DJ Munks.com

..

There are a very few talented writers in the Bollywood land.. Abbas Tyrewala is one of these extremely talented bunch. Whether it is a screenplay, dialogues, film story or song lyrics.. he leaves a mark behind. With his portfolio with some of biggest names like Main Hoon Na, Maqbool, Salaam Namaste and Munnabhai MBBS you would not doubt his talent with the pen. But his new found passion for writing and directing young love stories fit in a different league of their own and leave a stamp rather than a mark behind. Jaane Tu.. Ya Jaane Na was his first project and now Jhootha Hi Sahi is his next biggie starring John Abraham and Tyrewala’s wife Pakhi. In reality the story of the movie is her idea and concept while the screenplay, lyrics and direction are husband Abbas’s handy work. Quiet a good family affair and the trailers look exciting.

..

..

On the music front Abbas is trying to reuse the Jaane Tu formula where his lyrics meet the creative music head of the genius Mr. Rahman. the Oscar winner is still riding high on his recent successes of Slumdog Millionaire, Delhi-6 and Raavan but the radio channels are also playing his Robot music which has seen a lot of negative comments for his work. He is truly better than what he has produced there.. and so it remains to see if Jhootha Hi Sahi can help him keep his head above the criticism levels. The expectations from him are always high more so now with the Oscar fiasco… and I am sure Abbas will bring out the best of him. For a movie based in London the music should definitely have something for the London audience from the most versatile music man in the business. Let us play and find out what this duo have in store for us for this off-beat sublime romantic comedy.

..

REVIEW

Track 1 – Cry Cry – You must have definitely heard this tune on the TV music channels and some of the Asian radio channels as this song has already found its way up there. Rahman & Abbas had featured newcomer Rashi Ali in Jaane Tu.. Ya Jaane Na simply making the man’s career. You ofcourse knew he would be opening their next OST album after he delivered a brilliant vocal. His vocals on Cry Cry are just perfect as well. He sings it in a very low key with a soft touch to it which gives the song a very natural touch of a man singing at home rather than a pro in a studio. The lyrics are fun and of the Kabhi Kabhi Aditi style.. Aditi was about trying to make one smile and this song is about making one to stop crying with a good message. The Mumbai touch comes with the kayko slang used throughout. Shreya does her vocals in her true classy style too but not her best work as you don’t see the full potential of her vocal range.

The most outstanding part of a song with which the name Rahman is associated is the music. Cry Cry in its soothing style has a simple tribal drum beat on a single drum giving you the lows, a deep keyboard bass note on the mid’s and a continuous shaker on the highs. The other variations that come in are classical acoustic guitar, saxophone & flute solo that fill up most of the frequency range. You barely hear any traces of other sounds. Keeping it simple but beautiful is the genius of a man named Rahman. A song for the music aficionados. 8.5/10.

..

Track 2 – Maiyya Yashoda (Jamuna Mix) – Javed Ali’s vocals have been around for nearly a decade and still a pleasure to hear his voice. He still has the youthfulness & charisma in his voice although there is not much for him to show in this song. Chinmayi on the other hand you find featured mostly only in Rahman songs. The classical and traditional flavour of this song is a good east meets west demonstration. The lyrics have been well composed to recite a little story in a fun composition. Called the Jamuna mix for the very traditional touch to the music using modern instruments by Rahman. The deep bass in the background fills up so beautifully that you don’t even realise it is around unless you look out for it. The flute solo at the start is very cute while the tempo pump up for the latter of the song is exciting. Most prominent part of the song is the outstanding sitar solo that blends in like chocolate in a chocolate cake. Overall the song lacks a mainstream approach but musically it is still a piece of genius with the sitar solo. 7/10.

..

