DJ Munks.com

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai is the 7th movie under the Balaji Motion Pictures Banner. Not a single movie so far has had music that stands out or can boast of a hit. If we leave the music and talk just about the movie, not a single of their productions has delivered well the box office except for average business.

Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai could just about be the one to change it all for the biggest small screen banner who could now be the big screen banner that Ekta & Shobha Kapoor have dreamed of making it… and it all rests on the shoulders of brilliant actors Ajay Devgan & Emraan Hashmi. These guys usually always deliver the vision of their producers and directors. But does director Milan Luthria who has made movies like Kachche Dhaage, Chori Chori, Deewar & Taxi No. 9211 have it in him to deliver a hit underworld Mumbai theme movie? That we will have to wait till the 30th July to watch.

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For now let us analyse what hit maker Pritam can deliver with lyricists Irshad Kamil, Nilesh Mishra & Amitabh Bhattacharya for a movie with a very dark theme. Pritam has never actually worked on a Mumbai dark side themed movie although he has delivered some super hits with movies like Gangster, Jannat & Rajneeti recently. I would imagine this OST will have some street talk Mumbai songs with the slang and violent gun shots with a mix of romance & totally dark Mumbai themed music for background scores of the movie. I would love it if Irshad can repeat his magic of Karam on the lyrics cause that was sensational. Let’s hit play and check it out.

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REVIEW

Track 1 – Pee Loon – Very pleasant first 30 seconds of the album that set the tone of the album. And you can’t ask for more than Mohit Chauchan’s voice following the soothing 30 seconds of music. This Qawaali based romantic song reminds you of the sea side by Haji Ali. The melody and instrumentation are heart felt with a mesmerising harmonium solo in the middle bridge which you must take a notice of as that is not something you hear often in music these days. The team of Pritam, Irshad & Mohit make an instant classic romantic hit. A must listen. 8/10.

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Track 2 – Tum Jo Aaye – Seems like this is more of a romantic movie than a underworld bloodshed extravaganza. Tulsi Kumar along with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan perform a very soulful vocal rendition to Irshad’s poetic lyrics. Once again Pritam sticks to the Qawali style Bollywood music format with another good harmonium solo. The dholki played on this song is brilliantly recorded. The classical composition & recitation work well in the favour of this song and even has a Punjabi element to it. It is a good song but not the best. It won’t stick in your head as much as Pee Loon. 7/10.

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Track 3 – I Am In Love – We know Karthik from two really big songs – Behka from Ghajina & Behne De from Raavan recently. Both truly are brilliant. So is I am in love. You can really feel the emotion when he says “I am in Love”. His vocals & harmonies are spotless on a great voice. The lyrics by Nilesh Mishra will make you sit up and take notice of them as they rhyme all the way. Pritam’s composition & simple music complement this song perfectly. It is just simple & beautiful. You will surely like it. Do listen.. 7.5/10.

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Track 4 – Parda – Haha.. revival of the classic.. Remember Duniya Mein Logon Ko from Apna Desh? Sunidhi & Rana Mazumder do a revision of that classic and spice it up with some new lyrics by Irshad which are not that great. Rana freaks you out here sounding exactly like The Boss – R. D. Burman. Pritam very successfully gives you the 70′s feel with this composition and Sunidhi is his star that delivers it very well on the mic. You can’t help but sing along every time the “Monicaaa” shout comes along. I love going back in time.. & this song takes u there. A production & creative genius song. Lacks brilliant lyrics. 7.5/10.

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Track 5 – Babu Rao – From the start you will take notice of the unique music style. Kudos to Pritam for this coming up with this composition. It is genuine, unique and works perfectly with the theme of this song. The programming of the instruments is imaginitive & brave.  Mika has his usual fun and is perfect in the vocals department. He sounds like a street don. But the best part of this song are the lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya. They are cool, funny & represent all gangsters. I won’t be surprised if they start using this song as their gang theme song.. lol. 8.5/10.

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Track 6 – Tum Jo Aaye (Reprise) – If you liked track 2 then this version will blow you off with its calmness, style, purity & melodic feel. It is just genius. It is all about 4 instruments – gorgeous tabla, resounding ghungroos, brilliant harmonium and Rahat Fateh Ali’s voice. I don’t want to tell you more. Just listen to it & you will discover the beauty of Indian music. 8.5/10.

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Track 7 – I Am In Love – KK & Dominique do a 2nd version of Track 3 which is also like a reprise version. It is as good as Track 3. KK & Karthik each have their own place and you can’t really compare these 2 versions. Karthik has more depth while KK has a sharper stylish voice. Lyrically & composition-ally it is the same song. 7.5/10.

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Track 8 – Pee Loon (Remix) -DJ A-Myth is one of the best DJ’s in India and he really proves it this time with giving a decent remix which does not kill the original. And thank God they very selectively chose this song rather than doing a remix of every song on the OST. So overall a very decent & cute remix. Perfect for a warm up set or calm drinking party. 7/10.

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Track 9 -I Am In Love (Dance) – There you go.. that’s how you ruin a good song with a not required remix. A trance mix of a great song with 2 different versions already on the OST.. I don’t see why did they need a third version and too on a totally inspired trance beat. This is perhaps the only blunder on a perfectly good album. Please end the OST on track 8 to keep you ears safe. 4.5/10.

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FINAL WORD

Very Good – 7.5/10

This OST is definitely not what it feels like. It is more of a romantic album rather than a underworld album with Marathi influences. Every song is better than expected and there is no below average song except the last track.

3 beautiful romantic songs, 1 bar type song which is a production beauty as is a revival of a classic and 1 brilliant underworld song that thrills you in every way. Babu Rao, Pee Loon and Tum Jo Aaye (Reprise) are the definite picks of the album with all credit to Pritam once again for a masterpiece album. His choice of singers, instruments & lyricists is brilliant. Each of them perform with a simple goal to make this OST worth listening to. And it sure is.. So go buy Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. Available on T-Series.

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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 !!

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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.

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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 !!

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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 .

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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 .

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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 .

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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 .

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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 .

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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 .

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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 .

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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 .

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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 .

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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 .

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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 !!!

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