Music review

Corporates music is mellow

Sukanya Verma | May 29, 2006 | 13:49 IST

Power games. Business strategies. Ruthless deals. Profitable propositions. Ambition is the keyword of this industry.

Madhur Bhandarkar's new film Corporate delves into the psyche and workings of aspiring and established entrepreneurs. Previously, Bhandarkar has dealt with hard-hitting subjects like the life of a bar-dancer girl, of a woman in politics and a journalist's journey into a makebelieve society with Chandni Bar, Satta and Page 3 respectively.

Corporate, featuring Bipasha Basu (looking like Lara Croft in a suit), Kay Kay Menon, Minissha Lamba, Sameer Dattani, Raj Babbar and Rajat Kapoor is due for a July 7 release.

The soundtrack, as the inlay card credits proclaim, is conceived, composed and directed by Shamir Tandon, who did pretty much the same in Page 3 as well. His Kitne ajeeb rishte, sung by?the legendary Lata Mangeshkar,?was particularly well received.

In Corporate --?not exactly a melody-inspiring subject --?Tandon creates a relaxed atmosphere with his light tunes.

The album opens with the philosophical Lamha lamha zindagi hai. It is likable for its easygoing charm, suave arrangement and Asha Bhosle's lovely rendition. There is a sad version too, which, like most sad versions, is slow and weepy.

Kailash Kher and Saapna Mukherjee do justice to the ornate qawaali tones and sentimentalism of O Sikander. But for all its intensity, the song remains average. The remixes, by Diamond 'DJ Swami' Duggar, fare somewhat better. The desi remix highlights the thumping rhythm while the jazzed up international dance mix doubles up as a qawaali-rap.

Alisha Chinai spouts sarcasm about the corporate world with her trademark impishness in Yahan sabko sab. A pleasant addition to Yahan sabko is Gary Lawyer. His laidback drone adds an eclectic feel to the song. An engaging title track, despite its awkwardly penned Hinglish lyrics. Its Easy mix, as the name suggests, is uncomplicated and undemanding.

Find an instant winner in the foot tapping and pulsating beats of Peele peele do do ghoot. Performed with verve by ever-so-talented Vasundhara Das and Sangeet Haldipur, this peppy pop number has plenty of repeat value.

The good thing about the soundtrack of Corporate is that it's mellow, not shrieking. The not-so-good bit is, is it's a tad too basic and doesn't offer many variations

Aryan's music is very cool

Komal Mehta | March 29, 2006 14:48 IST

Aryan – The Unbreakable, starring Sohail Khan and Sneha Ullal, is a story about a professional boxer's life.

While critics are drawing parallels between the promos of the movie and the Oscar winning Million Dollar Baby; it is the music of Aryan that is slowly finding favour with the critics and the masses.

The album begins with Jaaneman by Shreya Ghoshal and Sonu Nigam. Undoubtedly the best song on the album, it is a sure winner. Vaguely reminiscent of Odh li chunariya from Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, this song has a very beautiful melody that is enhanced by some real nice lyrics in Hindi and Punjabi. It is a Jaanam dekh lo type of track which is going to be played on radio and music channels for a long time, irrespective of the fate of the movie.

Ek Look is presented in three different versions -- normal, remix and the dhol mix. One of the first songs from the movie to be telecast, the song has a very catchy rhythm. Even before the controversy between Neha Bhasin and Anand Raj Anand broke out -- the former member of the band Viva sued Anand for not giving her proper credits for the song -- Ek look had started climbing the popularity charts. The bhangra flavoured the song will be popular as a dance number at discos and parties. On radio or television, it faces competition only from other songs on the same album.

Next up is It's beautiful day. Yes, that's the name of the song on the album sleeve, never mind grammar. It also made me cringe to listen to a song in English sung by a Bollywood playback singer with a forced accent (Remember Udit Narayan in Pretti 'Wooman'?). But, the track really surprised me. It's a breezy number -- and the line is actually 'It's a beautiful day' in the song -- with some real good singing by Hamza. His Hindi and English dictions are very good -- no fake accents. Sherya Ghoshal, needless to say, is great too.

Rab ne mere by Kunal Ganjawala and Shreya Ghoshal is again a sweet romantic number which has a very A R Rehman sound. The lyrics are nice and the music is soothing but it is indistinguishable from the various other love songs that come out every week.

