Films with glamour and entertainment
industry as a backdrop are in vogue. If 2007 had Om
Shanti Om and Khoya Khoya Chand with Bollywood as
a backdrop, in 2008 we have already seen Halla Bol
and My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves as the two releases
that had liberal dose of Bollywood references to it. And
upcoming films like Superstar, Mithya, and Fashion
would only be taking this trend forward this year.
Directed by Rohit Jugraj, who had made his debut with action
flick James, Superstar belongs to the light hearted
entertainer genre and paves the way for the first ever
double role performance of Kunal Khemu. However, when it
comes to the film's music, one is a little apprehensive
because except for a handful of numbers, composer Shamir
Tandon doesn't quite boast of an interesting repertoire in
spite of making a mark years back with 'O What A Babe'
(Rakht). Shabbir Ahmed has written the lyrics.
Opening
track 'Dont I Love Or Do I Love U' carries a jingle
feel to it and in spite of being embedded with groovy
hip-hop elements, it doesn't quite make you go 'wow' in the
very first listening. Adnan Sami's lazy style of singing may
have worked (rightly so) with the number of songs in the
past but in case of 'Dont I Love Or Do I Love U', the
effort doesn't really pay. In fact, it is the arrival of
Sunidhi Chauhan which gets some spunk going for the song,
but overall the song just remains ok - neither a put off nor
the kind which you would love to play in a repeat mode.
Hamza, composer Mithoon's discovery, who was last heard in
Aggar, gets his biggest ever break as his solo track
'Man Tu Talbat' has as many as four different
versions dedicated to it. Based on a Middle East tune with
some part of the song even carrying Arabic/Persian lyrics, 'Man
Tu Talbat' has a truly different (and unconventional)
tune, especially during the mukhda. A mix of Hindi
and English lyrics, later the song is a unique experience in
itself and if associated with a good music video it has a
potential to go a long distance.
'Man Tu Talbat' is a kind of song which Emraan Hashmi
would have loved to pounce on with the combination of
unconventional voices of Hamza and Shamir Tandon's orchestra
and Shabbir Ahmed's lyrics, it turns out to be the highlight
of the album. This is the reason why after it's original
version, it appears in a high voltage 'remix version' that
takes the song to a different level altogether.
Further consolidating the song's retention power, the 'remix
version' is followed by an 'Electro Mix', which
continues to keep the excitement on. From the dance floors,
one heads for a lounge outing with this version which has a
wonderful prelude to it (lasting an entire minute) before
Hamza's voice is heard from a distance. 'Spansih Mix'
is the last to come, which takes a livelier approach and
carries a carnival feel to it.
Rekha Bhardwaj (of 'Namak Issak Ka' - Omkara fame) in
a Rohit Jugraj film? Now that's quite a surprise considering
the genres which the two artists operate in, do not quite
converge, at least on paper. Further surprise is to hear the
vocals of Ustad Sultan Khan and once as a listener you have
adjusted to this fact of getting two classically proficient
performers on the same platform, it is time to get attuned
to this Shamir Tandon composition titled 'Aankohn Se
Khwab Rooth Kar'.
A ghazal which takes a complete tangent from the groovy
world of 'Dont I Love Or Do I Love U' and the rocking
item number 'Man Tu Talbat', 'Aankohn Se Khwab Rooth Kar'
only takes the album further up and makes one look in awe at
the kind of range which the soundtrack of Superstar
carries.
With Western arrangements taking this classical composition
forward, Shamir Tandon does a fantastic job in making this
raaga based song, which would make for a lovely
hearing in the dead of the night. Highly recommended for
those with a classical bent. An 'Ambient Mix' of the same
track comes towards the album's end and has Ustad Sultan
Khan starting the proceedings this time around.
Shabbir Tandon's poetry is in full motion in 'Ajnabi',
which follows next. Based mainly on guitar, this track sung
by newcomer Raaj has a Western theme and feel to it. A love
song, it reminds one of the musical styles of the 50's and
the 60's when songs with a jazz base like this were a vogue
with the likes of Biswajeet, Joy Mukherjee, and Shammi
Kapoor. As one listens to the voice of Raaj closely, one
realizes that at places he touches upon notes, which are
similar to the singing style of SP Balasubramaniam. Boasting
of an old world charm, 'Ajnabi' adds on to the
variety of Superstar while a classily shot music
video only adds to the appeal further.
Old world charm is visible yet again in 'Rafa Dafa'
which has a team of singers coming together in the form of
Shaan, Kunal Ganjawala, Sanjeevani, Amrita Kak and Shaila. A
groovy dance number, the song has a nursery rhyme feel to
it, especially established through the arrangements. A
situational track, it traverses a listener to a carnival
atmosphere. In fact, during the song, one is half lead to
believe that 'Rafa Dafa' could well have been
tailor-made for Saif Ali Khan, mainly due to presence of
Shaan in the song.
In the album's end comes a one minute 'Dance Piece'
which moves at a non-stop pace and automatically promises to
make a listener hit the dance floor when the music is on at
a loud volume.
Ever since the release of Rakht, composer Shamir
Tandon had only flattered to deceive when it came to his
Bollywood soundtracks. Page 3, Umar, Corporate,
Undertrial, Traffic Signal, Red Swastik, Bal Ganesha -
none of these had a complete feel to it though he did have a
song or two which worked in these films as well.
However, in case of Superstar he moves quite a few
notches up, especially with 'Man Tu Talbat', which is
an out and out chartbuster in the making if handled well,
and marketed aggressively. Though 'Dont I Love Or Do I
Love U' and 'Rafa Dafa' make for an ordinary
hearing, 'Aankohn Se khwab Rooth Kar' and 'Ajnabi'
provide a good range to the soundtrack.
 
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