Music Review Of Ra One

Directed by: Anubhav Sinha

 

Produced by: Gauri Khan

Starring: Shahrukh Khan
                Kareena Kapoor
                Arjun Rampal
                Shahana Goswami

 Music by: Vishal-Shekhar

 Lyrics: Kumar, Anvita Dutt, Vishal Dadlani, Niranjan Iyengar

 Distributed by: Eros International Ltd.
                           Red Chillies Entertainment

 Release date(s) October 26, 2011

Ra One is Sci-Fi movie starring Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Shahana Goswami in the lead roles. Directed by Anubhav Sinha who have earlier directed successful films like ‘Tum Bin’ , ‘Dus’ and the not so successful ‘Cash’, it has been produced under the banner of Red Chillies Entertainment. Music is composed by Vishal-Shekhar who are synonymous with quality music and fresh sound and the lyrics have been written by Kumar, Anvita Dutt, Vishal Dadlani and Niranjan Iyengar. Expectations are humungous as it is the most anticipated movie of the year and the names attached to it have always guaranteed good music. Let’s analyse it in detail.

The album starts with the ultimate item song of the year ‘Chammak Challo’ sung by international pop star Akon who is a global phenomenon. He has sung it in Hindi which shows his dedication as an artist and that shows in his singing and pronunciation. Hamsika Iyer has sung the female part with absolute finesse with a good command over Tamil language. The song has an international feel in terms of its setting yet it has a desi flavor thanks to the lyrics which are massy and catchy. The Congo is used very effectively giving it an African touch and the Tamil lyrics provide it a south Indian flavor. This will surely become a rage in the coming days. ‘Chammak Challo’ comes with another 4 versions which are different types of remixes like Punjabi Mix, Club Mix, International Version and Remix. All the versions are outstanding.

Next is ‘Dildaara’ which is out an out romantic track with a great melody which instantly hooks on to you. Sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali to perfection, his voice works wonders with such a melodious song. As soon as he hits the first note, it touches the heart. The song starts off with some English lyrics with a phrase ‘Stand by Me’ being the punch. Backing vocals have been given by Vishal-Shekhar. In the interlude, Vishal sings some sargams which are truly exceptional. This is the best song of the year.

Then comes yet another cracker of a song ‘Criminal’ sung by Akon, Vishal Dadlani and Shruti Pathak. The English lyrics are sung by Akon and the Hindi parts by Vishal Dadlani and Shruti Pathak. All of them have done a fantastic job and have sung it with extra zing. It is a fast paced dance track with catchy phrases like ‘dhinna dhinna’ appearing frequently. The song starts off with a siren and then comes the techno beats accompanied by Dhol beats giving it a unique feel. Lyrics are pep and as per the requirement of this kind of track. Yet another winner in the album. It also comes in a Club Remix version with added beats which will be played in clubs for a long time.

After this the album takes a U-Turn and comes a semi-classical song ‘Bhare Naina’ sung by Nandini Shrikar who renders it so beautifully that you can actually feel the emotions that the character have been going through at that point. The song starts off with tabla beats and the ethereal yet rustic voice of Nandini Shrikar singing in a conventional classical manner but the song changes path as the phrase ‘Bhare Naina’ comes. It turns in a western-classical fusion with huge orchestration coming in place. Lyrics are like gems complementing the exceptional composition of Vishal-Shekhar which sounds truly divine.

Vishal-Shekhar then returns to their signature youthful and peppy style with ‘Right by Your Side’ which is a quintessential urban song with a mix of English and Hindi lyrics. Sung by ‘Siddharth Coutto’ sounding very similar to Vishal Dadlani, he does good a job and sings it with attitude. The instruments mainly used here are guitar and synthesizer. It appears a little weak in front of other brilliantly composed tracks but otherwise it’s a decent listen.

The album again reaches its high with the arrival of ‘Raftaarein’ which is a tribute to the great musical legend ‘Late R.D Burman’ having a rock attitude and a 70’s feel to it in the way it is composed. It starts with the signature tune of the movie and is sung by Vishal-Shekhar in R.D Burman style with a crackling voice making it a nostalgic experience. It perfectly suits the genre of this film and will come at a crucial point in the film’s narrative. A rocking tribute!

With Sukhwinder Singh coming behind the mike, one can be assured that it will be a classy song. Titled ‘Jiya Mora Ghabraye (The Chase)’ it is a fusion of western rock beats and the classical style singing of Sukhwinder Singh. The end product is a stunning musical piece which is sure to create ripples once its video hits the screens. Backing vocals have been provided by Vishal Dadlani.  The Usp of this song is the singing of Sukhwinder Singh who shows his command over classical singing and his voice sounds as powerful as a thunderstorm. 

