Table No. 21 Review {2.0/5} & Review Rating
EXPECTATIONS
One expects good music from Table No. 21 for one single reason - Aditya Dutt. The filmmaker may not have tasted much success at the box office but one has to credit his music sense since it was with his debut film Aashiq Banaya Aapne that Himesh Reshammiya turned into a rage as a composer who also sung. Though Table No. 21 is not really pitched as a musical and has just three tracks, one looks forward to what Aditya has to offer with his new team of composers and lyricists.
MUSIC
Newcomer Gajendra Verma is the composer, co-lyricist (with Aseem Ahmed Abbasee) and singer for 'O Sajna' which starts off on a somber note. Puja Thaker comes behind the mike immediately and makes her presence felt in this slow-n-sad number which has a soft rock setting to it. Though it is surprising to see a song of this genre kick-starting the album, you don't quite mind that since the tune by itself is good enough to catch your attention. Also, in its own small way, one can sense a touch of Aditya's music sense here as well. The 'remix version' is a good add-on as well and one doesn't mind its play at all.
The song which falls entirely in Aditya's territory is 'Mann Mera' which has Aseem Ahmed Abbasee coming up with the kind of lyrics that one usually associates with Sameer. He does well in coming up with a romantic outing and composer/singer Gajendra Verma gives his all too to make 'Mann Mera' a song that could have covered a much greater distance had there been some aggressive promotion around it. A smooth flowing number with Indian melody at the core of it, it is further accentuated with the coming together of some effective arrangements, both in the original and then the 'remix version'.
Surprisingly though, the title song isn't as impressive even though it has composer Sachin Gupta at the helm of affairs. In the past, he has done well when given an opportunity for such zany outings. However for 'If You Lie You Die' it doesn't quite turn out to be the case, both from the basic tune or the arrangements perspective. Though Neeraj Shridhar and Jaspreet Jazz try to pep the proceedings for this Sheershak Anand written number (with Jaspreet chipping in as well), Paresh Rawal's interspersions of 'If You Lie... ' and 'Yeh Reshmi Zulfein... ' are more of interruptions than being enhancers.
OVERALL
Table No. 21 is a quick-fire album and though it didn't really have much scope of music, the makers have brought in a couple of love songs 'O Sajna' and 'Mann Mera' that may end up being heard for a while in the film's narrative. However, from the album sales as well as long term popularity, there isn't much that the film can hope for.
OUR PICK(S)
Mann Mera, O Sajna
