Rabba main to mar gaya oye. Shahid Mallya. A nice song with lovely, romantic lyrics and Shahid Mallya’s slightly husky voice goes quite well with the light music of the song with a little Punjabi touch. Good start.

The second song may remind you of thoda thoda pyaar with its video and initial arrangements, but once Mika gets into singing saj dhaj ke tashan mein rehna, you know it’s a typical Mika thing where you can lose yourself and dance like mad. I may be biased here, but I kinda loved Pankaj Kapur’s single line entry here.

Next comes Hans Raj Hans with ik tu hi tu hi, a sad song which not only boasts of some nice arrangements and lovely use of chorus (should I say a bit Rahman’ish), but also some beautiful lyrics from Irshad Kamil. Do listen to this one. I am wondering at how composers are turning to Hans raj Hans for serious stuff like this one or rather how it didn’t happen much earlier.

The next treat comes from Rashid Khan who sounds in his full color as he sings Poore se zara sa kam hain. I must applaud Pritam here for giving Rashid full command over the song as the latter sings without any background for the first minute and later also goes in a very Indian arrangement. Another good thing, you find no adulterated (politically correct: remixed) versions of the song. Do listen.

Karsan Sargathiya’s aag lage us aag ko has more than a touch of folk, especially with Dholi Taaro man Karsan’s singing. Okay this one.

Hard Kaur’s entry in the serious album sounds a bit sudden/strange/abrupt, but soon Tochi Raina takes over with an almost new avatar as he sings Mallo Malli naal yaar de, a lovely Punjabi dance number for the youth to dance on. Not a very mature song going by the standard of the album yet, but still quite interesting and listenable, or should I say danceable.

After the original songs start remixes, reprises and more. First one, Rabba, with Rahat here. Needless to say, the version is nice, but I was equally ok with Shahid Mallya’s version. In fact with nothing special for/by Rahat here, I’d prefer Shahid’s version.

After Singh is Kinng, Tiger style come in to remix for Mika’s Saj Dhaj ke, in a desi mix and a club mix, both of which don’t sound too great, but are good for dancing at parties.

Next comes a reprise version of ik tu hi tu, which is sung by Shahid Mallya this time, and the guy kind of impresses me, as he sounds as good as Hans Raj Hans did for the song. But what is a surprise here is the next version of the song, sung by Wadali Brothers. The Mehfil Mix sounds nice and quite different from the original. But then again, do not compare with Rangrez.

At the end there are two versions of Mallo Malli, which are sung by Lehember Hussainpuri with Hard Kaur and Tochi Raina alone respectively, which look a bit too much as so many repetitions were probably not required.

Overall Mausam is a really nice album from Pritam with at least four songs out of six in the ‘very good’ category. While almost the entire album seems to have a Punjabi touch, there is still variety in the songs, and not only in terms of singers used. So my verdict is: buy it, listen to it.

Lyrics from MAUSAM

The album starts with the title song also called Chal Kudiye. The song is sung by Mika and Anand Raj Anand himself and is an okay Punjabi number. Not bad, but nothing too interesting, can say a typical Anand Raj Anand composition.

The next entry is called Oye Oye and uses the ‘oye oye’ part from Viju Shah’s Tridev number, probably without any rights because this particular part was a straight lift from Gloria Estefan’s ‘Rhythm is gonna get you’ (1987). Outside this, the song sung by Sunidhi is not a very impressive composition but the use of oye oye is good. Nothing too great again.

For the should-be item song of the album Jalebi Bai, Ritu Pathak seems to be a good choice as she’s able to deliver the right tone for the item number, but then again the composition doesn’t get to a peak. Still, not a bad one and with good promotion song could work.

The last original track of the album, Chill Maaro is a typical one of Mika number that starts with ‘Ajgar kare na chaakri panchhi kare na kaam, daas malooka keh gaye sabke daata raam.’ The song is an easy, not-too-fast beat based song that would be an instant hit if the lyrics were as good as tried. Still, the song is not bad.

