The 90s masala films are back in vogue, and who better to represent the genre than the Khiladi himself, Akshay Kumar, as he revives his iconic character again. After a 12 year gap since Khiladi 420 (in 2000) Akshay is back to his action avatar in Khiladi 786. This time, Kumar joins Himesh Reshammiya who makes his big mainstream debut, and doubles as script-writer and music director. With all this pressure, Himesh has created a very average album of 14 songs, that will likely become chartbusters regardless of their lasting appeal. The albums is a bit of a letdown considering Reshammiya was on a roll with his hit albums from Son Of Sardaar, and Bol Bachchan. It’s not overtly terrible, but it’s just not the original and creative Himesh, who can great albums likeRadio and Damadamm.
We start off with Lonely, which is oddly addictive even when it seems to sample the Mr. Saxobeat hook, and features Yo Yo Honey Singh doing an inventive rap to open the track. The song straddles both a hypnotic dance tune and a sad song that laments the loneliness of the protagonist. Himesh also sounds like he’s having tons of fun spoofing his own nasally voice, with his “Oooww Bawariya”, which makes this one a fun ride. He also borrows from “Main Jahaan Rahoon” with the “Teri yaad yaad mein” in an interesting way to keep the sadness in this dance track. Though Honey Singh and Hamsika Iyer feature in the track, they are completely overshadowed by Himesh’s energy. Keep this on repeat. As with a Himesh album, there are remixes galore, and this one is nothing special as it just speeds up the tempo and makes it more of a trance track. With this one, the sad verses by Himesh are emphasized more. Skip this one and stick to the original.
Much has been written about Balma, the tribute to R.D. Burman, and it doesn’t disappoint. It features Burman’s signature bongo beats and his ‘hah hah’ punctuating the beats. Yet the song takes some elements from LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” which set alongside all those Burman beats, makes this a very danceable and energetic track. Shreya Ghosal goes into seductive mode with this one, and is lovely here and Shriram complements her well during the chorus. While it isn’t in the Chikni Chameli or item number big leagues, it is a sensual and addictive track. The remix is simply boring as it takes away all the fun of the composition and just make it an average club track. Again, the original is far better.
One of the interesting tracks is Long Drive, which initially hooks you in with its slow guitar riff in the beginning, and gives you the sense that it might be a slow romantic number. However, it shifts gears quickly and becomes a rock-hip hop fusion, and laces the track with the harmonium beats. It immediately wins you over and who better than Mika Singh to take the helm. Yet this time round, he sounds so much more affecting and soft, which makes me want to more tracks where he leaves behind all that swagger and just sings. Finally, we have a Bhangra-remix which complements the original, while adding more tumbhi and dhol beats to make this one a sure chartbuster. The composition is very good and makes sure not to lose the essence of the original.
While I do love Himesh singing on romantic tracks, he just sounds a tad out of place on Sari Sari Raat. He has sung for Akshay Kumar before, but this one sounds a bit weird, as Himesh doesn’t seem to find the right balance between doing his usual nasal twang or taking the lighter notes and not over-enunciating each verse. What we can enjoy about the track is the composition, which is dreamy and minimalist. Shabbir Ahmed’s lyrics are eloquent and poetic, but end up getting a bit lost with Himesh’s variant tones. Savour the music only.
Next up is the terrible Hookah Bar, which is just completely nonsensical with lyrics like “Tere pyar ka nasha, kabhi aar kabhi paar, tera pyar pyar pyar, hookah bar”, is perhaps one of the worst stupidest compositions in a while. Honestly, a hookah bar? What was Himesh thinking?! The lyrics could have been overlooked if the composition was a bit better, but the club beats and constant interludes just sound monotonous. The Band of Power boys, Aman Trikha, Himesh Reshammiya, and Vineet Singh try to do their best with what they have got. The remix mildly improves the song, and perhaps that’s the one to choose if you want to listen.
