Jodha Akbar Music Review

As a connoisseur of music, I always lend my ears to hear the intricate sounding arrangements that ARR uses in all his songs. I was listening to his album "Rhythm", and was a little surprised by the way he had been used the sounding pattern in the songs. The blowing wind in Kattre En Vaasal, the comparison of water drops and the female hum in Nadiye Nadiye as the song draws parallel connotation of the similarity between water and female. I was altogether taken to a different world. There is dexterity in his usage of sounds which makes him a class apart.

Jodha Akbar, one of the most awaited soundtrack of the year, comes as a great package. The soundtrack has a brilliant extravagant opening track, a mellifluous restrained track, two strikingly dissimilar devotional tracks, a melodious orchestrated track and two bonus instrumental tracks.

Azeem O Shaan Shehanshah is the most opulent, extravagant track, completely suiting the grandeur of the movie. This brilliant track has melody, classical alaaps and praiseworthy lyrics as supporting pillars. The arresting beats and the chorus goes on to introduce us to the Emperor Akbar pouring praises for being the Shaan of Hindustan. Especially the line "Tera Ho Kya Bayaan" line takes the song to dizzy heights. The "chan chana nana" and the "Marhaba" chant are used excellently throughout the song. The love of the people for Akbar is brilliantly expressed in the male/female humming done in the second stanza of the song after the line "Kitne Dilon Par Teri Hukumath". If this song cannot grow on a listener immediately on first hearing, then the album can be skipped. No point in listening to it further.

Jashn-E-Bahara is a restrained track with the melody seamlessly flowing into the listener's ears. The accompanying beats complement the song very much and is used ably to suit the melody. The lyrics by Javed Akhtar and the vocal by Javed Ali adds an extra sheen to this beautiful song. The lyrics flow in like a poetry. The Jashn-E-Bahara (Instrumental) is an enchanting piece with a flute piece playing the main melody. When a person like Naveen is at the helm of affairs, nothing can go wrong. Loved the instrumental more than the original song as it is more soothing and can make you forget the world.

Rahman's "Tera Diwana Hoon Maula" from Mangal Pandey is one of my favorite song, as the energy and devotion with which he sings that song, cannot be explained by words. I would rate Khwaja Mere Khwaja, one step above. I liked the way the song builds slowly to its melody in the beginning. The tabla beats supports the song throughout. The second interlude is haunting and the stanzas are engaging. The way ARR melts and renders his voice for this devotional song is another reason why this song clicks. This song might need some time to sink in and once it does, it is addictive. Khwaja Mere Khwaja (Instrumental) is impressive. I don't know much about the Oboe instrument but the instrumental has a soothing effect just like the previous instrumental.

In Lamhon Ke Daman Mein, is the second melodious number which is brilliantly orchestrated, with a chorus which elevates the song to a different peak altogether. There is a clean balance between the high pitched chorus and the melodious singing by Sonu Nigam. When Madhushree enters the scene, the song becomes heavenly. A brilliant composition by Rahman who breaks norms of how a love song should be composed.

Mann Mohana, the second devotional track in the album, is rich in melody. Bela Shinde has a great pitch and her vocal is an added asset to the song. The first and second interludes are just outstanding. The song might sound ordinary when it starts, but the interludes elevate the song first and then the stanzas create an impact and the song slowly gets hooked onto you. I loved this song for its sheer interludes.

Rang De Basanti in 2006, Guru in 2007 and Jodha Akbar in 2008. There is no stopping Rahman to break new grounds in the bollywood arena. Jodha Akbar is a must-listen for music lovers.

Scintillating Child Prodigies

The post-effects of TZP instigated me to write this post. Over the years, there has been an evolution in terms of projecting a child character on screen. There has been some scintillating child performances which has touched every heart and I am going to list some of the memorable ones which I am aware of.

Last month, I watched Salaam Bombay. I had been vying to watch this movie of Mira Nair. And it happened. It is a story of a lost child, who is homeless, and ends up in the streets of Mumbai amidst drug peddlers, prostitutes and other homeless kids making a living out of any job. The story basically revolves around the little boy Chaipau, and his journey. To me, Shafiq Syed as Chaipau (a.k.a Krishna) was marvellous from take one. His urge to return home by saving money, his friendship in Chillum, his infatuation with Sola Saal, his companionship with Manju, his exhibition of fury once inside the children jail etc. were brilliantly showcased. The scene when he tries to save Chillum, a drug addict and his friend, when he tries to commit suicide shows what an amazing discovery Shafiq Syed is.