Overall, the album has some ok songs and not bad songs but there is nothing too good or very high quality. Still, the music looks good enough to support a comedy and with some good promotion, most of the songs can take off too.

Wait, was it Pritam rendering those English lines at the start of this wonderful song? It should have been Neeraj to start this romantic treat from KK, the song that’s called Humko Pyar hua. Not much to say, this one is good again. Go for this as well.

Enter DSP. THE Devi Sri Prasad with his only composition for Ready 2011, sung by Mika. I knew only one Ringa ringa in Telugu and as soon as I started the song, it was unmistakably the one. And I must say that the dhinka chika remake is not bad. Gives me the feel of the original song to quite an extent, probably as close as it could be. What is to be seen is how well the song fits Bollywood, cause I still imagine a typical Telugu movie background with the song. I’m in for this one.

Enter long vacha at the start. Enter must-dance-on-this DJ. Enter RFAK. In a whole just-dance mood, with his awesomely superb singing. Enter Tulsi with her can-somehow-sing-well-with-RFAK mood. Awesome song.

OK. Maybe I said too much about that last song, meri ada bhi aaj kya kar gayi, but frankly, I loved the song and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan singing in that mixture of long-vacha and some more pieces of popular Punjabi songs with that good melody at that fast pace, making a good thing to dance on, or simply listen to, as you like it.

Since I didn’t find anything special in the remixes, that is kinda all I have to say about the album, which actually isn’t less in any way. The album has just four songs and while all four are good, they are also different in their style and representation. While Pritam sticks to formula in Character Dheela, there is some experimentation added in Meri ada bhi, KK is good as ever and DSP’s composition is almost all new to Bollywood listeners. In short, it seems the music is ready to rock you, are you Ready?

The album starts with Mika singing a rocking ‘asi jithe javange, gaddi modange, phir sare de saare ye signal todange‘. The song almost has the quality that RDB songs have attached to them. My guess is that the song is going to fight the top Bollywood chartbusters this year.

The thing I wanted to know was whether the second song of the album was anything close to the first, but Rabbi Shergill with Jimmy Sheirgill didn’t disappoint me. Bandiya tu is a lovely track with that well known soothing and touching effect in Rabbi’s voice, with some lovely lyrics, which thankfully I was able to understand the most of. Do try this one.

The next, Title song by Jaggi Singh, might not be the rocker of album, but if you go a bit into the lyrics, you’ll probably love the song, and all the more so if you belong to the land of Punjab. The small song has a few links to the proud history of Punjab.

Diljit Dosanjh sings Warrant which is again a good one, though doesn’t hit as instantly as gaddi modange or bandiya. More of a typical Punjabi track with almost all possible instruments (:P), warrant still doesn’t disappoint.

Gippy Garewal gets to sing Sarkaraan in this one. Saade hi paise te, sarkaraan chaldiyan ve is a song of the soil in terms of music as the song has some good use of folk instruments.

The last two tracks, sura so pehchaniye and deh shiva bar mohe ehai are more of chants than anything else, one almost mixing into the other. What confused me a bit here, though, is the name of Arvinder Singh who I knew for Sabse bhali sharab hai and paani sharab mein.

Overall, as expected, Jaidev’s album is better than I had expected. And while Gaddi modange is rocking me already, it’s the Jimmy-Rabbi combination i.e. Bandiya tu that beats everything for me. If the movie is as good as the album, I’m in for it. All the best Jimmy.

The album starts with Mika’s Pyaar do Pyaar lo, that you might have caught on TV. The oldie-newie song sounds more like a remix and looks very much like a try to redo apni to jaise taise from Housefull. I guess Pritam has been successful, but not so much as SEL were with theirs.

The next song, Razia, is sung by Saleem and Ritu Pathak, but Saleem can be confused for a girl with his high pitch here. Allah bachaye meri jaan ki razia gundon mein phans gayi sounds like a typical item song and Ritu sounds pretty good with her singing. Nothing new, just another good product from the Factory.