Perhaps Himesh got a memo to recreate the same rustic and earthy dynamic that worked in “Hud Hud Dabangg”, yet he may have overdone the comparison with the title track, Khiladi 786. The song is too mired by that Dabangg hangover, and although Himesh tries to make it an energetic and macho track, even the chorus feels the same. The singers Vineet Singh, Aman Trikha, Yashraj Kapil, Alam Gir Khan & Rajdeep Chatterjee all sound good with the patriotic and descriptive verses they’ve got. Yet the song just suffers due to its composition and similarities to that iconic track. The remix is just unnecessary; however, it sounds just rubbish and boring. Skip both.
The last track is the retro, Tu Hoor Pari, which is opened beautifully by Harshdeep Kaur who can add that right dose of class and verve to save many a middling track. Javed Ali starts off the track with an interesting warbling tone, which reminds you of the proper Punjabi folksy sound. The rest of the track is a fusion between a qawalli and a more authentically Punjabi folk number. When Shreya Ghosal and Chandrakala Singh enter the track, they seem to add a more romantic chemistry to the song. While the song seems to juggle many different tones and interludes, it ends up as one of the better tracks on the album, thankfully without a remix!
Khiladi 786 is strictly an average album with a smattering of addictive tracks that may just live on after the film leaves cinemas, but it’s not the best work by Himesh Reshammiya this year. He has proved that he can do original and creative work that trumps the masala trappings of a film like this.
Our Rating : 3/5
We have been subjected to a long wait for Reema Kagti’s Talaash to release in cinemas and it will finally be doing so on 30 November 2012. This crime thriller stars not one, not two, but three superstars in the leading roles, which adds to the film’s appeal. They are Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukerji. Hopefully this film will be another great entertainer for us all in a year when we have seen some pretty amazing films coming out of Bollywood. The music to Talaash has been composed by Ram Sampath, who has given us albums like Delhi Belly (2011) and Khakee (2004). The lyrics have been written by the legendary Javed Akhtar, who has recently provided lyrics for soundtracks like Don 2 (2011) and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011). So is the soundtrack toTalaash worth listening? Well let’s take a look and assess whether or not it is.
The first track in the album is Muskaanein Jhooti Hai, performed by Suman Sridhar. The music has a very strong jazzy flavor to it and has been well performed by Suman also. It is finely picturized on Kareena Kapoor, who is the one that is provocatively miming to it in the music video. I think this kind of music is something which we hear on an infrequent basis in Bollywood and thus, I recommend that you give this one a listen. Sampath’s experiment with this song has certainly paid off and I am sure it will grow in popularity!
Next up we have Jee Le Zaara, which is sung by Vishal Dadlani. This is another catchy track which has a strong masculine edge to it thanks to Vishal’s superb vocals. He sings with intensity and it is this particular quality which makes the song itself very appealing to listen to. Another great one which you should not miss out on listening! The same however cannot be said for its remix, which has been done by Mikey Mccleary. Given that it is a five track album, I felt this was to some extent included as a bonus to make up for the limited quantity of tracks included. There is nothing that will wow you about this remix and it can be classified as a skip worthy track.
We also have Jiya Laage Na, which is performed as a duet by Sona Mohapatra and Ravindra Upadhyay. Although Javed Akhtar has penned some great lyrics for this song, I found that the upbeat and fast composition just did not work for me. Both Sona and Ravindra provide us with passionate vocals and they can be deemed as flawless. My main problem is the composition and given that Sampath was presented with some well-thought-out lyrics and talented singers, he should have created a more classical, yet modern, composition instead. This would have worked much better in my opinion. Overall, a mediocre composition but strong vocals and lyrics accompany it nevertheless.
