There seems to be an unfortunate trend of big banner films with musical scores that don’t quite live up to the expectations set out for them. It’s difficult for me to decide if ‘Rab ne bana di jodi’ fits into that pattern or if it represents the beginnings of a new trend. Salim-Sulaiman are on a roll after the songs from ‘Fashion’ were lauded by both the masses and the critics, so the songs of ‘Rab’ are eagerly being looked forward to. The movie itself has an interesting storlyline, reportedly revolving around a reality dance show á la ‘Nach Baliye’ with SRK and newcomer Anushka Sharma playing husband and wife with an obvious age disparity (thankfully the age difference is integral to the plot of the movie and SRK isn’t attempting to recapture his youth by playing role of a 20-something newlywed). It’ll be exciting to see what Aditya Chopra has in store with this film as he was also the mastermind behind what is arguably one of the most popular Hindi films of all time. Will ‘Rab ne Bana di Jodi’ be a repeat ‘DDLJ?’ We’ll have to wait and see!
The album starts off slowly with the serene ‘Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai.’ The opening actually reminded me of ‘Ghar Aaja’ from ‘DDLJ,’ which is likely a coincidence but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was some sort of tribute to the legendary film. Roopkumar Rathod was a superb choice for the song as his voice suits the character of the mature, older gentleman that SRK is playing in the film. The lyrics are sweet and simple and surprisingly describe love in a way that has not yet been done in Hindi film music. Listening to the song, you get the sense that it occurs after some big argument or misunderstanding and shows SRK and Anushka’s characters reminiscing about the happy moments they shared together, complete with glycerin-induced tears and maybe a little rain for added dramatic effect. That being said it really is a beautiful song with strong, emotive singing, though its slow tempo will reduce its mass appeal.
‘Haule Haule’ was the song that stirred up buzz from the moment of its introduction last week. It was the first time a Yash Raj film released a song promo before a theatrical trailer and the promo was released on SRK’s birthday. I fell in love with the song when I heard it on the promo, but for whatever reason, it lost its appeal when I heard it in its entirety. The transition between the verses and the chorus seem forced and disjointed. The verses end with Sukhwinder Singh’s swelling voice and you expect to be lifted higher by the chorus but the song seems to drop suddenly and revert back to a softer voice. Perhaps I’m being too picky, but I really did want to like this song and unfortunately it was somewhat anti-climactic. It’s a very likeable song and has the mass appeal that ‘Tujh Mein’ was missing. The accordion is a nice classic touch and is refreshing among the highly synthesized sounds that seem to be infiltrating the music industry of late.
‘Dance pe Chance’ is next up on the playlist. I cannot overemphasize how much I detest hearing so much English in Hindi music. There really is absolutely no need for it. We have such a beautiful language capable of expressing so many different sentiments, so what do lyrics such as “Left leg aage aage†really add? I’m assuming this song has something to do with the reality dance show in the film. Sunidhi Chauhan as always, saves the song and her powerful and sassy voice infuses life into the less-than-inspired lyrics. Labh Janjua’s Pubjabi interludes add an interesting two cents to the song, and I wish they had expanded his contribution to the song. I don’t see this song becoming the chartbuster it was likely created to be, but hopefully its picturization will make it watchable on screen.
‘Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte’ is a treat for fans of Evergreen Bollywood fans. Sung with the undying effervescence of Sonu Nigam, the song channels some of the most famous lyrics and melodies of Bollywood past all in a six-and-a-half minute package. The idea is clever and better than simply updating a classic song with louder beats and a new singer. It’s impossible to pick out all the different songs, but the fun of it is enough to merit quite a few listens.
Shreya Ghoshal sings a slower version of ‘Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai’ that doesn’t really add a whole lot to the album. Her version is barely over a minute long, but she sings it well with her gorgeous, silken voice.
‘Dancing Jodi’ is an instrumental piece that finishes off the album. I wonder if it will be the music that SRK and Anushka’s characters dance to in the film’s reality dance show. The song is basically an amalgamation of all of the previous songs in the album with bits of the lyrics thrown in. It is really nothing special or unique and not worth more than a listen.
Overall, the album is ok, but nothing to get excited about. The songs are not likely to be remembered long after the movie comes out and will probably not do much to help promote the film leading up to its release. As far as SRK films go, the music for this particular one does not impress and will have to rely on its storyline and starcast to make an impression at the box office.