Lamha lamha is a sad, brooding song with an obsessive tone to it. The song has shades of Dil de diya hai from Masti by the same music director. Sung by Anand Raaj Anand himself, it is a far superior singing attempt than the forays made by the likes of Himesh Reshmiya and Anu Malik.

Deviating from the romantic songs, Teri te main by Anand Raaj Anand and Pamela Jain truly delivers the punch of the movie. It's a very interesting song with elements of rock and jazz music. Anand shines with his voice, again. His style for this particular song is very different from the other vocals he has given; it reminded me of Rehman's vocals in Rang De Basanti.

Anything that has ace drummer Ranjit Barot in it is always interesting in some way. The Unbreakable theme by Bianca and Ranjit Barot is a very 'Hollywood-ish' musical theme that brings out the raw passion of the movie in those few moments. One can almost imagine montages of tough men battling it out in the boxing ring with the song playing in the background. It is a 'must check it out' piece.

The surprise element of this soundtrack is very high – Anand Raaj Anand has as yet not given a 'breakthrough' score (like Himesh Reshmiya with Tere Naam), the movie does not star a conventional 'big' star and it is projected as a film on 'boxing' and not a love story. There are no high expectations from it, and hence it is not difficult to be impressed by it. Anand has really outdone himself in terms of the music and lyrics of the movie. If the movie is even an average hit at the box office, it will launch Anand's career in a big way.

On the whole it is one of the better albums to come out this year.

Reshammiya disappoints with PHP

Sukanya Verma | May 23, 2006 | 15:59 IST

Despite our love for it, Hera Pheri is not a movie recommended for its music.

Phir Hera Pheri maintains the tradition. The nutty trio of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal return in the sequel to the comic caper, sans director Priyadarshan and co-star Tabu. And so, Neeraj Vora, who wrote the previous one, steps behind the lens, and Bipasha Basu and Rimii?pitch in for glamour.

Now,?Hera Pheri gang goes pink

Anu Malik was at the helm of Hera Pheri. But for the follow-up, HimeshReshammiya(yawn) does the honours, with each track remixed by DJ Akbar Sami.

The album kickstarts on a typically Reshammiya note, with flashy use of shehnai, percussion and his own voice. Though in Mujhko Yaad Sataye Teri, he does this ridiculous mimicking voice. It's something Kishore Kumar could carry off easily but, in Reshammiya's case, it simply doesn't work. And it's not even a funny song. The tune was still somewhat decent had it been rendered conventionally. Remix: Stepped up rhythm aids to the foot-tapping element of the number.

If you ignore the repetition in his choice of tunes and instruments, you won't have a problem green-signalling Ai Meri Zohra Jabeen. Flamboyant and catchy, this one's a potential album showstopper. Remix: Not much different from the primary creation if you discount the pumped up drumbeats.

Dil Naiyyo Mane Re is best described as a screeching tussle between the nasal-toned Reshammiya and Tulsi Kumar. A crummy ditty to harp on the senses. Remix: Except for its accelerated pace and zingy background, this one's no better.

A rock 'n' roll rehash of Kem Che (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hai), with hints of The Good, The Bad And The Ugly signature theme -- that's the title track for you. With its disjointed pattern and crazy ambience, Phir Hera Pheri doesn't have soundtrack appeal and is purely situational in nature. Remix: Mindless, uninspired and noisy!

Dil De Diya gets no points for originality. The fast-paced dance track takes unabashed inspiration from the crooner Ilo's club hit, Rapture. Remix: Loud and garish on the ears. An unimaginative reworking.

Pyar ki Chatni sounds like an Anand-Milind creation straight out of a 90s Govinda flick, thanks to its bawdy undertones and glittering arrangement. Remix: Tedious.

So, the film may be eagerly awaited, but Reshammiya's music will dampen the enthusiasm of fans.

Fanaa music: Disappointing

Sukanya Verma | April 19, 2006 | 13:58 IST

The thing about hype is, it only exceeds.

Take Fanaa for instance. It's got Aamir Khan. That is enough to get the audience interested.

