this 4 minutes musical piece that reminds of Caralisa Monteiro's western ‘alaap’ in 'Adrenalin Nitrate (Dus Theme) ' from 'Dus'. The track suits the mood and setting of the movie and promises 'Ek Ajnabee' to be a striking cinematic experience.
On picking up 'Ek Ajnabee', one wasn't sure how would the album turn out to be since the movie has an action plot. At max, one expected a couple of sentimental numbers, an item song and a bunch of instrumentals/background pieces. But to one's surprise, one finds 'Ek Ajnabee' to be a racy album that picks up as it progresses with no looking back once you are through mid-way. Play it on when you are on a fast drive. You will love it!
Elaan Music
Review
Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Abhishek Bachchan – last time the three of them came together in Rakht, the movie went unnoticed. This time the three of them come together for a much slicker and technically superior product ' Dus ' that also has Zayed Khan to make it 'chaar' out of 'dus'. Then there are heroines namely Shilpa Shetty, Esha Deol, Raima Sen, while Pankaj Kapur, Jawed Sheikh and Gulshan Grover form the rest of the cast summing up to 10. Dia Mirza is the 11th actor in this Nitin Manmohan production that sounds an extremely promising thriller on world terrorism. A notable (and very interesting) factor about 'Dus' is its director - Anubhav Sinha – who moves on from his forte of directing romantic films ( Tum Bin, Aaapko Pehle Bhi Kahi Dekha Hai ) to thriller genre. Vishal- Shekhar, the composer duo gets the best of the projects belonging to thriller genre ( Kaante, Musafir ) and 'Dus' is no exception. Famous for their techno tracks, one has extremely high hopes from their compositions that have lyrics by Panchhi Jalonvi.
If there has been a song this year that has caught the nation's attention on day one of the promos, it's the title song ' Dus Bahane '. A marvelous number, the deadly combination of western arrangements with strong Indian melody and a bit of rap make the number instantly catchy and foot tapping. Vishal and Shekhar do it once more with this track that is sung with aplomb by the youngsters KK and Shaan. Both Abhishek Bachchan and Zayed Khan, on whom the song has been filmed, enjoy emoting to this number and are every bit of the cool dude they are supposed to be! Shot as a glossy music video, this number will go a long way in pulling in the crowds. A super hit track! There is an ' extended version ' of the same coming up after a few songs and that only facilitates the rocking party mood to continue.
Taking cue from the Hollywood biker movies that are aimed at the yuppie crowds comes the first ever movie of such kind to hit the Indian screen - ' Dhoom '. Yashraj Films take a complete about turn from their recent releases like ' Mohabbatein', 'Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai', 'Mujhse Dosti Karoge' and 'Hum Tum' to make an out and out action cum adventure thriller 'Dhoom' (thankfully without a catch line!) that stars Abhishek Bachchan (with a dashing new getup), John Abraham, Uday Chopra (watch out for their hairdo), Esha Deol (in her new toned avtaar!) and Rimi Sen. Pritam, who composed for ' Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai ' with Jeet works independently for ' Dhoom ' that has lyrics by Sameer. After an average business generated by MYKSH, producer Aditya Chopra repeats Sanjay Gadhvi for this fun frolic film that has generated quite a buzz amongst the youngsters.
Since the theme of the movie is different from what Yashraj films have been offering since all these years, the music too is in sharp contrast. The result is that you don't feel as content as you would have wished to be. Music is a mixed bag with the title track and maybe a couple of other tracks being of Hit material but the remaining tracks being plain average. For once there is Chopra movie that doesn't have a kind of music that has universal appeal and much retention powerDeewane Hue Pagal Music Review
The team of 'Awara Paagal Deewana'
returns with 'Deewane Huey Paagal', which
when launched was supposed to be a sequel of the
hit original. Though the promos currently on air
hardly give an impression of DHP being a sequel,
the starcast and the crew of the movie is
practically the same. Picture this: Firoz
Nadiadwala as the producer, Vikram Bhatt as the
director, Akshay Kumar, Suneil Shetty, Paresh
Rawal forming the principal starcast (along with
Shahid Kapoor and Rimmi Sen) and music & lyrics
by Anu Malik and Sameer respectively. Now that's
the closest one could get to the original! While
the songs in APD were average that gained
popularity after the movie's release due to
their innovative picturization, let's see what's
in store in DHP.
Well fasten your seat belts and get ready for a funky ride of your lifetime because out of in-total 8 tracks in the album, 6 tracks are sung by none other than, hold your breath, ANU MALIK. First to come is 'Maar Sutiya', a definite chartbuster from Note-1, which is highly entertaining, despite Rishi Rich's 'Dil Mera' [Kya Kool Hai Hum] being its reference point, right from the beats to the use of guitar strings to the chorus. But still it is all to the credit of Anu Malik who in fact sings the song quite well and comes up with a foot tapping song that should be the flavor of this festive season. Chorus plays an integral part of this racy song and adds on immensely to the final product. Add to it some eye candy choreography and you have the USP of the album ready to be served.
There was a time in the 90s when Anu Malik used his whistle to a great extent in mushy romantic tracks. The same effect is reproduced at the beginning of 'Meri Jaane Jigar' that is quite melodious with contemporary arrangements that are IN with the youth today. An English chorus in the background enhances the appeal of the song while Anu Malik's controlled singing could challenge any emerging pop star of today. One wonders why has Anu Malik being lynched over the years for his singing because he does quite a good job in this second song of the album and justifies his presence. This song is bound to create a good visual appeal knowing Nadiadwala's penchant for leaving no stones unturned when it comes to picturizing songs in his movies. This track is yet another HIT track in the making.
It seems the kind of rhythm that Pritam, Salim-Sulaiman and Vishal-Shekhar have brought with them has made Anu Malik also accept the trend since 'Tu Hai Tu Hai' is the third song in succession that follows a similar route. Sung by Shaan and Sunidhi Chauhan, this romantic track has a similar rhythm attached to it while the essence of Anu Malik's melody is kept intact. It’s again the musical arrangements and the chorus in the background that make the song stand tall. Belonging to the style of 2005, it makes for yet another entertaining song. An instantly catchy number, it should sound simply great in the state of art music system. None of the songs so far may be classics in the making but they have in it to be popular with the masses and the hip youth pretty soon.
Remember 'Mere Paas Aayo Mere Doston' from 'Mr. Natwarlal'? Track 'Sutradhar' [coming in Part I and Part II] belongs to a similar genre as far as rendition of the song in a narration mode is concerned. Anu Malik holds the mike once again for this lengthy entertaining track that primarily gives a good enough preview about the movie. It introduces all the principal characters in the movie in a musical fashion while narrating the overall storyline. It’s quite hilarious at moments with Anu Malik again being in good form yet again. The track has an international feel to it and makes for an interesting musical piece in the album that should appeal to children and adults alike.
As soon as 'Chakle Chakle' begins, you know that it’s a Firoz Nadiadwala song more than anything else. The laughter of a woman accompanied by heavy bass beats and the way is paved for a foot tapping number to follow!! Anu Malik goes solo once again for this 'shake you neck' and 'jump on the dance floor' kinda track that is a guaranteed success in the making for the masses. Don't worry much about Sameer's lyrics though as the musical arrangement and the rendition make the track easy to be hummed and enjoyed while it is on! Purists may not have too many good things to say about the song but in today's world of Bollywood where such music is selling like hot cakes; it won't come as a surprise to see DHP also doing well. Remix of the track follows soon which is even groovier than the ones preceding it and is an amalgamation of remixes of all other songs preceding it.
One song. Three singers. Different styles. 11 and half minutes of duration. And 'Aisi Umar Mein' is born! A mix of different styles of music and singing to reflect the different characters in the movie, this song by Shaan, Kunal Ganjawala and Krishna has a good dose of melody and rhythm that makes the listener sit through an entire duration to enjoy the song to the fullest. Inspite of a lengthy duration, one in fact looks forward to the progress of the song with every passing minute to see what's in store next. An experimental song that reminds of Anu Malik's similar effort in 'Ishq Vishk', it leaves a listener highly satisfied with the end product.
If one looks at the past record of music from Firoz Nadiadwala movies starting from Ram Shastra, Kartoos, Hera Pheri, Awara Paagal Deewana to Aan, each of them had a good song or two but none of the albums were blockbusters in spite of lavish amount of money being spent in their picturisation. All this may change with DHP that is a good album in totality with number of tracks that are potential hits. In an age where 'rhythm' is the key word for an album to sell well, DHP scores heavily on this account. Add this as yet another successful album for Akshay Kumar after Dosti Music Review
If there are any film-makers who are
consistently delivering good and popular music
today outside Yash Raj Films, they are the
Darshan brothers. Movies by both Dharmesh and
Suneel Darshan have good music as a result of
their alliance with Nadeem Shravan. It may sound
too old fashioned for some but still melody
rules in their compositions, the most recent
example being 'Barsaat'. Now
producer-director Suneel Darshan comes up with
his yet another musical 'Dosti - Friends
Forever' by Nadeem Shravan and Sameer that
stars Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, Kareena Kapoor,
Lara Dutta and Juhi Chawla. No doubt, one
expects music to be the ace feature of this
movie about relationships, misunderstandings and
triumph of friendship.
Soothing sound of piano followed by a violin and trademark Nadeem Shravan beats marks the beginning of the melodious title track 'Yeh Dosti'. Both Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam are subtle and sober in their approach while singing the song at a low pitch and curb the temptation of going extra enthusiastic or over the board. A heartwarming number with the two men singing praises about their friendship and appreciating each other, it boasts of some wonderful on screen chemistry between the two leading actors. In most of the movies, a song about friendship means some cool hip-hop beats with a club setting and babes in the background. But in the case of 'Ye Dosti', it is just the interaction between the two men and no one else around, that sets the song apart from the rest.
It's the time to celebrate with 'Dulhaniya',
an obvious engagement track that begins on a
foot tapping note with the continuous crooning
of the word 'Dulhaniya'. Wonderfully
arranged with a no-breather moment throughout,
it never ever gives you a chance to rest and
take a break from joining the celebration mood.
Featuring Akshay-Bobby-Kareena-Lara, the song
should soon become a hot favorite in the
marriages/engagements due to its pacy setting.
Kunal Ganjawala fits himself into the Nadeem
Shravan scheme of things and never once attempts
at getting western in his approach while
Abhijeet and Alka Yagnik are at their reliable
best. A HIT number in the making!
Abhijeet and Alka Yagnik return for the melodious duet 'Aisa Koyi Zindagi Mein' that would be lapped up by Nadeem Shravan fans. A sweet number with simple yet effective lyrics by Sameer, it entertains the listener with the kind of music that he/she would have been hearing for years but still won't mind hearing it one more time. While the tune is vintage Nadeem Shravan, it is the musical arrangement that is set in a contemporary style that gives a soothing feel to the song. Hear it with your eyes closed and chances are high that you would end up remembering of the one you love most!
Kunal Ganjawala gets an opportunity to get into his own with a groovy number 'Lets Boogie Woogie' that has a feel of 'Its The Time To Disco' [Kal Ho Na Ho] and 'It's Magic' [Koi Mil Gaya] . A night club dance floor number, it belongs to the style that composers like Pritam and Vishal Shekhar have perfected now. Vasundhara Das is in high spirits while singing this racy number with support from Earl.
When it's a Darshan movie then there is bound to
be a 'qawalli' number that caters to the
entire nation. Sukhwinder Singh and Kailash Kher
come together for this saga about 'ishq' in 'Ishq
Na Ishq Ho Kisi Se' that seems to have its
setting in the turmoil that the lovers are going
through. As like most the 'qawallis', it is
racy, passionate and boasts of good lyrics by
Sameer. For a track like this you require full
throated rendition and Sukhwinder and Kailash do
a perfect job here. Still, the situational
number never gets too loud and should in fact
pep up the proceedings while appearing in the
movie.
The first 5 seconds of 'Aur Tum Aaye' indicate the path that this duet by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik follow. A cent percent vintage Nadeem Shravan number that is about acknowledging your loved one's presence in your life in troubled times, 'Aur Tum Aaye' is a situational track rather than being entirely romantic and should appear at one of the crucial points of the movie. Sonu Nigam sings as if he would break down any moment, though one feels that it is the requirement of the situation! Still, the song shouldn't be mistaken to be sad.
After an engagement number 'Dulhaniya' comes the marriage celebration track 'Yaar Di Shaadi' that brings together Sonu Nigam, Abhijeet, Alka Yagnik and Nadeem Shravan's protégée Sarika Kapoor. This situational track is not of the kind that may become highly popular due to a situational feel but still comes easy on ears. At places, it also reminds of 'Aur Kya Zindagani Hai' from Suneel Darshan's own 'Ek Rishta'.
'Dosti' has a good musical score that is mix of love, friendship, dance and club songs rather than being entirely romantic. All the songs may not really aspire to reach the top spot due a situational feel but as an album 'Dosti' sounds good. Nadeem Shravan and Suneel Darshan have yet another assured popular album in their hands that should do well across the country.
Darna Zaroori
Hai Music
Review
It was Ram Gopal Verma who started the trend of
incorporating promotional music videos for his
otherwise song-less films. He started it with
'Bhoot' ['Bhoot Hoon Main' picturised
on Sunidhi Chauhan] and followed it up with 'Darna
Mana Hai' [Jo Dar Gaya So Mar Gaya'
picturised on Sameera Reddy]. While the trend
has caught up fast with every movie worth its
salt coming up with a promotional video [Dhoom,
Hum Tum, Bluffmaster, Aksar, Tom Dick and Harry,
Humko Deewana Kar Gaye to name a few], RGV
does it again for 'Darna Zaroori Hai',
sequel to his moderately successful 'Darna
Mana Hai'. The girl in question is Nisha
Kothari this time around while Mohit 'James'
Ahlawat too joins her for another music video.
Taabish Romani and Nitin Raikwar, who have been
associated with RGV with number of projects in
last few years are the men behind the film's
music.
DZH mainly has just 3 unique songs along with remixes of two of them while rest of the album is stuffed with songs from 'Mr. Ya Miss' and 'James'. First to come is the heavily promoted 'Khabardar' that appears in two versions 'Maut Ka Jayeka' and 'Zindagi Ka Zayeka'. Mohona Sarkar, who had sung 'Dhokebaaz' and 'Khud Ko Maar Daala Re' in RGV's 'D' last year, gets yet another opportunity to make her presence felt in the music industry.
Strong beats, western arrangements and scary sounds mark the beginning of the first version 'Maut Ka Jayeka' that has Sukhwinder Singh pairing up with Mohana. Sadly, the song is nothing but a rehash of 'Khallas' [Company] with not much difference in terms of pace and style. The style was anyways exhausted in 'Dhokebaaz' and hence there is not much interesting when one gets to hear something so similar in DHZ. The singers do their job well while the actors (especially Nisha) performs with conviction too but it's the music by Taabish Romani that proves to be a downer. A little slower but similar in style and rhythm 'Zindagi Ka Jayeka' follows after a gap. Kunal Ganjawala pairs up with Mohona but that's still not good enough to make a beeline for DZH in front of music stores.
After Tabish Romani, it is Nitin Raikwar's turn
to compose and write for the two versions
(original and remix) of 'Aake Darr'.
Scary sounds prevail the beginning of this track
too that is noticeable due to Mohona's style of
rendition where she really stretches her vocals
an extra distance. In a similar style as the
title sequences of a James Bond flick, the music
is intriguing, scary, sensual as well as
exciting. Though it is by no means a classic, it
should do well to create an eerie feel in a dark
auditorium. The tune is again set on a western
base and though the remix version makes
it more, belonging to the dance-mix mode, one
would still prefer the original.
'Boo' is the last original track in the album and is yet another ordinary tune by Taabish Romani. The interlude portions in electronic guitar somehow catch your attention but the tune on which Sunidhi Chauhan sings along is simply average. There are scary sounds and works accompanying the tune that hardly make an impact. The song would be restricted to the film's promotion but nothing more than that.
Rest of the tracks have already been heard before in 'Mr. Ya Miss' ['Fakr Hai Aurat', 'Fakr Hai Aadmi', 'Kamsin Kali'] and 'James' ['Zindagi Jeene Ka Naam Hai', 'Jaan Hai']. Since most of them were just about fine with none turning out to be a real chartbuster when originally released, they are still not good enough reasons to grab the copy of 'Darna Zaroori Hai'.
In the end, 'Darna Zaroori Hai' turns out to be a lukewarm album that doesn't really hold your attention much. One of the weakest musical scores from a RGV film, one wonders if the album may have sounded better if it was made of background pieces from the film, just like in case of 'Satya'?
Chup Chup Ke Music Review
Priyadarshan and Himesh Reshammiya come back
together with 'Chup Chup Ke' after their
association in 'Kyon Ki'. Though the
music in the Salman-Karrena starrer was good, it
couldn't go an extra distance due to the film
failing at the box office. Times have changed
quickly with Reshammiya being the hottest
selling composer/singer today, Priyadarshan
basking in the glory of twin successes in the
form of 'Garam Masala' and 'Maalamaal
Weekly' while Shahid-Kareena finally getting
a HIT in the shape of '36 China Town'.
All this combined with the comic power of Paresh
Rawal, Om Puri, Rajpal Yadav and Shakti Kapoor
along with Sunil Shetty and Neha Dhupia makes
CCK a hot product this summer. Sameer, who is
practically writing for more than 50% of the
films releasing these days, is the lyricist for
CCK too! Reshammiya's favorite DJ Akbar Sami
takes care of the remixing department.
If a film's composer is Himesh Reshammiya then it is must for an album to have a song sung by him. 'Shaadi Se Pehle' has been the only exception in last few months and everyone knows what happened to its music sales! There is a certain expectation that a music lover has from his films now and CCK doesn't disappoint as Reshammiya pairs up with his favorite co-singer Tulsi Kumar for 'Shabbe Firaq'. It's the melody of 'Aa Re Aa Re’ that sets the tune for the song that has Reshammiya going all out while crooning the opening lines. A great fusion of Middle-East, Indian and Western music, 'Shabbe Firaq' has chartbuster written all over it and has already helped the album take a good start at the music stores. A rhythmic dance track that goes at a decent pace rather than rushing its way through, this well written number with fresh lyrics has been picturized innovatively by music video director Kookie V Gulati with the help of some imaginative sets. With DJ Akbar Sami coming to the scene, the proceedings were always meant to become further engrossing and the result is there for everyone to be seen. Pace picks up, scenario gets livelier and it's time to hit the dance floors. A small piece of information here – all those who have accused Reshammiya of singing with a nasal twang would have to find some another reason to put him down after hearing him singing on a different note altogether!
It's Himesh Reshammiya himself who croons the title of the song 'Dil Vich Lagya Ve' twice before handing over the singing reins to Sonu Nigam who sings the number in a full throated manner and lots of energy. Newcomer Akriti Kakkar, who has mostly sung remixes in the past (notably being 'Rangeela Re' that was shot on Deepal Shaw) joins Sonu Nigam and comes across as a pro who has innumerous playback numbers to her credits in the past. Kunal Ganjawala appears after a while and does a great job along with the two singers to make 'Dil Vich' a smashing dance number set to an Indian contemporary tune. A rhythmic number that has Shahid Kappor giving his all while dancing along, it is THE BEST song in the recent times from Reshammiya that had some other singer than the composer himself. There have been some songs in 'Banaras', 'Shaadi Se Pehle', '36 China Town' and 'Phir Hera Pheri' in recent times that were sung by a singer other than Reshammiya but none of these songs had a potential to be a HIT. Hearing 'Dil Vich', it's quite sure that this should be the one that would go an extra distance. And why not when you have Akbar Sami's remixed version to add on to the original to present the song in an altogether different 'avtar'?! While the proceedings were completely Indian in the original, Akbar Sami adds on a Western effect to it to enhance the song's reach to pubs, discs and lounges.
Before Reshammiya himself had started crooning,
one of his favorite singers was K.K. The
talented singer arrives on the scene again with
'Ghoomar' that has Sunidhi Chauhan
pairing up with him. Based on Rajasthani/Gujrati
folk music, the song is given a different touch
altogether to make it fit into the Bollywood
scheme of things. A rhythmic number that may not
be the most unique tune that you may have heard
in the past, it is still good enough to keep you
engaged due to its rhythmic approach and some
loud musical arrangements that suit with the
racy fun feel of the song. 'Ghoomar Re'
is one of those songs that mostly remain
unaffected even if presented in a remix version.
Overall the song may not have a chartbuster
appeal but its filler capability helps the album
to sail on.
The rhythm of 'RE' continues with 'Shabbe Firaq [Aa RE, Aa RE]', 'Dil Vich Lagya RE', 'Ghoomar RE' to 'Aaya RE'. A number with the kind of lyrics that only Sameer can write [Aaya Re Dil Tumpe Aaya Re Chaya Re Nasha Chaya Re], 'Aaya Re' is a kind of Reshammiya song that has brought him into limelight for last few years since he started composing for Salman Khan films. A song by Kunal Ganjawala, Sunidhi Chauhan and Arya that does well in both the versions, be it an original that has a distinct Reshammiya melody to the remix by Akbar Sami that changes its mood by moving at a rapid pace without giving you a breather at all, 'Aaya Re' is yet another good song in succession for 'Chup Chup Ke' that maintains a good standard throughout. After hearing the two versions, one feels that the essence of the song is more interesting in its original version and this is what one may be inclined to hear if looking for some good melody!
With singers like Vijay Yesudas and Shreya Ghoshal credited for a song, one expects the proceedings to mellow down a little and turn outright melodious. The beginning of 'Tumhi Se' promises just that and when Vijay Yesudas begins his crooning, you can't just help but admire the newcomer's singing prowess. Son of the great music maestro Yesudas, Vijay's voice does resemble his father's when it comes to depth but overall does well to manage an identity of its own. A soulful number that has peace written all over it, 'Tumhi Se' is a romantic number that has Shreya Ghoshal, one of the most suited voice today for songs of this genre, giving him good company. Reshammiya comes up with a tune that is so unlike his style, past or present, and should win the hearts of even his detractors. Kunal Ganjawala, who is now easily amongst the Top-5 singers in Bollywood today gets his share with an unplugged version of the same song and ensures that his effort doesn't go in vain. If there is any song that comes with a 'SURPRISE' tag associated with it, it is 'Tumhi Se'. The song may not be an instant coffee but is definitely a 'lambi race ka ghoda'!
The only song in the album that has only one
version associated with it, 'Mausam Hai Bada
Qatil', is a Sonu Nigam single and has its
opening tune set to the 60s fashion. On hearing
closely, one realizes that the rhythm has some
resemblance to Reshammiya's own 'Aa Meri Life
Bana De' [Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye] but he
arranges the music in such a manner that it
comes across as a number that could have made
none other than a Rajendra Kumar or a Shammi
Kapoor sing it along. From someone like Sonu
Nigam, the least that you expect is a good
rendition and he (obviously) does well here too!
A good song to end the album!
After '36 China Town', Himesh Reshammiya can easily assure himself yet another popular soundtrack that is worthy of entering the Top-5 charts in a couple of weeks to come. NOW is the time to up the tempo of the music promotion and bombard the music channels with all the songs for getting the album its due.
Chocolate Music
Review
Bollywood is growing...and how! 5 years back, no one could imagine actors as different as Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and Arshad Warsi sharing a same frame in a dark thriller. And that too with a title like 'Chocolate'! But not anymore! With corporate world showing keen interest in Bollywood and the trend catching up as fast as the technology in major 'A' grade projects, it is always possible to come up with newer and better products week after week. 'Chocolate' comes from the Spice Team Entertainments' production house [Vibha-Ragini] - the same team that entered Bollywood with feel good flicks 'Kaun Hai Jo Sappno Mein Aaya' and 'Shukriya'. 'Chocolate' is an obvious evolution from these two products and marks the debut of director Vivek Agnihotri. A thriller based on 'Deep Dark Secrets' with an interesting punch line of 'Sometimes it's best not to ask too many questions', the movie stars Anil Kapoor, Suneil Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Irrfan Khan, Emraan Hashmi, Sushma Reddy and introduces former Miss India Tanushree Dutta. Stylishly shot with creative promos resulting in immense buzz, another factor that makes 'Chocolate' exciting is its music, which is composed by Pritam, who appears after a one-year gap since 'Dhoom' that is still creating 'dhoom' all over.
Superb use of western musical instruments begins the opening track of the album - 'Halka Halka Sa Yeh Nasha'. Just like 'Dhoom macha De', this track too has a signature tune accompanying the song, this time as a flute. Mayur Puri makes a great debut as a lyricist and comes up with some never heard before lines that are put to music wonderfully well by Pritam. Sonu Nigam modulates his voice yet again to give something new every time a challenge is thrown on him. The song has been choreographed innovatively on the streets of London with all the characters giving an account of themselves one after another. Groovy feel to the entire track make it immensely likeable and ready to hum. One of the best tracks to arrive this year, its a sure shot hit all the way.
A little bit of Tata Young's version of 'Dhoom Machale' and a little bit of 'Kaal Dhamaal' make the remix of 'Halka Halka' that result in the track turning out to be foot tapping all over again. The way trends are as of now, one won't be surprised to see a promotional video made with this song that may appear during the end credits of the movie. It always pays to go with the tide, isn't it?
K.K. croons 'Zehreeli Raatein', a fast paced foot-tapping track that sounds more like a pop number rather than a Bollywood song. There is a hint of Biddu's style of music coupled with Pakistani pop in this Praveen Bhardwaj written song that is one of the first ever for a Bollywood movie. A unique composition with great musical arrangements and lively rendition by K.K., one looks forward to watching this number onscreen, as it appears quite different from routine.
Pritam continues to deliver a funky tune one after another with 'Jhuki Jhuki' coming up next. Dev Kohli's lyrics catch your attention at the very beginning for this yet another foot-tapping track that is sung by Kailash Kher and Sunidhi Chauhan. The song isn't the next chartbuster in the making but as a follow up to some brilliant numbers like 'Halka Halka' and 'Zehreeli Raatein', it manages to sustain the momentum.
The very beginning of 'Mummy' brings your feet in motion. Written by Mayur Puri, it is again one of the most original numbers to have been incorporated in a Bollywood movie. With lyrics like 'Kehte Hai Sabhi Ke Badi Hot Hoon Main', its about "I know I am hot'n'cool and am painting the town red but my mom doesn't know about this and don't tell her either!" But rather than even slightly hinting of vulgarity, it is more of young and naughty and doesn't fail to bring a smile on your face. Sunidhi Chauhan modulates her voice great deal to come up with a squeaky schoolgirl voice. A fast paced song that fuses western and 'bhangra' beats; this situational track should be a riot on screen due to its theme and picturization.
