After blockbuster Om Shanti Om, Red Chillies Entertainment and Shah Rukh Khan, are now back again with Billu Barber directed by Priyadarshan who is famous for his slapstick comedies and starring Irrfan Khan and Lara Dutta in main lead and King Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone in special guest appearance(or better to say item numbers). The music of the movie is by Pritam(who gave back to back successful albums Jannat, Singh Is Kinng, Race, Kismat Konnection, Golmaal Returns(and yeah with a Duhh Kidnap too in his kitty) in year 2008). Being a SRK movie that too with Pritam and also being the first album of the year, hopes were high with the album. Well, the album contains 15 tracks where remixes again outnumber the originals(that’s the trademark of Pritam). Let’s see what this album holds for us
1. Marjaani: Album opens with sizzling item song Marjaani, a fast track in voice of Sukhwinder Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan. Well, to be true this song is a typical Pritam number with a lot of techno effects, oomph, Oohs and background chorus(same as he did with its rocking and Move your body now). Lyrics are by Gulzar and are quite simple with Punjabi words in between that keep the track Indian @ heart in spite of highly used catchy western arrangements. This track with all the Pritam masala is already a hit, with the words lost between the music and later on you bump your head on music only. Listen for time being, have fun and then you will forget it just like that
*Heyyyy Rab ke hazur mein kasmein bhi kha li
Duniya ki auni pauni Rashmein nibha li
Phir bhi na koi to dafa kar
Mane jo mane na mane jo bhala kar
Duniya na mane kashmanu khaye
*Kashmanu khaye mar jaani
Remixes: Kilogram’s Balkan Mix is in voice of KK and Akrti kakkar(? Gave her voice inAnnan Faanan in Namaste London) and remixed by Kilogram K&G (gave you kilogram mix-Lambi Judai) is just like its parent one with replaced singers. Electro mix is in voice of main singers but this time remixed by DJ Sunil Spinz. Both are just like the original ones, I am still confused what the need was?
- Love Mera Hit Hit: There is something in Pritam’s music that will keep on forcing to think i-have-heard-this-before** and this one is not an exception. This track will gonna remind you of Ae Pappi, Khwaab Dekhe and Mauja Hi Mauja as it has same signature tune but that’s all. This one is crooned by Neeraj Sridhar’s highly instrumentalized voice along with Tulsi Kumar. Lyrics are very mundane(thanks god was not by Gulzar) with English-Punjabi-Hindi words as Hai love mera hit hit soniye, To phir kaise khit pit soniye, To baby badi fit fit soniye, Na kar aise khit pit again a Pritam’s trade mark. The music is full of techno sounds, drum beats. This will not get in league of Mauja hi mauja.
Remixes: House Mix(by DJ Amyth) has more techno beats and shrieking Ooh and Aah that gonna leave you irritated only. SRK, we know that you need a hit but this one is not fit, will say Sunke song maine kiya sir pe hit hit. Oops wait, that’s not sufficient, he got one more remix of the same song this time by DJ Chetas(nice name huh!) and DJ NYS and after this you gonna need medicine.
3.You Get Me Rockin and Reeling: When this soft hip-hop started it reminded me of Uncha Lamba Kad(due to the same beats) and then reminded me of Zara Zara Touch me too(Pritam’s another trade mark). Well this number is having a soft and sensual lounge feel attached with it. Though the lyrics are again hinglish(by Sayeed Quadri) one but somehow Neeraj’s Voice suits the song and will surely create a little interest and also because of use of Khudaya khair(words taken from another song of the album) this song is melodious somehow. You can give it a try, to change your mood;).
*Lehar jaise machalti hai, Kinare se sambhalti hai
Lage sabnam si katron si, Phoolon pe tu chalti hai
She Get Me Rockin & Reeling, She are so wonderful feeling
Remix: In You Get Me Rockin and Reeling(video edit) Dominic(who gave her voice in Rock on) shares the center stage along with Neeraj. This song is same as parent one+ Dominic’s voice with some extra oomphs, oohs and Rap by Candy Url and Bob…
4. Ae AA O: Due you remember Salmaan Khan in Hello, singing Main apne Rab ka banda hoon? No, you forgot that one. Oh boy no problem now Pritam brings you Ae Aa O, which is a rock(?) track and I think it would be used to introduce SRK. Well, one more thing this track keeps me reminding that I-have-heard-this-before(especially when KK sing C’mon together we’re rocking the city I am sure; the beat is taken from some eng track). The only USP of this track is superb singing by K.K., Rana Mazumder and Suraj, that will catch the attraction in the overdrive of guitar, drums mixed with clapping and a looped tune through out the song and yeah a helicopter sound too. Lyrics are by Neeraj and again hinglish one praising the guts of protagonist. Will look good in movie only.
*Main jaoon jidhar bhi, Wherever I go
Yeh ambar, yeh dharti, The heavens, the earth
Kahe mujhe pukaar ke, Call out to me and say…Ae aa o, walk along
Ae aa o, come along, Ae aa o, sing along C’mon together we’re rocking the city now
Remix: Remixed by DJ Nikhil and Nawed and is nothing but parent song+extra beats.
5. Jaoon Kahan: Enough of Hip-hop and rock tracks, now its time for some slow songs. Track Jaaon kahan is crooned by mellifluous Rahat fateh Ali khan and I am sure that is going to be a background score to show the pain of protagonist. Lyrics are by Sayed Qadari and Khan sahab has done superb job but again i-have-heard-this feeling as this will remind you of Jag soona soona… Here Pritam used lengthy Alaps along with use of rustic instruments. Will suite the theme of movie.
*Ab sare bandhan chod ke, Yaadon ko tanha chod ke, Mein Ghum se rista jod ke jau kahan
6. Billo Bhayankar:This is the track that amused me a lot cos of its rustic feel and the superb desi lyrics by Gulzar. Pritam has done a brilliant job in music dept(I mean it) with use of rustic instruments as harmonium, dholak dafli and even sound of a bicycle bell. This is crooned by Ajay Jhingaran, Raghuveer and Kalpana(a famous Bhojpuri singer) and they have done brilliant job in making it a catchy one. This song shows that this is Priyadarshan’s movie. And the best thing is the end where comes the voice oye sasura band karo ye dhapor sankh…Superb one.