There is also Hona Hai Kya, which is sung by the film’s music director Ram Sampath. This is quite a weak track and there is nothing charismatic about it. Sampath’s vocals are average and there is nothing about the music itself which will grab your ear’s attention. Perhaps it may acquire greater notice once the film has released and we see what particular scene or situation it is included in. However I think that as a song it is quite dull and therefore, I recommend that you give it a miss!
Finally we have Laakh Duniya Kahe, performed by Sampath, with Nisha Mascarenhas providing backing vocals. Although the song stretches a little, it has nonetheless been beautifully sung by Sampath and Javed Akhtar provides us with some warm lyrics for this one also. I actually prefer Sampath’s voice much more in this song compared to ‘Hona Hai Kya’. Musically, it has also been well composed and you can hear instruments such as the drums and the guitar. The song will no doubt spark attention, but I think it will become even more popular after everyone sees the film and the picturization to it. This definitely makes up for the dreary ‘Hona Hai Kya’ so give it a listen as it is probably one of the best tracks in the album!
In conclusion, although there is nothing phenomenal about the soundtrack to Talaash, it does still deliver as promised. It can be said with confidence that public expectations have been greater for the film itself rather than its soundtrack. However, the soundtrack does provide us with some catchy tunes that you may find appealing to listen to. The best tracks in this album are ‘Muskaanein Jhooti Hai,’ ‘Jee Le Zaara’ and ‘Laakh Duniya Kahe’ and I think these ones in particular will gain the approval of Bollywood music lovers. They certainly did for me! Though it could have been even better, nevertheless, I feel that Sampath has made a decent attempt with this album. This is especially since he was under immense pressure to create music for a film which has a very famous ensemble cast attached to it. In addition, although Talaash is not Javed Akhtar’s best work as a lyricist, he has still provided us with some authentic lyrics that are worth hearing. Overall though, the soundtrack to Talaash is like a box of chocolates: it contains a little ‘good’ and a little ‘not so good’ in it. Yet it is still an album that is worth listening!
Our Rating : 3/5
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| Luv Shuv Tey movie |
If you have not jumped on the Amit Trivedi bandwagon, it is highly recommended you hitch a ride soon because you have been missing out on one of the most marvelous musical experiences of this century. Having come to the forefront with Dev D, Trivedi has been constantly blowing our minds with his wonderfully quirky and entirely entertaining compositions. 2012 has so far witnessed his Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, Ishaqzaade. Aiyyaa and English Vinglish, each brilliant in its own way. Therefore, it is no surprise that we expect Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana to carry on the torch. In addition to Trivedi, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana has Shelle (also knows as Shailendra Sondhi Singh) as its lyrist and features the vocal talents of Tochi Raina (‘Saibo’ – Shor in the City), Harshdeep Kaur (‘Katiya Karoon’) and Amit himself amongst others.
First is, Kikli Kalerdi is a witty take on a traditional Punjabi game ala ring-a-ring-a-roses played by young girls. Here, the game’s format is used to illustrate the notorious escapades of cheating Ranjah who is in way over his head. It is written with a lot of wit, touch-in-cheek humor and clever innuendo. All these qualities are cleverly rendered by Trivedi, Ho Ho Honey Singh and Preeti Maidasani. Musically, the flute loop and the dhols/drums’ back beat create an infectiously catchy number. The Hindi version, especially Ho Ho Honey Singh portion, is relatively better than the Punjabi version. Other than that, both versions are equally good.
Motorwada is a follow on from ‘Kikli Kalerdi’. While the lyrics are as wonderfully outrageous at Kiikli Kalerdi, the music falls a bit short. That is, it is not as addictive as the former. Tochi Raina and Amit more than make up for it with an enthusiastic rendition. Raina, arguably outshines Amit as he tends to nail the Haryana nuances.
Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana is a beautiful Punjabi duet by Harshdeep Kaur and Shahid Mallya. The lyrical back and forth is witty and sweet while the minimal traditional Punjabi music is easy on the ears.
