Ghatothkach Review {2.5/5} & Review Rating
It is summer vacations time and season is just right for animation films to arrive on the big screen. With Indian audience slowly but steadily warming up to the Bollywood animation flicks (if not theatrically, at least on Home Video), Ghatothkach marks it's arrival. Produced by Shemaroo, which came with a delightful Bal Ganesha last year, Ghatothkach is directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, the man who made Pushpak decades back.
Incidentally, Singeetam Srinivasa Rao is also the music director of the film with Sameer contributing with lyrics. Though there hasn't been a single memorable soundtrack coming from a Bollywood animation film in last few years, one looks forward to the soundtrack of Ghatothkach to know if it is any different. Thankfully, it is!
Crooned by Shravan, title song 'Main Hoon Ghatothkach' is a delightful beginning to the album. The number is made sweet due to two major factors - a) Singeetam's peppy tune, which is instantly catchy and goes quite well with the flavor of the film and b) Shravan, who sings excellently for a 5-year-old kid and keeps that naughty streak intact in his rendition. The kids, if aided by colorful and interesting visuals would lap up this one.
The song comes in a kid and an adult version. While the kid version by Shravan is an outright winner, the adult version by Sudesh Bhosle isn't as enticing. Sudesh is strictly ok with his mimicry of a grown up Ghatothkach who was quite huge, strong, and powerful. Give us the kid version anytime!
Remember 'Tunak Tunak Tunak' which was sung by Daler Mehendi a few years back? On a similar musical base comes 'Maya Bazaar', which is as racy as it gets and could have well fit into a mainstream Bollywood flick. There isn't anything in particular which restricts 'Maya Bazaar' to an animation flick and one wonders why the song has not come on air yet?
Also, look out for references to Mumbai, Dilli and Kalkatta - it is fun to hear about these cities in a setting which is thousands of years old. Extremely foot tapping and just the fodder for some great animation on display, this one is a winner and should be out on music channels soon!
Mahalakshmi Iyer croons a number about Lord Krishna with the arrival of 'Natnaagar ki Hai Saari Leela'. With narration of the birth of Krishna in a 'karaagaar' and his subsequent encounter with Pootana, Kansa Mama and numerous Gopis, it appears to have a setting with Ghatothkach's mother Hidimba educating him about the Lord's stories. A passable track, it doesn't turn out to be an out and out 'bhajan' and sticks on as a story telling session.
Now this one is unbelievable! One couldn't have expected a romantic number to make a foray in Ghatothkach but that actually happens the moment Shaan begins crooning 'Main Yahaan Tu Wahaan'. Agreed that the song has an 80's style with a slight South Indian flavor to it, but one picks it up due to sheer nostalgia factor. Shreya Ghosal joins Shaan in this slow moving yet pleasant sounding love song which has melody as it's base and should look good on screen.
The sound of jazz makes it's presence felt with 'Angalik Bangalik…Jaadu Hai'. However, this time around, instead of adults, kids have all the fun, especially with Shravan leading from the front. A song depicting the various magical tricks played by the young Ghatothkach and his elephant friend, 'Angalik Bangalik' is a nursery rhyme, which is just perfect. A sweet sounding number, which should certainly bring the smiles on when, played on the big screen; it is yet another enjoyable track in Ghatothkach.
S.P. Balasubramaniam - Oh, how much have we missed this man. It is great to see his name on the credits and the initial reaction is to expect him to come up with the kind of rendition that made songs in Maine Pyaar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun as classics. However, that is not really the case to be as S.P. sings 'Sajaa Hai Bhojnalay' differently. He modulates his voice to sound like that of a huge, strong and a powerful man, just as Sudesh Bhonsle did in the title song, though S.P. is far better here.
A fun number about the grown up Ghatothkach looking forward to eating everything made available to him on platter, 'Sajaa Hai Bhojnalay' is a good situational number, especially the sound of 'Ho Ha Ha' which reminds of the Santa Claus laughter.
After 'Main Yahaan Tu Wahaan' comes another love song, 'Aana Aaja Na', though this time around the setting is just different. Instead of turning mushy, this Sunidhi Chauhan and Sudesh Bhonsle number is set in a 'dhinchaak' mode and reminds of the kind of songs that Mehmood and Jagdeep used to have picturized on them in their heydays. A 'masala' number with 'desi' beats and arrangements, it also has lyrics that can be as clichéd as they can get, hence working perfectly fine for the song's setting.
Ghatothkach is a good album and perhaps the best, which has arrived in animation genre. Of course, an album like this has a restricted market (children) but that shouldn't stop the parents from gifting it to their kids. The sales should show an escalation if the film goes on to be a success.
