The Hero   Producer: Time Movies - Dhirajlal Shah, Pravin Shah Director: Anil Sharma Starring: Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra, Amrish Puri, Kabir Bedi, Rajpal Yadav Music: Uttam Singh Lyrics: Late Anand Bakshi, Javed Akhtar Singers: Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Jaspinder Narula, Hariharan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sardool Sikander Audio On: Time Music Audio    Number of Songs: 10 Album Released on: 20 February 2003 Reviewed by: Rakesh Budhu  - Rating: 6.0 / 10   Let us know what you think about this review Movie Review

Bite your tongues or just say it. Quite frankly, music is unessential in most Sunny Deol films. Though a good tune is always a pleasant addition, they are relatively of no significance to the film. Hence, completely accepting this fact, the impeding conclusion on the music for The Hero is that it is simply passable, nothing spectacular certainly nothing of super hit caliber. Given the circumstances it is safe to say that this says nothing about the large scale heavily budget film itself. Uttam Singh re-teams with

Anand Bakshi, but due to the unfortunate passing, Javed Akhtar came in as well. That said, one should not expect the meaningful lyrics that both of these lyrics are known to give, simply because it is not here.

Perhaps the best song on the soundtrack is the folksy “Dil Mein Hain Pyar”, but your endurance of the track will be tested as it has been repeated six times. Hopefully five of the six versions will be relegated to the background (or not heard at all?) In any case, there is evidence of experimenting with a view sundry tunes and Alka does sound attractive albeit in six versions. Jaspinder Narula adds some folk to it. The trend may have been kept over from the four versions of “Udja Kale Kawan” in

Gadar Ek Prem Katha, and while the former is better, the song has its enjoyable characteristics and the potential to become very popular. The four other versions are relatively slower, with the last a sort of remix with a swift beat.

“Tere Sheher Ka Kya Hai Naam, Mohabbat Hai”, is a typical romance number. The song seems tailor made for the heroine Preity Zinta and holds its own with a swift techno beat. Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik are back to their regular monotonous romance songs after a year of omission from probably everything.

There is actual orchestration in what is a sensuously diligent track in “Tum Bhi Na Mano”. A slow as it begins; the song seems perfect for Hari Haran. Though there are the exciting portions of swift thrilling music, the song seems more like a partition of lovers’ song which predominantly tries to arouse emotion for the torn couple. Alka Yagnik’s rendition is enjoyable. The emotion is asserted, but if anyone is listening it is for the dramatically well composed interludes. Javed Akhtar is proficient here in expressing the emotion.

“In Mast Nigahon Mein” uses a bit of the “enigma” beat some more and then some. Dialogues (by Udit Narayan and Amrish Puri), the paradoxical screechy yet smooth vocals of Sunidhi Chauhan and relatively nothing special tarnish the song. It also sounds a bit like “Haire Haire Hai Rabba” from Jeans and remains purely situational. Udit Narayan doesn’t dazzle. This is Javed Akhtar’s other contribution to the soundtrack.

“Mari Koyal Ne Aise Cook” has Punjabi experts Sardool Sikander and Jaspinder Narula singing in Punjabi folk. Seeing as though this is a Sunny Deol film, the Punjabi number is mandatory. Uttam Singh has managed to add a different zest rather than the typical Punjabi beats that we are so accustomed to hearing and the outcome is pleasantly different and even makes the song good. Both singers are emotive and the song does get our attention.

Indubitably, The Hero: Love Story of A Spy is an essential release for Bollywood in the upcoming months. Mounted on a gargantuan scale, a really large budget, should one have expected super hit music? Considering the other facets behind the project, not really. In essence, expect nothing spectacular from this one but pure time pass, a song or two may be remembered but like most Sunny Deol [soundtracks], there’s nothing much doing.