Makkhan Malai, is yet another loud number but unlike ‘Motorwada’ and ‘Kikli Kalerdi’, it comes off as relatively noisy. Further the lyrics are sub par in comparison.
Luni Hasi appears as a duel track by Dalvender Singh and Harshdeep Kaur respectively. It is a soft romantic Punjabi/Hindi track despite Amit employing an energetic mix of techno/electronica throughout the track. Both tracks are equally good, however, arguments about the orchestration of one being superior to the other will not be uncommon.
Faruka Baadi gets off to a promising start, in that the ladies’ (credited as chorus) portion is quite attention grabbing with ‘FO’ and ‘teri maa behn ki’ amongst other references. Labh Janjua then takes over the track and from here on the track takes on the form of a rather mediocre Punjabi dance number, the likes of which audiences have heard a 100 times before.
Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana Theme can easily give its predecessors a run for their money, considering how unbelievably beautiful it is devoid of vocals. Tapas Roy’s rabab reigns supreme and elevates this track from a mere filler instrumental.
In summary, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana is delightfully quirky in a way only Amit Trivedi can manage. However, one cannot ignore Shelle, the sleeper star of this soundtrack. His witty lyrics showcase an optimal grasp of Hindi, English and Punjabi as well as his comic genius. His articulate innuendo is particularly entertaining. Encapsulate it in a zany Trivedi creation with a good assortment of singers and you get at true hatke musical experience. That being said, the strong Punjabi lyrics may be off putting to those who do not understand the language. To recap, ‘Kilki Kalerdi’ is an obvious winner with his peppy tune and cheeky lyrics. Both versions of ‘Luni Hasi’ are close seconds with the title track and the theme piece bringing up the rear. The remaining tracks are mostly unremarkable even though listenable. In any event, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana has been yet another impressive Trivedi creation of the records.
Our Rating : 2.5/5
1920 – Evil Returns is a forthcoming horror film (a genre that is rarely present in Bollywood) and is a sequel to the film 1920 (2008). It stars Aftab Shivdasani, Tia Bajpai and Vidya Malvade in the leading roles and is all set for release on 2 November 2012. According to the synopsis, the film is based on a poet called Jaidev (Aftab) who meets a young woman called Smruti (Tia) by a lake. He forms a relationship with her and later discovers that Smruti has lost her memory (the only things she remembers is his poems). Whilst they are staying at a Guesthouse (they are en route to a hospital so Smruti can get treatment), Smruti becomes possessed by a spirit that is present in the guest house. You will have to wait until this spooky movie release to find out what happens!
The music director for the film’s soundtrack is Chirantan Bhatt. He has composed songs for films like Mission Istaanbul (2008) and most recently for Haunted – 3D (2011). The lyrics have been penned by Shakeel Azmi, who has written songs for films like Zeher (2005) and for Haunted – 3D also. So let’s explore what 1920 – Evil Returns have to offer to us Bollywood addicts!
We start off with Apnaa Mujhe Tu Lagaa, which is performed by the charismatic Sonu Niigaam. It is a power ballad and you can hear a selection of instruments such as the guitar and the piano as part of the composition. The Sonu’s vocals are perfect and he gives it his absolute all in this song. The music has been finely composed and as a result, it is difficult for me to find any specific problems with it. Hence, this song is most certainly worth listening and Sonu’s harmonious voice makes it all the more special!
Next up we have Uska Hi Banana, sung by the young Arijit Singh. It is a dark song and understandably so, since it complements the theme of the film. Arijit sings the song with power and raw emotion! The music also suits Arijit’s voice very much. Though it is not an ‘outstanding’ song, it has been well-composed and surely deserves a listen!
Jaavedaan Hai follows and this has been performed the talented K.K, with Suzanne D’Mello providing mild backing vocals. Instruments such as the drums, the piano and bagpipes can be heard in this catchy number. The song has been sung smoothly by K.K and the music itself is also flavorsome. Definitely not a song which I would skip so giving it a try and you may end up liking it.
