Contributed by Mohammad Ali Ikram
ali@indolink.com

Music for Chinni Prakash's first directorial venture is pretty good. Unfortunately, the sources of the music aren't very original. The film's sophomore music director Anand Raaj Anand (ARA) screamed himself hoarse last year, when Anu Malik incorporated ARA's Jhanjhariya number in Krishna. A word of advice Mr. Anand. I wouldn't complain about the lack of ethics on another music director's part, when you yourself are obviously going to lift tunes left-right-and-centre from other people also. Oh well, nonetheless, the music for Ghoonghat is still quite pleasing to the ears.

The best song in the film features first on the cassette and CD. Ghoonghat Mein Chehra Aap Ka (Hariharan) is a beautiful solo wherein the hero is complaining after his lady love hides her face from him. Parts of the music are straight lifts from Lionel Richie's "Hello", but Hariharan and the great female background vocalist imbibe grace into the song. The piano and flute rifts are also intoxicating.

Chim Chimni is a pucca copy of every child's favorite Mary Poppins song "Chim-Chimney". The Indian lyrics are luckily good enough to make the Indian version tolerable. Child singer Aditya Narayan sings Chim.. as well as two other songs in the film. (This is supposed to be a family film.) Frankly, I found Jago Jago Subah Ho Gayee too long and tedious. Hotel Mobile is a bit better because of Aditya's good street singing.

Gore Gore Paon is an above average duet by Asha Bhosle and S.P. Balasubrahmanyam. Funny though that at the beginning of the song it sounds like Ayesha Jhulka is preparing rotis and salan in the kitchen for our hero. She starts to hum a tune, and he starts to sing about her feet. Yumm! I think about smelly feet too when someone is cooking in the kitchen. (Just kidding!)

Aag Dil Mein Lagi is obviously a solo intended to be sung on stage by the film's hero (Inder Kumar). Vocals by S.P. are once again great, but it sounds like a rehash of the tunes from one of Akshay Kumar's forgettable early films, Dancer. (No ladies, Akshay is not in this film.) The song is pretty good.

Tu Hi Mera Shiva is also remniscent of a song from Dancer, but I can't say I like this song. Music is pleasant, Kavita sings well, but not being I have no clue who Shiva is (possibly related to Hinduism?) and what he has to do with anything.

Ladki Hai Bholi, a competition song between Asha Bhosle and Udit Narayan is an attempt by ARA to emulate A.R. Rahman and R.D. Burman simultaneously. (The singers are apparently intoxicated and laugh in the song a la "Jai Jai Shiv Shankar" from Aap Ki Kasam.) ARA dismally fails with this song's music, despite the competent singing.

Don't let me dissuade you from picking up the audio tape. The score is pretty good, but definitely not original. While you decide, I'm going to think up some new situations for film duets.

How about having the heroine hang from a cliff, while the hero compliments her on her great dental work or minty fresh breath??

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