Hi friends,
Before you shower some abuses at me for feeding you with a review on an album older than the hills, let me remind you that melody is everlasting. Come on yaar, if you can listen to songs of Veer-Zaara, the music of which was composed somewhere in the 1960’s, you can very well afford to sail through this (short) review of mine!
Moreover, except 3-4 albums, do we have anything worthwhile to listen to? No! So let us bring back some of the old memories, and cherish what we seem to have forgotten! Let’s tune in an exceptional album, the soul of which cannot be expressed merely in words!
I am sure, just by the mention of Mohra Album, the first thing that will come to your mind is Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast. Well, I do not blame you! The track was, or rather, is, indeed that popular! Viju Shah, the composer behind it, got noticed by the big banners after the success of this one! It was so popular during that time that you could easily hear it a couple of times on the streets if you happened to be on one! Akshay and Raveena beautifully complimented the overall mood of the song, which was high on beats and definitely on substance!
In fact, so popular had this track become, that post-release of the film, the female version, Main Cheez Badi Hoon Mast Mast was added to the film as an added attraction!
While the former one was a stage duet by Udit Narayan and Kavita Krishnamurthy, the latter was a solo by Kavita. Both are extremely successful!
And then, as you get out a bit from the memory of this one, you will remember the soulful, melodious and romantic Na Kajre Ki Dhaar. This is your destination if you got to sing a song for your beloved. Doesn’t the words say it all:
Na kajre ki dhaar, na motiyon ke haar, na koi kiya shringaar...
Phir bhi kitni sundar ho.. tum kitni sundar ho...
Viju Shah proved it at the very outset that he was here to stay, and by opting Pankaj Udhas for this soothing one, which gave the song a soft feel, he re-defined love & melody !
As and when you feel romantic, feeling to love your sweetheart day and night, you would surely not mind Subah Se Lekar Shyam Tak. A breezy track, sung wonderfully by Udit Narayan and Sadhna Sargam! This is one for you on a rainy day at home, sitting near the window, with no one else present at the house! Just the three of you. I mean, you, him/her, and a candle !
Did I talk about rain? This brings me to something else. no, it’s not the Meghna Naidu-starrer ’’Rain’’ released this week, but an extraordinary rain song from this very album - Tip Tip Barsa Paani. So the next time it rains, you have two options. Either the former one in the house, or set out with your sweety, get drenched in the rain, and put on this track in the background! It’s gonna be wet! Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik give it the required feel, and not once do you think of anything else but the moment you are together, while listening to this one!
There’s something else in store for you too, guys! A sad track that you would like to hear to when you have a heart-break - Ae Kaash Kahi Aisa Hota. Like all other songs, you do need to hear to this one to feel the pain, the anguish, the trauma in the vocals of Kumar Sanu, who his at his best out in here!
At this moment, while I am listening to this album for the nth time, I just can’t stop humming each of them while I did write about them. This is one rare album that maintains a good tempo right from the start till the end!
All the more, the songs were placed right where they were required, in the movie. So this further enhances its appeal. I do not say that this is the best album of the Hindi cinema. There have been many others. But surely, this is undoubtedly one of the great ones that did leave behind a trace of its existence! Hats off for that!
This basically being an action flick, no one expected moons from the musical score of the film, but as is said, talent will get its due. The craze for the album rocketed once the movie hit the theatres, and it delivered what was expected of it from director Rajiv Rai! Before it, all that was known of it was just one ’thing’ - a cheez! Don’t be stupid enough to ask what I’m talking about :P
To sum up, I have decided to relive the magical moments of the past, which are more-or-less not even remembered about at present. So what have you decided? To go back and get mesmerised by the tunes, or be content with the rocking remixes of the present? Or both? Or, in the rare case, none? Do provide me with an answer in the Comments section!
The final word: a MUST listen !
aLi.
P.S. Dedicated in the loving memory of Mr. Anand Bakshi, the lyricist.
© Aliasgar Poonawala, 2005