The Best of KK and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan - 2010

Yes, it's that time of the year when we reflect on the past 12 months. In this series-of-don't-know-how-many blogs, summing up 2010 of Bollywood music.

This week listing the top 10 songs of probably the best male playback singers of this year.

KK

Play Now

 1. I Am In Love (Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai)

 2. Jaane Ye Kya Hua (Karthik Calling Karthik)

 3. Mere Bina (Unplugged) (Crook)

 4. Khuda Mere Khuda (Krantiveer - The Revolution)

 5. Tujhi Mein (Crook)

 6. Luk Chup Jaana (Action Replayy)

 7. Zindagi Do Pal Ki (Kites)

 8. Sajde (Khatta Meetha)

 9. Dil Kyun Yeh Mera (Kites)

10. Daayein Baayein (Guzaarish)

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Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

Play Now

1. Tum Jo Aaye (Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai)
2. Surili Ankhiyon Wale (Veer)
3. Tere Mast Mast Do Nain (Dabangg)
4. Bahara (Chill Version) (I Hate Luv Storys)
5. Aas Paas Khuda (Anjaana Anjaani)
6. Sajda (My Name Is Khan)
7. Ghum Shum Ghum Shum (It's A Wonderful Afterlife)
8. Fakeera (Badmaash Company)
9. Man Ki Mat (Aakrosh)
10. Phir Se (2) (Toh Baat Pakki!)

Leave your comments, if you think there were others that did not feature in the top 10.

Band Baaja Baaraat, No Problem, Ramaa: The Saviour - Music Review

Band Baaja Baaraat (2010)
Music: Salim-Sulaiman

If you had come to dislike Punjabi music for it's repetitiveness and pervasiveness, your perception is about to change....

1. Aadha Ishq ----------------- 8/10
Alright, this is not exactly a Punjabi track. But the question is, what is the saturation point for us to listen to Shreya Ghoshal's melodious voice. At least I have not reached there. A typical melody about love and all that jazz. The lyrics are pretty innovative in a poetic way, unlike Ankhiyon Se Goli Maare. Super sweet track.

2. Mitra ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/10
Another slow, silent and good sounding track. It starts out on a very promising note, but gets a tad 'already heard this before' kind of a track. But in all, not bad

3. Ainvayi Ainvayi ------------------------------------------------------------------ 6/10
Now this is where I am talking about Punjabi songs. Nice beats, good rhythm and quite likely to be played at all the forthcoming parties. This will get your feet tapping right from the onset and by the middle of it, it would have set a good tempo. Master Saleem has surely found his niche: Foot tapping Punjabi numbers with a native accent. This is Sunidhi Chauhan's genre now, although she is good enough to sing songs like Aadha Ishq too. Perfect example of what bad choices does to careers.

4. Baari Barsi ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/10
A fresh take on this oft-used Punjabi lyrics. As I said, you will not dislike it, but at the same time it is not awesome.

5. Dum Dum, Tarkeebein, Band Baaja Baaraat (Theme) --------------------------  6/10
The other remaining tracks that are good enough to listen to when not paying attention to the songs, but not so bad that they will attract your attention to make you change the track

Final verdict: Get number 1 above, while the rest are just fun to listen to. Just not great. Salim-Sulaiman have been producing decent music for a while, however they haven't broken the barrier to the recognized as the leading musicians. Just like Amit Trivedi.

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No Problem (2010)
Music: Pritam, Sajid-Wajid, Anand  Raj Anand

The love affair with Punjabi music continues with 'No Problem' this week! The music is true to the styles of all 3 musicians above. Peppy energetic with not much to do with melody. This is an energetic album with a couple of tracks for the dance floor.

• Babe Di Kripa
• Mast Punjabi

In other fun facts:

• No Problem starts out as if it was a Shakira track. I am saying this because this album has a track titled Shakira.
• No Problem and We Are Innocent are typical Sajid-Wajid numbers reminiscent of Welcome.

Final verdict: For the two tracks which could be fun for the dance floors, this is not a noteworthy album

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Ramaa: The Saviour (2010)

Music: Siddharth-Suhas

Oh no! It's not me who co-directed the music. (Actually, if it had been me, I would be been proud despite the poor music). KK tries to salvage this album with Sunlena Sunlena, but it is not enough for this track, leave alone the album.

There are no diamonds to be found in this coal mine.

KHJJS, Rakta Charitra-I, PGRO, 332 Mumbai To India - Music Review

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey (2010)
Music: Sohail Sen

Another movie with a distinctly un-hip theme does not bode well for music fans. The music probably does justice to the movie and thus failing to impress us enough to get the tracks on our music players. Sohail Sen displays his unpretentious style of music again, and it works really well with the genre of the movie. The album contains a bunch of Instrumental tracks that are pretty boring.

• Nayn Tere is a humble and playful track with an innocent import. Just feels nice, but no good otherwise
• Yeh Des Hai Mera - Another signature Sohail Sen track. It could remind one of Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera from Swades, but here is where the difference between A.R. Rahman and Sohail Sen is so visible....err should I say audible.

Trivia: Ashutosh Gowariker teamed up with Sohail Sen in What's Your Rashee?.

Final verdict: Ignorable.

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Rakta Charitra Part 1 (2010)
Music: Imran-Vikram, Rupesh Potle, Bappi-Tutul

Yet another movie that promises us nothing sweet sounding. But that does not mean all is wrong with it. Remember, Sab Ganda Hai from Company and Kallu Mama from Satya? Of course, this genre is already crowded and there is much work to be done to awe us again with some gangsta music. As expected, the album is replete with gangsta and hate-filled tracks. So, if you are into this sort of music, check out:

• Khaul Khaul Ke - War bugles!
• Mila Toh Marega - Hate-filled Indo-rock fusion

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Phas Gaye Re Obama (2010)

Music: Manish J. Tipu

Terrible album. It is funny that it has 9 tracks out of which only 2 of them are original. There are 5 instrumentals which are not impressive and 2 pretty irritating tracks. Sara Pyaar Hai Bekaar by Kailash Kher is pretty annoying with his local-train style musical style. I don't think anyone is falling for it.....forget about Obama.

