DJ Munks.com

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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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LAMHAA sounds like a beautiful & action packed project. It is the return of a team that has remained inactive for a while now (ranging from 3-5 years). National award winner Rahul Dholakia hasn’t worked on a project ever since his acclaimed work in Parzania which was a super gorgeous movie (that is if you have a taste for off-beat movies that are not mainstream). Thus I am guessing this man must have written a stunner in the last 3 years with Lamhaa. He has direceted this as well. We are from the same college by the way

Bunty Walia who made some big hits like Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya in the late 90′s early 2000′s is producing a movie after 5 years. So I guess Lamhaa must have got him excited. For a movie with a cast like Sanjay Dutt, Kunal Kapoor, Bipasha Basu & Anupam Kher you wouldn’t imagine what to expect. That truly is an odd mix of some really good actors!!

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But on the music side, I pretty much know what to expect. For a movie based in Kashmir that talks about the political, military & militant setup of the state the music score would definitely not be glamorous. But it surely will be good as it is the return of Mithoon after 3 years who has made music of movies like Bas Ek Pal & Aggar. You definitely love those and the lyrics of Sayeed Qadri who wrote some of the best songs for movies like Raaz 2 and Jannat. Lets see if this return of some of the best guys in the industry gives us some buzz in this 6 track album.

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REVIEW

Track 1 – Madno – Madno == Lover, my dear. Now that you know the meaning of the first word, try and get the lyrics of the full song. You will instantly like this song as it will put you to ease of mind and soul. A simple beautiful composition with brilliant folk Kashmiri instrumentation by Mithun. The Sufiana singing style of new comer Kshitij Tarey reminds you of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan every second but at the same time Kshitij makes his own mark. Chinmayi sounds soulful like her previous work in the movie Guru. This is just better. And what can I say about Sayeed’s lyrics. awwwwww.. just awwww.. There is even a full Kashmiri verse in the song!! Mithoon, Kshitij, chinmayi & Sayeed create magic together. A top song. 8.5/10 for this 8:30 mins long song.

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Track 2 – Salaam Zindagi – The title ‘Salaam Zindagi’ sounds like a cliche & inspired by a couple of Rahman patriotic compositions. It still evolves and presents a different flavour unique in a number of ways. It is very ambient and classical in parts. Mithoon’s composition & instrumental arrangement is something to learn from if you are a composer. Arun Daga & Mohd. Irfan’s vocals make you wanna stand up & salute life. The ambient texture to this song mainly comes from their voices that is powerful & yet soulful. The lyrics are not brilliant but work for this song. A good song overall. 7.5/10.

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Track 3 – Main Kaun Hoon – “Main hun banjaara apni hi zameen pe.. Main Kaun hoon.. Kyun apne jahan me.. main hun ajnabee..” The lyrics of this song are by Amitabh Varma and they are stunning if you listen to them carefully. It truly depicts the situation in Kashmir and the dilemma that has become the life of every Kashmiri in a 7 minute song. Truly genius.. The composition by Mithoon is not brilliant but check out the break at 4:50 into the song. It’s instrumentation & recording is eccentric. On top of that what can I say about our rock star singer.. Dr. Palash Sen. He sings in a withheld singing style & perfectly sounds like a person lost in dilemma. I like this one. 8/10 for the lyrics & singing.

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Track 4 – Saajnaa – You won’t believe who is singing this song!!! It’s our punjabi rec-loose superstar Mika. You just won’t believe how different & exotic he sounds in this totally Urdu rendition of the song Madno. He proves his versatility & classical abilities. The song is exactly same as Madno with same lyrics & music composition. Chinmayi’s part is same as well.. but you have to listen to this for Mika & Mika alone.. ! 8/10.

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Track 5 – Zameen-O-Aasmaa – Kshitij Tarey goes solo on this emotional song as a man talks to God asking him to come down to this world to see the hatred & injustice prevalent in this world. It’s almost an acoustic song for the first half with piano and a classic violin orchestra. Mithoon’s recording techniques, composition & instrumentation are terrific & I can go on raving about them. Very good lyrics by Sayeed that can almost make you cry. Touching & heart wrenching. 7.5/10.

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Tack 6 – Rehmat Zara – Am so glad they decided to put this song as the last track on the album. I would be totally turned off if this was earlier in this classic album. Mithoon decides to get on the mic himself with Mohd. Irfan and this is nothing special. Although their singing is not bad at all, this song lacks style, uniqueness & consistency. The composition is not great nor are the lyrics. This to me is an average song at this stage as it is very situational. It probably makes more sense in the movie. 6/10.

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FINAL WORD

Very Good – 7.5/10

For the young UK audience this album does not pack a punch with the big hits that we usually like to hear. But this album can we an instant hit with the first & second generation listeners. Even for the young audience, if you understand a little bit of Urdu & have any interest in music from different parts of India, you will love this OST. The music by Mithoon is brilliant. This is what I call a come back. Sayeed Qadri was here & still rules with his lyrics. The OST completely complements the Kashmiri flavour of the movie & thus shows are amount of research and talent that went in this project by the music team. Dim the lights, close your eyes and enjoy the “Lamhaa“. OST on T-Series.

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We figured this out long time back when we saw the promos…

NO.. Jai Veeru has nothing to do with Sholay!! If it ever did.. you sure would agree it would be a disaster with actors like Fardeen Khan & Kunal Khemu playing the roles of Jai & Veeru.. It would be so damn funny… lol.