Kajol is his leading lady. That it happens to be her comeback film post-Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham only adds fuel to the hype factor. There is no way this hype will stop from building if it happens to be a Yash Raj film directed by one of its protes, Kunal Kohli (Mujhse Dosti Karoge, Hum Tum).

Fanaa is right there in terms of all the promotional publicity surrounding it. But its soundtrack is a stinging disappointment. Jatin-Lalit's music hardly takes the uncharted route and is mostly pleasing. Here, in trying to do something different, J-L ends up dishing an uninspired score, which can be rated above average at best.

The album opens with Shaan and Kailash Kher's contrasting vocal presences in Chand sifarish. Well versed and rhythmic in melody, the vibrant number is an instant hit on the senses. Incidentally, the song features a whistle theme, which is the tune of the unused Yaara yaara from Hum Tum. Chand sifarish is featured once again in a zippy and rocking avatar as the club mix version, Fanaa for you by DJ Aqueel.

The first thing that strikes you about Mere haath mei is the arrangement by Salim-Sulaiman is clearly inspired by A R Rahman's style. Listen to it and you'll know what I mean. Be patient on this one, though. Rendered soulfully by Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan, the romantic rhapsody takes its own sweet time to grow on the listener.?But the occasional voiceovers?by Fanaa's lead protagonists -- Aamir Khan and Kajol -- grate on your nerves.

It's time for filmi jingoism in the form of Des Rangila. Basically a functional composition it is never close to extraordinary. The vibrancy and richness of Prasoon Joshi's?pen particularly stand out. Even so the lacklustre Rangila relies on fancily uttered Vande Matarams, by the chorus, to force?a listener to pay attention.

Unhurried and mild in its tempo and mood, Dekho na's diluted mushiness fails to ignite sparks. The strains are too sombre and hence become too bland for their own good.

Hum Tum's idle track Yaara yaara gains more mileage here. It is transformed into a full-blown fresh act with a new name, Chanda chamke. Babul Supriyo and Mahalaxmi Iyer along with Khan, Kajol and Master Akshay Bhagwat enthusiastically perform this tongue twister of a melody. Though limited musically, Chanda is entertaining nevertheless.

The lounge mix, Destroyed in love is a scattered compilation of bits and pieces of Fanaa songs. It is neither unconventionally experimental nor conventionally tuneful.

The subject of Fanaa is not fluffy. It's the love story between a terrorist and a blind woman after all. J-L's soundtrack fails to have intense character or lend passionate nuances to this complicated romance.

Banaras: a daft disappointment

Raja Sen | April 07, 2006 | 17:42 IST

Ashmit Patel has a problem. It's not that he can't act. Director Pankuj Parashar has taken care of that issue admirably, skirting his skills and asking him to smile vacantly at everyone. This is what Bollywood, bred on a diet of melodramatic histrionics, calls 'subtle.'

No, his problem is peculiar. A shy, silent orphan named Soham, he's a bit overwhelmed by the unashamedly frank proposal come his way from the overenthused Shwetambari (Urmila). The randy little rich girl is thrilled about Soham's music classes, and singing is clearly not foremost in her thoughts. But, Soham asks himself, is this right?

He needs higher counseling,?so he sits by a picturesque white beach, closes his eyes and meditates. Sure enough, God gallops to the rescue. Naseeruddin Shah, ubiquitously called 'Babaji', rides forth on a white horse and dispenses vague advice with a grin. His conflicting emotions placated, Ashmit and Urmila merrily embark on an inter-caste relationship that bothers some Banaras folk.

Daft? Yes, extremely, which is why the couple also justifiably irks the audience, who couldn't care less about caste. The film opens with a wealthy Banaras household, with Raj Babbar on his deathbed and Dimple Kapadia despairingly looking on. The man asks for a message to be sent to his daughter, whom he hasn't seen for 16 years. We cut briskly to the daughter, who has become an ambiguous god-woman in Mauritius, dispensing relatively obvious advice with a sage-like expression. And then follows the inevitable flashback.

The question is, what do you expect from Banaras? A love story? Check. Nice backdrops of an undeniably breathtaking city? Of course. Parent-daughter melodrama? Yup. A well-shot Holi song? All right, there you go. But if you went, like me, misled by the promos and conversations, expecting metaphysical excursions into philosophy and something deeper than average, well, you really might be?hoping for?too much.

