Veer-Zaara, the latest offering from the Yash Chopra stable has been awaited with baited breath for many reasons. Despite all the bashing people indulge when it comes to movies from the yash (chopra and johar) stable, they merit more attention than all the movies in a year combined.
Starting from his first movie Dastak, Yash Chopra’s movies have had great music, save for some in between like Vijay and Trishul. This time round, the movie moghul is back with a score that does not promise to be a chartbuster. It is music that is aimed more at the soul. Coming as it does at a time when almost nude sirens gyrating to obnoxious versions of didi’s songs flood the markets, I am not sure the kind of welcome this album will recieve.
For people like me who have followed the career graph of both Yash Chopra and Lata Mangeshkar closely, we cannot visualise the work of one without the other. At the twilight of their lives, both of them still reach out for the stars. Both of them have been brave enough to get out this lovely album when noise is the order of the day. My salutations to both of them.And to the late Madan Mohan too, whose legacy lives on through this album.
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Tere Liye Lata Mangeshkar, Roop Kumar Rathod
Yash Chora’s Saraswati is in fine fettle in this duet, the instrumental score of which is being aired on TV. Along with Roop Kumar Rathod, Lata Mangeshkar creates magic. This song I am sure will be repeated at many intervals in the movie and will haunt long after the curtains come down. Even if it was for this one song, I would have bought this album.
Main Yahaan Hoon Udit Narayan
This reminded me of some song by Suresh Wadkar from ’’Ram teri ganga maili’’. Lovely orchestra and some great singing by Udit Narayan.
Aisa Des Hai Mera LM, Preetha Majumdar, Udit Narayan, Gurdaas Mann
Javed Akhtar has a way with patriotic songs. I am not sure if this would go down into some of the greatest hindi patriotic songs but it is a nice effort from everyone involved. Didi (LM) pitches in the end and although she has only a few lines, she puts her inimitable stamp on to this song.
Yeh Hum Aa Gaye hai Kahaan Lata Mangeshkar, Sonu Nigam
The male singer: 30 years. The female singer: 75 years. The song: A love duet. Impossible? Not when you have someone like didi at the reins. Although it is no patch on Yeh kahaan aa gaye hum from silsila, the lovely vocals of the lead singers lift this tune to everestique heights.
Do Pal LM, Sonu Nigam
Mellow tune, sad ambience, some very nice lyrics and wonderful vocals make for great hearing. Sonu Nigam is turning out to be one of our best singers. Hope he sticks to that and not horrify us by acting in movies like ’’Love in Simla’’ where everything about the movie was uniformly bad.
Kyon Hawa LM, Sonu Nigam
If you ignore the poetic commentary by Yash Chopra in the beginning, the song sung by Sonu Nigam (and hummed by LM) will take your breath away. A chartbuster on its way.
Hum to Bhai Jaise hain LM
The only solo by Lata Mangeshkar in the movie, it has got the 70’s feel to it. The tune itself is no great shakes but when it is LM who is singing it, there is a great difference. I love the way she ends this song. Rewound the tape just to hear the arabic twist at the end.
Aaya Tere Dar Par Ahmed Hussain and Mohd. Hussain
Not an unusual tune but the singing is robust and will go in sync with the picturisation of the movie. I only wished didi could have done a ’’der na ho jaaye’’ (henna) in between. Although I like all male qawwalis, a female voice gives it a great flavor.
Lodi LM. Udit Narayan, Gurdaas Mann
Like all Punjabi Lodis, this number will have your feet tapping. The singers do a good job and the percussions are just about right. Some good chorus too.
Tum paas aa rahe ho (LM, Jagjit Singh)
Not a part of the movie but this Ghazal adds multiple-fold to the album. Someone in their review said that Jagjit Singh puts them to sleep. Happens, when you do not understand the profound lyrics that go into the making of Ghazals. When two voices that create history every time they make the effort come together, you cannot expect less.
Jane Kyon LM
Wonder why it is not a part of the movie. This is LM, unbridled. Sigh! some voices can never be replaced. My eyes are still not dry after hearing this one.
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When hindi heroines fall in love, they have always needed Lata Mangeshkar to sing it out for them. From Beena Roy’s heart wrenching ’’alvida’’ to the defiant Madhubala in ’’pyaar kiya to darna kya’’ to the coy dimple in ’’hum tum ek kamre’’ and Madhuri flirting with ’’dil to pagal hai’’, Lata Mangeshkar has made heroines come alive in their lovelorn moments. In Veer-zara, at the age of 75, she still puts her heroine on the same pedestal.
It is less than a day since I bought the album and I am playing ’’Tere Liye’’ for the nth time. This album gives me faith that it is not all over for hindi film music. India’s Saraswati is in her recording room and all is well with the world.