Your body continues to sway along nicely to the beats of 'Panaahon Mein Mohabbat Ki' that is yet another well-written song by Praveen Bhardwaj. Rendered by Kunal Ganjawala, this heavy on beats and high on pace track is completely based on western music with a bit of reggae thrown in. By now, 'Chocolate' sounds like one party album that can be played on full volume and set on a repeat mode while you dance away to glory. This is yet another track that has a potential to create a space for itself in the charts. A total effort by Pritam, Praveen and Kunal!
'Bheega Bheega Sa Yeh December Hai' - now have you ever heard something like this? Probably not! But this is what the team of 'Chocolate' brings to you in this Ajeet Srivastava number that has Sunidhi Chauhan delivering one of her best. A beautifully composed melodious number that maintains a subtle pace throughout, it is a classy number that sets across the point that the musical score of 'Chocolate' is not one of your run of the mill ones. Another sweet composition that won't go unnoticed!
A good dose of Indi-pop molded to fit into Bollywood scheme of things, 'Khalish Si Hai' continues in the same breath as Pritam's earlier western compositions and does wonders once again. Teamwork once again, it is highly impressive due to inspired effort by Mayur Puri, Pritam and singers Kunal Ganjawala and Suzan.
Bollywood is surely catching up with the Hollywood counterparts and going international. This is pretty evident with the 'Chocolate Theme' that is a brilliant assortment of western instruments coming together with great effect. A track that could be easily played on top volume in a discotheque, it brings the album to a grand finale and hence giving a feeling of complete satisfaction to the listeners of 'Chocolate'.
There were good expectations from the music of 'Chocolate' due to Pritam's name on the credits and the opening song 'Halka Halka' already being popular. But to one's pleasant surprise, 'Chocolate' delivers much more than expected with none of the tracks belonging to a variety where they could be skipped. 'Chocolate' turns out to be one of those 'different from the routine' genre of albums that should work especially with the young.
'Chocolate' is a delicious winner all the away, hence maintaining Emraan Hashmi's string of musical hits after 'Footpath', 'Murder', 'Tumsa Nahi Dekha' and 'Zeher'.
36 China Town Music Review
Subhash Ghai must be a busy man. Barely has his
'Shaadi Se Pehle' released last Friday
when the music of his next '36 China Town'
releases almost simultaneously with the same
music composer and the lead actor, Himesh
Reshammiya and Akshaye Khanna respectively. The
mood of the film is different though with '36
China Town' belonging to suspense and
thrills genre, which is the specialty of the
film's director duo Abbas Mustan. Since the film
bears a stylish and modern look, the music too
is expected to be zippy and hi-tech with a
strong western base. With the kind of high both
Reshammiya and Sameer are this season, there are
good expectations from the music of this film
that has Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor as the
young lead along with debutant Upen Patel and
beauties like Tanushree Dutta, Isha Koppikar and
Payal Rohatgi.
Well, no brownie points for guessing that the opening track of the album, 'Aashiqui Meri', is sung by none other than Himesh Reshammiya himself. But before we come to his vocals, a special note for the opening music. A wave of suspense is built at the very beginning as a husky female voice utters the film's title '36 China Town'. From this point on, the music builds up slowly and steadily as high bass beats in line with an 'Enigma' feel create a western rhythm for the song. Reshammiya takes over soon after and rather than trying to be any different, he sings in the style that has been well accepted by the music lovers all over. The signature tune of 'Aashique Meri' and the interspersions of 'China Town' keep making a good impression as Sunidhi Chauhan joins the song mid-way. Her voice is modulated to suit the seductive stance of the song hence making the opening number a complete packaged hit material. As expected Akbar Sami comes up with a remix of the track making it an absolutely rocking track to hear. The pace picks up a few notches for this version that makes it out and out smashing. Far more entertaining than even the original, expect it to be played in the discotheques in a week's time from now!
'24X7 I Think of You' – Now how could
these words be put to tune? That's the first
thought which comes to mind when one reads the
lyrics for this Shaan-Sunidhi Chauhan sung
number. One thing that is for sure is that this
is going to be a romantic number but it’s the
treatment by Reshammiya that one looks forward
to. Its time for a guitar to mark the song's
beginning as Sunidhi Chauhan starts crooning.
Pace picks up immediately for this peppy
youthful number with foot tapping musical
arrangements. The music belongs to Reshammiya's
style of a couple of years back when Shaan was
the ace singer for the composer. A love song
overall, the sound of '24X7 I Think of You'
[with a missing X] accompanies the rhythm
throughout. Akbar Sami returns again for the
remix version but apart from pacing up the
song a little and adding in a few beats, there
is not much that he can do since the original
itself is quite pacy. Overall a fine track as
long as it lasts!
It's back to Himesh with 'Dil Tumhare Bina' where he teams up with Alka Yagnik for a romantic duet. The way the song begins with the sound of a violin, it gives an impression of a sad outing that is enhanced by the full throated rendition by Himesh – 'Ab Tanha Raha Na Jaaye'. But in a matter of seconds, the rhythm shifts upside down with the arrival of heavy duty beats along with the sound of 'Rock Your Body'. Thankfully, except for the interludes of 'Rock Your Body', the song truly stays as a Reshammiya song. The overall feel comes quite close to the superhit title song composed/rendered by Reshammiya for 'Humko Deewana Kar Gaye' and it's not hard to predict it to be another feather in the cap for Reshammiya. The song is so catchy that one eagerly looks forward to the remix version by Akbar Sami. Tremendous! That's the way to describe this 'accelerated' version that has good usage of calypso beats that Sami has used so effectively for his remix tracks in 'Aashique Banaya Aapne' and most recently 'Tom Dick and Harry'. Sunidhi Chauhan is a good selection for Reshammiya's female counterpart in this remix version as she fits in the bill perfectly.
Western arrangements at the very beginning make
it clear that 'Badi Dilchaspi Hai' is
going to be a foot taping number. Surprisingly
the song turns out to be quite average in spite
of a trademark Reshammiya stamp [again belonging
to his 2 years old style]. There are beats and
rhythm alright but overall there is not much for
the song to survive beyond the movie's exit from
the theatres. Also Reshammiya has raised the bar
so high in his recent compositions that one
expects a chartbuster from each and every of his
songs. Thankfully Akbar Sami comes to the rescue
as his version salvages this KK and Arya
sung number to some extent with the pace and
rhythm picking up remarkably.
'Jab Kabhi' is the only song in the album that arrives with as many as three versions – original and a remix each by Akbar Sami and Suketu. This time around it's time to create a lovey dovey feel with Kunal Ganjawala arriving on the scene. He begins 'Jab Kabhi' in his trademark lovelorn manner that conveys the feeling of a man hopelessly in love! The song comes close to the style of 'Tera Jism Odh Loon' [Kyun Ki], though with a little slower pace and somewhat better feel. A beautiful love song with sweet lyrics by Sameer, it has Alka Yagnik joining Kunal towards the very end where she reassures her love for the man who is so desperately looking for the company of his lady love. Akbar Sami's version of the song is just about 3 minutes long but that's good enough to create a good impression and keep you involved. Suketu's version is full length and is more of a rap-n-reggae version with a nice accompanying signature tune throughout. Overall, a good way to end the album!
'36 China Town' has at least two superb numbers, 'Aashique Meri' and 'Dil Tumhare Bina' that have HIT written all over them. 'Jab Kabhi' is nice too while '24X7 I Think Of You' and 'Badi Dilchaspi Hai' too are not bad. As a package, it is far better than Reshammiya's last effort for Subhash Ghai – 'Shaadi Se Pehle' – and should boast of much better sales.
Chand Ke Paar Chalo Music Review
'Chand Ke Paar Chalo' – First look at the
title and one wonders which era does the film
belong to! Even the leading actress Preeti
Jhangiani comments that though the title may
sound old fashioned, the film's subject is
pretty relevant even in contemporary setting.
Still, one is a little apprehensive about the
music as well as the movie and reluctantly
checks out the album that has music by Vishnu
Narayan and lyrics by Rishi Azad, Babu Bhai,
Sani Aslam and Afsar Azad. Sahib is the debut
making hero opposite Preeti in this Mustafa
Engineer directed film that is produced by Babar
Chopra.
Title song 'Chand Ke Paar Chalo' dominates the proceedings as it appears in not less than three versions in the music album. Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik bring that freshness and innocence in the song that is only complimented by Vishnu Narayan's soothing tune and lyrics by Rishi Azad. Yes, it does come quite close to 'Kisi Se Tum Pyaar Karo' [Andaaz – Nadeem Shravan] but one doesn't really mind that due to the song's melodious feel. It has a 'pahadi' feel to it and is quite ear friendly since it comes sans any heavy duty musical arrangements and relies on simple usage of Indian instruments. Use of flute in major portions of the album only enhances the beauty of this song composed in the 60s-70s style and if only it was a part of a biggie, it would have already found a place near the top of the charts by now.
A shorter version of the title song follows where the boy inspires the girls to look forward in life while she reciprocates by asking for his companionship in her journey forward. Finally comes a sad version of the same song where the boy wishes the girl all the best in life after she has achieved what she had always wanted to whereas the girl admits her love for him. Sweet and typically Bollywood!
Jaspinder Narula croons 'Kinna Sona Pal',
a Punjabi-Hindi number belonging to the 'dard-e-judaai'
genre and written by Afsar Azad. In the same
style as Nadeem Shravan's compositions from the
mid and the late 90s, it has a folksy feel to it
and has been sung quite well by the female
singer, though it stays in the realms of a
situational composition. Yet another number that
has a 'shuddh-hindustani' feel to it with
zero influences from the west!
It’s time for another lyricist to arrive on the scene as Sani Aslam writes a street dancer number 'Dhin Chak Lad Gayee' that reminds of the 'banjara' tracks from the 60s and the 70s. Karsan Sagathia creates a folk base for the song at the beginning that is followed by Kalpana who completely lets her hair down while crooning this foot tapping number. The song may sound too old fashioned in a first couple of hearings but gradually settles down as a time pass track that should work well at the B and the C centers. A 'seeti-maar' number that thankfully doesn't have anything vulgar about it in spite of its setting, it is surprisingly the only song in the album that also has a westernized remix version. If not anything else, the curiosity factor of hearing a 'banjara' number in a remix version makes it quite interesting.
As soon as the sound of 'santoor' begins 'Deewana Pooch Lega', there are expectations of a melodious outing. This is more or less confirmed as soon as Udit Narayan enters the scene and what he brings to fore is some old world charm that makes you hear on the number. A pleasant sounding melodious track written by Babu Bhai, it comes quite close to the title song in terms of quality and feel good effect that emphasizes the fact once again that never judge a book by the covers! When there were absolutely no expectations from the album, songs like 'Chand Ke Paar Chalo' and 'Deewana Pooch Lega' throw in a surprise as they turn out to be reasonably fine. Good to see Udit Narayan at his spirited best even for a movie like this that didn't have many credentials to boast about, at least on the paper.
After flute [Title song] and santoor [Deewana
Pooch Lega], its time for harmonium to make its
presence felt in the 'qawalli' number 'Is
Dil Ka Kya Bharosa' crooned by Aftab Hashmi,
Sabri brothers, Kumar Sanu and Shreya Ghoshal. A
situational track that makes for a good
pre-climax/climax setting, 'Is Dil' is
yet another track inspired from Nadeem Shravan
school of music. As soon as Shreya Ghoshal comes
on the scene, it is 'Meri Mehbooba' [Pardes]
revisited. Though there is no direct copy of the
hugely popular number from the late 90s, it’s
the style that comes quite close. It’s just the
earlier portion and towards the song's end where
Aftab Hashmi and Sabri Brothers are heard while
the major part of the song is a duet between
Kumar Sanu and Shreya Ghoshal. Yet another
pleasant sounding track that makes you wonder
why the song has not been publicized yet!?
'Chand Ke Paar Chalo' turns out to be a surprise pack when there were absolutely no expectations from the music of this little known movie. Vishnu Narayan makes a fine beginning to his career and one expects to hear more Indian melodies from him in near future. After 'Souten' this month, 'Chand Ke Paar Chalo' is yet another album that works to a decent extent due to 'zero expectations factor'. (A/B)Bunty Aur Babli Music Review
This is what one may call a dream project. A production house (Yash Raj Films) that is on a roll for over a year now with three super hits in a row - Hum Tum, Dhoom and Veer- Zaara. A queen of hearts (Rani Mukherjee) who is now sitting firmly on the queen's throan after garnering immense appreciation in Yuva, Hum Tum, Veer-Zaara and Black. A cool dude (Abhishek Bachchan) who can finally say he has arrived after Yuva, Dhoom, Phir Milenge and Naach. A director (Shaad Ali Sahgal) who brought celluloid romance alive on screen with his debut film 'Saathiya'. A musical team that boasts of Gulzar saab and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
With a superb team like this, one is rest assured that the project cannot fail. To add to that, this racy comedy feel-good flick 'Bunty Aur Babli also boasts of Amitabh Bachchan as a cop on a trail after the thugs (Bunty and Babli) with Aishwarya Rai being a surprise element in a song'dance sequence. The promos have created a rage already promising 'a smile a minute' while the vibrant colors give the movie an 'earthy-interior' look that gels well with the small town setting of the movie.
Small town feel is what one senses at the very onset of the opening track 'Dhadak Dhadak '. Simple lyrics woven together intelligently with grace distinguishes Gulzar saab from other lyricists. After 'Dhanno Ki Aankhon Mein' (Kitaab) and 'Chayya Chayya' (Dil Se), 'Dhadak Dhadak' is another number revolving around a journey on a train. A story of a boy and a girl looking forward to a life full of adventure and fun as they move out of their down-to-earth upbringing, 'Dhadak Dhadak' by Udit Narayan, Sunidhi Chauhan and Nihira Joshi is an interesting composition that should be making an appearance at the very beginning of the film.
Sonu Nigam and Mahalaxmi Iyer come together for a romantic duet that carries with it the SEL style of subtle music. With an effective usage of Indian instruments, it is rich in melody while the lyrics are again different from ordinary. A good number to listen to, it is not one of those numbers that is instantly catchy with everyone in the town humming it around. It is to the credit of the composers that they play around with the words to come up with an ear-pleasing tune.
From hereon Shankar Mahadevan is a part of all the four numbers in the capacity of a singer as well. In 'Nach Baliye' , he pairs up with Somya Raoh and Loy Mendonsa for this predominantly Punjabi-Hindi track with a Western base. A situational fun track, it is of a kind, which if supported by a colorful cinematography and pulsating choreography can do wonders. Not an 'out-of-ordinary' number by any means, now it all depends upon how the director presents and places this song during the movie.
Title song makes an appearance at this moment with the coming together of Sukhwinder Singh, Shankar Mahadevan, Jaspinder Narula and Siddharth Mahadevan. A foot tapping number depicting the escapades of the lead protagonists Bunty and Babli while they are painting the town red with their looting spree, it should be fun on the screen. Also due to the theme of the song, it should be making intermittent appearances throughout the movie as per the situations.
Rapper Blaaze writes and sings for yet another title number 'B N B' that gets your neck in motion as soon as you through with the first 30 seconds. With Shankar and Loy chipping in their bit, this English number seems to be a promotional track that should guarantee immense craze for the movie if unleashed a couple of weeks before the movie's release. With a catchy rhythm accompanying Blaaze's rendition throughout, it should be a unique experience for the Bollywood followers who would freak out on this zippy track. Alisha Chinai begins the mujra/nautanki number 'Kajrare ' that is bound to be a yet another fun number in the movie while B and B are out for yet another loot. Shankar Mahadevan and Javed Ali lend fine support to Alisha who is a revelation as a singer with this genre. Again not a number that you would hum around but enjoy while it runs on the screen.
'Bunty Aur Babli' does not contain your routine Yash Chopra genre of music that are choreographed around the meadows and Swiss alps. They are more of situational rhythmic tracks that take a story forward. Yes, there are 2-3 tracks that are get on you with the word GO - like the title song and 'Dhadak Dhadak' . The album will show good sales for the next few days and then stabilize after the initial euphoria associated with a Yash Raj flm's music is through. After then, depending upon the picturisation and placement of the songs in the movie, the sales may pick up again after the movie's release.
Bardasht MusBluffmaster Music
Review
Now this is truly an international assemble for
a mainstream hardcore commercial masala movie.
With UK band Trickbaby coming together with
other musicians like Arash, Aneela Mirza,
Sameeruddin with our very own Vishal Shekhar,
this 13 track 'Bluffmaster' appears to be
one rocking party ahead. Shot as quickie, 'Bluffmaster'
is a Ramesh Sippy production with Rohan Sippy
seated on the director's chair. Starcast of the
movie is the most interesting part as it brings
together Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra
for the first time along with Nana Patekar,
Riteish Deshmukh and Boman Irani. Truly unusual!
Now let's check out the music to see if there is
anything unusual about it!
All this while, the news around the music of Bluffmaster was that it would only comprise of remixed versions of yesteryear chartbusters and no original compositions. Well, that's not the case as out of 13 tracks, there are only 4 tracks which are from old Hindi movies while a couple more have some brief samples from the oldies.
Mehmood's evergreen 'Sabse Bada Rupaiyya' is remixed by Trickbaby while keeping the original voice intact. The way this 3 decade old song has been remixed with additional vocals of Chetna and Saira Hussain gives it a groovy feel. An additional rhythm with foot tapping beats makes the song enjoyable. The song is currently on air and after a few hearings grows on you and makes you hum it along all the way.
'Say Na Say Na' is an instant HIT from the word GO as it has a distinct UK Bhangra-pop feel to it. A celebration song with lots of 'dhol', what impresses from the very beginning is Aneela's voice that sounds out amongst the crowd and has an identity of its own. An Aneela, Robert and Arash number, the song is one of its kinds due to the overall pitch that the song takes. Aneela has deep vocals and she comes up with an effective rendition while singing 'Say Na' at a low pitch. Its promotion should begin right away.
Interested in hearing a remix for a number half a century old? Then plug on to 'Tadbir Se Bigdi Hui Taqdeer - Destiny Mix' that begins with Abhishek Bachchan talking about the nuances of his profession only to be followed by Geeta Dutt's golden melody from Baazi presented in a modern avtaar by Sameeruddin. Listen to the beats and you would clearly see the clear difference between the run of the mill remixes that appear as a part of Top 10, 20, 50 albums and this version that has, yet again, a groovy feel to it.
After number of actors trying their hands at
singing, it is now the turn of Abhishek Bachchan
to follow suit with rendition of a full fledged
song 'Right Here Right Now'. A song that
is primarily in Hindi with some bits here and
there in English, it is an original composition
by Vishal Shekhar with Sunidhi Chauhan giving
company to Bachchan. A smooth sailing number
that is neither too slow nor fast, it is middle
of the road that makes you just dance along
smoothly with your partner in arms. A rhythmic
number that also appears as a 'remix', it
has Abhishek Bachchan doing a good job with a
balanced performance while Sunidhi Chauhan is,
as always, reliable!
After an original 'Right Here Right Now' comes a song from the Trickbaby album 'Hanging Around' that has lyrics that go like 'Parde Ke Peeche - 9 Parts Of Desire'. A situational track set completely in a Western mode; it is of the kind that would be more understandable when seen in the context of the movie. It also comes as 'Parde Ke Peeche' that has Hindi lyrics by Jaideep Sahni. Completely unconventional for a regular commercial Bollywood movie, it would be interesting to see how and where is this piece included as a part of the movie. 'The Gateway Theme' that follows next is a short musical piece by Sameeruddin and makes a good impression. It reminds one of the kind of love moments that are captured in Hollywood movies with the help of soothing melodies.
'Bure Bure/Boro Boro' sung in Persian by the Sweden based Iranian singer Arash is a fast paced catchy track with good usage of 'Bhangra' beats in the background. Arash already had a hit with this in Europe. Jaideep Sahni is credited for the Hindi lyrics but one can hardly find any Hindi lyrics throughout the track.
After some 'unusual' tracks comes the remix
version of the title track of 'Do Aur Do
Paanch' that has been remixed by Sameeruddin.
The track has just the first two lines of the
original song making an appearance here and
there, with rest of the track being ONE LONG
musical piece. It is only towards the very end
of the track that at least the opening of the
original song comes in entirety. A passable
track that may appeal only to those who are
die-hard fans of remixes!
It becomes a bit of too much when someone tries to plug in the cover versions of 'Eena Meena Deeka'[Aasha] in 'Shayad Meri Shaadi Ka Khayal' [Souten]. Titled 'Indi-Yarn', it is in fact one BIG yawn composed (?) by Trickbaby. Weakest track of the album, it is a big letdown as it neither entertains nor makes you care about giving it a hearing second time around. The makers of 'Bluffmaster' would have to be very creative if they manage to fit this into the narrative of the movie.
Next track to follow is 'Neela', again by Trickbaby, and is yet another extended musical piece that may find a flavor in the lounges. Bluffmaster theme 'Come Fishing' come towards the end and just like some crossover movies has small little dialogue pieces incorporated as a part of the short musical track. There is some wit and humor thrown in this 3 minute track that could be used for promotional purpose but that's about it.
One gets a feeling after hearing 'Bluffmaster' that it tries too hard to be 'different'. Things can be indeed interesting when being 'different' but still they need to be in commercial realms to be picked up in dozens by the moviegoers. For those who love hearing Western pop, the music of 'Bluffmaster' is identifiable due to its distinct appeal. But hardcore Bollywood followers or for this matter even Indi-pop lovers still have some time to go before they are in a position to absorb the feel of 'Bluffmaster'. In nutshell, it is too risky a musical score for a mainstream Bollywood movie score to make a killing at the music ic Review
There is an interesting theory that surrounds the star-cast of 'Bardaasht'. After Bobby Deol's recently released 'Kismat' failed where he was paired with ex-Miss World Priyanka Chopra, he is soon ready with his second consecutive actioner 'Bardaasht' where he is paired with ex-Miss Universe Lara Dutta. The film also stars Ritesh Deshmikh, Tara Sharma and Rahul Dev who plays the main villain in this actioner by E Niwas who directed 'Dum' last year. This flick has music by Himesh Reshammiya and lyrics by Sameer who are still basking in the glory of super-successful 'Tere Naam'.
There is something about the pairing of Himesh Reshammiya and Udit Narayan. While Udit Narayan sang with his heart in the title song of Himesh's 'Tere Naam', he does well in the opening song of 'Bardaasht' - 'Silsile Mulaqaton Ke' as well. Though 'Silsile' is more routine in nature when compared to 'Tere Naam', the similarity here is about Udit Narayan's vocals that sound as fresh as they were more than a decade back. Even in a regular song like this, which has lyrics by Sameer, he seems to be immensely interested in the proceedings and sings with his heart IN. This turns out to be a fine song, which is elevated mainly due to the rendering of Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik. For a change, you don't even mind an instrumental of the same appearing, once the quota of regular songs is through.
Shaan sounds very different in the song 'Aap Ki Khata Aap Ki Bewafai' where he deviates from his boyish rendition to more mature one. A duet where the lead couple is shown trying to resolve some conflicts by mutual agreement, it is easy on the ears. Sameer's lyrics too deserve a mention which are simple [as always] yet effective in conveying the emotions. Alka Yagnik is good as well in this situational song that also appears in an instrumental.
Old world charm of the early 90s is back in Udit Narayan's 'Dil Mera Dil Na Maane'. Himesh Reshammiya and Udit Narayan create the same effect of soft music with an earthy feel as was prevalent in the songs of Tere Naam. A sad song where the protagonist is remembering the good old times they shared when they were together, it is not path breaking by any means, yet is nice to listen due to it's sheer simplicity and fine music. Alka Yagnik vocals too appear in the background but strangely she is not credited on the album cover. However she is duly credited when she sings the female version of the same track. In fact it's the same trend in this version where Udit Narayan's vocals appear in the background but he is not credited. Interesting, isn't it?
'Janabe Ali' is a modern day club song, which has a mix of British march-past signature tune, pop, rap and desi Indian music. Picturised on Ritesh Deshmukh, the song doesn't come anywhere near to recent club hits like 'It's the time to Disco' (Kal Ho Na Ho) or 'Ishq Khudai' (Rudraksh) or 'Pyaar Aaya Pyaar Aaya' (Plan). The song is, at best, just an average fare and may just be liked by some college-visiting folks, that's it!
Follows next is another love duet that seems to have been picturised again on Ritesh Deshmukh and Tara Sharma. In the tradition of Himesh Reshammiya and Sameer's earlier hits where they have mixed some English lyrics in the flow of Hindi songs, 'Na Na Na Na Re' also follows the similar trends and incorporates lyrics like 'I want to hug you, kiss you, love you' in between. Alisha Chinoy and Kunal Ganjawala sing this song well but somehow the overall effect is again - just average.
In the end, it's mainly 'Silsile Mulaqaton Ke', 'Aap Ki Khata' and to some extent 'Dil Mera Dil Na Maane' that sustain the album. These 3 songs too, would also cater to mainly those who like to listen to traditional Bollywood melodies. Overall the entire album is just about OK and would be an average preposition in totality.
Bewafaa Music Review
When you have a stellar starcast of Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Sushmita Sen, Kareena Kapoor, Manoj Bajpai, Shamita Shetty at your end, Dharmesh Darshan handling the direction reins, Sahara One and Boney Kapoor as the producers and the ever reliable Nadeem Shravan and Sameer taking care of the musical score, you can be rest assured that the project cannot go wrong! ' Bewafa ' is that project that has been in circulation since it's inception, notwithstanding it being an alleged remake of yesteryear's goldie ' Gumraah '. Scheduled to release this winter, it has an interesting catch line - 'When cultures meet', since the story travels all the way from Canada to India.
2004 has been an eventful year for Kareena Kapoor, where she had critically acclaimed performances in ' Chameli ' and ' Dev ', average box office results in ' Yuva ' and ' Fida ' while Hits in the shape of ' Aitraaz ' and ' Hulchul '. One waits to see if Dharmesh Darshan gives Kareena Kapoor her ' Raja Hindustani ' as he gave one to elder sis Karisma. Initial promos on the screen have been very exciting and have already created a stir. One has extremely high expectations from the musical score of ' Bewafaa ' that is pitted to be one of the best works of Nadeem Shravan so far. Let's hear on to see if the claims do carry enough weight!
Udit Narayan is in his natural charm once more in ' Ek Dilruba Hai ' that follows the path where Nadeem Shravan have always tasted success. Sameer's lyrics are sugar coated and the song makes for an extremely humable, immensely catchy and feel good mood. Listen to it once and you are sure to get hooked to it for the rest of the day. Shaan too croons a couple of lines of the same song as a short one-minute solo ' Pyaar Ki Raahein '.
Sonu Nigam comes up with a pop version of the same number as ' Ek Bewafa Hai ' that has an amazing orchestra again, which changes the entire mood of the song. Especially look out for the female vocal that gives excellent support to Sonu after every alternate line of his. The number has a thumping effect and is reminiscent of ' Ek Haseena Thi ' from ' Karz ' in terms of look and feel. This is definitely the best track of the album.
Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik come together for the ' Aksar Is Duniya Mein ' ( Dhadkan ) sound alike - ' Pyaar Ka Anjaam ', that is another very good song in succession after ' Ek Dilruba Hai '. And yes, one is assured after hearing to this that Sameer is at his best when he is writing for Dharmesh Darshan and Nadeem Shravan. A situational love song, it is quite melodious with an excellent rendering by both the lead singers. Musical arrangement is impressive as well and the song makes one look forward to the rest of the album.
A big surprise is in store for Lataji's fans who
will get a rare chance of hearing her to a
Nadeem Shravan composition. ' Kaise
Piya Se ' is a happy song about a
female waiting for her lover to come so that she
can express her love to him. There are traces of
' Arrey Re Areey Ye Kya Hua ' from '
Dil To Paagal Hai ' both in terms of
music and lyrics but that seems just a
coincidence. There is more for the music lovers
in the shape of the song's '
Instrumental '.
Melody continues in full flow with Abhijeet crooning to ' Ishq Chupta Nahi '. A love song that could also have been a ghazal, it is about - 'There is no use trying to hide love as I have been your admirer since ages'. A soothing number that could well be one of the best soft numbers of this year, it re-establishes the belief that Nadeem Shravan are the best when it comes to deep rooted melody.
One says 'What's that??' when one reads the next song on the CD cover as ' Kehta Hai Kabutar '. The song appears after 4 good melodies and there are serious doubts if it will spoil the wonderful effect the album had so far on the listeners! A fast paced item/situational number that seems to have been choreographed on Manoj Bajpai and Shamita Shetty (who play gray characters in the movie), it does come as a speed breaker in terms of flow of the album after some beautiful love songs. But Ashaji and Shaan do get in the skin of the characters and somehow manage to keep one engaged.
Lataji, Ashaji and now Ghulam Ali saab - Boney Kapoor, Dharmesh Darshan and TIPS definitely have a jackpot in store for them at the fag end of 2004! ' Yaad Yaad Yaad ' by Ghulam Ali saab is eight minutes of sheer bliss that deserves to be heard over and over again. Sameer is at his best as well and one wonders why is he routine at certain occasions? ' Yaad ' is rather long but does one mind that? Doesn't seem so! ' Drum Beat instrumental' marks the end of this rather impressive album that should do wonders for the producer Boney Kapoor who has been having rough times off late. A zippy western instrumental, it should sound mind blowing in a DTS/DOLBY equipped theatre.
' Bewafaa ' is what one would have really wanted before 2004 closes. A great mass appealing album that carries good class as well, it should be soon racing towards the one million sales figure. One won't be surprised if by early 2005, it becomes one of the fastest selling albums of last few months. Music Review
Aadesh Srivastava must be a happy man. He has his dream come true with Baghban where he composes all the tracks of an his guru (as he fondly calls him) Amitabh Bachchan starrer, without sharing credits with anyone else (as has happened to him a number of times !!) To add to it, he also manages to convince the mighty B to sing 4 tracks, which he has never done in his 3 decades plus career so far !! Another highlight is the casting coup that reunites Big B and Hema Malini after about two decades (they came together in Satte Pe Satta and Andhaa Kanoon last !!). Salman Khan, who was added to the star-cast when he was at the rock bottom of his career, has now suddenly turned out to be a trump card for the movie, as he has emerged victorious with the heartening response to 'Tere Naam'. Mahima Chaudhary, who did a guest appearance with Salman in Tere Naam, plays his love interest in this flick !! In addition is the younger star-cast comprising of Aman Verma (PJPSNJ, Andaaz, Koi Hai), Rimi Sen (Hungama), Sameer Soni (China Gate, Kahan Ho Tum) and Nazir (Aashiq, Yeh Mohabbat Hai). Produced by veteran BR Chopra and directed by Ravi Chopra, Baghban (which means a gardener !), that has lyrics by Sameer, tells the story of parents who raise their children with lots of hard work, love and affection in the hope that one fine day, when they are old, they will get the same in return from their children. BUT, does that really happen?
Starting with the numbers choreographed on AB (as the majority of them are), there are 3 dance tracks - 'Meri Makhna Meri Soniye', 'Chali Chali' and 'Hori Khele Raghuveera' !! All the three numbers are presently on the air and it is really difficult to distinguish as to which number outsmarts the other !! 'Meri Makhna...' is exactly how 'Soni Teri Chaal Soni Re' begins, which is sung by Sudesh Bhonsle (who, as always, does a perfect voiceover for Big B) and Alka Yagnik, who croons for still so gorgeous and refreshingly charming Hema Malini !! A number on the lines of earlier Aadesh hit 'Sona Sona' - Major Saab, it is a blockbuster from the very first note and destined to be extremely popular. But hold on !! This is not all as 'Chali Chali' and 'Hori Khele..' are soon to follow !! 'Chali Chali' is primarily a youth-oriented track where Amitabh literally lets his hair down and joins the young brigade in their celebrations. He himself sings this catchy number along with Alka Yagnik, Hema Sardesai and Aadesh Srivastava. The number is also elevated due to Amitabh's vintage dance steps. Even Aadesh sings his own version for this track in duet with Hema Sardasai and both do sound enthusiastic. Aadesh does his best and is honest in doing full justice to the number. Another winner for both Amitabh, Aadesh and the viewers !!
'Hori Khele Raguveera' is, as the lyrics convey, a holi number snug by Amitabh, Sukhwinder Singh, Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan. Probably the only holi number picturised on Big B after the legendary 'Rang Barse' from Silsila about 2 decades back, it is superb from the word GO and is going to be played for times to come !! Sameer is wonderful in the lyrics department that are simple and witty and the choreography too is splendid. Add to it the excitement to watch Amitabh doing another holi number and you have a ace in hand !!
On the sober side, there is are 'Aarti - Om Jai Jagadish', 'Main Yahan Tu Wahan' and 'O Dharti Tarse Ambar Barse' !! Whereas the ever popular Aarti is sung by Udit Narayan and Sneha Pant, 'Main Yahan' is sung by Amitabh and Alka Yagnik whereas 'O Dharti' is rendered by Amitabh along with Richa Sharma. 'Main Yaha Tu Wahan' is a cry out of the pain due to separation from the loved ones and it is remarkable to see Big B doing an extraordinary rendering even at the age of 60 !! His selectivity in singing songs pays here and Aadesh has definitely succeeded in getting the best out of him. An excellent number it does have hints of 'Yeh Safar Bahaut Hai Kathin Safar' from 1942-A Love Story !! 'O Dharti', which is mainly the title song of the movie, is primarily a Richa Sharma number which is again a sad number !! Though situational, it brings a lump in the throat and conveys the emotions very well.
Among all these good numbers is also the sole romantic song, choreographed on Salman and Mahima - 'Pehle Kabhi'. A feel good pleasant number sung by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik, it doesn't disappoint, though it is no different than any other regular Bollywood 'pyaar-mohabbat' number !!
To summarise, there is no single track in 'Baghban' that can be singled out to be 'not good'. All the tracks stand out as per the situation and do well. This is how an album should be designed and after years of struggle and trying to put a strong foothold in the industry, it seems that the time has come for Aadesh to get the recognition he so very well deserves !!
A MUST BUY.Blackmail Music Review
On numerous occasions, there are films that come without a whimper due to a non-existent starcast or unknown banner - a recent example being ' Yehi Hai Zindagi '. But it is very rare to see a movie with a big starcast suddenly arriving on the scene and making one repeat the question - "Now where does this movie come from?" This time the movie in question is 'Blackmail'! Starring Ajay Devgan, Sunil Shetty, Priyanka Chopra and Dia Mirza, it was a big surprise to watch the promos on the small screen as people were hardly aware about the movie while it was being shot. In the days of intense publicity when a movie is always in news from the time of finalizing the starcast till the day it's last print is out of the theatres, a film like 'Blackmail' being ready for release does come up as a surprise. Directed by Anil Devgan (who last came up with ' Raju Chacha '), 'Blackmail' is a Shyam Bajaj-Narendra Bajaj production that has music by Himesh Reshammiya and lyrics by Sameer.
From a movie like ' Blackmail ' that belongs to a thriller genre and has two action heroes, there is nothing great that can be expected in terms of music. But Himesh Reshammiya's name on the credits does promise at least a couple of hummable tunes. The faith affirms when one hears the first song of the album ' Jaana Nahi Tha ' ,it does sound good. Sung by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik, it is a melodious romantic track that does entertain for a while. It belongs to the typical 'Himesh school of music' - if we may call it so - and follows a typical path that works. T-Series follows a 'typical path' as well and presents an ' Instrumental ' of the same. This makes one ask the oft-repeated question again - "Who is really interested inlistening to instrumentals or different versions of the same song named part I and part II, slight changes dont change the song"
The opening music of ' Tune Ki Bekarari ' is similar to Reshammiya's ' Bhool Na Jaana ' from ' Humraaz '. And from thereon, there are slight traces of ' Har Kisiko Nahi Milta ' from ' Jaanbaaz '. Overall this second love song in a succession is quite ordinary towards its end in spite of some good rendering by Shaan and Alka Yagnik with Jayesh, (as usual), providing the background vocals at places. With this number, things go achingly overboard as there is not one, not two but THREE more versions of the same song. And these three additional versions as ' Part I, II and III ' are sung multiple times by Shaan and Jayesh! phew!
' Akhiyan Lada Jaa ' is a sweet-n-innocent number by Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan and one feels sad that such song has been wasted in an action flick when it could easily have been a strong point for a romantic musical.The various little sweet nothings in the number sound interesting as the song flows. This is the best song of the album and for a change, one doesn't really mind the repetition of the number where it comes in the 'Rhythm' version.
So far it was all melody and nothing else. So where is the place for a hot-n-sizzling item number? Well the wait is over and this time it is, hold your breath, an ' Imli ' that is there to do the trick! While Jayesh starts the number with his background vocal and a bunch of girls providing the sensual overtones, Hema Sardesai starts off with her details about the ' khaati and meethi imli '. Thank goodness for technology because you can actually click on 'NEXT' and move on.Consequent to the best track - ' Akhiyan Lada Jaa ', comes up the saddest part of the album.
Traditional Laxmikant Pyarelal brand of music comes in the form of ' Kaun Kehta Hai ' in the end of the album. Udit Narayan and Shreya Ghoshal go through the motions primarily while Sameer's lyrics are a just a repetition. A song that could have been designed for Anuradha Paudwal instead, it may not even be found in the actual run of the movie.
' Blackmail ' has a couple of decent tunes that do entertain while the rest of tracks are not bad either (with the exception of the horrendous ' Imli ' that is simply unacceptable). Just like the music of ' Elaan ' that was released a few days back, ' Blackmail ' too has some passable music for an actioner and is in fact even a little better when it comes to melody. A number like ' Akhiyan Ladae Jaa ' or ' Jaana Nahi Tha ' could have fit in even in a feel good romantic movie and hence work for 'Blackmail' to give it chance of some average musical sales. Aashiqe Banaya Aapne Music Review
Bharat Shah returns to present a film after a
considerable gap with 'Fight Club'. A
Sohail Khan production, 'Fight Club' is a true
blue multi-starrer with a huge starcast that
comprises of Suneil Shetty, Zayed Khan, Riteish
Deshmukh, Sohail Khan, Dino Morea, Aashish
Chaudhary, Ashmit Patel, Yash Tonk, Rahul Dev,
Dia Mirza, Neha Dhupia and Amrita Arora. Vicky
Chopra makes his debut as a director for this
action film that has music by 'action-thriller'
favorite Pritam [Dhoom, Chocolate, Ek Khiladi
Ek Haseena]. Mayur Puri, who is fast
becoming a regular with Pritam, is the lyricist.There are only four unique songs in the album with three of them appearing as remixes. First song to come is 'Yeh Khuda' that begins as a Pritam special with an English rap by Indee. The setting of the song has an obvious hangover from 'Dus Bahane' in the way it has been treated. Whether it’s the girls in the background or the rendition by K.K. or the beats or the overall music arrangements that are highly westernized, there is so much of 'on your face' attitude in 'Yeh Khuda'. But doesn’t anyone mind that? Not at all as this song too is high on rhythm and turns out to be pretty catchy in the end. The high point of the album is the female voice that follows the song throughout in the background and the rap that makes it a good club number. Ditto with the 'remix' version by Ishq (who also does the rap) & Vish that moves on a faster pace.
Pakistani artist Ali Zafar's superhit 'Channo' from 'Huqa Pani' is reworded as 'Chhore Ki Baatein' in 'Fight Club'. And no, this time around neither are there any claims of inspiration nor has the composer blatantly lifted the song. Instead due credit has been given to Ali Zafar with Pritam primarily rearranging the song to a certain level. A highly catchy number, it is special due to one big reason – return of Amit Kumar. There is always a big question mark on Amit Kumar's frequent absence from the music scene for years at large. Would he be finally making a comeback and stay behind the mike for good with 'Chhore'? Shweta Pandit who impressed one and all in her songs for 'Neal N Nikki' is at her naughty-n-tantalizing best in this Mayur Puri written number that has Amrita Arora and Dino Morea enjoying their moves! Remix version by Iimu Ali doesn't really change the graph of the song in a big way as the original tune by itself is so engrossing!
Shweta Pandit returns to do a solo 'Joshile
Java Ho', the music of which is a direct
copy of Pritam's own 'Mummy Ko Nahi Hai Pata'
[Chocolate]. Rhythm, beats and funky
arrangements are all there but somehow the zing
is missing in this situational song to make it
good enough for a repeat listening. That's the
reason one wonders why the song gets repeated
after a gap as it is nothing more than ordinary!
After a lot of beats, rhythm and high energy songs comes 'Bolo Na Tum Zara' that is as a welcome change, especially after 'Joshile'. This Neelesh Mishra written love song is sung by the romantic duo of Shaan and Shreya Ghoshal. An extremely soft number with simple lyrics about the essence of love, this one is straight from the heart. For a soothing song like this, one wonders what would be in store from the remix version. Mansour is the person behind the remix version who makes the song sound more IN with the mood of the rest of the album. Still, one prefers to go on a romantic journey with the original version!
Except for 'Joshile', the other three songs 'Yeh Khuda', 'Chhore' and 'Bolo Na' are all decent. One would have loved the album further if only there were no remixes at all since they do not add much value. There won't be anything everlasting or memorable 6 months from now, but still 'Fight Club' is a fine popcorn album that is fun till it lasts.
Extraordinary? Well, if there was any other way
that was more apt for terming the expectations
from this Yash Raj Films' next, then it may as
well have been placed here. And why not? After
all 'Fanaa' is the biggest film coming
from YRF since 'Veer-Zaara'! Though there
were 'Bunty Aur Babli', 'Salaam
Namaste' and 'Neal N Nikki' in
between [with popular music as well], none can
really match the scale of the kind of
expectations one has from 'Fanaa', both
from the music and the movie. Starring Aamir
Khan and Kajol in lead along with Tabu, Rishi
Kapoor, Shiney Ahuja and Kiron Kher, 'Fanaa'
is the third directorial outing for Kunal Kohli
[incidentally each being with YRF] after 'Mujhse
Dosti Karoge' and 'Hum Tum'. Jatin
Lalit, who have composed for the last biggie
before their split, team up with Prasoon Joshi
who has done some tremendous work recently in
films like 'Rang De Basanti', 'Hum Tum',
'Rok So To Rok Lo' and 'Phir Milenge',
to name a few. Since 'Fanaa' means
completely destroyed, it leads to an eventual
curiosity about the film's plot. "Tere Dil Mein Meri Sanson Ko Panaah Mil Jaaye...Tere Ishq Mein Meri Jaan Fanaa Ho Jaaye"
This very line that makes an appearance in every promotional medium for 'Fanaa' sets the mood for the album and the film to follow. The first track 'Chand Sifarish' is the one which is known more as 'Subhan Allah' due to these two words been heard in the promos. Shaan's humming that opens up the number, very well establishes the song to be truly belonging to a Yash Chopra film. Melodious to the core, it is followed by Kailash Kher's crooning of 'Subhan Allah' and extremely catchy beats that arouses good hopes from the rest of the song. Poetic to the core, this well written number is also accompanied by the sound of a whistle and turns out to be a good fusion of Arabic and Indian melody. The real surprise comes mid-way through the number where the sound of santoor (one of the favorite music instruments in Yash Chopra films) is heard. A lyrical beauty with the term 'Fanaa' making an appearance at number of places, it has a good melodious appeal and is undoubtedly a popular number to have arrived this season.
'Mere Hath Mein' is the second number in succession with the term 'Fanaa' woven in the song. A song about a couple who are truly in love and just need each other's company, it too is based on sheer poetry and comes quite close to Javed Akhtar saab's style. Both Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan sing the number in a low pitch and one can expect a scenic beauty forming the song's background. A slow moving number with a touch of Kashmiri style of music to it, it is the first track where Kajol and Aamir Khan lend their vocals. But no, they don't sing the song. Instead they narrate a line or two that fits in well with the mood of the song. While Kajol says the line 'Tere Dil Mein..." that is the highlight of the film's promotion, Aamir Khan says:
"Rone De Aaj Humko Tu Aankhen Sujane De, Bahon Mein Le Le Aur Khud Ko Bheeg Jaane De
Hai Jo Seene Mein Qaid Dariya Wo Chooth Jaayega, Hai Itna Dard Ke Tera Daaman Bheeg Jaayega"
He further aptly wraps up the song with "Adhoori Saans Thi, Dhadkan Adhoori Thi, Adhoore Hum, Magar Ab Chaand Poora Hai Falak Pe, Aur Ab Poore Hain Hum", hence conveying the sense of being highly satisfied and completeness in love. It may not be the easiest number to sing aloud due to its poetic feel but it still makes a great impression while being heard. This is proved to be true when an instrumental 'Lounge Mix' of the same arrives in the form of 'Destroyed in Love'. Dhrubajyoti Phukan programs the number and does a good job in coming up with a true lounge version. With a haunting appeal to boast, it should be an easy pick for the lovers of lounge music
Sound of whistle is heard again at the very
beginning of 'Chanda Chamke'. A
children's number which is the first ever in the
album to be reminding of Jatin Lalit's vintage
style, it redefines the tongue twisting 'Chandu
Ke Chacha Ne Chandu Ki Chachi Ko' by coming
up with a new tongue twister. Mahalaxmi Iyer and
Babul Supriyo pair up for this 'feel-good'
number while Kajol and Aamir Khan too join in
for two more tongue twisters! A difficult number
sung with ease by everyone along with child
artist Master Akshay Bhagwat, it is going to be
a sure shot popular number, at least with the
kids. And yes, unlike the previous two songs, it
is of the kind that will be sung along by many
due to a sheer challenge of getting it's words
and tune right! Poetry and melody make a lethal combination once again for 'Dekho Na', yet another melodious duet by Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan. At this point of time, one realizes that Udit Narayan, who has been a regular with YRF, is missing from the entire album! But you don’t mind that as Sonu Nigam and everyone else has done a great job so far to create a mesmerizing impact. 'Dekho Na' has an old world charm to it with the music belonging to the 50-60s variety and reminding of the numerous such romantic songs to have been featured on the likes of Dev Anand and others. One of the best songs to have arrived in the album, it has an innocent feel to it due to an overall beautiful treatment. While Sonu Nigam is wonderful as always [especially in numbers like this], special mention for Sunidhi Chauhan as from hereon she should be taken seriously by the composers who have otherwise utilized her potential mainly for item songs or fast paced high-on-beats numbers!
It's time for Mahalaxmi Iyer to arrive with the first (and the only solo) number of the album. 'Des Rangila' is a peppy 'I Love My Nation' number that has a strong North Indian flavor to it and guarantees a colorful picturization. The song mentions everything from Indian tradition, culture to festivals and comes quite close to 'Aisa Desh Hai Mera' [Veer-Zaara]. Ending with the sound of 'Jaya Hey' from 'Jana Gana Mana', expect an eye candy outing when the song arrives on screen.
The first ever track with a strong western influence, the Club Mix of 'Chand Sifarish' comes as 'Fanaa for You' that completely changes the mood and style of the song. DJ Aqeel does a tremendous job to make it fit for the yuppy crowds as he jazzes up the song completely by also incorporating the words 'Fanaa For You' intermittently in the number. A rocking end to the album, it is just hard to believe that how one single number could be treated in two completely opposite ways while keeping the melody and basic context intact?!
It is indeed a pity that this could well be the last album composed by Jatin Lalit because the fact is that while doing so, they have come up with one of their purest musical score ever. A guaranteed musical success for YRF, it completely justifies the hype surrounding it for all these months since the time the film has been in the making. A winner, 'Fanaa' should rise to the top of the charts in just a few days time and help the movie's promotion further.
If there is one movie that stands out amongst
the crowd of multiple high profile projects in
the coming few weeks, it is 'Ek Ajnabee'.
In the news since its inception and having
gained immense hype due to stylishly cut promos
and Big B's towering presence, 'Ek Ajnabee'
is the second directorial outing for Apoorva
Lakhia who comes with a slick urban movie set in
Bangkok after 'Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost'
that was set in rural India. Amar Mohile, who
came up with a defining musical score in 'Sarkar'
is the composer of all the songs in 'Ek
Ajnabee' except for one item number that
comes from guest composers Vishal-Shekhar. Title track 'Ek Ajnabee (Mama Told Me)', which is in fact the solo composition by Vishal-Shekhar, marks the beginning of the album. There is a distinct hangover from two popular tracks by Vishal-Shekhar – 'Dus Bahane' and 'Deedar De' and the result is that while the song is a fine hear, it still doesn't have that much required zing to make it a chartbuster from the word GO. While Sunidhi Chauhan and Sukhwinder Singh are the singers in the foreground, Vishal Dadlani [who has also written the song] sings the English piece in the background. Arjun Rampal and Czech beauty Hannah feature in the song that somehow gives you the feeling of déjà vu when you see it on the screen.
A song that sketches the characteristic of the lead protagonist Amitabh Bachchan in the movie comes next, which is titled 'Barf Khushi Hai'. A slow paced song that has a painful feel to it and has the mention of 'Ek Ajnabee' throughout its length; it is an introspective number that should appear as a part of the background score. Kailash Kher demonstrates his finesse once again as he is just perfect in this superbly worded song by Jaideep Sahni. A philosophical track, it is not the one to be crooned around but should make an impact on screen with Big B featuring on the frames.
A touching song about the relationship between
Big B and the young girl whom he has to protect
as a part of his job, 'Tere Liye' is a
huge song for Kunal Ganjawala as he has to sing
for the character of none other then Amitabh
Bachchan. Another song that should be a part of
the background score, it is written by Sameer
and has a heartwarming feel to it. With western
arrangements complimenting Indian melody, it is
a melodious track that has a soothing feel to
it. It may seem just about ordinary when you
hear it first but after you have listened to it
4-5 times, you start catching its nuances. No
wonder the song grows on you as it appears
towards the end of the album as well. Lalit Tiwari written 'They Don't Know' is the song about which much has been written in the past as it features Sanjay Dutt. A promotional number that may appear at the beginning of the movie, it is rendered by Kunal Ganjawala who sings with a rough husky accent. The number mentions all the wrongs and the crimes in this world and exposes the dirt in the society. A rocking track, it is the crooning of 'They Don't Know' by Joy across the track that haunts you long after the song is over. A raving track, it boasts of some gorgeous western beauties gyrating while Sanjay Dutt creates an aura with an unmatchable attitude. Action becomes bigger, better and even more happening when the remix version of this track appears as 'Blast U Between Your Eyes remix'. The arrangements get even more foot tapping and if not for the lyrics, it could have been a hot favorite for a DJ in the discotheques. 'They Don't Know' should be a talking point soon once the movie is about to be released.
'Let's rock, party and move your body' - that's
the message conveyed by 'Soniye' that has
Sunidhi Chauhan and KK coming together. With a
distinct flavor of 'Tauba Tauba' from 'Kaal'
coming across, it belongs to the genre of songs
that have worked in a big way in 2005. A
pulsating number that has its base in bhangra
beats, now it all depends upon the picturisation
of the song that would guide the direction that
the song's popularity would take. Also one
wonders why the song makes such a belated
appearance as it is one of the better tracks of
the album so far. A reason could be that the
makers would have wanted to first incorporate
those tracks in the albums that are directly
related to the movie's theme. A zappy track also
appearing as a 'Soniye Mix N Match Remix',
it makes 'Ek Ajnabee' an extended party
album after having started on a rather sober
note with tracks like 'Barf Khushi Hai'
and 'Tere Liye'. 'Soniye' deserves to be
promoted right away for the album to soar on
popularity. A haunting background piece that has a rocking effect, 'Stranger On The Prowl' has all the elements required for a thriller. Shilpa Rao provides the backing vocals for this 4 minutes musical piece that reminds of Caralisa Monteiro's western ‘alaap’ in 'Adrenalin Nitrate (Dus Theme) ' from 'Dus'. The track suits the mood and setting of the movie and promises 'Ek Ajnabee' to be a striking cinematic experience.
On picking up 'Ek Ajnabee', one wasn't sure how would the album turn out to be since the movie has an action plot. At max, one expected a couple of sentimental numbers, an item song and a bunch of instrumentals/background pieces. But to one's surprise, one finds 'Ek Ajnabee' to be a racy album that picks up as it progresses with no looking back once you are through mid-way. Play it on when you are on a fast drive. You will love it!
Five Unlikely Heroes...
And One Elaan...
And finally Bollywood acknowledges the fact that the leading ladies in a formula film can be a 'Hero' too - definitely a step in the right direction!
Starring five 'heroes' - Arjun Rampal, John Abraham, Rahul Khanna, Amisha Patel and Lara Dutta, Elaan is special for one more reason - the return of three time National award winner Mithun Chakrobarty to the silver screen. Playing the role of a gang lord in this slick action thriller directed by Vikram Bhatt, Mithun's return would be appreciated by his 'urban fans', who lost on all his performances in last decade or so!! A Venus production by Ganesh Jain and Ratan Jain, who have a recent hit ' Hulchul ' to their credit, Elaan has music by Anu Malik and lyrics by Sameer.
It is good to see Rahul Khanna in his first ever 'regular' mainstream hero in Elaan . And his foray begins with a romantic love song ' Bechain Mera Dil Hai '. A duet by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik, it is good - but that's it! It is a typical formula melodious number that is pleasant as long as it lasts and suffices to be a sweet and saccharine filled composition. Don't imagine yourself crooning this one, days after days.