First things first, the movie begins on an extremely cardboard note. The characters seem too basic, and the almost universally wooden acting doesn't enliven them much. It all begins ponderously, and while there is an obvious attempt to lend the production an air of theatricality, extremely clunkish dialogue bogs it down further. The pace drags wearily on, and much of the film seems shockingly, disappointingly amateurish, from the acting to sudden jumps in editing and framing.

The cast, while impressive on paper, isn't given a lively enough script to really inhabit, which is why most of them seem to walk through their performances. Ashmit Patel, for all our badmouthing of the youngest actor in this production, has stayed relatively free of blemishes, performing his insubstantial part adequately. Raj Babbar, surprisingly, delivers perhaps the best role in the house, nicely playing the proud, arrogant patriarch devoted to his daughter. Akash Khurana, a fine actor, does well as the doctor, but is handicapped by inadvertently funny dialogues.

Naseer is convincing (but entirely unsurprising) as the wise Godman, but then he could have played the part in his sleep. The pivotal characters are mother and daughter, and this is where things have gone crucially wrong. Dimple has been trying to mount a comeback for a while now, but this (like Pyaar Mein Twist or Being Cyrus) is not the film to give her that breakthrough. The actress manages a couple of scenes admirably, but flounders completely as the film stretches on, robbing the final scenes of all credibility.

And then there's Urmila. Let's start with the good. She looks great, refreshingly beautiful and striking. That's about it. This is an actress who has worked hard to earn respectability, but this role, like the film itself, suffers from inconsistency. She goes from giggling college-girl to platform-heel wearing 'Maa' with a suddenly scary (she can't lay off the spooky feel, alas) seemingly drunk?chick in between. Her character shifts from smitten to scornful, hysterical to omniscient, with blink-of-an-eye rapidity, and none of the transitions are convincing. Also, she shouldn't speak English, as is evidenced by a variety of bewildering accents and constantly stumbling over saying 'theoretical' thrice in the same sentence.

The first half of Banaras is really predictable,?with every couple of scenes punctuated by a forgettable Himesh Reshammiya track. Even if any of the songs might have sounded okay, they end up plastered too close together to register. And there really is no elucidation shed onto Banaras ? we are told of places where the Buddha prayed, and where Tulsidas wrote the Ramayana ? but the philosophy Babaji spouts seems blindingly entry-level, basic stuff.

The second half admittedly sets us up for a surprise or two, but things get increasingly preposterous. Urmila goes insane, the parents worry, a doctor with a face mask is brought in to help things along. But this, we're told, is Banaras, the land of miracles and mysticism, and its citizens evidently don't need pinches of salt to swallow massive, faith-shaking facts. We, on the other hand, do, and resultantly sit through the plodding production trying to read between lines that aren't there.

Banaras may well be the centre of our spiritual universe, but this film does not explore it enough.

Banaras does impress visually though, using a softer tone to tell its story instead of the shadowy slickness we are so used to. The colours are realistic, not vivid, and the almost orange-tinted screen mesmerises us as we constantly look through the characters to the fascinating backdrop of the holy city. This is truly a very pretty film, a fact that pushes it into two-star territory.

Perhaps there is a deeper layer to Banaras. Perhaps there's more to the metaphysical discussion than the 15 seconds devoted to the mad physics professor. Perhaps the obvious mysticism is just sheen, and there's a lot to decipher and grapple with beneath the surface. Perhaps it does hold, as the posters proclaim, a truth that will change our lives.

Perhaps. But I didn't get it.

Music review: Pyare Mohan is dull

Sukanya Verma | April 04, 2006 | 13:19 IST

Love conquers all handicaps. Or so insists Inder Kumar's latest comedy, Pyare Mohan.

Post Masti, the filmmaker continues to concentrate on the audience's funny bone. In Pyare Mohan, he has Fardeen Khan playing a blind man and Viveik Oberoi go deaf as they comically struggle to woo Esha Deol and Amrita Rao respectively.

Anu Malik helms the soundtrack with considerable aid from arranger Ranjit Barot and lyricist Sameer. Previously when Malik and Barot got together in Aks and Asoka, the end result was entrancing.

But the soundtrack of Pyare Mohan never ever grabs the listener.

