Hero Hindustani

out of

Producer: R. G. Films
Director: Aziz Sajawal
Music: Anu Malik
Lyrics:
Rahat Indori, Zameer Kazmi, Prayagraj, Dev Kohli, & Gauhar Kanpuri

Reviewed by Mukul Deshpande
mukul@indolink.com


Hero Hindustani is one of the two "releasing-soon" films starring the hottest new off-screen pair in tinseltown: Arshad Warsi and Namrata Shirodkar. The other film, Mere Do Anmol Ratan, also stars Mukul Dev and has music by Rajesh Roshan. Hopefully, Namrata, who made a guest appearance in Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai, will fare better career-wise than younger sister Shilpa Shirodkar. The former Miss India must be looking forward to the music of her forthcoming films because a hit score can really boost her chances of making it big in filmdom. Unfortunately for her (and us), Anu Malik doesn't exactly fulfill her expectations.

The title song, rendered by Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik, has a simple tune. One of those tunes which you hear and then think: Hey, I could have thought of that! But that's the speciality of Anu Malik. He creates tunes that aren't terribly intricate but still are ear-friendly. Ear friendly alright, but with the amount of good music we're being subjected to this year, this song certainly isn't one of my best songs of '98. And even then, it is head and shoulders (and feet) above five of the other six songs in this album. That doesn't say much about the rest of the album, does it?

A little more 'hut-ke' than the title song is "Aisi Waisi Baat Nahin". The song has a superfluous intro and ending by Sapna Avasthi. And in between, we have two singers who aren't used to singing romantic songs. Hema Sardesai doesn't have much to do. But Roopkumar Rathore spoils the fun. His quivery voice, which is perfect for sad songs like "Sandese Aate Hai" (from Border), isn't well-suited for love duets. Very listenable song nevertheless.

Then the decline begins. In "Deewana Deewana Main Tera", the hero and the heroine go on and on about how nothing matters to them except for each other. Kumar Sanu and Sadhana Sargam don't do much to make this stale song sound fresher.

The first song on Side B makes the last song sound great. This time, the hero is delighted he has finished with school and is going to enter college-life. In other words, he is old enough to think about females. And so Abhijeet sings "Aadha ticket mera full ho gaya ...". Forget the song, but does Arshad Warsi - from any angle - look like a boy who's just got out of school?

Things get worse. Attaullah Khan cries - and I mean CRIES - throughout the next song "Saawal Saawal". I appreciate Anu Malik's intention to introduce one of Pakistan's well-known singers to the Hindi film industry, but his style of singing seems to be out of place here. Over eight minutes of plain torture.

More painful music follows when Iqbal and Afzal Sabri ______ (can't use the word "sing") "Maahe Ramzaan". The only good thing about this song (?) is that it lasts for about two minutes.

Eid is what the last song "Chand Nazar Aa Gaya" is all about. Just in case some of you don't know: Ramzaan is the month during which Muslims fast; they break the month-long fast only when they see the moon (that's where "Chaand nazar ..." comes in); and that also means it's time to say "Eid Mubarak". The song, sung by Sonu Nigam who is supported by Alka and the Sabri brothers, is the saving grace of a mess called Side B.

Hero Hindustani is about a London-based girl who's forced to marry in India (against her wishes). And to escape from marriage, she hires a husband in India! The story is original, but too bad that isn't enough to attract audiences to cinema-halls. In Bollywood, a film with almost nil star-power can do good business only if it has great songs. Now there's no point blaming Anu Malik for the lack of great songs in this film, 'cause we know he's talented (if you still have any doubts, go listen to Kareeb or Border). It's the director's responsibility to extract the best out of a music director. And Aziz Sajawal has failed pretty badly at that. So that means trouble for Arshad and Namrata. Hmmm ... good luck, you two. You need it.


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