To prove his versatility, the composer comes up with a special qawwali, two soulful numbers and some high energy songs. 
How many times have we heard that Anu Malik is now le passé? Or perhaps that his career is on a grave and dark path to an end? However, with Jaan-E-Mann, it’s a new career lease for Anu Malik.
Let’s venture in a musical extravaganza with grandeur, prestige, ambience, sorrow and joy. This is what Hum Ko Maaloom Hain is all about! It is genuinely touching and intense. The piece is impressive as it combines different moods – which gel well in the music. It is a long and rhythmic track that sticks in your subconscious for various reasons. The amount of orchestration work is big with a maximum number of instruments used to display the flamboyant cycles of life. Grandiose in its concept, the song traverses many genres but keeps its high standard. Malik goes sophisticated with the music and displays a complete grasp of his work. The strength of the music lies in the magnificent collage of the different situational musical pieces. The way he has translated his ideas to a full orchestra sweep away your expectations.
The background score swings from the chorus to solo instruments in minutes. The electronic strings and synthesizers work are formidable. One piece of the interlude is similar to Paul Koulak’s Fort Boyard Theme.Sonu Nigam is splendid in his rendition and shows his versatility once again. His efforts in singing the antara in high pitch clearly display how far he can go with his vocal chords. Sadhna Sargam is excellent. Her evocative vocal spell adds depth and passion to the situational lyrics of Gulzar. Hum Ko Maaloom Hain is an odyssey where you tend to forget about everything and get captivated into this magical music of life.
After pioneering the rock qawwali in Main Hoon Na, one would have never expected Malik to churn out another different qawwali and not a rehash. He leads another musical innovation! Three ingredients are needed for a successful qawwali: high pitch rendering, grand orchestra and an energetic chorus. Malik innovatively adds two more spicy ingredients; a catchy tune and electrifying music! It is presented as Jaane Ke Jaane Na. This is smashing stuff! It’s an in and out Malik number. Sonu Nigam never fails with such compositions and sounds like Malik himself in some parts. Sukhwinder Singh is back and doesn’t disappoint either. Krishna is effective as always with the high pitch renditions.
But the song scores on its arrangement. The impressive tabla sounds coupled with the rhythmic guitar played after each stanzas rock! A totally addicting beat kicks in along with the peppy and funky music. Heavy reliance is placed on the catchy male chorus and the big orchestra, loudly playing the music. The lyrics are again situational. Jaane Ke Jaane Na is straightforwardly rocking!
There is a feeling of loneliness, sadness and anguish in Ajnabi Sehar. This long route to find happiness and to overcome the hurdles of being a stranger in a big city, are the worst phases in one’s life. This distressful and lonesome journey in life without a lover is reflected in the poetry of Gulzar. Sonu Nigam elevates the song to a higher level with his emotional rendering – which is truly dil se. Malik’s composition is mature and passionate. It is the flute which dominates the track with the piano in the background, played with a spectacular amount of soul. Sad strings and melancholic music subtly back the orchestration. The song progresses into a sweet and lovely lullaby with the right touches on the guitar.
Definitely, it is a beautiful song, which effortlessly combines the rich moody vocals of Sonu Nigam with the now standard ethereal electronic vibes. The new array of sound effects, instruments and samples Malik uses give the track all its essential musical vitamins to make it sound fresh and pleasing. Ajnabi Sehar is a delightful piece that takes you through the ups and downs of this complicated, yet fun life.
If you are looking for music that is more for your mood rather than to make you move, then Sau Dard is for you. It has oceans of soul and rivers of class with a right dose of grandeur. Feelings and emotions are felt and this is where the song tries to reach. Deep meanings in the lyrics beautify the piece. The flute once again monopolizes the track while the piano in the background magnifies the presence of emotions in Sonu Nigam’s voice. He renders in finesse and in class.
Gentle beats in the background and some new sounds complement the song. The grand orchestra is used fully with special attention given to the female chorus chanting in an occidental version. Malik arranges the melody for the electronic instrumentation, which brings the soundtrack back to the quiet synthesizer work from the masterpiece Asoka. The piece is very digital, intense and thoroughly brilliant! Sau Dard is an audio tonic for souls aching for deeper meaning, inner peace and harmony.
Udh Jaana…Bro! is a number composed for Salman Khan! It follows the same furious tempo of songs like in O O Jaane Jaana (Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya) and Aisa Pehli Baar Hua Hai (Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega). The track is situational where Kunal Ganjawala, Sunidhi Chauhan, Adnan Sami and Earl D’Souza use up all their energy in rendering the song. If backed by great choreography and picturization, this one is sure to work on screen. Different music instruments are used. However, there are too many styles mixed together. Equipped with rap and classical Indian pieces, the track also has some guitar work blending with the lively chorus. Udh Jaana...Bro! is a fun number to be enjoyed!
Malik now enters into the territory of potpourri with the fast paced Kubool Kar Le. If you have missed Sanam Tum Hampe Marte Ho (Wajood) and Nach Baliye (Bunty Aur Babli), then you would find both of them in this number! While Udit Narayan’s few introductory lines are from Sanam Tum Hampe Marte Ho, Rahul Vaidya, Amit Sana, Monali Thakur and Prajakta Shukre (of Indian Idol fames) rendering the stanza Kubool Kar Le, is surprisingly similar to Nach Baliye! The song carries the same exact beats from Jump Around – House of Pain. Still Malik makes it catchy and infectious! The children chorus is sweet. Kubool Kar Le is mainly situational but it rocks!
Remixes: None of them stand out! Jaane Ke Jaane Na (Club Mix) by DJ Shane is foot tapping but not electrifying - like it should have been. DJ Shane is ordinary in his remixing abilities in Sau Dard (Groove Mix). A complete no-no! Udh Jaana...Bro! (Club Mix) is another disappointment for this potentially rocking remix from DJ Shane.
Full of passion and grandeur, Jaan-E-Mann is one of the most enjoyable soundtracks in years from Anu Malik. It conveys the emotions of euphoria, confusion, festivity, fame, loneliness and pain all at once. And it manages to exude such with remarkable beauty, thanks to Malik’s music. Sonu Nigam comes out as a winner with two mesmerizing solos and two hit numbers! Malik proves again that he can survive the competition and maintains his prime position for his versatility. Remember it’s the same man who composed Mard, Baazigar, Judwaa, Soldier and Kya Kool Hai Hum, and also came up with Sir, Border, Kareeb, Refugee and Asoka. In Jaan-E-Mann, Malik proves that he has a tune for every situation.
On the technical side, the tunesmith shows innovation in his orchestration and arrangements. He combines his new sounds with a Vangelis approach. Gulzar’s outing with Malik is another treat but to a lesser extent this time around, mainly because of the situational tracks.
Jaan-E-Mann’s soundtrack is a must-have album for aficionados of Anu Malik and melody lovers. And it shows that the Anu Malik we've all grown to love, hate, or have mixed feelings about, knows his job and is back in business.
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