Song Review: Chammak Challo (Ra.One)

Film: Ra.One (Release Date: October 26, 2011)
Singer: Akon
Composers: Vishal and Shekhar

(I'm not gonna bother with a YouTube link to the song just yet. Since the song was leaked online, it'll just keep getting removed. So search for it and I'm sure you'll find it!)

When I first heard that R&B superstar Akon would be recording a couple songs for Ra.One, I was afraid. Very afraid. It could either go terribly wrong, or have the potential to be a super hit (but probably nothing in between). Thankfully, "Chammak Challo" falls in the latter category!

If you're not familiar with Akon and his voice/style, it may take a while for you to warm up to the song. But I assure you--you will!  The track starts off strong and is able to continue with the same strength until the very end, never losing it's high energy pace. It's surprisingly catchy and will probably get stuck in your head whether you like it or not.

Akon did an amazing job. First of all, he's a superstar in the American music scene, and is Senegalese-American. Despite his lack of complete familiarity with Bollywood and India, his Hindi pronunciation is really, truly impressive. There is no hint of an American accent in his Hindi lines (quite a feat!) and the words seem to flow naturally. Katrina Kaif could learn something from this guy! And even though Akon is singing for a different market and audience, he maintains his personal musical style in the song.

I usually hate when English is used in Bollywood songs. It tends to sound forced, unnatural, and the singers' Indian accents don't help much with that "cool" factor they're probably going for. "Chammak Challo" is the perfect example of how an English-Hindi fusion in a song can actually work. Akon's grasp of both languages defeats that usual awkwardness factor that comes out of these language fusion songs. The lyrics also help with this, with lingo English lingo that is popular in R&B songs and Hindi lyrics that are typical of Bollywood tracks.

The best part of this song? It's apparently going to be an item number picturized on Kareena Kapoor! This makes me happy for two reasons. One, I LOVE item songs with a passion. Two, I'm just glad they're not gonna have Shahrukh Khan lip synch to this (hopefully?!). I love love love SRK, but imagine the awkwardness that could come of out that. The chorus (my favorite part of the song) is also perfectly suited for a dance number, so I'm excited to see what could come of this.

"Chammak Challo" is a unique song, but one that is sure to be a hit. It's also a great marketing ploy for Ra.One, which will now get wider recognition within second generation NRI communities, as well as non-Indian Akon fans. It's a step forward in the current globalization of Hindi cinema--whether that's a good thing or not, is up to you.

Overall, I absolutely adore this song, despite my usual inhibitions about Western singers in Bollywood. Akon has reportedly also sung another song for Ra.One so, seeing as how this wasn't a disaster, I'm actually kind of excited to hear it. And yes, Akon, I'd love to be your Chammak Challo!

Final Verdict: 4.5/5

Song Review: Saibo (Shor in the City)

Film: Shor in the City (Release Date: April 28, 2011)
Singers: Shreya Ghoshal and Tochi Raina
Composer: Sachin-Jigar

As you might be able to tell from my previous song reviews, I tend to prefer sizzling, dhamakedaar, fast-paced, party songs. So it's a bit rare that I fall in love with a slow love ballad. But "Saibo" is a song that I literally cannot stop listening to.

The enthralling thing about "Saibo" is that  it's the perfect mix of traditional and modern. The song begins slowly with Shreya's captivating voice and you thing you're in for a run-of-the-mill emotional love song. But when Tochi Raina comes in with the chorus, the song picks up the pace just a bit. What I especially like here is the split between the traditional words and pronunciations with the more modern musical style.

Shreya's voice and Tochi's voice, though different in style, mesh perfectly together in this song. Sometimes I find Shreya's voice to be a bit too high, but she does an amazing job with this track. Tochi, an up and coming Sufi singer, will surely gain widespread recognition after "Saibo." We've heard him before in "Gal Mithi Mithi Bol" from Aisha--which, in my opinion, was one of the most underrated songs of 2010. In "Saibo" Tochi's voice is almost mystifying.

My only real complaint about "Saibo"? It's too short!!! At just over 3 minutes long, it leaves the listener craving for more. I really think it could've been successfully stretched out to at least 4 minutes. "Saibo" with its fusion style will appeal to audiences of all ages and generations. On top of that, we get a song with actual sentimental meaning and well-thought lyrics. Be sure to check it out!