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332 Mumbai To India (2010)

Music: Shamir Tandon

There is not much to say, when there is nothing path-breaking and/or likable. The songs are pretty featureless and the one with Vinod Rathod titled Amchi Mumbai is corny at best. Though not great, Saare Jahan Se Achha is a fresh and decent take on the national song of India.

P.S. Pizza Hut's Cheesy Bites Pizza is nothing but stuffed crust pizza with cheesy bite-sized pockets. Marketing gimmick, you see!

Guzaarish, A Flat, Hisss, Musaa - Music Review

Guzaarish (2010)
Music: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Guzaarish, produced, directed, screenplay and music by the multi-talented Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Yes, you read it right he has also directed the music for this movie. Overall, he has done a pretty decent job. Most of the song are silent and slow-paced. It was the demand of the script of the film to not have flashy and quick paced songs, and SLB does just that. That does not mean that the songs are great or are a must-listen. None of the songs are recommended for your music player, but most of the songs are soothing that you could listen to when all you want to do is sit back, relax and be alone.

• Chaand Ki Katori - A slow, silent and melodious song set to sad tune.
• Daayein Baayein, Guzaarish - A good diversion for KK with short and slow songs. His previous attempt at melody in Mr. Singh Mrs. Mehta was a disaster. But this is surely is not.
• Dhundli Dhundli, Keh Na Sakoon, Sau Gram Zindagi, Tera Zikr - As I mentioned before, these are slow and melodious songs perfect for your 'alone' time

Final verdict: Not an awesome album, by design. The songs are melodious but are not cut out to be chart busters.  The album gets a 6/10.

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A Flat (2010)

Music: Bappa Lahiri

Read the music director's name above again carefully. It is not a typo; it is in fact Bappa Lahiri, our own Bappi da's son making a debut as a music director. And I must say, he has certainly taken some cues from his prolific-in-the-80s dad. The songs are not mesmerizing, but not trash.

• Dil Kashi, Dil Kashi (version 2) - Sonu Nigam fans rejoice. It has been rare with him lending voice as the lead singer. But here, Sonu Nigam definitely works his magic in this track. The song has good beats, a nice stylish opening followed by ever soft-voiced Sonu Nigam. Both the version are almost identical, and thus equally good.
• Pyar Itna Na Kar - A classic Shreya Ghoshal song. Apart from her melodious voice, which is a given, the song is set to a good Indian classical tune. The beats set just the right tempo to this despondently romantic track.
• Meetha Sa Ishq - A slow and silent melancholy track by Kailash Kher. Nothing flashy, but effective.

Final verdict: Like Guzaarish, this album fails to impress enough to rate it high, but certainly does not deserve to be rubbished. 6/10

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Hisss (2010)

Music: Alexander von Bubenheim

I can't tell what Alexander von Bubenheim did for this movie, but the album is mostly a medley of tracks composed by noted names like Anu Malik, Salim-Sulaiman and a few more. The result is evidently very eclectic. In some cases, the eclectic nature of the album works in it's favor. This is not that case.

Brownie points:

• Hisss - This tracks sounds so much like Mayya Mayya from Guru. It is stylish and the hip-hop touch of Panjabi MC clearly reflects in this track.
• Beyond The Snake - Not great, but an interesting rock track
• Sway (Mann Dole) - Not terrible, but Mallika Sherawat making her playback singing debut is it's highlight

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Musaa (2010)

Music: Santosh Sharma, Ilyas

The title and the music directors are enough to drive people away from this movie or it's songs. And more often than not it is justified. In this mess, however, some tracks do leave a positive impression

• Janiya Teri Hansi Ada - A hip and trendy track by Kunal Ganjawala. This track would have surely raised some eyebrows had it been a part of a better production. Not bad.

Overall a semi-worthless album.

Break Ke Baad, SBKHT, Maalik Ek - Music Review

Break Ke Baad (2010)
Music: Vishal-Shekhar

Everyone wants Vishal-Shekhar to direct music for their movie, especially if it is targeted for the younger audience. After having had a good run lately with IHLS and Anjaana Anjaani expectations are high.........

1. Dhoop Ke Makaan -------------------------- 6/10
A nice and slow romantic song prancing along the way taking it's own time. This song reminds of Tumse Hi Tumse from Anjaana Anjaani by the same musicians. It is not an epic romantic track, but enough to get you crooning.

2. Dooriyan Hain Zaroori ----------------- 6/10
Another briskly paced soft rock track by the music-duo. It has all the elements of a rock music: Strumming, beats and energetic playback voices.

3. Adhoore and Main Jiyoonga---------------------------------------------------------------- 6/10
If this song had been one of the few songs by Vishal-Shekhar, this could easily have been a hit. But listening to it, you know have heard it before. Not bad, but nothing new.

Final verdict: This album gets a 6/10. Overall this album is pleasant to listen to. However there is a certain element of Vishal-Shekhar music fatigue going on here. It almost sounds as if it is an expansion album to Anjaana Anjaani. While it is common for musicians to have a unique flavor to their music, this album hints at repetitiveness by Vishal-Shekhar, and I hope they rectify their course.

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Shahrukh Bola "Khoobsurat Hai Tu" (2010)
Music: Vasuda Sharma

A new music director is always an interesting factor in that we get to hear a new type of music, generally free from any burden of expectations. The music is definitely a little different without being too poor. However, it fails to capture our hearts. But there could be something for you if you are a serious music fan.

