SRK, Farah grandly release the Music of Om Shanti Om

The music of Shah Rukh Khan's much awaited movie Om Shanti Om was released officially today, in the presence of the cast and crew of the film.

Music directors Vishal and Shekhar have composed the songs of the film, while lyrics of most songs have been penned by Javed Akhtar, music director Vishal has also written lyrics for the song Ajab Si, which is currently on air.

"We have never worked on such a large scale for the music of any film, with so many musicians and singers," said Vishal at the launch.

Commenting on the music, actor and producer Shah Rukh Khan said, "There is a lot of variety in the songs. Since the first half is based in the 1970's era, we even requested Pyarelalji do the arrangements for a song."

A live orchestra of 140 music pieces was arranged for the song Dhoom Tana.

Commenting on Vishal and Shekhar's work Farah Khan said, "The music is very different from what Vishal and Shekar's previous movies' songs. The songs of Om Shanti Om are experimental but at the same time very commercial."

While one of the songs in the film has almost 36 film stars in it, another song Dard-E-Disco has Shah Rukh Khan flaunting his six pack abs for which he worked rigorously for three months. "Farah was always keen to shoot a topless song with me, she even made me wear a vest in the Kaal song," joked Khan.

Farah added, "Dard-E-Disco was the last song choreographed by me, so I pleaded Shah Rukh to do a topless song for me. Now, as a choreographer I will only take up international projects or my own films. Besides this I will not choreograph anymore... not for Karan Johar, Shirish (her husband) or Sajid (her brother)."

Source: BusinessOfCinema.com

Om Shanti Om vs Saawariya on this Diwali

Shahrukh Khan has been all ‘Om Shanti Om’ of late. Well he might just need a prayer, considering his film is releasing with Saawariya and all that competition can only be good for the movie-goer.

“Saawariya is a huge film. Our film is a secondary film and I will try my best to make it the nicest film of the year. There is no competition; there are enough people to watch a film. I'm very attached to Saawariya also because of my relationship with so many people in Saawariya. Of course, my own child is Om Shanti Om,” says Shahrukh.

While the media hype around Saawariya verses Om Shanti Om builds up considering, both films are releasing on the same day, it looks like SRK is going the reverse psychology route by placing as little expectation as possible on his film. It certainly worked for Chak De India.
Shahrukh is also making sure he doesn't tread on any influential toes and is full of praise for the competition.

“I have a lot of respect for him as a friend, and as a director. His film is being presented by Columbia TriStar; there are many big stars in it. It’s got Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee, and two youngsters who respect me - Ranbir and Sonam. So I have respect for that film and I wish it all the best,” SRK said.

But while Saawariya may have the star kids and of course Bhansali's genius, Om Shanti Om has another weapon in its arsenal - SRK's six pack - and we just had to ask him how it feels to be rippling with muscles all of a sudden. “I feel good having done this and I would tell all the youngsters to please work out, whether you run, or play sports,” he said.

Besides a buff SRK, what else do we have to look forward to from Om Shanti Om? Is the film as meditative as it sounds? “One is Om Kapoor and one is Om Prakash Makhija. Both of them form the 'Om' Shanti 'Om'. This is not a religious or meditative film,” said SRK.

Well a meditative film it may not be, but we certainly know a lot of fans who are going to be in a state of nirvana when SRK struts his stuff.

Medini Sharmaa & Beverly White, TimesNow.TV

Shah Rukh Khan refused to show his six-pack!

And now let's call upon the stage Mr Six-pack Khan er… Shah Rukh Khan." That's how motor-mouth Cyrus Broacha called out to Shah Rukh Khan at the music launch of Farah Khan's forthcoming film, Om Shanti Om last evening. Unlike most Bollywood music launches, this one had everyone hooked to their seats. The do was a mini-skit altogether as guests and stars complained about the 'only vegetarian snacks' served at the venue, actress Kirron Kher's designer sandals gave way and someone even commented, "Arjun Rampal is supposed to look good and not say anything."

