Song of the Day - Dil Karta Hai (Andaz Apna Apna)

Starring: Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor.
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi
Producer: Vinay Kumar Sinha
Music: Tushar Bhatia
Released: April 11th 1994

Song of the Day - Jaane Chaman Shola Badan (Gumnaam)

Director: Raja Nawathe
Producer: Prithivi Pictures
Starring: Manoj Kumar, Nanda, Pran
Music by: Shankar-Jaikishan
Released: 1965

Playlist: Socha Na Tha Full Songs

Playlist: Socha Na Tha Full Songs

Yara Rab
Abhi Abhi
Socha Na Tha
Zindagi
Na Sahi
Mein Seedhay Saade
Mein Tumhara

Song of the Day - Tanhaiyaan (Aap Kaa Surroor)

Starring: Himesh Reshammiya, Mallika Sherawat, Hansika Motwani
Director: Prashant Chadha
Producer: Vijay Taneja
Music by: Himesh Reshammiya
Released: June 27th 2007

Playlist: Housefull Full Songs

Playlist: Housefull Full Songs

Oh Girl You're Mine
Papa Jag Jayega
I Don't Know What To Do
Dhanno
Loser

Song of the Day - Main Seedhay Saade Dhang (Socha Na Tha)

Starring: Abhay Deol, Ayesha Takia Azmi
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Producer: Vijayta Films
Music by: Sandesh Shandilya
Released: March 4th 2005

My Top 10 Bollywood Songs - July 20 2013

Rank	Song	Film	Singer	Music Director
1	Ye Tune Kya Kiya	Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbaai Dobaara	Javed Bashir	Pritam
2	Tu Hi Khwahish	Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbaai Dobaara	Sunidhi Chauhan	Pritam
3	Maston Ka Jhund	Bhaag Milkha Bhaag	Divya Kumar	Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
4	Jeene Laga Hoon	Ramaiya Vastavaiya	Atif Aslam, Shreya Ghoshal	Sachin-Jigar
5	Taiyyab Ali	Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbaai Dobaara	Javed Ali	Pritam
6	Kashmir Main Tu Kanyakumari	Chennai Express	Sunidhi Chauhan, Arijit Singh, Neeti Mohan	Vishal-Shekhar
7	Sawaar Loon	Lootera	Monali Thakur	Amit Trivedi
8	Alvida	D-Day	Nikhil D'Souza, Sukhwinder Singh, Shruti Haasan, Loy	Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
9	Slow Motion Angreza	Bhaag Milkha Bhaag	Sukhwinder Singh, Loy Mendonsa, Shankar Mahadevan	Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
10	Badtameez Dil	Yeh Jawaani Yeh Deewani	Benny Dayal, Shefali Alvarez	Pritam

#1 Bollywood Album of the Week - Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbaai Dobaara (Pritam)

Song of the Day - You're My Love (Partner)

Starring: Govinda, Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Lara Dutta
Director: David Dhawan
Producer: Sohail Khan Productions, K Sera Sera
Music by: Sajid-Wajid
Released: July 20th 2007

Playlist: Partner Full Songs

Playlist: Partner Full Songs

Do You Wanna Partner
You're My Love
Dupatta Tera Nau
Soni De Nakhre
Maria Maria

Song of the Day - Tere Bina (Aap Kaa Surroor)

Starring: Himesh Reshammiya, Mallika Sherawat, Hansika Motwani
Director: Prashant Chadha
Producer: Vijay Taneja
Music by: Himesh Reshammiya
Released: June 27th 2007

Playlist: Gumnaam Full Songs

Playlist: Gumnaam Full Songs

Jaan Pehechan Ho
Gumnaam Hai Koi
Ek Ladki Hai Jisne
Jaane Chaman Shola Badan
Peeke Hum Tum
Is Duniya Mein Jeena
Hum Kaale Hain To

Song of the Day - Tera Mera Milna (Aap Kaa Surroor)

Starring: Himesh Reshammiya, Mallika Sherawat, Hansika Motwani
Director: Prashant Chadha
Producer: Vijay Taneja
Music by: Himesh Reshammiya
Released: June 27th 2007

Song of the Day - Aakhon Mein Neendein (We Are Family)

Starring: Arjun Rampal, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor
Director: Siddharth P. Malhotra
Producer: UTV Motion Pictures, Dharma Productions, Sony Pictures
Music by: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Released: September 3rd 2010

Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbaai Dobaara - Music Review

Finally the music for one of the most anticipated movies for the year is released. Right off the bat, I'll say it wouldn't be fair to compare this album to the prequel Once Upon A Time in Mumbai because it is three years since and what was popular then would not necessarily work now. Thankfully this album stands on its own and helps releive some of the musical disappointment after Chennai Express.

