Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (2012) Music Review

Rating: ★ ★ ★ 1/2

A young film often offers a good opportunity to a composer to go ahead and get some funky tunes in place. "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu “comes from the house of Dharma Productions, who after a long association with the composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy has moved on, first Ajay-Atul for 'Agneepath' and now the young talented Amit Trivedi, who shot to fame with 'DEV.D'-2008 (a soundtrack that was called as the 'Baap of all genres') and produced some handsome stuff in 'Aisha', 'No One Killed Jessica', 'Udaan' and 'Chillar Party'. Amitabh Bhattacharya (lyricist) has been a regular associate with Amit Trivedi since his debut in 'Aamir' and now when these two artists come together under a banner like Dharma Productions with Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor coming together for the first time, one expect the soundtrack to be lively, peppy and at the same time rich in quality. So, let's dwell inside and hear what these artists have to offer in the five originals and two remixes!

It opens with a crackling title track "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu" that has been making roars and catching lots of eyes with its quite eventful video. Benny Dayal and Anushka Manchanda's dictions are as usual perfect and brings on the required attitude to the song, Shefali Alvaris supports them well and being a non-admirer of the auto-tuned effect, simply loved how the vocals have been auto-tuned here. The composition has a mild peppy orchestra going through its four minute run which never gets too loud neither too pacy and that's what makes it a winner. Amitabh Bhattacharya keeps it simple this time without getting into some provocative forte with his writing. (As in 'Agneepath').

No second thoughts and the number returns back with the same set of singers as "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu-Remix". This time it's fast paced loaded with some usual remix protocol, which should make up for an adrenalizing dance number in New Year parties! 

Remember 'Sham' from the movie 'Aisha'?..Yeah, who can forget such a beautiful composition, here is another lively number "Gubbare" which lands in the same corridor as 'Sham'. Some pretentious instrumentals starts off in the first 30 seconds, from there on , Nikhil D’souza takes centre stage with Amit Trivedi and Amitabh Bhattacharya providing the backing/supporting vocals and Shilpa Rao joining in at the end. Amitabh Bhattacharya gets his poetry in motion and what draws attention is the affluent use of Trumpet/Saxophone (from 2.00 to 2.30 and onwards)-a certain trademark of the composer. Few hearings and the song will grow on you and should definitely be used well in the movie.

"AuntyJi" develops some curious expectations due to its unusual name and moreover the singer's name Ash King, who has till now crooned some beautiful romantic numbers- 'Te Amo' (Dum Maaro Dum), 'I Love You' (Bodyguard) and 'Suno Aisha' (Aisha) specifically and with AuntyJi, he enters a completely different genre (fun/comic) which is still unexplored for a voice like him. The song is a take on the middle aged woman with a touch of Retro to it reminding me some crazy numbers of Late Shammi Kapoor. Much emphasis is laid on the instrumentals (trumpet and guitar) for both the interludes with some Spanish vocals added in the first. Ash King breaks the shackles certainly in this number, Amitabh Bhattacharya's lyrics are worth a hear at least once, especially the 2nd antara, but on the musical front as a dance number, this number fails to lure you to the dance floor. Interesting attempt although!

The soundtrack takes a 180 degree turn with "Aahatein", an absorbing soft-sad-soulful number that goes unplugged for the first 1.30 minutes on piano and vocals and digs in deep with Karthik and Shilpa Rao weaving magic around some simple yet intriguing lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya that makes up for a 'High Repeat' value. Of course a track like this does have a restricted/niche audience for itself but in the context of the film, it should fit in pretty well.

What surprises though is the other version "Aahatein-Remix" with Shekhar Ravjiani and Shilpa Rao behind the mike. A conversion of a soft number into a remix is a risky affair and sometimes composers do spoil the whole ambience of the original through addition of some unnecessary thumping beats and high tempo. But Amit Trivedi makes sure to keep the mood and aura of the original intact with some ornamented and refined innovation. Shekhar Ravjiani strikes gold with his deep low/whisper notes and the final outcome is even better than the original. Plug in your earphones and take special notice how the song picks up at 1.07 and then at 1.42, simply WoW! 

