Sunday, April 16, 2006Fanaa
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by Deepak Jeswal on 08:07 PM
Saturday, March 04, 2006Water
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by Deepak Jeswal on 09:44 AM
Sunday, May 08, 2005Paheli Music Review Despite an off-beat theme about a girl falling in love with a ghost who takes up the form of her money-minded absconding husband (based on the novel Duvidha by Vijaydhan Detha), Paheli surprisingly has an all-commercial starcast comprising of Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Rani Mukherjee and Suniel Shetty. It is indeed an unusual production from SRK, and is directed by Amol Palekar. However, more than the surprise in the starcast, my eyes (or rather, the ears) were all set for the music: after all, it was the first time that the talented but grossly underrated M M Kreem and lyricist Gulzar were collaborating on a project. The music of Paheli, though off-beat like the theme, is a delight! The most striking aspect of the entire score is the absolute use of Indian musical instruments (santoor, tabla, dholak, sarangi, shehnai, sitar); one of the finest usages ever, and that too, not in one or two numbers, but in the whole of the album. Of course, keeping the setting in mind, the songs are built around Rajasthani folk music. Another fact in its favor is the crystal clear clarity of the orchestra. Despite Gulzar’s presence, the music shines more because of Kreem’s impeccable musical arrangements. Before I proceed, let me give a small word of warning: do not expect instant gratification by Paheli. Like its title, it tickles and tingles, and listening to the soundtrack involves unraveling its various facets. Also, the songs are designed to grow on you on several hearings. (Now, someone had remarked to me that any song on repeated hearing would grow on you – sorry, I disagree completely. Despite hearing ‘bheegey honth’ umpteen times, it has not ‘grown’ on me, unless one means the escalation in irritation! For me, some snatch has to liken itself…from thereon, repeated hearing gives pleasure). To pick and choose a singular number is tough; the music is enmeshed into each other in a one complete seamless whole, with no loop-hole! However, if I have to the sassy and naughty Phir raat kati aur din nikla would be my pick. Sung resplesendetly by Sunidhi Chauhan (couldn’t believe my ears!) and Sukhvinder, the song is fast-paced without losing its breath! It’s brilliant. Laaga re jal laaga rivals A R Rahman’s Ghananan (Lagaan) in its virtuosity. However, unlike Rahman, Kreem sticks to some elemental percussions, and lively instrumentations. In this Gulzar uses the filling up of the earth with the rains to the ‘gode-bharai’ of a lady. The vocal mainstay of the album is Sonu Nigam and Dheere jalna is his crowning glory of the album. It is a good, very old-fashioned nostalgia-invoking song with a fiery choral border and Shreya Ghoshal gives mellifluous company in the second stanza. With motifs akin to a musical concert (just a flute and tabla), Kreem has been able to build an impressive tune around Gulzar’s tough lyrics, a feat that he falters slightly in the mukhda of Khaali hai tere bina dono ankhiya (Hariharan-Bela). But he makes up lost ground in the antaras. I suspect I shall be coming back to this number again very soon, though I wish the female singer could have been someone better. As ever, where Kreem the ‘tunesmith’ fails, Kreem the ‘arranger’ takes full charge and makes the song worth-a-listen. What takes the breath away is the seven minute long ‘Minnat kare’ – it starts off as a normal saheliyon-ke-sang ched-chhad song, but suddenly midway the tune dips into its own sweetness, and out comes the most dazzling and brightest piece of creation of 2005! The last three minutes and thirty seven seconds of this number are worth the entire Rs 160 I spent on the CD. With Shreya Ghoshal’s mellow vocals, Kreem has created a shimmering piece of ‘bidaai’ number; and Gulzar’s lyrics wrench your heart. A sample: Gudia patole mhori jholi mein rakhwadijiyo Naani kahani laave, bhaiya ko bulvadijiyo Doli gali mein khadi, doli gali mein khadi, Maiyya ko lekar jaave, sang bhijao saheli, Babul re babul tori, jaayi na jaaye akeli Doli gali mein khadi, doli gali mein khadi... These short lines are followed by an excellent piece of shehnai, flute, sitar and veena topped with a smattering of sarangi and a strong base of powerful percussion! Like Veer Zaara last year, Paheli’s music is that will be interesting to discover and re-discover in the coming months though I doubt its capacities to rule the charts. Just when I had given up my hopes on the arid musical scene of 2005 (barring Lucky, there has been no fully likeable album that I can think of) Paheli comes with the elegant sweep of a colorful peacock in the desert! Overall : An Excellent Buy.
posted
by Deepak Jeswal on 08:41 PM
Thursday, March 31, 2005Music Reviews Mere Jeewan Saathi Music Review Nadeem Shravan have this exasperating propensity of regurgitating their own mediocre creation at regular intervals. In Mere Jeevan Saathi, they use the same antara as of Sheen’s Yeh to Kashmir hai for the song Tumko dulhan banaoonga. Considering that the tune was not some shimmering piece of composition, what was the need of recycling it yet again? Worse, the song is repeated in the album ad verbatim without any changes. One would think they had created some monument of a composition to warrant this generous patronage. Coming close on the heels of the brilliant Bewafaa, Mere Jeewan Saathi is a small let-down. Also, it irked that this film is from the makers of Andaaz, which did have many high points from the same composers. Though I have a natural bias towards the traditional style of film music, Mere Jeewan Saathi falls little short at that level also. And when it steps the line to incorporate the neo-modern sounds in the ditty Mashooqa, one is left gasping in embarrassment. Also, the tune of Mashooqa has a strong resemblance to Kaali naagin ke jaisi from Mann (which was composed by Shravan’s sons Sanjeev Darshan. Or, is there an independent source of ‘inspiration’?) Yes, their orchestral arrangement is quite capable, more seen in the Alka Yagnik solo Dekhiye kis kadar tumse pyaar hai. In the recent years, NS have created some lovely female solo songs, that are ‘normal’ and not ‘itemised’ – Kaise piya se mai kahoon (Lata/Bewafaa); Aapke pyaar mein (Alka/Raaz); Dhanak ka rang (Shreya/Tumsa Nahin Dekha); Aksar is duniya mein (Alka/Dhadkan); Mera dil tera deewana (Alka/Aa Ab Laut Chalen); Aage aage tum (Alka/Zinda Dil); Aankh hai bhari bhari (Alka/Tumse Achha Kaun Hai); Dil mera tod diya (Alka/Kasoor). Dekhiye is kadar is an extension to this list, though not really upto the requisite level. However, amongst the other dwarfed songs, this one stands tall. Sameer’s lyrics are trifle jarring – the use of alternating preposition ‘tumse’ and ‘aapke’ in the two lines of the couplet give an asymmetrical feeling. The tender Tum bin na hum jee sakenge is made even more fragile and smooth by Udit’s soft-as-melted-butter rendition (the song is a duet with Alka Yagnik, in which Udit sings only the mukhda, and yet takes the song away with him). Snatches of Sanu-Alka’s Hum apni taraf se tumhe chahte hai (Ansh) can be discerned in the antaras while the mukhda will bring memories of Adaiyen bhi hai (Dil Hai Ke Maanta Nahin). The soft music and the soothing rhythm is relaxing. Sonu Nigam’s solo Aaankhon mein chhupake rakhoon (mere jeewan saathi) is the opening number. It is a 'stage' song, and has its eyes firmly set on the charts. Since the words ‘mere jeewan saathi’ have been used ad nauseum in films and tunes earlier created by stalwarts of yore, NS come up with a commendable creation. Plus Sonu Nigam’s vocal elasticity gives a spirited fillip to the number. Beyond these three, the album’s fourth decent number is Ek masoom sa chehra sung by a unique combination of Sadhana Sargam and Sonu Nigam. Once again, I liked the music in between the antaras – typical NS, but very exciting. The beats are somewhat reminiscent of Raaz’s deleted song Mujhe tere jaisi ladki mil jaaye to. Like the Mashooqa number, Deewani deewani is a complete washout. And why does Sadhna Sargam pronounce the word ‘chot’ (hurt) as ‘chaut’ in the prelude to the song. Not expected from her, at least! One interesting observation – all the three numbers (Mashooqa, Tumko dulhan, Deewani) that I did not like are the ones that are being used for the initial promos. Obviously, the makers feel they work in the current cinematic context. Perhaps, they do. I guess my music choice is really becoming archaic. For me, Mere Jeewan Saathi is not a complete no-show but it will remain on the second rung of my Nadeem Shravan collection. Overall: Average. Lucky-No Time For Love Music Review Well, they might not have any time for love, but it seems they do have a lot of time to sing. This fulsome album marks the debut