Naksha - Music Review

By: Joginder Tuteja, IndiaFM

Monday, August 14, 2006

2006 will see a film belonging to an adventure genre, something that has not been attempted in India since one can last remember, unveil on the big screen soon. Directed by Sachin Bajaj, Naksha is one such film that stars Sunny Deol, Viveik Oberoi, Jackie Shroff and Sameera Reddy in the lead and boasts of a novel theme that should set the eye ball rolling.

For a film like this, music may not be really a mainstay for the narrative to be carried forward but reading Pritam and Sameer on the credits makes one hope for a foot tapping number or two. And don't they really surprise with some genuinely entertaining soundtrack?

The opening orchestra of 'Shake It' comes so close to 'Aaja Ve Mahi Let's Do Balle Balle' [Fida] that one re-checks the credits to see if the song has Anu Malik as a guest composer. It turns out that the composer at the helm is Pritam indeed and after the first few seconds the song too comes on its own and turns out to be a completely different track. A song belonging to Suzzane De Mello with her vocals dominating the proceedings throughout, this item track featuring Sameera Reddy is rocking from note one and has a thumping effect throughout. A western-bhangra mix with a trademark Pritam feel to it, it has an instant coffee effect on you since it gets on you real quickly. Kailash Kher comes with his Punjabi rendition towards the latter half of the song and adds on to the impact while Indee is in charge of the background voice. This Hinglish song won't be the most remembered song of the year but does well to get 'Naksha' on to the current hot favorite music 'map' [pun intended]!

From a song like 'Shake It', a 'Dhol Club Mix' offers a lot of promise due to anticipation of an enhanced vibrancy, pace and style. Fortunately it is indeed the case as Eric Pillai pumps up the jam and creates an opportune ambience. Indee goes solo for the third and final version of this 'shaking' number while rendering 'All Ladies in the House'. An extended musical piece with no Suzzane for company this time around, it is for the dance floor and is ready ammunition for any DJ to let loose on a dance floor.

A slow beginning to 'Yaara Ve' keeps one wondering about the genre of the song but as soon as Abhishek Nailwal starts his 'aalap', a la Pakistani pop style, one knows that Pritam has got another chartbuster song up his sleeve. A full throated rendition by Abhishek accompanied by the sound of an electronic guitar and 'dholak' makes 'Yaara Ve' belong truly to the pop genre from the other side of the border! Inspiration or no inspiration, the fact is that the song is a good hear overall and it is quite surprising that a track like this finds a place in a movie belonging to adventure genre! ZERO db comes up with a 'Tumbi House Mix' version of the same track which has Kailash Kher joining the party. Can we expect a promotional music video of this track just when the film's release is around the corner?

Mayur Puri is the guest lyricist for 'U&I', yet another western-bhangra-pop track after 'Shake It'. Sung superbly by Sonu Nigam in an inimitable intoxicated voice, it is a 'Friday Night' song set in a night club with a horde of youngsters spending a rocking time on the dance floor. A good song to listen it, by this time whatever one hears in 'Naksha' is indeed a bonus since one expected 2 or at maximum 3 foot tapping numbers in Naksha which mainly comes with an action theme. A track that should be popular amongst campus crowds, it comes in a 'Dil Se Mile Dil' version sung by Pritam and KK. Both the youngsters let themselves enjoy in a holds-no-bar mood and when Labh Janua and Rana Mazumder pair up to come up with a Punjabi version of the song [Let's Do Balle Balle - U&I], you know that it is a happening party all the way. Written by Labh Janua himself, he can consider this track to be his second Bollywood success in quick succession after 'Pyaar Karke' [Pyaar Ke Side Effects].

The following song is an ode to He-Man Dharmendra as this time it is the turn of son Sunny Deol to go 'Jat Yamla', what with even his dance steps bringing the age old flavor that came along with the highly famous 'Main Jat Yamla Pagla Deewana' [Pratigya]. Aimed at those fans who still love the age old charm of the Deol family, it is a spirited rendition by Sonu Nigam who does all he can to bring alive the proceedings. A situational track picturised on the three lead actors of the film who are dancing along with the natives of a 'kabeela' while being en route to their milestone in the land of unknown, it should pep up the proceedings and bring some whistles and claps in the single screen theatres at the least. DJ A Myth and DJ Kiran pair up for the remix version of the track and give it a retro touch without hampering the originality of the song.

Alisha Chinoy comes up with 'Nasha' that seems to be set in the villain's [in this case Jackie Shroff's] den. Reminding of 'Raat Bhar Raat Se Jaam Takraega' [Tridev] in terms of content, styling and treatment, it is the most lukewarm of the lot and is a quick skip; in fact a REAL quick skip. One of the most pedestrian songs ever composed by Pritam, perhaps it was the wise decision of the music company to avoid having an remix version of the track. A song seemingly set during the film's climax, one hopes that at least the visuals are thrilling enough to make one avoid thinking about the song at all!

Except for 'Nasha' that is disappointing to say the least, rest of 'Naksha' is pretty enjoyable with 'Shake It', 'Yaara Ve', 'U&I' and their numerous remix versions dominating the show. As said above, there were not many expectations from the music of Naksha but Pritam has ensured that most of the album sounds enjoyable. While 'Shake It' is already popular by now, one waits for the remaining two tracks to arrive soon on satellite channels because that would be the deciding factor for the sales of the album. If music videos of these two songs click then the album too should easily cross the safety mark!