Pardesi Babu, Hadh Kardi Aapne and now Waah Tera Kya Kehna, these are the names of three films directed by Manoj Agarwal starring his friend Govinda. The music of the last film Waah Tera Kya Kehna has just released while the film is due for a July release. Does this one hold upto the musical standards of the other 2 films. Let´s find out.

First out was Anand Raaj Anand. Although the music director is in the top league today, he somehow did not fit into the scheme of Waah Tera Kya Kehna. Even though he got one of his first breaks with Pardesi Babu and the hit song "It Happens Only In India," the makers felt for this film on Qawaals Jatin-Lalit can do a better job.

The soundtrack opens with a factory-direct number Mujhe Teri Nazar by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik. Factory-direct I say because it sounds like it was from the music bank of Jatin-Lalit and Sameer with the standard lyrics of "Aashiq", "Sanam", etc. Unlike other opening soundtrack number for Chichi´s films this one is a drag. Udit and Alka have done more numbers like this than the stars in the sky and this one won´t be in their top-10 of all time either.

Next we have Sudesh Bhosle & Anuradha Sriram crooning to Hallo Hallo. A typical Chichi number, Sudesh lends an enthusiastic effort and manages to make-up somewhat for the dry opening number. The song lets one in on the fact the film is based around Hyderabadi Qawaals with the Hyderabaadi dialect used in the track.

Ye Mujhe Kya Hoowa follows with Udit and Alka again. Opening with French-sounding lyrics, the song is upbeat and a little refreshing from the opening number of the same singing duo. Another factory-direct number though making you wonder if Jatin-Lalit were really needed for this film.

Abhijeet has Karele Ki Shaadi which is aimed at the kids. I guess after Aandee Ka Funda in Jodi No. 1, Sameer felt the karele need a song dedicated to them. Kadar Khan fills in with dialogues during the track, making it a pure situational song.

After singing in various films in the past, Govinda is back again behind the mic with I Want Money. Shweta Pandit lends support occasionally but Govinda dominates the song describing what he wants and loves: money. If one thing can describe Govinda´s singing it is that he shows much enthusiasm. Due to his mother being a great Bhajan singer, Govinda developed a likeness for singing and so does older brother Kirti Kumar who has sung in films like Hatya and Radha Ka Sangam. Back to Govinda and I Want Money, although the song won´t break any records it is a fun number and probably is the only item number for this dry soundtrack. It is a strict repeat for Govinda fans only.

The title track closes the soundtrack. Sung by Roopkumar Rathod & Kavita Krishnamurthy, the song is the only Qawaali in the soundtrack despite the film being based around Hyderabaadi qawaals. Roop Kumar and Kavita redeem the soundtrack in this qawaali picturized on Govinda and Raveena Tandon. It is nice to hear a decent qawaali from regular artists rather than professional qawaals like the Sabri Brothers and Altaaf Raja who have sung qawaalis for films in the recent past.

All and all, Waah Tera Kya Kehna does not uphold the tradition of a good soundtrack from the director who brought Pardesi Babu and Hadh Kardi Aapne in the past. Not one song sticks out in your head, except to an extent the title track. Jatin-Lalit amazingly sleepwalk through the album giving a very mediocre product, that too for a the No. 1 music label today Universal who is producing the film (Sibte Hasan Risvi heads Universal). While I went in expecting this to be one of the better soundtracks released this year, it is merely a below-average effort by a talented music duo. As for the film, it revolves around Govinda or Govindas, why the plural? For that you will have to see the film when it comes out in July. The target audience is definitely Hyderabadi´s as the dialect of the songs suggest. Finally after NRIs and Mumbai-ites, there is a film with a different target audience. The film is carrying good reports and Govinda is banking on it heavily. Hopefully Govinda´s performance will make the public say "waah tera kya kehna," because the soundtrack sure didn´t.