With just two blockbusters to his credit [Kuch Kuch Hota Hain and K3G] Karan Johar [KJ], coming from the Yash Chopra school of movie making, has established himself as one of the top directors in Bollywood. His films are rich in emotions, sentiments, songs, dances, costumes, sets and cast. KJ, who believes in directing films with his own scripts, this time leaves his baby [read story] in his assistant Nikhil Advani's day care. (Just in case you are wondering about the analogy, that's KJ's own and not mine).

Needless to say, Shah Rukh Khan [SRK], who commands a mandatory presence in Johar's films, is the lead actor in Kal Ho Naa Ho [KHNH] wooing Preity Zinta (and not Kajol, who is another regular of KJ's films). Completing the triangle (this time, its two guys and a girl) is Saif Ali Khan. SRK and Preity Zinta have worked together in Dil Se [directed by Mani Rathnam], which was Zinta's first release. Saif and Zinta were paired up in Kya Kehna [directed by Kundan Shah], which was Zinta's first signed movie. And now she is again paired up with her first heroes in a movie of such magnitude, mainly due to the presence of big stars, big banner [Dharma Productions] and KJ [as the story writer]. The expectations from this movie whose caption reads 'A story of a life time... in a heartbeat' are gargantuan, to say the least, even though the film is directed by a debutante Nikhil Advani and not Karan Johar himself.

Music of KJ's films is something that is eagerly awaited, just like his movies. After a tiff with Jatin Lalit, during the making of K3G, KJ has pledged not to work with the duo ever again. Consequently, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy [SEL], who are now regarded as the messiahs of Hindi music, step in to give KHNH a different sound and beat. And they succeed to a great extent in doing so, coming up with a peppy and melodious score. They try to give us everything that is expected of KJ's movies - a melodious title song, a soulful sad song, some peppy Punjabi numbers and as an icing on the cake, they come up with an ultra cool disco number. (Pardon my excessive usage of short forms, but I promise SEL is the last one.) Given, SEL's 'track' record [like the soundtracks for Mission Kashmir, Abhay, Dil Chahta Hain, Armaan, Kuch Naa Kaho] and now the soundtrack of KHNH, they are here to stay for a long time. Why? Read on.

1. It's the time to Disco
Like it or not, its Disco time again folks. Let it or not, this song grows on you rapidly like the wildfire that is spreading to thousands of acres in California now. And sadly, there's no stopping. Vasundhara's sultry vocals, Shaan and Kay Kay's apt rendition coupled with Javed Akthar's zesty lyrics take over you even before you realize it. So, don't resist instead invite it. Am pretty sure you will have your feet tapping, by the end of the song in the very first hearing. That good ha? Oh yeah!

2. Kal ho naa ho
Undoubtedly the best number [lyrically, vocally and musically in that order] of the album. This theme song urges us to live every moment to its fullest, realizing and acknowledging the love of our loved ones, for we may not live to see the next moment and express the same to them. Har pal yaha jee bhar jeeyo. Poetry flows like a pristine stream from Javed Akthar's pen [I especially liked the first stanza - Chaahe Jo Tumhe Poore Dil Se, Milta Hai Woh Mushkil Se ....Us Haath Ko Tum Thaam Lo, Woh Maherbaan Kal Ho Naa Ho]. Sonu Nigam does full justice to SEL's melodious composition making us fall in love with his voice all over again.

3. Kal ho naa ho (sad version)
A situational number that takes off with Richa Sharma crooning Punjabi lines. Alka Yagnik starts her part with 'Tum ho gham ko chupaye, main hoon sar ko jhukaaye...' and that's it, you stop looking for the forward button and instead think about giving this number a chance to play. Sonu Nigam gives a lump in your throat when he croons 'Us baat ko jaane hi do, jiska nishaan kal ho naa ho...'. Javed Akhthar's soulful lyrics very subtly talk about the pain the lovers are undergoing. Though SEL compose this number with the usual Punjabi beats, lyrics and the singers make it a worthy one.

4. Kuch tho hua hain
Its that typical 'Is this what is love? Am I on the ground or above? I want to tell you how I feel but donno how!' song. I never quite understood if all this really happens in love. What happens? Is that your question? Then you haven't really heard to what Javed Akhtar has to say in this song. At first this song sounds very ordinary but give it sometime to grow on you (that is, if you let it) and you might like this one. Also, the visuals might compliment the audio so let's wait to see if that's true. Remember how 'Yeh ladka hain diwana' [of KKHH] and 'Diwana hain dekho' [of K3G] raced up the charts after the movie released? Shaan and Alka Yagnik sound good in this average composition.

5. Mahi ve
With words like jindh mahi ve, soni soni, aaja mahi ve, this one reminds you of 'Say Shava Shava' from K3G [composed by Aadesh Srivastava]. Nonetheless it's an enthusiastic number, provided you are willing to accept some amount of déjà vu. And what more, you get to listen to a plethora of singers - Sadhana Sargam, Sujatha Bhattacharya, Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam and Shankar Mahadevan. All the male singers make their presence felt while Sadhana's voice and Sujatha's vocals are barely discernable. Javed Akhtar pens the lyrics.

6. Pretty woman
And finally, there's a full-fledged song by Shankar Mahadevan. This one's not exactly a big-time dance floor number, with tempo slacking at places, but it's a winner for the kind of masti it brings about. Shankar's rendition is 'pretty' impressive. So are Javed Akhtar's words about a pretty woman. SEL compose this song with enough beats for us to sing and jig along.

There's also a soothing instrumental titled Heartbeat, which is based on the title track's tune.

Overall, this album has a different sound than those of KJ's earlier movies. Atleast three songs [It's the time to Disco, Kal ho naa ho and Pretty woman] grab your attention instantly. The rest might catch up once the movie releases. SEL and Javed Akhtar have formed quite an effective team with some beautiful work since Dil Chahta Hain, Armaan, Kuch Naa Kaho and now KHNH. All said and done, their combination has another winner in KHNH that boasts of a variety of singers and songs. Har pal yaha jee bhar jeeyo. Har pal in gaanon ko jee bhar suno!

Sreya's Picks: Kal ho naa ho, It's the time to Disco, Pretty woman

Trivia:

• Did you know that KJ is said to have paid about Rs 8 lacs to use the words pretty woman [and a part of the tune] from the soundtrack of Pretty Woman movie for the Pretty woman song in this album? KJ was cautious enough this time not to get embroiled into a controversy like the one he got into for using Geri Halliwell's 'Its raining men' in K3G, for which he had pay a fine of Rs. 25 lacs.
• Did you know that Kareena Kapoor was supposed to be the leading actress in KHNH initially? Lets wait and see if her loss if Preity's gain
• Did you know that KJ approached Javed Akhtar to pen lyrics for his first movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hain? But Javed Akhtar refrained from accepting it as he felt the title of the movie was not in good taste. Well, their coming together now has been worth the wait.
• Rumour mills have been ejecting husk round the clock, saying that this movie is a remake of classics like Anand and Safar. Though KJ denies it outrightly, let's wait to see what this 'story of a lifetime... in a heartbeat' has to offer on the November 28th.

Click here to read the other articles by Sreya Sunil

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Chenna Kesava Reddy
Okato Number Kurraadu
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