The album also has Khud Ko Tere, sung by the lovely Mahalakshmi Iyer. This is a beautiful song and it has been performed by Mahalakshmi with passion and emotion. I very much enjoyed listening to her voice in this song and it reaffirmed for me that she is a truly gifted singer who is full of talent. I also love the music and it has been thoughtfully composed. It has a ‘Desi’ feeling to it with the use of Indian instruments like the tabla. Yet Western instruments are not absent and this is apparent with the use of the violin. A song which I strongly recommend you hear!
Finally we have Majboor Tu Bhi Kahin, which is performed by Amit Mishra. This is probably the weakest song in the album and I just did not find it that alluring to listen to. Although Amit sings well in this song, I did not find the music to be of the same standard compared to the other tracks in the album. Therefore, I would classify it as a song which could have been much better.
To sum up, I must say that I am actually quite impressed with the soundtrack to 1920 – Evil Returns. I did not expect it to be so good and as a result, I recommend that you give this album a chance since there are some catchy tunes that will certainly impress you. What makes it even sweeter is that there are no remixes, which arguably would have affected the quality of the album as a whole. Chitrantan Bhatt is indeed a talented music director who has clearly worked hard here to create an album of a very good standard. A sound track which deserves your ear’s attention!
Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D’Cruz, Anurag Basu’s Barfi! has captured the imagination and the interest of the fans of Bollywood the world over. I have to admit that this is the film that tops my list of movies I really truly cannot wait to see. In the film Ranbir has become Barfi, a charming and mischievous deaf/mute, who has the feel of Charlie Chaplain’s characters and Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean, but of course his own cute, crazy, sweet self. Priyanka Chopra, in what seems to be a fabulous performance if the trailer is anything to go by, is Jhilmil an autistic woman who is Barfi’s friend… Also in the cast of characters is Shruti played by Ileana D’Cruz who Barfi falls for. Shruti narrates this heartwarming tale of selfless love and about finding happiness in the smallest things in life. Directed by Anurag Basu, Barfi! is set to open in theaters on September 14th.
After hearing the lovely music that played in the background of the fabulous Barfi! trailer I could not wait to hear the music for the film. Unfortunately that gorgeous instrumental is not on the album, but music director Pritam surprised me even more once I sat down to listen to the eight captivating tracks. Pritam certainly is trying out some new flavors to tell this tale and it so works. Let’s take a look at the sounds of Barfi!
Now usually whistling in a song really gets on my last nerve, but starting off the title track Barfi, it actually set the mood perfectly for the quirky song that was to come. You hear Mohit Chauhan in a totally different avatar than his full on rocker. This is just a light, bright song with some great instrumentation. Not at all what I expected, but I don’t think Barfi! is going to be anything we are going to expect either. I loved the middle stanza with the guitars backing up Mohit’s energetic, fun inflection. The music is very stylized and I really can’t set it to one genre because I feel that Pritam has taken in lots of influences – in a good way. For some reason I thought of Hawaii but maybe that is just me…anyway it is a great, chirpy track you should check out.
There is also a second version sung by lyricist Swanand Kirkire titled Ala Barfi. It has the same quirky music, but he has a different inflection with a little bit of a rougher tone. Not so “sung” as Mohit’s version and so that gives the song a different feel. In some sections, this is more pared down musically and more percussive but then in others it is more revved up with the addition of some cool musical sections that added to the funky sound. It is cheekier, I think, is all I can say and I enjoyed his rendition too. ‘Barfi’ and ‘Ala Barfi’ are probably not songs you will put on replay, but I think once seen in the film you will say ‘Ooooh okayyyy! Now I get it’. Then certainly you will find later that you will be sitting searching the Internet or editing an article and all of a sudden you will start singing oooohwayyyyyy. (Not that I did that). I see this track accompanying a nice montage of Ranbir ala Charlie Chaplain ala Mr. Bean being Barfi and I can’t wait.