The cast and crew members (Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Kirron Kher, Shreyas Talpade and Arjun Rampal, music composer duo Vishal-Shekhar ) were mostly engaged in inane conversations. They quizzed each other about how it felt working with the soon-to-be-mother Farah Khan. Deepika Padukone even made candid conversations about how she got intimidated by her seniors. Despite all that she continues to like Bollywood because she doesn't enjoy shuttling around the badminton court. After she managed to fix her shoe sole with an adhesive, Kirron Kher didn't know how to react when her mobile started ringing loudly during her short but sweet speech. Vishal and Shekhar had apparently, rented out one piece suits for the evening.

While Shah Rukh refused to remove his shirt and display the six packs, Farah volunteered to show off her three packs (she's expecting triplets). Dressed in a black tee and brown jacket he confessed, "I'm scared of Saawariya and I have no problem admitting that. If I had a chance I would have postponed the film," said Shah Rukh Khan.

Rajiv Dutta, IndiaTarget

The Music of Om Shanti Om is all set to conquer charts and stay there

Producer /Banner : Red Chillies Entertainment
Director : Farah Khan
Music : Vishal & Shekhar
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar , Kumar (Punjabi) and Vishal
Vocals :Abhijit, Caralisa, K.K, Marianne, Nisha, Rahul Saxena, Shaan, Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sukhwinder Singh and Udit Narayan
Label : T-Series
Just few years back, we reviewed the audio album of ‘Main Hoon Na’, that had the same team of Shah Rukh Khan, Farah Khan and Javed Akhtar. But are we missing someone here? Oh yes, the chart conquering composer of the 2004 album, Anu Malik is not associated with the 2007 album, ‘Om Shanti Om’. Given the fact that Anu is out of form and circulation, the decision of picking Vishal & Shekhar on their current form seems to be correct. How correct, we will know shortly.

Farah Khan’s 35-crore bonanza, ‘Om Shanti Om’, based mainly in the psychedelic 70s, kick starts with the absolutely mesmerizing, petal-soft, romantic track ‘Ajab Si’. Right from the first notes, the soft beats and caressing guitar strings set just the right pace for K. K. to take over. The lyrics by (no its not Javed Akhtar) by Vishal (what a pleasant surprise!) are simple and superb - “Aankhon mein teri, Ajab si ajab si adaayen hain, Dil ko bana de jo patang, Saansein ye teri who hawaayein hain.” The arrangements by Vishal & Shekhar and K.K.’s superb rendition gel perfectly.

Next up, we run into the ‘6-pack’ (SRK) song, ‘Dard-E-Disco’. The Arabic styled composition is more in the qawwali mold rather than in the disco alley! Once again, the lyrics (this time by Javed Akhtar) are the first thing that grab attention - “Woh haseena woh neelam pari, Kar gayee kaisi jadoogari, Neend in aankhon se cheen li hai, Dil mein bechainiyan hai bhari.” The lyrics couldn’t have been more perfect and Sukhwinder takes over, and is in top form! His voice modulation floats in perfect unison with the music and the lyrics, changing pace and pitch as per the mood and requirement. The background (Arabic style) vocals and crooning enhance the composition further. In a nutshell, ‘Dard-E-Disco’ takes us back to the early 70s, and we are reminded of countless Pran enacted qawwalis, with ‘Dard-E-Disco’ (in the lyrics) adding a touch of humour. As we have already mentioned at the start, the arrangements are more in the qawwali mold with slight touches of disco beats.

‘Dard-E-Disco (Remix)’, by DJ Aqeel has all the right ingredients needed for a good rehash and will serve its purpose of burning the dance floors of the pubs and the discos with its heightened pace. A nice effort.

Moving on, we reach ‘Dhoom Taana’ and the duff, anklet, woodwind and other traditional percussion instruments remind one of ‘Sargam’ days of melody and dance (Rishi Kapoor and Jaya Prada). The arrangements, lyrics and settings are based in not just 70s but early 80s. There are also a few jazz snatches (maybe a Shammi Kapoor touch). While Abhijeet is the perfect choice with his flawless rendition, Shreya gets high pitched in a few parts. This is the song that has been composed by the legendary composer, Pyarelal (of ‘Laxmi-Pyare’ fame) the song will look and sound better on screen.

