Jodi No 1

Jodi No 1 - Qazi Touqeer, Ruprekha Banerjee

Reality shows in India are in a vogue for a year now. Two of the best reality shows have resulted in artistes like Abhijeet Sawant, Rahul Vaidya and Amit Sana being exposed to the world. Now it is the turn of Jodi No. 1 - Qazi and Ruprekha [Fame Gurukul winners] to announce their arrival with their debut album aptly titled 'Jodi No.1' that has lyrics penned by Sameer and music composed by Prempal Hans & Hardip Sidhu.

1) Yeh Pal [Original and remix]

A song about moments from the past, 'Yeh Pal' is a romantic duet to begin the album on a loving note. Sameer writes lyrics that are so very different from the kind that he normally churns for a regular Bollywood flick and take center stage in this beautifully orchestrated song by Prempal Hans & Hardip Sidhu. Both Qazi and Ruprekha give good account of their singing capabilities with Ruprekha definitely holding a slight edge. This is a kind of song that would have suited Bollywood playback singer Abhijeet's singing style perfectly. A melodious number that you would want to keep hearing repeatedly.

After a gap, another version of the same song arrives that is trendier with musical arrangements revisited. There is a certain club feel incorporated to this love song that could suit even a dance floor setting. Normally its the melodious version of a romantic number that one prefers but in case of 'Yeh Pal', even this club version is pretty likeable and manages to hold on to its identity.

Third version of the song is a remix version that begins in an altogether different manner with a strong mushy feel around it. In fact the way this version has been arranged, it is difficult to make out if this remix is indeed a followup to the original song as it has been composed in an altogether different style and feel. No unnecessary beats, no frills, no jazzy sound effects - just some melody and love added on to the original tune and you have one more immensely likeable version of 'Yeh Pal' ready.

'Yeh Pal' is a winner all the way.

2) Karoon Kya

Ruprekha begins 'Karoon Kya', a song where a young heart in love is indecisive about what action to take next in wait for her lover. Melody reigns once more in this extremely well composed song that impresses in the very first hearing. If one thought that 'Yeh Pal' was good then hear 'Karoon Kya' - you would love this track as well. Qazi enters the scene some time later but it is quite evident by this time that it is Ruprekha who has won your heart. Qazi is good but is overshadowed by Ruprekha in the number.

3) Hero

Rap'n'reggae begins 'Hero' that takes some time before coming on its own. A fast paced solo number with some 'tapori' element thrown in as well, it has Qazi modulating his voice to suit that of a street-smart character. The song is about a young guy who has believed in himself to reach the pinnacle of success and how he does he do that inspite of stiff opposition and competition. Overall an ordinary track.

4) Meri Mehbooba

After some rap'n'reggae comes a song with middle-east flavor - 'Meri Mehbooba'. The number begins in Qazi's vocals only to be joined by Ruprekha in quick time. The way she sings the number, she should be a hot contender for playback singing quite soon. She sings like a pro and comes across quite confidently. After an average 'Hero', 'Meri Mehbooba' gets the album back on track. Also it has an inherent filmy appeal to it rather than being a conventional Indi-pop track.

5) Kehkashan

Qazi begins 'Kehkashan' on a foot tapping note and makes this youthful track quite entertaining with his boyish rendition. A peppy song with some English lyrics that go like 'Move The Body Shake The Body', it is in appreciation of one's beloved, it is yet another solo by Qazi that is far better than his previous solo - 'Hero'.

6) Maddham

Highly melodious 'Maddham' comes towards the end and is a superb composition. Sung quite sweetly by Ruprekha who goes solo with this love song, 'Maddham' reminds of the melody from the 60s and the 70s era. Sameer goes poetic with this beautifully written song that tells the tale of a young girl deeply in love and loving everything around her.

7) Meri Choodiyan

A solo by Ruprekha, 'Choodiyan' has the lethal UK-Punjabi flavor to it that makes the album enjoyable till the very end. One of the best tracks in the album, it is quite entertaining, never mind its inspiration from number of Punjabi tracks composed in similar style.

'Jodi No. 1' is a very good start by Ruprekha and Qazi where Ruprekha clearly leads on all fronts. She does amazingly well in all the songs she sings while in case of Qazi, his being an amateur clearly shows. Still he is much better than many other wannabe pop singers who keep coming in and going out.

Qazi Touqeer

Age: 19; Place of Birth: Srinagar; Parents: Father, lawyer, Mother, teacher; Education: Completed 12th standard; Passion: Clothes; Aim in life: "I want to be a superstar— sing, dance and act"; People love: His curly locks; His hair attracts web poll: "Maybe some vote for my personality...others say they really like my voice. I'm surprised when they say it's my hairstyle"; Competitive: He won a baby show, a body-building competition and now is in Fame Gurukul; His Fans: Are in lakhs from all over India, evident from the SMS that saved him from the danger zone (6 times, till last week). Messages of support is flooding the net from all over the world — from Pakistan to the UK and even Africa; RECORD OF SORTS: During the initial episodes alone, Qazi won votes that were far more than what Abhijeet Sawant or Amit Sana got in the entire Indian Idol show, it's been a record for any reality show on television so far! QAZI ZONE: The 'Danger Zone' in Fame Gurukul is referred to as 'Qazi Zone'. SENSE OF HUMOUR: On his undying relationship with the 'Danger Zone' he said, he'll christen his son Danger. His ideal jodi: Rex D'Souza. "I am a performer-dancer, and Rex has a good voice...We will complement each other perfectly on stage. I am thin, he is not exactly thin..." REX SAYS: "He is a natural performer.... But above all, he is a good human being. What he says, he means." JUDGE SHANKAR MAHADEVAN SAYS: "This is not a boring singing competition. Performance counts. Why else have they created a stage that has a ramp walk?"