"Kar Chalna Shuru Tu" brings Vishal Dadlani and Shilpa Rao together once again after some terrific compositions in "Anjaana Anjaani" last year and as a mere co-incidence, the song knocks at the doorsteps of ‘Aas Paas Khuda' and 'I Feel Good' if the overall theme is taken into consideration. Shilpa Rao falls flat at high notes (2.10 to 2.15) but overall does well to match upto Vishal Dadlani's vociferous voice. Amit Trivedi makes his presence felt with his trademark use of 'Chorus' and 'Trumpet/Saxophone' in tandem with the vocals, which is certainly the USP of the composition, especially at 4.06: Majestic! After a long time, a talent like Vishal Dadlani has been used to his full potential and the result is an engaging, philosophical composition which marks a perfect end to the soundtrack.

If compared to soundtracks like 'I Hate Luv Storys'; 'Anjaana Anjaani', 'Break Ke Baad' , then Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu will find a middle spot between all these soundtracks. Listeners searching for some 'masala' numbers may feel disappointed with just one (title track), but with the soundtrack of 'Agneepath' settling well along the listeners (apart from its Chikini Chameli), expect the soundtrack to grow with time and more specifically as the movie inches close its silver screen release. The Title track is already a hit with 'AuntyJi' getting a mixed response after its video, 'Gubbare' and 'Aahatein' requires some time, while 'Kar Chalna Shuru Tu' should definitely be an interesting watch onscreen, whether used as a background score in a situation or something else innovative!

I rate it 3.5 out of 5

Agneepath 2012 Music Review

Hrithik Roshan aka Vijay Dinanath Chauhan

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Dharma Productions have a brand value for providing some elegant and class music in their movies, their last venture 'We Are Family' was ordinary in all aspects which also raised questions about their regular musicians Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. This time, for a cult classic remake, Agneepath, they choose National Award winning musical duo of Ajay-Atul, who recently produced a good score in 'Singham' alongside some good tunes in 'My Friend Pinto'. If one looks at the past record of the composer duo, they have not lived upto the expectations in the various cameos before 'Singham' but this time with 'Chikini Chameli' being promoted aggressively (it was released digitally a week prior to the official music release) and Katrina Kaif making her fans go wild and bizarre, immense hype and expectations have been built around the soundtrack, so does the Marathi Jodi delivers? Well, let's check out in the six beautiful compositions which are written by immensely talented Amitabh Bhattacharya (lyricist).

Katrina Kaif aka Chikini Chameli

No surprise, the much hyped item number, "Chikini Chameli" blasts a dynamite as an opening track which will shatter all records soon and if 'Munni' and 'Sheila' stirred the nation, then expect this 'Chikini Chameli' to rule at least the first half of 2012. It's high on Nagada and Dhol beats with Shreya Ghoshal, known for her sugary-sweet vocals, surprising once again after some 'O La La' in 'The Dirty Picture' recently. Take special notice how seductively and at the same time beautifully she renders the line 'Aayi Chikini Chameli, Pahua Chada Ke Aayi'. Although Ajay-Atul has reconstructed their Marathi composition of 2006 into 'Chikini Chameli', it has superhit written all over it with Katrina Kaif doing some electrifying latka's and jhatka's, agreed that the choreography by Ganesh Acharya will receive criticism for some loud steps but it's the beats and the pace that he has made Katrina to dance on, Brilliant Stuff! Apart from this, it's the new age lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya who takes the cake away with some hat-ke cheeky lines that definitely deserves an applaud, especially the mukhda and the first antara, need to say more!

Gehre Paani Ki Machli Hoon Raja, Ghaat Ghaat Dariya Mein Ghoomi Hoon Main,

Teri Nazro Ki Lehro se, Haar Ke Aaj Doobi Hoon Main!