Jaltarang and piano combine magically, followed by bead sounds, accompanying Sonu Nigam’s silken smooth, Rafi like rendition. Yes, we have now reached ‘Main Agar Kahoon’. Javed Akhtar’s lyrics combined with Sonu’s extraordinary singing create an almost bewitching romantic duet (with an in form Shreya). The two stars of the outstanding ‘Main Agar Kahoon’ are Javed Akhtar’s lyrics and Sonu Nigam’s singing. Right now, we cannot bring in Sonu but here are some of Javed Sahab’s lyrics – “Tumko paya hai to jaise khoya hoon, Kahna chahoon bhi to tumse kya kahoon, Kisi zabaan mein bhi, Woh lafz hee nahin, Ki jinme tum ho kya tumhein bata sakoon , Main agar kahoon, Tumsa haseen, Kaynaat mein nahin hai kahin.” A nostalgic throwback to the golden era of late Mohammad Rafi-Roshan days! The number concludes with the ‘Om Shanti Om’ theme music.

‘Dastan-E-Om Shanti Om’ can well be summed up as one of the most important (if not the most) tracks of ‘Om Shanti Om’. It sums up the entire central theme of reincarnation and betrayal. The track commences with sonorous opera like singing, followed by a big live orchestra sounds from 40 plus violins, percussion instruments ranging from tabla and dhol to santoor and heavy piano pieces and the impact leaves one awestruck. Shaan soon commences in a rather base and matter-of-fact voice “Sunne waalon, Suno aisa bhi hota hai, Koi jitna hanse, Utna hi rota hai, Deewani hoke haseena, Khayee kya dhoke haseena, Aao tum bhi aaj sun lo, Dastan hain ye ki us masoom haseena ne jise chaha, Woh tha andar se harjaee, Sangdil se dil laga ke bewafa ke haath aa ke us ne ek din maut hi payee, Ek Sitam ka fasana hai jis ko sabhi, Kehte hain Om Shanti Om.” For the fans of ‘Ek Haseena Thi’ (’Karz’) this one tries to recapture the spirit of the legendary song. With a somewhat different approach and kudos to the team of Vishal & Shekhar, Javed Akhtar and the orchestra, it succeeds in a big way, despite the big legacy it had to live up to. Shaan’s singing, to some stunning situational lyrics and the big orchestra sounds are guaranteed to make ‘Dastan-E-Om Shanti Om’ one of the highlighted tracks of the film.

‘Dastaan (The Dark Side Mix)’, by Zoheb, DJ Nikhil Chinappa and DJ Naved commences on a faster tempo. The version loses some of its suspense and edge-of-the seat element due to too much audio interference.

Richa Sharma, the queen of Punjabi folk singing, commences the heart touching, ‘Jag Soona Soona Lage’, with a ‘heer’ style singing. She deserves a perfect ten for her flawless rendition. The OSO theme music has been used to superb effect with Kumaar’s Punjabi lyrics. Then its Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, who after ‘Laagi Man Ki Lagan’ (’Paap’), ‘Bol Na Halke Halke’ (’Jhoom Barabar Jhoom’) and ‘Main Jahan Bhi Rahoon’ (’Namastey London’), has truly inherited the legacy of his illustrious uncle, the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. But let us not deviate from the superbly composed, as well as rendered composition. V-S deserve all the praise for a number that is just perfect in all departments. Be it, at times soft and at times harsh musical arrangements (in form of plates and guitars), Rahat’s brilliant performance and last but not the least, Javed Sahab’s heart-wrenching lyrics in simple Hindi and Urdu. “Roothi roothi saari raatein, Pheeke Pheeke saare din, Veerani see veerani hai, Tanhaai see tanhaai hai, Aur ek hum hain pyaar ke bin, Har pal chin.”