Ye Tune Kya Kiya has been infectious since the trailer release. I really liked the way the chorus has been composed in a crescendo manner and Javed Bashir is a refreshing replacement for Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. The qawalli Tayyab Ali is playful as Javed Ali energizes and excited with his vocals. I've never heard the original song so I can't say if the remake is better but I will sayit was an enjoyable listen. The retro song Tu Hi Khwahish starts out amazingly with an a Turkish-disco influence. Sunidhi Chauhan has been missing lately so it is good to hear her again but I think she did better in Parda from the prequel. Chugliyaan is another romantic track that features Javed Ali and Sahir Ali Bagga. The background singing is what impressed me with the song as it transitions with the rest of the lyrics. The piano, the strings, and the table all make short entries in the song.

Recommendation: This is a MUST-BUY album, all of the songs are quality compositions by Pritam. While the album may not be as contempary as Cocktail or Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, it is the old-world charm in the tracks which makes the album special. Ye Tune Kya Kiya, Tayyab Ali, and Chugliyaan are must-buy singles, and Tu Hi Khwahish should be considered a buy for single. 

Tu Hi Khwahish - Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbaai Dobara Song Promo

Jukebox: Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbaai Dobara

Jukebox: Once Upon ay Time in Mumbaai Dobara (Pritam)

Ye Tune Kya Kiya
Taiyyab Ali
Tu Hai Khwahish
Chugliyaan

Song of the Day - Yeh Raat Aur Yeh Doori (Andaz Apna Apna)

Starring: Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor.
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi
Producer: Vinay Kumar Sinha
Music: Tushar Bhatia
Released: April 11th 1994

Song of the Day - Abhi Abhi (Socha Na Tha)

Starring: Abhay Deol, Ayesha Takia Azmi
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Producer: Vijayta Films
Music by: Sandesh Shandilya
Released: March 4th 2005

Playlist: We Are Family Full Songs

Playlist: We Are Family Full Songs

Aakhon Mein Neendein
Dil Khol Ke Let's Rock
Reham O Karam
Hamesha and Forever
Sun Le Dua

Song of the Day - Mera Tumhara (Socha Na Tha)

Starring: Abhay Deol, Ayesha Takia Azmi
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Producer: Vijayta Films
Music by: Sandesh Shandilya
Released: March 4th 2005

My Top 10 Bollywood Songs - July 13 2013

Rank	Song	Film	Singer	Music Director
1	Ye Tune Kya Kiya	Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbaai Dobaara	Javed Bashir	Pritam
2	Titli	Chennai Express	Chinmayi Sripaada, Gopi Sunder	Vishal-Shekhar
3	Chennai Express	Chennai Express	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Jonita Gandhi	Vishal-Shekhar
4	Badtameez Dil	Yeh Jawaani Yeh Deewani	Benny Dayal, Shefali Alvarez	Pritam
5	Zinda	Bhaag Milkha Bhaag	Suhas Sawant, Raman Mahadevan, Mani Mahadevan, Siddharth Mahadevan	Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
6	Taiyyab Ali	Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbaai Dobaara	Javed Ali	Pritam
7	Jeene Laga Hoon	Ramaiya Vastavaiya	Atif Aslam, Shreya Ghoshal	Sachin-Jigar
8	Kabira	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Tochi Raina, Rekha Bhardwaj	Pritam
9	Peecha Chutte	Ramaiya Vastavaiya	Mohit Chauhan	Sachin-Jigar
10	Kashmir Main Tu Kanyakumari	Chennai Express	Sunidhi Chauhan, Arijit Singh, Neeti Mohan	Vishal-Shekhar

#1 Bollywood Album of the Week - Chennai Express (Vishal-Shekhar)

Song of the Day - Assalam Vaalekum (Aap Kaa Surroor)