• Bhool Jaana I, Bhool Jaana II - Both are almost identical ghazals by Jagjit Singh. So rejoice ghazal fans
• Batiyan is an interesting mix of classical Indian music and modern instruments.

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Maalik Ek (2010)

Music: Anup Jalota

The music director is Anup Jalota and the film is Maalik Ek. That is all I have to say.

David Blaine.....unleashed

STATUTORY WARNING: Profanity
If you been have mesmerized by David Blaine......you ought to watch this...

Watch some of his tricks below before moving on. Even if you have watched David Blaine before, this will be a good refresher.

1. David Blaine.....card and watch trick (related to Part 1 and Part 5 below)
2. David Blaine......coffee to money trick (related to Part 4 below)
3. David Blaine and levitation (related to Part 2 below)
4. David Blaine and another awesome card trick (related to Part 1)
5. David Blaine and removed tooth (related to Part 5 below)

.....and now presenting you, David Blaine and two g'u'ys in LA......zaOza

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Bonus video

Have fun!

Action Replayy, Golmaal 3 - Music Review

Action Replayy (2010)
Music: Pritam

What a huge album! I am just wondering if the entire movie is a musical or what. There are a total of 9 original tracks in this album, with no revamping of any old songs. Add in 4 remixes and there are 13 tracks total. Here are the tracks that make our heads turn:

1. Luk Chup Jaana --------------------------------- 7/10
The best of the pack. A nice hip track. Nice, trendy opening followed by the ever so crisp KK. This one makes for a great song to croon along. The only drawback is the repetitiveness of the tune over verses. If you can forgive that, this will definitely lift your spirits.

2. I Am Dog Gone Crazy --------------------- 6/10
This is one is a surprise pick from the movie to be rated so high. This is a completely different tune, with a hint of African American music and Suraj Jagan continues to rise through the ranks of notable singers, and adds to his list of rock/alternate music. This song, although, lacks good lyrics.

3. O Bekhabar ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/10
Shreya Ghoshal presents in Action Replayy, another sugary sweetness to death O Bekhabar. This typical Shreya Ghoshal is just too nice to the ears; so, if you are a fan of her's, then this one IS for you.

4. Zor Ka Jhatka, Zor Ka Jhatka - Remix --------------------------------------------------- 6/10
Now, here's where perspective comes into play. This one is by no means a melody or a foot tapping number. But if you take the subject of the song into consideration and then absorb the beats and the rhythm, you might end up liking it. Although, the album says it has a remix, it is more like a different version with a different singer. And then is when you know the value of Daler Mehndi. He adds just the right amount of zest and energy to the original (not to mention the original version has better beats and the opening rap is fun). Richa Sharma does a good job of lending a retro 50's style female playback voice.

That's all worth writing about, besides these Tera Mera Pyaar, Baaki Main Bhool Gayi, Chhan Ke Mohalla and Dhak Dhak Dhak are not terrible, but they will not stick.

Final verdict:
Get 1 above, the rest is up to you. Pritam does a good job of presenting us contemporary music in a movie that seems to be set in a 70's era. Gets a 6/10.

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Golmaal 3 (2010)
Music: Pritam......again!

How many times has it happened that I have been listening to Pritam music all along for a couple of weeks straight. And like all the other times, Pritam has one good album (Action Replayy) and the other not so good (?).

The songs convey a light and positive mood, but fails to impress us on the entertainment front. The notable ones are:

• Desi Kali - This is no way as good as Desi Girl, but still could be a good addition to your dance floor mix.
• Disco Dancer - A throwback to the corny Bappi Lahiri days, revived by Bappi da himself.
• Yaad Aa Raha Hain - What a performance by Sudesh Bhosale to convince us that this is a Kishore Kumar song. Awesome performance. Not a great song, but if you just put this song in one of the oldies album, it would fun to find out if anyone makes out that it does not belong there

Final verdict: Fail

Allah Ke Banday, Dus Tola, Lava Kusa - The Warrior Twins, Khichdi - The Movie - KOed.......(Bad)Music Review

Knock Out (2010)
Music: Gourov Dasgupta

I have read his name before, but the fact that I don't remember it on top of my head only signifies it was about something forgettable. Here, in Knock Out, again there is nothing that will make your head turn. There is not much to elaborate, so wrapping up this album in a conclusion:

• Vishal Dadlani continues his on/off tryst with rock music in the title track Knock Out
• KK tries to salvage the album with an almost decent track, Tuhi Mere Hum Navaa
• Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's magic fails in Khushnuma Sa and ...
• We have stopped taking Sunidhi Chauhan seriously anymore with her performance/choice of songs with the track Jab Jab Dil Mile.
• The only song that does justice, if you are looking for something specific, like Ganpati style songs, is Gangubai Pe Aai Jawani; not awesome but will make you dance.

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Allah Ke Banday (2010)
Music: Kailash Kher, Chirantan Bhatt, Hamza Faruqui

I have yet to listen to an album of a movie on a serious topic which is good. Kailash Kher is good in Kya Hawa Kya Badal, but the song is too heavy in mood to like it. I can only say that the musician trio tried their best to add some spice, but not spicy enough. Although they did manage to make me cry with Mayoos......not because the song was powerfully sorrow, but the tune was powerfully distasteful and who better than Sunidhi Chauhan to take one for the team.


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Dus Tola (2010)
Music: Sandesh Shandilya

The movie appears to have a country setting. The last time I heard the song of such a movie (Kushti), I was pleasantly surprised. But then, now I am reminded of the fact that, Kushti was in fact a surprise. Looks like Sonu Nigam's career js officially over with one low-key and boring track in THIS movie.





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Lava Kusa - The Warrior Twins (2010)
Music: L. Vaidyanathan....yes, you have read it!

