Reviewed by Akhlaq Hussain
akhlaq@indolink.com

The soundtrack opens with the title track sung by SHANKAR MAHADEVAN in great form, it is a typical "teasing" number and will go down great with the roadside romeos. The catchy number is being used to promote the film but for some odd reason AMIT KUMAR has been replaced by Shankar Mahadevan in the soundtrack unlike in some of the trailors. Once you hear the song, you can just imagine Amit sing the song in his place, but since only an instrumental version is repeated we'll never know how he really sounds unless Amit is retained for the actual film.

Next is the much-hyped I LOVE YOU BOL DAAL sung mainly by SUDHESH BHOSLE, SONU NIGAM, and ALKA YAGNIK. GOVINDA and SUNJAY DUTT lend some support but no real singing by them, just some lines in between refrains. The song is another tapori-teaser number living upto the standards of AATI KYA KHANDALA (mainly because it is written by NITIN RAIKAWAR who wrote Aati Kya Khandala). The track will also be a favorite with all guys hoping "Haseena Maan Jaayegi."

After the two teaser numbers we have a third teaser with SONU NIGAM and ALKA YAGNIK in the peppy WHAT IS MOBILE NUMBER. Being a David Dhawan film the song is forgiven, if the song were in any other director's film, one would probably immediately rip the song apart. It has a fast beat and a catchy rhythm, picturized on GOVINDA and KARISMA incidentally.

PANGA NA LE MERE NAAL is the OBLIGATORY PUNJABI number thrown in with SONU opposite POORNIMA this time. Another fast-beat number which suits both singers and of course is on ChiChi and Karisma again. If you're wondering why the PUNJABAN RANI JASPINDER NARULA wasn't chosen for the song, ANU said she wouldn't suit LOLO's voice and he is right, she suits RAVEENA more than Lolo that's for sure. The song is likely to become a favorite with BHANGRA lovers.

Next we have a romantic number YUN HUA with SONU accompanying ALKA YAGNIK again. It's no "TUJHE DEKHO TO..." but is a pleasant break from the fast-paced numbers in the film. Sonu begins to suit Alka more and more once you listen to the soundtrack since KUMAR SANU is currently on a self-imposed hiatus. The number is on ChiChi and Lolo in the film incidentally.

After all the Sonu Nigam-ChiChi songs, SHANKAR MAHADEVAN and HEMA SARDESAI sing in CHITI PAHAD CHADHE describing why girls stay tuned to fashion so much (for boys obviously-at least according to SAMEER). Shankar does a decent job and is also pleasant to hear after Sonu in the last few songs. The song is picturized on SUNJAY and POOJA BATRA who finally will be given some footage in the film.

The soundtrack ends with the marriage number trend DULHA BHI LAJAWAB HAI sung by SONU(once again!) but with KAVITA KRISHNAMURTHY and RAM SHANKAR. The song lacks that extra punch of recent wedding numbers like SONA SONA, CHAL PYAR KAREGI, etc. but since it's in a David Dhawan film, why worry, the picturization will more than make-up for it with ChiChi dressed up as a 70+ MIYAN describing his plight and of course trying to win KARISMA's heart.

All in all HASEENA MAAN JAAYEGI is only for those who enjoyed David and ANU's past creations like JUDWAA, YAARANA, BIWI NO. 1, or if you are a SONU NIGAM fan you'll enjoy the soundtrack. David has developed his niche and will never move from it so you either accept his style of music in his films and his film direction or don't. This is a must-have if you are a David-ChiChi-Anu Malik or Sonu Nigam fan. As for a look into the film, it's about two spoilt rich brothers whose father (played by KADAR KHAN-who else did you expect?) sends them off to become "useful men" but along the way the two fall into trouble but eventually prove their worthiness by saving their father from the clutches of the bad guys. This is Govinda's 12th film with DAVID DHAWAN and he has one more with DD planned this year, KUNWAARA (releasing against HUM SAATH SAATH HAIN in NOVEMBER-TIPS sure must be confident). The acid test for ChiChi will come in November, since Haseena Maan Jaayegi is already being said to be a no-brainer HIT at the box office (since it has the trio of KARISMA-GOVINDA-DAVID who have yet to give a flop, SUNJAY and POOJA BATRA are an added bonus), but still let's all hope AUDIENCE MAAN JAYEGI!