Starring: Himesh Reshammiya, Mallika Sherawat, Hansika Motwani
Director: Prashant Chadha
Producer: Vijay Taneja
Music by: Himesh Reshammiya
Released: June 27th 2007

Playlist: Aap Kaa Surroor Full Songs

Playlist: Aap Kaa Surroor Full Songs

Assalam Vaalekum
Tere Mera Milna
Jhoot Nahi Bholna
Ya Ali
Tere Bina
Kya Jeena
Mehbooba Mehbooba
Tanhaiyaan

Song of the Day - Hamesha and Forever (We Are Family)

Starring: Arjun Rampal, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor
Director: Siddharth P. Malhotra
Producer: UTV Motion Pictures, Dharma Productions, Sony Pictures
Music by: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Released: September 3rd 2010

Playlist: Andaz Apna Apna Full Songs

Playlist: Andaz Apna Apna Full Songs

Do Mastane
Dil Karta Hai
Ello Ello
Yeh Raat Aur Yeh Doori

Song of the Day - Do Mastane (Andaz Apna Apna)

Starring: Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor.
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi
Producer: Vinay Kumar Sinha
Music: Tushar Bhatia
Released: April 11th 1994

Best of Bollywood 2013 - Midyear Review

So half of the year has gone and it's time to look back at some of the best and worst of what we've seen and heard from our Bollywood films this year from films that released up to June 28th (Ghanchakkar included).

Best Song So Far (In no particular order)
Tum Hi Ho - Aashiqui 2, Composed by Mithoon
Badtameez Dil - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Composed by Pritam
Tum Tak - Raanjhanaa, Composed by A.R. Rahman
Lat Lag Gayee - Race 2, Composed by Pritam
Saddi Galli - Nautanki Saala, Composed by Ayushmann Khuranna

Disappointing Song So Far (In no particular order)
Naino Mein Sapna - Himmatwala, Composed by Sajid-Wajid
Taki O Taki - Himmatwala, Composed by Sajid-Wajid
Babli Badmaash - Shootout at Wadala, Composed by Anu Malik
Chamiya - Zilla Ghaziabad, Composed by Bappa Lahiri
Teri Jhuki Nazar - Murder 3, Composed by Pritam

Best Album So Far (In no particular order)
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani - Pritam
Aashiqui 2 - Mithoon, Jeet Gangully, Ankit Tiwari
Raanjhanaa - A.R. Rahman
ABCD - Sachin-Jigar
Kai Po Che - Amit Trivedi 

Disappointing Album So Far (In no particular order)
Himmatwala - Sajid-Wajid
Zilla Ghaziabad - Amjad Nadeem, Bappa Lahiri
Murder 3 - Pritam
Rangrezz - Sajid-Wajid
Gippi - Vishal-Shekhar

Unreleased Albums to Look Forward to (In no particular order)
Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai Dobara - Pritam
Krrish 3 - Rajesh Roshan
Dhoom 3 - Pritam
Ram Leela - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Highway - A.R. Rahman

Best Actor So Far (In no particular order)
Ranbir Kapoor - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Dhanush - Raanjhanaa
Aditya Roy Kapoor - Aashiqui 2
Arjun Kapoor - Aurangzeb
Sushant Singh Rajput - Kai Po Che

Worst Actor So Far (In no particular order)
Neil Nitin Mukesh - 3G
Jackky Bhagnani - Rangrezz
Ajay Devgn - Himmatwala
Rhehan Mallik - Ishkq in Paris
Randeep Hooda - Murder 3 

Unreleased Film Actor Performance to Look Forward to (In no particular order)
Farhan Akhtar - Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Ranveer Singh - Lootera
Hrithik Roshan - Krrish 3
Aamir Khan - Dhoom 3
Ram Charan - Zanjeer

Best Actress So Far (In no particular order)
Deepika Padukone - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Shraddha Kapoor - Aashiqui 2
Konkona Sen Sharma - Ek Thi Daayan
Sonam Kapoor - Raanjhanaa 
Vidya Balan - Ghanchakkar

Worst Actress So Far (In no particular order)
Ameesha Patel - Race 2
Tamannah - Himmatwala
Preity Zinta - Ishkq in Paris
Issabelle Adjani - Ishkq in Paris
Pooja Chopra - Commando
  