There are eight tracks in the movie. Really! All the while I thought I was listening to the same track over and over. Exaggeration apart, the theme and lyrics are so similar that it is difficult to discern the difference, except the two instrumental tracks. Neither are those any good. The album, like the movie production house, has thick South Indian music overtones. Not necessarily bad, but in general, difficult for anyone who listens to Bollywood music to accept it.


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Khichdi - The Movie (2010)
Music: Raju Singh

Raju Singh, not known for anything much, is back after a while with nothing. The album has 6 tracks, out of which only 2 are original. Not even sure if those are original or not. The goofy genre of the movie also seems to have not helped. The tracks are not horrible and won't make you tear your hair off. Just something that you know exists, but don't care to pay heed to.

The T20 Theory of Conflict Prevention & Integration

Unity in Diversity

India, the seventh largest country in the world, is also the second most populous country in the world. Not only it is the second most crowded country, but it arguably a country with the most diversity packed per square capita. There are at least about 20 languages being spoken at the moment, and all major religions freely practiced. And on top of it, there are multitude difference within people from the same geographic area, religion and language. No wonder the British were able to employ the divide-and-rule policy to great success.

Cracks in the joints

Being a country with a large number of inherent fractures, India does demonstrate a great deal of 'Unity in Diversity'. As much as it is touted, it has also caused a number of problems. The problems range from regionalism, favoritism, castism to terrorism and 'secessionism'. There is always a great number of people who feel they are being wronged or do not get the attention of the government due to their different identity. While it is not true every time, unfortunately some times it is.

Cricket, the common denominator
So what are the reasons that keeps India together, despite the diversity. Let's not think in terms of intangibles like, 'the feeling of oneness', 'patriotism' and the like. Religion, language and customs are already ruled out. The history of medieval and ancient India is a proof of India's divisiveness. The real things that bring Indians together are a common cause. The Indian army and Cricket are the biggest factors that gels this mosaic population. While people keep on integrating with one another through the army, it is a silent and unglamorous process. Cricket on the other hand is flamboyant and exhilarating, and it is publicly broadcast to millions of people. It is always great to see Indians of all regions cheer together, when India plays.
The stage
IPL has been a phenomenal success in India. It's rise in popularity is so alarming that international cricket is being seriously challenged by a league format from one country. Currently (10/17/10), there are only 8 teams in the league, covering different zones of India. It might be argued that this might fuel regionalism even more, but coming to think of it, it is much different than the tensions that exist between various Indian states today. For eg. The rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore would be much more amicable and friendly than that exists between the two states over the border dispute. If in future, the league continues to expand and if it is doubled to include 16 teams, we could have even more regions being represented in the league and henceforth more number of people would feel included in the process of 'Indian' cricket.

The Upside
Some of the biggest advantages of this greater participation would be more people to people contact and lesser strife between communities. More players would get an opportunity to plays for various clubs out of their hometowns and more people will cheer for a player of their team, regardless his origin. I would assume, Chennai Super Kings fans would be more grateful than resentful of having their team led by 'North Indian' MS Dhoni.
The introduction of club cricket to more remote regions of India, like the Northeast, will create more jobs, more financial stimulus and greater media attention accelerating their integration. The presence of a popular entity like a cricket club in the region and with a great amount of money and pride at stake, state governments will take an active role in solving the problems of terrorism and separatist sentiments. The renewed financial promises and greater respect in the public eye, can change the psyche of the people from the region leading us to a spiraling trend of money and harmony from the grassroots.
Better and meaningful integration
Instead of singing patriotic songs and asking for calm and peace in the wake of poverty and joblessness, this will be a more effective way to achieve the same results: Strong and united country. If this could help turn around the friction to a healthy rivalry within a country, could it be extended to achieve stability and peace within South Asia..and beyond?

Jhootha Hi Sahi, Do Dooni Chaar - Music Review

Jhootha Hi Sahi (2010)
Music: A.R. Rahman

So, after a disastrous Robot, A.R. Rahman brings us a new album, which is much better performance by the maestro. Although, I must add it is only better compared to Robot and not one of the best. None of the songs really stand out, but the following are noteworthy tracks from the album

1. Mayya Yashoda, Mayya Yashoda (Jamuna Mix) ---------------------- 6/10
The title makes you think: "Really! This song could be good?". You will be pleasantly surprised that the song is actually not that bad and has a really upbeat mood. The theme is mythological, but the energy and happiness this duet conveys makes it a delightful listening experience. Not great, but a good song from Javed Ali. The Jamuna Mix is better than the original version

2. Call Me Dil --------------------------------------------------------------------6/10
You might want to listen to this one once before you move on. A very soft and soothing track with good use of guitars, it is sung by Kabhi Kabhi Aditi fame Rashid Ali.

Brownie points:

• If you are a jazz fan, I've Been Waiting is for you
• Pam Pa Ra - Good, upbeat track that starts well, but ends badly
• Do Nishaniyaan - Very boring, unless you are a diehard Sonu Nigam fan.

Final verdict: Good attempt, but just does not make the cut.

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Do Dooni Chaar (2010)

Music: Meet Brothers, Anjan

This is by far one of the most irritating albums I've ever heard. Every song, with no exceptions is just plain irksome.

• Baaja Bajeya is a typical Sunidhi Chauhan totally uninteresting song
• Do Dooni Chaar, Ek Haath De - Extremely pedestrian lyrics and the track has an annoyingly careless mood

Why am I even wasting my time writing anything more on this. Forget this movie songs ever happened

Crook, Aakrosh - Music Review

Crook (2010)
Music: Pritam

Another Emraan Hashmi movie with Pritam directing the music is definitely a good sign. This week Pritam comes out with some good music. Not great, but good.

