Cash in on Cash music

By: Joginder Tuteja, IndiaFM
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
There was a time [around a decade or more back] when good music was primarily associated with love stories or family dramas. Neither the film makers made an extra effort nor 'aam junta' had major expectations from listening to something that could qualify as a chartbuster from the musical score of a hardcore action movie.

But not anymore!

Films like Mohra, Kaante, Musafir, Dhoom franchise and last but not the least, Dus, changed the trend as at least of couple of major foot tapping tracks [read item numbers], became a basic requirement for an action film to be promoted aggressively. Not just these tracks were used for eye candy purpose, they were also used for promoting the action sequences of the film while playing in the background of the razor sharp promos. 'Mast Mast' [Mohra], 'Rama Re' [Kaante], 'Ishq Kabhi Kariyo Naa' [Musafir], 'Dhoom Machale' [Dhoom], 'Dhoom Again' [Dhoom 2], 'Dus Bahane' and 'Deedar De' [Dus] are some of the examples that immediately come to one's mind.

This is why the score of Cash is expected to be special with expectation being pretty high, if not sky high. Reasons are aplenty.

First and foremost the film belongs to action genre which gives it's composer duo of Vishal and Shekhar ample opportunity to go wild in a way only they can.

Secondly, the film has eye candy in the form of Shamita Shetty, Diya Mirza and Esha Deol which means ready ammunition waiting to explode if there are right ingredients in place to make them dance to the beats.

Thirdly, the film brings together Anubhav Sinha and Vishal-Shekhar after 'Dus' (they did have a 'qawalli' in Tathastu though). Nothing works like a tried and tested combination!

Fourthly, on checking the credit details one realizes that Vishal Dadlani is present throughout the album in the capacity of a singer. Well, he has sung a song or two in his earlier albums too but an entire soundtrack is a first! In fact except for a solo track by Panchhi Jalonvi, Vishal also writes the remaining tracks.

So without waiting any further, one jumps into Cash with the volume being raised to the maximum possible.

It was not a bad choice after all to have pumped up the volume since the opening track Cash has just about everything that one expects from Vishal Shekhar when they are in the mood to go unconventional and create a new sound. An out and out western track with elements of rap-n-reggae thrown in good measure for creating a rocking feel, Cash is sung by both Vishal and Shekhar. What impresses further is Sunidhi Chauhan who modulates her voice once again and makes a smashing entry by taking the song to a different level altogether.

An item song that is expected to play in the opening title rolls, Cash follows the theme of the movie as it talks about how cash makes the life go around. Another version of the song comes later with the sound of a hovering helicopter in the background creating an action feel.

R.D. Burman would have been proud today on hearing 'Naa Puchho' as it is a homage to the maestro's style of composing a melody. Vishal-Shekhar keep the feel of the late 70s/early 80s intact but while doing so they add on their own bit of the technology available in 21st century and create a smashing impact out of 'Naa Puchho'. Hear the manner in which fast forward technique is used (or has Vishal actually sung it that fast?) to make the opening words of 'Naa Puccho' flow rapidly and you would know what we mean!