The smooth with a bit of an edge vocals of Nikhil Paul George give the voice for the great Main Kya Karoon. Again a new sound from the composer, this one with a very modern flavor to it. I really wish I could I talk to Pritam to find out what went into his thoughts for these songs. There seems to be so many layers and flavors and they all work. You certainly haven’t heard these tracks before. I love Nikhil Paul George’s voice and sometimes it feels as if he is just riffing and I love it. For me, the back up chorus could have been left out, it was one too many layers. However, I love this song, it just makes me smile so this is a must listen! The video certainly has proved to be a hit with fans!
Kyon is next and from the first strum I thought another happy Barfi! track. Running throughout each of the tracks on this OST is this same feel of a modern intonation, but also a 60s influence to some of the background music that makes them really different and that really shines on ‘Kyon’. Papon is brilliant, love his voice on this song, I actually can’t imagine anyone else singing this great tune. (Did anyone else think of Cary Grant listening to him sing…no, just me? Okay). Sudhini is at her sweet, mellifluous toned best, of course. ‘Kyon’ is just lovely and you should give it a play…definitely gives you a feeling that we are in for some surprises on the silver screen.
The wonderful Rekha Bhardwaj sings Phir Le Aya Dil. Not only are her vocals fabulous, but the music on its own is wonderful, which actually is a bit of a problem. Her classic modulation and deep pitch does not totally match the flow of the music, which I found a bit distracting. The music is mix of different flavors with a very sweet sounding feel. I love the piano and guitar layers with the tinkling tones in the back. To be honest I would rather just listen to the music separately because I loved it. Then hear her sing alone with the deeper parts of the song because I do love her voice. A hit and a miss I would say.
There is also a reprise version of Phir Le Aya Dil, which I liked much better. In fact, this is one of the best on the album for me. Arijit Singh’s vocals are just brilliant and on this version of the song I feel as if the music was deepened to match his voice and it worked so much better. Just love everything about this track, the classic Indian flavored beats in the music with the many layers of percussion and light touches to give it a rich sound. At one point the track transforms to almost a jazzy, classic movie flavor with the piano line and that should seem out of place, but totally does not. This one is really one of Pritam’s best. So many layers and so full of perfect sounds and tones. Just go get it and then be prepared to hit play again. I also think once we see it in the film it will become even more.
Aashiyan, for me, had an Italian or maybe Spanish flavor with its sprightly accordion and flute and the whole overall feeling to the musical arrangement on the track. It is very old-worldy in mood and patina and I think you will know what I mean when you hear it. Shreya Ghoshal has this sparkling tone that just adds so much and is the perfect tone for the music. Also heard is Nikhil Paul George who adds the smooth male vocal, which gives it another layer. ‘Aashiyan’ is great, but at the same time a song that really was unexpected. It will be very interesting to see what is happening on screen, but honestly that is true with every single one of these tracks.
Saawali Si Raat features Arijit Singh again, and again he is wonderful in this more whispery avatar with an extra lightness to his inflections. I would not know it is the same singer if I did not look at the liner notes. He is fabulous. The music is so interesting with so many special little touches to the pretty melodious track. Just a song to get lost in…I did as I was taking notes for this review and had to hit play again. This song is another completely different sound from Pritam who really is showing his incredible range and skill at trying new avenues and reaching for new heights when creating the musical backbone and feeling for the film. I love it!
Saawali Si Raat features Arijit Singh again, and again he is wonderful in this more whispery avatar with an extra lightness to his inflections. I would not know it is the same singer if I did not look at the liner notes. He is fabulous. The music is so interesting with so many special little touches to the pretty melodious track. Just a song to get lost in…I did as I was taking notes for this review and had to hit play again. This song is another completely different sound from Pritam who really is showing his incredible range and skill at trying new avenues and reaching for new heights when creating the musical backbone and feeling for the film. I love it!