Pyaar tera pyaar mujhe = Main yahan bhi, main wahan bhi (Toh Baat Pakki). Next beat seems to be taken from Action replay. Even though I liked Neeraj Shridhar and Richa Sharma’s Full volume with it’s never-too-high notes, Pritam looks like he’s out of composition styles and trying to feed old things, though I don’t actually think it’s the case.

When I heard Sonu Nigam’s My Heart is beating, I was wondering why Thank You seems so inspired by Housefull. This one is sung by Sonu very much in Mohammad Rafi’s style, precisely like the ones the legend sang for Shammi Kapoor. With good promotion, song should do well. Liked Sonu’s singing in this one, and not bad work by Pritam as well.

Pyaar Mein is the last original song of the album, which is sung by Neeraj Shridhar and Javed Ali. Again, Pritam looks like captured in his own styles even while he gives a good song. While Javed Ali makes the song his own by singing it beautifully, Neeraj’s ‘chorus’ sounds lovely. But what fascinated me the most in the song was the backing vocals that appeared from the very start of the song. Unfortunately, I don’t know whose voice that is, though I presume it’s either Suzanne or Bianca Gomes as their names are mentioned for backing vocals in the album. Also, this is probably one song of the album which is good not only in music but also with words. Amitabh Bhattacharya is the guy holding the pen here. And another similarity with Housefull. OK. Excuse me for that.

And while I was looking for the backing vocals, one more thing I came to know was that Sachin and Jigar were among the programmers of the album. Nice to know that.

I didn’t try listening to the remixes especially they were all merely ‘remix’es and mentioned nothing more specific than that.

So overall, Thank you is an okay, run of the mill thing in which most of the songs are danceable while one particular song called Pyaar mein is something close to Tum mile’s level, but a bit lower than that, also because it’s so much similar. Quite what was expected from Pritam, or actually slightly better if you think of No Problem.

The next thing out there is Mohit Chauhan’s Kitne dafe dil ne kaha, that is Yun hi. The song isn’t so typical Mohit Chauhan, but has a slight ’90s-early 2000s element attached to the music, with all the Tabla, flute and more of Indian instruments. At the same time, lyrics are wonderful and Mohit unquestionably has to be beautiful in such a song. Do listen to the song, and give it time if it does need that.

The next song Piya, sung by Roop Kumar Rathod, has a classical feel to it. While the song may not sound all that great for the first time, after listening to it for a few times, it’s quite a treat to listen to. Especially some parts of the song (for example ‘Pal na kate ab sakhi re piya bin’) are really beautiful.

The next is Wadali Brothers’ Rangrez mere, a qawwali that takes you into old times with its very real arrangements. While I don’t know how much people are going to like it, the thing I loved in the song is the real Qawwali feel you get. Except that in a few places the Qawwali needed to pause a bit more, everything seems to be quite fine. Do try this one.

MANNU BHAIYA. When I talk of the album, THIS is the song I talk about. While a friend of mine (who also happens to write reviews) thought it had a Vishal Bhardwaj touch, I felt, and still feel that the song has a similarity with the early songs of A R Rahman. While Mannu bhaiyya ka karihen has got an addictive beat, rest of the song is a good mix of some easy-going music and lets-talk-about-it lyrics. A must listen thing, like it or not is your decision.

The last original song of the album is Mika’s Jugni, another Punjabi song in the album that is not so happening as Saddi Gali, but good nonetheless. A typical Mika song, Jugni will make you dance to it, but not precisely the first time you listen to it. First you listen to the song, take the words in, and then your feet go on the techno-tunes of the song.

As the last track comes Krsna’s own version of Rangrez, where he puts the qawwali arrangements in almost background, giving more emphasis on words. While one good thing about the song is that you get every word clear, Krsna sings the composer’s track, with its unmistakable truthfulness. For example, by the time he comes to sing karvat bhi rang.. salvat bhi rang, he’s almost lost in the song and when you’re not writing a review, you’re lost in the song too. Definitely engaging. Completely loved it.