Track 3 – Hello Hello – The movie is about a phone call and telephonic friendship. This song is situational and seems to be around to fill a desperate need of the script. The lyrics are purely average and the music has nothing innovative to offer. The composition is very Rahman style and his south Indian modern music influence. The vocal effects on Karthik’s voice make it totally distinguishable as a Rahman job. The use of an orchestra is a waste. Skip this song. 5/10.

..

Track 4 – Do Nishaaniyan – Sonu Nigam has sung very few but amazing songs for Rahman. This composition is probably one of them. The lyrics and ambiance of this song along with the texture of Sonu’s voice reaches the next level in lounge music. A perfect song for weddings in the background and in restaurants while having a candle light dinner. Sonu’s control on his vocal pitches on every syllable of a word is worth all the praise. The lyrics by Abbas are rhythmic and touch the soul. Although the music might sound like many others we must have heard before but the overall feel & instrumentation fits brilliantly. A really good track. 7.5/10.

..

Track 5 – Pam Pa Ra – 2nd Shreya Ghoshal song on the album and this time it is a solo. The na na na na.. start to the song must be the creative simplistic genius of Rahman. The expectations really drop when the main vocals and music start. The lyrics are purely average if not boring. The music loses its momentum but then comes back with more instrumentation and excitement. There are just many ups & downs in the music throughout the song. The variations & orchestration is good but just too much. The vocals are probably only good and consistent factor of the song. 5/10.

..

Track 6 – I’ve Been Waiting – Vijay Yesudas returns to music after a 3 year slump. He has been around for decades and it seems Rahman has pulled him out of the dungeons for a brilliant blues composition. Only Rahman could be experimenting with music genres like this. A pure blues jazz orchestra gives this song the perfect melody and support to Vijay’s excellent vocals. The lyrics are simply brilliant, pure and perfect blend of English and Hindi.

“I’ve been waiting for the moonlight. I’ve been waiting for the moonlit sky all night…

Stranger in the moonlight, I’ve been waiting for a lifetime for you..” 7.5/10.

..

Track 7 – Maiyya Yashoda (Thames Remix) – The western mix of Track 2 sounds almost the same except for a synthetic drum beat in the background and more effects on the vocals. It has a good amount of Indian instrumentation on it. It still has the fantastic sitaar solo to complement the western drum beat. Can’t give this version much credit as it is almost the same. 6.5/10.

..

Track 8 – Do Nishaaniyan (Heartbreak Reprise) – The absolutely perfect vocals of Sonu Nigam in Track 4 just sound better all of a sudden in this version. So soothing, calm, ambient, pure and brilliant. The background flutes and keyboard/piano work by Rahman is simply breathtaking and perfect to every note. A true classic in the making. 8/10.

..

Track 9 – Call Me Dil – This is not the normal Bollywood OST trend to have an original as the last song of the album after remixes but it kind of works here as this is the title song. The song is not brilliant in any aspect but just works with the feel of the movie and Rashid Ali’s voice. The lyrics and composition are average. Not much to check out in this song. 6/10.

..

FINAL WORD

Average – 6.5/10

What Jhootha Hi Sahi lacks musically is consistency between songs. The vision and feel of the songs is consistent but the brilliance and beauty of every song is inconsistent. Except Cry Cry, Maiyya Yashoda and Do Nishaaniyan other songs are purely average. The OST clearly has the stamp and feel of a Rahman album with a fair bit of his creativity and uniqueness with certain advantage of having a Abbas Tyrewala as the director & lyricist in one body thus making it easier. But as I guess some songs demanded being average to go well with the script of the movie as I can’t imagine an average job from the geniuses of Abbas & Rahman. Overall I would recommend the movie without even watching it.. but not to buy the OST. It’s not there and that is why they have included a disc 2 with Karaoke version of the full album. Just get the top three songs. Album of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa – HMV.

..