After seven superb tracks comes three instrumental pieces: Comes the Light, I’m On and Song of the End.  The first two are lavish and grand in its setting with huge orchestration matching to the grandeur of the movie. The third one is melodious and slow paced. All the three will be used as a background score in the film enhancing its impact. 

The album consists of varied genres of songs and surpasses the gigantic expectations that we had from this score. Vishal- Shekhar has delivered their best soundtrack till date which is an experience in itself. It is grand in its truest term and has quality written all over it. The two tracks sung by Akon are true blue chartbusters and will be at the top the world over. Tracks like Dildaara and Bhare Naina are beautiful melodious that are sure to linger in listeners mind for a lifetime. Special mention for ‘Jiya Mora Ghabraye’ which is a best fusion track in a long time, will be lauded for its uniqueness and excellent singing by Sukhwinder Singh. All in all, it is one of the best Bollywood soundtracks of all time. Must Hear!

My Picks: Chammak Challo, Dildaara, Criminal, Bhare Naina, Jiya Mora Ghabraye.

Rating:4.5 Stars

Movie Review of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar 

Produced by Aditya Chopra

 

Story by Ali Abbas Zafar

Starring Imran Khan
                Katrina Kaif
                 Ali Zafar

 

Music by Sohail Sen

 Cinematography Sudeep Chatterjee

 

Editing by Ritesh Soni 

Distributed by Yash Raj Films

 Release date(s) September 9, 2011

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan marks the directorial and writing debut of Ali Abbas Zafar who had earlier worked with Yash Raj Films as an assistant director in films like Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Tashan, New York and Badmaash Company. This film is a romantic comedy starring Imran Khan, Katrina Kaif and Ali Zafar in lead roles. Music is composed by Sohail Sen who has given a chartbuster soundtrack. These days, everyone is attempting to make a rom-com thinking that it is an easy way to attract youngsters towards cinema halls. But to make a compelling film in this genre is indeed an uphill task. As it comes from the stable of Yash Raj Films who have a brilliant track record in this genre, the expectations from this film are high. Let’s see if it can match our expectations.

In the first sequence itself, director Ali Abbas Zafar sets the tone of his film which is high on entertainment sans any mellow drama. Director’s main intention seems to tell a story in a light-hearted manner which is entertaining and honest. It’s a story of a younger brother Kush (Imran Khan) trying to find out a suitable bride for his elder brother Luv (Ali Zafar) , an NRI living in London. Kush finds the “Dulhan” in Dimple (Katrina Kaif) but eventually he himself falls in love with her.  The story is quite simple and predictable but the execution of the subject and the treatment given to the film which is youthful and fresh makes it an endearing watch. The credit for this goes to the director who in his debut film has shown a spark and has handled the comic portions like a pro. 

The first half of the film is truly captivating as it introduces Katrina Kaif in a rockstar avatar which is a refreshing change from her earlier films. The screenplay somehow dips at some places in the second half but is saved by a brilliant performance by Ali Zafar who with his impeccable comic timing elevates the film. Cinematography is by Sudeep Chatterjee, who had received a Filmfare Award in the year 2008 for his outstanding work in the movie Chak De India. The movie has been mainly shot in Delhi and Agra in a very realistic way. The beauty of Taj Mahal of Agra and the crowded streets of Delhi have been captured interestingly.  Editing by Ritesh Soni is crisp in the first half but could have been a little better in the second half. Music composed by Sohail Sen is a complete package with some peppy songs such as ‘Dhunki’ and ‘Choomantar’, the melodious ‘Isq Risk’ and the massy ‘Madhubala’ and ‘Do Dhaari Talwar’. All the songs are well shot and choreographed especially ‘Dhunki’ and ‘Do Dhaari Talwar’ which are sure to grab many eyeballs. The songs are placed it such a way that they never become hindrance in the narrative. 

As far as the performances are concerned, all three of them have pitched in superlative performances. Katrina Kaif as a rebellious rockstar gives her best performance till date and should further do such type of roles. She’s electrifying in the first half and performs like a pro. Imran Khan as the sweet and adorable boy is very good in comic scenes and his chemistry with Katrina Kaif is fantastic. Ali Zafar who showed promise in his debut film ‘Tere Bin Laden’ continues to amaze us with his powerhouse performance and charming personality. The ex-girlfriend of Ali Zafar played by Tara D’Souza is also very good. Rest of the supporting cast is competent.

It’s a light hearted romantic comedy that will be instantly liked by family audiences for its honesty, comic moments and excellent performances by the lead cast. Director Ali Abbas Zafar deserves a pat on his back for making a refreshing, fun-filled film with a perfect cast that will definitely work at the box-office. 

