Raaz - The Mystery Continues - Music Review

Rating: *** Any follower of Bollywood, especially when it comes to good music, would certainly know by heart the entire catalogue that Vishesh Films has created in last two decades. And now when Bhatt brothers are ready to strike again with Raaz - The Mystery Continues (which is not a sequel to Raaz and mainly extends the horror-n-mystery genre forward), their music is in news once again. Would it impress yet again, just like majority of films coming from the house of Bhatts do? Would it have soulful tunes which would make Raaz - TMC yet another addition to the enviable music catalogue of the Bhatts? Would Emraan Hashmi's lucky charm rub over Raaz - TMC too when it comes to popularity of music? Would Raaz - TMC match up to Raaz that had some haunting melodies by Nadeem-Shravan and still registers sales at the music stands? MUSIC Raaz - TMC takes an excellent start with 'Mahi Ve' which can be comfortably placed as the flagship number of the album. Though in essence 'Mahi Ve' is a love song, it has an element of pain and a wait for togetherness attached to it that brings with it some trademark Bhatt element. Also, this melodious track by Sharib-Toshi has a good fusion of Indian and Western instruments that come together to make it a piece which gets on you after the first listening itself. A chartbuster number that also appears in a 'Rock With Me' version, it is waiting to make waves in weeks to come. If you liked 'Bheege Hoth Tere' (Murder), chances are high that you would fall for 'Soniyo' as well. Picturised on Adhyayan Suman and Kangna, this Raju Singh composed has a serene feel to it and celebrates the coming together of two hearts who have perhaps found true love for the first time. With a hint of Western touch to it, 'Soniyo' is a soft romantic number which has it's moments, especially in the 'antara' portions, where time tends to stand still! However, not just time but your feet also start moving the moment the rhythm of Raju Singh composed 'O Jaana' begins. A true follow up to 'Kaho Na Kaho' (Murder), 'O Jaana' is a dance floor number and more than anything else, one looks forward to seeing Kangna in a chilled out form for perhaps the first time ever in a Hindi film. A track with just the right kind of punch required to attract youngsters, especially in the 'Dance With Me Mix' version by DJ Suketu, 'O Jaana' is all set to be a number that would rock the charts other than 'Mahi Ve'. Pranay M. Rijia, a new composer, gets an entry into the world of Bhatts with the responsibility of creating the title song 'Kaisa Ye Raaz Hai'. The track has a haunting-n-silent beginning to it and while the pace is quite slow here, it is just right for a number belonging to this genre. A situational song, it is expected to be placed at numerous junctures in the narrative. 'Bandaa Re' marks an end to this album which has a devotional feel to it. A number which gives the message of God being right in front of you rather than at pilgrimage spots, it brings with it a fusion of Indian classical and 'Sufi' flavor. LYRICS As has been the case in majority of his songs, Sayeed Quadri's lyrics succeed in telling the most complex tale in the simplest of manners. One hear of 'Mahi Ve' and you understand why association between Bhatts and Quadri is for the keeps. However, beats hold center stage in 'O Jaana' due to which one doesn't delve deep into Quadri's lyrics. The tide reverses though for this third track in the album, 'Kaisa Yeh Raaz Hai', where quite a few questions are raised and then left unanswered in a quest to be explored further in the film's narrative. Kumaar, an emerging talent, proves his versatility once again by writing a mushy 'Soniyo' that is a far cry from the fun mood of his very own 'Maa Da Laadla' (Dostana). Surprisingly though, the lyricist of 'Bandaa Re' doesn't find his/her mention on the album's credit details! VOCALS Will Toshi be the next voice for Emraan Hashmi? By the look of things, it may well be the case after hearing him singing excellently for the young actor in 'Mahi Ve'. If Himesh Reshammiya's voice has contributed in a major way to Emraan's popularity, Toshi too has it in him to have an extended association with Emraan. Sonu Niigaam and Shreya Ghoshal are expectedly good in 'Soniyo' though both of them are best when it comes to the 'antara' part which musically too is far more impressive than the 'mukhda'. Krishna sings the 'From The Heart' version which is almost unplugged and has a far more haunting appeal than the version heard first. Listen to this solo track when you wish to just think about the one you love most with no interference whatsoever from the outside world. Later, he is also heard in 'Bandaa Re' where he makes the maximum impression during the 'Sufi' part of the song. KK proves why he is the man of all seasons the moment his voice is heard in 'O Jaana' and 'Kaisa Yeh Raaz Hai'. While he is all spirited in the former, he goes pensive in the latter, hence bringing variation in the diverse moods that the two songs are set in. OVERALL There were four questions raised at the beginning of this reviews for which the respective answers are: a) The music of Raaz - TMC indeed impresses, b) The soundtrack here is yet another good addition to the enviable music catalogue of the Bhatts and c) Emraan would certainly have some more chartbusters to add to his name. As for the last question i.e. whether Raaz - TMC matches up to Nadeem-Shravan's Raaz, then well, let's put it this way that albums like Aashique, Raaz or a Saajan are made only once and there shouldn't even be a conscious effort to replicate or surpass them. In this regard, the music of Raaz - TMC has its own place under the sun and what matters in the end is whether it works for the film or not. Well, the answer for this one is a firm Yes!

For Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

read more...

2009 to be Abhishek Bachchan's year!

Year 2008 may not go down as a memorable one for Bachchan junior, what with his DRONA being declared a box office disaster and his destined to succeed SARKAR RAJ proving to be an average show. The only silver lining was Karan Johar's Tarun Mansukhani directed DOSTANA, which has done very well at the turnstile. With DOSTANA inching towards an above average status from India (already a super–hit in the Overseas) good luck seems to be back in Abhishek Bachchan's life. And it appears from the superb promos of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's DILLI 6 that lady luck is here to stay with Ab's Baby for a while.

Yes, the promos of DILLI 6 (or DELHI 6?) are out on all leading satellite channels and portals and going by the response that it has generated, it appears that Abhishek has another winner on hand. Music maestro A.R. Rahman's lilting background musical score on the harmonica and ghatam enthralls the senses and once again expectations surmount that Rahman will create magic, just like he did with RANG DE BASANTI. Sonam's pretty, innocent looks, Abhishek Bachchan's brooding, intense visuals and the historic old Delhi, all conjure up a beautiful picture and build up the audience's curiosity.

Looks like Rakeysh is continuing from where he left off in RDB. And in the process we feel that 2009 may well be Abhishek's year, especially now that Mani Ratnam's RAVANA is progressing at a brisk pace towards completion and Rohan Sippy's next with Abhishek is on the anvil from January!

For Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

read more...

Aamir Khan gifts Surya a lap-top

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan who is acting in Hindi version of Ghajini recently met south superstar Suriya. The two had a healthy and friendly conversation. Suriya has lend his voice for the Tamil version of Aamir's flick Taare Zameen Par and Aamir wanted to gift Suriya a high-end Laptop. But Suriya politely refused the present from Aamir saying that he took pride in lending his voice for a great movie like Taare Zameen Par. Aamir did not give up, he said it wasn't a gift it was part of him that he wanted to leave it with Suriya. Both these stars shine bright in their respective industries and have a lot of respect for each others work. Wouldn't it be a treat for the viewers if these two stars team up together for a project? Well, we hope it does come true. Meanwhile wishing Aamir all the very best for his upcoming flick Ghajini.

For Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

read more...

Chandni Chowk To China coincidently similar to Kung Fu Panda

Akshay Kumar starrer Chandni Chowk To China(CCTC) is said to be inspired by Hollywood's animated blockbuster Kung Fu Panda(KFP). According to sources, "In both the films the main character feels like a loser who must fulfill his destiny by rising to an occasion and fighting the demons who want to destroy the empire. CCTC is actually KFP meets Bollywood." A few similarities seen in both the films are that in KFP the main character is a panda and is voiced by Jack Black who is a cook. In Chandni Chowk to China the main character is Akshay who is a cook himself, and his name is Sidhu. In KFP, Po leaves his hometown to fulfill his dreams while in CCTC Sidhu leaves Delhi to go to China to fulfill his dreams. After leaving home they both tend to overcome their weakness and learn martial arts on reaching their destinations. Both the movies are based in China with Kung Fu and royalty. It's also said that the potato slicing scene which is shown in the promos of CCTC is also similar to a scene in KFP where Po is shown slicing vegetables. The only uncommon factor in both these films is that CCTC is a live action film and has a heroine who is paired opposite Akki while KFP was an animated flick without any love angle to it. When asked the producer Rohan Sippy about the similarities between both the films he said that he had not seen KFP but as per the stories he has heard there seem to be a few similarities. But he also said that CCTC was written three years back and the story is based on modern day China so it's just a matter of co-incidence that so many similarities have cropped up. The director of the film Nikhil Advani was not around for any comments.

For Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

read more...

Ghajini is 3 hours Long…. will it be pruned for Multiplex purposes?

The big Christmas Release Ghajini has a longer story to tell than is considered healthy for the mutilplexes. The film's playing time of 3 hours makes it the second-longest film of 2008 after Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa-Akbar. And didn't that click? "Precisely, " avers producers Madhu Mantena who also co-produced the superhit Tamil version of Ghajini with Alu Arvind. "It's not the length. It's the performance. You could have a really boring two-hour film. On the other hand you could've a really gripping film that's three hours long." Ghajini would have been lengthier by at least 5 minutes. "We were thinking of adding theatrical trailers to the feature.That would've added 5 minutes extra to the playing- time and good 30 minutes lost during the day at the multiplexes, " explains Madhu and refutes the charge that the film is a ultra-violent. "It's not a tale of violence. It's a tale of retribution. And at the moment after 26/11 everyone wants answers. Films about retribution are always liked." As for the charge that Ghajini is a remake of Christopher Nolan's Memento Madhu says, "There are other Hollywood films on same theme of short-term memory loss like Finding Nemo and 50 First Dates. So why single out Memento?" Ah, foolproof method of avoiding copright litigation.

For Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

read more...

Shilpa to make her relationship legal next year

Shilpa Shetty put her foot down a little too hard this time. While getting out of her car she accidently steeped into an under-construction area and injured her foot very badly. "I didn't know how terrible the gash was until the blood started pouring out. I had to get fifteen stitches, " shudders Shilpa still in considerable pain. A whole song-and-dance sequence for the film The Man had to be apparently cancelled, though Shilpa isn't making a song-and-dance about her injury. But a much worse setback now awaits her schedule. Early this week she is supposed to leave for London for a photo-shoot for an international magazine. "But there's no way I can manage it with that deep wound and the limp, "she wails. Shilpa is hoping that some effective makeup would hide the wound. As for the limp, "Let's just say it makes me look sexier, " says Shilpa who claims she has found the ideal man in Raj Kundra. The two are all set to make their relationship legal early next year.

For Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

read more...

Was Ghajini sold for a whopping Rs. 90 crore?

So what's the price of the next biggie to hit the screens this year? I'm talking of GHAJINI. There's tremendous speculation about the price of the film, with 75, 80 and 90 crores being quoted by various sections of the media. The truth is something else. Quiz GHAJINI producer Madhu Mantena about it and he adds promptly, "The India theatrical business has been sold for Rs. 40 cr. (to Studio 18), while the Overseas rights (sold to Big Pictures) has fetched Rs. 10 cr." Of course, the Satellite rights (sold for Rs. 20 cr. to Studio 18), Home Video (not sold yet) and Audio rights (sold to T-Series) have also fetched handsome amounts. Another interesting aspect about GHAJINI is that the film isn't a scene to scene copy of the original GHAJINI (Tamil). "We've changed the last 30 minutes of the film. It's completely different from the original, " Madhu says. That increases the expectations from this Aamir Khan starrer all the more.

For Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

read more...

Shah Rukh did not charge a penny for Rab Ne?

It is learnt that the King Khan didn't charge a single penny from his Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi makers Yash Raj films. But that doesn't mean he has done the film for free. So what has exactly been the equation then? Read on… Insiders tell us, "Shah Rukh Khan, post the success of Chak De! India has made a rule of sorts for close friends such as the Chopra family, Karan Johar and Farah Khan that he will not charge them any money but instead opt for the stake in the profits that they offer. He had applied this rule for good old friend Aditya Chopra's just released Rab Ne and his soon to start film with Karan Johar, My Name Is Khan." "With Rab Ne all set to do bumper business at the box-office especially in North India and the overseas market, Shah Rukh may well end up taking home much more than his normal fees per film! That's a real smart move indeed of having your cake and eating it too." feels a senior Bollywood trade analyst.

For Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

read more...