John Abraham and Lara Dutta display a passion play in ' Dil Mein Hulchul ' and go all out to seduce the audience. The number is more of a power play combined with love and affection and the tune too has a thumping effect - literally. Sets are imaginative, costumes revealing (watch out for John in his bare torso!) and dance steps seductive. KK and Sunidhi Chauhan are heavy and husky while the lyrics stick to the basics. Not one of the better compositions by Anu Malik, it will hold value mainly due to the video. Otherwise the tune is just about average and is one of the stock tunes.
One song that was supposed to be a 'watch-out-for' category in last few months is ' Andarlu Mandarlu '. First ' Kubaku ' ( Dil Maange More ) and now ' Andarlu ' - what's up Mr. Sameer? Anyways, figuring out what ' Andarlu ' means can be left to the intelligentsia, but in the meanwhile the frontbenchers could content themselves with this 'happy-go-lucky' fun song. Again, the number has a situational appeal and is about the 'five heroes' who are singing away to glory and are telling each other to stop worrying about everything and enjoy life. In his trademark style, Anu Malik joins Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal and Sunidhi Chauhan and provides unintentional humor! And yes, as you may have expected by now, there is a Remix of the song as well!
Title song comes in the shape of ' Meri Zindagi Mein Koyi ' and hey! the number sounds compellingly like the ones that accompany the opening credits of a James Bond movie. Gayatri Iyer is husky in her rendition, the accompanying vocals of females sound the same as they do in James Bond opening sequences and you are fully convinced about your belief when you hear the trademark guitar strings and the orchestra. This number should create the mood right in the very beginning of the movie and set the context of what the movie is about. Now, this should be a 'watch-out-for' song!!
Lara Dutta's ' Dua Karna ', that gives an impression of being a pre-climax song, may not really be another ' Aisa Jadoo ' ( Khakee ) of her career. The tune is just about average and lyrics predictable, but Lara's presence and the choreographer's efforts could take this number some distance. Overall the number is 'come today gone tomorrow' kinds and will die a silent death after the movie's run is through.
' Elaan ' - the movie, has a tremendous appeal due to it's fresh pairing, slick look, emergence of Rahul Khanna, return of Mithun and a formulaic feel that always works. But the music is nothing spectacular and seems to be a mere gap-filler. Anyways, there isn't much that is expected from a musical score of an actioner and on those grounds, ' Elaan ' could be excused. The makers should continue with their strategy of promoting action trailers and shouldn't let the tempo slow down even for a brief period. Rest assured, the movie should take a thumping initial. About the music - well one may just hear it in the movie!!
Dus Music
ReviewAnd One Elaan...
And finally Bollywood acknowledges the fact that the leading ladies in a formula film can be a 'Hero' too - definitely a step in the right direction!
Starring five 'heroes' - Arjun Rampal, John Abraham, Rahul Khanna, Amisha Patel and Lara Dutta, Elaan is special for one more reason - the return of three time National award winner Mithun Chakrobarty to the silver screen. Playing the role of a gang lord in this slick action thriller directed by Vikram Bhatt, Mithun's return would be appreciated by his 'urban fans', who lost on all his performances in last decade or so!! A Venus production by Ganesh Jain and Ratan Jain, who have a recent hit ' Hulchul ' to their credit, Elaan has music by Anu Malik and lyrics by Sameer.
It is good to see Rahul Khanna in his first ever 'regular' mainstream hero in Elaan . And his foray begins with a romantic love song ' Bechain Mera Dil Hai '. A duet by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik, it is good - but that's it! It is a typical formula melodious number that is pleasant as long as it lasts and suffices to be a sweet and saccharine filled composition. Don't imagine yourself crooning this one, days after days.
John Abraham and Lara Dutta display a passion play in ' Dil Mein Hulchul ' and go all out to seduce the audience. The number is more of a power play combined with love and affection and the tune too has a thumping effect - literally. Sets are imaginative, costumes revealing (watch out for John in his bare torso!) and dance steps seductive. KK and Sunidhi Chauhan are heavy and husky while the lyrics stick to the basics. Not one of the better compositions by Anu Malik, it will hold value mainly due to the video. Otherwise the tune is just about average and is one of the stock tunes.
One song that was supposed to be a 'watch-out-for' category in last few months is ' Andarlu Mandarlu '. First ' Kubaku ' ( Dil Maange More ) and now ' Andarlu ' - what's up Mr. Sameer? Anyways, figuring out what ' Andarlu ' means can be left to the intelligentsia, but in the meanwhile the frontbenchers could content themselves with this 'happy-go-lucky' fun song. Again, the number has a situational appeal and is about the 'five heroes' who are singing away to glory and are telling each other to stop worrying about everything and enjoy life. In his trademark style, Anu Malik joins Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal and Sunidhi Chauhan and provides unintentional humor! And yes, as you may have expected by now, there is a Remix of the song as well!
Title song comes in the shape of ' Meri Zindagi Mein Koyi ' and hey! the number sounds compellingly like the ones that accompany the opening credits of a James Bond movie. Gayatri Iyer is husky in her rendition, the accompanying vocals of females sound the same as they do in James Bond opening sequences and you are fully convinced about your belief when you hear the trademark guitar strings and the orchestra. This number should create the mood right in the very beginning of the movie and set the context of what the movie is about. Now, this should be a 'watch-out-for' song!!
Lara Dutta's ' Dua Karna ', that gives an impression of being a pre-climax song, may not really be another ' Aisa Jadoo ' ( Khakee ) of her career. The tune is just about average and lyrics predictable, but Lara's presence and the choreographer's efforts could take this number some distance. Overall the number is 'come today gone tomorrow' kinds and will die a silent death after the movie's run is through.
' Elaan ' - the movie, has a tremendous appeal due to it's fresh pairing, slick look, emergence of Rahul Khanna, return of Mithun and a formulaic feel that always works. But the music is nothing spectacular and seems to be a mere gap-filler. Anyways, there isn't much that is expected from a musical score of an actioner and on those grounds, ' Elaan ' could be excused. The makers should continue with their strategy of promoting action trailers and shouldn't let the tempo slow down even for a brief period. Rest assured, the movie should take a thumping initial. About the music - well one may just hear it in the movie!!
Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Abhishek Bachchan – last time the three of them came together in Rakht, the movie went unnoticed. This time the three of them come together for a much slicker and technically superior product ' Dus ' that also has Zayed Khan to make it 'chaar' out of 'dus'. Then there are heroines namely Shilpa Shetty, Esha Deol, Raima Sen, while Pankaj Kapur, Jawed Sheikh and Gulshan Grover form the rest of the cast summing up to 10. Dia Mirza is the 11th actor in this Nitin Manmohan production that sounds an extremely promising thriller on world terrorism. A notable (and very interesting) factor about 'Dus' is its director - Anubhav Sinha – who moves on from his forte of directing romantic films ( Tum Bin, Aaapko Pehle Bhi Kahi Dekha Hai ) to thriller genre. Vishal- Shekhar, the composer duo gets the best of the projects belonging to thriller genre ( Kaante, Musafir ) and 'Dus' is no exception. Famous for their techno tracks, one has extremely high hopes from their compositions that have lyrics by Panchhi Jalonvi.
If there has been a song this year that has caught the nation's attention on day one of the promos, it's the title song ' Dus Bahane '. A marvelous number, the deadly combination of western arrangements with strong Indian melody and a bit of rap make the number instantly catchy and foot tapping. Vishal and Shekhar do it once more with this track that is sung with aplomb by the youngsters KK and Shaan. Both Abhishek Bachchan and Zayed Khan, on whom the song has been filmed, enjoy emoting to this number and are every bit of the cool dude they are supposed to be! Shot as a glossy music video, this number will go a long way in pulling in the crowds. A super hit track! There is an ' extended version ' of the same coming up after a few songs and that only facilitates the rocking party mood to continue.
Sunidhi Chauhan
continues to enliven the proceedings with '
Deedar De ' that comes
up in two versions - ' Nikhil & Naved Z
mix ' and ' Ranjit Barot mix
'. The former is a Western-Arabian
composition that is a situational song, which in
all likelihood seems to have been created as an
item song. Krishna does his bit to give the sufi
inputs. Overall, the basics of the song are
still the same – a techno composition that is
racy enough to keep the listener engaged and his
foot tapping. ' Ranjit Barot mix
' is a step ahead and is a true blue
remix with additional beats and the zippy
effects that make for a discotheque outing. A
better composition to dance to, it establishes
the mood of the album that sends the message
loud and clear that ' Dus ' won't have
a single dull moment ahead.
Surprise surprise!! Johar meets Chopra meets Vishal-Shekhar in ' Cham Se Wo Aa Jaaye '. A feel good 'ghar-parivar' genre track, you can already visualize flying dupattas and sherwanis and larger than life sets for this love song set in a house full of celebrations. Male chorus is straight out of Mohabbatein and KKHH while everyone from Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Babul Supriyo, Sunidhi Chauhan to Sapna Mukherjee play their parts efficiently. Dhol and tabla beats give a vibrant feel to this track that would make the likes of Karan Johar and Yash Chopra notice the talented duo of Vishal Shekhar for their future projects. Equally thrilled would be the listeners who get a pleasant surprise of hearing a tune belonging to a different genre from the composers.
Feel good factor continues with ' Unse Poochhen ' by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik. A melodious number that is most heard when Nikhil Vinay and Sameer join hands; it is very unlike Vishal-Shekhar (yet again) but enjoyable nevertheless. A kind of harmless tune that always works in traditional Bollywood scenario, it continues to maintain the quality of the album.
Surprise surprise!! Johar meets Chopra meets Vishal-Shekhar in ' Cham Se Wo Aa Jaaye '. A feel good 'ghar-parivar' genre track, you can already visualize flying dupattas and sherwanis and larger than life sets for this love song set in a house full of celebrations. Male chorus is straight out of Mohabbatein and KKHH while everyone from Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Babul Supriyo, Sunidhi Chauhan to Sapna Mukherjee play their parts efficiently. Dhol and tabla beats give a vibrant feel to this track that would make the likes of Karan Johar and Yash Chopra notice the talented duo of Vishal Shekhar for their future projects. Equally thrilled would be the listeners who get a pleasant surprise of hearing a tune belonging to a different genre from the composers.
Feel good factor continues with ' Unse Poochhen ' by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik. A melodious number that is most heard when Nikhil Vinay and Sameer join hands; it is very unlike Vishal-Shekhar (yet again) but enjoyable nevertheless. A kind of harmless tune that always works in traditional Bollywood scenario, it continues to maintain the quality of the album.
A romantic duet '
Saamne Aati Ho '
follows next that is based around soft beats and
softer vocals by Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan.
Not an extraordinary composition, it still does
well to give you a relaxation feel due to the
arrangements being very easy to ears. While '
Unse Poochhen ' was a mature love song,
' Saamne Aati Ho ' has a youthful feel.
An even softer number makes an appearance as a Hariharan-Mahalakshmi duet that brings with a soft breeze on a full moon night. A passionate number, ' Jaaniya Ve ' picks up tempo after a soft start only to get back to its silky feel. The track is of a kind that won't go on to become a chartbuster but would be liked for a quiet hearing.
Album gets to a rocking mood once again with the introduction of the Dus theme that has been innovatively billed as ' Adrenaline Nitrate '. The 6-minute techno track literally pumps up the adrenaline and makes you look forward to the movie. If the music is placed in the background as effectively as in the case of ' Mission Impossible ' theme music, it should ignite the images on screen. Ranjit Barot composes Sukhwinder Singh sung ' Zalzala ' that is a theme song around ' Dus '. Written by Mehboob, it is either a situational track or a promotional number. A fast paced track, it is the only one that is just average and can be given a skip.
An even softer number makes an appearance as a Hariharan-Mahalakshmi duet that brings with a soft breeze on a full moon night. A passionate number, ' Jaaniya Ve ' picks up tempo after a soft start only to get back to its silky feel. The track is of a kind that won't go on to become a chartbuster but would be liked for a quiet hearing.
Album gets to a rocking mood once again with the introduction of the Dus theme that has been innovatively billed as ' Adrenaline Nitrate '. The 6-minute techno track literally pumps up the adrenaline and makes you look forward to the movie. If the music is placed in the background as effectively as in the case of ' Mission Impossible ' theme music, it should ignite the images on screen. Ranjit Barot composes Sukhwinder Singh sung ' Zalzala ' that is a theme song around ' Dus '. Written by Mehboob, it is either a situational track or a promotional number. A fast paced track, it is the only one that is just average and can be given a skip.
For the lovers of
hard rock, there is ' Make Some Noise
' by Ranjit Barot that is an English
song inspired by the background score of the
movie. Yet another adrenalin pumping number, it
is based around a tense and fast paced sequence
of the movie and should be quite effective on
screen. A unique attempt in hardcore masala
potboiler, it is a musical piece of a kind
frequently seen in Hollywood music albums.
Caralisa Monteiro does a long drawn 'alaap'
based on Western classical music in the musical
piece ' Alternate Trance ',
which is again an experimental track and a first
of its kind. Haunting yet enjoyable, it seems to
have been designed around the character of the
villain in ' Dus '. Final piece in the
album is ' Get Into My Car ' by
Caralisa Monteiro, Nandini Srikar and Earl D'
Souza. A techno track merging with lounge music,
it is a mix of rap and 'Hindustani' music. One
of the best tracks of the albums, it is highly
enjoyable and would be lapped up by the hip-hop
urban crowd.
After hearing the soundtrack of ' Dus ', one thing is for sure that the starcast would have had a major blast while shooting for the songs. Vishal - Shekhar take a step ahead in coming up with a hip urban soundtrack that would also make inroads into the collection of lovers of contemporary Hindi film music. ' Dus ' re-establishes the belief that if you want hardcore techno music in a film, Vishal - Shekhar are the ones to approach.
With Nitin Manmohan at the helm of production, known for leaving no stone unturned to come up with a quality product, the tracks in 'Dus' should be a visually appealing affair as well. 'Dus' is destined to be yet another musical success of 2005 after ' Lucky', 'Kaal ' and ' Zeher '.
Dhoom Music
ReviewAfter hearing the soundtrack of ' Dus ', one thing is for sure that the starcast would have had a major blast while shooting for the songs. Vishal - Shekhar take a step ahead in coming up with a hip urban soundtrack that would also make inroads into the collection of lovers of contemporary Hindi film music. ' Dus ' re-establishes the belief that if you want hardcore techno music in a film, Vishal - Shekhar are the ones to approach.
With Nitin Manmohan at the helm of production, known for leaving no stone unturned to come up with a quality product, the tracks in 'Dus' should be a visually appealing affair as well. 'Dus' is destined to be yet another musical success of 2005 after ' Lucky', 'Kaal ' and ' Zeher '.
Taking cue from the Hollywood biker movies that are aimed at the yuppie crowds comes the first ever movie of such kind to hit the Indian screen - ' Dhoom '. Yashraj Films take a complete about turn from their recent releases like ' Mohabbatein', 'Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai', 'Mujhse Dosti Karoge' and 'Hum Tum' to make an out and out action cum adventure thriller 'Dhoom' (thankfully without a catch line!) that stars Abhishek Bachchan (with a dashing new getup), John Abraham, Uday Chopra (watch out for their hairdo), Esha Deol (in her new toned avtaar!) and Rimi Sen. Pritam, who composed for ' Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai ' with Jeet works independently for ' Dhoom ' that has lyrics by Sameer. After an average business generated by MYKSH, producer Aditya Chopra repeats Sanjay Gadhvi for this fun frolic film that has generated quite a buzz amongst the youngsters.
Item queen Sunidhi
Chauhan croons the title track '
Dhoom ' that has all the flavors
to be yet another hit in her short yet immensely
successfully career. Icing on the cake is
refreshingly different looking Esha Deol who
turns out to be more bold and beautiful than you
could have ever imagined. Music is like instant
coffee that immediately hits you hard and makes
you hum the number all along. Pritam has done
well to blend western arrangements with Bhangra
beats and compose a well-made spage number. The
props used in the number charge it up further
and ensure a hit number for Esha who may be seen
performing this number on many a stage shows /
award ceremonies from here!
'
Shikdum ', a love song has
traces of the arrangements of ' Sharara
Sharara ' (MYKSH) and is sung well by Shaan
(as expected) and Shreya Ghoshal, who modulates
her voice immensely for this naughty sounding
song. Word ' Shikdum ' is just a gap
filler for rhythm purpose in this number, which
is about 'There is no one at home so let's enjoy
ourselves!!' The track doesn't have enough
ammunition to go all the way to be remembered by
one and all but doesn't disappoint either.
Overall an above average composition!
Following track ' Dilbara ' is a song picturised on the street-smart character played by Uday Chopra who is trying to woo his girl to come and start a family with him. A jazzy track that has very average lyrics by Sameer, it is sung by Abhijeet and Sowmya Raoh who are just about OK! As such the number too is nothing great shakes and just passes muster. After a rocking start with ' Dhoom Machale ', the subsequent tracks ' Shikdum ' and ' Dilbara ' do not hold much ground and one just hopes that the next four tracks bring some life back into the album.
' Salaame ' is a 'salsa' number that has been picturized on the pairing of Abhishek Bachchan-Rimi Sen and Uday Chopra-Esha Deol. A celebration track, it asks for a grand picturisation and choreography that should ensure its popularity. Sung extremely well by Kunal Ganjawala and Vasundhara Das, who are already basking in the glory of ' Bheege Honth Tere ' (Murder) and ' Chale Jaisi Hawayein ' (Main Hoon Naa) respectively, they can safely add this song to their list of hit numbers. Right publicity at the right time can enhance the fortunes of this fun song that goes well with the theme of the movie.
Following track ' Dilbara ' is a song picturised on the street-smart character played by Uday Chopra who is trying to woo his girl to come and start a family with him. A jazzy track that has very average lyrics by Sameer, it is sung by Abhijeet and Sowmya Raoh who are just about OK! As such the number too is nothing great shakes and just passes muster. After a rocking start with ' Dhoom Machale ', the subsequent tracks ' Shikdum ' and ' Dilbara ' do not hold much ground and one just hopes that the next four tracks bring some life back into the album.
' Salaame ' is a 'salsa' number that has been picturized on the pairing of Abhishek Bachchan-Rimi Sen and Uday Chopra-Esha Deol. A celebration track, it asks for a grand picturisation and choreography that should ensure its popularity. Sung extremely well by Kunal Ganjawala and Vasundhara Das, who are already basking in the glory of ' Bheege Honth Tere ' (Murder) and ' Chale Jaisi Hawayein ' (Main Hoon Naa) respectively, they can safely add this song to their list of hit numbers. Right publicity at the right time can enhance the fortunes of this fun song that goes well with the theme of the movie.
Next comes '
The Bedroom Mix ' of '
Shikdum ' sung by KK, Gayatri Iyer and
Indee, who adds on the rap! Aimed at the yuppie
ones, there is not much stress on the lyrics and
the emphasis has been purely on the beats and
the rap add-on! Much more funky and foot tapping
than the original, it is the one for the dance
floor and your car stereos and should catch the
fancy of the campus crowds.
'
Dilbara ' too makes a repeat
appearance, this time with an added beat and a
word here and there from Abhishek Bachchan, at
an attempt at getting that extra smile. The
experiment succeeds and the number becomes more
likeable, primarily due to witty comments from
Chota B intermittently. This is the version that
should make way into the theatres.
Going by the
success of Richi Rich's ' Mere Dil Vich Hain
Hum Tum ' in ' Hum Tum ', Dhoom
too has a international artist 'Tata Young'
featuring in an additional version of the title
track ' Dhoom '. 'Richi
Rich' in 'Hum Tum', 'Blue' in 'Rakht' and 'Tata
Young' in 'Dhoom' - the wide between Bollywood
and Hollywood is definitely narrowing! (One
common factor in all the three movies - they
star Abhishek Bachchan. A mere coincidence this
one?) Coming back to the number, this one is a
totally English number with remixed music of the
original and lyrics by Asif Ali Baig. Pritam
does well in blending the two together. Tata
Young (with her Hindi word rendition of ‘Dhoom'
often sounding like ‘doom' and ‘dume') has
powerful husky vocals that work immensely for a
song of this kind. A rip roaring number, this
one is highly entertaining, foot tapping, has an
international appeal and should be as big hit as
' Mere Dil Vich ' from Hum Tum. Since the theme of the movie is different from what Yashraj films have been offering since all these years, the music too is in sharp contrast. The result is that you don't feel as content as you would have wished to be. Music is a mixed bag with the title track and maybe a couple of other tracks being of Hit material but the remaining tracks being plain average. For once there is Chopra movie that doesn't have a kind of music that has universal appeal and much retention powerDeewane Hue Pagal Music Review
The team of 'Awara Paagal Deewana'
returns with 'Deewane Huey Paagal', which
when launched was supposed to be a sequel of the
hit original. Though the promos currently on air
hardly give an impression of DHP being a sequel,
the starcast and the crew of the movie is
practically the same. Picture this: Firoz
Nadiadwala as the producer, Vikram Bhatt as the
director, Akshay Kumar, Suneil Shetty, Paresh
Rawal forming the principal starcast (along with
Shahid Kapoor and Rimmi Sen) and music & lyrics
by Anu Malik and Sameer respectively. Now that's
the closest one could get to the original! While
the songs in APD were average that gained
popularity after the movie's release due to
their innovative picturization, let's see what's
in store in DHP. Well fasten your seat belts and get ready for a funky ride of your lifetime because out of in-total 8 tracks in the album, 6 tracks are sung by none other than, hold your breath, ANU MALIK. First to come is 'Maar Sutiya', a definite chartbuster from Note-1, which is highly entertaining, despite Rishi Rich's 'Dil Mera' [Kya Kool Hai Hum] being its reference point, right from the beats to the use of guitar strings to the chorus. But still it is all to the credit of Anu Malik who in fact sings the song quite well and comes up with a foot tapping song that should be the flavor of this festive season. Chorus plays an integral part of this racy song and adds on immensely to the final product. Add to it some eye candy choreography and you have the USP of the album ready to be served.
There was a time in the 90s when Anu Malik used his whistle to a great extent in mushy romantic tracks. The same effect is reproduced at the beginning of 'Meri Jaane Jigar' that is quite melodious with contemporary arrangements that are IN with the youth today. An English chorus in the background enhances the appeal of the song while Anu Malik's controlled singing could challenge any emerging pop star of today. One wonders why has Anu Malik being lynched over the years for his singing because he does quite a good job in this second song of the album and justifies his presence. This song is bound to create a good visual appeal knowing Nadiadwala's penchant for leaving no stones unturned when it comes to picturizing songs in his movies. This track is yet another HIT track in the making.
It seems the kind of rhythm that Pritam, Salim-Sulaiman and Vishal-Shekhar have brought with them has made Anu Malik also accept the trend since 'Tu Hai Tu Hai' is the third song in succession that follows a similar route. Sung by Shaan and Sunidhi Chauhan, this romantic track has a similar rhythm attached to it while the essence of Anu Malik's melody is kept intact. It’s again the musical arrangements and the chorus in the background that make the song stand tall. Belonging to the style of 2005, it makes for yet another entertaining song. An instantly catchy number, it should sound simply great in the state of art music system. None of the songs so far may be classics in the making but they have in it to be popular with the masses and the hip youth pretty soon.
Remember 'Mere Paas Aayo Mere Doston' from 'Mr. Natwarlal'? Track 'Sutradhar' [coming in Part I and Part II] belongs to a similar genre as far as rendition of the song in a narration mode is concerned. Anu Malik holds the mike once again for this lengthy entertaining track that primarily gives a good enough preview about the movie. It introduces all the principal characters in the movie in a musical fashion while narrating the overall storyline. It’s quite hilarious at moments with Anu Malik again being in good form yet again. The track has an international feel to it and makes for an interesting musical piece in the album that should appeal to children and adults alike.
As soon as 'Chakle Chakle' begins, you know that it’s a Firoz Nadiadwala song more than anything else. The laughter of a woman accompanied by heavy bass beats and the way is paved for a foot tapping number to follow!! Anu Malik goes solo once again for this 'shake you neck' and 'jump on the dance floor' kinda track that is a guaranteed success in the making for the masses. Don't worry much about Sameer's lyrics though as the musical arrangement and the rendition make the track easy to be hummed and enjoyed while it is on! Purists may not have too many good things to say about the song but in today's world of Bollywood where such music is selling like hot cakes; it won't come as a surprise to see DHP also doing well. Remix of the track follows soon which is even groovier than the ones preceding it and is an amalgamation of remixes of all other songs preceding it.
One song. Three singers. Different styles. 11 and half minutes of duration. And 'Aisi Umar Mein' is born! A mix of different styles of music and singing to reflect the different characters in the movie, this song by Shaan, Kunal Ganjawala and Krishna has a good dose of melody and rhythm that makes the listener sit through an entire duration to enjoy the song to the fullest. Inspite of a lengthy duration, one in fact looks forward to the progress of the song with every passing minute to see what's in store next. An experimental song that reminds of Anu Malik's similar effort in 'Ishq Vishk', it leaves a listener highly satisfied with the end product.
If one looks at the past record of music from Firoz Nadiadwala movies starting from Ram Shastra, Kartoos, Hera Pheri, Awara Paagal Deewana to Aan, each of them had a good song or two but none of the albums were blockbusters in spite of lavish amount of money being spent in their picturisation. All this may change with DHP that is a good album in totality with number of tracks that are potential hits. In an age where 'rhythm' is the key word for an album to sell well, DHP scores heavily on this account. Add this as yet another successful album for Akshay Kumar after Dosti Music Review
If there are any film-makers who are
consistently delivering good and popular music
today outside Yash Raj Films, they are the
Darshan brothers. Movies by both Dharmesh and
Suneel Darshan have good music as a result of
their alliance with Nadeem Shravan. It may sound
too old fashioned for some but still melody
rules in their compositions, the most recent
example being 'Barsaat'. Now
producer-director Suneel Darshan comes up with
his yet another musical 'Dosti - Friends
Forever' by Nadeem Shravan and Sameer that
stars Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, Kareena Kapoor,
Lara Dutta and Juhi Chawla. No doubt, one
expects music to be the ace feature of this
movie about relationships, misunderstandings and
triumph of friendship. Soothing sound of piano followed by a violin and trademark Nadeem Shravan beats marks the beginning of the melodious title track 'Yeh Dosti'. Both Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam are subtle and sober in their approach while singing the song at a low pitch and curb the temptation of going extra enthusiastic or over the board. A heartwarming number with the two men singing praises about their friendship and appreciating each other, it boasts of some wonderful on screen chemistry between the two leading actors. In most of the movies, a song about friendship means some cool hip-hop beats with a club setting and babes in the background. But in the case of 'Ye Dosti', it is just the interaction between the two men and no one else around, that sets the song apart from the rest.