of Adnan Sami as composer in the Hindi film industry. After the failed attempts by other singers like Kumar Sanu and Roop Kumar Rathod at composing in the recent past,Sami breaks the jinx (earlier Hemant Kumar had straddled both the fields with good success). He manages to maintain a fine equilibrium of catering to the requirements of the film at the same time maintaining the dignity of a stand-alone album. Hum deewane ho gaye hain pyaar ki in raahon mein sing Sonu Nigam and Anuradha Paudwal rebelliously. In effect, this song epitomizes the breaking away of the album from the cocoon of a private album and launching into the open and wide film music skies. Since the song was panned by both the critics and bloggers, I approached it with trepidation. I shouldn’t have. The song is worth every penny spent on it. The rumbactious tune jumps out of the player and grabs you tightly in an unflinching grasp! The piece-de-resistance is the energetic and lively dholak and percussion beats after the brisk mukhda, rapidly followed by base orchestra and strings, which are magically mindblowing. Another interesting effect is the staccato break up of the word ‘mein’ at the end of the first stanza, quickly wrapped up by a wild chorus. Giving a feel of a climax ditty, the song stays long after the album is wrapped up. Sonu Nigam is the lynchpin of the album on whose melodious voice rests another good number- Sun zara, soniye sun zara. Mellow and mellifluous, Nigam imparts a langrous craving in this heart-warming song about love and longing. Sameer writes some tender lines. Nothing path breaking here, but nothing pedestrian even! There is an Adnan Sami version too, but Nigam steals the thunder with his effective singing. The third Sonu Nigam number, Chori Chori Chupke Se Aankhon Mein Samaja, is lower in scale and sentiment. The use of the breaking tabla rhythm is interesting. Alka Yagnik provides adequate support. In his private albums Sami has shown an excellent grasp over musical arrangements which weave modern sounds with traditional instruments in a seamless opulent yarn. In Lucky, once again, we get to see the arranger in Sami often taking over where the composer fails. I was not taken up by the ordinary pahadi tune of Jaan meri jaa rahi hai sanam (Udit-Anuradha), which is reminiscent of the Shiv-Hari title song from the illfated Saahibaan (the film had another of my rare Anuradha Paudwal favorite-Tu Kya Pyaar Karega, faintly resembling Lata Mangeshkar’s mindblowing Sun le yeh saara zamana from Faasle). Since the song relies fully on vocals, Anuradha Paudwal was definitely a wrong choice; she mispronounces, sounds dull and gives the feeling of a viscous gluey stickiness! Pray, what exactly is wrong with Asha Bhonsle? After Bewafaa’s atrocious Kahta hai kabootar, she rambles something about ‘Lucky lips’! Is this the title song? Shudder shudder. Not only does she sound dull, the tune and the lyrics help her no further. It is odd that Sami would have used his erstwhile muse for this eminently forgettable number which a Sunidhi could have sleep-singed through any bad day! And now for the tour-de-force of the album, which hugs you with its soft and warm embrace and sweeps you away off your feet with efficient finesse- Shayad yehi pyaar hai. Since both this one and Jaan meri are of the same genre and style, it shows how good singing can uplift a song. Lata Mangeshkar’s rendition is superlative. Reknowned critic Subhash K Jha had mentioned that “his(Sami's) duet with the mighty Mangeshkar "Shayad yahi to pyar hai" just blows you away”- absolutely true! Just see the way she wraps her tender vocals around Sameer’s rather trite lyrics and the way she ends the song with a subdued alaap…yes, you will be blown away. Also agree with Jha that this sonorous song should have been the opening number of the album instead of being tucked away in an incospicous corner; but then, a diamond will glitter even in the darkest of coal mines! Grab it immediately! I wish Lataji had more releases coming up this year! Sigh! Overall: A Good Buy Waqt Music Review After a good buy, a good bye…Anu Mallik’s Waqt is a sham and shame on Ravi’s compositions in the old Yash Chopra multistarrer of the same name. Worse, he inflicts his own vocals in the ‘holi’ song…do me a favor, Mallik saab, please stay away from the mic. Having said that, the song is extremely catchy and sticks on irritatingly; no small thanks to the over-the-top publicity and the festival spirit! Beyond this Waqt is a ‘time’ waste! The duet Subah hogi shaam hogi (Alka-Udit) is one of the most boring love ditties of the year! And the party number Miraksam will climb up and down the charts with equal ease. Once again, Sudesh Bhonsle effortlessly steps into the Big B’s vocal shoes with dexterity. The Shava shava hangover is too strong in the number.The seven minute long Toot gaya (Kailash Kher) could have been interesting with tighter arrangements. Bringing Adnan Sami and Sonu Nigam together in one song (Apne jahan ke hum baadshah) is unique; sadly, the song is not! In the end, the only genuinely interesting piece is the small ‘tandav’ music which shows that Mallik has the capabilities, but is plain too lazy to use them! After Deewar and Aankhen, this is the third film where producer Gaurang Doshi is using an old title. Is this a supersition,too? Overall: Avoidable
posted
by Deepak Jeswal on 09:55 AM
Sunday, January 02, 2005My Favorite Songs of 2004 Well, the curtain has fallen on yet another year; and it is the time to take a final stock of the likes and dislikes in music and movies. The following list shows some of the songs that have touched my heart; this is not a list for the hits of the year, and is purely a personal choice, hence some of the 'chartbusters' like Dhoom, Hum Tum and Mai Hoon Na might seem oddly missing, but suffice to say, I did not like them to the extent of putting them in this list. I prefer 'conventional' songs; and can now safely say that I have formed of bonding with the music that Bhatt clan provides. In the past two years, I have enjoyed all their offerings- Raaz, Jism, Saaya, Sur, Paap, Murder, Intehaa, Kasoor, Tumsa Nahin Dekha , even Footpath (to a small extent) and now Rog. I like songs that are not too jazzy, that are not too stretched out in their tunes, that do not break in-between and that do not have too many unnecessary shouts and noises. I like songs that have a compact and complete look, where the antaras flow naturally out of the interludes before them, and where the interludes flow naturally from the mukhada. . To me, Shankar Jaikishan and Madan Mohan were the epitome of film compositions; I still miss them a lot, though the yearn for the latter was superbly fulfilled with Veer Zaara. Apart from the one mentioned here, special reference to the music of Dev, Phir Milenge and Fida are required, because at that stage I did like them a lot, but somehow, they have both got lost somewhere with me. Kisna is too new for me to make an immediate opinion; I did like Hum hain iss pal hai yahan and Tu itni pagli kyun hai. Musically, 2004 was a better year than its predecessor, especially the second half. Finally, Lata Mangeshkar's long awaited Bewaffa song was released, and of course, we had Veer Zaara. Please note that there was no fresh commercial release of the Nightingale in the entire 2003; and all her 11 songs came in the second half of 2004. So, in two years, we heard the undiluted melody only for a small time. I will be blunt in stating that I do not wish to see any 'wise' and 'knowledgeable' comments on her any further, even at the cost of sounding despotic, cranky and rude! At the age of 75, I think Lataji is doing a great job, and her voice still suits the heroines, so the odious remarks be kept at bay! I await Lucky next year, where she is singing for Adnan Sami. As song compositions, yes, we can debate on the tuning, orchestra, interludes, lyrics and much more. On the whole, apart from Lataji's contribution, the music heard in 2004 was more interesting than the previous year. Having said that, I would definitely like to hear your views on my overall choice. Of the male voices, Udit Narayan was constantly there on top of my favorite list. He has carefully honed his talent into a smooth finesse, and now, can carry off any song with remarkable ease. This year, he has also been the mainstay voice in most of the better albums. Sonu Nigam is other singer who continues to rise and shine. Between the two of them, they had a majority of the music market with them! Though I have tried to give it a semblance of a countdown list, the songs often change positions in my scheme of things, depending on the mood and situation. 