Here's what it does offer:

A little bit of qawwali. A little bit of rap. A little bit of pop. Fusion is the name of the game in Har Mohan ki koi Radha. Okay, so it's not another Kajrare (Bunty Aur Babli) or even Tumse milke from Main Hoon Na.?Try playing it in a loop for a while to get foot-tapping results. Though mostly a visual number, it features a whole line-up of playback singers ranging from Udit Narayan, Shaan, and Krishna to Earl Edgar D, Anu Malik and Ranjit Barot.

Sopping with saccharine sweetness and mushy floss, Tu jahan bhi jayegi is stuff Valentine's Day is made of. That doesn't stop the track from featuring extensively in the album. Tu jahan bhi jayegi is laden with 'I love you my angel' galore and Kunal Ganjawala sounding love-struck. The guy has sung enough courtship anthems to not sleepwalk through this one. The other versions are clearly emotional and slow-paced. The remix, however, is adequately spruced up with zingy velocity and swanky percussion.

Sunidhi Chauhan and Nikita Nigam pay a song and dance tribute to youth in Rabba de de jawaani. The sirens fight for sound space in this irritatingly wannabe ditty.

Abstract. Incoherent. Interesting. Trickbaby is back at what it does best: making oddball music. The band that featured prominently on the album credits of Bluffmaster?churns out the hip and rhythmic title track here as guest composer.

From peppy and frivolous, the mood of the album shifts to no nonsense and dry in Ek rub sach hai. Richa Sharma's gruffness and Krishna's high pitched shrieking fail to impress in this drab melody.

Street-side beats dominate the playful ditty Day by day mera pyaar, which unpretentiously caters to the masses. If the mischief in his voice is any indication, the singer appears to have had a swell time performing this track.

The bottomline: The soundtrack of Pyare Mohan has a couple of decent melodies. But, on the whole, it is not entertaining enough to hold the listener by the collar, oops, ear.

how does this relate to saregamapa or EMAET

Thandege Thakka Maga: Nice remake

R G Vijayasarathy | April 03, 2006 17:44 IST


Of late, Kannada film fans are made to wonder why there are so many remakes in Kannada these days.

Fortunately, the producers are honest enough to purchase the rights from the makers of originals. And they are honest enough to admit that the films are remakes.

The same honesty is seen in copying scene by scene from the original. The end result is a film that does not have anything to do with the target audience.

Thandege Thakka Maga, which boasts of stars Upendra and Ambareesh in the lead, is the remake of the Tamil film Thevar Magan, starring Kamal Haasan and Sivaji Ganesan.

But this remake is watchable, mainly because the film revolves around the conflict in a village as opposed to the caste dynamics of the original film.

And thankfully, director S Mahendar has taken only the good elements from Thevar Magan.

Ambareesh is good as a village chieftain; Upendra has really tried hard to deliver a powerful performance.

The director has retained the orginal movie's three best songs. Only two songs are composed afresh, but they are no match for Ilayaraja's originals.

S A Raj Kumar has also not helped the film with his background score. The recording effect in the film will jam your ears than soothe them.

The ambience of the film is very natural to the Kannada film audience. Art director Mani Murthi has done a good job.

In Thevar Magan, Haasan as the story writer had given equal importance to the female characters. Both Revathi and Gowthami were excellent in their roles and Revathi bagged a National Award for her performance.

Though Laila -- who features in Thandege Thakka Maga -- is very talented, she looks pale in comparison to Revathi. Sakshi Shivanand also cannot do justice to Gowthami's role in the original.

Still, Thandege Thakka Maga will please those who have not seen the original Tamil film

Music review: Gangster is groovy

Sukanya Verma | March 27, 2006 | 17:54 IST

Gangster - A Love Story has quite a few things about it that make you go 'hmmm.'

For starters, the story is said to draw inspiration from the real life romance between underworld don Abu Salem and Bollywood starlet Monica Bedi. That probably explains the film's rather awkward title.

It is the first Indian film to be extensively shot in the picturesque locales of Seoul, South Korea.

It introduces a silver screen debutante, Kangna Ranaut. Directed by Anurag Basu, this Mahesh Bhatt presentation co-stars her opposite Emraan Hashmi and Shiny Ahuja.