It's the time to celebrate with 'Dulhaniya',
an obvious engagement track that begins on a
foot tapping note with the continuous crooning
of the word 'Dulhaniya'. Wonderfully
arranged with a no-breather moment throughout,
it never ever gives you a chance to rest and
take a break from joining the celebration mood.
Featuring Akshay-Bobby-Kareena-Lara, the song
should soon become a hot favorite in the
marriages/engagements due to its pacy setting.
Kunal Ganjawala fits himself into the Nadeem
Shravan scheme of things and never once attempts
at getting western in his approach while
Abhijeet and Alka Yagnik are at their reliable
best. A HIT number in the making! Abhijeet and Alka Yagnik return for the melodious duet 'Aisa Koyi Zindagi Mein' that would be lapped up by Nadeem Shravan fans. A sweet number with simple yet effective lyrics by Sameer, it entertains the listener with the kind of music that he/she would have been hearing for years but still won't mind hearing it one more time. While the tune is vintage Nadeem Shravan, it is the musical arrangement that is set in a contemporary style that gives a soothing feel to the song. Hear it with your eyes closed and chances are high that you would end up remembering of the one you love most!
Kunal Ganjawala gets an opportunity to get into his own with a groovy number 'Lets Boogie Woogie' that has a feel of 'Its The Time To Disco' [Kal Ho Na Ho] and 'It's Magic' [Koi Mil Gaya] . A night club dance floor number, it belongs to the style that composers like Pritam and Vishal Shekhar have perfected now. Vasundhara Das is in high spirits while singing this racy number with support from Earl.
When it's a Darshan movie then there is bound to
be a 'qawalli' number that caters to the
entire nation. Sukhwinder Singh and Kailash Kher
come together for this saga about 'ishq' in 'Ishq
Na Ishq Ho Kisi Se' that seems to have its
setting in the turmoil that the lovers are going
through. As like most the 'qawallis', it is
racy, passionate and boasts of good lyrics by
Sameer. For a track like this you require full
throated rendition and Sukhwinder and Kailash do
a perfect job here. Still, the situational
number never gets too loud and should in fact
pep up the proceedings while appearing in the
movie. The first 5 seconds of 'Aur Tum Aaye' indicate the path that this duet by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik follow. A cent percent vintage Nadeem Shravan number that is about acknowledging your loved one's presence in your life in troubled times, 'Aur Tum Aaye' is a situational track rather than being entirely romantic and should appear at one of the crucial points of the movie. Sonu Nigam sings as if he would break down any moment, though one feels that it is the requirement of the situation! Still, the song shouldn't be mistaken to be sad.
After an engagement number 'Dulhaniya' comes the marriage celebration track 'Yaar Di Shaadi' that brings together Sonu Nigam, Abhijeet, Alka Yagnik and Nadeem Shravan's protégée Sarika Kapoor. This situational track is not of the kind that may become highly popular due to a situational feel but still comes easy on ears. At places, it also reminds of 'Aur Kya Zindagani Hai' from Suneel Darshan's own 'Ek Rishta'.
'Dosti' has a good musical score that is mix of love, friendship, dance and club songs rather than being entirely romantic. All the songs may not really aspire to reach the top spot due a situational feel but as an album 'Dosti' sounds good. Nadeem Shravan and Suneel Darshan have yet another assured popular album in their hands that should do well across the country.
It was Ram Gopal Verma who started the trend of
incorporating promotional music videos for his
otherwise song-less films. He started it with
'Bhoot' ['Bhoot Hoon Main' picturised
on Sunidhi Chauhan] and followed it up with 'Darna
Mana Hai' [Jo Dar Gaya So Mar Gaya'
picturised on Sameera Reddy]. While the trend
has caught up fast with every movie worth its
salt coming up with a promotional video [Dhoom,
Hum Tum, Bluffmaster, Aksar, Tom Dick and Harry,
Humko Deewana Kar Gaye to name a few], RGV
does it again for 'Darna Zaroori Hai',
sequel to his moderately successful 'Darna
Mana Hai'. The girl in question is Nisha
Kothari this time around while Mohit 'James'
Ahlawat too joins her for another music video.
Taabish Romani and Nitin Raikwar, who have been
associated with RGV with number of projects in
last few years are the men behind the film's
music.DZH mainly has just 3 unique songs along with remixes of two of them while rest of the album is stuffed with songs from 'Mr. Ya Miss' and 'James'. First to come is the heavily promoted 'Khabardar' that appears in two versions 'Maut Ka Jayeka' and 'Zindagi Ka Zayeka'. Mohona Sarkar, who had sung 'Dhokebaaz' and 'Khud Ko Maar Daala Re' in RGV's 'D' last year, gets yet another opportunity to make her presence felt in the music industry.
Strong beats, western arrangements and scary sounds mark the beginning of the first version 'Maut Ka Jayeka' that has Sukhwinder Singh pairing up with Mohana. Sadly, the song is nothing but a rehash of 'Khallas' [Company] with not much difference in terms of pace and style. The style was anyways exhausted in 'Dhokebaaz' and hence there is not much interesting when one gets to hear something so similar in DHZ. The singers do their job well while the actors (especially Nisha) performs with conviction too but it's the music by Taabish Romani that proves to be a downer. A little slower but similar in style and rhythm 'Zindagi Ka Jayeka' follows after a gap. Kunal Ganjawala pairs up with Mohona but that's still not good enough to make a beeline for DZH in front of music stores.
After Tabish Romani, it is Nitin Raikwar's turn
to compose and write for the two versions
(original and remix) of 'Aake Darr'.
Scary sounds prevail the beginning of this track
too that is noticeable due to Mohona's style of
rendition where she really stretches her vocals
an extra distance. In a similar style as the
title sequences of a James Bond flick, the music
is intriguing, scary, sensual as well as
exciting. Though it is by no means a classic, it
should do well to create an eerie feel in a dark
auditorium. The tune is again set on a western
base and though the remix version makes
it more, belonging to the dance-mix mode, one
would still prefer the original. 'Boo' is the last original track in the album and is yet another ordinary tune by Taabish Romani. The interlude portions in electronic guitar somehow catch your attention but the tune on which Sunidhi Chauhan sings along is simply average. There are scary sounds and works accompanying the tune that hardly make an impact. The song would be restricted to the film's promotion but nothing more than that.
Rest of the tracks have already been heard before in 'Mr. Ya Miss' ['Fakr Hai Aurat', 'Fakr Hai Aadmi', 'Kamsin Kali'] and 'James' ['Zindagi Jeene Ka Naam Hai', 'Jaan Hai']. Since most of them were just about fine with none turning out to be a real chartbuster when originally released, they are still not good enough reasons to grab the copy of 'Darna Zaroori Hai'.
In the end, 'Darna Zaroori Hai' turns out to be a lukewarm album that doesn't really hold your attention much. One of the weakest musical scores from a RGV film, one wonders if the album may have sounded better if it was made of background pieces from the film, just like in case of 'Satya'?
Chup Chup Ke Music Review
Priyadarshan and Himesh Reshammiya come back
together with 'Chup Chup Ke' after their
association in 'Kyon Ki'. Though the
music in the Salman-Karrena starrer was good, it
couldn't go an extra distance due to the film
failing at the box office. Times have changed
quickly with Reshammiya being the hottest
selling composer/singer today, Priyadarshan
basking in the glory of twin successes in the
form of 'Garam Masala' and 'Maalamaal
Weekly' while Shahid-Kareena finally getting
a HIT in the shape of '36 China Town'.
All this combined with the comic power of Paresh
Rawal, Om Puri, Rajpal Yadav and Shakti Kapoor
along with Sunil Shetty and Neha Dhupia makes
CCK a hot product this summer. Sameer, who is
practically writing for more than 50% of the
films releasing these days, is the lyricist for
CCK too! Reshammiya's favorite DJ Akbar Sami
takes care of the remixing department.If a film's composer is Himesh Reshammiya then it is must for an album to have a song sung by him. 'Shaadi Se Pehle' has been the only exception in last few months and everyone knows what happened to its music sales! There is a certain expectation that a music lover has from his films now and CCK doesn't disappoint as Reshammiya pairs up with his favorite co-singer Tulsi Kumar for 'Shabbe Firaq'. It's the melody of 'Aa Re Aa Re’ that sets the tune for the song that has Reshammiya going all out while crooning the opening lines. A great fusion of Middle-East, Indian and Western music, 'Shabbe Firaq' has chartbuster written all over it and has already helped the album take a good start at the music stores. A rhythmic dance track that goes at a decent pace rather than rushing its way through, this well written number with fresh lyrics has been picturized innovatively by music video director Kookie V Gulati with the help of some imaginative sets. With DJ Akbar Sami coming to the scene, the proceedings were always meant to become further engrossing and the result is there for everyone to be seen. Pace picks up, scenario gets livelier and it's time to hit the dance floors. A small piece of information here – all those who have accused Reshammiya of singing with a nasal twang would have to find some another reason to put him down after hearing him singing on a different note altogether!
It's Himesh Reshammiya himself who croons the title of the song 'Dil Vich Lagya Ve' twice before handing over the singing reins to Sonu Nigam who sings the number in a full throated manner and lots of energy. Newcomer Akriti Kakkar, who has mostly sung remixes in the past (notably being 'Rangeela Re' that was shot on Deepal Shaw) joins Sonu Nigam and comes across as a pro who has innumerous playback numbers to her credits in the past. Kunal Ganjawala appears after a while and does a great job along with the two singers to make 'Dil Vich' a smashing dance number set to an Indian contemporary tune. A rhythmic number that has Shahid Kappor giving his all while dancing along, it is THE BEST song in the recent times from Reshammiya that had some other singer than the composer himself. There have been some songs in 'Banaras', 'Shaadi Se Pehle', '36 China Town' and 'Phir Hera Pheri' in recent times that were sung by a singer other than Reshammiya but none of these songs had a potential to be a HIT. Hearing 'Dil Vich', it's quite sure that this should be the one that would go an extra distance. And why not when you have Akbar Sami's remixed version to add on to the original to present the song in an altogether different 'avtar'?! While the proceedings were completely Indian in the original, Akbar Sami adds on a Western effect to it to enhance the song's reach to pubs, discs and lounges.
Before Reshammiya himself had started crooning,
one of his favorite singers was K.K. The
talented singer arrives on the scene again with
'Ghoomar' that has Sunidhi Chauhan
pairing up with him. Based on Rajasthani/Gujrati
folk music, the song is given a different touch
altogether to make it fit into the Bollywood
scheme of things. A rhythmic number that may not
be the most unique tune that you may have heard
in the past, it is still good enough to keep you
engaged due to its rhythmic approach and some
loud musical arrangements that suit with the
racy fun feel of the song. 'Ghoomar Re'
is one of those songs that mostly remain
unaffected even if presented in a remix version.
Overall the song may not have a chartbuster
appeal but its filler capability helps the album
to sail on. The rhythm of 'RE' continues with 'Shabbe Firaq [Aa RE, Aa RE]', 'Dil Vich Lagya RE', 'Ghoomar RE' to 'Aaya RE'. A number with the kind of lyrics that only Sameer can write [Aaya Re Dil Tumpe Aaya Re Chaya Re Nasha Chaya Re], 'Aaya Re' is a kind of Reshammiya song that has brought him into limelight for last few years since he started composing for Salman Khan films. A song by Kunal Ganjawala, Sunidhi Chauhan and Arya that does well in both the versions, be it an original that has a distinct Reshammiya melody to the remix by Akbar Sami that changes its mood by moving at a rapid pace without giving you a breather at all, 'Aaya Re' is yet another good song in succession for 'Chup Chup Ke' that maintains a good standard throughout. After hearing the two versions, one feels that the essence of the song is more interesting in its original version and this is what one may be inclined to hear if looking for some good melody!
With singers like Vijay Yesudas and Shreya Ghoshal credited for a song, one expects the proceedings to mellow down a little and turn outright melodious. The beginning of 'Tumhi Se' promises just that and when Vijay Yesudas begins his crooning, you can't just help but admire the newcomer's singing prowess. Son of the great music maestro Yesudas, Vijay's voice does resemble his father's when it comes to depth but overall does well to manage an identity of its own. A soulful number that has peace written all over it, 'Tumhi Se' is a romantic number that has Shreya Ghoshal, one of the most suited voice today for songs of this genre, giving him good company. Reshammiya comes up with a tune that is so unlike his style, past or present, and should win the hearts of even his detractors. Kunal Ganjawala, who is now easily amongst the Top-5 singers in Bollywood today gets his share with an unplugged version of the same song and ensures that his effort doesn't go in vain. If there is any song that comes with a 'SURPRISE' tag associated with it, it is 'Tumhi Se'. The song may not be an instant coffee but is definitely a 'lambi race ka ghoda'!
The only song in the album that has only one
version associated with it, 'Mausam Hai Bada
Qatil', is a Sonu Nigam single and has its
opening tune set to the 60s fashion. On hearing
closely, one realizes that the rhythm has some
resemblance to Reshammiya's own 'Aa Meri Life
Bana De' [Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye] but he
arranges the music in such a manner that it
comes across as a number that could have made
none other than a Rajendra Kumar or a Shammi
Kapoor sing it along. From someone like Sonu
Nigam, the least that you expect is a good
rendition and he (obviously) does well here too!
A good song to end the album! After '36 China Town', Himesh Reshammiya can easily assure himself yet another popular soundtrack that is worthy of entering the Top-5 charts in a couple of weeks to come. NOW is the time to up the tempo of the music promotion and bombard the music channels with all the songs for getting the album its due.
Bollywood is growing...and how! 5 years back, no one could imagine actors as different as Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and Arshad Warsi sharing a same frame in a dark thriller. And that too with a title like 'Chocolate'! But not anymore! With corporate world showing keen interest in Bollywood and the trend catching up as fast as the technology in major 'A' grade projects, it is always possible to come up with newer and better products week after week. 'Chocolate' comes from the Spice Team Entertainments' production house [Vibha-Ragini] - the same team that entered Bollywood with feel good flicks 'Kaun Hai Jo Sappno Mein Aaya' and 'Shukriya'. 'Chocolate' is an obvious evolution from these two products and marks the debut of director Vivek Agnihotri. A thriller based on 'Deep Dark Secrets' with an interesting punch line of 'Sometimes it's best not to ask too many questions', the movie stars Anil Kapoor, Suneil Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Irrfan Khan, Emraan Hashmi, Sushma Reddy and introduces former Miss India Tanushree Dutta. Stylishly shot with creative promos resulting in immense buzz, another factor that makes 'Chocolate' exciting is its music, which is composed by Pritam, who appears after a one-year gap since 'Dhoom' that is still creating 'dhoom' all over.
Superb use of western musical instruments begins the opening track of the album - 'Halka Halka Sa Yeh Nasha'. Just like 'Dhoom macha De', this track too has a signature tune accompanying the song, this time as a flute. Mayur Puri makes a great debut as a lyricist and comes up with some never heard before lines that are put to music wonderfully well by Pritam. Sonu Nigam modulates his voice yet again to give something new every time a challenge is thrown on him. The song has been choreographed innovatively on the streets of London with all the characters giving an account of themselves one after another. Groovy feel to the entire track make it immensely likeable and ready to hum. One of the best tracks to arrive this year, its a sure shot hit all the way.
A little bit of Tata Young's version of 'Dhoom Machale' and a little bit of 'Kaal Dhamaal' make the remix of 'Halka Halka' that result in the track turning out to be foot tapping all over again. The way trends are as of now, one won't be surprised to see a promotional video made with this song that may appear during the end credits of the movie. It always pays to go with the tide, isn't it?
K.K. croons 'Zehreeli Raatein', a fast paced foot-tapping track that sounds more like a pop number rather than a Bollywood song. There is a hint of Biddu's style of music coupled with Pakistani pop in this Praveen Bhardwaj written song that is one of the first ever for a Bollywood movie. A unique composition with great musical arrangements and lively rendition by K.K., one looks forward to watching this number onscreen, as it appears quite different from routine.
Pritam continues to deliver a funky tune one after another with 'Jhuki Jhuki' coming up next. Dev Kohli's lyrics catch your attention at the very beginning for this yet another foot-tapping track that is sung by Kailash Kher and Sunidhi Chauhan. The song isn't the next chartbuster in the making but as a follow up to some brilliant numbers like 'Halka Halka' and 'Zehreeli Raatein', it manages to sustain the momentum.
The very beginning of 'Mummy' brings your feet in motion. Written by Mayur Puri, it is again one of the most original numbers to have been incorporated in a Bollywood movie. With lyrics like 'Kehte Hai Sabhi Ke Badi Hot Hoon Main', its about "I know I am hot'n'cool and am painting the town red but my mom doesn't know about this and don't tell her either!" But rather than even slightly hinting of vulgarity, it is more of young and naughty and doesn't fail to bring a smile on your face. Sunidhi Chauhan modulates her voice great deal to come up with a squeaky schoolgirl voice. A fast paced song that fuses western and 'bhangra' beats; this situational track should be a riot on screen due to its theme and picturization.
Your body continues to sway along nicely to the beats of 'Panaahon Mein Mohabbat Ki' that is yet another well-written song by Praveen Bhardwaj. Rendered by Kunal Ganjawala, this heavy on beats and high on pace track is completely based on western music with a bit of reggae thrown in. By now, 'Chocolate' sounds like one party album that can be played on full volume and set on a repeat mode while you dance away to glory. This is yet another track that has a potential to create a space for itself in the charts. A total effort by Pritam, Praveen and Kunal!
'Bheega Bheega Sa Yeh December Hai' - now have you ever heard something like this? Probably not! But this is what the team of 'Chocolate' brings to you in this Ajeet Srivastava number that has Sunidhi Chauhan delivering one of her best. A beautifully composed melodious number that maintains a subtle pace throughout, it is a classy number that sets across the point that the musical score of 'Chocolate' is not one of your run of the mill ones. Another sweet composition that won't go unnoticed!
A good dose of Indi-pop molded to fit into Bollywood scheme of things, 'Khalish Si Hai' continues in the same breath as Pritam's earlier western compositions and does wonders once again. Teamwork once again, it is highly impressive due to inspired effort by Mayur Puri, Pritam and singers Kunal Ganjawala and Suzan.
Bollywood is surely catching up with the Hollywood counterparts and going international. This is pretty evident with the 'Chocolate Theme' that is a brilliant assortment of western instruments coming together with great effect. A track that could be easily played on top volume in a discotheque, it brings the album to a grand finale and hence giving a feeling of complete satisfaction to the listeners of 'Chocolate'.
There were good expectations from the music of 'Chocolate' due to Pritam's name on the credits and the opening song 'Halka Halka' already being popular. But to one's pleasant surprise, 'Chocolate' delivers much more than expected with none of the tracks belonging to a variety where they could be skipped. 'Chocolate' turns out to be one of those 'different from the routine' genre of albums that should work especially with the young.
'Chocolate' is a delicious winner all the away, hence maintaining Emraan Hashmi's string of musical hits after 'Footpath', 'Murder', 'Tumsa Nahi Dekha' and 'Zeher'.
36 China Town Music Review
Subhash Ghai must be a busy man. Barely has his
'Shaadi Se Pehle' released last Friday
when the music of his next '36 China Town'
releases almost simultaneously with the same
music composer and the lead actor, Himesh
Reshammiya and Akshaye Khanna respectively. The
mood of the film is different though with '36
China Town' belonging to suspense and
thrills genre, which is the specialty of the
film's director duo Abbas Mustan. Since the film
bears a stylish and modern look, the music too
is expected to be zippy and hi-tech with a
strong western base. With the kind of high both
Reshammiya and Sameer are this season, there are
good expectations from the music of this film
that has Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor as the
young lead along with debutant Upen Patel and
beauties like Tanushree Dutta, Isha Koppikar and
Payal Rohatgi.Well, no brownie points for guessing that the opening track of the album, 'Aashiqui Meri', is sung by none other than Himesh Reshammiya himself. But before we come to his vocals, a special note for the opening music. A wave of suspense is built at the very beginning as a husky female voice utters the film's title '36 China Town'. From this point on, the music builds up slowly and steadily as high bass beats in line with an 'Enigma' feel create a western rhythm for the song. Reshammiya takes over soon after and rather than trying to be any different, he sings in the style that has been well accepted by the music lovers all over. The signature tune of 'Aashique Meri' and the interspersions of 'China Town' keep making a good impression as Sunidhi Chauhan joins the song mid-way. Her voice is modulated to suit the seductive stance of the song hence making the opening number a complete packaged hit material. As expected Akbar Sami comes up with a remix of the track making it an absolutely rocking track to hear. The pace picks up a few notches for this version that makes it out and out smashing. Far more entertaining than even the original, expect it to be played in the discotheques in a week's time from now!
'24X7 I Think of You' – Now how could
these words be put to tune? That's the first
thought which comes to mind when one reads the
lyrics for this Shaan-Sunidhi Chauhan sung
number. One thing that is for sure is that this
is going to be a romantic number but it’s the
treatment by Reshammiya that one looks forward
to. Its time for a guitar to mark the song's
beginning as Sunidhi Chauhan starts crooning.
Pace picks up immediately for this peppy
youthful number with foot tapping musical
arrangements. The music belongs to Reshammiya's
style of a couple of years back when Shaan was
the ace singer for the composer. A love song
overall, the sound of '24X7 I Think of You'
[with a missing X] accompanies the rhythm
throughout. Akbar Sami returns again for the
remix version but apart from pacing up the
song a little and adding in a few beats, there
is not much that he can do since the original
itself is quite pacy. Overall a fine track as
long as it lasts! It's back to Himesh with 'Dil Tumhare Bina' where he teams up with Alka Yagnik for a romantic duet. The way the song begins with the sound of a violin, it gives an impression of a sad outing that is enhanced by the full throated rendition by Himesh – 'Ab Tanha Raha Na Jaaye'. But in a matter of seconds, the rhythm shifts upside down with the arrival of heavy duty beats along with the sound of 'Rock Your Body'. Thankfully, except for the interludes of 'Rock Your Body', the song truly stays as a Reshammiya song. The overall feel comes quite close to the superhit title song composed/rendered by Reshammiya for 'Humko Deewana Kar Gaye' and it's not hard to predict it to be another feather in the cap for Reshammiya. The song is so catchy that one eagerly looks forward to the remix version by Akbar Sami. Tremendous! That's the way to describe this 'accelerated' version that has good usage of calypso beats that Sami has used so effectively for his remix tracks in 'Aashique Banaya Aapne' and most recently 'Tom Dick and Harry'. Sunidhi Chauhan is a good selection for Reshammiya's female counterpart in this remix version as she fits in the bill perfectly.
Western arrangements at the very beginning make
it clear that 'Badi Dilchaspi Hai' is
going to be a foot taping number. Surprisingly
the song turns out to be quite average in spite
of a trademark Reshammiya stamp [again belonging
to his 2 years old style]. There are beats and
rhythm alright but overall there is not much for
the song to survive beyond the movie's exit from
the theatres. Also Reshammiya has raised the bar
so high in his recent compositions that one
expects a chartbuster from each and every of his
songs. Thankfully Akbar Sami comes to the rescue
as his version salvages this KK and Arya
sung number to some extent with the pace and
rhythm picking up remarkably. 'Jab Kabhi' is the only song in the album that arrives with as many as three versions – original and a remix each by Akbar Sami and Suketu. This time around it's time to create a lovey dovey feel with Kunal Ganjawala arriving on the scene. He begins 'Jab Kabhi' in his trademark lovelorn manner that conveys the feeling of a man hopelessly in love! The song comes close to the style of 'Tera Jism Odh Loon' [Kyun Ki], though with a little slower pace and somewhat better feel. A beautiful love song with sweet lyrics by Sameer, it has Alka Yagnik joining Kunal towards the very end where she reassures her love for the man who is so desperately looking for the company of his lady love. Akbar Sami's version of the song is just about 3 minutes long but that's good enough to create a good impression and keep you involved. Suketu's version is full length and is more of a rap-n-reggae version with a nice accompanying signature tune throughout. Overall, a good way to end the album!
'36 China Town' has at least two superb numbers, 'Aashique Meri' and 'Dil Tumhare Bina' that have HIT written all over them. 'Jab Kabhi' is nice too while '24X7 I Think Of You' and 'Badi Dilchaspi Hai' too are not bad. As a package, it is far better than Reshammiya's last effort for Subhash Ghai – 'Shaadi Se Pehle' – and should boast of much better sales.
Chand Ke Paar Chalo Music Review
Corporate Music
Review
It's all about money, honey! And if there is a
dash of power and politics added to it, it
becomes a deadly game of one-upmanship,
backstabbing and a sophisticated game that is
played behind the glass corridors, modular rooms
and ceilings that look up to the sky. That's the
essence of Madhur Bhandarkar's Corporate
that stars Bipasha Basu in a central role who
watches all the proceedings with a close eye as
business entrepreneurs Raj Babbar and Rajat
Kapoor clash in their battle for supremacy.
Supported by actors like Kay Kay Menon, Harsh
Chhaya, Sammir Dattani, Minissha Lamba, Lillete
Dubey along with Payal Rohatgi in a special
appearance, Bipasha enjoys all the attention as
she is a witness to this high voltage drama that
has music by 'Page 3' composer Shamir
Tandon with Sandeep Nath doing the job as a
lyricist.
How can one ever forget the marvelous composition 'Huzoor-E-Aala' that had Ashaji giving it her all to come up with a splendid composition? She kick-starts the proceedings with 'Lamha Lamha Zindagi Hai' that comes in a regular and a sad version. There is an extended musical piece to set the prelude for this philosophical number that seems to be taking off from where Lataji left with 'Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe' in 'Page 3'. The difference here is that while 'Kitne Ajeeb' dealt with the relationships of convenience, 'Lamha Lamha' is about living life today, yesterday and tomorrow. Mainly a song for the background music score, it carries a certain meaning to it and should fit into the situation, but that's about it! The song is slow moving and doesn't cause any harm to the ears but overall neither the regular nor the sad version are of the kind that would qualify it to be one of the best songs this year.
Sapna Mukerji, who is rarely seen in the Bollywood scheme of things as far as music and songs are concerned, makes an exception for 'O Sikandar' where she has Kailash Kher as the dominating partner. Kher also features as himself in this qawalli that is quite catchy and racy and works instantly with the listener. Picturized on Payal Rohatgi who makes a guest appearance in this item song, 'O Sikandar' carries a meaningful feel to it as it inspires an individual to rise up from the ashes, understand his worth and take on the world! Pretty much suited for the situation, the track promises to bring certain strength to the narrative due to sheer passion it brings with it. Also notable is Payal Rohatgi who is seen in a different light altogether as she sheds her image of the past and looks graceful yet glamorous with a new body language and expressions to match.