11. Mathura nagar (Rain Coat) : Listening to Shubha Mudgal’s emphatic singing gave me the goose pimples- it is evocative and enchanting. The song is like the first rays of the dawn breaking over the horizon…and when the chorus joins in at the end of the stanza it is as if a flock of birds have crossed the fresh open skies with their cheery flapping of wings. Gulzar’s emotion-filled soft-as-the-wet-earth lyrics find an able potters’ hand under Debjyoti Mitra. The rest of the album tends to be a little on the heavy side, but then, it was never meant to be a foot stomper, it is an emotion-stormer! 10.Dil de diya hai jaan tumhe denge (Masti)- That such a song would be in this double-entendre filled slapstick comedy was quite surprising; and that Anand Raj Anand could come up with this deep song was even more astonishing. Yet, it is a song that never fails to move me…full of regret and grief, the lines aawargi mein ban gaya deewana, maine kyun saadgi ko nahin jaana have a universal appeal to them. The tune is such that you cannot but fall in love with it. Anand Raj Anand had a bleak year, with even his regular Sanjay Gupta switching over to Vishal and Shekhar in Musafir (not that it made any difference, since the songs remained just illusionary ‘items’!) 9. Ahista Ahista / Ram Leela (Swades) – I know I would be stepping on a few toes, but the music of Swades did not appeal me- the songs are too long winded and stretched out esp in Yeh taara it seems Rahman simply walked a path the way out of which he himself forgot especially in the tediously tiring antaras (what was that odd sound/beat at the beginning? ; the tune fails at the lines 'toh jagmagaya aasmaan saara'; the interlude that follows is just 'putting in music' without any direction; and at the end of each antara Rahman could not join it with the mukhda and fills in with humming) . Otherwise, in all the musical pieces in between the songs have nothing to write home about. I also wish Rahman would stop singing; the mess he made of Avadhi in Lagaan’s Chale chalo was enough (the lines 'toot gayi jo ungli uthi' in that song, and the way he has sung it gets on my nerves)! Moreover, with his voice, he makes all the songs sound similar, while listening to Yeh jo des hai tera, I was promptly reminded of Dil se re; the 'hoye hoye' chorus in the background is mindless; to me the song was more bathos than pathos! Sanwariya sanwariya ho gayi banwariya seems to be a nursery rhyme in its lyrics and a feeble attempt at futile rhyming (Sorry, Javed Saheb, Anand Bakshi was far ahead in the 'filmi' style tuk-bandi).The way Rahman has placed the word ‘dagariya’ seems a path full of wrongs! But, two numbers sweep the album to a sublime pinnacle. Lori (lullaby), as a genre, is nearly wiped out of Hindi film cinema- it is refreshing to see its comeback- and Ahista ahista is the perfect vehicle to bring the genre back to limelight. In this one, the tune is as tender and loving as a mother patting her child to sleep…on that, Udit Narayan’s velvety voice adds to the smoothness. Sadhna Sargam gives melodious company from the second stanza onwards. The song permeates each cell with a soothing calmness; the antaras are as fragile as crystallising sleep and the music at the end of the song is lovely. However, to be exceedingly finicky, the word 'thapakti' in the first stanza is a bit jarring and harsh. The Ram leela is a cause for celebration- it is unique, novel and very interesting. Madhushree’s voice is as sweet and pure as Sita’s love and pain. The rumbactious dholak and flute create the fiery Raavan effect beautifully- this is Rehman at his music arrangement best! Javed Akhtar's lyrics catch the essence remarkably well (considering that he does not belong to the same religion). My favorite lines from the song: Mann se Ravan jo nikaale , Ram usske man mein hain. One has to invest time to appreciate these two mindblowing songs. Else, Rahman came up with the biggest duds this year – Lakeer and Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha(two songs) 8. Ae dil tu bata (Julie) / Woh pyaar pyaar (Aitraaz)- Himesh Reshammaya is fast coming up as an able and stable love duet composer…he has picked up from where Nadeem Shravan left off. His tunes are not path breaking or out of the normal cinematic mould, but they are undoubtedly softly invigorating. In Julie, he gave three mildly mellifluous love songs- Ae dil tu bata was the best (loved the wanton orchestra at the tip of the mukhda), followed closely by Dhadkan ho gayi tumse aashna and Hum tumse dil laga baithe And in Aitraz he repeated that feat. From this film, I liked Woh tassavur ka aalam (woh pyaar pyaar), Talatum and Aankhen bandh karke jo ek chehra nazar aaya (whose first line's tune has a slight resemblance to Dil ne yeh kaha hai dil se from Dhadkan). He is also using the vocals of Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik to the fullest use. The song arrangements are good; Rishammiya puts meaningful music in between the antaras, unlike others who just prop up some clutter and din in haphazard disarray. Only I wish he used more Indian sounds like sitar, flute and veena (there are such interesting pieces in Hum tumse dil laga baithe). Other than these I enjoyed the following from Reshammaya's repertoire this year: O sonya (Ishq Hai Tumse) , Silsilay mulaqaton ke na chhodiyega (Bardaasht) and O sajan le gaya tu mera mann (Tarzan-The Wonder Car) 7. Kaho na kaho (Murder) – Ok, agreed Bheege honth was a bigger hit ( it is all over here in Nepal as well, so it must be really good to have found favors this far off even). But I found this one better. a lush song with a tune more infectious than SARS. Keeping Arabian music(or Bangladeshi, as a band has got up to take credit for the song) as reference point, Kaho na kaho hooks you right from the opening guitar riffs. The rhythm is enchanting and the mercurial shifts from Hindi to Arabic are spellbinding. New singer Amir Jamali’s voice suits the song. However, one grouse, the song has a very truncated effect, as if the music composer lost interest after the first few minutes. My other favorite from Murder is the two part tandem Zindagi iss tarah lagne lagi, rang udd jaaye jyun deewaron se. (Sonu Nigam and Anuradha in separate versions). Once again, Sayeed Qadri proved he has a supple way with words and imagery; even in Bheegey honth tere, he manages to keep the risque lyrics above the realm of vulgarity! 6. Aaj lagta hai hawayon mein hun (Tumsa Nahin Dekha)- one of the most fulfilling albums that I found this year, TND was a journey back to the land of melody and music. In TND, Nadeem Shravan gives us some mouthwatering orchestra and arrangements. Combining the effortless charm of haya ki shokhi and the earthy hues of dhanak ka rang, welcome to melody land; sitar, flute, shehnai, mandolin, piano, saxophone with beats of dholak and tabla rule the roost here; these are sounds that are fast becoming extinct in film music. Listening to Tumsa Nahin Dekha is like taking a leisurely stroll in your familiar neighborhood garden- uninimitading and refreshing! In this fulsome album there were seven songs, one instrumental, one repeat and one remix. Despite Ghoshal’s squeaky singing, Dhanak ka rang (actually, the correct mukhda is Aaj lagta hai main hawayon mein hum, aaj itni khushi mili hai), is my favorite track of this album. There are soft orchestral cadences in the number that delight. The overtly happy lyrics are juxtaposed with a tune that is restrained: a thought, a feeling, a fear that the effervescent happiness might just evaporate. The song gives the emotions of smiles through tears. When Sameer writes Aisa lagta hai dulhan hun bani, the thought echoes Gulzar’s brilliant Dulhan si lagti hun main, dulhan bana de re in Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein. 5. Kitne ajeeb rishte hai yahan pe ( Page 3) : An eclectic album with a lots of styles and genres packed together, Page 3 had its better moments. The best two were Asha Bhonsle and Abhijeet's Huzoor-e-aala and Lata Mangeshkar's Kitne ajeeb. Lata, as ever, sounds marvelously mellow and syrupy sweet; especially, it is (once more) a revelation to hear her go base at the beginning of each antara taking it steadily up to a breathtaking crescendo. This one song in itself can serve a lesson to all aspiring singers. Sounding a bit like a seventies creation, the song is easy on the lips (such philosophical theme songs can often be too heavy to digest) with good music and rhythm. The backup vocals (not credited in this version, but done so in the male one) are by Vivienne Pocha and Pankaj Saroagi, and provide able support. I have not stopped humming it the day I heard it. And, it does have poignant and meaningful lyrics. In all, a very satisfying song! 4. Maine dil se kaha / Khoobsoorat hai wo itna ( Rog) : Another pleasing album, Rog has interesting music, lead by the underrated M M Kreem. Within the ambit of the Bhatt-clan, Kreem has given us some sumptuous numbers in Jism, Zakhm, Sur, Criminal and one song in Saaya. He has a distinct style of composition, which has the ability to strike a chord directly to the heart. In Rog, he composes four songs with lyrics by Neelesh Mishra and Sayeed Qadri. Neelash pens some wonderful lines in Maine dil se kaha dhoondh laana khushi, nasamajh laaya gham to yeh gham hi sahi, to which KK gives a polished but pathos-brimming rendition. The song has traces of Na tum humein jaano, na hum tumein jaane(Hemant Kumar) in the antaras. However, overall, the music (piano, trumpet, violins and guitar largely) and the tuning is spectacular; one example, observe the twist that the tune takes at the word ‘nasamajh’ in the mukhda. . There is a non-overbearing silky rhythm. Khoobsoorat hai wo itna is the second number that grips you with all its notes and tones! The persuasive dholak used by Kreem is exceedingly exhilirating; and he fills entrancing music in between the antaras and Udit Narayan’s full throated singing impresses. The tune is catchy and endearing... its like a cherubic child holding out to you…you cannot ignore it! Of the rest, do check out the minimalistic Tere is jahan mein ae khuda. I hope we hear more from Kreem in 2005. 