Is ‘Deewangi Deewangi’ the highlighted song featuring almost the who’s who of Bollywood? All seems to point to it. In a way, this one is also the theme track as the fun gaiety, party song goes ” Aqlo hosh na mee danum” (which is in Persian and means “I know not what is wisdom and sense”), Hum hain dil aur janam, Bas dewangi deewangi dewaangi hai”. The chorus also chants, “All the hot girls put your hands up and say Om Shanti Om. All the cool boys c’mon make some noise and say Om Shanti Om”. The trade mark OSO tune is also present in its grandeur. Definitely a scorcher of a track, which gets turbo charged by talented singers like Shaan, Udit Narayan, Rahul Saxena, Shreya and Sunidhi. The track concludes with the orchestra going full blast with the OSO tune.

‘Deewangi (Rainbow mix)’ by DJ Kiran and DJ G is a nice piece of work. The already pacy all-star cast song has a more hectic pace than the original. The vocals have not been violated much, only the musical arrangements change to give it a good effect.

The ‘Om Shanti Om’ theme music (programmed by Abhijit Nalani) has Pyarelal written all over it. It is a superb piece, played brilliantly on piano. It starts with a slow pace, picks up and finally concludes on a slow note, but it is enough to leave a mark on the listener.

The ‘Om Shanti Om (medley mix)’ by Jackie V. is an assortment of a few songs (remixed superbly) featured in the album. The snatches of ‘Dhoom Tana’, ‘Dard-E-Disco’, and ‘Deewangi Deewangi’ can be relished once again through this version.

To sum it up, the Pyarelal touch looms large on the audio of ‘Om Shanti Om’. It is truly a complete 70 mm (a prestigious 70s & 80s term) album experience.

It’s a path-breaking work by Vishal & Shekhar, who break the myth about them being only rockish kind of composers, as they take on a melodious yatra from the early 70s to the present day.

If one is a fan of the melodious (non-synthesized) Bollywood era and even if one is not aware of it, it’s a must buy for all those who call themselves lovers of Bollywood.

Its melody and poetry.

If the initial response to the audio is any indication, ‘Om Shanti Om’ is all set to conquer the charts and stay there for a while.

Rating: 8.5/10

Abid, BollyVista

Om Shanti Om is not a spoof on Hindi cinema of the 70s : Shah Rukh Khan

Addressing the media in Mumbai on Tuesday, after releasing the film's music, SRK said he feels the biggest USP of the movie was that it seriously recreates the era of 1970s and it was his achievement as a producer.

'The film is about reincarnation. The Om of 70s is Om Prakash Makhija, a struggling actor trying to make it big while the Om of 2007 is Om Kapoor, a superstar who is not talented,'' he said.

On his expectations from the film, he said, ''you cannot satisfy all people at all times. I am releasing the movie on Diwali. The film is about celebration of life and happiness. Besides, there is lot of comedy and drama. Director Farah Khan has got a good ear for music unlike me. There is variety in the music of this film.''

Speaking about the other Bollywood biggie Saawariya which releases on the same day as 'Om Shanti Om', the King Khan said 'Saawariya' was a huge movie as compared to his own.

''Mine is a secondary film compared to ‘Saawariya’. It could have been good for business if the release dates had not clashed. But, there is no competition. There are enough people to see both films,'' he said.

'' Sanjay Leela Bhansali has given me Devdaas which I consider as a highlight of my career. Besides, Rani Mukherjee and Salman Khan who are in ‘Saawariya’, I have lot of love for debutants Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor who respect me tremendously. Hence, I pray for both the movies. But, after all ‘Om Shanti Om’ is my child,'' he added.

''I am grateful to everybody including Dharmendra , Shabana Azmi , Mithun Chakraborty and all other friends from the industry who agreed to be part of the film.''

SRK said he went on a diet control for four months and also worked out. ''I am feeling good and healthy. Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan were very co-operative. Infact, I showed them my pictures before commencing shooting. They said I was good and needed to improve further.''