Overall, Tanu Weds Manu is a complete surprise package and while one was expecting a good movie, the wonderful album has raised the expectations from the movie even further. As for the album, the other surprising thing besides quality is the variety present here. Accolades for Krsna for such a debut.

The next song O Bekhabar seems to be on the lines of Tum jo aaye of OUATIM and even though in this one Shreya sings alone (as compared to tum jo aaye’s Tulsi-Rahat) she sounds good enough to equal the hit. Likeable song.

The third song, Nakhre, sung by Francois Castollino, is a step ahead of zor ka jhatka when it comes to lyrics. The song has some matter-of-fact lyrics (according to boys that is) which can make you laugh even before you reach the theater to watch the movie. Definitely interesting, again.

Sunidhi and Ritu Pathak’s chhan ke mohalla is another interesting number. With old school lyrics of item songs and an added punch of ‘jali to-bujhi na’ the song is fine to hear, and definitely will be worth a watch once the video is out there. I will not be surprised if this one becomes a chartbuster with the video out.

Tera Mera Pyaar sung by Karthik, Mahalakshmi Iyer and Antara, though, doesn’t sound all that interesting and sounds more like a chorus based thing, which here reminds me of Vande Mataram and other patriotic songs we used to sing at school, with all due respect to both. Somehow didn’t like this one much.

The next song, Mika’s dhak dhak dhak, is an interesting one again. More musical than just interesting, and a more regular song, dhak dhak sounds good as the song is quite beat-based but Pritam has done some good experimenting with instruments (was that bagpiper that I was loving the most?) while Mika’s voice keeps things from sounding boring.

Luk Chhup Jaana is the next song where KK sings the whole song and Tulsi gets to sing one line some five-six times. And somehow that gives me a sadistic pleasure. Anyway, the song sounds too loud and doesn’t even rock properly. I’d say not such a good use of KK’s wonderful voice. Could be better.

In the next, Suraj Jagan’s I am dog gone crazy, Pritam probably tries to make up for Snoop Dogg’s Singh is Kinng, but quite predictably, doesn’t reach that level. But the good thing is that the song still sounds fine, especially as Suraj sings with his heart. Not bad. Likeable.

I somehow don’t like Shreya singing fast numbers. Otherwise, all is well with the next song baaki main bhool gayi. Actually this one is not actually that fast a song but the instruments may give such illusion. In fact Shreya sings this one beautifully if you listen to her singing only, not concentrating on the unavoidable drums. I think this one could be better on arrangements. Not bad though.

Overall, Action Replayy is exactly what it was supposed to be, an ‘interesting’ album. The album has songs that sound good and have some good music, but more than that the album relies on its interesting lyrics and the punch factor in music. I don’t think there’ll be anything that you’ll be singing for years, but everything that you’d like to dance and laugh with for as-long-as-it-works.

The album opens with a romantically beautiful Pind di Saver where Gurdaas Maan simply falls in love with his village and gives you a wonderful musical description of his village. I think a song to be loved by those who know any amount of Punjabi.

The very next song of the album is Chori Yaari Nasha chhupaya chhupda nai mitra. A song with some old, likable beats, and kind of discipline-inducing lyrics, which might look a bit too preachy at times. Still an okay song.

Third song, Tu chaanan main Parchhavan is a complete Alka Yagnik song that just reminds me of Tujhe Yaad na Meri Aayi (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) in the Mukhda part. Though the song doesn’t have much new to it, Alka Yagnik still sounds as good as ever and I think I may hear the song a few times just to hear her sing. Okay again.

The next song of the album, Yaar de viyah de vich features the ‘new’ Punjabi in the market with the old one. I meant Mika comes for this one with Gurdaas Maan, but somehow, even with the two present, the song becomes an average Punjabi dance song, as it doesn’t sound completely like a song of either of the two. Disappointing, at least going by the names.

