Mausam-music review

Pankaj Kapur has been an actor who has always done the right films and chosen the right kind of roles.He also delivered sparkling performances in television shows like 'Office Office','Karamchand',among others.So when a quality conscious actor makes his directorial debut,the promos of which compel you to hit the replay button on their youtube page,the least that you can expect from the music is it to be good.Honestly,I was not too happy when I got to know that Pritam would be composing for the movie because Pritam can hardly qualify as one of my favourite composers.As for the lyricist, Irshad Kamil had some good with composer Sandesh Shandilya in films like 'Chameli', 'Socha Na Tha' and that wonderful album 'Ustad and The Divas'.I didn't quite approve of his more popular work in ‘Jab We Met','Love Aaj Kal' and 'De Dana Dan'. But I was quite taken aback by his work in the recently released 'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan'. Okay,let's get back to 'Mausam' and see what is in store for the listeners.

The album kick starts with 'Rabba Main Toh Mar Gaya Oye'. The song is sung by newcomer Shahid Mallya who sounds like a Roop Kumar Rathod clone. Honestly, I feel that Rathod's voice would have suited this much more than it suits Mallya's. Nevertheless,Mallya does a good job in singing  this one. The song has a semi classical base to it with some western arrangements (which I think was absolutely unnecessary) thrown in to give it a ''today's feel''. The song is very easy on the ears and has already become very popular thanks to some aggressive promotion on air.

The song that follows next is called 'Saj Dhaj Ke' and is sung by Mika.Mika and Pritam and you know that you can expect an out and out commercial number. And as the a large portion of the movie is set in Punjab,so one can't really do without a Bhangra number,can one?Mika,as always,does a brilliant job in rendering this high energy track.The song lacks novelty but one does not need complain as it has enough 'tashan' to entertain you throughut its duration.

The next track is called 'Ik Tu Hi Tu'. The song takes you aback completely as this song in so not Pritam. This one can be easily classified as one of the best sons composed by Pritam ever. Pritam truly comes out his comfort zone and delivers something which is extremely classy and at same time very commercial in nature. Rendered excellently by Hans Raj Hans. This would be Hans Raj Hans second song in a Hindi film his year after 'Tumba  Tumba'(Patiala House).How one wishes that the talented singer sings more for Hindi movies. The songs tells of seperation and longing and narrates the pain that Shahid's character in the movie goes through.It's easily one of the best songs that had come out this year.Irshad Kamil's lyrics deserve special mention. He balances Hindi and Punjabi words and weaves them together into writing a song that truly touches your heart. This one can,well,be the 'Tu Jaane Na'(Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani) of 2011.

The title of the next song,Poore Se Zara Sa Kam Hain Hum,catches your attention instantly. Second sad song in a row after 'Ik Tu Hi Tu' ,'Poore Se Zara Sa Kam Hain' is far more intense than the former.Ustad Rashid Khan, who apart from developing a fan base among the true blue Indian Classical music fans, has wooed Bollywood music fans by his soulful renditions in films like Jab We Met(Aaoge Jab Tum) and My Name Is Khan (Allah Hi Rahem) comes behind the mike to sing this song which has some heart wrenching lyrics by Irshad Kamil. Irshad Kamil truly proves his mettle as a lyricist with this song. If one goes by the popularity of the earlier film songs rendered by Ustad Rashid Khan,this one well can be his third hit!

The next song,'Aag Lage Us Aag Ko' has been sung and composed by guest composer Karsan Sargathiya. I have been a huge fan of Sargathiya ever since I heard 'Mehboob Mere' from Fiza-In Search Of His Brother(2000).The highly underrated singer has mostly been used as a back up/background vocalist and very rarely given the opportunity to deliver something of his own. While he does a brilliant job in singing this 'Garba' type number, one can't expect the song to go a long distance in the popularity race, as it reminds one of numerous such songs we have heard on 'Navratri'

and occasionaly in films and television shows. One can expect the song to arrive at an important juncture in the movie, a kind of situation in which both the lovers meet after a long time or even reunite. One would have to wait for the movie's release to find that out.

The last original track to arrive is called 'Mallo Malli',sung by Tochi Raina. This song actually disappoints you after hearing four superb (and entertaining) tracks from the album. Infact one wonders ,if the song was actually recorded for this film. The song reminds of you of hundreds of similiar sounding songs composed by Pritam. One actually ends up thinking that this would be one of the unused tracks by Pritam which have been lying in his library from a long time and he used it for ‘Mausam’ after doing some last minute snazzy arrangements to it. Not that the song is bad, but it does no good to an album filled with gems. It's, however, refreshing to hear Tochi Raina's voice instead of Neeraj Shridhar who is fast becoming a regular choice when it comes to rendering such songs. This one is average.

There is the reprise version of "Ik Tu Hi Tu' sung this time by Shahid Mallya who does a good job overall. Reprise version of "Rabba Main To Main Mar Gaya' has Rahat Fateh Ali Khan behind the mike who, obviously,does better than Mallya. Having said that,Shahid Mallya's apparently younger voice suits Shahid Kapur more than Rahat.The ‘Mehfil Mix’ version of ‘Ik Tu Hi Tu’ is sung by Wadali Brothers. It would be their second Hindi film song this year after ‘Rangrez Mere’(Tanu Weds Manu).One would love to see them coming behind the mike more often for film songs.

Coming to the remixed tracks,there are two remix versions of ‘Sajh Dhaj Ke’.Although both ‘Desi Mix Tiger Style’ and ‘Club Mix Tiger Style’ are well done remixes,I would prefer  the former as it accentuates the ‘desipann’ of the song without taking anything away from it.

There is another version of ‘Mallo Malli’ sung by Lehmber Hussainpuri who had already two hits this year with ‘Saddi Galli’(Tanu Weds Manu) and Bhoot Aaya (F.A.L.T.U),and the inimitable Hard Kaur.There is no difference between the Tochi Raina version and this one except for the singers. The remixed version is good too.

Overall,Mausam is one of the most satisfactory soundtracks to have arrived this year and undoubtedly one of the best original works by Pritam.Save for an average ‘Mallo Malli’and a good ‘Saj Dajh Ke’ the soundtrack is filled with gems that are bound to find a lot of respect among the quality conscious listeners in times to come.(P.S.Just hope nobody comes up claiming the rights for any of the songs as it has happened with many of Pritam’s earlier acclaimed works).

Overall rating-3.5 /5