It's time for two more versions of 'O
Sikandar' to come as some jazzy effects with
rap-n-reggae [sounding rather unnecessary] are
thrown in to spice up theqawalli in its 'International
Dance Mix'. Sorry, but one would go with the
original any time rather than giving a hear to
this attempted fusion that hardly cuts ice! Some
more twists and turns are added to the 'Desi
Mix' version of 'O Sikandar' that has
Sonu Kakkar moving away from the sophisticated 'andaaz'
of Sapna Mukerji to being more vociferous. All
said and done, in the end it is Kailash Kher who
stands out in each of the three versions along
with Sapna who does well in the original
version. But is it the item song of the year so
far? The answer is NO, but it is still better
than numerous other item numbers that pop in a
film's narrative without any cause and the
reason for that is some thoughtful lyrics by
Sandeep Nath.
One can't help but go to the beginning of the song as soon as one hears a husky male voice uttering the words – "Hello Darling, You Are Fired". You ask yourself a question if this is for real and reaffirmation comes on hearing it again. A song about the way a corporate world works with behind-the-scenes happenings, back stabbings, sweet talks and the works, it is sung by Alisha in a manner that Usha Uthap is famous for. Comprising of some English words to suit the mood of this song set in a trendy western manner, it comes across as a rather easy tune that may not have really required much effort behind its creation. Gary Lawyer croons a couple of lines in this theme number that has the line 'It's a Corporate world' coming at numerous junctures. An average number that would be forgotten soon after the film is released and gone. A remix version comes in the shape of 'Corporate Title' that has some rework done to it, but not too much avail.
It's time to get into an Anu Malik mould with 'Peele Peele Do Do Ghoont' that tries to be all hip and trendy but just doesn't come across as one due to its lyrics that seem to be out of synch with the mood of the tune. Yet another average song that has hardly any retention power beyond the film's run, it doesn't quite work inspite of Vasundhra Das' presence behind the mike where she is supported by Sangeet Haldipur. Yes, with help of an effective choreography, one may just choose to ignore the lyrics by swaying along with the tune but overall it is not a song to really cheer about loudly.
'Corporate' has an extremely average soundtrack but that doesn't really come as a surprise as the film is hardly about songs and dances. With musical pieces primarily to be incorporated as a part of background score with hardly a song or two featuring in its entirety on screen, this score by Shamir Tandon just passes muster.
It's all about money, honey! And if there is a
dash of power and politics added to it, it
becomes a deadly game of one-upmanship,
backstabbing and a sophisticated game that is
played behind the glass corridors, modular rooms
and ceilings that look up to the sky. That's the
essence of Madhur Bhandarkar's Corporate
that stars Bipasha Basu in a central role who
watches all the proceedings with a close eye as
business entrepreneurs Raj Babbar and Rajat
Kapoor clash in their battle for supremacy.
Supported by actors like Kay Kay Menon, Harsh
Chhaya, Sammir Dattani, Minissha Lamba, Lillete
Dubey along with Payal Rohatgi in a special
appearance, Bipasha enjoys all the attention as
she is a witness to this high voltage drama that
has music by 'Page 3' composer Shamir
Tandon with Sandeep Nath doing the job as a
lyricist.How can one ever forget the marvelous composition 'Huzoor-E-Aala' that had Ashaji giving it her all to come up with a splendid composition? She kick-starts the proceedings with 'Lamha Lamha Zindagi Hai' that comes in a regular and a sad version. There is an extended musical piece to set the prelude for this philosophical number that seems to be taking off from where Lataji left with 'Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe' in 'Page 3'. The difference here is that while 'Kitne Ajeeb' dealt with the relationships of convenience, 'Lamha Lamha' is about living life today, yesterday and tomorrow. Mainly a song for the background music score, it carries a certain meaning to it and should fit into the situation, but that's about it! The song is slow moving and doesn't cause any harm to the ears but overall neither the regular nor the sad version are of the kind that would qualify it to be one of the best songs this year.
Sapna Mukerji, who is rarely seen in the Bollywood scheme of things as far as music and songs are concerned, makes an exception for 'O Sikandar' where she has Kailash Kher as the dominating partner. Kher also features as himself in this qawalli that is quite catchy and racy and works instantly with the listener. Picturized on Payal Rohatgi who makes a guest appearance in this item song, 'O Sikandar' carries a meaningful feel to it as it inspires an individual to rise up from the ashes, understand his worth and take on the world! Pretty much suited for the situation, the track promises to bring certain strength to the narrative due to sheer passion it brings with it. Also notable is Payal Rohatgi who is seen in a different light altogether as she sheds her image of the past and looks graceful yet glamorous with a new body language and expressions to match.
It's time for two more versions of 'O
Sikandar' to come as some jazzy effects with
rap-n-reggae [sounding rather unnecessary] are
thrown in to spice up theqawalli in its 'International
Dance Mix'. Sorry, but one would go with the
original any time rather than giving a hear to
this attempted fusion that hardly cuts ice! Some
more twists and turns are added to the 'Desi
Mix' version of 'O Sikandar' that has
Sonu Kakkar moving away from the sophisticated 'andaaz'
of Sapna Mukerji to being more vociferous. All
said and done, in the end it is Kailash Kher who
stands out in each of the three versions along
with Sapna who does well in the original
version. But is it the item song of the year so
far? The answer is NO, but it is still better
than numerous other item numbers that pop in a
film's narrative without any cause and the
reason for that is some thoughtful lyrics by
Sandeep Nath. One can't help but go to the beginning of the song as soon as one hears a husky male voice uttering the words – "Hello Darling, You Are Fired". You ask yourself a question if this is for real and reaffirmation comes on hearing it again. A song about the way a corporate world works with behind-the-scenes happenings, back stabbings, sweet talks and the works, it is sung by Alisha in a manner that Usha Uthap is famous for. Comprising of some English words to suit the mood of this song set in a trendy western manner, it comes across as a rather easy tune that may not have really required much effort behind its creation. Gary Lawyer croons a couple of lines in this theme number that has the line 'It's a Corporate world' coming at numerous junctures. An average number that would be forgotten soon after the film is released and gone. A remix version comes in the shape of 'Corporate Title' that has some rework done to it, but not too much avail.
It's time to get into an Anu Malik mould with 'Peele Peele Do Do Ghoont' that tries to be all hip and trendy but just doesn't come across as one due to its lyrics that seem to be out of synch with the mood of the tune. Yet another average song that has hardly any retention power beyond the film's run, it doesn't quite work inspite of Vasundhra Das' presence behind the mike where she is supported by Sangeet Haldipur. Yes, with help of an effective choreography, one may just choose to ignore the lyrics by swaying along with the tune but overall it is not a song to really cheer about loudly.
'Corporate' has an extremely average soundtrack but that doesn't really come as a surprise as the film is hardly about songs and dances. With musical pieces primarily to be incorporated as a part of background score with hardly a song or two featuring in its entirety on screen, this score by Shamir Tandon just passes muster.
'Chand Ke Paar Chalo' – First look at the
title and one wonders which era does the film
belong to! Even the leading actress Preeti
Jhangiani comments that though the title may
sound old fashioned, the film's subject is
pretty relevant even in contemporary setting.
Still, one is a little apprehensive about the
music as well as the movie and reluctantly
checks out the album that has music by Vishnu
Narayan and lyrics by Rishi Azad, Babu Bhai,
Sani Aslam and Afsar Azad. Sahib is the debut
making hero opposite Preeti in this Mustafa
Engineer directed film that is produced by Babar
Chopra.Title song 'Chand Ke Paar Chalo' dominates the proceedings as it appears in not less than three versions in the music album. Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik bring that freshness and innocence in the song that is only complimented by Vishnu Narayan's soothing tune and lyrics by Rishi Azad. Yes, it does come quite close to 'Kisi Se Tum Pyaar Karo' [Andaaz – Nadeem Shravan] but one doesn't really mind that due to the song's melodious feel. It has a 'pahadi' feel to it and is quite ear friendly since it comes sans any heavy duty musical arrangements and relies on simple usage of Indian instruments. Use of flute in major portions of the album only enhances the beauty of this song composed in the 60s-70s style and if only it was a part of a biggie, it would have already found a place near the top of the charts by now.
A shorter version of the title song follows where the boy inspires the girls to look forward in life while she reciprocates by asking for his companionship in her journey forward. Finally comes a sad version of the same song where the boy wishes the girl all the best in life after she has achieved what she had always wanted to whereas the girl admits her love for him. Sweet and typically Bollywood!
Jaspinder Narula croons 'Kinna Sona Pal',
a Punjabi-Hindi number belonging to the 'dard-e-judaai'
genre and written by Afsar Azad. In the same
style as Nadeem Shravan's compositions from the
mid and the late 90s, it has a folksy feel to it
and has been sung quite well by the female
singer, though it stays in the realms of a
situational composition. Yet another number that
has a 'shuddh-hindustani' feel to it with
zero influences from the west! It’s time for another lyricist to arrive on the scene as Sani Aslam writes a street dancer number 'Dhin Chak Lad Gayee' that reminds of the 'banjara' tracks from the 60s and the 70s. Karsan Sagathia creates a folk base for the song at the beginning that is followed by Kalpana who completely lets her hair down while crooning this foot tapping number. The song may sound too old fashioned in a first couple of hearings but gradually settles down as a time pass track that should work well at the B and the C centers. A 'seeti-maar' number that thankfully doesn't have anything vulgar about it in spite of its setting, it is surprisingly the only song in the album that also has a westernized remix version. If not anything else, the curiosity factor of hearing a 'banjara' number in a remix version makes it quite interesting.
As soon as the sound of 'santoor' begins 'Deewana Pooch Lega', there are expectations of a melodious outing. This is more or less confirmed as soon as Udit Narayan enters the scene and what he brings to fore is some old world charm that makes you hear on the number. A pleasant sounding melodious track written by Babu Bhai, it comes quite close to the title song in terms of quality and feel good effect that emphasizes the fact once again that never judge a book by the covers! When there were absolutely no expectations from the album, songs like 'Chand Ke Paar Chalo' and 'Deewana Pooch Lega' throw in a surprise as they turn out to be reasonably fine. Good to see Udit Narayan at his spirited best even for a movie like this that didn't have many credentials to boast about, at least on the paper.
After flute [Title song] and santoor [Deewana
Pooch Lega], its time for harmonium to make its
presence felt in the 'qawalli' number 'Is
Dil Ka Kya Bharosa' crooned by Aftab Hashmi,
Sabri brothers, Kumar Sanu and Shreya Ghoshal. A
situational track that makes for a good
pre-climax/climax setting, 'Is Dil' is
yet another track inspired from Nadeem Shravan
school of music. As soon as Shreya Ghoshal comes
on the scene, it is 'Meri Mehbooba' [Pardes]
revisited. Though there is no direct copy of the
hugely popular number from the late 90s, it’s
the style that comes quite close. It’s just the
earlier portion and towards the song's end where
Aftab Hashmi and Sabri Brothers are heard while
the major part of the song is a duet between
Kumar Sanu and Shreya Ghoshal. Yet another
pleasant sounding track that makes you wonder
why the song has not been publicized yet!? 'Chand Ke Paar Chalo' turns out to be a surprise pack when there were absolutely no expectations from the music of this little known movie. Vishnu Narayan makes a fine beginning to his career and one expects to hear more Indian melodies from him in near future. After 'Souten' this month, 'Chand Ke Paar Chalo' is yet another album that works to a decent extent due to 'zero expectations factor'. (A/B)Bunty Aur Babli Music Review
This is what one may call a dream project. A production house (Yash Raj Films) that is on a roll for over a year now with three super hits in a row - Hum Tum, Dhoom and Veer- Zaara. A queen of hearts (Rani Mukherjee) who is now sitting firmly on the queen's throan after garnering immense appreciation in Yuva, Hum Tum, Veer-Zaara and Black. A cool dude (Abhishek Bachchan) who can finally say he has arrived after Yuva, Dhoom, Phir Milenge and Naach. A director (Shaad Ali Sahgal) who brought celluloid romance alive on screen with his debut film 'Saathiya'. A musical team that boasts of Gulzar saab and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
With a superb team like this, one is rest assured that the project cannot fail. To add to that, this racy comedy feel-good flick 'Bunty Aur Babli also boasts of Amitabh Bachchan as a cop on a trail after the thugs (Bunty and Babli) with Aishwarya Rai being a surprise element in a song'dance sequence. The promos have created a rage already promising 'a smile a minute' while the vibrant colors give the movie an 'earthy-interior' look that gels well with the small town setting of the movie.
Small town feel is what one senses at the very onset of the opening track 'Dhadak Dhadak '. Simple lyrics woven together intelligently with grace distinguishes Gulzar saab from other lyricists. After 'Dhanno Ki Aankhon Mein' (Kitaab) and 'Chayya Chayya' (Dil Se), 'Dhadak Dhadak' is another number revolving around a journey on a train. A story of a boy and a girl looking forward to a life full of adventure and fun as they move out of their down-to-earth upbringing, 'Dhadak Dhadak' by Udit Narayan, Sunidhi Chauhan and Nihira Joshi is an interesting composition that should be making an appearance at the very beginning of the film.
Sonu Nigam and Mahalaxmi Iyer come together for a romantic duet that carries with it the SEL style of subtle music. With an effective usage of Indian instruments, it is rich in melody while the lyrics are again different from ordinary. A good number to listen to, it is not one of those numbers that is instantly catchy with everyone in the town humming it around. It is to the credit of the composers that they play around with the words to come up with an ear-pleasing tune.
From hereon Shankar Mahadevan is a part of all the four numbers in the capacity of a singer as well. In 'Nach Baliye' , he pairs up with Somya Raoh and Loy Mendonsa for this predominantly Punjabi-Hindi track with a Western base. A situational fun track, it is of a kind, which if supported by a colorful cinematography and pulsating choreography can do wonders. Not an 'out-of-ordinary' number by any means, now it all depends upon how the director presents and places this song during the movie.
Title song makes an appearance at this moment with the coming together of Sukhwinder Singh, Shankar Mahadevan, Jaspinder Narula and Siddharth Mahadevan. A foot tapping number depicting the escapades of the lead protagonists Bunty and Babli while they are painting the town red with their looting spree, it should be fun on the screen. Also due to the theme of the song, it should be making intermittent appearances throughout the movie as per the situations.
Rapper Blaaze writes and sings for yet another title number 'B N B' that gets your neck in motion as soon as you through with the first 30 seconds. With Shankar and Loy chipping in their bit, this English number seems to be a promotional track that should guarantee immense craze for the movie if unleashed a couple of weeks before the movie's release. With a catchy rhythm accompanying Blaaze's rendition throughout, it should be a unique experience for the Bollywood followers who would freak out on this zippy track. Alisha Chinai begins the mujra/nautanki number 'Kajrare ' that is bound to be a yet another fun number in the movie while B and B are out for yet another loot. Shankar Mahadevan and Javed Ali lend fine support to Alisha who is a revelation as a singer with this genre. Again not a number that you would hum around but enjoy while it runs on the screen.
'Bunty Aur Babli' does not contain your routine Yash Chopra genre of music that are choreographed around the meadows and Swiss alps. They are more of situational rhythmic tracks that take a story forward. Yes, there are 2-3 tracks that are get on you with the word GO - like the title song and 'Dhadak Dhadak' . The album will show good sales for the next few days and then stabilize after the initial euphoria associated with a Yash Raj flm's music is through. After then, depending upon the picturisation and placement of the songs in the movie, the sales may pick up again after the movie's release.
Now this is truly an international assemble for
a mainstream hardcore commercial masala movie.
With UK band Trickbaby coming together with
other musicians like Arash, Aneela Mirza,
Sameeruddin with our very own Vishal Shekhar,
this 13 track 'Bluffmaster' appears to be
one rocking party ahead. Shot as quickie, 'Bluffmaster'
is a Ramesh Sippy production with Rohan Sippy
seated on the director's chair. Starcast of the
movie is the most interesting part as it brings
together Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra
for the first time along with Nana Patekar,
Riteish Deshmukh and Boman Irani. Truly unusual!
Now let's check out the music to see if there is
anything unusual about it! All this while, the news around the music of Bluffmaster was that it would only comprise of remixed versions of yesteryear chartbusters and no original compositions. Well, that's not the case as out of 13 tracks, there are only 4 tracks which are from old Hindi movies while a couple more have some brief samples from the oldies.
Mehmood's evergreen 'Sabse Bada Rupaiyya' is remixed by Trickbaby while keeping the original voice intact. The way this 3 decade old song has been remixed with additional vocals of Chetna and Saira Hussain gives it a groovy feel. An additional rhythm with foot tapping beats makes the song enjoyable. The song is currently on air and after a few hearings grows on you and makes you hum it along all the way.
'Say Na Say Na' is an instant HIT from the word GO as it has a distinct UK Bhangra-pop feel to it. A celebration song with lots of 'dhol', what impresses from the very beginning is Aneela's voice that sounds out amongst the crowd and has an identity of its own. An Aneela, Robert and Arash number, the song is one of its kinds due to the overall pitch that the song takes. Aneela has deep vocals and she comes up with an effective rendition while singing 'Say Na' at a low pitch. Its promotion should begin right away.
Interested in hearing a remix for a number half a century old? Then plug on to 'Tadbir Se Bigdi Hui Taqdeer - Destiny Mix' that begins with Abhishek Bachchan talking about the nuances of his profession only to be followed by Geeta Dutt's golden melody from Baazi presented in a modern avtaar by Sameeruddin. Listen to the beats and you would clearly see the clear difference between the run of the mill remixes that appear as a part of Top 10, 20, 50 albums and this version that has, yet again, a groovy feel to it.
After number of actors trying their hands at
singing, it is now the turn of Abhishek Bachchan
to follow suit with rendition of a full fledged
song 'Right Here Right Now'. A song that
is primarily in Hindi with some bits here and
there in English, it is an original composition
by Vishal Shekhar with Sunidhi Chauhan giving
company to Bachchan. A smooth sailing number
that is neither too slow nor fast, it is middle
of the road that makes you just dance along
smoothly with your partner in arms. A rhythmic
number that also appears as a 'remix', it
has Abhishek Bachchan doing a good job with a
balanced performance while Sunidhi Chauhan is,
as always, reliable! After an original 'Right Here Right Now' comes a song from the Trickbaby album 'Hanging Around' that has lyrics that go like 'Parde Ke Peeche - 9 Parts Of Desire'. A situational track set completely in a Western mode; it is of the kind that would be more understandable when seen in the context of the movie. It also comes as 'Parde Ke Peeche' that has Hindi lyrics by Jaideep Sahni. Completely unconventional for a regular commercial Bollywood movie, it would be interesting to see how and where is this piece included as a part of the movie. 'The Gateway Theme' that follows next is a short musical piece by Sameeruddin and makes a good impression. It reminds one of the kind of love moments that are captured in Hollywood movies with the help of soothing melodies.
'Bure Bure/Boro Boro' sung in Persian by the Sweden based Iranian singer Arash is a fast paced catchy track with good usage of 'Bhangra' beats in the background. Arash already had a hit with this in Europe. Jaideep Sahni is credited for the Hindi lyrics but one can hardly find any Hindi lyrics throughout the track.
After some 'unusual' tracks comes the remix
version of the title track of 'Do Aur Do
Paanch' that has been remixed by Sameeruddin.
The track has just the first two lines of the
original song making an appearance here and
there, with rest of the track being ONE LONG
musical piece. It is only towards the very end
of the track that at least the opening of the
original song comes in entirety. A passable
track that may appeal only to those who are
die-hard fans of remixes! It becomes a bit of too much when someone tries to plug in the cover versions of 'Eena Meena Deeka'[Aasha] in 'Shayad Meri Shaadi Ka Khayal' [Souten]. Titled 'Indi-Yarn', it is in fact one BIG yawn composed (?) by Trickbaby. Weakest track of the album, it is a big letdown as it neither entertains nor makes you care about giving it a hearing second time around. The makers of 'Bluffmaster' would have to be very creative if they manage to fit this into the narrative of the movie.
Next track to follow is 'Neela', again by Trickbaby, and is yet another extended musical piece that may find a flavor in the lounges. Bluffmaster theme 'Come Fishing' come towards the end and just like some crossover movies has small little dialogue pieces incorporated as a part of the short musical track. There is some wit and humor thrown in this 3 minute track that could be used for promotional purpose but that's about it.
One gets a feeling after hearing 'Bluffmaster' that it tries too hard to be 'different'. Things can be indeed interesting when being 'different' but still they need to be in commercial realms to be picked up in dozens by the moviegoers. For those who love hearing Western pop, the music of 'Bluffmaster' is identifiable due to its distinct appeal. But hardcore Bollywood followers or for this matter even Indi-pop lovers still have some time to go before they are in a position to absorb the feel of 'Bluffmaster'. In nutshell, it is too risky a musical score for a mainstream Bollywood movie score to make a killing at the music ic Review
There is an interesting theory that surrounds the star-cast of 'Bardaasht'. After Bobby Deol's recently released 'Kismat' failed where he was paired with ex-Miss World Priyanka Chopra, he is soon ready with his second consecutive actioner 'Bardaasht' where he is paired with ex-Miss Universe Lara Dutta. The film also stars Ritesh Deshmikh, Tara Sharma and Rahul Dev who plays the main villain in this actioner by E Niwas who directed 'Dum' last year. This flick has music by Himesh Reshammiya and lyrics by Sameer who are still basking in the glory of super-successful 'Tere Naam'.
There is something about the pairing of Himesh Reshammiya and Udit Narayan. While Udit Narayan sang with his heart in the title song of Himesh's 'Tere Naam', he does well in the opening song of 'Bardaasht' - 'Silsile Mulaqaton Ke' as well. Though 'Silsile' is more routine in nature when compared to 'Tere Naam', the similarity here is about Udit Narayan's vocals that sound as fresh as they were more than a decade back. Even in a regular song like this, which has lyrics by Sameer, he seems to be immensely interested in the proceedings and sings with his heart IN. This turns out to be a fine song, which is elevated mainly due to the rendering of Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik. For a change, you don't even mind an instrumental of the same appearing, once the quota of regular songs is through.
Shaan sounds very different in the song 'Aap Ki Khata Aap Ki Bewafai' where he deviates from his boyish rendition to more mature one. A duet where the lead couple is shown trying to resolve some conflicts by mutual agreement, it is easy on the ears. Sameer's lyrics too deserve a mention which are simple [as always] yet effective in conveying the emotions. Alka Yagnik is good as well in this situational song that also appears in an instrumental.
Old world charm of the early 90s is back in Udit Narayan's 'Dil Mera Dil Na Maane'. Himesh Reshammiya and Udit Narayan create the same effect of soft music with an earthy feel as was prevalent in the songs of Tere Naam. A sad song where the protagonist is remembering the good old times they shared when they were together, it is not path breaking by any means, yet is nice to listen due to it's sheer simplicity and fine music. Alka Yagnik vocals too appear in the background but strangely she is not credited on the album cover. However she is duly credited when she sings the female version of the same track. In fact it's the same trend in this version where Udit Narayan's vocals appear in the background but he is not credited. Interesting, isn't it?
'Janabe Ali' is a modern day club song, which has a mix of British march-past signature tune, pop, rap and desi Indian music. Picturised on Ritesh Deshmukh, the song doesn't come anywhere near to recent club hits like 'It's the time to Disco' (Kal Ho Na Ho) or 'Ishq Khudai' (Rudraksh) or 'Pyaar Aaya Pyaar Aaya' (Plan). The song is, at best, just an average fare and may just be liked by some college-visiting folks, that's it!
Follows next is another love duet that seems to have been picturised again on Ritesh Deshmukh and Tara Sharma. In the tradition of Himesh Reshammiya and Sameer's earlier hits where they have mixed some English lyrics in the flow of Hindi songs, 'Na Na Na Na Re' also follows the similar trends and incorporates lyrics like 'I want to hug you, kiss you, love you' in between. Alisha Chinoy and Kunal Ganjawala sing this song well but somehow the overall effect is again - just average.
In the end, it's mainly 'Silsile Mulaqaton Ke', 'Aap Ki Khata' and to some extent 'Dil Mera Dil Na Maane' that sustain the album. These 3 songs too, would also cater to mainly those who like to listen to traditional Bollywood melodies. Overall the entire album is just about OK and would be an average preposition in totality.
Bewafaa Music Review
When you have a stellar starcast of Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Sushmita Sen, Kareena Kapoor, Manoj Bajpai, Shamita Shetty at your end, Dharmesh Darshan handling the direction reins, Sahara One and Boney Kapoor as the producers and the ever reliable Nadeem Shravan and Sameer taking care of the musical score, you can be rest assured that the project cannot go wrong! ' Bewafa ' is that project that has been in circulation since it's inception, notwithstanding it being an alleged remake of yesteryear's goldie ' Gumraah '. Scheduled to release this winter, it has an interesting catch line - 'When cultures meet', since the story travels all the way from Canada to India.
2004 has been an eventful year for Kareena Kapoor, where she had critically acclaimed performances in ' Chameli ' and ' Dev ', average box office results in ' Yuva ' and ' Fida ' while Hits in the shape of ' Aitraaz ' and ' Hulchul '. One waits to see if Dharmesh Darshan gives Kareena Kapoor her ' Raja Hindustani ' as he gave one to elder sis Karisma. Initial promos on the screen have been very exciting and have already created a stir. One has extremely high expectations from the musical score of ' Bewafaa ' that is pitted to be one of the best works of Nadeem Shravan so far. Let's hear on to see if the claims do carry enough weight!
Udit Narayan is in his natural charm once more in ' Ek Dilruba Hai ' that follows the path where Nadeem Shravan have always tasted success. Sameer's lyrics are sugar coated and the song makes for an extremely humable, immensely catchy and feel good mood. Listen to it once and you are sure to get hooked to it for the rest of the day. Shaan too croons a couple of lines of the same song as a short one-minute solo ' Pyaar Ki Raahein '.
Sonu Nigam comes up with a pop version of the same number as ' Ek Bewafa Hai ' that has an amazing orchestra again, which changes the entire mood of the song. Especially look out for the female vocal that gives excellent support to Sonu after every alternate line of his. The number has a thumping effect and is reminiscent of ' Ek Haseena Thi ' from ' Karz ' in terms of look and feel. This is definitely the best track of the album.
Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik come together for the ' Aksar Is Duniya Mein ' ( Dhadkan ) sound alike - ' Pyaar Ka Anjaam ', that is another very good song in succession after ' Ek Dilruba Hai '. And yes, one is assured after hearing to this that Sameer is at his best when he is writing for Dharmesh Darshan and Nadeem Shravan. A situational love song, it is quite melodious with an excellent rendering by both the lead singers. Musical arrangement is impressive as well and the song makes one look forward to the rest of the album.