The next one, Paun dendi hai hulare features Akriti Kakkar and the girl sings the song just wonderfully. The song is a slow, soft, romantic Punjabi number. Feroz Khan, the guy who sings the song with her isn’t bad either and sounds pretty fine. The song has an old touch, something of the times 5-10 years back in time, but the quality of the song is what keeps you stuck there. Good one for sure.

The last one, the album’s title song, Chak Jawana is an enthusiastic, and say patriotic kind of song. The song has a typical flavor and if you’re a Maan fan you might love the song, but if you’re not, the song may sound a bit old to your ears and may not be loved by all.

Overall, Chak Jawana is an average album with some good songs. Gurdas Maan still sounds good in his well-known style though he might not fit well in all situations and Yaar de Viya with Mika is one such thing that almost fails trying to adjust between the two biggies. Still, his Pind di Saver completely works and so does Feroz-Akriti’s Paun dendi hai hulare. Here is the soundtrack list.

1. (04:28) – Pind Di Saver
2. (04:12) – Chori, Yaari, Nasha
3. (05:50) – Tu Chanan Main Parchhavan Ft. Alka Yagnik
4. (04:04) – Yaar De Viah Ft. Mika
5. (05:23) – Paun Dendi Hai Hulare Ft. Akriti Kakkar, Feroz Khan
6. (03:24) – Chak Jawana

The album starts with Madhno re, a slow, soft, romantic, typical Mithoon song, sung by his favorite, Kshitij Tarey along with Chinmayee. Kshitij sings Mithoon’s tune in a soulful way and the song comes out to be superb. And then, Tu hi to har pal bandha hai, lamhon ki in zanjeeron mein.. just awesome singing by Chinmayee.

After a great start, the album moves to Salaam Zindagi sung by Arun Daga and Mohd Irfan which begins with some Kashmiri/Dogri words rendered by some children. The song is, as can be guessed from the title itself, kind of motivational and reminds me of Salim-Sulaiman, probably because of Dor. Though, the album or the song have hardly anything in common in terms of music. The song is not as touching as Madhno which did catch me from the very first listen, but this one too is nevertheless good.

Next comes Main Kaun hoon, sung by Palash Sen. The song is not very fast, has a touch of rock, and full of thoughts. Palash sings the song wonderfully and Amitabh Varma’s lyrics are no less. To be fair, Main Kaun Hoon is a combined effort by the composer, lyricist and the singer. A super-good song.

The next in the album is Saajnaa, the other version of Madhno, sung by Mika Singh. Well, the song is not a Dance version or something, but a ‘soulful’ rendition by ‘Mika’ along with Chinmayee. Mika is a HUGE surprise here as he sings the slow tune quite well. Now why does that remind me of Daler’s awesome ‘Musafir’ in Lahore??

The fifth song of the album is Zameen-o-aasmaan by Kshitij Tarey again. This one is quite a voice-based song and sounds pretty good with minimal instruments and Kshitij’s voice sounding like something between KK and MM Kreem. Good one for background. Equally good if you like good lyrics and singing with minimal instruments.

The last in the album is Rehmat Zara which is described as Pak-rockish/Paki-pop by my fellow bloggers. I liked the word, and would say it fits quite well, though the song reminds me of Train’s Teri Tamanna, and of Laari Chhooti (Ek chalis ki last local) for the zaraaaAAAaaaaAAAaaa part. And O, how Mithoon’s voice reminds me of Beete Lamhe.

And then, when u r done with the album, there is Madno again.

In short, a very good album. And a very awesome Madhno. To Mithoon, the word is: Dude, come back soon next time.

Picks: Madhno, Main Kaun Hoon, and Rehmat Zara. With a must listen Saajnaa, for a new Mika.

More than anything else, the song comes as a surprise as Mika sings for Mithoon with Chinmayee. The surprise comes as a pleasant one as Mika renders the song quite good and well in control and doesn’t go mad anywhere. The way he ends his Saajnaa sounds like a usual ‘singer’ and you really wonder if it’s him. But then, the voice is almost unmistakable.

Chinmayee is as good in this version too as in the other one. The other difference of the two versions is that this one has lyrics completely in Hindi.