And in the soundtrack album, music director Pritam churns out some neat tunes.

The opening track Tu hi mera shab hai strikes a chord with its effervescence. Bolstered by an infectious rhythm and K K's spirited rendition, this song sure has the makings of a chartbuster.

There is nothing too flashy about Bunty Rajput and Jatin Sharma's respective remixed versions of the same. Both the electronically reworked versions go easy on the beats even as the tempo accelerates.?

Bangladeshi singer James makes an impressive debut with Bheegi bheegi. This one's not a Pritam creation but based on on a song called Prithibi by the late Gautam Chatterjee (a cult Bengali rock songwriter who?was the leader?of a band called Mohiner Ghoraguli). An interesting arrangement that alternates between minimalist and soft rock, powerful lyrics (by Mayur) and James' inspired performance ensure Bheegi bheegi is another winner.

Abhijeet coos the lyrics in the next track, Lamha lamha. Although it starts off nicely, the excessive saccharine in its tune proves to be its undoing. The romantic irritant features a second time as a duet with Sunidhi Chauhan. Nothing is?changed. The overbearing nature of the track still persists.

But those woes are soon forgotten with the dynamic entry of Ya Ali. This superb, high-voltage dance track introduces another new voice, Zubeen, to the playback scene. His pulsating verve jives in tandem with the high energy levels of this instantly likeable ditty.

Mujhe mat roko is a combination of Kavita Seth's husky tones and Pritam's stark melody. Slow and brimming with agony, Mujhe mat successfully conveys distress.
?
Bottomline: By and large, the soundtrack for Gangster-A Love Story is groovy, and is bound to find its place in the charts effortlessly.

Shaadi Se Pehle: Catchy music

Sukanya Verma | March 01, 2006 | 14:33 IST

He loves her. He loves her not.

Akshaye Khanna oscillates between Ayesha Takia and Mallika Sherawat in the romantic comedy of errors, Shaadi Se Pehle. Directed by Satish Kaushik, under Subhash Ghai's banner Mukta Arts Entertainment, the fun flick also features Aftab Shivdasani and Suniel Shetty.

Himesh Reshammiya is in charge of the music. Interestingly, the composer-singer, who recently won a Filmfare award for Best Male Playback singer (Aashiq Banaya Aapne), doesn't sing a single line in Shaadi Se Pehle. His absence from the crooning department doesn't hamper his compositions though.

Mundiye bears a fleeting resemblance to Just Love Me of No Entry. But that's not the problem. Perhaps a little more spice and energy from Sunidhi Chauhan would have made the ditty peppier on the ears. Even its technically dabbled remix by DJ Suketu doesn't quite impress.

You may find traces of Mujhse Shaadi Karoge's Tu Aaja Soniye and Sukhbir's Gal Ban Gayee in Ankhiyon Se Gal Kar Gayi. Barring those unwanted reminders of blasts from the past, this Punjabi pop song is sufficiently rocking. The second version also gets it right.

High on the spectacular success of Rang De Basanti's winner title track, the zesty voice of Daler Mehendi oozes heart-rending passion in Tutitya Ve. It's the Daler touch that makes all the difference to this otherwise average melody. More power to him! Suketu's remix, however, messes with the emotional quotient, with faltering results.

Sukhwinder Singh and Alka Yagnik flirtatiously ponder the thundering and lightening after effects of love in Bijuriya. Reshammiya's colourful, rustic arrangement -- despite the presence of Hinglish lyrics like 'I think of you all the time Banwariya' -- makes for a fetching, foot-tapping score. Ditto for DJ Akbar Sami's bubbly mix. ?

Fickle in its rhythm, uninspiring in tune and humdrum in its lyrics, Tere Liye doesn't live up to the vivacious mood of the soundtrack. The remix springs an incredible surprise though. Sami's magic wand turns the song from hopelessly dreary to pleasantly breezy. In Sache Aashiq,

Sukhwinder Singh's trademark verve is for all to hear as he bounces infectiously in Yagnik's equally charming company over the upbeat bhangra number. With so much spirit in its element, it is no surprise that Reshammiya ignores the need to include a remix.

As is the case with most of Reshammiya's popular music, the soundtrack of Shaadi Se Pehle too is lively and catchy.