A big surprise is in store for Lataji's fans who
will get a rare chance of hearing her to a
Nadeem Shravan composition. ' Kaise
Piya Se ' is a happy song about a
female waiting for her lover to come so that she
can express her love to him. There are traces of
' Arrey Re Areey Ye Kya Hua ' from '
Dil To Paagal Hai ' both in terms of
music and lyrics but that seems just a
coincidence. There is more for the music lovers
in the shape of the song's '
Instrumental '. Melody continues in full flow with Abhijeet crooning to ' Ishq Chupta Nahi '. A love song that could also have been a ghazal, it is about - 'There is no use trying to hide love as I have been your admirer since ages'. A soothing number that could well be one of the best soft numbers of this year, it re-establishes the belief that Nadeem Shravan are the best when it comes to deep rooted melody.
One says 'What's that??' when one reads the next song on the CD cover as ' Kehta Hai Kabutar '. The song appears after 4 good melodies and there are serious doubts if it will spoil the wonderful effect the album had so far on the listeners! A fast paced item/situational number that seems to have been choreographed on Manoj Bajpai and Shamita Shetty (who play gray characters in the movie), it does come as a speed breaker in terms of flow of the album after some beautiful love songs. But Ashaji and Shaan do get in the skin of the characters and somehow manage to keep one engaged.
Lataji, Ashaji and now Ghulam Ali saab - Boney Kapoor, Dharmesh Darshan and TIPS definitely have a jackpot in store for them at the fag end of 2004! ' Yaad Yaad Yaad ' by Ghulam Ali saab is eight minutes of sheer bliss that deserves to be heard over and over again. Sameer is at his best as well and one wonders why is he routine at certain occasions? ' Yaad ' is rather long but does one mind that? Doesn't seem so! ' Drum Beat instrumental' marks the end of this rather impressive album that should do wonders for the producer Boney Kapoor who has been having rough times off late. A zippy western instrumental, it should sound mind blowing in a DTS/DOLBY equipped theatre.
' Bewafaa ' is what one would have really wanted before 2004 closes. A great mass appealing album that carries good class as well, it should be soon racing towards the one million sales figure. One won't be surprised if by early 2005, it becomes one of the fastest selling albums of last few months. Music Review
Aadesh Srivastava must be a happy man. He has his dream come true with Baghban where he composes all the tracks of an his guru (as he fondly calls him) Amitabh Bachchan starrer, without sharing credits with anyone else (as has happened to him a number of times !!) To add to it, he also manages to convince the mighty B to sing 4 tracks, which he has never done in his 3 decades plus career so far !! Another highlight is the casting coup that reunites Big B and Hema Malini after about two decades (they came together in Satte Pe Satta and Andhaa Kanoon last !!). Salman Khan, who was added to the star-cast when he was at the rock bottom of his career, has now suddenly turned out to be a trump card for the movie, as he has emerged victorious with the heartening response to 'Tere Naam'. Mahima Chaudhary, who did a guest appearance with Salman in Tere Naam, plays his love interest in this flick !! In addition is the younger star-cast comprising of Aman Verma (PJPSNJ, Andaaz, Koi Hai), Rimi Sen (Hungama), Sameer Soni (China Gate, Kahan Ho Tum) and Nazir (Aashiq, Yeh Mohabbat Hai). Produced by veteran BR Chopra and directed by Ravi Chopra, Baghban (which means a gardener !), that has lyrics by Sameer, tells the story of parents who raise their children with lots of hard work, love and affection in the hope that one fine day, when they are old, they will get the same in return from their children. BUT, does that really happen?
Starting with the numbers choreographed on AB (as the majority of them are), there are 3 dance tracks - 'Meri Makhna Meri Soniye', 'Chali Chali' and 'Hori Khele Raghuveera' !! All the three numbers are presently on the air and it is really difficult to distinguish as to which number outsmarts the other !! 'Meri Makhna...' is exactly how 'Soni Teri Chaal Soni Re' begins, which is sung by Sudesh Bhonsle (who, as always, does a perfect voiceover for Big B) and Alka Yagnik, who croons for still so gorgeous and refreshingly charming Hema Malini !! A number on the lines of earlier Aadesh hit 'Sona Sona' - Major Saab, it is a blockbuster from the very first note and destined to be extremely popular. But hold on !! This is not all as 'Chali Chali' and 'Hori Khele..' are soon to follow !! 'Chali Chali' is primarily a youth-oriented track where Amitabh literally lets his hair down and joins the young brigade in their celebrations. He himself sings this catchy number along with Alka Yagnik, Hema Sardesai and Aadesh Srivastava. The number is also elevated due to Amitabh's vintage dance steps. Even Aadesh sings his own version for this track in duet with Hema Sardasai and both do sound enthusiastic. Aadesh does his best and is honest in doing full justice to the number. Another winner for both Amitabh, Aadesh and the viewers !!
'Hori Khele Raguveera' is, as the lyrics convey, a holi number snug by Amitabh, Sukhwinder Singh, Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan. Probably the only holi number picturised on Big B after the legendary 'Rang Barse' from Silsila about 2 decades back, it is superb from the word GO and is going to be played for times to come !! Sameer is wonderful in the lyrics department that are simple and witty and the choreography too is splendid. Add to it the excitement to watch Amitabh doing another holi number and you have a ace in hand !!
On the sober side, there is are 'Aarti - Om Jai Jagadish', 'Main Yahan Tu Wahan' and 'O Dharti Tarse Ambar Barse' !! Whereas the ever popular Aarti is sung by Udit Narayan and Sneha Pant, 'Main Yahan' is sung by Amitabh and Alka Yagnik whereas 'O Dharti' is rendered by Amitabh along with Richa Sharma. 'Main Yaha Tu Wahan' is a cry out of the pain due to separation from the loved ones and it is remarkable to see Big B doing an extraordinary rendering even at the age of 60 !! His selectivity in singing songs pays here and Aadesh has definitely succeeded in getting the best out of him. An excellent number it does have hints of 'Yeh Safar Bahaut Hai Kathin Safar' from 1942-A Love Story !! 'O Dharti', which is mainly the title song of the movie, is primarily a Richa Sharma number which is again a sad number !! Though situational, it brings a lump in the throat and conveys the emotions very well.
Among all these good numbers is also the sole romantic song, choreographed on Salman and Mahima - 'Pehle Kabhi'. A feel good pleasant number sung by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik, it doesn't disappoint, though it is no different than any other regular Bollywood 'pyaar-mohabbat' number !!
To summarise, there is no single track in 'Baghban' that can be singled out to be 'not good'. All the tracks stand out as per the situation and do well. This is how an album should be designed and after years of struggle and trying to put a strong foothold in the industry, it seems that the time has come for Aadesh to get the recognition he so very well deserves !!
A MUST BUY.Blackmail Music Review
On numerous occasions, there are films that come without a whimper due to a non-existent starcast or unknown banner - a recent example being ' Yehi Hai Zindagi '. But it is very rare to see a movie with a big starcast suddenly arriving on the scene and making one repeat the question - "Now where does this movie come from?" This time the movie in question is 'Blackmail'! Starring Ajay Devgan, Sunil Shetty, Priyanka Chopra and Dia Mirza, it was a big surprise to watch the promos on the small screen as people were hardly aware about the movie while it was being shot. In the days of intense publicity when a movie is always in news from the time of finalizing the starcast till the day it's last print is out of the theatres, a film like 'Blackmail' being ready for release does come up as a surprise. Directed by Anil Devgan (who last came up with ' Raju Chacha '), 'Blackmail' is a Shyam Bajaj-Narendra Bajaj production that has music by Himesh Reshammiya and lyrics by Sameer.
From a movie like ' Blackmail ' that belongs to a thriller genre and has two action heroes, there is nothing great that can be expected in terms of music. But Himesh Reshammiya's name on the credits does promise at least a couple of hummable tunes. The faith affirms when one hears the first song of the album ' Jaana Nahi Tha ' ,it does sound good. Sung by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik, it is a melodious romantic track that does entertain for a while. It belongs to the typical 'Himesh school of music' - if we may call it so - and follows a typical path that works. T-Series follows a 'typical path' as well and presents an ' Instrumental ' of the same. This makes one ask the oft-repeated question again - "Who is really interested inlistening to instrumentals or different versions of the same song named part I and part II, slight changes dont change the song"
The opening music of ' Tune Ki Bekarari ' is similar to Reshammiya's ' Bhool Na Jaana ' from ' Humraaz '. And from thereon, there are slight traces of ' Har Kisiko Nahi Milta ' from ' Jaanbaaz '. Overall this second love song in a succession is quite ordinary towards its end in spite of some good rendering by Shaan and Alka Yagnik with Jayesh, (as usual), providing the background vocals at places. With this number, things go achingly overboard as there is not one, not two but THREE more versions of the same song. And these three additional versions as ' Part I, II and III ' are sung multiple times by Shaan and Jayesh! phew!
' Akhiyan Lada Jaa ' is a sweet-n-innocent number by Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan and one feels sad that such song has been wasted in an action flick when it could easily have been a strong point for a romantic musical.The various little sweet nothings in the number sound interesting as the song flows. This is the best song of the album and for a change, one doesn't really mind the repetition of the number where it comes in the 'Rhythm' version.
So far it was all melody and nothing else. So where is the place for a hot-n-sizzling item number? Well the wait is over and this time it is, hold your breath, an ' Imli ' that is there to do the trick! While Jayesh starts the number with his background vocal and a bunch of girls providing the sensual overtones, Hema Sardesai starts off with her details about the ' khaati and meethi imli '. Thank goodness for technology because you can actually click on 'NEXT' and move on.Consequent to the best track - ' Akhiyan Lada Jaa ', comes up the saddest part of the album.
Traditional Laxmikant Pyarelal brand of music comes in the form of ' Kaun Kehta Hai ' in the end of the album. Udit Narayan and Shreya Ghoshal go through the motions primarily while Sameer's lyrics are a just a repetition. A song that could have been designed for Anuradha Paudwal instead, it may not even be found in the actual run of the movie.
' Blackmail ' has a couple of decent tunes that do entertain while the rest of tracks are not bad either (with the exception of the horrendous ' Imli ' that is simply unacceptable). Just like the music of ' Elaan ' that was released a few days back, ' Blackmail ' too has some passable music for an actioner and is in fact even a little better when it comes to melody. A number like ' Akhiyan Ladae Jaa ' or ' Jaana Nahi Tha ' could have fit in even in a feel good romantic movie and hence work for 'Blackmail' to give it chance of some average musical sales. Aashiqe Banaya Aapne Music Review
All eyes are on the music of this Emraan Hashmi
starrer 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne'. And why
not when regardless of the fate of some of his
movies, their music has always been successful.
Footpath, Murder, Tumsa Nahi Dekha, Zeher
- each of them did good business in terms of
album sales with Chocolate too destined
for a similar fate. Will ABA, a Balabhai
production directed by debutant Aaditya Dutt too
join the list? Let's read on.
As things stand now, former Miss India Tanushree Dutta who is the sole lead heroine in ABA would make her debut with Emraan Hashmi, regardless of whether 'Chocolate' release first or ABA. Sonu Sood forms the third angle of this love triangle cum thriller that has music by Himesh Reshammiya and lyrics by Sameer. With good hopes of yet another melodious score by Reshammiya, one plays on the music album of ABA.
Himesh Reshammiya turns singer in a big way with the soundtrack of ABA where he croons as many as 6 tracks (though some of them being multiple versions) out of a total 9. The first to arrive is the title song 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne'. A beautiful rhythm given a melodious feel by Reshammiya's ear pleasing tune and some soothing music arrangements, the number is highly catchy on the first listening itself. Sameer's lyrics compliment the mushy mood extremely well while Reshammiya's stint behind the mike is quite positive. He sings in a 'sufiana andaaz' while maintaining a contemporary touch hence coming up with a beautiful number that would be remembered for some time. Shreya Ghoshal is the female singer roped in for the track but undoubtedly it is Reshammiya's song [both musically and rendition-wise] all the way.
One looks forward to how the 'Remix' by
Akbar Sami of such a track would sound once you
see it coming your way. But to your pleasant
surprise it turns out to be quite trendy with an
increased pace and some solid discotheque beats.
The graph of the track is turned completely
upside down with this solo by Reshammiya that
should be used for the promotion of the movie a
la the fast versions of 'Dhoom', 'Woh Lamhe'
[Zeher], 'Baras Ja' [Fareb] and 'Bunty
Aur Babli' were used.
A warm welcome to the Indian Idol Abhijeet Sawant to the world of playback singing who croons his first ever song for a Bollywood flick - 'Mar Jaawan Mit Jaawan'. A fun-filled high-paced heavy-on-beats song that get you feet moving with the very first note, it shows you an altogether different facet of Abhijeet Sawant who had formed a 'boy next door' lovey dovey soft image for himself. This is because in this duet with Sunidhi Chauhan, he gets in a playful mode and makes you hit the dance floor in this routine yet entertaining tune by Reshammiya.
Sufiana mood of the album returns after a short 'bhangra' break with 'Aap Ki Kashish', yet another great number with Reshammiya at the helm as a singer. A track belonging to the genre of Pakistani pop, this is yet another rhythmic fusion track sung by Reshammiya, Krishna and Ahir who tag along well to deliver a song with a punch. A well-worded catchy number that you would see yourself singing soon after hearing a couple of times, this is yet another track that impresses in a big way after the title song. Also, such is the beauty of the song 'Aap Ki Kashish' that it appears two more times. First with just Reshammiya and Ahir coming together in a duet and then the 'remix' of the same appearing in the end. Just like the title song, here too the remix by Akbar Sami is quite impressive and one can easily put on the number in a repeat mode while on a long drive.
KK does a complete voice modulation for his take
on 'Dilnashin Dilnashin'. Yet another
foot tapping number that may not be having a
similar punch as the two wonderful tracks before
it, it still is decent enough as a filler in the
album. Again a high-on-beats number with a
traditional flavor, 'Dilnashin' too
appears in a remix, this time by Chetas.
Sad, but Ali Zafar's 'Rangeen' from his recent album 'Huqa Pani' is ripped off as 'Dillagi Mein Jo Beet Jaaye Zindagi', a seemingly campus track that has a full force of Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Himesh Reshammiya, Jayesh Gandhi, Sunidhi Chauhan and Vasundhara Das lending their vocals. If one ignores the source behind the inspiration, this fun track written by Muddassar Aziz reminds of the Nasir Hussain - R.D.Burman compositions that one heard in the 70s. No doubt it's an enjoyable track but one wonders if an otherwise original Heshammiya really had to zero-in on this tune?
Go and have a great time with the title song 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne' and 'Aap Ki Kashish'. These two numbers are good enough reasons to go for the music album that successfully showcases Reshammiya's prowess as a singer. Aksar Music Review
'Aksar'
stars Emraan Hashmi.
'Aksar' has music by Himesh Reshammiya while Sameer writes.
Emraan Hashmi has an enviable music record for each of his flicks he has done in the past.
Himesh Reshammiya's career graph has been soaring in an exponential manner for the last couple of years.
Do we need to say more?
Fresh after the success of 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne' [that is still selling like hot cakes], the team of Himesh Reshammiya and Emraan Hashmi is back with 'Aksar' that is the third directorial attempt of Anant Mahadevan after a musical 'Dil Vil Pyaar Vyaar' and a romantic-comedy 'Dil Maange More'. With a tagline of "Seduction, Scandal and Suspense", one is sure that 'Aksar' is designed as a sex-thriller. With Dino Morea, Udita Goswami, Irrfan Khan and Tara Sharma forming the rest of the starcast, this Shyam Bajaj production has suddenly become a hot property both inside and outside the industry since the time its promo first came on air.
'Aksar' has five unique songs with an astonishing 12 tracks in total, which means number of remixes for most of the songs. And is anyone complaining? Certainly not! Himesh Reshammiya fans get to hear his voice for all the three versions of the song 'Jhalak Dikhlaja'. The track appears first as the original version followed by a 'Remix' and an 'Unplugged' version.
SUPERHIT - that's how one describes the prospects of the opening track 'Jhalak Dikhlaja' that has a unique nasal effect given to it by Reshammiya, which makes it quite enjoyable and entertaining. Neither is it a dance number nor a conventional sufi track or a typical love song but its a perfect combination of rhythm, melody and musical arrangements that make it highly catchy and hence a kind of number that makes it stand out from the rest of the crowd. Reshammiya, Sameer and Hashmi can easily count this track as yet another popular song that should rock the country for the next few months to come! Expect cheers all over the auditorium, especially in single screen theatres, when this song is played.
It’s simply amazing the way tempo builds up for the remix version of 'Jhalak'. The pace of the song remains same but the musical instruments that accompany the lyrics and fill in the spaces make it a perfect contender for a promotional music video to be created for it. At the end of the album comes the 'Unplugged' version that has Reshammiya holding the center stage as a singer with just 3-4 instruments playing in the background. Look out for the 'tabla' that plays out throughout, which makes the song further spicy. All the three versions keep you engaged with not a single moment of overkill or boredom.
'Laagi Laagi Laagi Prem Dhun Laagi' comes in next, again in an original and remix version, both by Reshammiya and Sunidhi Chauhan. A sufi-western fusion that sounds good on the first hearing itself, it has Reshammiya changing tracks as a singer by being more 'free-flow' in his rendition rather than a little 'forceful' as in 'Jhalak'. He truly seems to be relaxed and one can almost visualize him truly enjoying his stint behind the mike. A good love song with a strong melodious base, it is yet another hit track in the making. The 'remix' version is higher on bass effect and pace that gives it a 'Club' feel. As like all the tracks so far, you jump on to this track as well. After hearing this track, one wonders why did Reshammiya not apply his singing skills during all these years in the industry?
After getting completely overshadowed in 'Laagi Laagi', Sunidhi Chauhan returns with 'Soniye' that has an original and a remix version to boast and pairs her opposite K.K. After hearing the song one realizes that 'Soniye' is primarily a K.K. song with just a passage by Sunidhi Chauhan in English. A soft-n-mellow song with a message of 'I love you so much that I can't think of life beyond you', it has K.K. rendering the track quite well while giving different shades to it in its 5 minutes duration. The 'remix' version that follows next changes track to become more of a peppy dance number without going overboard with unwanted beats and jazzy effects.
With everything going in its favor so far, the album has 'Mohabbat Ke' coming next that is sung by newcomer Tulsi. The track is in fact the title song as it goes like 'Aksar Dil Tujhe Yaad Karta Hai Yaar'. Sameer spins an altogether different tale through his lyrics for this terrific track that is surely on its way to be another chartbuster. A thumping fast paced number that belongs to 'jump-on-the-dance-floor' genre; it is destined to be an instant hit regardless of whether it is choreographed on Emraan or Dino. Watch out for its music video, especially the one that may come for its 'remix' version that carries on the party mood. It should ROCK!
'Loot Jayenge' is primarily sung by Kunal Ganjawala with Reshammiya's regular Jayesh Gandhi chipping in intermittently. It is a rhythmic high-on-beats number that fits well with the album's proceedings. A song that again follows the theme of 'I can't live without you', it has a lively feel to it and sounds much better in the 'remix' version.
After all the party, fun and 'hungama' comes 'Aksar theme' that begins on a soft note with an excellent use of piano. In fact the effect is such that it reminds of the background score of number of Mahesh Bhatt movies. The female vocal that comes next is enchanting as well that gives the track a grand appeal. But soon there is a twist in the tale with the theme music catching on pace yet retaining the haunting feel. True to the movie's tagline, the theme music conveys it all – Seduction, Scandal and Suspense!
'Aksar' is a 'safe album' that has the backing of star power coupled with some genuinely good music and lyrics. As days progress, it is sure that one would hear more and more about the movie's songs. A surefire success!
Ankahee Music Review
"Ankahee" – Something that is unsaid! But
Vikram Bhatt chooses to do otherwise and opts to
tell a story that is close to his heart. With a
strong buzz about the germ of the film's idea
being derived from Vikram's own relationship in
the past with Sushmita Sen, 'Ankahee' is
a PNC production. When a film comes from the
house of Pritish Nandy, it is rest assured that
the film would boast of good production values
and a rich look. The same holds true for this
Aftab Shivdasani, Esha Deol, Amisha Patel
starrer that has music by Pritam and lyrics by
Sameer, Amitabh Verma and Subrat Sinha. Pritam
has recently scored some points for his music in
'Gangster' [though there are some
"inspirations" from across the border] and it
would be interesting to see how does his score
in 'Ankahee' fare!
When you want to hear the song again from the beginning when you are just half way through, it is sure that there is something about its lyrics that have managed to do the trick as you want to catch the nuances of every word. The same holds good for 'Ek Pal Ke Liye' that is a sensitively written song and one of the best tracks to have arrived this year. Melodious in nature and boasting of some honest rendition by KK, 'Ek Pal Ke Liye' is about 'being' with your loved one and spending as much time as possible in that "single moment".
Shreya Ghoshal too gets a piece of the cake as she arrives to another version of 'Ek Pal' with her solo. Nevertheless, one would still prefer a far more spirited version by KK that came earlier on. Things only continue to get further more entertaining as Sonu Nigam too gets an opportunity to sing his solo version and the results are excellent, just as it is expected from a singer like him. An excellently worded song by Amitabh Verma, 'Ek Pal' is a beautiful 'candle-light' song to which you want to sway with your partner in dim lights.
When there are only guitars in the name of
musical instruments, you know that it is going
to be yet another melodious outing. This time
around it is Kunal Ganjawala to find his place
in the album with 'Tumse Yu Milenge' and
he continues to do the good work done by his
seniors in the album so far. Yet another well
worded song, this time by Subrat Sinha, it is
about a man who is happy to be back with the
person with whom he was close once upon a time.
Babul Supriyo is the singer who appears towards
the fag end of the album and croons Sameer
written 'Lamha', a different version of 'Tumse
Yu Milenge' where the tune remains same but
the lyrics change completely. The mood of the
song stays in the same vein as created by 'Ek
Pal Ke Liye', both in terms of music and
lyrics, hence making you enjoy every moment in
the album so far.
At this point of time, one starts wondering why the album is not being promoted as aggressively as it truly deserves. In the times of on-your-face publicity of the likes of 'Tom Dick and Harry', 'Gangster' and 'Shaadi Se Pehle', 'Ankahee' faces the risk of getting lost if its promotion continues at the same pace!
After KK, Sonu Nigam, Babul Supriyo and Kunal Ganjawala, it's the time for Shaan to croon a number in 'Ankahee', hence making the album a complete packaged affair! He sings the title song 'Ankahee', which has some really meaningful lyrics by Sameer who writes something tangentially different from his usual 'masala' songs. 'Ankahee' is a situational track that again has its base set in melody and has a distinct RD Burman feel to it. There is love, pain, sadness and some questions, all blend into one in 'Ankahee' that is also sung by Kunal Ganjawala in its second version. It is much more haunting and slower in pace with minimal musical instruments in the background. A track that deserves to be given a closer hearing, it involves you and should be appearing as a part of the film's background score.
'Aa Paas Aa' comes at the very end and is
a solo, just like all the other songs in the
album. It is about a woman asking her lover to
be with her. In continuation to the mood of the
entire album, this one too has a haunting feel
to it with melody as a base, though in
comparison with songs like 'Ek Pal' and 'Tumse
Yu Milenge', it's a little behind. It should
work well as a part of the narrative though!
There are number of things that work for 'Ankahee' but what stands out in the end are not just Pritam's tunes or rendition by the singers but most importantly the lyrics by Sameer, Amitabh Verma and Subrat Sinha that make you hear the songs multiple number of times. 'Ankahee' is one of the rare albums where each of the songs seem to be telling a story than just being there as a prop. There is that distinct quality about the words in each of the songs that one almost starts believing that Vikram Bhatt truly has a sensitive story close to its heart that he is about to unveil on screen!
Banaras Music Review
Now this is one musical score that we definitely
want to check out this season. After all the
composer at the helm is Himesh Reshammiya who
created music for 'Banaras – A Mystic Love
Story' way before he was known as Himesh
Reshammiya - THE SINGER/COMPOSER. Also, the
theme of the movie is completely different from
the masala/romantic flicks for which he has
successfully composed in the recent past. With a
mystic/spiritual context of 'Banaras - A
Mystic Love Story', it should be a real
testing ground for Reshammiya to prove his
prowess when it comes to core Indian music. With
lyrics by Sameer, this LC Singh movie is
directed by Pankaj Parashar who himself changes
lanes to direct a film that promises to bridge
the gap between art and commerce. Starring
Urmila Matondkar, Ashmit Patel, Dimple Kapadia,
Raj Babbar and Naseeruddin Shah in principal
roles, 'Banaras – A Mystic Love Story'
releases this April.
As expected, it’s Reshammiya-the singer, who opens the album with 'Kitna Pyar Kartein Hain'. Sound of piano that comes in the very beginning reminds of the signature background piece from 'Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahin' and makes for a good start. A surprise is in store as you will hear a completely different Reshammiya in this love song with a good classical base. He sings the number in a low pitch, which is in complete contrast to what we have been used to hearing of him. A slow moving number, it also turns out to be quite similar to Adnan Sami's 'Tera Chehra' at number of places. Nevertheless, in totality 'Kitna Pyaar Kartein Hai' is easy on ears and makes for a decent hearing. After Reshammiya, its Alka Yagnik’s turn to come behind the mike for her own version and as expected does quite well.
Next to come is a soothing love song 'Ishq
Mein Dilko', which is in the same mould as
Himesh Reshammiya songs from around a couple of
years back. If you feel that it has been an
overdose of the likes of 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne',
'Aksar' and 'Aap Ka Surroor' from
the composer-singer then its time to hit
nostalgia with 'Ishq Mein Dilko' that
brings to you the Reshammiya of the past. The
soft number is repeated twice in the vocals of
Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan and you don't
really mind it due to its melodious feel.
Nothing overtly exceptional so far but good old
Bollywood mush and romance!
There haven't been many Holi numbers in the past with just a handful actually turning out to be popular. Though the film 'Banaras – A Mystic Love Story' is releasing a few weeks after Holi has gone by, one checks on 'Rang Dalo' to check how far can it go? The song does have an old world feel to it and does make you tap your feet at places, but that's about it. The song has a folksy flavor to it and you actually get to hear the folk version too after a gap. While the earlier version had Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal teaming up, the folk version brings together Sonu along with female singer Sailesh. An okay number, its presence should be restricted to the theatres where it is screened but won't go the distance to register itself in the list of all time popular songs.
A song that appears to be the introduction song
of Urmila, 'Purab Se' is a song about
sunrise and the prayers that go along with it.
Shreya Ghoshal sings this song with a classical
base, while Sameer's lyrics bring the feel of
this devotional song fine too but its audiences
would be restricted tBOOM Music
Review
What happens when the fashion world meets the underworld? What happens when the ramp queens of the likes of Padma Lakshmi, Madhu Sapre, Katrina Kaif with veterans Zeenat Aman and, hold on, Bo Derek meet macho men like Big B, Jackie Shroff, Jaaved Jaaferi and BAD MAN Gulshan Grover? What happens when Kaizad Gustad, director of whacky Bombay Boys (starring Nasserruddin Shah), joins hands with producer Ayesha Shroff and plans to put all this on the celluloid.