Rating:4 Stars

Music Review Of Damadamm

Directed by: Swapna Waghmare 

Produced by 'HR Musik' 

Written by: Subrat Sinha 

Starring: Himesh Reshammiya
                 Sonal Sehgal
                 Purbi Joshi

 

Music by: Himesh Reshammiya
                   Sachin Gupta

 

Lyrics: Sameer, Himesh Reshammiya, Shabbir Ahmed

Cinematography: Oystein Lundstorm 

 

Audio On: T-Series
                    HR Musik 

      

Release date(s): 27 October 2011

No. Of Tracks: 15

Damadamm is a Bollywood Comedy Movie starring Himesh Reshammiya, Sonal Sehgal and Purbi Joshi in the lead. Music of this movie is composed by Himesh himself with a promotional song composed by Sachin Gupta. Lyrics are written by Sameer, Himesh and Shabbir Ahmed. Album consists of 10 original tracks and 5 remixes. So there are lots of options to choose from and it will be a complete package.

The first one is the title track ‘Damadamm’ which is composed in a Qawalli style with sargams woven in-between.  Sung by Himesh along with a whole lot of newcomers such as Vineet Singh, Alam Gir Khan, Shabaab Sabri, Punnu Brar, Palak Mucchal, Sabina Sheikh and Rubina Sheikh, it has tremendous repeat value and all the singers have done a great job. Lyrics are rhyming and go well with the mood of the song. Arrangement is totally Indian as there is extensive use of Indian instruments like Harmonium, Tabla and Dholak. 

Next comes ‘Umrao Jaan’ sung by Himesh and Purbi Joshi is a medium paced song and is quite similar to the first song in terms of its musical arrangements. It starts off with the dialogue ‘No Touching, Only seeing’ sung by Purbi Joshi in Chinese style which sounds really funny. Himesh’s nasal touch which is quite evident in this song makes it even more appealing and ups the fun quotient. Lyrics in the Antaras are innovative and suit the comedy genre of this film. 

The third track ‘Aaja Ve’ starts with synthesized beats and soon the vocals of Himesh Reshammiya captures the listeners mind. It’s a love song and the composition hooks on to the ears in the first listen itself. There is minimal use of instruments as the focus is mainly on vocals which create a stunning impact. 

Then comes ‘Madhushala’ which seems like a sure-shot chartbuster again sung by the multi-talented Himesh Reshammiya with Aditi Singh Sharma who is becoming quite popular nowadays thanks to her unique tonal quality. The song starts in a Qawalli style with medium paced beats and has a old world charm to it. But soon it changes track in the mukhda itself with raging beats supporting the phrase ‘Madhushala’ which makes it more catchy and spicy. In the singing department, both the singers have shown their versatility and have sung this in a unique style. This track is one of the highlights of the album and will surely generate curiosity when aired on televisions.

The fifth track ‘Yun Toh Mera Dil’ is a sweet romantic song which is easy on the ears sung by Himesh Reshammiya and Sadhna Sargam with delectable ease. This is a kind of song that will help the film’s narrative in moving forward and will enhance its impact. There is a good use Guitar in the background which provides it an urbane feel.

Next is ‘Hum Tum’ which is a hardcore romantic song and would have been grabbed by Yash Raj Films if given a chance. The Alaaps in the starting and interlude by Vaishali Madhe, winner of ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ are beautiful and soothing. Himesh has sung it with passion and emotion and the composition is mesmerizing. Lyrics are of high quality beautifully depicting the emotions of the characters. Use of instruments is kept minimal which works in its favor.

The seventh track ‘Tere Bina’ falls under the category of sad songs depicting the helplessness of the lead protagonist and the pain of separation. Both the lyrics and composition succeeds in creating a song which has depth, pain, melody and that timeless quality. Himesh Reshammiya has sung it brilliantly and that can be heard in his emotion filled voice. Guitar strumming in the start is awesome. Personally, this is my favorite song of this album.

Next is a soft rock song ‘I Need My Space’ which is experimental in the composition and singing style. Himesh has very well modulated his voice to sound like a rockstar and the phrase ‘I Need My Space’ has been sung with attitude and zing. There is extensive use of Drums and Guitar creating an overall rocking impact. 

Then comes ‘Mango’ and as the name suggests, it is a mixture of sweetness and tanginess. Here, the lyrics are innovative and imaginative and the composition flows like water. The song starts off with an announcement in the voice of Aditi Singh Sharma and then comes the voice of Himesh Reshammiya who again impresses with his singing. The phrase ‘Mango’ sung by Aditi in different styles in the interlude portions is amazing and enhances the overall impact of the song.

