New York   Producer: Aditya Chopra Director: Kabir Khan Starring: John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Katrina Kaif, Irrfan Khan Music: Pritam, Pankaj Awasthi Lyrics: Sandeep Shrivastava, Junaid Wasi Singers: K.K, Mohit Chauhan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Caralisa Monteiro Audio On: Yash Raj Music    Number of Songs: 8 Album Released on: 08 June 2009 Reviewed by: Atta Khan  - Rating: 3.0 / 10   Let us know what you think about this review Movie Review

Ladies and Gentlemen, the young and the old…alas you have all been starved of music for a good few months but fear not anymore because now that the strike is over we can all expect some great music from one of our favourite composers: Pritam…or can we? Well maybe not quite yet then because his collaboration with Yash Raj Films for the forthcoming NEW YORK is quite possibly one of his (and YRF’s) worst soundtracks ever! And before you start pointing the finger at me for being a hard-nosed critic, I urge you to read on and find out why this is such a disappointment. Or better still, take a listen first and then come back for a rendez vous…admittedly the movie is a thriller in which music probably plays a very small part but that's no consolation to music fans is it? And we're not expecting a soundtrack to match a Delhi 6 or a Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi for that matter so the pressure is off Pritam in any case...Can he put a smile on our faces again?

Now that guitar strumming at the start of Hai Junoon is a bad omen indeed and you begin to get a feel for Pritam’s mindset (or lack of). What follows is a RUN OF THE MILL happy-go tune that only singer K.K. helps make passable even though his rendition of the chorus line “Hai Junooooooon” becomes irritating after a while….the lyrics by Sandeep Shrivastava just don’t grab your attention at all and frankly you wish it all ends at the 3:40 mark when it mutes for a second only for K.K. to start the final verse. But we all know he needn’t have bothered. Of course it will all sound great on screen with either John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh and the gorgeous Katrina Kaif but that’s beside the point…it’s still a poor show from Pritam… Bad Pritam!

Note Hai Junoon Remix is a good effort by Julius Packium.

Any mixed feelings one may have about Pritam’s intentions with this soundtrack are confirmed with the next sonically deprived offering called Mere Sang. When Sunidhi Chauhan sings well (like she does in the new OST Let’s Dance) she has the potential to mesmerise the listener but she is somewhat helpless here with some more bland music (and lyrics) that is re-cycled beautifully by someone who is definitely on cruise control here…. Bad Bad Pritam!

Unfortunately, there’s too much repetition in Mere Sang Remix by Julius.

Ok so everyone is in love with Mohit Chauhan these days. The man is certainly the singer of 2009 thus far (“Masakalli” and “Gulon Mein” were brilliantly sung of course) and one that Pritam is using in practically every one of his soundtracks (including the forthcoming Love Aaj Kal) but even he can’t save the soundtrack in the disappointing Tune Jo Na Kaha. The music is pedestrian which suits Mohit’s voice of course but it also lacks that spark and freshness to give it repeat value although the lyrics are an improvement from Sandeep… and from the sound of it, that boredom is catching because that’s exactly how Mohit sounds…bored, helpless and waiting for someone to sign him up for something a tad more interesting. Pritam signs off with another forgettable track. Bad Bad Pritam!

Pritam’s early end to proceedings is not necessarily a bad thing given his pathetic approach to this soundtrack. So it comes as a welcome relief when Yash Raj Films decide to bring someone else in to complete the soundtrack. That composer is Pankaj Awasthi who also sings the situational track called Aye Saaye Mere with lyrics by Junaid Wasi. It’s not bad but not brilliant either although it should work in the movie.

The two theme instrumentals to end the soundtrack are undoubtedly the highlight of the CD. Firstly we have Sam’s Theme composed by Julius Packium and sung by Caralisa Monteiro. Then we have the New York Theme also composed by Julius. Both are solid instrumentals.

Whilst New York OST has been a shocker from Pritam he will be back with a bang- there’s no question about this since he has done this many times before. In fact I expect him to have produced some cracking music for Love Aaj Kal which is due for release very shortly. Unfortunately, he leaves his worst tracks for a Yash Raj Film and as a result their jinx (with poor music) continues...Rab Ne Bana De Jodi was an exception of course but then that was composed by their current favourite composers Salim-Sulaiman not their forgotten son who returns to haunt them in more ways than one. Ouch!