Unreleased Film Actress Performance to Look Forward to (In no particular order)
Mishti - Kaanchi
Deepika Padukone - Ram Leela
Vidya Balan - Shaadi Ke Side Effects
Kareena Kapoor - Satyagraha
Sonakshi Sinha - Lootera

Best Film So Far (In no particular order) 
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani - Ayan Mukherji, Dharma Productions
Kai Po Che - Abhishek Kapoor, UTV Motion Pictures
Raanjhanaa - Anand L. Rai, Eros International
Ek Thi Daayan - Kannan Iyer, Balaji Motion Pictures
Go Goa Gone - Raj Nidimuro & Krishna DK, Illuminati Films

Disappointing Film So Far (In No Particular order)
Himmatwala - Sajid Khan, UTV Motion Pictures
Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 - Sangeeth Sivan, Sunny Sounds Pvt. Ltd
Ishkq in Paris - Prem Raj, PZNZ Media
Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story - Vinnil Markan, Tips Music Films
Aurangzeb - Atul Sabharwal, Yash Raj Films

Unreleased Films to Look Forward to (In no particular order)
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag - Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, Viacom 18
Krrish 3 - Rakesh Roshan, Filmkraft Productions Pvt Ltd
Dhoom 3 - Vijay Krishna Acharya, Yash Raj Films
Ram Leela - Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Eros International
Lootera - Vikramaditya Motwane, Balaji Motion Pictures

My Top 10 Bollywood Songs - July 7 2013

Rank	Song	Film	Singer	Music Director
1	Titli	Chennai Express	Chinmayi Sripaada, Gopi Sunder	Vishal-Shekhar
2	Maston Ka Jhund	Bhaag Milkha Bhaag	Divya Kumar	Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
3	Yeh Tune Kya Kiya	Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobara	Javed Bashir	Pritam
4	Chennai Express	Chennai Express	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Jonita Gandhi	Vishal-Shekhar
5	Tirat Meri Tu	Policegiri	Vineet Singh	Himesh Reshammiya
6	Badtameez Dil	Yeh Jawaani Yeh Deewani	Benny Dayal, Shefali Alvarez	Pritam
7	Ghagra	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Vishal Dadlani, Rekha Bhardwaj	Pritam
8	Bhaag Milkha Bhaag	Bhaag Milkha Bhaag	Arif Lohar	Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
9	Manmarziyan	Lootera	Shilpa Rao, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Amit Trivedi	Amit Trivedi
10	Issaq Tera	Issaq	Mohit Chauhan	Sachin-Jigar

#1 Bollywood Album of the Week - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (Pritam)

Playlist: Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Full Songs

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (Pritam)

Badtameez Dil
Balam Pichkari
Ilahi
Kabira
Dilliwali Girlfriend
Subhanallah
Ghagra

Playlist: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy Songs

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy Songs

I Don't Know What To Do - Housefull
Dus - Dus
Alvida - D-Day
Dil Chahta Hai - Dil Chahta Hai
Zinda - Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Sun Le Yeh - We Are Family
Kya Karoon - Wake Up Sid

Playlist: Rocky Full Songs

Rocky (R.D. Burman)

Kya Yehi Pyar Hai
Aa Dekhen Zara
Aao Mere Yaaro
Geet Sunoge Huzoor
Doston Ka Salam
Hum Tumse Mile

D-Day - Music Review

D-Day (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy)

Yay, another SEL album! We've heard Duma Dum so many times before so this version by Mika Singh would need to be really impressive for me to recommend it. It is not despite the trumpets and sarangi, skip. Alvida is a soothing listen as the instrumentation is soft allowing a splendid culmination between the singers. Murshid Khele Holi is a nice qawalli song but there isn't anything to make this one stand out, skip. Rekha Bhardwaj sounds like her usual self in Ek Ghadi. It is well composed with the tablas and the flutes however it lacks commercial appeal thus limiting itself to be best appreciated on screen. The strings in Dhuaan sets a climatic tone for the album as Siddharth Mahadevan leads the crescendo for the song. Another well composed song that lacks commercial appeal.

Recommendation: SKIP the album. The should be better appreciated on screen as their are very well cinematically composed. Alvida is a must-buy single while Dhuaan should be considered for a buy.