3. Intezaar (Paap)- I think the album was released at the end of last year, but I had to include this one here. I had never imagined that an Anuradha Paudwal number could find a way to my top ten list…but the singer has totally revamped herself, and she brings out each nuance of a lady waiting for the elusive love so beautifully that I had to include this one song. It is a spectacular composition wherein Anu Mallik keeps the tune down-to-earth allowing the lyrics to carry themselves forward in a natural flow; in between he adds chant-like choral riffs. Of course, Sayeed Quadri’s lyrics are heart wrenching. A few lines sample shall tell all: Apne dilbar ka, apne humdum ka, apne jaanam ka intezaar Surkh phoolon se mehka rasta hai, dil toh mera magar sard padta hai Paas aankhon ke sab samandar hai, dil ka mausam to phir bhi banjar hai Mehki mehki si kuchh hawaon ka , bheegi bheegi si kuchh ghataon ka Intezaar…intezaar…intezaar…intezaar Apne baadal ka, apni bearish ka, apne saawan ka intezaar Apni dhadkan ka, apni saanso ka, apne jeene ka intezaar… The album had another very potent number but it got deleted from the film, and hence the public memory as well. This was an Anuradha Paudwal-Udit Narayan duet (composed by Anu Mallik) and is an argument between the reasons to love and live. Sun ae mere dil mera jeena na mushquil bana Zidd chhod de pyaar ki, jaane bhi de maanja Dariya mere paas hai, taqdeer mei pyaas hai Kaise mohabbat karun , mere liye paap hai. Other than this, Anu Mallik gave very mediocre music in Mai Hoon Na, and absolute crap in Ab Tumhare Hawale Wattan Saathiyon. In Bride and Prejudice, his two part Tumse kahen was good. 2. Kaise piya se mai kahun (Bewafaa)– Lata Mangeshkar sings for Nadeem Shravan post their Ashiqui success for the first time. She has sung a couple of odd songs before they became a known entity. The end result is purely gorgeous! The song begins with riveting flute and sitar piece, carried forward then by Lata’s divine voice; Lata sounds even sweeter than she did in Veer Zaara. Her ‘haaye’ at the middle of the first stanza makes your heart skip a beat! Also notice the way she sings the word 'dil' in the mukhda - it is sheer dilight! Here's the Queen at work in her own kingdom! Nadeem-Shravann’s orchestration is wide and breath-taking and their beats synchronization is thrilling ; one cannot miss the crescendo of violins, chorus and Lata’s alaps at the end of the song. They have to be heard to be believed; in this day, no one has attempted such a wide-span orchestration; in between they put some more rich music.In all, a terrific number. I hope Kareena Kapoor is able to do justice to the bubbling emotions of the song. Sameer pens some fine lines capturing the beqaraari of a lady waiting to meet her lover! Of the other numbers from the film, Ek dilruba hai (Udit Narayan), Ek bewaffa hai (Sonu Nigam) and Teri Yaad (Ghulam Ali) are excellent. Asha Bhonsle and Shaan sing the puerile Kahta hai kabootar sun lo o mister. Thank you, Ashaji, I am not interested in this pigeon shit! Incidentally, Nadeem Shravan also gave the utterly hopeless Gumnaam this year. 1. Veer Zaara songs- It is impossible for me to list down a single number from this film; whenever I attempt to hear one number, I always end up listening to the entire album. I don’t think that anything more is left for me to say about this magnetic album that combines quality with commercialism; each tune is specially crafted, that it is worth its weight in gold. Nothing can match the elegance, grace and poise of these ethereal compositions. As Subhash K Jha has rightly said, melody was dead and Madan Mohan was called to revive it. For my complete review, please click on the link.
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by Deepak Jeswal on 10:58 AM
Friday, December 03, 2004Page 3 Music Review Madhur Bhandarkar attempts a true blue musical in his film on glamour and the glamorous; for this, he has unexpectedly chosen a relatively new Shamir Tandon, rather than rely on an established name in the industry. Tandon has earlier given us a few bloopers in Rakth. The cover proudly proclaims ‘a complete album’ and gives us the photos of the singers, instead of the in-film stills as is norm. On the first, I have my reservations. On the second, it is justified; especially, if you have singers ranging from Lata Mangeshkar to Asha Bhosle to Adnan Sami to Suresh Wadkar…the cover asserts that it is a singer dominated album- and that makes Tandon’s life considerably easier! Well, to be honest, the album is good in parts. And, the best parts are the opening and the closing tracks! No, this is not meant to be a funny line thrown in, but a genuine fact. Let’s start from the end: Asha Bhonsle’s Huzoor – e- aala is smooth and silky, and the crooner sounds young, hot and in the groove. Of course, the ditty is built around the old OP Nayyar songs, but thankfully, is not a rehash or remix or an absolute copy! It is original in its own right, and very hummable. One thing though, the song is labeled as ‘Bonus track’- when Yash Chopra gave those two numbers in Veer Zaara CD, the songs parted ways from the film’s music while retaining the same flavor; unfortunately, Huzoor-e-aala sounds too situational to be a stand-alone number. Amit Kumar (bless him, where has he been all these years?) croons Filmi very filmi with full verve and vivaciousness that would make his father proud! Like the Naseeb song (John Jaani Janardhan), lyricist Sandeep Nath has fun in weaving in names of today’s top notch stars. He is accompanied (rather, irritated) by Blaaze and Taanishta Chatterjee. Though Adnan Sami has started to sound the same with the trademark curls and curves (I am talking about his voice, sillies) the song Mere wajood mein is quite well tuned and well orchestrated too. Unfortunately, the song is too ‘masculine’ in its composition for Sadhna Sargam to do any justice in the female version. The inlay card tells us this song is not there in the film; if so, then, why did they make her sound like twisted kurkures? The two rock and growl numbers Lets Dance and Jhoot Boliyan are best enjoyed in the discotheques, so suffice to say they are foot tapping but no paths broken by them! These are ‘tired’ and tested numbers and will scuttle up and down the middle orders of the charts. So, I shall jump straight on to the top of the heap, and the best part of the album, which makes spending Rs 100 on the CD absolutely worthwhile – Lata Mangeshkar’s Kitne ajeeb rishte hai yahan pe… of course, Lata, as ever, sounds marvelously mellow and syrupy sweet; especially, it is (once more) a revelation to hear her go base at the beginning of each antara taking it steadily up to a breathtaking crescendo. This one song in itself can serve a lesson to all aspiring singers. Sounding a bit like a seventies creation, the song is easy on the lips (such philosophical theme songs can often be too heavy to digest) with good music and rhythm. The backup vocals (not credited in this version, but done so in the male one) are by Vivienne Pocha and Pankaj Saroagi, and provide able support. I have not stopped humming it since the day I heard it. And, it does have poignant and meaningful lyrics. In all, a very satisfying song! The sad version (Lata Mangeshkar) is well…sad! Too bad Tandon botched up completely there. The male version by Suresh Wadkar is redundant; more so, as the cover tells us, sadistically again, that it is not there in the film. Before ending, one small note: Sapna Awasthi springs up from oblivion and raucously threatens Kuan ma kood jaaoongi…my suggestion: by all means, help yourself, lady! Who’s stopping you? Overall: A Good Buy ( Well, friends, I am again off for a few days. So, keep your comments posted, will reply to all of them once I am back. As before, phir milte hai ek aur chhote se break ke baad... For those who have just entered, do read my story Meera given below. For the regulars, I will be back with much more random expressions. For all, Have Fun!!)
