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Director :
Music :
Lyrics :
Starring : |
Vipul Shah
Pritam Chakraborthy
Irshad Kamil
Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Randhir Kapoor, Kiron Kher, Om Puri, Neha Dhupia and Aditya Roy Kapoor
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By Abid, Glamsham Editorial
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With just a couple of years left for Vipul Shah to complete a decade in the Hindi film industry, within this span of time, the maverick filmmaker has managed to create a niche for himself amongst the top rung of Bollywood filmmakers. The director-producer has been helped in his endeavour by good friend and actor Akshay Kumar. The two share an extremely fruitful relationship with both benefiting from each other. They are amongst the rarest of director-actor duo whose film have always managed to strike a chord with the audience. Music has played a very important and integral apart in all their projects, whether it is the thriller AANKHEN (Aadesh Shrivastava), family drama WAQT - RACE AGAINST TIME (Anu Malik) or the heartwarming NAMSTEY LONDON (Himesh Reshammiya). Even SINGH IS KINGG (Pritam) which was produced by Vipul, had some chartbusting music that is still very popular. As one can notice all his films, including LONDON DREAMS (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy) had different music directors and the reason as per Vipul, 'You are right, each of them gave their best to my films but then every film has its own requirements and situations.'
Elaborating on the reason for taking Pritam in ACTION REPLAYY, Vipul said, 'As you know my SINGH IS KINGG (directed by Anees Bazmee) had some lovely melodious numbers by Pritam. There is no doubt in my mind that Pritam is the king of melody. As ACTION REPLAYY is a romantic comedy it was asking for Pritam and I am very happy with the results.' So, coming from the man himself, we delve into the music album of their latest offering with huge expectations hoping to swing to the beats of the rocking seventies!
Keeping true to the words the very first song 'Zor Ka Jhatka' gives us enough reasons to swing to it's infectious rhythm that is so very catchy that it lingers on even after the song is over. That 'Zor Ka Jhatka' will be a chartbuster is a foregone conclusion but the USP of the song is that it's appeal is universal, no mass or class divide here and will appeal to the young and old alike. That ACTION REPLAYY is a romantic comedy about a couple who are incompatible, the song fits in like a hand in glove. Lyricist Irshad Kamil is one of the heroes of the composition as it's his lyrics that are like icing on the cake, as they say 'chaar chand laga diya' . The fun filled humorous take on cynics who are scared of marriage has been dealt with via superb wordings by Irshad. Pritam's tune might remind few of his 'Chor Bazaari' (LOVE AAJ KAL) but only in the initial parts. Later on the tune is quite different. Daler 'paji' is simply awesome as he incorporates loads of feelings into the song and giving him company is the queen of folk songs, Richa Sharma, who modulates her vocals to such an extent that it's difficult to even recognize her voice and needless to add, she is excellent, her histrionics matching the seasoned Daler step to step, note for note! Additional vocals by Master Salim spice up things further. Sure shot chartbuster!
Master Salim comes in for the remixed version (by Tiger Style) and does a professional job but one still prefers the original as Daler is simply mind-blowing. The use of birds chirping in the background as music addendum is new and cute.
The mood gets all romantic with Shreya Ghoshal at her melodious best with 'O Bekhabar' and certainly when it comes to romantic songs none can do it better than Pritam. With the die-hards still clinging on to his 'Bheegi Si' (RAAJNEETI) or songs from AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI, Pritam has given them reasons to move on with another gem of a number, a song that has the stamp of class of a Yash Chopra film, such are the music arrangements by Pritam and singing by the new nightingale of India, Shreya. And with world's most beautiful woman Aishwarya Rai's pretty face behind the song no doubt it will flutter many a heart and also reach its target audience. It will not be an exaggeration to say that Shreya deserves another National Award after 'Teri Ore' (SINGH IS KINGG) for this number.
Next comes the song which incorporates the flavor of the rocking seventies, all retro in it's theme, the fun filled 'chhed chaad' campus song, 'Nakhre' and now one understands (after listening to the whole song) as to why Vipul chose it to showcase his theatrical trailer and teasers. Akshay's much loved 'Awaaz Neeche', that is gaining immense popularity with the youth can be heard here in the initial parts as well. 'Nakhre' is all rock and roll , the kind one associates with Elvis Presley, the king and Pritam has risen to the occasion as his musical orchestrations are just top class. The basic retro flavour has once again been put to good use with top class guitaring and scintillating percussions. Singer Francois Castellino's base vocals suit the song . Once again it's lyricist Irshad Kamil who deserves brownie points for some superb lyrics that will be identifiable by the it's target audience, the youth! ' Ladki jo banti premika, Band bajaye chain ka, Ud jaata circuit brain ka, Patri pe baitha aadmi, Dekhe rasta train ka.'
Remix-Nakhre (by DJ. A-Myth) is not much different from the original, some more of rap and background vocals are added to spice up proceedings.
