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Music Review Umrao Jaan
Umrao Jaan
If there is an acid test for Anu Malik this season or in fact this decade, it has to be with 'Umrao Jaan'. The man has seen enough highs and lows in his decades old career so far but the music of 'Umrao Jaan' is something that would be scrutinized by one and all. And why not? After all the tracks from Khayyam's 'Umrao Jaan' are still being appreciated by the connoisseurs of classical Indian music and it is certainly no mean feat to match. Hence when J.P. Dutta picks up the baton to narrate the story while roping in Anu Malik and Javed Akhtar saab, one can't help but look at each and every track with keen interest. Also with Aishwarya Rai being the central protagonist along with Abhishek Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and Sunil Shetty, one can't help but have mammoth expectations from the film and its music.
So does the team deliver? Does it come close to the classic score from the yesteryears or at least form an identity of its own without worrying about the past? Will Anu Malik have another successful score after 'Jaan-E-Mann'? The answer to each of the questions is yes!
Before one starts hearing the tracks, first thing that strikes on looking at the CD cover is the name of Alka Yagnik.
First and foremost she greets you with 'Salaam' and hooks your attention at the very onset. Is it Anu Malik's music, Alka Yagnik's rendition or Javed saab lyrics that make the song special? In fact it's the combination of each of the veterans as they come together to create a mesmerizing 'mujra' track that is in word - flawless. Whether it is a common man or the followers of classical music, the song is going to mesmerize one and all as it hooks on to you in a big way. The setting is just perfect; sets are impeccable, choreography and costumes as per the song's mood while the instruments (ghunghroo, tabla, sitar etc.) create the right ambience to keep you glued to the screen it is on. A brilliant start to the album!
Sound of 'ghunghroo' begins 'Pehle Pehel' that lives up the class of'Salaam'. and has that lyrical beauty around it that creates such a nice rhythm that it requires a lot of persuasion to move on the next song. Alka Yagnik is extremely controlled in her rendition and at this very moment one starts wishing that 'Umrao Jaan' may just be a befitting follow-up to the National Award winning score of 'Refugee' byAnu Malik.
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