1. Mere Bina, Mere Bina (Unplugged), Tujhko Jo Paaya ----------------------------------------------- 7/10
A nice romantic track. Brisk pace, sauntering all along till the end. Opens with a great tune that you will fall in love with. The Unplugged version by KK is good too. Why the third track is named differently is a mystery, but it is pretty much the Unplugged version by Mohit Chauhan, and it feels a little too dry.

2. Kya ------------------------------------------------ 7/10
Neeraj Shridhar lends his voice to this stylish song. The opening of the song is a bit not good. Almost sounds like some Punjabi remix, but then gets good.

3. Tujhi Mein, Tujhi Mein (Reprise) -------------------------------------------- 7/10
A typical KK song. Starts with him singing in high pitch and immediately gets on with the beats. The song is a rock track and will definitely will be one of the best of KK this year. The recurring theme of the song is good sounding. The Reprise version is less flamboyant than the original, but equally good.

Final verdict: You can get the tracks above.

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Aakrosh (2010)
Music: Pritam

Pritam again! But here he fails to deliver. It could be anything from the kind of background the movie is set in. Looks like a rural themed movie. It could very well be that Emraan Hashmi is not a part of the cast.

I will not say any song is really great, but I will point to the better tracks.

• Saude Bazi, Saude Bazi (Encore) - The tracks are almost the same and they are not great, but somehow are really soothing to listen. Good song to calm down. Almost a ghazal, but falling short of it. The original version by Javed Ali is better of the two.
• Isak Se Meetha - Another song to the genre of Kajraare Kajraare, Bidi Jalali Le, Humka Peeni Hai. If you are a fan of this genre, you will like it.

That's all this week.

Anjaana Anjaani, Robot - Music Review

It's all about the latest and the greatest this week. From hip-hop music to hi-tech music....featuring this week:

Anjaana Anjaani (2010)
Music: The duo on fire Vishal-Shekhar

1. Tumse Hi Tumse -------- 8/10
Very pleasant and chic romantic track. Starts out in an interesting fashion and takes it's own time to get into groove. The English fillers add a stylish flavor to it.

2. Hairat ----------------- 8/10
Lucky Ali fans rejoice. Lucky Ali comes back with a swift paced rock track. The song starts out with a tune of strained emotions and follows up with good beats. Just the perfect elements for the singer who's trick is to sing songs with some dard factor to it. Not much variety in the tune of the song.

3. I Feel Good ------------------------------------------------ 8/10
A nice, totally feel-good factor and romantic track. The tempo of the song is good and evokes an upbeat mood. This song sounds so much like American/Western music, that if you didn't know what you were listening to and tune right into the I Feel Good part of the song, it won't even feel like Bollywood music. The song has some resemblance to Jaane Kyun from Dostana.....by Vishal-Shekhar...go figure!

4. Tujhe Bhula Diya -------------------------------------------- 8/10
This is an interesting, which starts out like a total pop song, follows with a sad-romantic track and then adds qawwali to it. And since all of it blends nice makes it an interesting track. The romantic part feels a little slow in the middle though. Remix is a so-so.

5. Aas Paas Khuda, Aas Paas Khuda (Unplugged) -------------------------------------------- 6/10
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has to make an appearance somewhere every now and then. And most often than not it  is good presence. A treat for his fans. Although, the Unplugged version is a duet, and it sounds better than the original version, but the original version has all the beats making both the songs just that a little less perfect.

6. Anjaana Anjaani Ki Kahani ------------------------------------------------ 6/10
A jolly title track for the song. Not really great, but the upbeat mood of the song is just infectious. The Anjaana a a a a a - Anjaani i i i i i part is fun. The style of the song is very Jatin-Lalit like.

7. Anjaana Anjaani ------------------------------------------------------- 5/10
A pretty flat track. It starts out nice and shows a lot of promise, but by the middle of it you would feel tired of it.

Final verdict: Good album. Not a single song is the greatest, but not one song is total trash. The whole album should entertain you. Gets a 7/10.

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Robot (2010)
Music: A. R. Rahman

One of the costliest movies in Indian history with highest paid and highly prolific musician, A. R. Rahman is meaningless, if the music does not turn out to be one of the finest. Real disappointment.

1. Naina Miley ------------------- 6/10
Probably the better of the worst. The song takes a little while to get better, but does get a little catchy. Just enough to get it a 6/10. The entire track sounds as if it is a remix of another track.


Brownie points:

• For some sarcastic pleasure, Boom Boom Robo Da is fun. Robo Da...really?
• Chitti Dance Showcase - Awesome beginning and an aweful rest.
• Overall the lyrics are funny. Harks back to those dubbing days of Humse Hai Muqabla, Jeans! Who sings Kilimanjaro Ladki Parvat Pe Yaro? The song is just hilarious for it's lyrics. Pagal Anukan and Arima Arima is just as corny.
• A. R. Rahman again shows his liking for unintelligible tribal sounds in his music. I really want to know what they babble.

Final verdict: Feels sorry to portray A.R. Rahman's album in such sarcastic light, but can't help. The expectations are always high of him.

Welcome to Amreeka!

.........because first impression is the last impression

People

• Strangers smile and say 'Hello'. Be it a bus driver, a janitor or your boss!
• Strangers do not look in the eye

At the restaurant

• You get free refill for coke/sprite aka soda. Bottomless. Ditto for coffee
• If there is a mistake in your food order, you get it for free
• Pepperoni is not sliced tomato!

Living

• There are no fans and lights in the apartments you rent!
• But your house is carpeted!
• You begin to wonder how you ever lived without a microwave and 24/7 internet
• If you dont have a car and you are not in a place that has good public transportation, there is no easy way to go anywhere. No autorickshaws or the like. Taxis are expensive.
• The first few months are weird. You cannot get a phone line or rent an apartment, because you have no credit (read: previous financial information about you)
• You tip the waiters, the taxi driver, the pizza delivery man. You tip!

