Red, Black and White - The three striking colors of KHNH a.k.a. Kal Ho Na Ho!
These are the colors that catch your attention through the album cover. This
Dharma production has to its credit biggies like Yash Johar as a producer, Karan
Johar as a story and screenplay writer, Anil Mehta as the cinematographer and
Farah Khan as the choreographer. Star-cast comprises of names like Jaya Bachchan,
the Khans - Shahrukh and Saif, and the 'pretty woman' Preity Zinta'. Shankar
Ehsaan Loy get the biggest break of their career in this debut venture of Karan
Johar's erstwhile assistant Nikhil Advani that has lyrics by veteran Javed
Akhtar !!
Ok!! So we will again repeat the rumor that KHNH may as well be 'inspired' by
yesteryears classic 'Anand' starring Rajesh Khanna and the Big B. And if this is
so then we have a analogy right away!! Case in point being the title track by
Sonu Nigam that seems to be thematically similar to Anand's thoughtful and
poignant track - 'Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli Haaye - Kabhi Ye Hasaye, Kabhi Ye
Rulaye'. A touching number indeed, it strikes chord immediately. Sonu Nigam is
excellent in his rendering and the trio of Shankar Ehsaan Loy do full justice to
the poetry of Javed Akhtar saab. A chartbuster all the way!! Sad version (now
can we live without them?) of this title track, crooned by Alka Yagnik, Richa
Sharma and Sonu Nigam is situational but doesn't create as much as an impact as
the main version. We will stick to the original here this time around !!
Apart from this there are 4 more tracks in this album - 3 dance tracks and one
love duet (now isn't this surprising to have just 6 tracks in a movie that is
mentored by the likes of those who have been behind the biggest blockbusters of
all time musicals - Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham ). The dance
tracks in the reckoning are 'Maahi Ve', 'Its the time to Disco' and 'Pretty
Woman'. 'Maahi Ve' is the feel good family oriented song that is primarily a
track that can be easily identified with the Johars, Chopras and the Barjatyas.
OK!! So we still can't distinguish one from the other, but then are we
complaining? Because we are sure that it will be the treatment of this track
that will take it some way forward. And with the presence of King Khan (as
Shahrukh is popularly called on) can anything really be ordinary? Sadhna Sargam,
Sujata Bhattacharya, Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam and Shankar are the voices behind
this number.
Vasundhara Das, Kay Kay, Shaan and Loy Mendonsa do their best to infuse
freshness in the party track 'It's the time to Disco'. Sad to see but the song
just doesn't manage to rise to the occasion even after repeated listening !! At
best, it can be categorized as 'above-average' and in any other lesser movie may
have been forgotten soon. But then the BIG SCS - Sets, Choreography and Stars
have brought even more mediocre songs at the top before. So who knows?
Hmmmmmmm...'Pretty Woman'!! So does it ring a bell? Shall we tell you? Ya, this
is the track which is an inspiration with a difference!! The difference being
that in this case due credit is given to the original composer Roy Orbison who
composed for Julia Roberts starrer 'Pretty Woman'. Set to 'bhangra beats' (well,
this happens only in India ), our version of this videshi track is sung by
Shankar Mahadevan and Ravi "rags" Khote. End result - 'Pretty
woman...uh...sorry.. 'Pretty Average'!! Nothing great shakes to cheer about.
When everything seems to have fallen into 'average' to 'very average' category
comes 'Kuch To Hua Hai'. Welcome to the world of mush where nothing seems to go
wrong !! So Alka Yagnik and Shaan delightfully tell each other ' Kuch To Hua Hai'
!! A melodious track nevertheless, it is that innocent feel of the lyrics that
make the track rise above the average mark !!
There is no denying the fact that the sales of the album have been very
encouraging so far. In fact it has been one of the most awaited album of the
year. Add to that the banner associated with the album, Khan's charisma and
aggressive publicity and we may have a blockbuster in hand. But still a regret
as KHNH in no way meets the sky high expectations that one normally has from a
Johar film that also boasts of Shahrukh Khan in lead.
