out of

Producer: Satish Tandon
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Music: Anu Malik
Lyrics: Sameer

Reviewed by: Anjali Abrol
dilwaliji@indolink.com

I look at the music director and groan. Anu Malik, I think. The guy is pretty good sometimes, and he is pretty popular, grabbing a lot of the music for newer releases, but we all know very well that quantity does not mean quality. Now, more exciting than the songs themselves is the mystery of trying to figure out where our friend Anu copied his music from, even if it is from himself (which would then link to another copied tune). Sometimes it's tough, though, because he is also good at remixing it, so well that we cannot differentiate between several different lifted tunes. Another thought strikes me and I sigh in exasperation. Guaranteed, Anu baba has set aside a song or two (make it three, yes THREE, for this album) for him to croon (shriek) to, and well, this album did not escape the... the.... usual delight?

And we open with just that! Anu Malik is joined by Alka Yagnik, and she could have done just as well without him, but not to fear, Aaila Re is just one of those crass songs that you would forward anyways. Honestly, it sounds like one of those early '90s Jackie Shroff songs, Jackie dancing around in the middle of a village with some nameless heroine (think the title song from Dil Hi Tho Hai or something, with Divya Bharti). Nothing particularly worth noting. Pass

The next song, Mere Bina Tum, sung by Alka Yagnik and Kumar Sanu, is not much better. The slow song bored me to tears, and frankly, I couldn't make it past the first few minutes of the monotonous song. Maybe the movie will be able to jazz it up a bit. Passable

Unfortunately, Jaspinder Narula is forced to waste her breath singing alongside none other than...than? Yep, Anu Crass Malik. The big tipoff of the type of song are the singers, and Anu Malik figured out a long time ago from his solo debut album, Eyes, that he was not cut out for meaningful songs. Hence, crass lyrics fits Anu's voice. The only song I can recall of Anu's that I actually liked was the title song to Jaanam Samjha Karo. Jaspinder did not sound like she was too enthused to sing a bad version of a Bhangra song, saddened by the butchering of her native Punjabi masala by Anu Malik. If you listen closely, you can almost hear her crying in desperation as she sings the lyrics Rail Gaddi Ayi, lifted by the old famous Bhangra song, Rail Gaddi. The music is ordinary Bhangra music-gone-clubby but is still beaty. Better than the last two songs

The title song, Jung, is saved from Anu's verbal butchering, left to be sung by Hariharan and Mahalakshmi. Mainly, it is a chorus-sung song, with Mahalakshi singing the intro. The music sounds very '80's disco Amitabh-Vinod Khanna, I just can't pinpoint the exact song it is lifted from. Next!

Ram Kare is sung by the more melodious voice of Pankaj Udhas, joined by Karsan Sagadia. The music is slow, subtle and pleasant and is well-sung, and the lyrics are quite nice. Unfortunately, the refrain sounds wayyy too much like Ram Jaane. Enjoyable, especially if you like the Ram Jaane song

Dil Mein Jigar Mein reminded me instantly of the song "Dil mein tu, jigar mein tu". Sung by Kumar Sanu and Hema Sardesai, the music lacks uniqueness and suffers from Jhankar Beat syndrome (wonder if Anu Malik copied it from Anand-Milind's Krodh or vice-versa?). Nothing special. Next!

The last of the Anu Malik singing disaster is She Gives Me Fever. Frankly, it is too funny to even make fun of, the title itself telling you that Anu Malik needs to go to Bollywood Music Direction rehab. Fast-forward!

The album finally closes with an instrumental piece which is an average score.

Bottom line: Skip this album if possible. It isn't even worth borrowing from a foolish friend of yours who may have bought the tape!