Imagine a child, barely 2 years old, and who cannot even walk properly, can walk into the hearts of millions and create a huge impact in the minds of the cine-goers. The child artist Shamili, in Mani Rathnam's Anjali, was a revelation. She was barely 2 years old and portrayed the character of a child with mental disability. Even today, I watch the movie for her rather than for Mani Rathnam. Shamili as Anjali displayed finesse in handling the character, that nobody till date had ever dared to. At such a tender age, portraying a complex character is not an easy task. All her sequences with her screen mom Revathy in the movie was an amazing display of histrionics which is impossible to expect from a two year old. Shamili was a unique discovery.

Keerthana, as Amudha, in Mani Rathnam's Kannathil Muthamittal, is another child artist who can bring the most complex nuances in a character and exhibit it with precision. Amudha's character in the movie, was about a girl who is in search of her biological mother to Sri Lanka with her adopted parents. From her introduction as a naughty, bratty girl to her slow transformation into a girl who comes to know that she is an adopted daughter, the flow of emotions in Amudha's character is worth-mentioning. The distortion caused because of this truth, the way her mind thinks, her expressions and distaste in life, and her determination to find her real mom and ask one simple question as to "why she left her"?, Keerthana was brilliant and deserved the national award.

Essaying a role of a blind and mute girl is a challenge in itself. I am talking about Ayesha Kapur in Black. The role had absolutely no dialogue to start with. But Ayesha infused so much life into the character that it looked real. I would say that hers was the best performance in the movie compared to Big B and Rani. She simply stole the show in the limited screen time that she had. A confident performance.

The post is incomplete without Darsheel Safary. His is what is called a bravura performance. He is the heartbeat of the movie. Ishaan's character will remain etched in people's memory for a long long time. It is a realistic portrayal of a complex character.

Taare Zameen Par

At last I saw Taare Zameen Par (TZP) in theatre after almost a month. Better late than never. I had been trying to watch this movie but couldn't make it due to some unavoidable reasons. But I am happy that I saw it, finally.

It might sound clichéd if I say that the movie is a classic. 9 out of 10 people have given positive review about the movie and have termed it a masterpiece. The movie really moves you and the main reason being Darsheel Safary. I am still thinking about the kid even after the show has ended 3 hours before. That speaks volumes about the impact created by the character. After Ayesha Kapur in Black, here is another child artist who takes your breath away with a breakthrough performance. Darsheel as Ishaan, has an amazing body language and beautiful expression needed for a character suffering from Dyslexia and is so convincing that for a minute you think that the kid is really suffering from Dyslexia. He deserves all the accolades for portraying the character and pretty much carries the entire movie on his shoulders. In short, he deserves a national award for his performance.

Ishaan can bring laughter with his antics and at the same time make you cry. His antics in the school when he is thrown out of the class for not reading out the sentences are funny. When his family leaves him in the boarding school and he stands there crying is painstaking. The background song "Maa" is a wonderful composition by SEL. The scene and the song can melt even the stone-hearted. Ishaan and Nikumb's relationship is developed properly. I loved the scene when Ishaan looks at Nikumbh after making the water airplane. So much conveyed with eyes without a dialogue? That is what Ishaan does throughout the movie. His self-realization through Nikumbh and his love and respect for the teacher is beautifully portrayed when he hugs Nikumbh thanking him from his heart for making him what he is from what he was. Again, no dialogue spoken but everything is expressed. Impeccable performance!

Aamir Khan is splendid as the angel art teacher who connects Ishaan back to the world. I especially liked him in 2 outstanding scenes where he shows what his caliber is. First when he visits Ishaan's family and tries to explain them the situation and second when Ishaan's father comes to meet him and his Solomon Island reply. Aamir and Ishaan share a great camaraderie which shows on-screen. As a director, he succeeds in transporting the viewers to Ishaan's world. His victory in the climax is very well depicted with his eyes.Ishaan's mom and dad are very well cast and the lady who plays Ishaan's mom,Tisca Chopra, is amazingly expressive in the scene when she leaves her son in the boarding school and when she looks into the scrapbook created by her son which shows the moral fear the kid had, separation from his family. Ishaan's dad's character is also beautifully portrayed when he sees his son trying hard to study the flyer. He, walking out of the place with shame for not having taken care of the kid is a wonderful depiction. Ishaan's brother, friend and others play their role with ease.

The best is reserved for the end and the climax is the best part of the movie. Ishaan slowly coming out of his ambush when his name is called out in the climax is analogous to him coming out of the world of confusion into a new world. When he stumbles, Nikumbh supports him which draws an analogy that Ishaan always has a pillar of support in Nikumbh. You cannot control the emotions seeing the last few frames of the movie.