posted
by Deepak Jeswal on 12:07 AM
Thursday, December 02, 2004Gumnaam A Music Review Keep away thoughts of Shankar-Jaikishan’s timeless melodies from the film of the same name, should you happen to ever hear the mu-sick that Nadeem and Shravan have given this film! In one of the numbers Alka Yagnik screeches, Dhoka na ho jaaye…thank you, lady! But I wish they had put that thought up on the blurbs as well! In this clutter of emaciated tunes, the only one that stands up with weak kneed strength is Udit-Shreya’s Mohabbat se zyaada mohabbat hai tumse. Perhaps they also realized it as much, hence the same song is repeated twice over in the album. N-S have audaciously ripped off Ravi’s Tumhi meri mandir (Khandan) antara to merge it with their own Kitna pyaara hai yeh chehra (Raaz). The end result is sort of disjointed, yet, on the whole it passes muster; yes, the orchestration is splendid. But, the second version of the song is pathetic! One Ms. Monica Nath decides to hog the microphone and beats the number with even more vigor than a washer man at his trade! She sounds like a scientifically failed horrifying hybrid of Sapna Awasthi and Sunidhi Chauhan, and left me aurally frozen! The other above average song is Adnan Sami’s Ishq nei itna majboor kiya. Thankfully, he is out of his tera chehra-teri kasam groove, and sounds genuinely interested. The back up music is rather forced. Shreya Ghoshal provides able support in the second stanza. But it’s way too long! Sunidhi Chauhan comes on full throated in Zaalim ishq ( what all will they make poor innocent ishq into- we have already had ishq as kameena, tezaab, nikamma, kambakth…any more derisive words left?). Frankly, Sunidhi’s come hither act is getting on the nerves; especially, this one has no d(h)um! It is strange how Nadeem Shravann have replaced Alka with Shreya in their tune-dom! So much so that where Shreya gets the better duet, Alka is left scrambling with Dokha na ho jaaye and another parched tune Naa hone denge (with an out of form Kumar Sanu). This album will remain gumnaam on the charts. And rightfully so! Overall: Avoidable
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by Deepak Jeswal on 12:26 AM
Friday, October 08, 2004Veer Zaara Music Review Veer Zaara…mmm, how does one even start writing on this one without getting stuck in quagmire of clichéd superlatives and stock praise phrases. The music is way beyond a review or a critique; it is also way above the claustrophobic confines of communication clutches. Like a well nurtured and matured wine, this album has to be sipped and savored in small spurts. Unlike beer, it does not give instant gratification. Hear the soft cadences of santoor, sitar and Lata soak your sensibilities in a musical equivalent of a softly diffused photograph. However, the sepia toned tunes are given a strong swish of contemporary brush. With a great burden of expectations, I approached Veer Zaara with lot of doubt, apprehension and cautiousness. At the end of the first listening I tried to shake it off,but like a well trained pet, the music just stayed back with me. Ever since, I have been trying to dissect it but every time I fail, and get carried hopelessly away by the sheer sway of the tunes. Veer Zaara is a monumental dazzle of bright lights…this is the Diwali of Hindi film music!!! The music is extracted from an unspent treasure trove of the genius Madan Mohan- probably a first in the history of films, wherein a dead composer’s music has been so thoughtfully resurrected. But to say that these are purely Madan Mohan’s compositions would be a fallacy. In Kyun Hawa, the chorus at the beginning harks back to Shiv-Hari’s prelude in Silsila’s Yeh kahan aa gaye hum; the rhythms of Mai yahan hun remind of DDLJ and Mohabbatein; a snitch of Sharara gets attached to Hum to bhai jaise hain; and lo, was that a glint of Ladki kyun in the second guitar interlude of Mai Yahan Hun? That, however, does not mean the score is not original. Far from it- the songs are as fresh and fragrant as a freshly powdered baby! And equally tender too! But suffice to say, this is a Yash Chopra score-with a strong dash of Madan Mohan ( just the way Kahin aag lage lag jaaye and I Love My India were Subhash Ghai songs, and nothing to do with their respective credited composers). From the opening piano bars of Tere liye to the closing saxophone/trumpet strains of Jaane kyun, the album is stacked with myriad emotions-a musical rainbow-with multifarious song genres- love, sad, patriotic, festive, qawwali, et al. The CD contains 11 fulsome tracks-no repeats, no remixes, no redundancies. This stunning soundtrack is a gift of gratitude by Yash Chopra to his favorite muse, Lata Mangeshkar. Lata has sung all Chopra-directed (and some produced) film songs since Kabhi Kabhie. This perfectly symbiotic relationship has lasted a concrete thirty years in an industry full of nebulous negotiations. Lata returns the gesture with full vocal support, completely belying her true age! As a critic points out “Her indescribable virtuosity carries us through a universe of romance, nostalgia, patriotism and festivity that is a feast for the ears. What a wonderful birthday gift for her fans!” From this vast spectrum of sonority, my most favorite track is the Lata-Udit duet Yeh Hum Aa Gaye Kahan (Javed Akhtar does a naughty twist of words from his own Yeh Kahaan Aa Gaye Hum from Silsila). The simple tune is further heightened by a tickling sitar motif that comes in front of each antara. The tune of the antaras is a catchy breathtaking glide from high to low- a waterfall of emotions and melody falling into the fresh water lake of the mukhda. Lata sounds so young when she sings naughtily ‘tumhe mil gaye pyaar ke sau bahane’ that one is naturally expected to wonder that is she really 75? Her voice conjures up the image of a winking, dimpled Preity Zinta-that is her true genius!!! The musical arrangements, slight and unassuming, are first-rate. Only Yash Chopra could have coerced her to sound sassy and saucy in the spicy Hum to bhai jaise hai waise rahenge- a rebellious number with a strong Arabian undercurrent. The hum in the beginning sets the mood to a vivacious winner. And don’t get taken in by the delightfully simple façade; like all Madan Mohan compositions, a more complex sub-terrain simmers. Some critics point that perhaps Asha would have done a much better job at such a number? My rejoinder: this is a silly hypothetical question, which can only be countered with another more potent query- would Lata have done a far better job at Mera kuchch saamaan? Also, that the critics think of Asha for such a song (and not for the rest) just proves my point on the limited ability of the singer! Another ditty bathed in moonlit melody is Do pal. Sonu Nigam does a wonderful job, while Lata provides him ample support. The structure looks back at Ek duuje ke vaaste from Dil To Paagal Hai. The sitar and santoor conjoin together in a heave of an enthralling fountain, only to part ways, like the ill-fated lovers. RS Mani's musical arrangements, like the flow of a rustic beauty's dupatta in sylvan surroundings, with just a hint of sorrow in her deep expressive eyes, is visually abundant. Tere liye hum hai jeeyeis definitely the most perfect tune; hence, also the opening number and the theme song. Once again, Madan Mohan’s favorite instrument sitar finds a pride of place. The laid back languish pace is steeped in nostalgia; the structure of the antara conjoins the mukhda at the end in a seamless amalgamation. Madan Mohan's strength lay in creating the antara with lot of care, without the effort showing; I would take this song as its prime example, though the rest follow the same pattern. This is undiluted Madan Mohan- impeccable in architecture of tune. Writing verse to already composed tunes is not an easy task; yet, Javed Akhtar pens some sober heart felt lyrics, especially in this one. The contemporary sounds have irritated most purists; I found the combination quaint- except in Jaane kyun lagta hai, where the jazz like saxophone does not merge well with the overall tune.In fact the opening guitar riffs sound stolen from some English song. Yet, this is a song where Madan Mohan's basic tune tears out of its arrangements, searing the heart with a passion of warmth. Do I have to add that Lata sounds blissful? My only grouse that Chopra refrained from keeping a typical Madan Mohan-Lata combine song is partially fulfilled with this number. My last pick from the melody basket is Lata-Jagjit Singh’s Tum Paas Aa Rahe Ho; together, the singers recreate the magic of Sajda and Nargis (the last is a ill-fated film that never got released but had some sumptous numbers like Dono ke dil hai majboor pyaar se, Arre too pawan basanti, Mai kaise kahoon janeman, Kaahe ab ki ae bahar). From the three choral songs, Lo aagayi lodi ve is a topper; with a tune more infectious than flu, the short staccato antara is filled with a remarkable joi-de-vivre; also, in parts it resembles Raamlaxman’s Didi tera