Contributed by Avinash Ramchandani
avinash@indolink.com

Raavan Raaj starts out with a fancy number, "Husnwalo Se Ye Dil Bachaye". Udit Naryan, the lone singer in the song, is spirited like his classics in the movie Deedar. The music is satisfactory, but there are hints of Mohra and Vishwatma lingering with the new creations of Viju Shah. The next song "Aaina Aaina Tere Bin Chaina"(Kumar Shanu, Jayshree) has another reminicence, this time of "Tip Tip Barsa Pani" from Mohra. Kumar Shanu and Jayshree sing the song spiritedly, and Jayshree sounds like she could be a future star. The next song is rightfully called "Tu Cheez Badi Hai Sakht Sakht", sung by Johnny Lever (who is extremely funny), Sapna Mukerjee (who fits right), and Bali (who proves he is better suited for this song that we might have thought before). The Lyrics of Anand Bakshi are funny also. This song still sums up to be slightly annoying. After switching to side B, "Yaar Mera Mausam Hai Mastana" sounds very much like Vishwatma. Abhijeet and Kavita Krishnamurty put an interesting twist into the song, as well as a wierd "dog bark". "O Sanam O Sanam"(Shanu, Sadhna Sargam) sounds very much like a song by Laxmikant Pyarelal. Shanu is overly nasal and Sadhna is the best she can be. The last song (a cry for a hit) "Ooh! Oah! Oah!....Oah!" (Bali Bhramabhatt, Poornima) has the characteristic "good beat" of Viju Shah songs, but lacks depth. Poornima is average, she sings most of the song, and Bali sings the "repetitious" "Ooh Oah....etc." of the song.

Overall, this album lacks what it takes to become a hit like Mohra and Vishwatma. Although the movie (a true story, I might add) may have a chance to succeed, the album doesn't have much. This still shows a valiant effort by Viju Shah and his forcoming to become a good composer.

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