On the train/ At the station

• People wait for passengers getting off the train/bus before boarding on
• Even during rush hours, no one storms a bus or train. Everyone boards a bus or train calmly
• No one does not do 'nothing'. You either read, listen to music or drink coffee
• You don't climb in or climb out of a subway train. You get on and off the train.  The floor of the subway train and the platform are at the same level. Most, if not everything is wheelchair accessible and all the buttons carry brail instructions for the blind
• On public buses, there is no conductor. You pay at the box at the driver and the driver manages it all

Driving

• You fill up the gas yourselves. You pay more for someone to fill up petrol aka gas for you
• You don't jump signals aka lights, even at midnight. Try at your own risk.

General

• There are way too less skyscrapers than you think
• There is far too much land once you leave the city

Calling

• You pay for incoming calls and incoming SMSs/texts
• Prepaid phone is very costly compared to post-paid plans.
• For post-paid plans you end up getting into 2 year contracts! But you get a handset for free!

At the movies

• At movies, there is no seat assigned. Seats are first come first serve. It only matters how early you are at the show
• No intermission

These are just some of my observations.......chime in yours.

Dabangg..........and the rest - Music Review

Finally, the first music blog of September and after a while. I won't say I am back with a bang, but I am surely back with Dabangg!

Dabangg (2010)

Music: Sajid - Wajid

Salman Khan & Co. is back with another action-packed goofy flick. And when this happens, it could be no other than Aksa Beach fame duo Sajid-Wajid directing the music for this film.Only the best songs below.

1. Tere Mast Mast Do Nain (Duet), Tere Mast Mast Do Nain ------------------------------------ 7/10

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is on a roll, and this track is another feather in his 2010 cap. He has been great in all the qawwali-style romantic music so long, and this track is no exception. The track is slightly not-so-generic romantic in the sense, that it is not the best of the romantic tracks that could be listened to at any occasion. Listen to it when you think you are ready, otherwise you may end up not liking it. Also, the Duet version sounds a little better than the solo version, as romantic tracks sound the best as a duet than solo.

2. Chori Kiya Re Jiya ---------------------------------------------------------- 6/10

Another romantic track by the king of romantic tracks Sonu Nigam and the queen of melody Shreya Ghoshal. Despite the perfect voices for the song, it fails to capture our hearts. Starts out great but fizzles out by the middle and there is not much variety in the song after the first verse. Sounds good enough....but just not enough.

3. Dabangg Theme ---------------------------------------------------------- 6/10

Pretty impressive wild wild west kind of theme for the movie. The theme is pretty much like Wanted, replete with the choiciest of dialogues from the movie. But not great, and only a few dialogues make us laugh.

Rest of the songs are pretty mediocre. Humka Peeni Hai sounds like a mixture of Taali Maar from Veer and Bidi Jalai Le from Omkara

Final verdict: The movie might have a good dabangg at the box office, but the music fails to be as impressive.

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We Are Family (2010)

Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy! What has happened to them? I don't remember when was the last time, they got me tapping my feet. Either they are on the downward route or they are selecting drama movies to lend their music which is keeping their music very heavy and morose.

Either case, the music sounds as if it was My Name is Khan Too. If you still insist, Reham O Karam and Hamesha And Forever are the slightly better tracks.

Overall, a disappointment.

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Madholal Keep Walking (2010)

Music: Nayab Raja

I don't know if it is a rule that artsy movies have to have bad music or what, but this assumption is totally correct in this case. There is nothing to miss here...........

Gumshuda (2010)

Music: Bikram Ghosh

......... and nothing to miss here too. Again, Sunidhi Chauhan singing crappy songs only makes me wonder, is she short of money?

Aashayein, Hello Darling - Music Review

Aashayein (2010)
Music: Salim - Sulaiman, Pritam, Shiraz Uppal

1. Mera Jeena Hai Kya ------------------------- 10/10
One of the best songs of the movie. Neeraj is awesome in this romantic number. The song starts out a little slow, but manages to capture it's audience in time.

2. Dilkash Dildaar Duniya, Dilkash Dildaar Duniya (Remix) ---------------------------------- 10/10
One of the best song openings I have heard in a while. The moment you hear the guitar based musical opening, you pretty much know that you are in for a nice song here. The saxophone kind of takes away the magic, feels like a misfit in the song, but nevertheless a great song with good beats. Although I got a feeling, instead of Shaan, KK would have been a better playback singer for this one.

3. Rabba ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/10
A nice song again. This song takes it's own time to form an impression. I mean it is kind of slow, kind of well paced song. It gets slightly monotonous, but I think it is way better in your MP3 players than not.

4. Ab Mujhko Jeena ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/10
Borderline. Starts out with quick pace and nice beats, bass guitar. You might almost feel that it is a remix version of the song. PASS.

5. Shukriya Zindagi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7/10
A good song. Does not try to be flamboyant or too melodious. Just enough emotion and melody to make you feel good about the song, and that the song has positive lyrics does not play against it. I am not sure, who directed this song, but I would bet this one is a Pritam creation.

6. Pal Me Mila Jahan (Male, Female versions) ------------------------------------------- 6/10
Sounds good. But after having listened to other songs from the movie, this one sounds a little too slow. Borderline, but I would not recommend this one. Shreya Ghoshal is awesome as usual, and compared to Tulsi Kumar in Dilkash Dildaar Duniya, the sweetness of Shreya Ghoshal's voice is way more evident.

7. Chala Aaya Pyar ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6/10
Again! Sounds good, but like Pal Me Mila Jahan, sounds a little too slow. Not bad in any sense, but do check out if you are a Mohit Chauhan fan. Pretty melodious, but this one is up to you.