devar deewana. Gurdas Maan’s rough rustic voice is a neat foil to Lata’s honeyed one, this time in a cute and perky mould. Udit Narayan comes in for a wrap up line at the end of each antara (as in Mohabbatein’s Soni soni ankhiyon waali). Yash Chopra transcends trends by creating probably the first song based on this little known North Indian festival. The other, Aisa des hai mera, is a brilliant patriotic number where Javed Akhtar takes the front seat with some first class imagery of the bucolic life. Largely dominated by Udit Narayan's expressive and restrained singing, the song has snatches of popular Punjabi folk songs. Pritha Majumdar (who sang most of the songs in Mohabbatein, alongwith a hoarde of others), gets to do a couple of lines. She is the only other female playback singer in the album. The third, a situational qawwali, is the only let down; it is not of the class as in Henna’s Der Na Ho Jaaye or Parampara’s Mujhe Ishq Ho Gaya! Or perhaps, qawwalis do not motivate me enough. Although Lata is the sole female playback singer (barring a small two line by Pritha), there is an array of male vocals ranging from the expressive Jagjit Singh to the throaty Gurdaa Maan. In this, a special note for Udit Narayan’s immense control of voice and music is definitely warranted. In both his duets with Lata, he holds fort with an amazing grace, only to shine out on his own in his sole solo track, Mai yahan hoon, a song that has all ingredients of being a super hit. Sonu Nigam's shining glory is Kyun Hawa; unfortunately for him, Lata's alaaps and hums, overshadow. ( Remember how she took the entire song with her by just a couple of alaaps and a word 'aaye haaye' at the end in Bholi si surat aankhon mein masti). As a song, the overtly western semi-rock-and-roll kind of rhythm did not really appeal me. This year, if Tumsa Nahi Dekha steered Hindi film music to its original course, Veer Zaara lands it up at its rightful destination. The difference is that where TND is good, VZ is great. Actually, it is blasphemy to even think of Veer Zaara with anything that our contemporary musicians create. Let us not even waste time in futile comparisons; like Taj Mahal, Veer Zaara is exclusive; you cannot compare a Taj to a Petronas ever!! Yash Chopra has maintained an unique clique of exclusivity in the past three decades by signing on non-commercial music directors- Shiv-Hari, Uttam Singh, Khayyam. Largely, this has ensured that the style he has so lovingly cultivated has remained confined to his films only. This time around, he has simple wiped out any means of self-plagiarism. To sum up, I will quote a review that I read on the net : “The sumptuous score accommodates 11 tracks and as many moods, all culled together to pre-empt all out tomorrows in a clasp of beauty and harmony which is as precious for its fragility as it is for its strength… an album of tremendous melodic value” The advertisements state ‘listen it to believe it’. For once, I agree. A small fear also creeps up, will today’s generation fed on a staple diet of techno-induced metal sounds and heave-hop of remixes appreciate this evocative, intimate album? This is revival of melody- enjoy it for you will not hear such a monumental score in a long time to come! For the skeptics, please do listen to it again- a challenge given to a fellow blogger stands for all: I guarantee, if listened to with your heart, Veer Zaara will stay in your soul forever. Like Silsila and Kabhi Kabhie, Yash Chopra gives one more eternal album! Though I tried to, I just could not find enough effusiveness as this reviewer has done. Please do read this link. Overall: A collector’s album.
posted
by Deepak Jeswal on 12:32 PM
Monday, July 26, 2004Tumsa Nahin Dekha A Music Review Here is an album that makes you cry out…in joy! Nadeem Shravan and the Bhatt clan go back a long way; from Aashiqui to Raaz, Bhatts have been able to extract the maximum from this pompous duo. Between Anu Mallik, MM Kreem and Nadeem Shravan, the Bhatts have divided their musical repertoire to good effect; if Raaz was the crowning glory of 2002, then last year, they gave us Saaya and Jism; and this year, Paap and Murder has sinfully killed all competition at the charts. In TND, Nadeem Shravan gives us some lip-smacking orchestra and arrangements. Combining the effortless charm of haya ki shokhi and the earthy hues of dhanak ka rang, welcome to melody land; sitar, flute, shehnai, mandolin, piano, saxophone with beats of dholak and tabla rule the roost here; these are sounds that are fast becoming extinct in film music. Listening to Tumsa Nahin Dekha is like taking a leisurely stroll in your familiar neighborhood garden- uninimitading and refreshing! In this fulsome album there are seven songs, one instrumental, one repeat and one remix. This is one album where Nadeem Shravan were forced to let go of their favorite Alka Yagnik. Shreya Ghoshal, the new Bhatt protégé, gets the honor of singing all the female songs. Ghoshal is good; she has already proved her mettle with diverse songs like Silsila yeh chahat ka (Devdas) and Jaadu hai nasha hai (Jism), but she should be very careful with her high notes. There she gasps and twists, like an ill-equipped mountaineer on the Everest. Sample: Dhanak ka rang, on side B of this album. (Previously, her inadequacies were in full display in Tu hi bata zindagi-Armaan and O saathiya-sad version-Saaya). The opening bars of the best track Yeh dhuan dhuan sa rahne do took my breath away- it reminded so much of the lush orchestra of Shankar Jaikishan. With Richard Clayderman as the pianist, the effect of the song is magical. Roop Kumar Rathod rendition is excellent; Shreya Ghoshal ably supports him. An instrumental version, done by Richard himself, is mindblowing. Clayderman is a reknowned French pianist, an international hit artiste, and is currently viewing Bollywood with favor (he also did the title track of the abysmal Uff Kya Jaadoo Mohabbat Hai) Despite Ghoshal’s squeaky singing, Dhanak ka rang (actually, the correct mukhda is Aaj lagta hai main hawayon mein hum, aaj itni khushi mili hai), is my favorite track of this album. There are soft orchestral cadences in the number that delight. The overtly happy lyrics are juxtaposed with a tune that is restrained: a thought, a feeling, a fear that the effervescent happiness might just evaporate. The song gives the emotions of smiles through tears. When Sameer writes Aisa lagta hai dulhan hun bani, the thought echoes Gulzar’s brilliant Dulhan si lagti hun main, dulhan bana de re in Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein. My other personal favorite number is Maine soch liya. With a tune that reminds of the ill-fated Footpath number Zara dekh mera deewanapan, NS build upon that foundation a remarkable tower of glistening melody. The easy tune flows like a soft breeze. Mesmerizing! Of the more ‘popular’ kind of numbers Tum yaad aate ho(Bheed mein tanhai mein), is lovely although, in thought and style, it is a reprise of Jo bhi kasmein khaayi thi from Raaz. Ghoshal is melodious. Udit Narayan has fast replaced Sanu in the NS camp. A good choice, for Udit is brilliant in all three of his songs, especially this one. Sameer has fun in rhyming words like tanhai, gehrai, ruswai, shehnai, parchhai, purwai etc. Shaan and Shreya’s Mujhe tumse mohabbat hai (with a remix version in the end) is average. The remix is done by DJ Aqeel (I am not name dropping! But the album means quality) And Sonu Nigam’s sole solo Mere dil bata jaaoon kahan (Tanhaiya) is so low; it is incongruous with the rest of the album. In this number, however, NS make an interesting use of the mukhda back into the antara. I am reminded of RD Burman’s Bas meri jaan bas (Lata-Kishore), which had a similar structure. Udit-Shreya’s ghazal-numa Wo humse khafa hai, hum unse khafa hai has mellifluous moments but falls just short of being wonderful. The lyrics combine hope with despair. The tune is a trifle contrived, but redeemed by overall plush arrangements. The song, I fear, is the kind that gets the axe in the film. Overall, Nadeem Shravan have again come up with a totally satisfying album; if marketed well (it should be, since it is co-produced by HMV, the current favorite music label of the Bhatts), the album has all the ingredients like Raaz to be a hit; my only fear is that since 2002, the music taste of the audience is, (well, to put it politely) ‘remixed’, hence, those who find the English type tunes of Anu Mallik, SEL and Vishal-Shekhar good, might just find this one a tad too boring. (After all, even in Murder, a quite English-ish Bheege honth tere found more takers than the much better Kaho na kaho or Zindagi is tarah). For the old fashioned me, TND is refreshingly a comeback of melody. Amen! Two grouses: the quality of the recording by HMV is pathetic. Second, I wish I could ever listen Lata sing Aaj lagta hai mai hawaon mein hun number. Since, Lata is singing for NS in Bewaffa, hope they reserve a similar interesting tune for her. Overall: A Good Buy.
