Contributed by Avinash Ramchandani
avinash@indolink.com

Dilwale Dulhania Le Gayenge starts a new era of Yash Chopra productions, since this is the twenty-fifth year of Yash Raj Films and this is Aditya Chopra's (Yash's son) first time directing a film. Also, this is the first film that Jatin-Lalit has done for Yash Raj Films. The songs have a creative combination of different styles of music. It seems that Jatin-Lalit have embedded their style into a style created by Shiv-Hari, Laxmikant Pyarelal, and Khaiyyaam in previous Yash Raj film music.

"Tuje Dekha To Ye Jaane Sanam" has reminences of Rahul Dev Burman and the "Yash Raj style" while wonderfully sung by the still eighteen-year-old -sounding Lata Mangeshkar and the current numero uno -- Kumar Sanu. Surprisingly, Kumar Sanu didn't sing any other songs in the album. "Ruk Ja O Dil Deewane" has the typical attractive Jatin-Lalit beat with the perfectly synct rendering by Udit Naryan. "Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna" is a typical Yash Raj song, but it sounds like "Yeh Ghadi Yeh Pal Yeh Baaten" from the album Boyfriend (also by Jatin-Lalit). The Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Naryan combination is still six strides ahead of the Kavita Krishnamurty-Abhijeet combination of the Boyfriend number. By far, the best number of this album is "Mere Khwabon Mein", a solo by Lata Mangeshkar. With the superb music by J-L and the always sweet voice of Lata, this song beats all the rest. "Ho Gaya Hai Tujko To Pyar Sajna", sung by the sweet and sweeter Udit-Lata combination is another of the remarkable numbers of this outstanding album.

This album ranks as one of Jatin-Lalit's five best, which includes Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Khiladi, and now Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Now we shall see how Dilwale... does in the market in compitition with United Seven's Akele Hum Akele Tum (released on the same day as Dilwale...) which has music penned by Anu Malik.

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