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Producer: United Seven International
Director: Dharmesh Darshan
Music: Anu Malik, Rajesh Roshan, Leslie Lewis
Lyrics: Dev Kohli, Dharmesh Darshan, Sameer
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Reviewed by: Anish Khanna
anish@indolink.com
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 1999 has been full of surprises. We haven't even got over the shock of
disappointment that hit us in the form of the Barjatya's "Hum
Saath Saath Hain" (take the songs out of the movie, folks, and most blatantly
stink...), when another one comes flying in our face. "Lootere"
and "Raja Hindustani" were two excellent movies with
equally beautiful musical scores. So I was brimming with excitement when I ran to my local
music store to pick up Dharmesh Darshan's latest musical venture - "Mela". Dharmesh falls short on his strongest
point thus far - music. Ok, maybe I sound a little harsh - but when expectations are so
high, it is that much more upsetting to see the results. The music directors are several -
Anu Malik, Rajesh Roshan and even Leslie Lewis.
The one exception to the above is the title song - "Mela Dilon Ka".
The song is simple, melodious, and is sung with a whole lot of gusto by the many singers
who get to participate in any of the three versions - Alka Yagnik (who is
exquisitely good in her solo version), Jaspinder Narula, Hema
Sardesai, Nitin Mukesh, Roop Kumar Rathod, Shankar
Mahadevan, Sonu Nigam, Anmol Malik, Sadhna
Sargam, Poonam, Udit Narayan, and Abhijeet.
Anu Malik scores bigtime with this one.
The millenium has arrived, so get ready for a new wave in music. It certainly, however,
does not begin with the insipid "Dekho 2000 Zamana Aa Gaya"
- a Leslie Lewis/Hariharan (of "Colonial Cousins") number. The song is
uninspiring enough to chase even the dreaded Y2K bug away.
"Dhadkan Mein Tum" (Anu Malik) is intended to
represent "Passion" according to Mr. Darshan. The number might have had it been
released 10 years earlier, but today it comes off as stale. We've all heard this song in
many forms before, and none of us cares to remember where. Even Kumar Sanu
and Alka Yagnik cannot save this one.
The only thing good about Abhijeet-Udit-Anuradha's "Kamariya
Lachke Re" (Rajesh Roshan) is that Anuradha is able to prove herself in
a song that is far from what has become her usual genre. She impresses. The song doesn't.
Enough said.
"Tujhe Rab Ne Banaya" (Anu Malik) with Udit and
Anuradha features the ever popular Punjabi style, but even utilizing such a cheap ploy,
the song does not make you want to press the rewind button. The same can be said about
"Durga Hai Meri Maa", which is your run-of-the-mill
bhajan featuring Kavita, Jaspinder, Arvinder, Mohd
Aziz and Tanvi Azmi.
The one other saving grace on this album is more because it is in tune with the playful
characteristics Udit and Abhijeet are so adept at adding to it. I am referring to "Chori
Chori Hum Gori Se" (Rajesh Roshan), which sadly is the only refreshing
thing on this album after the title song.
Overall, Dharmesh Darshan disappoints miserably. Knowing his track record, I expected this
to be one of the highlights of the year. Now, however, he has to make one darn good movie
to supercede the damage done by this album. Reports are already pouring in that the
rape-based theme packs a real punch, and for Dharmesh's sake - I hope they are true. |
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