MUSIC REVIEW OF APNA ASMAAN

	MUSIC REVIEW OF APNA ASMAAN By Satyajit - Eye TV India Bureau Juke Box 'Apna Asmaan', a socially relevant film about a mentally challenged boy is a fine attribute to thought-provoking cinema by debutante director Kaushik Roy. The film boasts impressive star cast of Irfan Khan, Shobhana, Anupam Kher, Rajat Kapoor and debutante Dhruv Panjani in important roles. 'Apna Asmaan' has already received "The German Star of India" and has been awarded as the best feature film at the Stuttgart Festival. The film has again hit the news by making its way in the San Luis Cine Festival International (Argentina). This insightful film with a strong universal appeal is the first time entrant from Hindi film segment in the unexplored Latin American entertainment sector. Leslie Lewis, a prolific music composer in Indi-Pop segment with albums like "Jaanam Samjha Karo" and "Paree" to his credit, has composed original music soundtracks for the film. Lyricist Mehboob has composed meaningful lyrics that give it a significant outlook to class listeners. 'Apna Asmaan' has twelve original soundtracks that can be heard on Saregama (HMV) music cassettes and CD's.

Apna Asmaan (6 Versions) : There are rare occasions when there are six versions of title tracks and this time Leslie Lewis' skilled harmonic talents produce them in instrumental mode for different moods and sentiments of the film. "Apna Asmaan (Day)" is sweet and lovable instrumental soundtrack where free-flowing whistling along with flute rendition delivers carefree feel while feminine sensual "alaaps" give it sharp edges. It signifies optimism and cheerfulness for the characters in the film. "Apna Asmaan (Dawn)" is a scintillating stringed instrumental version signifying the arrival of "dawn" with emotionally enriched works of flute, "jaltarang" and impressive choral sounds in the backdrop. It's an alluring "baansuri-vaadan" denoting the changing phases of life. "Apna Asmaan (Dawn Again)" comes with extra subtle notes where signature tunes are synchronized to perfection to give it an emotional healing touch. "Apna Asmaan (Night)" has a haunting music appeal that comes striking all the way with effective piano notes, shrilling percussive sounds bonded appreciably in resounding male and sensuous feminine "alaaps". "Apna Asmaan (Midnight)" gives an excruciating feel with painful male "alaaps" that are rendered with soft titillating notes in the backdrop. "Apna Asmaan (Twilight)" glimmers about the bright sunshine of optimism and it comes with cheerful orchestration in soft and delectably paced musical arrangements. Leslie's prowess as skillful musician is exhibited in all six versions and caters well to different feel and sentiments of the film. Katara Katara (2 Versions) : After the critical acclaim soundtracks of Deepa Mehta's 'Water', Sukhwinder Singh comes with another heart-warming presentation in beautifully penned and composed soundtrack "Katara Katara". It's a philosophical musical work that is enriched with Mehboob's poetic excellence and Leslie's musical radiance. Sukhwinder Singh delivers fine piece of vocal modulation with echoing effects in making out this as principal soundtrack. This song epitomizes the grit and determination and is conceived in well nurtured phrases and verses that cater amicably with the theme of the film. "Katara Katara (Reprise)" is designed to be a promotional track and comes with loud orchestration, infused with impressive vocal and subtle arrangements. Jhannana Jhannana: Leslie Lewis has a prolific past of being a versatile musician; he materializes this prowess to sheer perfection by delivering typical classical Indian musical work in dancing soundtrack "Jhannana Jhannana". It's a brilliant piece of classical singing by KS Chitra where the immaculate happiness is exhibited in racy vocal renditions and it's well coordinated by traditional instrumental works. It's a rare delight to hear something musical resounding effort and if it finds an impressive grounding of prolific choreographic skills, then it can be a visual delight for class viewers. Do wait for its cinematic presentation to feel the impulse of classical Indian singing and dancing in theatres. Dil Ka Taraana: Sunidhi Chauhan's flair of delivering delightfully romantic tracks makes another striking blow in Indi-Pop styled soundtrack "Dil Ka Taraana". It reminds of memories of Leslie Lewis' impressive work in "Jaanam Samjha Karo" (with Asha Bhonsle) for its extra- westernized orchestration. Shaan's impressive work is an additional factor with soft saxophone works that make it special for its target listeners. Despite its mushy ambience, it fails to be strikingly remarkable and ends as another mediocre situational soundtrack. Chand Re: After Sunidhi Chauhan, its Shreya Ghoshal's shimmering vocals in delivering a sentimental track "Chand Re" with modest and contemporary arrangements. Leslie's music proves lackluster in giving it an effectual spark while Mehboob's lyrics are conventionally penned to the situation. Shreya Ghoshal excels in giving it emotional touches through synchronized "alaaps" in the interludes and gives some substance to this mediocre sounding track. Shehzaada: After soft and sentimental "Dil Ka Taraana", Shaan props up as rock singer with average results in loud and cheerful soundtrack "Shehzaada". It's the only upbeat musical work that caters to pub culture listeners but the alluring spark of a club number is completely missing. Mehboob's lyrics belong to the 70's style while unimpressive feminine chorus and jarring orchestration make it an average soundtrack. Leslie Lewis could have easily capitalized on his Indi-Pop musical flair in making this super-hit but failed to deliver the needful.