Oooohhh.. This seems like an exciting project. Not just because Deepika Padukone is looking hot & Saif+Deepika are looking great together.. but because Imtiaz Ali is back after the smash hit Jab We Met. He made a superstar actor out of Kareena in that movie.. & now it seems she has recommended her boyfriend to the director man. I don’t really see the problem with that cause Saif can be brilliant if the role fits his profile (as demonstrated in Omkara & KHNK).

..

Saif Ali Khan has gone a step ahead this time though & is not just acting but also producing Love Aaj Kal with Dinesh Vijan. He is also picked up the trick from Akshay & dressed Singh in this movie.

The trailers look fun & the star chemistry is looking good with a good light story line typical to an Imtiaz Ali movie.

Another factor prominent in an Imtiaz Ali movie is good music. Jab We Met’s music was ground breaking with songs like “Mauja Hi Mauja”, “Yeh Ishq Hai”, “Nagada Nagada” & the romantic “Tum Se Hi”. The man behind all of that is back on Love Aaj Kal. Pritam is the most sought Music Director in the industry & is back to prove why he is the man most in demand when it comes to making hits.. This time he is back with Irshad Kamil who he worked together with on the songs of Jab We Met & Aa Dekhen Zara.

NO doubt they all make a great team together.. but lets find out if their magic works yet again with the OST of Love Aaj Kal for the UK audience.

..

REVIEW

Track 1 – Twist – This is a big one.. !!!!! A hit & a dance floor blazer in Neeraj Sridhar’s super style. It’s a cross of Nagin meets Panjabi MC with the Snake Charmer theme. The vibe of the song sounds similar to “Ab Toh Forever” from Tara Rum Pum but it is still a genuine hit. The lyrics are rubbish but the fun factor is so prominent that you wouldn’t pay attention to that and just do the “Twist”. This is for the clubs.. for weddings.. for birthday parties.. & for every damn party. Its now at the top of my DJ set list of must play songs.It is not as good as Mauja.. but Pritam sure is back to put this composition up there in that category.

We have a winner at the start of the album ladies & gentleman   Hit Hit Hit – 7.5/10.

..

Track 2 – Chor Bazaari – This song is a care free.. give a damn to the world type of song. The musical texture is great with a smile beat pattern, trumpets, Spanish acoustic guitar & a touch of the village sound. The arrangement is superb with the drops & come backs with versatile use of instruments. To top all instruments are Neeraj Sridhar & Sunidhi Chauhan’s voices. They sound great together & you can feel confidence oozing out of Irshad Kamil as he beautifully plays around with words to give some good lyrics. I like this song as it has a soft feel with still a dancy grove to it. 7.5/10.

..

Track 3 – Aahun Aahun – This is my favourite song in the album so far !! A different side of Pritam’s work that I have never heard before. He demonstrates talent competing outright with AR Rehman on this one. The vague guitar at the start leads into 70′s disco effects with Master Salim’s phenomenal Punjabi lyrics. If you have not heard of him before then look for a song called “Teri Sajni” and you will find out how talented this man is. The beat when it comes in shocked me like the beat in “Genda Phool” did. The fusion of Neeraj & Salim’s voice is genius along with great looping & vocal scatting effects. This is so 21st century with roots set in traditional Indian music. I love the lyrics too with a good mix of English, Punjabi & Hindi. Aahun Aahun is totally catchy & genius. Production at it’s best.. 9.5/10.

..

Track 4 – Dooriyan – Pritam tries to create another “Tum Se Hi” style slow romantic number with Mohit Chauhan but does not do too well. This song does not have the simplicity of Tum Se Hi in lyrics & composition although it has great deep meaning lyrics. The music & arrangement are average with a good flute solo in the middle. Mohit’s vocals are great as usual but not the best. This song might work for some for not for the masses. 7/10.

..

Track 5 – Ajj Din Chadheya – I somehow knew there will be a song like this in the album. Typical Pritam.. & thus he brings in Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. An almost acoustic romantic song for the background. Very basic instrumentation but very neat & calm.. Love the acoustic guitar work!! Good lyrics about a man talking to God about what he wants for his love & how badly he wants her. The combination of powerful lyrics with soft music & vocals is striking. Great job. 8/10.