Final Verdict: 4/5

Song Review: Laila O Laila (Chalo Dilli)

Film: Chalo Dilli (Release Date: April 29, 2011)
Singer: June Banerjee
Composer: Gourov Dasgupta

The track "Laila O Laila" from the forthcoming film Chalo Dilli is the much talked about item song picturized on Yana Gupta and obviously adapted from the 1980 hit of the same title from the film Qurbani. While I will try my best not to compare the song to the original (listen to it here), let me just say that I read reports saying that the new song is virtually "unaltered" from the original track, and that is simply not true. The music is different, the singer is different, and the pace is different. If that's not "altered" then I don't know what is. Now, on to the revamped "Laila O Laila"!

The first minute or so of the song left me in sheer confusion (and terror!) to be honest. It starts off with soft, slow crooning, which many songs do. But this particular opening was so long and drawn out that I was wondering whether I was listening to a bhajan or an item number. But if you manage to stay awake through the first minute and 10 seconds of the song, it does get better! 

The music is hands-down the best part of this track. Once the main beat hits, you remain captivated by the song; it's very traditional and Desi, but at the same time modern and dance-able. I wasn't sure how "Laila O Laila" would work as an item song (especially one featuring Yana) but after hearing it, it's clear that this song was meant to be a sexy item number. The lyrics seem to be pretty similar to the original, but the new music really spices them up.

I'm not really sure about the singing, however. June Banerjee is clearly talented but I feel like this voice didn't suit the song. I understand what they were going for in trying to portray a type of "village vamp" (think Munni!) but I think they went a little too far and June's voice often sounded plain drunk rather than sexy. This is mostly evident in her singing the actual "Laila O Laila" chorus--she seems to do fine with the rest of the song. 

Ultimately, the new "Laila" excels music-wise, but the needlessly long intro and June's over-the-top singing are a few significant drawbacks. But, in the end, it's still fun, catchy, and item-number worthy.

Final Verdict: 3/5

Song Review: Pyaar Do Pyaar Lo (Thank You)

Film: Thank You (Release Date: April 8, 2011)
Singer: Mika
Composer: Pritam

Pyaar Do Pyaar Lo from the upcoming comedy Thank You starts off, and I'm pumped for an exciting chartbuster that makes me wanna get up and dance. Well, that's pretty much the most excited I was throughout the entire song, as the energy just goes downhill from there.

Don't get me wrong--Pyaar Do Pyaar Lo is a pretty decent track, just not what I expected considering the song is supposed to be picturized on a club scene with the actors dancing alongside scantily clad women. Once I started listening to the song I realized that it felt rather dated in style. I felt like I was listening to something from the late 90s or early 2000s, which isn't necessarily a bad thing for some.

On a positive note, Mika does showcase some versatility through this song. His vocals sound quite different from some of his earlier Bollywood tracks like Mauja Hi Mauja, showing that Punjabi-type music isn't his only forte. But I wasn't a fan of that weird tribal-sounding noise that shows up around 1:18 and then comes up throughout the rest of the song.

The track is also considerably long at over 5 minutes long, which seems like an eternity for this particular song. Especially toward the end, the song just gets monotonous and repetitive and I had to resist pressing the "skip" button. In general, I was expecting much better from a Mika song in a multi-starrer Bollywood film.

Final Verdict: 2/5

Song Review: Mit Jaaye Gham (Dum Maaro Dum)

Film: Dum Maaro Dum (Release date: April 22, 2011)
Singer: Anushka Manchanda
Composer: Pritam

It took a few listens of this track for me to come to the decision that I like this song. It is obviously (and expectedly) a take on the original "Dum Maaro Dum" from the 1971 movie Hare Ram Hare Krishna. While nothing can overshadow the original, this new track has its own spice and flair.

First off, Mit Jaaye Gham is an item song and will be picturized on the lovely Deepika Padukone. Judging from this song's rough 'n tough style, I can predict that we'll be in for quite a show. The song itself is unconventional. It starts off with a fierce monologue by the singer then goes straight into a playful rhyme, then a rap, before the catchy chorus begins.

Somehow, even though so many different elements and song styles are combined and compressed into just under 4 minutes, the song still works. It's different and unique, but everything is tied together through the use of the original "Dum Maaro Dum" chorus, which sounds as catchy as ever. It also seems that, because of the modern techno feel to the song, it'll probably appeal more to the youth market.

Anuskha's vocals are perfect for this song. She does a great job with all the different styles and elements of the track. As for the lyrics, I'm still not sure what to think of them. They're interesting, to say the least (ex: "Uche se ucha banda, potty pe bethe nanga!"). But this song definitely breaks some rules, and the lyrics are no exception. All in all, this song has landed a spot on my current playlist--I always love a good item number!

Final Verdict: 3.5/5