TERE LIYE

out of

Producer: Devang Dholakia
Director: Sanjay Gadhvi
Music: Jeet-Pritam
Lyrics: Abbas Tyrewala

Reviewed by: Mandeep Bahra
mandeep@indolink.com

This low budget movie about six wannabe stars trying to put together a rock band has almost everything stacked against it. In addition to an inexperienced director, the film's stars are complete unknowns - not a star son or daughter in sight - which seems to be a big no-no these days at the box office. What might just get this project some attention is the brilliant soundtrack composed by newcomers Jeet and Pritam! (Hey, if it can work for a dreadful film like AASHIQUI, then anything is possible).

The album begins with the rhythm-based, "Dil Dhapaak", which is bound to get your feet tapping. Sonu Nigam displays yet another dimension to his talent by flexing his vocal cords as never before. There is great use of percussion and Spanish guitar accompanied by rather benign lyrics from Abbas Tyrewala, (his satirical lyrics for DIL PE MAT LE YAAR made much more of an impression). Nevertheless, this is a great track; the kind the rewind button was invented for.

From heavy percussion to no percussion! "Suno Piya" has soft arrangements making use of the keyboards and guitar, however, this romantic ditty is propelled forward by the strong vocal power of Kavita Krishnamurthy and Sonu Nigam. The pair sing in perfect harmony to create an enjoyable love song.

The title track, "Tere Liye", is composed more like a western ballad and would fit perfectly in the international charts were it not for the Hindi lyrics. Sonu Nigam shines once more with this melodious number. The 'sad' version for some reason has a few lines by KK, while Sonu handles the rest of the song. Not as appealing as the 'happy' version.

'60's rock 'n' roll is our next stop with, "Chikna Ajnabi". This breezy number will have you tapping your feet and smiling indulgently as Kavita and Sonu once again flirt with your stereo system's loudspeakers. Definitely rewind time!

"Halka Halka Paani" takes a bit of getting used to. The Latin American rhythms fused with club dance music and flamenco guitar make for interesting, ear-friendly arrangements, but the lyrics are petty inane. However, despite the nursery rhyme lyrics, the song has a "joie de vivre" quality that's irresistible, and Sonu and Jaspinder Narula will have you dancing around your house in no time!

"Tanha Hoon Yaara" is a rather dramatic love song, once again in the western ballad mould. Hariharan takes to the mike this time but despite good singing, fails to bring the sparkle to the song that Sonu brings to the other numbers. The sound of the piano dominates on this track which is a refreshing change, but the number and the singing really suffers from a 'Lionel Ritchie' hangover.

"Jee Lenge" sounds like a big concert number, probably the finale of the movie. Kavita, Sonu Nigam, KK and Swastika all sing with energy and enthusiasm. Kavita especially, excels in her portions and the rock style of music is somewhat reminiscent of Bon Jovi's earlier work.

The album ends with an unnecessary 'remix' of "Dil Dhapaak" which is too fast and frenzied, and lacks the inherent 'coolness' of the original.

Composers Jeet and Pritam have made an impressive debut. Although I'm sure a lot of electronic instruments were used, the duo have managed to create an acoustic sound in all the arrangements. This kind of music is rarely composed for films which leads me to suspect that these songs started life on a private album. Nevertheless, this album is a welcome addition to the film soundtrack repertoire.