Chennai Express - Music Review

Chennai Express (Vishal-Shekhar)

I'm not getting on the dance floor after listening to 1234 Get on the Dance Floor. The song is huge disappointment with an ordinary tune. I liked the south Indian interludes of the song with the flutes. If this was in a smaller budget film this would've been skipped right away. I liked Titli the moment I saw the trailer, Chinmayi's voice is light on the ears. The south Indian portions of the songs take it to a next level with the flute. The lyrics of Tera Rasta Chhodon Na sounds misplaced with the fast paced guitar template which makes the song sound tacky overall, skip. The mix of the strings and flutes in Kashmir Main Tu Kanyakumar makes it a fun listen. The singers maintain the energy throughout which makes it a good listen however there isn't anything really that makes the song stand out. Ready Steady Po could've been another Raftaarein however the techno song is overtly autotuned while the lyrics are too basic to make any impact, skip. I liked the title song because of the chorus portion only which is the only highlight of the song as the remainder is rehashed techno beats that sound out of place with S.P's voice.

Recommendation: SKIP the album. Vishal-Shekhar, what happened? Titli is a must-buy single and Chennai Express should be considered for a buy. I'm hoping the songs sound better after seeing the movie.

Issaq - Music Review

Issaq (Sachin-Jigar, Krsna, Sachin Gupta)

Issaq Tera by Mohit Chauhan has a nice flute which carries the song however the melody seems stretched despite only having a running time of 3 minutes nonetheless it is good enough for a radio listen. Jheeni Re Jheeni doesn't stand out for me because the Indian melody and vocals bore at the 7 minute running time, SKIP. The strings at the intro of Bhole Chale bring some hope to the rustic song. The song tires me out while listening to it though because it is so repitative that I am eager for the chorus, SKIP. Aag Ka Dariya is how to not do a rock song, Ankit should not be shouting to get the words out of his mouth during the chorus. The guitar provides nothing new in terms in melody, SKIP. Enne Unne is playfully rustic, Mamta Sharma finally gets a song that isn't an item number. It is a decent listen. Bhagan Ke Rekhan Ki has nice orchrestration with the bagpipes the song fails to capture my attention as it seems more fitting for the screen than on my playlist, SKIP.

Recommendation: SKIP the album. Only Issaq Tera should be considered for a buy the others will be good enough for when you see the film but will be forgotten after that.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag - Music Review

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy)

Before I start the review I must say that I'm super late with a few reviews including this one as I was finishing up finals and out of the country for a couple weeks but all is well now so back to the review!

The album starts with Zinda a complex yet well composed rock anthem. Someone on the web referred to SEL as a band and I must say they never disappoint with their rock based songs. Definitely consider buying this one or wait until you've seen the movie because I'm assuming this song will be used effectively on screen. Mere Yaar is next which utilizes the same few notes from the guitar in the background beautifully as it meshes well with Javed Bashir's vocals and the few violin intervals. The first time I listened to Maston Ka Jhund I didn't like it much because the tune seems disjointed but after a few complete listens I appreciate the fluctuations in the melody. The techno portions are excellently mixed in with the desi tune. The title song is best described as being minimalistic as it just Arif Lohar's voice and the strings in the background with a few piano moments. This works well for the song because Arif is amazing in the delivery of his vocals, it kinda pumps me up towards the end. The rock version of the title song increases the tempo of the song to make it another enjoyable listen. Siddarth Mahadevan sounds excellent! Slow Motion Angreza is American country based with Sukhwinder Singh sounding decent. It's a good composition technically but right now I don't like it much. O Rangrez is an all Shreya Ghoshal show despite sharing the mic with Javed Bashir. The tablas and the guitar with her voice is a blissful listen on a rainy morning.

Recommendation: Consider buying the album! If you are an SEL fan this is a must-buy as this is their first album in a long time. If not Zinda, O Rangrezz, Mere Yaar, and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag should be considered a buy. Unfortunately though there isn't a must-buy single in the album.