Final verdict:
Pretty melodious album. Almost all the songs are great. The album on the whole gets a 8/10.
Get tracks 1,2,3,4,5. Tracks 6,7 are upto you. You can skip all the remixes.

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Hello Darling (2010)
Music: Pritam

So it was a Pritam week for me. But here Pritam fails to deliver. I wonder sometimes, if the music directors decide to use their not-so-good tunes for the second tier movies. The result is pretty evident. You would not puke in your mouth after listening to the music, but the music is just not there for anyone to remember. Also, the entire album sounds like a remix album.

1. Aa Jaane Ja ----------------------------- 6/10
This is nice remix of the oldie Aa Jaane Ja. If you like old songs remixed, I dont think you would be disappointed. Javed Jaffrey's rap like contribution to the song is good. Sounds like a perfect club song.

2. Mai Leke Aaya Band Baja --------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/10
Nice beats. The song has a definite positive and enthusiastic vibe. Good wedding theme song.

3. Attrah Baras Ki ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6/10
Not a great song. But just wanted to mention Suzanne D'Mello is stunning in this song. She is good.

The remaining songs are ignorable.

Lafangey Parindey, World Cupp 2011 - Music Review

Lafangey Parindey (2010)
Music: R Anandh

A breath of fresh air. This is what this album is all about. The album on the whole is pretty likable. However, in spite of listening to the tracks in this album for a while, the songs failed to capture my heart. As I have been saying about Amit Trivedi, this album on the whole borders on being good, but just fails to make the cut. Anyhow, here are the some of the better tracks from the album:

1. Born To Fly -------------------------------- 7/10
This instrumental track is probably the best track of the album. Not to say that voiced tracks are crap, but the instrumental theme is really good, and after a long time I have heard an interesting theme track for a Bollywood movie. It terribly sounds similar to some Hollywood movie, but cannot recall which one.

2. Dhatad Tatad ----------------------------- 6/10
The title of the track pretty much sums up what the track is about. It is a total Dhatad Tatad track, replete with dhol-tasha beats and a nice blend of bass guitar. An energetic track made especially for the upcoming Ganpati festival.

3. Nain Parindey -------------------------------- 6/10
A nice and slow, but briskly paced romantic track. It has a slightly sad vibe to it.

4. Rang Daalein -------------------------------- 6/10
A gangsta track with techno beats. Does good enough to support the lyrics and the rebellious theme of the song.

5. Lafangey Parindey -------------------------- 5/10
The title track of the movie. It is a pretty flat track. The reason being the song is repetitive and not something that will be remembered two weeks from now. But deserves mention, because the effort and 80s theme mixed into the song is clearly evident. It just didn't turn out to be great.

6. Man Lafanga ------------------------------- 5/10
A pretty flat track. Mohit Chauhan could not salvage this song at all. Not a terrible piece of music, just lacks any character. The Remix is crappy.

Final verditct: Not great or poor. Get the instrumental theme and decide about the rest for yourself.

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World Cupp 2011 (2009)
Music: Aadesh Shrivastav

Second string movie, second string music director. Second string music.
Brownie points (Aadesh Shrivastav is not so terrible after all)

• Cheers Bol - Could be a good addition to bachelor drinking party theme songs
• Kahan Ho Bhaiya - A sad and boring song, but Shankar Mahadevan is at his best when he sings emotionally charged, sorrowful songs.

Peepli [Live], Pangaa Gang, ADA...A Way of Life - Music Review

A picture is worth a thousand words

Aisha, Kajraare - Music Review

Aisha (2010)

Music: Amit Trivedi

Amit Trivedi. Will he ever disappoint us? Conversely, will he ever blow our minds? Why does he do it? Why does he produce music where he does not get enough praise than he deserves, and why is he incapable of directing music that leaves no impression?

Confused? Listen to the album Aisha, if you wish, using the cheat sheet that follows:

1. Lehrein, Lehrein (The Bombay Bouce Lounge Mix)--------------------7/10
Probably the best song of the movie. Not the happiest or an energetic one. This is a sad song, but the tune and delivery is very nice. The lyrics, though sad, are pretty meaningful. Both versions are more or less the same.

2. Sham -----------------------------------------------------------------------------6/10
A very sweet, silent and soothing romantic track. A kind of song that would never let you down. Particularly, the kind of song you would play late in the night, or when you would love to unwind in a peaceful, solitary way. Never goes too overboard or too mushy. Just the right amount of romanticism (I hope there is such a word)

3. Gal Mitthi Mitthi, Gal Mitthi Mitthi (The Bombay Bounce Dhol Mix) ------6/10
Another energetic track using the traditional Indian wedding tunes, put to Bollywood beats. A good song to lift your spirits. A perfect wedding/party track. Brush up your Punjabi.

4. Suno Aisha - A foot tapping title song.
5. Behke Behke - A very trendy Spanish-style mischievously romantic track. Not great, but in no way an ordinary song
6. By The Way - A typical girly, party, rock, stage performance song. Whew! Five adjectives for an ordinary song!

Songs 4-6 are not great at all, but Amit Trivedi, as I said earlier, does not have the capacity in him to totally ruin a song, but produces one too many tracks that border on being nice without actually being one. The album as a whole deserves mention and would get a 6/10. Amit Trivedi is definitely a truck load of talent.

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Kajraare (2010)

Music: HR

Himesh fans, rejoice! I understand that your thirst for HR's nasal music was recently satiated by Milenge Milenge, but Himesh comes back strong again in Kajraare.