Director Anurag Basu has said that since Ranbir’s character does not talk, ‘we have six songs in the film that are used to express the protagonists’ feelings without lip-syncing’. The music is part of the way we hear what they are saying. If I was not already totally intrigued and excited to see the film, after hearing the tracks and reading that quote I really, really can’t wait until September 14th gets here! This not your average film and Pritam certainly has created a sweet sounding mix of songs (sorry had to say it once.) As for a rating, since this is not a “classic hit maker” OST but one that is the voice of the film, I am going to base it completely on how good I think the tracks are, the outstanding quality of the signing, how different a sound Pritam has created and most importantly how they will fit into Barfi’s world and for me that makes it 4 stars!
OUR RATING : 4/5
GV Prakash Kumar makes his Bollywood debut dragging some heavy baggage along with him: he’s the nephew of the universally esteemed maestro, A.R. Rahman. Inevitably, his work is going to be judged (fairly or unfairly) as to how well it stacks up against his famous uncle’s.
Joker isn’t a perfect soundtrack: it comes along with baggage of its own (the early leaking of item number track Kafirana under its controversial working title “I Want Fakht You” garnered mostly negative attention); director Shirish Kunder’s perfectionist/control-freak tendency to have his fingers in every pie including the music – in this case, as lyricist – isn’t always to everyone’s taste. With Joker reportedly Akshay Kumar’s 100th film, is it possible that the soundtrack, at least, could be a hit?
First up is the notorious item number from guest composer Gaurav Dagaonkar. Kafirana, has been widely disseminated all over the web already in its early, leaked form, with slightly different lyrics. Namely, the current chorus “I want just you” was formerly “I want fakht you” (which means the same thing…but sounds…well, you know how it sounds). Opening with a drum sequence that is reminiscent of the drums at the start of the Dhoom 2 opening song, Kafirana is sadly, a little bit lacklustre for a hyped item song. Heavily rhythmic and strongly Marathi influenced, and Sunidhi Chauhan delivers the vocals with spirit, but overall it’s lacking a unique spark – it sounds like every other generic item song. It feels like the one thing that would have made the song memorable for more than 2 minutes was the “I want fakht you” chorus – which was changed, apparently, for being too controversial.
Jugnu, however, is worlds apart from the humdrum Kafirana. Firstly, it’s sung by the incomparable Udit Narayan! Oh, I’ve missed him! The song begins with a lilting lullabye/nursery rhyme feel, with gorgeous instrumentation – strings, subtle percussion, flutes, a chorus of voices, even whistling – joining gradually in the background and building to a soaring, epic climax. Emotional and inspiring, this is a beautiful, satisfying track.
Sing Raja is a funky folk/electric fusion track based around a distinctive, repeated flute loop. The electronic and folk elements are integrated pretty well into kind of industrial rhythms, and again, build to a pleasingly epic climax, while Daler Mehndi and Sonu Kakkar infuse the lyrics with high energy. In fact, the only downside to this energetic track is that it possibly suffers from its overly simplistic lyrics.
Shweta Pandit and Sonu Nigam join forces on Yeh Joker, a strings and percussion heavy track that seems to go on forever. It’s certainly loud and epic and upbeat – lots of drums and Sonu Nigam giving it his all – with a repeated soaring echoing chorus. A probably situational track, that may be incredible in context, but outside the film it’s just quite loud and long.
The two real gems of the Joker soundtrack are the instrumental tracks composed by G.V. Prakash Kumar. Tears of The Joker – as the name suggests – is a downbeat, mournful melody, seemingly classically influenced and based around a central flute melody, with strings, sitar, and alaps. It’s quite lovely and intricate, and a definite highlight of the album. The other instrumental track, Alien Arrival starts out with an Old Western feel, and is start to finish, a thoroughly filmi theme – suitably grand and moving through various “moods” to suggest the progression of the story. These two tracks together are definitely accomplished and hint at great things to come from G.V. Prakash Kumar, despite the uneven nature of the rest of the album.
