Chak De India - Music Review

Album: Chak De India
Music Director: Salim Merchant & Sulaiman Merchant
Lyricist: Jaideep Sahni

A refreshing album in terms of music and lyrics. Songs stand out because of the different sounding lyrics. Instead of the tried and tested ‘dil’, ‘deewana’ words, the Jaideep Sahni (is he new?) does a wonderful job as the song writer.

Chak De India
Singers: Sukhwinder Singh, Salim Merchant and Marianne DCruz

An energetic song, sung beautifully by Sukhwinder. This song extends the ‘Karam kar, phal ki aasha na kar’ preaching of Bhagavad Gita. The song has wordings worth listening to. Sukhwinder pumps in enough energy for the listeners to start pumping their fist. Ignoring the common sports based theme, this song reminds me of Lagaan’s ‘Chale Chalo’. The tune is catchy and motivating. A song to listen to whenever you need a pep talk. You would want to get up and do something because Sukhwinder is saying ‘Kuch kariye’!

Badal Pe Paon Hain
Singer: Hema Sardesai

Hema Sardesai is back with a bang after a hiatus (At least I didn’t notice her anywhere. Apologies if I missed any of her songs.). A fast, foot-tapping song where Hema sounds like she is actually on cloud nine. The guitar piece is brilliant and the chorus adds charm to the song. Hema shines through-out - one can make out Hema is thoroughly enjoying the song. If you are on cloud nine, listen to the song and sway with Hema.

Ek Hockey Doongi Rakh Ke
Singers: Shah Rukh Khan, KK and Chorus

Oooo… going by this song, one is better off staying away from the girls of the hockey team. This song is Shah-rukh’s introduction of the team. Khan’s commentary and the girls’ tidbits gel well with the chorus, though he could have done better on the commentary job. KK sings only a line in the song, you wil miss him if you blink err… whatever the equivalent is for listening. Good work on the lyrics and the narration.

Bad Bad Girls
Singer: Anushka Manchanda

This one stands out as the odd one out. This is targeted at the disc/pub crowd, I think. With its drum beats, breaking glass and synthesized sounds, it is more like a noise on the ears. The tune is nothing to rave about. Anushka’s voice totally suits the song and she handles it well.

Maula Mere Le Le Meri Jaan
Singers: Krishna & Salim Merchant

A mellifluous song, with a touch of folky, Arabic music. Krishna is brilliant - the right amount of emotion packed in and his voice sounds so soothing. His voice at times shakes a little and this adds to the beauty of the song. This song grabs you as soon as it starts and it tranfers you to another world altogether. The singer in the background actually spoils the serenity of the song. He is more screaming than singing - we could have done without him.

Hockey Remix
Singers: Shah Rukh Khan, KK and Chorus

This is the faster, noisier version of ‘Ek hockey doongi mein rakh ke’ minus the introductions. With digitally created sounds, loud thumping is noise to ears. I so prefer the slower, pleasanter song. This one is sure to top the charts in your local discotheque. Save your ears, skip this song.

Sattar Minute
Singer: Shah Rukh Khan

Supposedly Khan’s pep talk to his team. I don’t know why this ‘dialogue’ or ’speech’ is part of the movie’s soundtrack. Are people going buy this album because it contains a speech by King Khan? In the speech, Shah Rukh Khan is trying to motivate his team to play their best in those 70 minutes of the game - he hardly sounds convincing. He lost my attention right after the second sentence and the whole speech lasts for a litte more than 2 minutes. I know this is going to anger Khan fans, but nothing inspiring about the speech. The coach sounds desperate, not confident. When you are leading a team - there is a thin line between desperation and confidence.

All in all, a good album. ‘Chak De India’, ‘Badap Pe Paon Hain’ and ‘Maula Mere’ are good enough reasons for buying this album. No matter what I say, Khan fans are going to lap up this album.

SRK and Salman together in august

New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS) As India celebrates 60 years of independence, the country's biggest superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan will step up the tempo to rekindle patriotic fervour with 'Chak De India' and 'Marigold' respectively.

While Shah Rukh, known as the King of Bollywood, will be seen goading a team of women hockey players for a world championship in 'Chak De India', Salman will essay the role of an Indian man who steals the heart of a foreign belle who arrives in India with a 'bad attitude' and transforms her.

'Chak De India' that goes with the tagline 'Sometimes winning is everything' is slated for Friday release in time for Independence Day on Aug 15. Yash Raj Films, Bollywood' most prestigious production house, trod a road not taken in 'Chak De India' in a year that has spelled doom for them financially.