Kudos to the director for not falling for the commercial factors and bringing the talent of the kid as an arts genius. That makes the movie all the more realistic.

I would just say one more thing. Go and watch the movie! It speaks for itself and doesn't need a critic. But as a movie buff, it becomes necessary for me to spread the good word-of-mouth. Hence the review.

ARR's Haunting Enchanting BGM Songs

When asked in an interview, Rahman said that the Background Score Music (BGM) should be used parallely as a character in the movies. He quoted that Illayaraja's background score is one which connects with the audience as a character. I closed my eyes and immediately Mouna Raagam (Silent Symphony) came to my mind. The main theme of Mouna Raagam which comes at different places in different moods was an outstanding composition of IR.

When it comes to BGM, Rahman is not far behind. But Rahman is more famous in using a song in a light mood behind the scene as a background music. Some of his masterpiece bit song compositions are listed in this post.

Letz begin with Guru. When I was watching Guru, I heard a song whenever Vidya Balan appeared on screen with either Maddy or Abhishek. The song was soothing and was used in a subdued mood in the movie. The song is named "Shauk Hai". Truly, this song is a wonderful composition of ARR. The major places where it comes is when maddy proposes to Vidya. The other place is when Vidya is in the death-bed beside Ash-Abhishek. The song sung beautifully by Sowmyah Rao, talks about the wishes of the physically handicapped girl who is suffering a terminal illness. Listen to the full BGM piece here

The second on my list will be the song played in the background in the movie Kannathil Muthamittal. The song goes like this " Sattunu Nanaithathu Nenjam" . When Maddy proposes marriage to Simran by asking his father for her hand, this beautiful song is played which elevates the happy mood of the scene. It is played in the previous scene also, when Maddy hugs Simran. Beautifully rendered by S.Janaki. Watch the BGM piece here

It would be unfair to rate the musical piece of ARR as the movie's soundtrack has featured in the top 10 best soundtracks in Time magazine. But this piece from Roja which goes like "Inam Maaralam" is a mind-blowing background song of ARR. It comes at the right place and the chorus piece and the orchestra truly conquers the meaning of the scene. Brilliant composition. Watch the BGM piece here

There is an exchange of classical notes between the lead pair whenever they meet. It is the language of their hearts which tells them that there is something unusual chemical reaction happening and is it love? This piece is from Bombay ("Pa sa ni Sa Re") which comes at many places whenever the lead pair meet. The major one is when Manisha comes to her friend's house to collect her notebook which happens to be Arvindsamy's (AS) house. It also comes at various places when AS goes in the boat dressed in a purdah. Sung by Shankar Mahadevan and Kavita Krishnamurthy, the exchange of the notes is an enchanting piece. Watch the BGM piece here

But the one haunting piece of ARR which has traversed into my mind and spoken with my soul is the piece from Dil Se. I cannot explain the goosebumps I get whenever I listen to this piece. The piece which goes like "Sethansi Aag Jaga War Bhige" sung by Sukhwinder Singh, is the haunting piece in the movie which completely portrays the sparkling love chemistry between the lead pair. It plays many times in the background but the most prominent one being the scene when Manisha leaves SRK in Ladakh with a note. The second prominent one is when SRK is getting engaged to Preity. The third one would be the climax. A beautiful piece to listen to. Watch the BGM piece here

I was trying to think and could only come up with these 5 though I know that there might be some major BGM which I could have missed. Will keep updating whenever I remember.

Witty, Humorous and an Enjoyable Office

The Emmy Award Winner 2006 for the best outstanding comedy series, The Office, is one of my favorite series which I don't miss. I had an opportunity to watch the Season 3 as my friend rented it. The season 3 comes in 4 discs with a runtime of 574 minutes. The DVD has various special features, deleted scenes, commentaries, excerpts etc. which makes it all the more interesting. A complete entertainment package! I will try not to add more spoilers. But read at your own risk.

What makes it outstanding, is the perfect casting and their effective portrayals by the characters. Michael (Steve Carell) is brilliant as the regional manager and scores with his humor. No wonder he won 2006 Golden Globe award for the best actor for the series. There is just no stopping this guy. He is the heartbeat of the show. Dwight (Rainn Wilson), as always, is crazier here and brings in loads of laughter with his crazy antics, sometimes unintended, yet funny. Jim and Pam share a great chemistry and pitches in their best. Though they get distanced in this season, their eyes speaks volumes whenever they meet or exchange conversation. One of the best TV romances, I have seen. Watch out for the outburst of Pam during the beach day. She is a born actor. Jim is only getting better with each episode and has his own camera-facing moments. His interaction with Dwight and the way he tantalizes him are classic moments. Angela shines in some of the episodes as the heartless women whose only solace is Dwight's victory in everything. She is outstanding in the episode when Dwight saves Jim from Roy and the Christmas Party episode. Phyllis gets some footage in her wedding episode. She is overshadowed by the towering performances of others.

