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One would never expect Indra Kumar's one word titles to carry so much
weight. First Dil, then Beta, followed by Raja
and Ishq, and now, he offers Bollywood Mann. In the tradition of previous Indra Kumar
directions, Mann does not fall short in the music category as Kumar is one of the few
directors who has an excellent ear for music as well as a talent for roping in the
audiences to see his films. We can only hope that the Aamir
Khan-Manisha Koirala film does just as well as his other box office
successes. Mann not only reunites producer Ashok Thakeria with director Indra Kumar after
their break during the production of Ishq, but it marks the foray of debutantes
Sanjeev and Darshan, who incidentally happen to be music
director Shravan's sons.
Mann is melodious...Mann is infectious...Mann is all that and more. Although it falls
short of masterpieces such as Dil Se..., Khamoshi,
Kareeb, and the more recent Hum Dil De
Chuke Sanam, Mann has music for ears of the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,
Soldier, and Ghulam fans.
Side A starts off with the title track, "Mera Mann",
sung wonderfully by Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan, who
dominates the entire album in each of the nine songs. "Mera Mann" is
sweet and filled with romance, accentuated beautifully by a saxophone in the background.
Udit and Alka are in top form and demonstrate that they do indeed rule Bollywood music
today. The song explores the emotions of love that one is feeling, but can not understand.
The pace is somewhat similar to Jatin-Lalit's "Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai"
from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
Next is "Tinak Tin Tana" - another Udit
Narayan-Alka Yagnik duet. The song is fun and there is no other word to describe it. The
two lead singers repeat "Gaye dil aur jhume zamana", which aptly
describes the feel of the song. Although the lyrics are not poetic or beautiful, they
definitely are not meant to be. The song is very similar to the mood of Anand-Milind's
"Tana Na Na Na Tana Na Na" from the Akshay Kumar-Nagma-Ajay
Devgan-Karisma Kapoor starrer Suhaag.
The third song is passable and is entitled "Nasha Pyar Ka".
It is a bit reminiscent of songs from when our parents were young. An Udit Narayan solo,
the song is listenable only because of Udit's voice, who never seems to carry any tune
poorly.
The fourth song is probably the best of the album and is very catchy. Again a duet, the
song has Udit Narayan accompanied by Hema Sardesai, who adds a perfect
blend of seduction to the song. Her voice slightly resembles pop star Alisha, when she
used to lend her voice to Hindi films. Entitled "Kehna Yeh Tumse Kehna
Hai", the song reflects the desire of two lovers to express their
emotions to one another. The music is very upbeat and catchy and far surpasses Udit and
Hema's other recent duet, "Kaun Hai Woh", from Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet.
Finally, side A ends with "Dance Music", which has
been part of Mann's promos. The music has a Caribbean feel to it and definitely seems
suitable for a boat setting, where the story of Mann takes place. At first, the singer's
"La La La La Lai" is a bit annoying, but eventually grows on the
listener.
Side B is a bit more slow and sappy as compared to the upbeat music of Side A. The
first of three Udit Narayan-Anuradha Paudwal duets is "Chaha
Hai Tujhko" is not bad, but it is Udit's voice that makes the song
attractive to the ears. His voice is perfect for a man yearning for his love without
sounding too sad. Although Anuradha sounded better during her Dil and Saajan days, she
does an average job.
The second of their duets is probably the best one. Called "Kyon
Chupate Ho", the song is dominated by Udit. Anuradha's voice is simply
part of the background towards the end of the album. The tune resembles something from
Western music, although I can't really pinpoint which tune. An interesting part of the
song is an overlap of Udit's voice, which should have been used more frequently throughout
the song. Again, this song is a love song that questions why his lover is hiding her
feeling.
The third item on side B is Aamir Khan's voice used in dialogue. Aamir
who made his debut with "Aati Kya Khandala" from Ghulam seems to be
very popular with music albums, with Mann and his earlier Sarfarosh song "Is
Deewane Ladke Ko". Nothing special about the dialogue - just a declaration of
his love for Priya, who is of course Manisha Koirala. Following his dialogues is the last
of the Udit-Anuradha duets, "Khushiyan Aur Gham".
Again, it is Udit that makes the song. The song is pleasant on the ears, but may be a bit
slow for some. Incidentally, a female's voice is part of the background music and sounds
very much like Chitra.
Finally, side B ends with "Kali Nagin Ke Jaisi"
sung by Udit Narayan and Kavita Krishnamurthy. The song has Arabian beats
in the background, which give the song an interesting appeal. The lyrics are not
outstanding, but are far better than Sameer's earlier work during 94 with Raja Babu and
Eena Meena Deeka. Udit is in top form, Kavita is good, but not mindblowing as she is in
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Yet, the song is too catchy to pass, especially with each line
ending with a two-word repeat (i.e. jaadu jaadu, kali kali, haule haule, etc.).
All in all, Mann meets expectations, as have the music of previous Indra Kumar flicks.
If you're a CD collector, this album is a good asset to your collection. A very
commendable effort by Sanjeev-Darshan - we here at Planet Bollywood welcome you and hope
your future endeavors are just as pleasing! |
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