Taran Adarsh gets a sneak preview of Rahul songs:

By Bollywood Hungama -

February 17, 2001 - 12:00 AM IST

Mediocrity is ruling the roost. Especially when it comes to film music. Gone are the days when songs would linger in your memory even after you had switched off the music system. But the music of Subhash Ghai and Prakash Jha'sRAHUL is a treat to the eyes and ears. Subhash Ghai invited a select gathering of friends on Saturday, February 17, to witness the songs of his latest venture, RAHUL, which is all set to release theatrically on March 30 all over the world. The occasion also marked the music release of the film, which stars model Jatin Grewal and Neha in lead roles. Anu Malik is generally associated with numbers that are trendy, songs that are targeted at the youth mainly. But the composer is also capable of melodious stuff that holds universal appeal (remember 'Sandese Aate Hain' from BORDER and'Panchhi Nadiya' from REFUGEE?). With RAHUL, Anu takes a step ahead, with his head held high. "I have nicknamed Anu 'naughty boy', thanks to the numbers he belted out in the past, but this 'naughty boy' is very capable of melodious tunes. Like the ones in RAHUL," Subhash Ghai informs me. The 'naughty boy' elaborates: "It was like appearing for an examination. Working with Subhash-ji could be tough. In fact, I was working on the music of YAADEIN, when Subhash-ji called and said that we had 25 days to complete the music portion of RAHUL. I was in a fix, but we pulled it off beautifully." The star of the party was undoubtedly Master Yash, who plays the title role in RAHUL. "We did a nationwide hunt to choose the kid. I was determined; I didn't want the child to be more than five years old. In Yash, I found a child who was so natural and spontaneous that when I said 'Action', he would be himself, not pretending to act," director Prakash Jha enlightens me. The music RAHUL was released at the hands of this child artiste, who kept moving around with a CD in his hand, which prompted Ghai to jokingly comment: "Abhi se star ke lacchhan nazar aa rahe hain. If RAHUL clicks, please don't forget us and also, please don't hike your fees." The best song of the film is 'Ched Na Mujhko', rendered beautifully by Kavita K. Subramaniam and Hariharan. The song is set to a classical tune and grows on you gradually. Melody is the catchword for the other numbers of RAHUL too. Like 'Chalti Hai Purvai' (Alka Yagnik, Mahalaxmi) and 'Piya Ki Jogan' (Sunidhi Chauhan and Richa Sharma). But it is Ustad Sultan Khan's rendition of 'Eh Kaash Aisa Hota' that moves you. The song, picturised on the child, conveys the anguish he is experiencing in his traumatic life. The lyrical value (Anand Bakshi) is of a high order. "What attracted me to this film was its story about a child who is torn between his parents," Jha tells me. After a pause, he adds, "I hope the film strikes a chord with the audience. It is an emotional films that will touch your heart." If music with Indian flavour in abundance, is what you like, the music of RAHUL is just for you. Go for it! In the meanwhile, let's pray that RAHUL, a small film, emerges a big hit for an industry that is starved for a success story.