My Top 10 Bollywood Songs - June 29 2013

Rank	Song	Film	Singer	Music Director
1	Yeh Tune Kya Kiya	Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobara	Javed Bashir	Pritam
2	Jeene Laga Hoon	Ramaiya Vastavaiya	Atif Aslam, Shreya Ghoshal	Sachin-Jigar
3	Tum Tak	Raanjhanaa	Javed Ali, Keerthi Sagathia, Pooja AV	A.R. Rahman
4	Titli	Chennai Express	Chinmayi Sripaada, Gopi Sunder	Vishal-Shekhar
5	Ghagra	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Vishal Dadlani, Rekha Bhardwaj	Pritam
6	Lazy Lad	Ghanchakkar	Richa Sharma, Amit Trivedi	Amit Trivedi
7	Issaq Tera	Issaq	Mohit Chauhan	Sachin-Jigar
8	Alvida	D-Day	Nikhil D'Souza, Sukhwinder Singh, Shruti Haasan, Loy	Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
9	O Rangrez	Bhaag Milkha Bhaag	Shreya Ghoshal, Javed Bashir	Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
10	Ankahee	Lootera	Amitabh Bhattacharya	Amit Trivedi

#1 Bollywood Album of the Week - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (Pritam)

Playlist: Smile Priyanka Chopra

Smile Priyanka Chopra

Gun Gun Guna - Agneepath
Babli Badmaash - Shootout at Wadala
Saiyaan Re - Salaam-E-Ishq
Pyaar Aaya - Plan
Main Hoon Woh Aasmaan - Krrish
Mausam Achanak - Love Story 2050
Darling - 7 Khoon Maaf

This week has been tough for Priyanka as she has lost her father. May he rest in peace and may she find strength in her accomplishments she's made in her career.

Policegiri - Music Review

Policegiri (Himesh Reshammiya, Anjjan Meet Bros)

Policegiri starts with Robinhood which is composed by Anjjan-Meet Bros. It's an introduction song for the "hero". I'm honestly fed up with songs like these which try to be the next Hud Hud Dabangg. This one doesn't work for me despite a decent hook line. The rest of the album is composed by Himesh Reshammiya starting with Chura Ke Leja. The song sounds dated and overtly auto-tuned and digitized. Nonetheless, it's songs like these which grew Himesh's fan base back in the early and mid 2000s. As a fan myself, I do like the song because it reminded me of the more simpler times of desi tunes. Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and Tirat Meri Tu sounds oddly amateur-ish. Vineet Singh is not that as good of a singer as Himesh is promoting him to be as the songs lack a power and rigour in the vocals to give it energy. It doesn't help that both especially Tirat Meri Tu sounds dated as well. Policegiri is an improvement for the album although it is not playback quality for your iPod but more enjoyable on screen. The rhythmic drums and the guitar portions are good.

Recommendation: SKIP the album. If not only Chura Ke Leja should be considered a purchase if you liked Himesh's earlier desi wedding tunes like Sajan Tumse Pyar from Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya.

Now before anyone says I'm a Himesh hater, let me just say that I am not. I'm a huge fan of Himesh and am still waiting for him to have a smash-album or chart-topper song like he used to have. Desi Beat was the closest thing he's had to his old prominence as a music director but it pales in comparison to Aashiq Banaya Aapne or Aap Ka Surroor.

My Top 10 Bollywood Songs - June 8 2013

Rank	Song	Film	Singer	Music Director
1	Tum Tak	Raanjhanaa	Javed Ali, Keerthi Sagathia, Pooja AV	A.R. Rahman
2	Kabira	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Tochi Raina, Rekha Bhardwaj	Pritam
3	Piya Milenge	Raanjhanaa	Sukhwinder Singh, Kmmc Sufi Ensemble	A.R. Rahman
4	Main Taan Aidaan Hi Nachna	Yamla Pagla Deewana 2	Diljit Dosanjh	Sharib-Toshi
5	Ankahee	Lootera	Amitabh Bhattacharya	Amit Trivedi
6	Hip Hop Pammi	Ramaiya Vastavaiya	Mika Singh, Monali Thakur	Sachin-Jigar
7	Tu Mun Shudi	Raanjhanaa	A.R. Rahman, Rabbi Shergill	A.R. Rahman
8	Ghagra	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Vishal Dadlani, Rekha Bhardwaj	Pritam
9	Lazy Lad	Ghanchakkar	Richa Sharma, Amit Trivedi	Amit Trivedi
10	Zinda	Lootera	Amit Trivedi	Amit Trivedi

Playlist: In Memory of Jiah Khan

 


