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Director :
Music :
Lyrics :
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Prakash Jha
Wayne Sharpe, Pritam, Shantanu Moitra and Aadesh Srivastava
Gulzar, Sameer, Swanand Kirkire and Irshad Kaamil
Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Manoj Bajpai, Arjun Rampal, Naseeruddin Shah and Sarah Thompson Kane
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By Satyajit, Bollywood Trade News Network
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RAAJNEETI (meaning 'politics') dares to be realistically different and promises to unravel the underbelly of Indian democracy. Flooded with bankable and a highly spirited star-cast, it is presumed to be one of the biggest releases of the year 2010. After making resounding impact with socially realistic thrillers like APAHARAN (2005) and GANGAAJAL (2003), director Prakash Jha takes the bold subject of present-day 'politics' and makes it happen through his next flick RAAJNEETI. What about the music? This may sound strange that this time its a brigade of composers that are all set to rule the musical fort. Jha pitches out his favorite Wayne Sharpe for the theme track and experienced campaigners like Pritam, Shantanu Moitra and Aadesh Srivastava to deliver out with one soundtrack each. Even the writing section is wielded to perfection with the expertise of noted lyricists like Gulzar, Sameer, Swanand Kirkire and Irshad Kaamil in the credits. Can the fabrication of this worthy musical brigade be able to dictate terms on musical charts? Can RAAJNEETI be the much desired musical success in the genre of serious cinema? Just check this out...
Drizzling with romance and soaked with emotions, Pritam's musical cheerfulness sprinkles out showers of delightful downpours of liveliness in love-relationship in 'Bheegi Si Bhagi Si". Cherubic and enchanting in wordings and vocals, it enthralls with Mohit Chauhan and Antara Mitra's voices that melts with confluence of delightful arrangements. The name of Pritam may sound peculiar in Prakash Jha's intellectually bounded entertainer but it comes out as much needed surprise to accentuate out lovable vibes in this political potboiler. Antara Mitra's nimble n sweetly toned voice is the highlight and so does the serene ambience that flows in myriad shades of delectably pitched orchestrations. Irshad Kamil's wordings talks considerately and seeps well into contours of this light-hearted set of arrangements that promises out Antara Mitra into top league of female soloists. It's optimistic start to the album that makes it clear that this time director has shown melodic interest in adding different colors to the narration. Mellifluous!!!
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In year 2006, music director Aadesh Srivastav along with lyricist Sameer made remarkable dent with their affluence of classical music acumen in impressively composed "Bawri Piya Ki(BABUL 2006)). Once again this conglomerate creates another confluence of "lounge" stylized music embroiled in textures of Indian classical music in sentimentally timed "Mora Piya". Aadesh Srivastava tries his vocals at varying pitches that soothes, resonates and gives moments of communion in his penetrative "alaaps". Poised for impelling romantic spells, it has narrative shades in English sentimental one-liners by Rosalie Nicholsan and back-up vocals of Shashi that sublimes well in fusion pitched composition. Aadesh may lack Sonu Nigam's vocal twinge but his voice serenades out amiable splurge to evoke out pathos for the situation.
The second version comes as "Mora Piya (Trance Mix)" by deep-throated Kavita Seth in her penetrative vocals. It comes more like party "lounge" mix where the serene mood is transcended through sluggishly pitched disco-beat fillers. Kavita's earthy "n" folksy rendition in lighter octaves adds shades to the classy feel and makes it special for promotional features.
The third version "Mora Piya (Twilight Mix)" is mixed bag of "club" and "lounge" remix with vocals of Aadesh Srivastava, Shashi and Rosalie Nicholsan at the helm of affairs. Well suited for discotheque as light-hearted dance number, it adds to the commercial value of the album. Impressive!!!
Prakash Jha makes another optimum choice by pitching out team-work of Shantanu Moitra and Swanand Kirkire for rustic village belle raunchy track in "Ishq Barse". It works on guidelines of Jha's directed tracks like "Alhar Mast Jawani" (GANGAAJAL (2003) in folksy "nautanki" stylized dancing track. Pronob Biswas along with Swanand Kirkire gives out their rural earthen touches in choral flows but its impressive sounding Hamsika Iyer that takes out all the credits. Moitra's composition is traditionally predictable and is high on electronically punched orchestrations that are tuned in tonality of classical Indian music. Unlike previous soundtracks, it fails to be as notable as them but befits for colorful raunchy feast on big screen.
"Ishq Barse (The Bombay Bounce Club remix)" adds fuel to the fire with its thriving disco beat fillers but there is nothing special other than Hamsika's resounding voice in modulating tones.
Newsmaker finally!!! Wayne Sharpe, an international musical prodigy and promising figure in the background score of critically acclaimed GANGAJAAL, APAHARAN and recently released LAHORE, is all set for another spell-binding countdown in "Dhan Dhan Dharti". This much-talked version of "Vande Matram" comes from the mindset of Prakash Jha and poetic flair of Gulzar's supremely patriotically emotional wordings, as a salutation to Mother Earth. Sharpe picks his notes, instruments and vocalists (Shankar Mahadevan and Sonu Nigam) with dexterity as together they pulsates out a never-ending spells of pop-patriotism. Sharpe's immaculate philharmonic rendition has beautiful amalgamation of piano and violin notes that are tuned to perfection with trumpets, marching beats and rigorous military-drill drumming to give it jingoistic-feel touches. Shankar Mahadevan's pristine singing in classical mode is apt for the situation and adds to the situational feel of the flick in the first version. Shankar's command over modulations in middle interludes echoes the plight, sacrifices and boon of Mother Earth, thanks to enlightening Gulzar's wordings ("Batwaare ho toh yeh dharti kat ti hai, Sukha padta hai toh dharti phat ti hai, Ik pal jeeti hai, ik pal marrti hai, Dhan hai dharti re, Dhan dhan dharti re...) that makes it befitting attribute for listening ears.
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Sonu Nigam's soulful excruciation in the second version titled "Dhan Dhan Dharti (Call of the Soil)" sings out similar lines with extra emotional thrives. Sharpe succeeds brilliantly in bringing out the best from these two singing icons and making this number as one of the best patriotic track of our times. Like A.R Rahman's brilliantly composed "Maa Tujhe Salaam" (also a version of "Vande Matram"), this musical piece is likely to be adding different shades in compelling moments of this realistically fictionalized political drama. Noteworthy!!!
RAAJNEETI rules with its quality musical stuffing and comes out as biggest surprise in genre of realistically penned meaningful cinema. Unlike previous political potboilers, director Prakash Jha shows his keen interest in musical department and picks his aces well that not only delivers but entertains with their quality works. Wayne Sharpe's finesse impresses the most in two versions of "Dhan Dhan Dharti", Aadesh Srivastava gives it classy feel with "Mora Piya" while Pritam lives up to the expectations of consistent entertainer with "Bheegi Si Bhaagi Si". For its complete musical outing in varied shades of emotions, the album should be helping hand to flick's narration and prospects and likable entrant in the musical arena.
Worth-a-hear!!!
Rating - 3.5/5
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