..

Track 6 – Thoda Thoda Pyar – Am hearing a good typical Mehndi night Ladies Sangeet type of a song after a long time. This one is different too with a good mix of Dholak, Tumbi & Dhol to typical Punjabi shouts from a good all female chorus. Sunidhi then takes the lead to give a true Bollywood song.. something like you would have last heard in the 90′s. No comparison to Pritam’s Punjabi song production skills as he is the best at that.. but what is worth noting is Irshad’s lyrics who creates a great Punjabi intro rhyme and main lyrics that fit the composition really well. A must play at all weddings in UK. A definite hit with the desi ladies. 7.5/10.

..

Track 7 – Main Kya Hoon – This is probably the only song I don’t like on this OST. Doesn’t quite fit the bill. It sure add’s variety but does not seem to gel with the variety above. It’s got this trippy trance synth to a slower beat. It is something you would hear in a remix but definitely not in an original. The lyrics & KK’s performance are average too. Hate the vocal effects Pritam has used on KK’s voice. Skip this one please. 5/10.

..

Track 8 – Twist (Remix) – DJ Sanj from US is back with Pritam after doing a dudd job in Aa Dekhen Zara. But this time he does a good job. I love this mix. This is the one that I have already started playing at my parties & it works beautifully with the crowd. People love it.. I love it… This is good with a double beat grove & female rap but still sticking with the Nagin style. Neeraj’s vocals sound much better here. 7.5/10.

..

Track 9 – Chor Bazaari (Remix) – DJ Sanj goes the Reggae beat side for this remix. Although it sounds fair & doesn’t sound too bad.. but I din’t quite enjoy this one much. I could do without it to be frank. 6/10.

..

Track 10 – Aahun Aahun (Remix) – Reggae done.. it’s Bhangra time.. !!   I loved the original and now this remix thrills me too. Instead of taking Pritam’s innovative music, Sanj takes his innovative composition & Salim + Neeraj’s great vocals and blends them to a Dhol beat with Punjabi shouts. This now sounds like a normal song & not an innovative experiment. You can imagine this to be original & the other to be a remix. Both are great though. 8.5/10.

..

FINAL WORD

Really Good – 7.5/10.

Bollywood has been waiting for a biggie this year. This is it.. !!

Love Aaj Kal is commercial Bollywood at it’s best this year. It has the big dancefloor number called “Twist”, the romantics “Dooriyaan” & “Ajj Din Chadheya” and the fun song “Chor Bazaari” & “Aahun Aahun”. A overall complete package of good commercial Bollywood music that the masses will like all over the world.

Pritam uses all his favourite singers like Neeraj, Rahat Fateh Ali, Sunidhi & Mohit Chauhan.. & they do not disappoint him. Pritam is back in form with some fantastic work in “Twist” & “Aahun Aahun”. These songs are already getting lot of hype and air play on Radio & TV. With the movie release (July end) & some good filming by Imtiaz for these songs.. they have the potential of being the biggest hits of the year !! Twist is going to be a rage..!

A must buy CD as it is total value for money and pure funnnn for the UK audiences !!

..

You can’t imagine how high my expectations were from this movie!!!

Nikhil Advani made hits like Kal Ho Na Ho & Salaam-E-Ishq and then got down to making Chandni Chowk to China… Ashutosh Gowarikar made Lagaan & then made Swades [although a good movie but not successful at the box office]… Pridarshan made Hulchul & then made a list of crap movies…

Dint expect Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra to follow this trend !!!

Rang De Basanti was epic, the trailers of Delhi-6 looked great, the storyline seemed unusual, the cast is good.. but the movie is a TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT.. !!

..