After nine tracks composed and sung by Himesh Reshammiya comes a promotional song ‘Bhool Jaaun’ composed by Sachin Jigar which is sung by him and Himesh both. Frankly speaking, after hearing a variety of good songs belonging to different genres, this song appears a little weak in comparison of other tracks. Otherwise it’s a decent song. 

There are five remixes of the songs namely Damadamm, Umrao Jaan, Aaja Ve and Madhushala which has two remix versions. The remixes which stand out are ‘Aaja Ve’ (Remix) and ‘Madhushala’ (Remix) which are innovative in approach and enhances the impact of the songs. In fact, the ‘Madhushala’ (Remix) is better than the original with added Dhol beats adding to its Grandeur.

After so many tracks, one comes to the conclusion that Damadamm is indeed a great album with potential chartbusters in the form of ‘Umrao Jaan’, ‘Damadamm’ and ‘Madhushala’. There are also songs such as ‘Tere Bina’, ‘Hum Tum’, and Aaja Ve ’and ‘Yun Toh Mera Dil’ which will be loved by those who are pleased by melodious music. This comprehensive album packs in everything which will be lauded by different sections of audience for its melody and innovativeness. Himesh Reshammiya is in top form here both as a composer and singer. In fact, he has also contributed towards the lyrics which are imaginative and fresh. Kudos to him for such a dedicated piece of work. This one is amongst his best works till date. Highly Recommended!

My Picks: Damadamm, Yun Toh Mera Dil, Aaja Ve, Hum Tum, Madhushala (Remix and Original), Tere Bina, Mango

Rating:4.25 Stars

  

Bodyguard Movie Review

Directed by: Siddique

 

Produced by:Atul Agnihotri

                        Alvira Agnihotri

                       Reliance Entertainment

 

Screenplay by: Siddique 

Story by: Siddique 

Starring: Salman Khan

                Kareena Kapoor

                Raj Babbar

                Hazel Keech

                Mahesh Manjrekar

 

Music by: Songs: Himesh Reshammiya

                                Pritam

                          
Background Score: Sandeep Shirodkar

Cinematography: Sejal Shah

 Editing by: Sanjay Sankla 

Distributed by: Reliance Entertainment

                             Reel Life Production Pvt. Ltd. Release date(s) August 31, 2011

Bodyguard is the third remake of the director’s own 2010 Malayalam film of the same name. This film is directed by Siddique and produced by Atul agnihotri featuring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor in the lead.  The film is a love story of a bodyguard named Lovely Singh who is fully dedicated to his duties and is on a mission to save Divvya’s life. Divvya falls in love with her bodyguard Lovely Singh and then starts the problems. There is a twist in the end which will surely grab everyone’s attention. 

Director Siddique who has made it third time knows the intricacies of the script and shows his experience in this particular script. The characters of Lovely Singh and Divvya are well etched out while the character of Divvya’s friend (Hazel Keech) needed a little bit more attention. The other supporting characters such as Sartaj Rana, Father of Divvya played by Raj Babbar and the Villain played by Mahesh Manjrekar are well written. 

The story and the screenplay written by Siddique himself complement each other. The story has all the ingredients to make it work at the box-office and strike a chord with the Family audience. It has action, emotions, drama, romance and all that which makes it an absolute entertainer. Screenplay in the first half falters at some places but post intermission; it is water tight and leaves no scope for correction.

Special mention goes for the character of Tsunami played by Rajat rawail which provides a comic relief in this action packed extravaganza and brings the house down with his comic timing especially in the first half an hour. 

In the technical department, the film scores brownie points as the action scenes by Vijayan Master which are the highlights of this movie are stunning to say the least. The action scenes in the last reels are breathtaking. Equally stunning is the cinematography by Sejal Shah as it captures the beauty of Divvya’s character as well as the innocence of Lovely Singh with aplomb. Background score by Sandeep Shirodkar is bombastic and elevates the action sequences.  Editing by Sanjay Sankla is good but could have been tighter in the first half.

Music by Himesh Reshammiya is a booster especially the song ‘Teri Meri’  which is melodious to the core and is also very well shot and choreographed. Guest composer Pritam has composed one song ‘I love you’ which is tuneful.  All the songs are very well picturized and the credit goes to the choreographers such as Ganesh Aacharya, Vaibhavi Merchant and Vishnudeva for providing innovative dance steps and cinematographer for shooting it beautifully.