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So it’s confirmed Jai Veeru has got nothing to do with Sholay.. evidently we have no expectations from the movie or the music to be inspired by Sholay. But when I find out that the music is the debut work of the son of the pioneer of the 80′s disco sound of Bollywood – Mr. Bappi Lahiri, then I did build up some expectations. Yes, the music of Jai Veeru is by Bappa Lahiri who makes a debut as a solo composer with this OST. He is a young lad with a few good remixes under his belt like ‘Gori Hain Kaliyan Remix’.

Although no pressure, but I still expect this lad to come up with at least a tinge of originality to prove he is the son of the pioneer of tunes like Disco Dancer. Let’s find out what he has to offer and why did Director Puneet Sira decide to go with him for what could be his career making project.

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REVIEW

Track 1 – Sufi – Bappa has lyricist Sameer at hand with him for Jai Veeru. And this song is all about Sameer and his words. The song is about love obsession. Other person making an impression is singer Saim Bhat. Never heard of this guy before but I can assure he has a long way to go… especially in Mahest Bhatt type movies. This dude sure can sing and at times sounds like Atif Aslam but does it in his style. Daughter of Gulshan Kumar, Tulsi Kumar joins Saim but is not as noticeable as him.

On the music side, Bappa crosses this song between rock and sufi. It’s nothing new and sounds similar to a number of Pakistani rock bands. What I like is the instrumentation. The start of the album with some soothing flute is always a plus. Sitar, Tabla are other Indian instruments that blend with the electric guitars, drums and a good set of keyboards. The composition seems heard of thus lacks insight. Good song though – 7/10.

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Track 2 – Tennu Le – By far the best track on the CD. Once again, another star in the making shines right here. Omer Inayat is a Pakistani singer with one pop album under is belt and now makes a mark in Bollywood. The song is also written by him. He is brilliant !! Love the English lines in the song and the best part is that they don’t sound phony. The vocals are soulful to say the least. Bappa does a great job on the music front too. The tune is catchy and you just can’t stop singing the chorus once you start. This song is on high rotation on all radio stations world over and in the charts. Can’t get enough of it.. Love this song.. 8.5/10.

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Track 3 – Dhun Lagi – This song is a disappointment after Tennu Le. It sounds like a dance bar song from an underworld movie like Shootout at Lokhandwala or Company. Mika Singh and Raja Hassan’s vocals are usual and average. The lyrics are straight forward and the music composition lacks freshness. It has rock elements to it and I like the use of electric guitars in this song. That’s the only innovative part. The beat texture is so overused. Skip it.. 5/10.

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Track 4 – Aisa Lashkara – The full Lahiri family has musicians. Another Lahiri on this track. Bappa’s sister Rema Lahiri features on this song with Hard Kaur. The song is more about Hard Kaur though. Rema’s vocals are below average. The music is a single Latin pop loop that plays throughout the 3 mins of the song. No variation. Hard Kaur is wasted with boring lyrics and brother-sister collaboration is dull. Waste of 3 mins – 5/10.

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Track 5 – Agre Ka Ghagra – Try recreating Billo Rani from Goal & cross it with Mauja hi Mauja from Jab We Met what will you get..??  Yup, a copycat song that is no good. This song lacks the punch and the funk of an innovative beat. The vocals by Javed Ali, Mouli Dave and Raja Hassan are simply average. This song will not do well in the UK Asian market but will be a hit with the taxi and rickshaw drivers in India. 6/10 .

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Track 6 – Dhun Lagi (Progressive Dance Mix) – The mix is better than the original.. atleast for me on this occasion. I can see myself using this track in a Electro Bollywood mix set in the wee hours of morning but the original content still keeps this track from becoming a hit. Good job by DJ Akhil Talreja & DJ N.Y.K.. 6/10 .

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Track 7 – Sufi (Rock) – A simple lead guitar can completely change the perception of a song. The composition work by Bappa has been rejuvenated by the excellent work of his musicians who have done the brilliant guitars, drums, keyboards and bass in this rock version. Love the piano chorus in the second half. You will appreciate this version more than the original in due time. 8/10 .

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Track 8 – Dhun Lagi (Electro Mix) – DJ Akhil features NTeDIT on this mix. I don’t get the point of having so many mixes of the same song on the same album. The mix is a waste!! I can barely see this mix getting any airplay or club play anywhere in the world. Skip skip skip.. 4/10 .

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Track 9 – Sufi – Sufi done again .. with Siam & without Tulsi Kumar this time. It’s exactly the same song otherwise. Just as if when mixing the track 1 the engineer pressed mute on Tulsi’s vocal track.. :/  Silly to have it on the album when you already have 2 great versions. Pointless – 6/10.

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Track 10 – Tennu Le (Remix) – Good production of this remix but it is soooooo wrong.. !! The original is sooo damn good that this sounds difficult to fathom.. That also with a Spanish trumpet !! A big NO to this remix – 5/10.

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FINAL WORD

Average – 6/10 .

Decent effort by Bappa but he has a long way to go.. But we have a couple of new stars to watch out for.. Saim Bhat & Omer Inayat are the ones to watch out for. Tennu Le and Sufi are the big numbers on this album and highly recommended. Apart from these 2 the album is nothing special.

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