By Satyajit, Glamsham Editorial
SPEEDY SINGH, I AM SINGH...and off-course the blockbuster SINGH IS KINNG, are the flicks that glorified the might of Singh's and created a different genre of its kind in big B-town. SON OF SARDAAR (SOS), an official remake of Telugu blockbuster MARYADA RAMANNA, rekindles back the spirited enthused feisty feel of 'Sikhism' with a spicy blend of stylish-packed action and comedy. After getting terrific box-office responses to flicks like SINGHAM and BOL BACHCHAN in recent years, it brings back the B-town action hero Ajay Devgn again in the lead role along with strong line-up of stars like Sanjay Dutt, Juhi Chawla and Sonakshi Singh, making this as one of the most bankable preposition of this year. Himesh Reshammiya, the man behind musical success of BODYGUARD and BOL BACHCHAN is the key music composer of this flick along with Sandeep Chowta as guest composer. Sameer Anjaan, a favorite with almost every Reshammiya album, along with renowned names like Shabbir Ahmed, Irshad Kamil, Manoj Yadav and director Ashwini Dhir are the lyricists of this album. Outrageously smart and immensely stylish, promos and teasers of the songs have promised truckloads of 'dhamakedar' entertainment for listeners, will this be another funky musical bandwagon to hit big on charts. Let's find out... Poetry-in-action, yes indeed with that added 'bhangra-funk'! SOS pumps loads of energy in the first track SON OF SARDAAR, a chivalrously drawn peppy title track that lionize the feats and endeavors of SON OF SARDAAR in most boisterous singing way. Himesh Reshammiya's adroitness in pitching Sufi-funk elements in 'bhangra' beat patterns plays a pivotal role in making this an amusing musical piece. The prelude has lead actor Ajay Devgn mouthing out few spicy one-liners, later it triggers off animatedly with loads of UK 'bhangra' buzz, chirpy wordings and racy vocals. Promising Aman Trikha's energetic voices leads the show with Himesh's jingoistic back-up vocals, adding more gleam and thump to the track. Despite the fact that it is primarily a situational number, Reshammiya starts off optimistically with a big bang and its stylish video has already created a big rage among cine-lovers, waiting baited-breathily for its arrival on big screen. Bombastic!! Tunefully tangy and bombastically catchy, Mika Singh's playful roguish voice is at the helm of affairs in creating a bedlam of funny romantic happening in massy sounding 'Rani Tu Main Raja'. Nonsensical to core in Sameer's hilariously impish lyrics, it comes more like a colorful comical romantic anecdote, exuded with witty flair and frolicsome arrangements. Mika's nasal twang has the desired boyish roguish feel that work and connects well with newbie Bhavya Pandit's demure singing. Yo Yo Honey Singh's repetitive back-up vocal supports at intermittent places too work and smoothens the flow of the track. 'Rani Tu Main Raja (remix)' is immensely likable in its fervently loud electronica-filled disco-beat fillers that not only lifts the mood but also gives many reasons to shake booty on floors. It reminds couple of finely crafted 'club-remixe' number that played a pivotal role in Reshammiya's lucky phase; overall this one comes out as a real 'paisa-vasool' musical entertainer and should be one probable chartbuster hit in days to come Chartbuster!!! 'Po Po', a garishly boisterous 'bhangra' number, maintains the flamboyant Punjabi celebratory feel of the album. Like a couple of recent heard tracks ('Dhishkiyoon' (KISMAT LOVE PAISA DILLI) and 'Dhadang Dhadang' (ROWDY RATHORE), it is conceived on the playfully popular sounds ('Po Po' sounds more like sounds of truck-horns) and displays out a festive dancing feel. Actor-turned-singer Vikas Bhalla along with Aman Trikha and Himesh Reshammiya are the fun-loving trio who jester out the entire thumping vibrant feel in their youthful vocal exult. Reshammiya tries to give this a typical folksy 'boliyan' feel and succeeds to large extent in delivering out the needful. Shabbir Ahmed's cohesively penned lyrics works in adding humor tinge to the gleam-factor but the composition fails to strike anything too spectacular and this comes out as another fun-loving peppy number of the album. 'Tu Kamaal di Kudi', the next vibrant sounding follows the similar route, flair and feel of 'Po Po'. Once again, Reshammiya delivers the "heard-before' dhol-beat 'bhangra' arrangements that sounds too monotonous and even the vocals fails to impress this time. Vineet Singh's extra hi-pitched voice sounds too uninspiring and so Mamta Sharma's loud garish tones. Against all odds, this one comes special for all North-Indian DJ's, who loves and explore for 'dhol-beat' marriage numbers and should strike chords with Punjabi listeners. From the everlasting nostalgia of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan era ('Tere Bin Nahin Lagda' and 'Afreen') to Himesh Reshammiya's very own 'Main Jahaan Bhi Rahoon (NAMASTEY LONDON), B-town listeners have been fed with quality Sufi rock and funk and this trend continues positively in impressively composed 'Bichdann'. Revitalizing on strongest forte of Sufi-rock, Reshammiya delivers finest of the album in 'Bichdann', a number not only delivers finesse of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's singing but also enchants with beautiful poetic one-liners. As far as its eclectically supreme melodic feel is concerned, it has the fragrance of a quintessential Sufi rock fusion track, a signature tuneful feel of 'table-sarangi' subliming well into the contours of arrangements and exuding out a poignant feel of separation and pain. 'Bichdann' relives the Sufi phase of Reshammiya in most promising way, and it further it impresses with Sameer's poetic verses in Ajay Devgn's expressive voice ('Khuda kare zindagi me ye makaam aaye, Tujhe bhulane ki dua karun, Aur dua me tera naam aaye...), a soulful musical piece that will surely add potential substance to the content. 'Bichdann (reprise)' adds electronic funk to the original soundtrack, a strong disco "club-remix" feel is added to spice it for the urbane listeners. The lively energetic thrive in electronic arrangements regal to perfection, a fine depiction of fusion and improvisation in sound engineering and recording antics. Brilliant!!! 'Yeh Jo Halki Halki Khaumariyan', an eclectic mix of 'Sufi-qawalli' and hard-rock, maintains the supreme fervor of Sufism to perfection and adds one more brilliant attribute to the album. It brings the feel of a typical Paki rock group to fore, where the zany feel of hard-rock distorted electric guitar riffs, cultured 'qawalli' rendition and passionately loud vocals, rules the show. Reshammiya delivers another winner in this track where he camouflages his style of Sufi-rock in mix and match of melody-driven wordings and hard-rock thrives. Irshad Kamil's melancholically profound poetic expressions works ('Yeh jo halki halki khumariya, Hai mohabbaton ki taiyaariyan, Kaise kahoon kaise bhala, Roke tu mujhko gunahon se...) in epitomizing the momentous romantic moments, a significant feature that makes this a noteworthy soundtrack. Expressive!! Rating - 3.5/5