Producer: Ram Gopal Varma, Boney Kapoor & Ashwini Dutt Director: Ram Gopal Varma Starring: Ajay Devgun, Mohanlal, Manisha Koirala, Antra Mali, Seema Biswas and introducing Vivek Oberoi. Sp. App. Isha Koppikar Music: Sandeep Chowta Lyrics: Nitin Raikwar, Taabish Romani and Jaideep Sahni Singers: Asha Bhosle, Sudesh Bhosle, Sapna Awasthi, Altaf Raja, Sonali Vajpayee, Babul Supriyo, Sandeep Chowta and Sowmya Raoh Audio on: T Series Number of Songs: 8

Reviewed by: Narbir Gosal Reviewer's Rating: 8 out of 10 Enter your Rating: 1 out of 10 2 out of 10 3 out of 10 4 out of 10 5 out of 10 6 out of 10 7 out of 10 8 out of 10 9 out of 10 10 out of 10

Ram Gopal Varma was once again pressured to add songs to his latest film. Not that we should complain, the director has an excellent ear for music. However the fact remains that he did want to make a songless venture, and after Satya and Jungle this is the third time he´s been asked to add songs to his movie (the only time he actually got away with a songless venture was Kaun). So to assist him he enlisted Sandeep Chowta, and luckily Chowta comes up with some amazing numbers for this crime drama. Each song has a different feel to it, there´s a variety of sounds on this album making it worth the buy!

The album starts off with the chart topper Khallas! If you haven´t seen the scintilating Isha Koppikar dancing away to this tune in the teasers then be prepared to be blown away. Asha Bhosle, Sudesh Bhosle and Sapna Awasthi join forces to render this club track. Asha Bhosle sounds like a million bucks, and it´s no surprise, this lady has so much energy and life in her and it comes across so well on all of her albums. Here she sounds seductive, and energetic, much like last years Kambakt Ishq from Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya. To accompany her is the rarely heard Sudesh Bhosle, a vocal chamleon. Here he does his best R D Burman impression to accompany Asha. The result is fantastic, and to add a little spice there is the throaty vocals of Sapna Awasthi. Together the three of them make a powerful combination making this song come alive and grab hold of you. Sandeep Chowta has composed a song which can only be described as an arabic infused club track. He´s kept the old RD Burman and Asha Bhosle item numbers in mind and it shows. The foot tapping ditty is on a level of its own, and makes you want to get up and dance. Nitin Raikwar´s lyrics are street savvy and fun, they add a fun mood to the playful track. There is a remixed version of this number on the flip side which is just as engrossing as the original, but takes a little more time to grow on you. Like the Kambakt Mix, this one too takes on a life of it´s own. The added clapping effect and voice fusion in the number is a treat to listen to. Sandeep Chowta claims that this number takes off where Kambakt Ishq left off. Actually this number is in a class of it´s own, a definite winner and surefire chart topper!

Up next is another fantastic number, Tumse Kitna sung by the elusive Altaf Raja. Normally an Altaf Raja number isn´t my cup of tea, but he sounds fantastic in this track. His rendition of the song is wonderfully restrained and refreshing. Sandeep Chowta´s composition is magical to say the least. With a techno/qawalli backdrop one wouldn´t expect much, but he´s used the flute and the guitar to add subtle touches to the song which one may not notice at first. They definitely add a lot of flavour to the song. The haunting voices in the bridges are another appealing touch. Taabish Romani´s lyrics are wonderfully romatic and poetic. The wording of the song is as intruiging as the music and vocal rendition itself, making this number a definite favourite for those who appreciate a romantic ballad.

Pyar Pyar Mein is one of those typical love songs that grows on you with each listen. The song isn´t as spectacular as the first two numbers but it´s a sweet love song none-the-less. Babul Supriyo and Sonali Vajpayee make this duet all the more loveable. Their vocals are perfect for the song, and while they do a good job in the chorus, it´s the verses where they get to shine. Babul has a soft melodious touch to his voice and can carry it well, Sonali too has a sweet voice perfectly suited for a love song. They make a great combo. The music for this track isn´t really pathbreaking, but Sandeep adds instruments to a typical composition and makes it sound like a new song all together. The main backdrop for the song is very qawalli suited, the dholak and clapping make it seem bland. Sandeep adds minor flute touches as well as the sarangi to give it a more rustic appeal, making it easy on the ears. Nitin Raikwar´s lyrics are romantic and enjoyable, but still typical. It may take a few listens to get used to but this number is definitely likeable.

Remember Goli Maar from Satya, that edgy gangster song? Well for Company Sandeep has come up with Ganda Hai. The dark track is just as fun and just as situational as Goli Maar. Except this number has a heightened appeal, and it´s thanks to Sandeep´s strange composition. The flute adds a freakish touch to the song, the electric guitar gives it a darker appeal and the synthesized beats which come and go throughout the song make it dreary. Sandeep Chowta also gives the track another twist by singing it at a very low octave. He may not have a great voice, but the way he has sung this track has to be applauded. He controls his vocals at such a low range, almost at a whisper, and deepens it at the same time to give it an evil feel. Jaideep Sahni´s lyrics are almost lost in the song. It´s difficult at times to make out what Sandeep is singing about, but they are just as dark and gloomy as the song itself. Ganda Hai will not find too many fans because the song is very situational, but it´s still an interesting listen.

The best thing about Aankhon Mein is the scarce use of instruments. The guitar, violins and the piano are the only three instuments used to accompany Sowmya Raoh´s beautiful voice. The composition is so simple and it really brings out the voice of the singer. And what a voice it is. Sowmya, who is a Rehman favourite, made a mark with her rendition of Roundhe from Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya last year. Here she takes a simple ballad and infuses so much love and innocence into it. Her voice is unbeliveable. She sounds fantastic in the song, especially in the verses. Taabish Romani makes a second appearance with his romantic and poetic lyrics. They are excellently written. All in all Aankhon Mein may be a mundane composition, it´s very soft and quiet, but the lyrics and Sowmya´s voice make it enjoyable.

Sandeep Chowta adds two musical pieces to the album (as usual with RGV). A Shot of Company is the first one. This instumental piece is the theme to the movie, but sounds like background music. What makes the piece interesting is how Sandeep uses sound effects to intensify it. There are gunshots, tires screeching and a little bit of dialouge thrown in to add spice to the track. The song starts off with a very Hollywood inspired feel to it and quickly changes gear to what explodes into a fury of sounds. The number has a very James Bond type of feel to it making it more modern and racy.

The second instrumental is Malik´s Soul. This composition is very rustic in it´s appeal, but it has a very dark undertone to it. The magnificent flute opens up the piece, and the instrument has never sounded better. And after a match is struck we hear the tabla begin to kick in, the track slowly gains momentum and then quiets down again. The tabla, flute and sitar come together as the intrumental once again picks up. This is possibly Sandeep Chowta´s best instrumental piece to date. It´s dark and dreary but very interesting to listen to.

This album is full of so many different sounds, it has to be heard. The album is definitely up there as one of Ram Gopal Varma´s better albums. The director definitely knows how to choose music and incorporate it well into his films. Although this doesn´t have the musical appeal of Mast or Rangeela, it still beats out Daud, Satya and Jungle. What really makes this album a lot of fun to listen to is the variety of songs on the soundtrack. Khallas is it´s USP, but it´s songs like Aankhon Mein, Pyar Pyar Mein and especially Tumse Kitna which grow on you and beg for a repeat listen. The album does not sound as rushed as I thought it would, considering Ram Gopal Varma was asked to add the numbers last minute. With an amazing starcast, an excellent technical team and good music, Company is really off to a great start.