Melodic - The Laaga Chunari Mein Daag Music Review
RATING: 5 Somewhere within, music director Shantanu Moitra is a purist. There is an old-world charm in his compositions. He may embrace the techno sounds, but he doesn't forget the traditional instruments like tabla and sitar.
And yet there is something lacking in his music. Granted, his compositions are simple and melodic. But there is hardly anything soul-stirring in them. Hardly anything that truly touches your heart. Hardly anything that stays rolling in your mind and upon your lips. His songs for Yashraj Films' 'Laaga Chunari Mein Daag' are no exception.
However, what stands out in the songs are lyrics by Swanand Kirkire, who composes rhyming verses with simple and everyday words.
The album has an apt beginning with Hum Toh Aise Hain, a sweet and pleasant track with a dash of mischief. Sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal, the song is set in a small town and possibly introduces the two sisters - Rani Mukherjee and Konkona Sen - in the movie. Swanand Kirkire and Pranab Biswas also chip in a few lines in the song.
A brief operatic piece opens Zara Gungunalein Chalo before the song shifts gears and veers into a breezy track with the feels of 1980s music. Singers Mahalaxmi Iyer and Babul Supriyo try to infuse some soul into this track, but in vain. An absolutely forgettable melody by Moitra makes this song pass muster.
The title song Laaga Chunari Mein Daag compels all your attention. Firstly, the song, based on original composition by Roshan and lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi, has a strong déjà vu feel. But the interesting part is that it is not a carbon copy or a senseless rehash. This track has actress Mita Vashisht rendering a few poetic lines in the background even as the lead vocalist Shubha Mudgal evokes many emotions with her impressive rendition in the foreground. Shantanu Moitra has taken the original melody and given it a modern garb with fusion of Indian classical and western sounds.
The album steers into a non-serious mood with Ik Teekhi Teekhi Si Ladki, a light-hearted, lilting track with funny and teasing lyrics by Kirkire. KK and Shreya Ghoshal's singing convincingly captures the mood of the song.
Ehi Thaiyaa Motiya is a classical number with all the trappings of a mujra song - tabla, harmonium, ghungru and sitar. The lyrics are rustic and perfectly suited to the vocals by Rekha Bhardwaj, who shows an impressive command over classical singing through her deliberately slurred rendition. Moitra's musical arrangement is good at times in this track.
The album closes with the peppy track Kachchi Kaliyaan, sung by Sonu Nigam, KK, Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal. The song's lyrics are folkish but the musical treatment by Moitra is very western, with a flavour of pop, rap and remix.
'Laaga Chunari Mein Daag' doesn't really boast of any chartbusting songs. But it has a number of ear catching tracks like Hum Toh Aise Hain, the title song and Ik Teekhi Teekhi Si Ladki.
Movie Review : A Tear Jerker (5/10) 'Laaga Chunari Mein Daag' is a sentimental, tear-jerking saga with good performances and a few glitches.
If you have got a ...
Music Review : Melodic (5/10) Somewhere within, music director Shantanu Moitra is a purist. There is an old-world charm in his compositions. He may embrace the ...