posted
by Deepak Jeswal on 06:27 PM
Saturday, July 24, 2004Julie A Music Review Ok, for a few minutes bhool jaayo sab kuch, that Rajesh Roshan ever composed those awesome melodies for the film of the same name in seventies (can any music lover ever ignore Roshan junior’s Bhool gaya sub kuchh or Yeh raatein nayi purani or Dil kya karein jab kisise pyaar ho jaye)! Having done that, I suspect, one can actually enjoy Himesh Reshammayia’s Julie in the new millennium. If Roshan’s Julie was a gargantuan tide of melodious numbers, Rishammiya’s Julie is a ripple that tickles and stirs in mild mellifluity. Slowly, steadily and stealthly Rishammiya is displaying a firm grasp on soft duets, hitherto a trademark of Nadeem Shravann. Rishammiya’s tracks are softly invigorating. Last year he gave us the markedly satisfying Tere Naam; this year, till date, he has come up with the meekly entertaining Bardaasht (Silsile mulaqaton ke could have been as successful as Odhni had the film not sunk faster than Titanic), a hit Ishq Hai Tumse (O Soniya and Dil dil are definitely good songs) and an insipid Run (where he did a mock-reprise of Odhni as Zara Zara). Apart from soft rhythms, splendid guitar riffs, a river-like controlled flow between antaras, Rishammiya is also making the best use of Udit Narayan’s able vocals (In Silsilay mulaqaton ke, Narayan apes the open-mouthed dumb drawl of Bobby Deol to extremely satisfying effect) In the same texture and terrain, Rishammiya unfolds Taarzan and Julie. In the latter, three duets stand out like perky middle bencher children in a class of fifty raising their hands trying to vie the attention of the busy teacher. The album’s best song is Aye dil tu bata kyun hone laga ik dard seene mein(Alka-Sonu). A mercurial rise and fall of the notes, coupled with some sensible lyrics arrests attention. The other good duet is Dhadkan ho gayi tumse aashna,(Udit-Alka) which has “hit” written all over it. And the third number that completes the trinity is Hum tumse dil laga baithe chain-o-sukoon gawa baithe (Udit Narayan’s voice and control is becoming extremely endearing; sadly, one cannot say the same of the dull-set Anuradha Paudwal whose efforts at sounding young and love-lorn are so artificial, they hurt!). Three more versions of the same song are also available-solo, sad and instrumental. One small big problem, though- all the three songs at the end of the hearing merge into one mass of melodious mixture! The Alka Yagnik solo Bheegi Bheegi subah mein,seeli seeli raaton mein is average; the beats reminds you of Kaliyon ka chaman-remix. With seeli seeli raaton mein, lyricist Sameer tries to enter the forbidden territories of Gulzar saheb’s mystic and imaginative poetry. Overall, he falters; how seeli to ape a genius blindedly! Otherwise too, even in the love songs, Sameer has offered standard trite love songs-dil ko roka, toka, de gaya dhoka, et al The last mentionable track is the title song; unlike what I thought listening to the opening Umrao Jaan style sarangi riffs, this is a purely male love solo sung feelingly by Sonu Nigam and Jayesh Gandhi; the English motif, however, disattracts. Ishq tezaab(Sunidhi-Jayesh) is acidic and avoidable. The song arrangements are good; Rishammiya puts meaningful music in between the antaras, unlike others who just prop up some clutter and din in haphazard disarray. Only I wish he used more Indian sounds like sitar, flute and veena (there are such interesting pieces in Hum tumse dil laga baithe). Also, he needs to work a bit more on the tunes of the antaras that sometimes sound contrived. Or perhaps, he is well aware that a song becomes “hit” more by virtue of the mukhda being played relentlessly on the various music channels! Overall: Above Average
posted
by Deepak Jeswal on 07:54 PM
Friday, July 23, 2004Dhoom A Music Review The chink in the Yash Raj Banner armor widens with this utterly lackadaisical offering Dhoom; it seems the senior Chopra was assertively away from the recording room while the songs of both Hum Tum and Dhoom got created. This d(h)oomed album is composed by music director Preetam Chakraborty (of Jeet-Preetam, who gave us the mildly entertaining Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi?). Alone, he comes up with a bunch of post-modern bump and grind routine, which can be created by any Shankar, Ehsan, Loy or Vishal Shekhar on a bad “ear” day. To Pritam’s discredit are some outright soporific albums like Agnipankh and Funtoosh also. The album begins with the rumbuctious (and the only catchy tune) Dhoom macha de dhoom. Sunidhi Chauhan’s gusto singing is definitely worth mentioning. An English encore of the same song follows at the end of the album, by none other than the latest youth icon Tata Young. This internationalization of Yash Raj films songs is disconcerting (there was an English cum bhangra song U’n’I in Hum Tum as well) as this banner always came up with very tradional but pathbreaking music. However, to be fair, considering today’s chart friendly gyrations, Dhoom macha de, will be on the charts for a long time. Pritam regurgitates his most successful song Sharara as Koi nahi hai kamre mein (Shaan and an obviously uncomfortable Shreya Ghoshal); aside from the risqué lyrics, the singing is bland, the tune contrived and the interludes a mish mash of beats and sounds. Don’t even think of Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s Hum tum ek kamre mein band ho from Bobby!!! A mandatory remix version is also available with the customary noises ( the singers change, however) What on earth is a lyric like Dilbaraa apun ki tu, apun tera doing in a Yash Raj banner film! Its positively a let down from the days when Sahir wrote Mere dil mein aaj kya hai. Or even Anand Bakshi’s cute Tu mere saamne mai tere saamne in the more recent Darr. The thought is the same; the downfall in expression is markedly downwards. Sameer, Sameer, What's up man? On the whole the song looks like Rahman’s rejected lefover’s from Yuva! The Spanish rhythms in Dekho yeh deewano kya mast mast sama (salaame karle salaame) are endearing. The song is sung by Kunal (Bheege honth)Ganjawala and Vasundhara(Aaja gufaaon mein aa, Aks)Das. But unfortunately, Pritam is a bit late in the day; Anu Mallik has already presented this expansive spectacle in Aawara Paagal Deewana. Still, this is the other song, apart from the title track, makes the album from being a total washout. After Aaina, Yeh Dillagi, Mujhse Dosti Karogi, DDLJ and Mohabbatein (all Yash Raj Banner films not directed by the veteran), Hum Tum and Dhoom are big letdowns. They should get back to their trademark sweet numbers and leave this rap and crawl to the other lowly producers! Overall: Avoidable
posted
by Deepak Jeswal on 05:39 PM
Friday, May 21, 2004DEV Music Review Govind Nihalani, better known for his offbeat films like Ardh Satya, has once again displayed a keen sense of music in his latest commercial outing. Last time, with A R Rahman at the helm of affairs, Nihalani offered the sprightly and extremely hummable Rang De in Thakshak. The song (alongwith some nimble dancing by Tabu, and excellent choreography by veteran Saroj Khan) ruled the charts, independent of the film. However, with Rahman’s name attached, the credit understandably went to the composer. In Dev, however, Nihalani chooses Aadesh Srivastava, a second rung composer, but someone close to the Big B (this is the third film in a row by the composer after Baaghban and Deewar, discounting the one odd song in K3G). This album offers nothing spectacular or path breaking, yet, it’s much above the average fare that has stormed the market in the recent past. At least it does not rely on mindless beats or cacophonous sounds or useless rhythms. Nihalani continues his colorful odyssey with the immensely catchy opening number Rang dini odhni sung by Kailash Kher, Mahua and Shradha. Kher scored a hit with Allah ke bande hansde recently in Waisa Bhi Hota Hai. In this song, he uses his full throttled folksy voice to full effect. The