The soundtrack takes a complete U-Turn with "O Saiyyan" with minimum/soft arrangements where Roop Kumar Rathod casts a magical spell on the listeners with his voice alongside some quality Sitar and Tabla Jugalbandi in the interlude. It certainly demands full attention and few hearings to settle down but once it does it will be hard to resist. It defines the state of mind of a girl (Priyanka Chopra) after falling in love and Amitabh Bhattacharya as usual is effervescent with his lyrics. An impactful composition!

"Gun Gun Guna" has a Rahman touch right from the start. Listen carefully how it starts in the first 30 seconds with layers of instruments adding on after each line, real quality stuff from the composers. It's easy on ears with a hummable tune and becomes highly addictive in just few hearings. Sunidhi Chauhan perfectly brings on the fun/positive mood which has an Amitabh Bhattacharya stamp all over it. The conversational lyrics are the highlight of the composition which makes one think and throws light on how to live life to the fullest. Hear some pretentious instrumental from 2.28 to 2.52 with Udit Narayan doing a small cameo at the end which even raises the bar an inch higher. Sing along Gun Gun Guna Ye Gaana Re!

Sukhwinder Singh, Krishna Beura and Anand Raj Anand, three artists known for their high pitched octave notes, brings forward a qawwali, "Shah Ka Rutba" that will surely be the highlight of the movie and will make up for a grand visual extravaganza. It's more on the lines of 'Azeem-O-Shaan-Shehanshah' from 'Jodha Akbar' and the starting arrangements refreshes the memory of the epic composition 'Yaari Hai Imaan Mera' from 'Zanjeer' back in 1973. I loved the way Krishna Beura (voice behind 'Soniyo' from Raaz 2 and 'Main Jaha Rahoon' from Namastey London) vocals are used in tandem with Sukhwinder Singh. Anand Raj Anand enters the scene after three minutes when the song picks up some pace and it’s a musical treat for listeners to hear these three artists together in a single composition. Amitabh Bhattacharya does real well for some Urdu/sufi lyrics that make this number a winner all the way!

Sonu Nigam is still the master and he proves it yet again in "Abhi Mujhe Mein Kahin", a six minute composition where the musical arrangements are more or less same as in ''O Saiyyan'' but the result is even better this time and certainly will strike an instant chord with the music enthusiasts resulting in a high 'repeat' value. The instrumental Jugalbandi of Sitar, Piano and Violin in both the interludes create a peaceful ambiance where vocals and lyrics dominate the proceedings. While one waits to see it rise in popularity in days to come, one can be sure that this is one song that has in it to enjoy a long shelf life. Ajay-Atul: You are Beauty!

With immense expectations, one lands on the last track, "Deva Shree Ganesha", a devotional forte that belongs to the composer duo of Ajay-Atul. It starts with some usual enchants, Nagada sounds and enters Ajay Gogavale (earlier gave backing vocals in 'Saathiya/Badmaash Dil' from Singham) with his graceful voice and the result is an elegant composition which is creative, devotional and may be used for a climax sequence in the movie. The last one minute is opulent and has the power to provide an adrenaline rush with the Aarti enchants. Majestic!

Sanjay Dutt aka Kancha

Ajay-Atul delivers a terrific soundtrack for Dharma productions and will soon join the elite class of musicians in Bollywood. The soundtrack encompass a wide array of themes, ranging from dance, romance, qawwali to  devotional and the extensive use of instruments gives the soundtrack tremendous scale and impact. Amitabh Bhattacharya lyrics are a class apart and elevates an ordinary tune to great levels. The choice of singers, especially in 'Shah Ka Rutba' will be applauded for sure. To conclude, all six tracks are must hear and pure musical masterpieces! Strongly Recommended!

I rate it 4 out of 5

Chillar Party : Music Review

Rating:★ ★ ★
Chillar party as the name suggests,a movie based on kids,already limits the scope for music,not everyone could produce sountracks like that of Taare Zameen Par(Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy).