The dream merchants have had a nightmarish year so far. Their recent offering, 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom', has been declared a dud in spite of the presence of Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek, while 'Ta Ra Rum Pum' was strictly average.

'Chak De India' is Shah Rukh's first release of 2007. For the actor, who has been doing straightjacket roles of late, the first-of-its-kind film based on India's national sport hockey is a departure and will be a test by fire.

SRK is seen in the avatar of Kabir Khan, a fallen Indian team captain who wants to reclaim glory as a coach of Indian Women's National Hockey team. The film is based on the events surrounding former Indian goalkeeper Mir Ranjan Negi's life - from his fall from grace to his rise from the ashes.

He has formidable task, as the girls are a rag-tag bunch of losers who have never known the thrilling energy of being Team India. He moulds them into a fighting unit that has its eyes set on being the world champions.

This is director Shimit Amin's second film after 'Aab Tak Chhappan'. If it clicks it will be one of the few films coming out of Bollywood that will have pan-India appeal. The plot reaches out to audiences not just in big cities and metros but also the smaller towns.

'I knew it was a challenging script revolving around a sport which, despite being India's national game, wasn't much cared for. But that's precisely what got us so excited,' Amin said in an interview.

'What posed as the biggest challenge was the search for girls who could complete the team in the film. We were looking for real people, for a team of girls who could actually play hockey and not merely act.

'In the process of working on the casting, I came face to face with a lot of truths. First, there were hardly any women playing sports, and secondly, every patch and ground in India seemed to be covered with people playing cricket. Hockey was nowhere,' says Amin.

Rob Miller, one of the most renowned sports action directors in Hollywood, was roped in for shooting as very few films have been made on women sports internationally.

The filmmakers are also hoping the film recreates the magic of Gurinder Chadha's super-successful 'Bend It Like Beckham', which narrated the story of a girl in a orthodox Sikh family in Britain who overcame many odds to follow her dream of becoming a football player.

The soundtrack of 'Chak De India' by Salim-Sulaiman, one of the most underrated music-maker duos in the business, is as spiffy, peppy and young, as a film trying to inspire a young India should be.

Whether it will score that crucial goal at the box office will be known soon.

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Salman Khan's first international project - 'Marigold' - is slated for release in the week following 'Chak De India'. Given that Salman is riding high on popularity chart following his rib-tickling performance in box-office hit 'Partner' along with Govinda, 'Marigold' could cut short the screen life of 'Chak De India' if the film does not get going from the word go.

'Marigold' is a co-production between Adlabs Films Ltd., and Becker Films International. Directed by Willard Corroll the film features Salman in his favourite screen name of Prem along with Hollywood's Ali Larter and upcoming actress Nandana Sen. Larter recently featured among the top 10 sexiest women in the Hollywood.

The story is about American actress Marigold Lexton (Larter) who arrives in India with no luggage and a bad attitude. Stranded in Goa when her low budget Hollywood movie falls apart, Marigold finds herself cast in a small role in a Bollywood musical. Eager to prove herself, she turns to Prem (Salman) for help. Prem, who is the film's choreographer, not only teaches her how to dance but also helps her in getting rid of her bad attitude.

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If you are more in mood for a comic caper August will witness the release of debutant director Sajid Khan's 'Heyy Babby'. The film features Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Fardeen Khan bumbling to handle a baby. Vidya Balan plays the key female lead. One song in the film features about a dozen Bollywood beauties with Shah Rukh Khan.

'Aag' the much-hyped Ram Gopal Varma's take on yesteryears blockbuster 'Sholay' is also slated for release in this month. But the surprise package may turn out to be Vishal Bharadwaj's 'Blue Umbrella'. The film is an adaptation of the beloved novel of the same name by Ruskin Bond. It is a film about desire, the zealous attempt to fulfil it and finally its conquest.

All in all the month ahead has something for everyone.

Source: IANS

King Khan to attend special Independence Day celebrations at Wagah Border

Instead, celebrating the 60 years of Independence through the language of music, across the borders, promises to give new direction to the relationship the two neighbours share.

Musicians from both the countries will be lending their voice for this programme. Artists like A.R.Rahman, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Aatif Aslam and Shafqat Ali would be performing from 11 pm on August 14 to 1 am on August 15. The show will be telecasted in the both the countries for people across the borders to witness and realize the reason behind an endeavour put by Rakesh Gupta, Secretary of NGO Routes 2 Roots to bring harmony between the two countries.

Bollywood stars, Shahrukh Khan and Juhi Chawla and former Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akhtar and Pakistani Designer Shaiyanne Malik will also be present to host the event.

Independence Day seems to be celebrated in true spirits…..Cheers to that!!!

Source: IndiaFM