PLOT

Waheeda Rehman is in USA with her Hindu son who married a Muslim girl & then moved to USA. She is sick & does not have long to live. She wishes to come back to her old house in the nooks of Chandni Chowk in Delhi. Her grandson Abhishek Bachchan offers to bring her back. He’s never been to India & is welcomed by the locals in the typical loving way. Stars like Rishi Kapoor, Om Puri, Divya Dutta, Atul Kulkarni, Vijay Raaz, Aditi Rao, Prem Chopra & many more are the locals of this Delhi-6 area. Also here is wannabe Indian Idol Sonam Kapoor in a conservative family with a dad who wants to marry her off soon against her will. A mixture of stories start sprawling around Abhishek as he sees the day-to-day life of India. He appreciates how everyone gets together for every little thing here & how they are all one big family. He is starting to love the people & the surroundings. But then to break the bubble, a local pest known as “Kaala Bandar” is causing panic which eventually leads to unrest & finally communal riots. Abhishek tries to be a mediator but is shunned out every time. He is about to leave the country when he has a change of heart & decides to stay and help ‘his own people’.

I’ll leave the part of ‘how he helps’ for you to see if you ever decide to watch this bore…

..

REVIEW

If you were expecting a new story and genre of cinema then you were right in doing so. This movie does deliver that to be frank… but in a very boring, slow and un-slick style. The script is interleaved with a number of parallel stories running together. The stories are not confusing but there is barely any continuity. You won’t really enjoy the flow of this movie. It’s slow and not crisp at all. It does not build up on the graph nor does it keep you engrossed.

The innovative story idea goes to a total waste due to over ambitious aims of the production team. The whole Kaala Bandar concept is sooooooo rubbish & cheesy.. and highly overdone!!  The performances are decent but yet again none so outstanding or captivating. Abhishek is the main face of the movie and is in almost every scene. He does a good job but yet you won’t take much notice of his work due to crappy story telling style. Soonam is cute and good only in the Masakali song. Rest is average cause she barely has a few lines ..

..

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MOVIE

- Music is the best thing about this movie.

- Guest appearance by Amitabh Bachchan.

- Good job by Abhishek Bachchan throughout the movie.

- Sonam is cute & charming mainly in the Masakali song.

- Good story but told in the most obsolete & boring way. The way Mehra has shown how the society works and how the irrelevant things become big in India is true to its depiction.

- The idea of Delhi moving in New York is quite cool in the song Dil Gira Dafatan.

..

LOWLIGHTS OF THE MOVIE

- Very slow flow to the movie.

- Not at all engrossing & captivating. You are not looking forward to anything in the movie.

- The Kaala Bandar funda is way overdone and very cheesy.

- No glamour or show off. [That's a relief for a change though.. ]

- The songs are so good that Mr. Director decided to run the full movie using those songs as background scores. There is barely any other background score at all in the movie.

- The sound design and sound effects are absolutely hopeless throughout the movie. They completely ruin the experience.

- The overall post-production on the visuals, sound & edit is quite bad.

- There is major use of evident green screening for a lot of shots. Looks really bad.

..

FINAL WORD

I think I have been extremely critical to the movie in my review above.. that’s because I had really high expectations from it… So lets tone down.. Be fair and neutral..

Overall Average – 5/10 .

This movie is a classic example of what you can call a drag.. Also an example of how poor post-production can ruin a good story with fairly good performances. Try not to fall asleep when you see this. And if you have any expectations.. please leave them at home..

..

The first insight I got about the music of Delhi-6 was in an interview with lyricist Prasoon Joshi when talking to him about the music of Ghajini. I had asked him what the chemistry is like between him and Mr. Rahman. All he said was, “We are working together on the music of a movie called Delhi-6. Listen to that and you will know”. I think for any music lover that one line wraps up anticipation and expectations !!

..

Last time the team of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Prasoon Joshi and A. R. Rahman got together one of India’s most acclaimed and highest grossing movie was made with the name Rang De Basanti (RDB). The music of that movie made an equal impact and touched/inspired millions.