'Apna Asmaan', a well received socially relevant film has some inspiring instrumental work that should work promisingly as impressive background score for the film. The album's high points are classical singing track "Jhannana Jhannana" and theme track "Katara Katara" while the rest of them are mediocre tracks suited for situational needs. The acceptance of the album will be restricted to class listeners only and it's difficult to expect anything commercially promising for it.

Thx Bob Da! This is one of my fav albums in recent times.

I insist that everyone here give it a hear 😊 Especially Chand Re, it's absolutely mesmerising!

Learning to accept autistic kids is crucial."

'Learning to accept autistic kids is critical' September 03, 2007

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Kaushik Roy Being the nephew of renowned director, the late Bimal Roy, it is not surprising that Kaushik Roy wants to dabble in films too. And he has embarked on this path with his first feature film, Apna Asmaan. Kaushik has been in the field of advertising and marketing communication for three decades. Although he has a passion for cinema (he wrote his first script when he was 15 and bunked college to work as a directorial assistant for a feature shot in the Sunderbans), he directed his first feature film after several years. A painter and photographer, Kaushik has also showcased his art at Tina Ambani's Harmony Show. Despite his hectic and demanding job as President, Brand Strategy and Marketing Communication with Reliance Industries [Get Quote], Kaushik produced and directed Apna Asmaan which is slated to release on September 7. The film is a story of love and redemption -- the journey of the parents and their dreams, despair, fears and follies of coping with a mildly autistic child. Apna Asmaan has won the German Star of India at the Stuttgart Festival and is selected for Argentina's San Luis Cine Festival.

thanks for the articles! 😉

Thanx Bob da i got this album but havent heard it yet. Seems like it is a very good album from the review , articles and what Arun said so i will listen to it soon. Take care brotha! 😉

Thanks for the article. Autistic kids are actually very common and often they land in welfare homes as they are considered by most people as mentally retarted and the cost of caring and looking after them are high in most countries.

Originally posted by: Qwest

	'Learning to accept autistic kids is critical'
Kaushik Roy a story of love and redemption -- the journey of the parents and their dreams, despair, fears and follies of coping with a mildly autistic child. Apna Asmaan has won the German Star of India at the Stuttgart Festival and is selected

I am very intersted to see this movie..reason sometimes the intentions are good but when they show things its not always the case..It reminds me of a show on sony TV 2 yrs ago about a boy with autisim and at the end they showed him as some psycopath ..who committed the murder nad then killed himself...and that made me so mad ..I read one post actually on India forum only ..which made me register to this forum ..so i can reply to that post!!

anyway lets hope the justice has been done!!

another review from rediff.com

Apna Asmaan doesn't move you

Patcy N | September 07, 2007 14:23 IST


This week's release Apna Asmaan has already made its festival rounds and won accolades. Starring Irrfan Khan [Images] and Shobhana, the film deals with the delicate issue of parenting and autistic children.

Ravi (Khan) and Padmini (Shobhana) are happily married. They have a baby boy Buddhi Raj (Dhruv Piyush Panjnani), who is autistic. Padmini blames Ravi for the child's mental state because he had dropped him when Buddhi was small.

Buddhi is good at drawing but his mother wants him to be good at mathematics, as she was a gold medallist herself.

Seeing her son is not like other normal children, she takes him to temples, churches and babas, hoping for a miracle.

Meanwhile, Dr Satya [Images] (Anupam Kher [Images]), who has done a lot of research on the subject, discovers a drug that is a brain-booster. So, Ravi meets up with the doctor and makes Buddhi take it. But the brain-booster has its side effects -- one of them being amnesia.

The drug changes Buddhi, and he suddenly becomes a very good mathematician, faster than a computer. But he forgets his parents in the bargain.

Director Kaushik Roy makes a good point in showing that present-day parents are very ambitious and want their children to be geniuses even though they may not be gifted at all.

However, Roy does not tackle the subject of autism very well; he fails to really bring it out. Considering the film was born out of his own autistic son, Orko, he should not have commercialised the subject. It should have been dealt with some sensitivity, instead of entering the fantasy world of brain-boosters.

Irrfan and Shobhana are fantastic. But we do not feel sorry for the child, nor sympathy for the parents



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I didnt knew that Roy son has autisim..and considering this reveiw yet again it appears that justice hasnt been done...there is no wander drug....and instead of showing fantasy..reality is missing....

but i will save my opinion until iam dojne watching the movie..

and yes I do realise this is about music reveiw but u cant sept. both..!!