Now coming to the performances, what can one say about Salman Khan? He is a Phenomenon among the masses, always ‘Ready’ to entertain the audience, nowadays ‘Wanted’ by every producer because of his ‘Dabangg’ performance at the box-office. In this film, he stays in his character throughout and displays his emotional side which was somewhere lost in his larger than life antics. The innocence of the character Lovely Singh can be seen on his face which speaks volumes about his performance. Kareena Kapoor played the character of Divvya with much poise and dignity as was needed. She displayed maturity in the emotional sequences and peppiness in the first half. The chemistry between the lead protagonists is electrifying. The other supporting cast does a fairly good job. Guest appearance by Aaditya Pancholi as the antagonist is okay. 

All in all, Bodyguard is a complete family entertainer and will surely be loved by all especially Salman Khan Fans who will cherish it for a lifetime. Director Siddique has made an audience friendly film which will surely get him various bollywood offers. The chemistry between Salman and Kareena and the Action sequences will remain the highlights of this enterprise. It will surely create ripples at the box-office and will enjoy a long run.

Rating: 4 stars

Music review of love breakups zindagi

  Director:    Sahil Sangha     

   Cast:   Zayed Khan, Dia Mirza, Cyrus Sahukar & Tisca Chopra   Music Director:   Salim-Sulaiman                                         Lyricist:   Javed Akhtar               

Love breakups zindagi is an upcoming bollywood romantic comedy which offers a slice of life. Writeen and directed by debutant sahil sangha and produced under the banner of sahara motion pictures, it’s an urban youth film depicting the love lives of a bunch of youngsters. It stars zayed khan, dia mirza, cyrus sahukar and tisca chopra in the lead roles. Music is composed by the talented duo salim-sulaiman who rarely fail to impress with their fresh and peppy soundtracks and lyrics are by the lyrical genius Javed akhtar. The album consists of 4 original songs and one remix and one looks forward to such soundtrack.

The first tracks starts off with a guitar and soon the vocals of salim takes over this youthful song ‘Rozana’ which is philosophical lyrics wise as it depicts the day-to-day proceedings of life and nature in a positive light. The use of accordion in the interlude provides this track a nostalgic touch of the era gone by and singing by salim is full of life and his voice quality  perfectly suits the song. Indeed a good start to the album.

The next track ‘Rab rakha’ sung by versatile singers sonu nigam and shreys ghoshal is a romantic song which suits to the cosy moments of a wedding as shown in the promos. Backing vocals are given by salim and shraddha pandit which are very effective and adds to it’s grandeur. Lyrics are soulful to say the least and the phrase rab raakha is mesmerizing. Sonu nigam has shown his classical side in this song as he sings the intricate portions with much ease and conviction. Shreya ghoshal as usual fills the song with her saccharine like voice. The instruments her are mainly Indian which makes it even more authentic. There is a small portion in the song in which shradha pandit takes centrestage and creates a strong impct with her powerful vocals. Certainly the best song of this album.

Next arrives another peppy song ‘Love love’ sung by the effervescent Benny dayal who has become a favourite with young music composers. He has done a fairly good job. Female counterpart is Shraddha pandit who surprises with her mellow voice especially at places when there are low notes. Lyrics are imaginative and the song oozes freshness. This songs reminds me of the song ‘janne kyun’ from dostana as it had the similar kind of feel and setting. Nevertheless, it’ a good attempt at recreating such songs in a better way.

Till now the album is going pretty smooth and is maintaining it’s quality. The last track ‘Chhayee hai tanhayee’ and as the name suggests, it has a sad feeling attched with this. It is sung by the extremely talented and gifted sufi singer Shafqat amanat ali which once again provides the song another dimension and takes it to an altogether higher level. Shruti pathak famous for her rendition in the song ‘marjawaan’ from the movie fashion is also heard in this song adding to it’s depth. Salim has given the backing vocals which are alright. Lyrics are excellent and strikes an emotional chord with the listeners. The use of harmonium in the interlude adds to it’s mystical touch. At par with the best song of this album ‘rab raakha’. Wish it could be much longer than it’s duration which is only 3.25 minutes. 

The last track is the remix of the first track ‘Rozana’ and starts off with thumping beats which are innovative and makes it a dance track. The echo effects enhances the vocals of Salim and added beats spruce up the proceedings. It will be instantly grabbed up by the discos and pubs.

On the whole, Love breakups zindagi packs a solid punch and maintains it’s quality throughout. It is peppy, classy and soulful all at the same time and deserves to be lauded for it’s freshness and innovativeness.  The soundtrack will help the film’s narrative in striking a chord with both the youth and families. Recommended!

My picks: Rab Raakha, Chaayee hai tanhayee, Rozana

Rating: 3.5 stars