Whoosh !!! BOOM IS BORN !!!
This slick'n' stylised movie about the fashion world and the underworld has been making the rounds of international circuit for some time now and soon is about to be released in India. Music is certainly novel, at least for the Indian audience as it is mainly a mix of performances from Indian and International artistes. Though again, like the trend is these days, the musical score is mainly inspired by the movie and at most, may just be a bit of background pieces in the movie. Though some of the tracks in the movie are original sound tracks, the majority are international tracks, which have been popular in the West for some years. A few of such tracks are the bhangra pop tracks that are already worldwide hits and are popular in the disc culture. More of this later...!!!
First things first. Boom is meant to be played at high volume. Such is the intensity of the songs that they will sound best in a state-of-art music system.
Well so what do you like?
Bhangra Pop: It's there in abundance.
If you have ever been to a disc in recent times, you won't have missed 'Mundian To Bach Ke' by Punjabi MC and 'Nachna Tere Naal' by Jay Sean and Juggy D. Rocking numbers, they just force you to put on your dancing shoes and jump on the floor. Ideal for party mood !! Another smashing track, which should be extremely popular in just a few days from now, is 'I See You Baby' by Groove Armada. It has to be listened to just once and you know that you are going to play it more and more. Especially interesting in this Punjabi-Hindi-English track is the crooning of 'Don't touch me mainu Baby' in a Punjabi accent. Now this should bring the house down. A very good track.
A Rap and Reggae number: This too is there !!
'Nuttin Happen', a D'Caro number, is a Rap and Reggae track that should go well with those who have grown with the Apache Indian (remember 'Chok There', a number that thrilled the nation about 10 years back)
A seductive number: Well do not expect 'Raat Akeli Hai' or 'Aayo Na Paas Aayo' stuff here. It's different here !!
So what we have is a Sandeep Chowta number, Seduction Savariya) which is sung by his current favorite Sonu Kakkar (we all know about her 'Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo') and Sunitha Parthasarthy. But instead of being harsh and on-the-face kind, it is pretty smooth, especially the initial alaap by Sonu that is simply mesmerizing. Sunitha impresses with the English part of the song assigned to her.
A Sufi number: By now you must be thinking that the album is a mix of everything. Well, hold on !! there is more to come !!
Zindabad, composed by Talvin Singh and sung by Ravi Singh is a song about love and is sung in a 'sufiana andaaz'. One of those rare numbers in the movie, which are purely in Hindi.
Instrumentals: Now this is what we call complete paisa-vasool !!
As if the bhangra tracks were not enough as the dance tracks, we also have a few instrumentals that are enough to rock a late night party. Purely techno and rocking, tracks like 'Dope the Pope' (composed by Sandeep Chowta and sung - though just in the background - by Sukhwindra Singh and Sowmya Roah), Punjabi 5-0 (Dum Dum), Ramp-Age (Sandeep Chowta, Sowmya Roah), Two Dons and a Bitch (Sandeep Chowta), It's Safe (D'Caro) and Bhavani Dayani (Jez Humble) are pretty exciting, though applicable only when the party is in full swing.
The title track: How can we miss that if it is a Hindi movie?
Boom, the title track by Talvin Singh, is a haunting track by Ila Arun that features in two versions - Basic and the Day Guy remix. A situational track that should appear as a background track or when the titles role, it can qualify as the Indian version of Enigma. A very slow and disturbingly haunting track, it showcases the versatility of Ila Arun.
A mandatory song'n'dance number around the trees and croons of 'Pyaar, Ishq aur Mohabbat'
Well, you must be kidding as in a movie like Boom, there cannot be a place for such a track !!
Boom is mainly centered at the hip-hop crowd, which wants to have some fun at a pub or a disc and dance to some whacky music. Try playing Boom at home and your granny may just stare at you annoyingly. But gift it to a 20 something guy and he may just say a big THANK U.
o those who truly appreciate and understand the nuances of such songs. From appreciating sunrise to singing praises about the city 'Banaras' comes a song in quick succession 'Yeh Hai Shaan Banaras Ki'. From 'Om Namaha Shivay' as a part of 'Purab Se' to cheers of 'Har Har Mahadev' in 'Yeh Hai Shaam Banaras Ki', it is a second situational theme number in a row, with singer 'Sanjeev Abhyankar' crooning the track this time around. There is a fusion element to the track too but overall the effect is just about fine rather than being exceptional.
Towards the end comes a 'shuddh' classical number 'Bajooband Khul Khul Jaye', which appears to be a 'mujra' being played somewhere in the lanes of 'Banaras'. Sung by Pranab Kumar who definitely seems to be proficient in classical singing, 'Bajooband' is an extremely short track that may do well on screen for the situation but isn't something that would really catch fancy of a music lover who may have picked up 'Banaras – A Mystic Love Story' with different expectations altogether.
As mentioned earlier, if you look forward to hearing some compositions by Reshammiya that are in complete contrast to what you have been hearing of him for around an year now, then 'Banaras – A Mystic Love Story' may just be the right pick. For an average listener, there are a couple of songs [Kitna Pyar Kartein Hain, Ishq Mein Dilko] in the beginning but rest of the tracks are mainly situational or of the type that would be appreciated mainly by students and followers of Indian classical music.
As things stand now, former Miss India Tanushree Dutta who is the sole lead heroine in ABA would make her debut with Emraan Hashmi, regardless of whether 'Chocolate' release first or ABA. Sonu Sood forms the third angle of this love triangle cum thriller that has music by Himesh Reshammiya and lyrics by Sameer. With good hopes of yet another melodious score by Reshammiya, one plays on the music album of ABA.
Himesh Reshammiya turns singer in a big way with the soundtrack of ABA where he croons as many as 6 tracks (though some of them being multiple versions) out of a total 9. The first to arrive is the title song 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne'. A beautiful rhythm given a melodious feel by Reshammiya's ear pleasing tune and some soothing music arrangements, the number is highly catchy on the first listening itself. Sameer's lyrics compliment the mushy mood extremely well while Reshammiya's stint behind the mike is quite positive. He sings in a 'sufiana andaaz' while maintaining a contemporary touch hence coming up with a beautiful number that would be remembered for some time. Shreya Ghoshal is the female singer roped in for the track but undoubtedly it is Reshammiya's song [both musically and rendition-wise] all the way.
One looks forward to how the 'Remix' by
Akbar Sami of such a track would sound once you
see it coming your way. But to your pleasant
surprise it turns out to be quite trendy with an
increased pace and some solid discotheque beats.
The graph of the track is turned completely
upside down with this solo by Reshammiya that
should be used for the promotion of the movie a
la the fast versions of 'Dhoom', 'Woh Lamhe'
[Zeher], 'Baras Ja' [Fareb] and 'Bunty
Aur Babli' were used. A warm welcome to the Indian Idol Abhijeet Sawant to the world of playback singing who croons his first ever song for a Bollywood flick - 'Mar Jaawan Mit Jaawan'. A fun-filled high-paced heavy-on-beats song that get you feet moving with the very first note, it shows you an altogether different facet of Abhijeet Sawant who had formed a 'boy next door' lovey dovey soft image for himself. This is because in this duet with Sunidhi Chauhan, he gets in a playful mode and makes you hit the dance floor in this routine yet entertaining tune by Reshammiya.
Sufiana mood of the album returns after a short 'bhangra' break with 'Aap Ki Kashish', yet another great number with Reshammiya at the helm as a singer. A track belonging to the genre of Pakistani pop, this is yet another rhythmic fusion track sung by Reshammiya, Krishna and Ahir who tag along well to deliver a song with a punch. A well-worded catchy number that you would see yourself singing soon after hearing a couple of times, this is yet another track that impresses in a big way after the title song. Also, such is the beauty of the song 'Aap Ki Kashish' that it appears two more times. First with just Reshammiya and Ahir coming together in a duet and then the 'remix' of the same appearing in the end. Just like the title song, here too the remix by Akbar Sami is quite impressive and one can easily put on the number in a repeat mode while on a long drive.
KK does a complete voice modulation for his take
on 'Dilnashin Dilnashin'. Yet another
foot tapping number that may not be having a
similar punch as the two wonderful tracks before
it, it still is decent enough as a filler in the
album. Again a high-on-beats number with a
traditional flavor, 'Dilnashin' too
appears in a remix, this time by Chetas. Sad, but Ali Zafar's 'Rangeen' from his recent album 'Huqa Pani' is ripped off as 'Dillagi Mein Jo Beet Jaaye Zindagi', a seemingly campus track that has a full force of Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Himesh Reshammiya, Jayesh Gandhi, Sunidhi Chauhan and Vasundhara Das lending their vocals. If one ignores the source behind the inspiration, this fun track written by Muddassar Aziz reminds of the Nasir Hussain - R.D.Burman compositions that one heard in the 70s. No doubt it's an enjoyable track but one wonders if an otherwise original Heshammiya really had to zero-in on this tune?
Go and have a great time with the title song 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne' and 'Aap Ki Kashish'. These two numbers are good enough reasons to go for the music album that successfully showcases Reshammiya's prowess as a singer. Aksar Music Review
'Aksar' has music by Himesh Reshammiya while Sameer writes.
Emraan Hashmi has an enviable music record for each of his flicks he has done in the past.
Himesh Reshammiya's career graph has been soaring in an exponential manner for the last couple of years.
Do we need to say more?
Fresh after the success of 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne' [that is still selling like hot cakes], the team of Himesh Reshammiya and Emraan Hashmi is back with 'Aksar' that is the third directorial attempt of Anant Mahadevan after a musical 'Dil Vil Pyaar Vyaar' and a romantic-comedy 'Dil Maange More'. With a tagline of "Seduction, Scandal and Suspense", one is sure that 'Aksar' is designed as a sex-thriller. With Dino Morea, Udita Goswami, Irrfan Khan and Tara Sharma forming the rest of the starcast, this Shyam Bajaj production has suddenly become a hot property both inside and outside the industry since the time its promo first came on air.
'Aksar' has five unique songs with an astonishing 12 tracks in total, which means number of remixes for most of the songs. And is anyone complaining? Certainly not! Himesh Reshammiya fans get to hear his voice for all the three versions of the song 'Jhalak Dikhlaja'. The track appears first as the original version followed by a 'Remix' and an 'Unplugged' version.
SUPERHIT - that's how one describes the prospects of the opening track 'Jhalak Dikhlaja' that has a unique nasal effect given to it by Reshammiya, which makes it quite enjoyable and entertaining. Neither is it a dance number nor a conventional sufi track or a typical love song but its a perfect combination of rhythm, melody and musical arrangements that make it highly catchy and hence a kind of number that makes it stand out from the rest of the crowd. Reshammiya, Sameer and Hashmi can easily count this track as yet another popular song that should rock the country for the next few months to come! Expect cheers all over the auditorium, especially in single screen theatres, when this song is played.
It’s simply amazing the way tempo builds up for the remix version of 'Jhalak'. The pace of the song remains same but the musical instruments that accompany the lyrics and fill in the spaces make it a perfect contender for a promotional music video to be created for it. At the end of the album comes the 'Unplugged' version that has Reshammiya holding the center stage as a singer with just 3-4 instruments playing in the background. Look out for the 'tabla' that plays out throughout, which makes the song further spicy. All the three versions keep you engaged with not a single moment of overkill or boredom.
'Laagi Laagi Laagi Prem Dhun Laagi' comes in next, again in an original and remix version, both by Reshammiya and Sunidhi Chauhan. A sufi-western fusion that sounds good on the first hearing itself, it has Reshammiya changing tracks as a singer by being more 'free-flow' in his rendition rather than a little 'forceful' as in 'Jhalak'. He truly seems to be relaxed and one can almost visualize him truly enjoying his stint behind the mike. A good love song with a strong melodious base, it is yet another hit track in the making. The 'remix' version is higher on bass effect and pace that gives it a 'Club' feel. As like all the tracks so far, you jump on to this track as well. After hearing this track, one wonders why did Reshammiya not apply his singing skills during all these years in the industry?
After getting completely overshadowed in 'Laagi Laagi', Sunidhi Chauhan returns with 'Soniye' that has an original and a remix version to boast and pairs her opposite K.K. After hearing the song one realizes that 'Soniye' is primarily a K.K. song with just a passage by Sunidhi Chauhan in English. A soft-n-mellow song with a message of 'I love you so much that I can't think of life beyond you', it has K.K. rendering the track quite well while giving different shades to it in its 5 minutes duration. The 'remix' version that follows next changes track to become more of a peppy dance number without going overboard with unwanted beats and jazzy effects.
With everything going in its favor so far, the album has 'Mohabbat Ke' coming next that is sung by newcomer Tulsi. The track is in fact the title song as it goes like 'Aksar Dil Tujhe Yaad Karta Hai Yaar'. Sameer spins an altogether different tale through his lyrics for this terrific track that is surely on its way to be another chartbuster. A thumping fast paced number that belongs to 'jump-on-the-dance-floor' genre; it is destined to be an instant hit regardless of whether it is choreographed on Emraan or Dino. Watch out for its music video, especially the one that may come for its 'remix' version that carries on the party mood. It should ROCK!
'Loot Jayenge' is primarily sung by Kunal Ganjawala with Reshammiya's regular Jayesh Gandhi chipping in intermittently. It is a rhythmic high-on-beats number that fits well with the album's proceedings. A song that again follows the theme of 'I can't live without you', it has a lively feel to it and sounds much better in the 'remix' version.
After all the party, fun and 'hungama' comes 'Aksar theme' that begins on a soft note with an excellent use of piano. In fact the effect is such that it reminds of the background score of number of Mahesh Bhatt movies. The female vocal that comes next is enchanting as well that gives the track a grand appeal. But soon there is a twist in the tale with the theme music catching on pace yet retaining the haunting feel. True to the movie's tagline, the theme music conveys it all – Seduction, Scandal and Suspense!
'Aksar' is a 'safe album' that has the backing of star power coupled with some genuinely good music and lyrics. As days progress, it is sure that one would hear more and more about the movie's songs. A surefire success!
Ankahee Music Review
"Ankahee" – Something that is unsaid! But
Vikram Bhatt chooses to do otherwise and opts to
tell a story that is close to his heart. With a
strong buzz about the germ of the film's idea
being derived from Vikram's own relationship in
the past with Sushmita Sen, 'Ankahee' is
a PNC production. When a film comes from the
house of Pritish Nandy, it is rest assured that
the film would boast of good production values
and a rich look. The same holds true for this
Aftab Shivdasani, Esha Deol, Amisha Patel
starrer that has music by Pritam and lyrics by
Sameer, Amitabh Verma and Subrat Sinha. Pritam
has recently scored some points for his music in
'Gangster' [though there are some
"inspirations" from across the border] and it
would be interesting to see how does his score
in 'Ankahee' fare!When you want to hear the song again from the beginning when you are just half way through, it is sure that there is something about its lyrics that have managed to do the trick as you want to catch the nuances of every word. The same holds good for 'Ek Pal Ke Liye' that is a sensitively written song and one of the best tracks to have arrived this year. Melodious in nature and boasting of some honest rendition by KK, 'Ek Pal Ke Liye' is about 'being' with your loved one and spending as much time as possible in that "single moment".
Shreya Ghoshal too gets a piece of the cake as she arrives to another version of 'Ek Pal' with her solo. Nevertheless, one would still prefer a far more spirited version by KK that came earlier on. Things only continue to get further more entertaining as Sonu Nigam too gets an opportunity to sing his solo version and the results are excellent, just as it is expected from a singer like him. An excellently worded song by Amitabh Verma, 'Ek Pal' is a beautiful 'candle-light' song to which you want to sway with your partner in dim lights.
When there are only guitars in the name of
musical instruments, you know that it is going
to be yet another melodious outing. This time
around it is Kunal Ganjawala to find his place
in the album with 'Tumse Yu Milenge' and
he continues to do the good work done by his
seniors in the album so far. Yet another well
worded song, this time by Subrat Sinha, it is
about a man who is happy to be back with the
person with whom he was close once upon a time.
Babul Supriyo is the singer who appears towards
the fag end of the album and croons Sameer
written 'Lamha', a different version of 'Tumse
Yu Milenge' where the tune remains same but
the lyrics change completely. The mood of the
song stays in the same vein as created by 'Ek
Pal Ke Liye', both in terms of music and
lyrics, hence making you enjoy every moment in
the album so far. At this point of time, one starts wondering why the album is not being promoted as aggressively as it truly deserves. In the times of on-your-face publicity of the likes of 'Tom Dick and Harry', 'Gangster' and 'Shaadi Se Pehle', 'Ankahee' faces the risk of getting lost if its promotion continues at the same pace!
After KK, Sonu Nigam, Babul Supriyo and Kunal Ganjawala, it's the time for Shaan to croon a number in 'Ankahee', hence making the album a complete packaged affair! He sings the title song 'Ankahee', which has some really meaningful lyrics by Sameer who writes something tangentially different from his usual 'masala' songs. 'Ankahee' is a situational track that again has its base set in melody and has a distinct RD Burman feel to it. There is love, pain, sadness and some questions, all blend into one in 'Ankahee' that is also sung by Kunal Ganjawala in its second version. It is much more haunting and slower in pace with minimal musical instruments in the background. A track that deserves to be given a closer hearing, it involves you and should be appearing as a part of the film's background score.
'Aa Paas Aa' comes at the very end and is
a solo, just like all the other songs in the
album. It is about a woman asking her lover to
be with her. In continuation to the mood of the
entire album, this one too has a haunting feel
to it with melody as a base, though in
comparison with songs like 'Ek Pal' and 'Tumse
Yu Milenge', it's a little behind. It should
work well as a part of the narrative though! There are number of things that work for 'Ankahee' but what stands out in the end are not just Pritam's tunes or rendition by the singers but most importantly the lyrics by Sameer, Amitabh Verma and Subrat Sinha that make you hear the songs multiple number of times. 'Ankahee' is one of the rare albums where each of the songs seem to be telling a story than just being there as a prop. There is that distinct quality about the words in each of the songs that one almost starts believing that Vikram Bhatt truly has a sensitive story close to its heart that he is about to unveil on screen!
Banaras Music Review
Now this is one musical score that we definitely
want to check out this season. After all the
composer at the helm is Himesh Reshammiya who
created music for 'Banaras – A Mystic Love
Story' way before he was known as Himesh
Reshammiya - THE SINGER/COMPOSER. Also, the
theme of the movie is completely different from
the masala/romantic flicks for which he has
successfully composed in the recent past. With a
mystic/spiritual context of 'Banaras - A
Mystic Love Story', it should be a real
testing ground for Reshammiya to prove his
prowess when it comes to core Indian music. With
lyrics by Sameer, this LC Singh movie is
directed by Pankaj Parashar who himself changes
lanes to direct a film that promises to bridge
the gap between art and commerce. Starring
Urmila Matondkar, Ashmit Patel, Dimple Kapadia,
Raj Babbar and Naseeruddin Shah in principal
roles, 'Banaras – A Mystic Love Story'
releases this April.As expected, it’s Reshammiya-the singer, who opens the album with 'Kitna Pyar Kartein Hain'. Sound of piano that comes in the very beginning reminds of the signature background piece from 'Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahin' and makes for a good start. A surprise is in store as you will hear a completely different Reshammiya in this love song with a good classical base. He sings the number in a low pitch, which is in complete contrast to what we have been used to hearing of him. A slow moving number, it also turns out to be quite similar to Adnan Sami's 'Tera Chehra' at number of places. Nevertheless, in totality 'Kitna Pyaar Kartein Hai' is easy on ears and makes for a decent hearing. After Reshammiya, its Alka Yagnik’s turn to come behind the mike for her own version and as expected does quite well.
Next to come is a soothing love song 'Ishq
Mein Dilko', which is in the same mould as
Himesh Reshammiya songs from around a couple of
years back. If you feel that it has been an
overdose of the likes of 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne',
'Aksar' and 'Aap Ka Surroor' from
the composer-singer then its time to hit
nostalgia with 'Ishq Mein Dilko' that
brings to you the Reshammiya of the past. The
soft number is repeated twice in the vocals of
Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan and you don't
really mind it due to its melodious feel.
Nothing overtly exceptional so far but good old
Bollywood mush and romance! There haven't been many Holi numbers in the past with just a handful actually turning out to be popular. Though the film 'Banaras – A Mystic Love Story' is releasing a few weeks after Holi has gone by, one checks on 'Rang Dalo' to check how far can it go? The song does have an old world feel to it and does make you tap your feet at places, but that's about it. The song has a folksy flavor to it and you actually get to hear the folk version too after a gap. While the earlier version had Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal teaming up, the folk version brings together Sonu along with female singer Sailesh. An okay number, its presence should be restricted to the theatres where it is screened but won't go the distance to register itself in the list of all time popular songs.
A song that appears to be the introduction song
of Urmila, 'Purab Se' is a song about
sunrise and the prayers that go along with it.
Shreya Ghoshal sings this song with a classical
base, while Sameer's lyrics bring the feel of
this devotional song fine too but its audiences
would be restricted tBOOM Music
Review
What happens when the fashion world meets the underworld? What happens when the ramp queens of the likes of Padma Lakshmi, Madhu Sapre, Katrina Kaif with veterans Zeenat Aman and, hold on, Bo Derek meet macho men like Big B, Jackie Shroff, Jaaved Jaaferi and BAD MAN Gulshan Grover? What happens when Kaizad Gustad, director of whacky Bombay Boys (starring Nasserruddin Shah), joins hands with producer Ayesha Shroff and plans to put all this on the celluloid.
Whoosh !!! BOOM IS BORN !!!
This slick'n' stylised movie about the fashion world and the underworld has been making the rounds of international circuit for some time now and soon is about to be released in India. Music is certainly novel, at least for the Indian audience as it is mainly a mix of performances from Indian and International artistes. Though again, like the trend is these days, the musical score is mainly inspired by the movie and at most, may just be a bit of background pieces in the movie. Though some of the tracks in the movie are original sound tracks, the majority are international tracks, which have been popular in the West for some years. A few of such tracks are the bhangra pop tracks that are already worldwide hits and are popular in the disc culture. More of this later...!!!
First things first. Boom is meant to be played at high volume. Such is the intensity of the songs that they will sound best in a state-of-art music system.
Well so what do you like?
Bhangra Pop: It's there in abundance.
If you have ever been to a disc in recent times, you won't have missed 'Mundian To Bach Ke' by Punjabi MC and 'Nachna Tere Naal' by Jay Sean and Juggy D. Rocking numbers, they just force you to put on your dancing shoes and jump on the floor. Ideal for party mood !! Another smashing track, which should be extremely popular in just a few days from now, is 'I See You Baby' by Groove Armada. It has to be listened to just once and you know that you are going to play it more and more. Especially interesting in this Punjabi-Hindi-English track is the crooning of 'Don't touch me mainu Baby' in a Punjabi accent. Now this should bring the house down. A very good track.
A Rap and Reggae number: This too is there !!
'Nuttin Happen', a D'Caro number, is a Rap and Reggae track that should go well with those who have grown with the Apache Indian (remember 'Chok There', a number that thrilled the nation about 10 years back)
A seductive number: Well do not expect 'Raat Akeli Hai' or 'Aayo Na Paas Aayo' stuff here. It's different here !!
So what we have is a Sandeep Chowta number, Seduction Savariya) which is sung by his current favorite Sonu Kakkar (we all know about her 'Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo') and Sunitha Parthasarthy. But instead of being harsh and on-the-face kind, it is pretty smooth, especially the initial alaap by Sonu that is simply mesmerizing. Sunitha impresses with the English part of the song assigned to her.
A Sufi number: By now you must be thinking that the album is a mix of everything. Well, hold on !! there is more to come !!
Zindabad, composed by Talvin Singh and sung by Ravi Singh is a song about love and is sung in a 'sufiana andaaz'. One of those rare numbers in the movie, which are purely in Hindi.
Instrumentals: Now this is what we call complete paisa-vasool !!
As if the bhangra tracks were not enough as the dance tracks, we also have a few instrumentals that are enough to rock a late night party. Purely techno and rocking, tracks like 'Dope the Pope' (composed by Sandeep Chowta and sung - though just in the background - by Sukhwindra Singh and Sowmya Roah), Punjabi 5-0 (Dum Dum), Ramp-Age (Sandeep Chowta, Sowmya Roah), Two Dons and a Bitch (Sandeep Chowta), It's Safe (D'Caro) and Bhavani Dayani (Jez Humble) are pretty exciting, though applicable only when the party is in full swing.
The title track: How can we miss that if it is a Hindi movie?
Boom, the title track by Talvin Singh, is a haunting track by Ila Arun that features in two versions - Basic and the Day Guy remix. A situational track that should appear as a background track or when the titles role, it can qualify as the Indian version of Enigma. A very slow and disturbingly haunting track, it showcases the versatility of Ila Arun.
A mandatory song'n'dance number around the trees and croons of 'Pyaar, Ishq aur Mohabbat'
Well, you must be kidding as in a movie like Boom, there cannot be a place for such a track !!
Boom is mainly centered at the hip-hop crowd, which wants to have some fun at a pub or a disc and dance to some whacky music. Try playing Boom at home and your granny may just stare at you annoyingly. But gift it to a 20 something guy and he may just say a big THANK U.
o those who truly appreciate and understand the nuances of such songs. From appreciating sunrise to singing praises about the city 'Banaras' comes a song in quick succession 'Yeh Hai Shaan Banaras Ki'. From 'Om Namaha Shivay' as a part of 'Purab Se' to cheers of 'Har Har Mahadev' in 'Yeh Hai Shaam Banaras Ki', it is a second situational theme number in a row, with singer 'Sanjeev Abhyankar' crooning the track this time around. There is a fusion element to the track too but overall the effect is just about fine rather than being exceptional.
Towards the end comes a 'shuddh' classical number 'Bajooband Khul Khul Jaye', which appears to be a 'mujra' being played somewhere in the lanes of 'Banaras'. Sung by Pranab Kumar who definitely seems to be proficient in classical singing, 'Bajooband' is an extremely short track that may do well on screen for the situation but isn't something that would really catch fancy of a music lover who may have picked up 'Banaras – A Mystic Love Story' with different expectations altogether.
As mentioned earlier, if you look forward to hearing some compositions by Reshammiya that are in complete contrast to what you have been hearing of him for around an year now, then 'Banaras – A Mystic Love Story' may just be the right pick. For an average listener, there are a couple of songs [Kitna Pyar Kartein Hain, Ishq Mein Dilko] in the beginning but rest of the tracks are mainly situational or of the type that would be appreciated mainly by students and followers of Indian classical music.
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