EXPECTATIONS
What kind of expectations can one have from the music of
a film which is directed by a man who pretty much has a
patent on a music genre itself - 'The Karan Johar
music'? Ever since the release of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
music more than a decade back, there have been
imitations galore. Some have been flattering, some have
been homage, some have been mere mimicry, some have been
plain lacklustre while some have managed to follow it to
the T. 'Karan Johar genre of music' has found many fans
and followers while the man himself has continued to
raise the bar up with his subsequent outings like
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Kabhi Alvida Naa
Kehna.
MUSIC
When singers like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shankar Mahadevan
and Richa Sharma come together, you know for sure that there
is a quality outing in the offing. This is what one gets
from 'Sajda', a qawalli, which boasts of some
intoxicating rhythm and comes so quickly on your lips that
just one listening and you can already hear yourself humming
it around. It is amazing to see Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
delivering a chartbuster track practically every second
month and this New Year couldn't see a better outing than 'Sajda'
which maintains an Indian quality to it throughout it's
duration. Boasting of a timeless appeal to it, 'Sajda'
is a kind of number that is not dependant upon the movie for
which it has been composed and promises to play on for many
more months to come.
Ever since the days of Dil Chahta
Hai, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy can be identified with a
particular style of music and 'Noor E Khuda'
just takes the tradition further. A soft track that is as
experimental as it gets, courtesy coming together of Adnan
Sami and Shankar Mahadevan who sing 'Noor E Khuda'
rather seamlessly. It is remarkable to witness one of them
picking up from where the other left without the listener
getting any hint of a handover taking place behind the mike.
In the latter half of the song, Shreya Ghoshal makes an
appearance and one can sense the female protagonist pining
for her lost love. Placed in the background where the
character played by Shah Rukh Khan gets set on his big
journey, it has the kind of lyrics by Niranjan Iyengar which
are bound to make much more meaning when heard and seen in
the film's context.
First quintessential love song that one was actually waiting
for to appear in My Name Is Khan makes a belated
appearance in the form of 'Tere Naina'.
Rendered by Shafqat Amanat Ali who goes solo for the song, 'Tere
Naina' is pretty much in the same mould as 'Sajda'
and could have pretty much picked from where the latter
left. Yet again, there is an intrinsic Indian appeal to 'Tere
Naina' with a Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy stamp to it which makes
it a song worthy to be heard in a repeat mode. A pure love
song which takes a few hearing before it catches up with
you, 'Tere Naina' is for those who love to have a bit
of class in their music.
By the time 'Allah Hi Rahem' comes, one has
set high standards for My Name Is Khan. This is why
this Rashid Khan sung number stays on to be situational at
best. Yes, it carries on the Sufi flavour as prevalent in
the album but still doesn't turn out to be the kind of track
that one carries home after the film's screening is through.
Also, as a part of the album, since there are other better
songs to pick and choose, 'Allah Hi Rahem' merely
turns out to be the kind of number that one has heard and
seen before and hence can be just given a quick hear and
forgotten.
'Khan Theme' which follows next is an
extremely well orchestrated piece that boasts of a live
recording, a rarity in today's time, and has a mesmerising
appeal to it. Lasting close to two and a half minutes, it
has a pensive feel to it which pretty much follows the
theme, mood and expected treatment that one expects from the
narrative. Expect it to play in the opening and end credits
roll.
Lastly comes Shankar Mahadevan and Suraj Jagan sung 'Rang
De' which is a complete departure from what one has
heard in the album so far and takes a soft rock route. Since
it's Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy at the helm of affairs, there is a
slight Indian classical touch to it as well (at places) but
overall 'Rang De' stays on to be a quintessential
rock track which brings home the message of peace and
togetherness. One wonders though if the song would find a
place in the film's narrative or instead would have a music
video devised around it.
OVERALL
Contrary to popular misconception, Karan Johar's music
hasn't stuck on to the world of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
It has continued to evolve and though it's hard to ignore
the romantic breeze evidenced in his films, the fact is that
he has in fact strived to be different, though not
completely but at least partially, in each of his outings.
However, in My Name Is Khan, he along with Shankar
Ehsaan Loy and lyricist Niranjan Iyengar have brought not a
partial but a substantial difference to the way music in his
films is being looked at. Doing something like this was
always meant to be a calculated since music as heard in
My Name Is Khan doesn't belong to the kind that results
in blockbuster sales. However, given the fact that the film
boasts of who-is-who of the film and music world, has a
guaranteed chartbuster in the form of 'Sajda', comes
with a huge curiosity value and overall boasts of a quality
feel to it, it is bound to become further popular after the
release.
OUR PICK(S)
Sajda, Noor E Khuda, Tere Naina
 
Download Songs of
My Name Is Khan:
IN 160Kbps :
My Name Is Khan (2010) ~160Kbps [DM]
IN 320Kbps :
My Name Is Khan (2010) ~160Kbps [DM]
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