Blessed are these three and Thank you to them for creating Delhi-6 for I have not heard anything like this in an era. Just when you feel Prasoon cant get better with the pen (after Maa & Guzarish) and Rahman has delivered his best ( with Ghajini, Jaane Tu.. ya Jaane Na, Slumdog Millionaire ) , Mr. Mehra steps in and inspires a creative epic in the form of Delhi-6.

The music touches different aspects of Delhi and its life in romance, faith, beauty, fun and classical tradition. Bollywood has a growing obsession with Delhi and especially Chandni Chowk area of old Delhi ( Oye lucky.. lucky oye, Chandni Chowk to China ). For those who dont know, the “6” in the title refers to the pincode of the Chandni Chowk area in Delhi and so the music revolves around the lifestyle of that area.

..

REVIEW

Everyone in India knows about the musical brilliance of A R Rahman. People in UK know about that too through his musicals like Lord of the Rings and Bombay Dreams. Now.. the whole world knows about his capabilities with his current rise to fame as being the first Indian to win the Golden Globe for the soundtrack of Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman proves with Delhi-6 that he can outdo his own self !!

..

Track 1 – Masakali – Truly innovative, harmonic and melodious in all possible ways. Usually songs that come at the start of the year fade out of our memory by the year end when you get to judge the best songs of the year. I am very sure Masakali will not just remain fresh in our minds but will also win that best song title !! The lyrics are truly fun and the work of a genius. You would expect such lyrics from the old guru’s like Javed Akhtar or Gulzar. But young Prasoon Joshi proves that linguistic and poetic abilities have not faded in our generation.

Cant praise Mohit Chauhan’s vocals enough. He makes this song what it is !! Deep and soulful. Rahman does his magic with a superb Bass guitar work with Harmonica, Bongo’s, Ghattam, Accordion and an amazing classical style violin orchestra. The music creates an atmo-fun-sphere around you in which you can visualise the carefree attitude of the characters. You wont find anything missing or expect anything more out of this song – 10/10 .

..

Track 2 – Arziyan – I am a big fan of Javed Ali’s singing abilities ( Jashn-e-Bahara, Guzarish, Ek Din teri rahon mein, Nagaada nagaada ). He prove’s it yet again why. This time he has Kailash Kher for company. Rahman goes back on the lines of his typical Islamic Sufi religious songs like Khawaja Mere Khawaja & Piya Haji Ali. This time only better. This 9 minute long song is serene and pious. It will make you believe in the power of simple music and gratitude to God and you won’t come to know where 9 minutes have passed. Tabla, harmonium, and bass are the simple ingredients that make this a perfect combination with Prasoon’s amazing lyrics. Truely soul touching 8.5/10 .

..

Track 3 – Dilli-6 – Remember ‘Khalbali Hai Khalbali’ in RDB ? This title track takes you right there. The song is very cool & groovy. A variety of singers including Blaaze, Benny & Tanvi add the extra zing factor to the track. It also has French vocals provided by Viviane and Claire. I don’t remember when was the last time a Bollywood music director decided to add a French touch to they soundtrack. There are certain things only Rahman can do !! Lyrics are plain and ordinary. This song is for it’s youthful cool quotient and not it’s deep lyrical factor. 7.5/10 .

..

Track 4 – Rehna Tu – A Rahman OST is never complete without a song in his own voice. Especially if it is a romantic one… This composition could have been used by any International band and delivered a worldwide hit with it. The song is truly Global and unique. It even breaks into an Arabic style chorus in between and Karnatic towards the end. It has Rahman written all over it.. It’s all him.. !!

If you can manage to get your attention off Rahman’s sublime and suttle vocals then listen to the lyrics. I think they are better than those of Guzarish. One can play this song and make anyone fall in love with them.. Romantic at it best – 9/10 .