New characters Andy and Karen fit the bill perfectly. They get absorbed from Stamford to Scranton branch. Karen is however the scene stealer with her expressive eyes and natural acting. She adds the third angle to the untold love story of Jim and Pam. Andy takes on Dwight to win Michael's attention and ends up as a management trainee, for anger management. His re-entry and his composed attitude is worth noticing. Kelly and Ryan have their moments but aren't given much prominence. Jane makes a fleeting appearance in some of the episodes but the finale has something else in store for her. Oscar, Kevin, Brian, Meredith, Toby, and others are apt and keep the show going.

Over the seasons, I have become fond of the characters. Every episode comes with some refreshing moments and humor. The writers come out with something extraordinary in every episode. Some episodes work and some doesn't. Nevertheless, every episode has some fun because you love the characters and whatever they do becomes funny.

The season 3 finale ends with some surprise twist in the tale. Do not miss the show. It has wit, humor, emotions and life.

Wish they will meet again

Saw Jab We Met (JWM) for the 2nd time, this time on DVD. I like the movie for its simplicity. Apart from being simple, the movie has a great musical score, excellent performances, taut screenplay and a decent cinematography. After a long time, I saw Kareena put in so much life into the character that she plays, the last one being Chameli and to an extent in Dev. I do not want to talk about her acting in Omkara which was critically acclaimed. Shahid gave a very restrained performance in the movie and kinda balanced Kareena's character.

I liked the scene in Hotel Descent when Geet tells Aditya to come out of his somber and to forget the person whom he loved dearly. The tables turn in the second half of the movie and that was quite a masterstroke in the writing. Same can be said about the scene when Geet kisses Aditya after the Nagada song and then again in Climax, just to thwart off her potential suitors. Geet's metamorphosis from a nonstop chatterbox to a calm and composed love dejected girl was naturally enacted and believable. Aditya becoming a successful entrepreneur after meeting Geet and taking the life in a easy way was also believable. The entire sequence in Bhatinda after the family treats Aditya as Geet's husband while Geet's real lover stands gazing at the treatment was outright hilarious.

Music is another important asset to the movie. The soothing Aao Milon Chale is a wonderful track showing the journey traversed by the 2 strangers who don't know each other but still see a bonding in them. The melliflous Yeh Ishq (sung by my favorite Shreya Ghoshal), shows the complete madness of love exhibited by Geet's character that makes her flee from her home to capture her hearts desire. While joshila Nagada is situational, it still brings the josh needed for a situation like that in the movie. The melodious Tumse Hi is the slow transition of Aditya's character from a dejected somber lover to a successful entrepreneur after meeting a fairy called Geet. The placement of the rocking Mauja Hi Mauja song in the climax was a good attempt. Anywhere else, the movie would have got a dragging feel. Oh yeah, I forgot the Aaoge Jab Tum which is another soulful song beautifully showcasing the trauma went through by Geet's character.

The editing was good. Geet's reluctance in telling her family members about the truth might have looked a little delayed. But I liked the way, the story builds up to its climax. Cinematography capturing the picturesque locales of Manali was eye-catching. Mauja Hi Mauja Song choreography deserves a special mention. Director Imtiaz Ali makes us want for some more and proves that he is a master story-teller who has everything to make it to the top in the years to come.

I liked this movie more after I watched it the second time. I am thinking of buying my own DVD of this movie. A must watch.

When the sparks flew between the lead pair, the bond broke. Wish they will meet again (I am talking about their LONG PENDING forthcoming release "Milenge Milenge" on Feb 14 :)

New Year Dawns

Time just flies. Someone rightly said, time and tide waits for none. 2007 has been a really quickie. With the dawn of the new year, new resolutions sprout up in every mind. I am no exception. I am not sure if I fulfilled all my 2007 resolutions but I am already charged up with the new resolutions. Hopefully, this time they will be organized and fulfilled.

I wish you all a very happy and a prosperous new year!!! Hopefully I will keep this blog active and will share my interests. Will have to think of how to make it interesting. It is a herculean task. But I will try.