For the last several decades, veteran director Yash Chopra has ruled the Indian film industry with his romantic, moving, and powerful films. In 1998, he finally had competition in the form of a young, amateur filmmaker with a monumental vision: Karan Johar.
Johar was 28 when he released Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, which went on to become a hit. His following two films, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and Kal Ho Na Ho, also broke box office records.
Now the man himself is back after 3 years with one of the most anticipated films of 2006: Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (Never Say Goodbye). His latest venture has a daunting cast that includes some of Johar's favorites: Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal and Kirron Kher.
The album was recently released, and I finally have the chance to write the review I’ve been waiting for. The music for Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna has been composed by trio Shankar Ehsaan Loy. Javed Akhtar has written the lyrics.
Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna- Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik
The opening piano notes of this song herald the beginning of an album that can only have a Karan Johar stamp on it. One would not expect the introductory song of any Hindi album to be about separation, but when the movie is titled Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, this is not entirely surprising. What can I say about this song? It’s soft. It’s beautiful. It’s heartbreaking. Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik do full justice to the emotions. Javed Akhtar’s lyrics are spot on. The real surprise in this song are Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy. The music directors truly prove their mettle and show that they don’t just create chartbusting item numbers. They can create chartbusting romantic pieces too!
The first thing that one notices about this song is that it’s totally different! It’s a typical Hindi song, infused with a Pakistani musical touch and a hint of Western influence. Everything from the instruments to the composition to the singing is refreshing. Shafaqat Amanat Ali’s classical renditions are impressive. As always, music director Shankar Mahadevan tries a different approach to his singing, and he does a good job. Caralisa has a small part but she has a very sweet voice and showcases it toward the end. This song also has a remix version (surprise, surprise). But unlike other remixes, I actually like this one. The original is so great and remixing it truly enhances the likeability factor of this song. Perfect for a remix!
Where's The Party Tonight- Loy Mendoza, Shaan, Shankar Mahadevan, Vasundhara Das
This song reminds me a lot of It’s the Time to Disco from Kal Ho Na Ho. This is the only song in the album that I didn’t get totally excited about. But, it’s catchy, it’s hip, and most importantly, they got their English pronunciations right! Loy Mendoza does the techno voice, Shankar Mahadevan does the English, and Shaan and Vasundhara Das join in with the Hindi lyrics. I have mixed feelings about this song. Some parts I like, some I thought could’ve been better. But I didn’t dislike it. No, it’s an okay song.
Tumhi Dekho Na- Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik
This romantic number is pleasing to the ears and a welcome piece after the fast-paced “Where’s the Party Tonight.” Again, Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik do a fabulous job. The music is soothing and the lyrics are heartfelt. A typical Karan Johar piece! (Think Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Suraj Hua Maddham, and Kal Ho Na Ho).
Rock N’Roll Soniye- Mahalaxmi Iyer, Shaan, Shankar Mahadevan
I love it! This song is totally like a 70s rock and roll piece. It might not appeal to the masses, but I thought it was a fun little song. It sounds like they had a blast doing this one! Shaan is rockin’ and Shankar is rollin’ in this song. And yay for Mahalaxmi Iyer! One wishes she would get behind the mic more often. Another thing, if you don’t like this song, at least wait until the end before turning it off. So overall, I can’t really predict the fate of this song at the box office, but the 70s groove is certainly different from your normal, run-of-the-mill Hindi songs. A valiant effort by Shankar Ehsaan Loy.
Like every Karan Johar album, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna is classy, hip, and emotional all at the same time. Go buy it people. You won’t be disappointed! Now I’m waiting for the movie. And Arjun Rampal. Yes folks, who really cares about Shahrukh Khan when you have a Greek god to look at. Yay for a good album!