Rest In Peace Jiah

Rozana - Nishabd
Take Lite - Nishabd
I Don't Know What To Do - Housefull
Latoo - Ghajini

Playlist: Overtime Full Songs

Overtime (Sahil Rayyan)

Chhamiya Chhamiya
Shahar Mumbai Hai
Tu Hi Awaz Meri

Raanjhanaa - Music Review

Raanjhanaa (A.R. Rahman)

Raanjhanaa starts off with the upbeat title song which is extremely well-crafted with the violin, cellos, and dholak blending wonderfully together. Shiraz Uppal brings in a great amount of energy as well and the sitar solo is outstanding! Banarasiya has Shreya Ghoshal sounding charming as always. The flute is well woven into the devotional sounding song. Piya Milenge is definitely one of my favorites from the album, the mix between the piano and the Indian chorus is too good! Sukhwinder Singh has not sounded this good in ages and the violin again is remarkable! I can go on and on about this song it impresses me each time I've listened to it. Ay Sakhi is a playful female-centric song, I liked the tablas in this song but some of the pitches by the ladies seems off the mark at times. Nazar Laaye reminds me of Jhootha Hi Saahi for some reason. The song is calmer with Rashid Khan but Neeti Mohan's repetitive chorus line makes the song a bit enjoyable. I liked Tu Mun Shudi for the mix between the electronic and Bhangra sounds. Aisa Na Dekho is dreamy because of the harmonica and A.R. Rahman singing the song himself! Tum Tak is the best of the album with an addicting chorus, energetic Javed Ali giving the vocals and an unpretentious composition that keeps an Indian appeal.

Recommendation: Raanjhanaa is a MUST-BUY album. It is rare for an album to be so genuinely Indian with Agneepath being the last album doing so. If not Tum Tak, Piya Milenge, Tu Mun Shudi, and Raanjhanaa are the must-buy singles while the other songs are worth considering a purchase.

Playlist: Palay Khan Full Songs

Palay Khan (R.D. Burman)

Aaya Koi Hawa
Allah Kare Cham
Kabul Se Aya
O Mere Sanam
Salma Ko Mil Gaya Balma

Playlist: Shabd Full Songs

Shabd (Vishal-Shekhar)

Sholon Si
Khoya Khoya Tha
Bolo To
Chahaton Ki Silsila
Mat Jaa

My Top 10 Bollywood Songs - June 1 2013

Rank	Song	Film	Singer	Music Director
1	Ghagra	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Vishal Dadlani, Rekha Bhardwaj	Pritam
2	Tum Tak	Raanjhanaa	Javed Ali, Keerthi Sagathia, Pooja AV	A.R. Rahman
3	Kabira	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Tochi Raina, Rekha Bhardwaj	Pritam
4	Sawaar Loon	Lootera	Monali Thakur	Amit Trivedi
5	Badtameez Dil	Yeh Jawaani Yeh Deewani	Benny Dayal, Shefali Alvarez	Pritam
6	Raanjhanaa	Raanjhanaa	Shiraz Uppal, Jaswinder Singh	A.R. Rahman
7	Ankahee	Lootera	Amitabh Bhattacharya	Amit Trivedi
8	Subhanallah	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Sreeram	Pritam
9	Khali Salam Dua	Shortcut Romeo	Mohit Chauhan	Himesh Reshammiya
10	Ilahi	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Mohit Chauhan	Pritam

Lootera - Music Review

Lootera (Amit Trivedi)

Sawaar Loon is a classy, elegant, and simplistic song that amazingly composed. Who knew Monali Thakur could sing a song that wasn't a dance or party based. Definitely one of the biggest surprises of the year! The album continues to leave me speechless with Ankahee. Amitabh Bhattarcharya sounds splendid while the drums in the background is perfect. The violins are what stole me in Shikayatein, it well sung by Mohan Kanan. I haven't really warmed up to Monta Re yet maybe because I have the other songs on repeat, I like the guitar/sitar sounding instrument. Zinda is like magic with Amit Trivedi behind the mic, a nice soft-rock song with those marvelous orchestration. Manmarziyan is outstanding because of the sitar/sharangi instrument and again the voilins and cellos. Shilpa Rao put an incredible voice to this ethereal track.