OUR REVIEW : 2.5/5
The Raaz franchise re-emerges with its third film,Raaz 3 this year. Great music has been synonymous with the last two movies and with names like Emraan Hashmi and Mahesh Bhatt associated with it, expectations are certainly running high. Raaz featured music by Nadeem-Shravan while Raaz – The Mystery Continues featured music by Raju Singh and Toshi-Sharib, the second being very contemporary and the first relatively traditional. Both, immensely popular.
The new-ish Jeet Ganguly (Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi) has composed the songs with a guest composition by Rashid Khan. Lyrics have been penned by Kumaar, Rashid Ali and Sanjay Masoom while vocal talents consist of Javed Ali (‘Guzaarish’ – Ghajini), Shafqat Ali (Tum Mile – Title Track), K.K (Desi Boyz – Title Track), Sonu Nigam (Jabse Mere Dil Ko Uff – Teri Meri Kahani) and Shreya Ghosal (Chikni Chameli – Agneepath). The album has 6 tracks and is devoid of any remixes or reprises.
Raaz 3 hits cinemas 7 September 2012.
The album begins with Deewana Kar Raha Hai which is sung beautifully by Javed Ali. Written and composed by Rashid Khan, the track demonstrates a sweet and quiet intensity in terms of lyrics and music. Rashid employs as nice amalgamation of instruments and pens the track brilliantly as well. In short, impressive.
Jeet Ganguly takes over the album with Zindagi Se. In the same line as Deewana Kar Raha Hai, Zindagi Se also starts slow and then picks up the pace. Shafqat does a great job singing the track. His vocals compliment Masoom’s well-penned lyrics. Like Rashid, Jeet also has a good command of mixing and alternating between a variety of instruments and makes Zindagi Se a wholesome number.
K.K’s Rafta Rafta is pleasant enough but in light of the previous Bhatt-K.K compositions, it falls short. One only has to remember Zara Sa from Jannat 1 and 2 to feel what the track lacks. Other than that, it is a reasonable composition that is penned well by Masoom.
Oh My Love, suffers from the same fate as Rafta Rafta. It is lacklustre and entirely mediocre for a Sonu Nigam and Sherya Ghosal track. O Soniye from Raaz – The Mystery Continues immediately comes to mind, a soulful romantic number with a timeless quality that also featured Sonu and Shreya. Oh My Love, on the other hand, fails on all accounts.
Kya Raaz Hai also fails miserably, mainly due to Shreya Ghosal. Her vocals sound out of place against Kumaar’s lyrics about raw ambition and power. She does render the ‘morey saiyaan’portions of the track relatively well and her vocal capture the hurt and desperation perfectly. Zubin on the other hand does a fantastic job and brilliantly vocals the angst and regret ridden lyrics. Usually a Bhatt situational number is entirely listenable away from its onscreen counterpart, but this time round Kya Raaz Hai does not hold its own. Kaisa Yeh Raaz Hai from Raaz – The Mystery Continues was a fine example of a situational number that worked fantastically as a stand alone.
The album ends with Khayalon Mein. It is a sweet and girly number that Shreya renders well. However, it seems a bit out of place in an erotic-thriller. Regardless, it has a youthful bounce to its music and the lyrics are fairly a decent. All in all a good track.
In summary, Raaz 3 fails in comparison to its predecessors. That being said, it does not have a bad collection of songs. The songs simply do not have that endearing and haunting touch to them. In any event Deewana Kar Raha Hai and Zindagi Se are not be missed. Khayalon Mein also has its appeal in a sugar-and-spice-and-everything-nice kind of way but the rest of the album is mostly unremarkable. Hopefully, the film infuses some sizzle back in the soundtrack.
OUR REVIEW : 2.5/5