For this venutre ,the path-breaking musician,Amit Trivedi,takes up the job,who has given hits like Dev D, Aisha,Udaan,No one killed Jessica and few more.When the name reads Amit Trivedi,one expects something innovative and high on lyrics.Chillar party offers 8 tracks with 7 originals and 1 sad vesrion and surprisingly no remixes at all(good).

The album starts with a tapori number Tai Tai Phish which has Amit Trivedi & Jaishree Trivedi behind the mike with Ranbir Kapoor doing an item number in the video.Amit trivedi has gone a bit south in this one due to the drum arrangements which gives a feeling of Dhinka Chika(Ready) solely on the music front.The song defines the carefree attitude in a tapori style.A good number which will get more ears due to Ranbir making a special appearence in the song.

The 2nd track Aa rela hai apun,is a mere sequel to the earlier song Tai Tai Phish,the only difference is that Armaan Malik,Tanmay Chaudhari,Amitabh Bhattacharya & Arvind Vishwakarma joins in with Amit Trivedi  as the vocalist.The song offers nothing different from the 1st track,lyrics are almost the same.
After a fast pacy start comes the best track of the album Chatte Batte sung by none other than Mohit Chauhan.The song is an instant catch due to Mohit's voice(does he ever disappoints?) and the sweet-innocent lyrics like Yeh to murgiyon ke chooze se, sang ek dooje ke,Idhar udhar titar-bitar daudte phirein.
No wonder Chatte Batte comes again as a Sad Version in the end with Mohit Chauhan doing an unplugged version of about 2 minutes.Nothing much to hear in this one.


I was waiting desperately for Amit Trivedi trademark style and Ziddi Piddi just stands tall on my expectations with Amit Trivedi,Armaan Malik,Tanmay Chaudhari & Gaurika Rai doing the vocals.Its the style for which Amit Trivedi is known for,a rocky-techno-new age music.The album goes situational from here on and all the songs will add direction to the narration of the movie. 


Remember In Panchiyoon ko dekhkar from Koi Mil Gaya,here comes Ek School Banana Hai with the similar innocence, sung by Gaurika Rai,Keshav Rai,Firoza & Students of Ajivasan School.The songs is brilliantly written and brilliantly sung with a strong message.Children with their sweet,innocent voice will make you fall in love with the song and make you understand the pain that the song wants to convey.Hats off to Amit Trivedi for composing such a tune.A must hear.


As the next track, Behla Do,starts,one hears the same tune as in Ziddi Piddi being played but on different instruments.Its sung by Armaan Malik & Firoza and focuses on  how the kids are being Behla & Fusla by the guardians as Bacho ka dard koi Dard hi nai.Again the lyrics are a big plus for the song and will work well along the narration in the movie.


Liar Liar Pants on fire,no its not the polygraph machine,its the next song in the album which has vocals in english by Gaurika Rai & Keshav Rai.In the first hearing,the song will sound unusual,but with multiple hearings,the innocence with which its being sung will catch your attention and the sweet humming line Liar Liar Pants on Fire will take you back to your childhood days.The song if listened carefully has the power to bring tears in your eyes with some brilliant english lyrics and some brilliant singing.A song that will have a shelf life for sure.
All in All,Amit Trivedi provides some nice tracks that will help the movie do better on the whole.While Chatte Batte and Tai Tai Phish will get instant attraction,Ek school banana hai and Liar Liar Pants on fire will gain popularity depending on how they are being used in the movie.Its not an easy task to create music for a movie based on Baccha Log and all the tracks in Chillar Party makes sense and should reach everbody.I strongly recommend this album to everyone.

Always Kabhi Kabhi-Music Review

RATING :  ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆


First of all the movie is directed by Roshan Abbas(remember a game show called Family Fortune used to come years back,he hosted that show and now is making debut as a director,singer,lyricist in this movie-whoooaaaa).