He spoke highly of his debutant co-star Deepika Padukone . ''We feel a huge responsibility towards her. She has all the makings of a good star-actress,'' SRK added.

Source: ApunKaChoice.com

Cool Retro Music in Om Shanti Om : Review

Farah Khan loves the seventies! If the choreographer-turned-director's debut Main Hoon Naa saw her parody the swinging era, her latest Om Shanti Om, too, time travels all the way from 2007 to 1977 to explore her favourite decade in its hey day.

A full-blown musical set within the film industry and involving a reincarnation theme, Om Shanti Om, with its clever title and chromatic glory promises to be quite the cracker this Diwali.

While Shah Rukh Khan leads the brat pack, Arjun Rampal and Shreyas Talpade also star in this November 9 release (Yup, same day as Sanjay Leela Bhansali's grand opus Saawariya), which introduces model-turned-actress, Deepika Padukone on the big screen.

The bright, young duo of Vishal-Shekhar whip up an eclectic soundtrack against Javed Akhtar's imaginative penmanship, which is both nifty and retro. It might not be path breaking stuff but it's still really good. Instead of relying on old tunes and stretching their lingering memory, the pair formulates fresh sounds that are inspiring and lilting.

The album begins with the melting Ajab Si in KK's silvery voice about an awe-struck, starry-eyed romantic oozing poetry, penned impressively by Vishal, for his stunning lady love. The sheer velvety quality of its notes and smooth arrangement is akin to the melodious magic of Jhankaar Beats' Suno Na.

On screen, SRK shows off his brilliantly-sculpted six pack and shirtless avatar, while behind the scenes Sukhwinder Singh brings the studio down with his red-hot rendition of Dard-e-Disco. Despite its snazzy middle eastern influences, Vishal-Shekhar maintain a moderate percussion, leaving ample breathing space for the singer to spread his vocal wings. DJ Aqueel's zingy remix of Disco is high on zing and bound to enjoy a long run at clubs and discotheques.

The opening zig-zag strain tarrying all through the track is super catchy and adds bounce and attitude to the bubbly Deewangi Deewangi. The song pays a tribute to Naseeb's John Jaani Janardan what with practically half of Bollywood, from Dharmendra to Karisma Kapoor, making a special appearance.

That it has a tang 'rainbow' remix, goes without saying. Like the name suggests, the techno-washed version is loaded with colourful beats and infectious verve. Ditto for Om Shanti Om medley mix, which features bits and pieces from the entire album.

Main Agar Kahoon is a full-fledged piano number laced in fairy-tale romance, which works as the central theme of Om Shanti Om. Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghosal are appropriately sweetness-personified in this music-box track.

Taking a break from the vibrant mood of the album so far, Jag Soona Soona Laga charges on the unprepared listener's senses with its heartbreaking starkness and haunting melody. Richa Sharma's Punjabi delivery coupled with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's ardent cry ensures Jag Soona will find a place in a compilation of Javed Akhtar's sad ditties.

The flamboyant memories of Laxmikant-Pyarelal and R D Burman's 1970s are brought back in Dhoom Taana variating from daflis and drums to rock 'n' roll. While watching Shah Rukh and Deepika mock Teesri Manzil, Humjoli or Himmatwala, sounds like fun on celluloid, this one's not so much of a Dhoom on stereo.

Daastan-e-Om Shanti Om with its dramatic effusion and sizzling orchestra (The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra) recounts a reborn man's bitter saga of love and betrayal. Heavily influenced by Karz's immortal Ek Haseena Thi, sans the iconic guitar play though, in narrative and format, Dastaan is rocking in its own right.

Though Shaan's rendering might not be 'tough guy' stuff, he conveys the angst of his protagonist only too well. Sadly, the Dark Side mix by Zoheb, Nikhil Chinapa and DJ Naweb with all it's electronic tinkering is not a patch on the theatrical original.

Finally, Om Shanti Om is an out and out musical that captivates with its roaring polyphony and unabashed drama.

Rediff Rating: * * * *

Sukanya Verma, Rediff India