Recommendation: This is a MUST-BUY album. It's rare for an album to be so incredibly entertaining while innovative and powerful. I don't have a favorite song in the album because each are amazing! Definitely in the running for one of the best albums for the year!

Shortcut Romeo - Music Review

 
Shortcut Romeo (Himesh Reshammiya)

From Po Po to Pe Pe...seriously Himesh? The song is average with a fast paced beat. My favorites parts are the interludes between the singing not bashing Himesh's voice but just because the lyrics doesn't live or aren't catchy enough for the composition. Khali Salam Dua reminds me of the songs from NAMASTEY LONDON. Mohit Chauhan is great here as the snapping of the fingers are easy on the ears. Ishq Gangster is not worth mentioning, skip. The title song is at least listenable but it is cheesy and well below average, skip. Mika Singh does another masala type song, what a surprise! It's below average, skip.

Recommendation: SKIP the album, only Khali Salam Dua is worth considering a buy.

Ghanchakkar - Music Review

Ghanchakkar (Amit Trivedi)

Lazy Lad is a funky track by Richa Sharma. I like it for the ukelele and flutes integrating with the Indian drums. Allah Meherbaan sounds a little like Chokra Jawaan from ISHAQZAADE. I still like this song though because of the sitar/sarangi, whatever it is that give the song its Indian touch. The best song is Ghanchakar Babu for the saxophone and the piano. I didn't really who Altaf Raja was but for a comeback song it's just okay. The trumpets are interesting and the chorus are what made me like the song.

Recommendation: BUY the album, each song is well composed by Amit Trivedi and has a classy touch. If not, Ghanchakar Babu is a must-buy single while the other 3 songs should be considered for purchase.

Fukrey - Music Review

Fukrey (Ram Sampath)

The title song tries too hard to be catchy, I didn't like it despite the dubstep portion.  Rabba sounds really generic. Jugaad has a qawalli template which is nice because of Kailesh Kher, I could never get tired of his songs. Karle Jugaad Karle is catchy hook for the song. Bedapaar is a party song, I like it for the english lyrics I am just an illusion, Tarrunam Malik's voice, and the Irish folksy-desi guitar. Ambarsariya is the best of the album for Sona Mahapatra's melodious delivery to soft breezy composition.

Recommendation: SKIP the album, only Ambarsariya is worth thinking about buying. The others will play on the radio and you'll forget about in a few weeks.

Ramaiya Vastavaiya - Music Review

Ramaiya Vastavaiya (Sachin-Jigar)

Jeene Laga Hoon is definitely one of the best songs for the year already and one of my all-time favorite Atif Aslam songs. The 90s appeal in the melody is hard to come by with the songs of today and this song finds itself having strong repeat and sing-along quotient. Hip Hop Pammi is surprisingly more desi than hip-hop. Nonetheless the song is crisp and good dance material. Bairiyaa has a bit of Tera Naal Ho Gaya hangover but its still a good song. Mohit Chauhan's Peeche Chutte is enjoyable because of the flute and the hook rama rama rama re hai rama rama re. Rang Jo Lagyo has got to be one the most innovative fusion between rock and classical Indian instruments. I didn't find the song itself to be outstanding though. Like Changli Hai Changli from Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, this is another Mika Singh messy dance song. It's disappointing because I expected alot from this song as it is Jacqueline Fernandez's item song.

Recommendation: Buy the album, if not Jeene Laga Hoon and Hip-Hop Pammi are the must buy singles!

Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 - Music Review

Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 (Sharib-Toshi)

I'm glad that Sharib-Toshi were able to somewhat reinvent themselves for this album after the lackluster JAIL album from 2009. The new title song for YPD 2 is catchy with a modernized club that is still desi to its core. Changli Hai Changli is a typical massy song by Mika Singh and Shreya Ghoshal, it doesn't really stand out though. Suit Tera Naal Rang Da is definitely my favorite from the album and maybe my favorite from the franchise. The Punjabi dhol and Sonu Nigam is unbeatable! Main Taan Aidaan is decently catchy, the rap portions are a little corny but I will dance only is true for this entire album. The last song Jatt Yamla Pagla Deewana is a techno party song that is quite good.

Recommendation: Buy the entire album but if not Suit Tera Naal and Main Taan Aidaan are the must-buy singles!