..

Track 5 – Hey Kaala Bandar – I dont get this track and don’t know why it’s there on the OST… Perhaps the only disappointing track on this CD   Lyrics are crooked with crap English rap. Music is stylish but not enough. Plus it has inspired parts from Yuvraaj’s ‘Dil Ka Rishta’ song. Vocals by Karthik, Naresh, Srinivas and Bony are good but don’t stand out. We need to wait and watch how this song is placed in the movie. Might make more sense then.. For now lets ignore it. 5/10 .

..

..

Track 6 – Dil Gira Dafatan – Rahman is known to introduce new singers all the time. But this time he plays a gamble with singer Ash King. He gives him brilliant romantic lyrics but barely any music.. relying all the way on his vocal delivery. Does it work?? It sure does.. It’s Rahman & Prasoon backing Ash after all. His voice has a deep classical and vintage Bollywood texture that I simply love. At the start, the ‘Dil Mera’ chanting itself makes a lasting impression and sets the tone for the rest of the song.

Lyrics are as good as Track 4 Rehna Tu. The orchestration, altough minimal, is the best I have heard in a long time. The violin’s & spanish guitar just take you away on a journey. The composition is simply brilliant. Put this song on repeat – 9/10 .

..

Track 7 – Genda Phool – This short track has some of the best classical female voices of the present time. Rekha Bharadwaj, Sujata Majumdar, Shrradha Pandit and V.N Mahathi contribute to this shocking song. Why shocking?? The song opens to Rekha’s folk rustic vocals and then just out of nowhere a brilliant funky beat kicks in leaving you stunned !!! Is there any style or musical trick Rahman can’t execute ?? This time Rajat Dholakia adds to the composition making it a ‘out of the box’ track. Perfect for wedding Mehndi functions. I can’t get enough of this 8.5/10 .

..

Track 8 – Bhor Bhaye – A pure classical track has not been heard in any Bollywood OST for years now. Rahman brings the magic back in it’s purest form. I am trained in classical music and I assure you the Thumri Gujri Todi is not easy to deliver.. and nor is what Rahman has managed to deliver here with a perfect transition and mix of the original recording by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and the new breath-taking rendition by Shreya Ghoshal. Kudos to her for making this sound effortless and truly Hindustani classical.

Prasoon Joshi shocks us here with his talent and knowledge of Indian music and poetry. He has written additional lyrics to a decades old classical piece maintaining it’s true flavour. Love the Tabla and Harmonium on this track. I can’t imagine the time Rahman and his team must have spent on cleaning up the original recording for today’s clear digital release. The mix sounds perfect !! This track should be used as a case study in Sound Engineering courses… A masterpiece – 9.5/10 .

..

Track 9 – Aarti (Tumre Bhavan Mein) – Sitar, timbals and voice. This combination has been the highlight of religious classical music in India for centuries. Rahman brings back his ‘O Palanhare’ formula from ‘Lagaan’ only this time to traditional lyrics and composition. Rekha Bharadwaj, Sujata Majumdar, Shrradha Pandit & Kishori Ashok Gowariker render this Hindu Aarti in its purest form. You can’t help but feel overwhelmed in these 3 minutes. 8.5/10 .

..

Track 10 – Noor – Amitabh Bachchan features to wrap up this album with a monologue poem. It does not have to be music all the time. Some times words say it all. This 50 second piece talks about Love for that one special person who you see everywhere and in everything. 8/10 .

..

FINAL WORD

Brilliant – 9/10 .

I recommend tracks 1, 2, 3… Damn.. chuck it.. I RECOMMEND THE FULL ALBUM.. !! Please go buy it.. It’s worth every penny. True to all expectations and a must have in every music lovers collection. The album is a genius musically, lyrically, vocally and even as far as the engineering goes. Big up Rahman, Prasoon Joshi and Omprakash Mehra for brining it all together !!!

..