Hindi music album reviews

Victory
Anu Malik
Anu Malik composed some good tracks for Harman Baweja's debut Love Story 2050 but he seems to have slipped badly for the actor's second film. The Victory soundtrack is unlikely
to win over any hearts.

The soundtrack begins with Money Money – a sensuous item-song rendered competently by Anushka Manchanda and Krishna. Despite flaunting all standard paraphernalia, the song fails to impress and sounds just like a hundred others. Cricket seems to be the central theme of the film and it's only natural that most tracks try (rather unsuccessfully) to whip up the cricket frenzy. First Sukhvinder and Daler Mehndi shoot up a Punjabi styled Balla Utha Chhakka Laga (Pick up the bat and hit a sixer); then Kailash Kher renders a UP folk-styled We Love Cricket and Dibendu follows it with a heavy metal-tinged Victory.

There's also a group-song Mazaa Aa Gaya (Sonu Nigam, Suresh Wadkar, Altaf Raja, Sumitra and Mahalaxmi Iyer). KK's somber-toned Aisa To Socha Na Tha and Shaan's contemplative Tu Ne Re are the better numbers.

Dhanwan / Mashaal
Hridaynath Mangeshkar
Music director Hridaynath Mangeshkar, despite his exceptional talent, could never really come to terms with mainstream music. His non-film compositions reflected pure genius; but his film songs often bordered on mediocrity. This album from the eighties is among his better efforts. Lata–Suresh Wadkar's Yeh Aankhen Dekhkar, Kishore Kumar's Idhar Aa Aa Bhi Jaa and Lata-Kishore's Mujhe Tum Yaad Karna are good to hear.

Sawan Ko Aane Do/ Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaaye
Various Artistes
In the 70s, Rajshri films dished out films with long titled family dramas with melodious music. Raj Kamal's Sawan Ko Aane Do-compositions like Chaand Jaise Mukhde Pe and Teri Tasveer Ko and Ravindra Jain's Dulhan Wahi... tunes like Khushiyan Hi Khushiyan were rendered with panache by Yesudas and Hemlata. These songs were quite popular in their times and even today retain their appeal.

Tere Bharose Nandlal
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi's voice could do justice to any emotion and he literally touched listeners' hearts through his moving devotional songs. This album puts together his bhajans from Hindi films and non-film recordings. Songs like Man Tarpat Hari Darshan Ko, Duniya Na Bhaaye Mohe, Badi Der Bhayi Nandlala, Tere Bharose Hey Nandlal and Shyam Se Naha Lagaye are masterpieces.