The undisputed queen of item numbers, Sunidhi Chauhan, along with Ritu Pathak come in for 'Chhan Ke Mohalla' and the desi/ hinterland appealing flavour that one missed in the first few songs arrives in full glory. The song about a young girl looking for a prospective match is a situation that has had innumerable songs in Bollywood but Pritam has given this song more of an item/dance number touch to it keeping in mind the lead actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's immense popularity and prowess as a dancer. Lyrics are as per the situation and mass appealing, in fact they remind us of Gulzar Sahab's school of writing. Don't believe us, sample this, 'Jali to, Bujhi na, Kasam se koyla hogayee main!' Naturally this song will be one of the highlights of the movie and after Priyanka and Akshay's 'Do Me Favour' this too should hit the bull's eye.
Remix version of 'Chhan Ke Mohalla' (by Tiger Style) appears to be a hurried job with not much work done to make the song more appealing or even more youth oriented.
Next up is 'Tera Mera Pyaar' the song picturised amidst the picturesque hills of Kullu-Manali and after hearing the song we now understand why Vipul waited almost a year for the weather to improve and things to fall in place to shoot the song there. The composition has the sort of hilly folksy flavour that transports the listeners to the 'khuli khuli vaadiyan' (open valleys, as per Vipul!) and the snow capped mountains, a hark back to the good old days. The main tune has a slight Rahman touch to it, although the crescendo that comes in later is totally Pritamish, his trademark Bhatt style that is so very popular. Karthik, Mahalaxmi and Antara Mitra all manage to whip the romantic mood in their inimitable styles, although the lyrics this time are filmy and routine, but so is the situation!
'Tera Mera Pyaar' remix (by Hysinth) rendered by Karthik and Antara Mitra is good and one can feel that a lot of work has been done in making the song more dance oriented and club friendly, especially in the chorus parts.
Lovely string sounds of 'ektara' and single string guitar commence 'Dhak Dhak Dhak', a fun and frolic propositioning number. The highlight of the track is the 'dhinchak' rhythm that Pritam has chosen which never really slackens and so the breezy pace and therefore the fun continues even in the 'antara'. Mika, who is the face behind fun songs in many films gets to render the composition and does it as he always does, with panache! Irshad's lyrics will once again find patronage amongst the youth who like to take even serious things like love, lightly with a touch of humour and fun.
The fun continues with 'Luk Chhup Jaana' . Do not be misled by the title which might remind a few of 'Luk Chhup Luk Chhup' (from Amitabh Bachchan's DO ANJAANE) which was sung was for a cute little child. But this song is a totally 'dhamaal' love duet featuring K.K and Tulsi Kumar, who are both in prime form. The song has its base in rock and roll with emphasis once again on guitars and drums. The main tune has a sight resemblance to Rishi Kapoor dance numbers of the seventies and that has been done on purpose as we must keep in mind that the film is set in the rocking seventies. The catchy 'mukhda' has been used even in the 'antara', which makes the song uniquely delightful. Definitely a number that has the capacity to hit the charts.
And if one thought you have had enough of rock and roll, the next number 'I Am Dog Gone Crazy' will leave you asking for more as Suraj Jagan, the rockstar gets things rolling with this crazy number. A funky rock and roll style of the sixties and seventies, a la Elvis Presley has been adopted by Pritam once again. The hard rock genre which Pritam began with GANGSTER and LIFE...IN A METRO, comes to the fore here as well, and why not; 'Mauka Hai, Dastur Bhi Hai'! The song may have limited appeal for it's over use of English but that is made up in the 'antara'. The chorus is catchy and the composition overall will certainly be loved by those who freak out on rock and roll.
Shreya Ghoshal gets the honour to render the last song of the album, another dance number, 'Baki Main Bhool Gayi' and it's a song about a girl madly in love and her confessions about the same. The composition is quite unique in its making as the 'mukhda' is fast and very different from the 'antara' which is a tad slower and follows a completely different 'raga'. However the 'antara' does ring a bell and one is reminded of Kalyan ji Anandji's love songs for Firoz Khan films. If included in the film the song will have to depend on some innovative choreography and then it would indeed be a treat to watch Aish in yet another dance number.
Summarizing the album, well one has to admit that Pritam-Irshad and the gang of singers, arrangers and programmers have definitely worked hard in making ACTION REPLAYY a standout album. It's a full on 'melodious entertainment package' which has songs for all occasions suiting everyone's liking and also fulfilling the requirements of the movie, based predominantly in the seventies. Pritam has successfully managed to fuse contemporary music with retro so that the music does not appear out dated and keeps up with the pace and taste of the audience. Our favourites are 'Zor Ka Jhatka', 'Nakhre' and 'O Bakhaber' though the rest too are good, and if publicized well enough (no doubt as it's T-Series at the helm of affairs here!) they too will hit the charts and this will naturally contribute in a large way in giving the film a flying start when it bombards the screens this 'Diwali'. An album which music lovers would play as an 'action replay', over and over again!
Rating - 4/5
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