instrumentation is minimal, and the beats pulsating. In fact, Srivastava has very correctly and intelligently used very less but vital orchestrations in all the songs, an experimentation which he did brilliantly in Mai yahan tu wahan previously also. This leaves a huge vocal impact, creating an effect of emotions yet in the womb, but clamoring to reveal their identities. A step forward in the right direction is the two-part tandem Jab nahi aaye the tum. Kareena makes her debut as a singer in this song; she holds well, especially having heard a few other actors making an utter fool of themselves in front of the microphone. Though the breathlessness is there, overall there is a raw finesse in her singing. The same track is repeated on the second side, this time by a more seasoned Vijayta Pandit (yes, the same shrilly teenager who made her debut with Kumar Gaurav in Love Story, and is now the better half of Aadesh Srivastava). As a singer, Pandit has displayed a good control over her voice. Srivastava’s tune is simple, sober and sagacious. Asha Bhonsle is wasted in Allah Hu, in which the composer himself decided to hog the whole show. And Sonu Nigam tries hard in Tujh sang preet lagayi, but fails miserably. Unfortunately for him, the tune is also very haphazard and seems a diluted version of the Allah Hu song. In totality, both the songs are just pass muster. The final and the best track is a Ganesha Bhajan ( Deva o deva Ganpati deva, Mangalam Ganesham) sung with verve and vigor by Abhijeet with a replesendent chorus backing him up, and some sumptuous percussion and awesome alaaps adding to the sheen. The reflective percussion beat that forms the background is very addictive. The lyric is credited to Nida Fazli…it speaks volumes on the secular nature of our film industry. Many years back two Muslims Naushad and Shakeel had created the evergreen bhajan Mohe panghat pe nandlal chhed gaye ro in Mughal-E-Azam. Despite the recent communal backlash, our industry has thankfully been insulated from it. Nida Fazli’s poetry is of high quality, especially in the Jab nahi aaye the tum number. Govind Nihalani himself pens one number, Tujh sang preet lagayi, but without any major or deep impact. He should have let Fazli manage the entire department on his own. The album winds up with a monologue by the irrepressible Amitabh Bachchan talking about duty and dharma…ahem, it seems an encore of what he has already done in Khakee, and makes me feel squirmy about the film per se. With the fact that the monologue is not in the customary rich baritone of the actor, I am even more worried. Overall: Above Average
posted
by Deepak Jeswal on 03:02 PM
Wednesday, April 14, 2004Hum Tum I bought this audio with a lot of excitement. After all, it was quite some time since we had a Yash Raj banner film ( even though it is not directed by either of the two Chopras- Yash or Aditya). The music of all Yash Raj productions has been of optimum even when the main guys have not been at the helm of the affairs be it Doosra Aadmi, Noorie etc earlier or Mujhse Dosti Karogi in the recent past. However, Hum Tum, like the past so many disappointments by otherwise musically sound production houses, is a disaster from the word go. Were the two Chopras sleeping while selecting the songs? Worse, Jatin Lalit, who have nearly disappeared from the music scene in the past couple of years, make a dull come-slack...er come-back. The album opens with a typical ladka-ladki song that goes Ladki kyun, na jaane kyun ladkon jaisi nahi hote. The tune is simple, the arrangements pithy, and the singing adequate. But must say, Prasoon Joshi's lyrics in this number is really note-worthy. He displays a sharp sense of observation in delienating the point of view of both the girls and boys. Beyond this the album descends into a mash of maudlin beat-based look-alike songs like Chak de Chak de saare gham ( although I am sure this will crawl up the charts once the film releases) and Gori gori ( which carries forward the same ladka ladki theme again, and this time it elicits only yawns). The title song ( feelingly rendered by Babul Supriyo and Alka Yagnik ) is a bit too fragile to hold attention- an icicle that melts too soon. There is also an absurdity by some Veronica and company that goes U'n'I ( English for Hum Tum?). Ahem, I am sure the disco brigade and the FM will lap it up, but for the old fashioned me, it is only a pulp of mindless rhythms that has no identity or shelf life. Strange, such a song should be present in a Yash Raj film!!! The only other song that I must mention is Udit Narayan and Alka Yagniks's duet Yaara yaara. Although it seems to be a left over from Mohabbatein, it still has more freshness than the mildewed other new creations that Jatin Lalit have forced upon us. Whither the melodies of DDLJ, Dil To Paagal Hai, and even Mohabbatein that hallmarked the quality of Yash Raj banner in the recent past? All withered by time so soon??
posted
by Deepak Jeswal on 12:25 PM
Wednesday, March 03, 2004MURDER Undoubtedly, this is a very unusual and unconventional title for a Hindi film. But trust the Bhatt clan to come up with something shocking every time. The audiocassette of the film was released recently. It’s got music by Anu Mallik and lyrics by Sayeed Quadri and Rahat Indori. I have always maintained that the Bhatt family and its satellites have regularly come up with interesting music. Sur, Paap, Jism, Inteha, Saaya, Raaz were some of the recent offerings that had good music (please also see my blog http://songs2003.rediffblogs.com). There are five songs, one repeat and two instrumental versions, making a total of eight tracks in the album. The album of Murder opens with a very exciting number “Kaho na kaho, yeh aankhen bolti hai”- a lush song with a tune more infectious than SARS. Keeping Arabian music as reference point, the song hooks you right from the opening guitar riffs. The rhythm is enchanting and the mercurial shifts from Hindi to Arabic are riveting. New singer Amir Jamali’s voice suits the song (but he falters miserably in the high notes of another track “Jane jaan”). However, one grouse, the song has a very truncated effect, as if the music composer lost interest after the first few minutes. Unfortunately, it seems that Mallik lost interest not only in the song, but also in the entire album itself; because, what follows is a downhill trek to abysmal patchiness redeemed partly by the two-part tandem “Zindagi is tarah guzarne lagi, rang ud jaaye jyon deewarono se” sung separately by Anuradha Paudwal and Sonu Nigam. The latter version has better lyrics; and the song proves how good pronunciation is a must for a singer- Paudwal’s rendition of the word “jyon” as “jon” takes away the meaning of the entire song. What lacks in the track is the absence of a good tune- the lyrics are good, the arrangements impeccable, the rhythm steady-but, alas; the overall effect is still bland. It has all the right ingredients, spices and herbs, but the cook fails in making a proper dish. The last mentionable song is “Dil ko hazaar baar roka roka” (the only song written by Rahat Indori in the film)- a number clearly “inspired” from the O P Nayyar-type club songs of the sixties like “Babuji dheere chalna”. Alisha Chinai tries a bit too hard to recreate the golden magic; but her overt oomph is no patch on the raw sensuality of Geeta Dutt/Asha Bhonsle. But, I guess, times have changed, Amen! , The difference is just the one that exists between the scalding, scorching sexuality of Mallika Shehrawat (the heroine of this film) and the simmering, shimmering sensuality of Madhubala! With reference points ranging from Arabian to international (I can’t place my fingers but the track “Bheegey Honth” by Kunal Ganjawala is clearly plagiarized from an English number) to OP Nayyar, the album is a bit too much of kitsch to sustain attention. Get the first song recorded and forget the rest!
posted
by Deepak Jeswal on 11:15 AM
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