Its an SrK venture(red chillies) and he has used 3 music directors this time,Aashish rego(given music for a low budget movie back in 2008),Shree D,Pritam Chakraborty(however 8 out of 10 are Pritam compositions)and the lyrics are by Amitabh Bhattacharya, Prashant Pandey, Irfan Siddique; Roshan Abbas.The album offers 10 tracks,6 originals and 2 remix,1 sufi version and 1 unplugged of the title song(album as a whole looks good with so much variety).

The 1st song, the only composition by Aashish Rego and Shree D,Always kabhi kabhi(Bhavin Dhanak, Sanahmoidutty,Harmeet singh ,Apeksha) surprisingly doesnt leads upto the expectations being the title song of the movie,however its a type of a song which needs some hearings and time to grow.Harmeet Singh with his fantastic sufiana voice joins the vocals after about 2 and half minutes and I wonder why he has been given just few lines in the song(a mere 30 sec).The song ends brilliantly with Harmeet entering into rahat fateh ali khan zone.(wonder why Harmeet's name is not mentioned in the list of songs vocals).Harmeet singh saved the song big time.

The 2nd song onwards the album belongs to Pritam and does he disappoints ever,naaahhh,Antenna(benny dayal,roshan abbas,apeksha),a good fast pacy track with youthfull lyrics(the trend has been such after 4 baj gaye lekin party abhi baak hai).I tried real hard to identify Roshan Abbas voice in this song but I failed.The song is a perfect Pritam composition(however it reminds me of love mera hit hit soniye-Billu Barber) and will work well once the video is released.A good fun number which comes back in a Reloaded-Srk Mix where K.K and Anupam Amod replaces Benny dayal and Roshan Abbas,this version has nothing different to offer(apart from some extra drum beats and english vocals),the original one is better than the reloaded one.

The next track School ke din(Suhail kaul[voice behind 'baatein kuch ankahi si-Life in a metro'] and ishq bector) is a fantastic song which takes you back to the school days and it has Prashant Pandey written all over it(due to the lyrics),the lyrics are perfect,however the song has a heard before feeling but it works in favour of the song as it strikes at the first go.Brilliant compostion(the best is yet to come) and singing.

Then comes Better not mess with me(rock mix-sunidhi chauhan),its more of a situational feminine song,with few english vocals,I expected it to be high on english vocals but the case is completely different.An ordinary composition which has a club mix with Shefali Alvaris(voice behind ye dil hai nakhrewala-dil toh baccha hai ji).This one is far better than the rock mix.Wonder which one will be included in the movie.

Undi the condi(shaan and aditi singh sharma),yes,thats the name of the next track.The lyrics are not that good considering the unusual name of the song.A passable number which works in parts.

Then comes the best track of the album,Jane kyun(soul version-naresh iyer),its one soft number which is a must when Pritam is the music composer.No it has no similarity with the song Jiyen Kyun of Dum Maaro Dum.Naresh Iyer has sung it beautifully(voice behind Roobaru-Rang de Basanti) and the lyrics are well written.Its a song one would hear again and again.It has hit written all over it.Its a "WOW" compositon.

The song has a Sufi version with Shafqat Amanat Ali behind the mike.This song gets better and better with the number of times you hear it,both the versions are fantastic,however shafqat takes the song to new heights and his voice is simply amazing(similar to shankar mahadevan at points).Pritam provides another chartbuster.

The last track is a surprise,Always kabhi kabhi(unplugged-vinnie hutton and apeksha),it starts with english vocals.(Vinnie hutton has recently crooned the song 'Reaching for the Rainbow' in Love U Mr.Kalakaar).The song is similar to Reaching for the Rainbow in the starting but then Apeksha takes complete hold of the song and it gives a perfect end to the album.This version is better than the original title  number due to lounge feeling.Apeksha has been a surprise package in this song.Its a beautiful composition.

The album has ups and downs and has nothing new to offer,but being an SrK production,the promotions will be very aggressive(see how the song'antenna' is being promoted)which will make the songs popular.Jaane Kyun is the best of the lot which is still crooning in my mind.Go for it,its a decent hear.