Music Review : Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

Facts about the music of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi :

• Aditya Chopra shifts to Salim-Suleiman who replace Jatin Lalit as music directors!
• The death of Anand Bakshi sees Jaideep Sahni step into the shoes of the great lyricist!
• This is the first directorial venture of Aditya Chopra where Lata Mangeshkar is not singing a single song!
• Even Udit Narayan does not feature in a single song!
• Sonu Nigam sings for the first time for Aditya Chopra!

Aditya Chopra is back after Mohabbatein! This is in itself the biggest reason to lend ears to the music of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi। The music style has seen a dramatic change in the eight years that has separated Mohabbatein and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (RNBDJ). Although the quality of songs have deteriorated significantly in this period, the name of Aditya Chopra donning the cap of director raises the expectations from the soundtrack of RNBDJ to preposterous levels. I approached to the soundtrack keeping in mind all these facts, trying to be as reasonable and fair to Aditya Chopra and the times in which the movie has been filmed. And I did listen to the whole album with all the excitement a Yash Raj movie deserves. I was aghast, when the album was over! I just could not digest the fact that this is a soundtrack coming out of a movie directed by a person who single handedly has taken an Indian production house to be the 27th largest production house of the world! I have got it wrong - that's what came in my mind after the first hearing. I put on the CD once again to have an another take on the songs of RNBDJ. There has been no change in my opinion about the soundtrack, even after numerous hearings!
I know that I am being very harsh to the soundtrack of RNBDJ, but you dont expect any average stuff coming out of Yash Raj stable. This is not me who has raised the bars, but it is the sheer quality of Yash Raj in the past, that has made this album a tad disappointing!

Let's check out the songs individually!

1. Tujhmein Rab Dikhta Hai (Roop Kumar Rathod)
The opening song of any movie directed by Yash Chopra or Aditya Chopra always had been the flag bearer for the whole album. Just rewind to Mere Haathon Mein (Chandni), Kabhi Main Kahoon (Lamhe), Tujhe Dekha To Yeh (DDLJ), Dil To Pagal Hai (Dil To Pagal Hai), Humko Humhi Se Chura Lo (Mohabbatein), Tere Liye (Veer Zaara) and you know what I mean! Tujhmein Rab Dikhta Hai is probably the weakest opening song of an Aditya Chopra/Yash Chopra directed movie of all times! The composition and the lyrics, both are very ordinary, and the only saving grace is the singing of Roop Kumar Rathod. The lyrics are so passable and the composition so dull, that you are just left cold after the song is over! Ideally when Roop Kumar Rathod croons the line - Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi - at the end of the song, the listener should have felt a strain in his heart, but the coldness just left me seeking for a blanket!
This song is sub standard, and will not be heard for long!

2. Haule Haule Se Hawa Lagti Hai (Sukhwinder Singh)
The song starts good and things just feel like picking up! The singing prowess of Sukhwinder Singh is to be heard to be believed. Control over the singing even in the higher notes is so refreshing. The lyrics just get the passing marks, and the composition is somewhat similar to the title song of Chak De India. What makes this song stand out is the arrangement! Salim-Suleiman have done an excellent job in using the tabla and harmonium in this song!
This song is going to make this album sell - nothing more, nothing less!

3. Dance Pe Chance (Sunidhi Chauhan, Labh Janjhua)
Haule Haule sounded good, but what's this? Is this song from a Yash Raj movie - I just don't believe it! A song that has it's origins in One Two Cha Cha Cha (Shalimar, 1978), it just falls flat. The hook line is embarassingly weak, and that has been the problem with each and every song (barrring Haule Haule). The singing of Sunidhi Chauhan is average, nothing extraordinary. Labh Janjhua is just passable. If the song aspired to teach non dancers the skills of dancing, then Aditya Chopra is sure going to create many Sunil Shettys, as far as the dancing skills goes!
Very uninspiring song, only the kids may get a grab of it! Rewind back to One Two Cha Cha Cha instead, and have a blast!

4. Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte (Sonu Niggam)
The song starts from where Mere Jeevan Saathi (Ek Duje Ke Liye) had ended! Salim Suleiman use the original music clips of the evergreen songs and Jaideep Sahni use hook lines of songs that are still heard. A very interesting concept and the song genuinely starts well, but the problem again lies with the hook line - Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte. You somewhow don't connect with the song just because of weak composition and weaker hook line! Sonu Niggam's singing is plain bad in this song. How a good concept just falls apart - listen to the song and you will know!
I prefer Mere Jeevan Sathi (Ek Duje Ke Liye) any day. Don't think will ever like to hear this song again!

5. Tujhmein Rab Dikhta Hai (Shreya Ghoshal)
The sad version of the title song - it fares much better! In fact, this is the only song that has the vintage Yash Raj flavour. Notably, the lyrics, the composition, the singing all come good in this song! Singing is simply top class! What Roop Kumar Rathod could not do in a 5 minute song, Shreya Ghoshal did that only in 2 minutes!
A very good song. How I wish it could have been longer! Listen to Shreya Ghoshal and you feel blessed!

6. Dancing Jodi (Instrumental)
I enjoyed this instrumental piece! Very well put together by Salim Suleiman, this instrumental piece has clips of the rest of the songs of RNBDJ. Lot's of energy is what we get in this piece! The arrangement is top class and this gets my thumbs up!
Very enjoyable, you will love it!

The biggest mystery of 2008 - What made Aditya Chopra take Salim Suleiman as music director? My personal opinion is that they are not ready to take the challenge to give music in movies of such scales! It's been 8 year since the death of Anand Bakshi, and his place still remains to be filled. Yuvvraaj and RNBDJ, both missed Anand Bakshi as hell! I can bet you that the songs of RNBDJ could have been much better, had Bakshi Saab been there to pen the lyrics! On the whole, the soundtrack of RNBDJ is a big disappointment. There is absolutely no repeat value, and the songs will just fade away. Repeat value had been the biggest strength of the Yash Raj Films, as far as the music is concerned. This year has been a letdown for them, with no album having any repeat value, be it Bachna Aye Haseeno, Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Aaja Nachle, Tashan, or Road Side Romeo. Add Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi to this list!

Rating : Below Average!

Bye for now!
आपकी अपनी आवाज़
Vishal

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