If you are a Himesh fan, do check out the following tracks. There is not much to mention about the songs as they offer nothing new than what Himesh has already produced, but it will be good enough for you as a fan.
Listing from best to good:

• Rabba Luck Barsa - You would love the beats. And the cheesy dialogue at the beginning is hilarious.
• Woh Lamha Phir Se Jeena Hai - A nice, dard-bhara song by Himesh. Something which he excels in. I would say this is as good as some of the Aashiq Banaya Aapne songs.
• Kajra Kajra Kajraare - A fun and energetic Himesh and Sunidhi Chauhan duet, with great beats again.
• Teriyan Meriyan - The lyrics are really cheesy, and they make you fall in love with this one.

Rest of the songs are just decent to forgettable. But if you happen to be a Himesh fan, I would say do check them out. Skip the remixes.

Oooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooo!

OUATIM, MSMM - Music Review......hope you get the acronyms!

So, folks. Just a few weeks ago, I Hate Luv Storys broke the long, dry spell of good music by giving us some catchy tunes and romantic numbers. We are still humming those after about a month later. It was about time we had something new that was equally good. Presenting you......the music review of:

Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (2010)

Music: Pritam

1. I Am In Love, 1 & 2 --------------------------------9/10
Probably the best song of the movie. A nicely paced romantic track with adorable lyrics, Pritam manages to produce another likable song. How he does it, don't ask, but I am happy that he does it. There are 3 versions of the song, one by the king-of-pacy-romantic-tracks KK, the other by the Behka-from-Ghajini-fame Karthik and the third one is an ignorable Dance Mix.
Depending upon which playback singer you like more, you would have your favorite out of the two. Both are exactly the same songs and are equally well sung and are therefore equally good.
The only drawback that keeps the song from getting 10/10 is the repetitiveness of the tune. You have pretty much heard the entire song by the end of the first verse.
Nevertheless, a great track!

2. Tum Jo Aaye, Tum Jo Aaye (Reprise) ---------------------------------------------------------------8/10
If you like qawwali-style music and the traditional no-spice-only-sweet sounding romantic tracks, this one is for you. Again, as it has become the norm now-a-days, this song has two versions. One is a duet, and the other a solo. Both the songs are nice. The duet sounds better than the solo, as the theme of the song is about 'how the two lovers found each other and are ever grateful for that', and thus, a male and a female lead voice does justice to the theme.
The Reprise version is good too. Since, the song itself is nice, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan can only add more beauty to the song, if anything else.

3. Pee Loon, Pee Loon (Remix) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/10
Another romantic track. This is probably a little on the borderline, but is good enough to be counted as a good track. The reason being the song starts on a promising note/tone, but takes a little extra time to get into full flow and engage the audience. It's also probably Mohit Chauhan too, who manages to add that extra push to the song's likability.
The Remix of the song is pretty decent, which is a rarity. It is more hip and does a better job of winning our hearts early on with a better opening and a little DJ-style mixing.

Fun: I am intrigued by the title of the song Baaburao Mast Hai, if you know what the word stands for in Marathi slang. Anyways...moving on.

Final verdict: Good album. The album on the whole would get 7/10 as it has some really nice tracks for the most part. And this album was once again a confluence of three elements which when come together create magic. Emraan Hashmi, Pritam and KK. Good times!

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Mr. Singh Mrs. Mehta (2010)

Music: Ustad Shujaat Hussain Khan, Shaarang Dev Pandit

Just read the names of the music composers again. One is an Ustad which translates to classical style of music. The other is Shaarang Dev Pandit, which if you don't know or have not guessed it by now, is the son of the maestro of Indian classical music, Pandit Jasraj.
So this is a tag-team of Indian classical musicians, and the result is not far from different.

• All the songs are Indian classical based.
• Not that classical songs are not good, but this album sounds really dull. The songs are slow and they don't sound fresh.
• It is quite a surprise for these musicians to choose KK to sing one of the tracks, again classical. After having listened to KK voice energetic and foot tapping numbers, it is very difficult to listen to him in this genre of music. Surely a diversion for KK here.

Final verdict: A pretty dull album.

Khatta Meetha, Udaan - Music Preview

I had been waiting for a while to write this review. Well, you would understand my enthusiasm if you are up for some nutty, Ganpati-style songs. Well let's dive in....

Khatta Meetha (2010)

Music: Pritam

1. Nana Chi Tang---------------------------------------------- 7/10
I liked the song, I think it is pretty funny and has good beats. Now, you need to take this into perspective. You need to know the phrase Nana Chi Tang to really enjoy the song, and song uses the phrase in a perfect context in the song. The lyrics around Nana Chi Tang support the phrase well. Besides that, the song has good beats and I can totally see this song being used this Ganpati festival in India.

2. Sadke, Sadke (Remix) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/10
Another good track by prolific KK. This song is an oddity in an Akshay Kumar flick, but Pritam does a good job in composing a more normal romantic track.There is hardly a difference between the original and the remix, so if you like one, you would like the other.

3. Aila Re Aila ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/10 
This is totally horrible song if you listen to it just like that. But when you think, it would be so much fun to dance on this song during this Ganpati festival, it makes the song so much more fun to listen to. Plus, this song harks back to Kala Kawwa by Daler Mehndi. If you loved that song, you will love this one.

Final verdict: Not a good album, but are you up for some fun?

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Udaan (2010)

Music: Amit Trivedi

Amit Trivedi has got a unique style of himself. If you listen to this album, and think about his previous compositions, it is hard to miss the pattern. He starts out his songs slow and leads up to rock style music. This album again has the same pattern, but again, does not do enough to impress anyone. In case you are a Amit Trivedi fan, you would like to listen to this album and find out for yourself.

Final verdict: No good.

Brownie point: Motumaster is a funny song. A lot of effort has been put in this song to do justice to it's lyrics and the lyrics are funny too. I do think this song has been composed very similar to Maharashtrian style devotional songs. If anyone could second my opinion, it would be cool to know what you think.