Contributed by Avinash Ramchandani
avinash@indolink.com

A.R. Rahman comes into this movie after two albums that haven't made a big move in the box office yet, Chor Chor and Love Birds, and one album that has done quite well, Tu Hi Mera Dil. Hindustani comes as another potential for a big hit with songs like "Latka" and "Telephone" the album is significantly better than the humdrum tunes of Chor Chor and Tu Hi Mera Dil (except the title song). The diversity of the songs is the same, as in Chor Chor, Tu Hi Mera Dil, and Love Birds there are the normal crowd pleasers (i.e. moderate to fast paced songs sung by popular singers with a good beat) and the typical A.R. Rahman slow songs, that bore after listening to any other slow song. All four of these albums, Chor Chor, Tu Hi Mera Dil, Love Birds, and Hindustani are dubbed.

The first song, "Latka" a potential crowd-pleaser, is rendered stylishly by Swarnalatha. The song is in the album twice, also sung by Suchitra Krishnamurty. Krishnamurty isn't as pleasing to the ear, her nasily, high pitched voice cracks and, whether purposely done or not, she has a very irritating accent. P.K. Mishra's lyrics are different, but appropriate for the song. The next song (called "Telephone") is rendered well by the peaking singers Hariharan and Kavita Krishnamurty, is another potential hit. The lyrics are not impressive. The next three songs are slow and not too creative.

A.R. Rahman should look for a hit in this album. Being produced by Jhamu Sughand and starring Manisha Koirala, Urmilla, and Kamal Hasan, the movie should do well also. The competition is fierce right now in the music industry. The recent releases of Khamoshi, Fareb, The Return of the Jewel Thief, Jeet, Darrar, Prem Granth, Kaalapani, Rahul & I, Army, and Chaahat, could only inhibit the album's success.

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