Delhi 6 Music : Romance, Rahman & Gali-Muhalla This has to be most ‘instant’ AR Rahman album that I can think of. Rang de basanti was commercial no doubt and had its moments, but in that one also people would raise an odd frown or two, and go back to the tracks. Not the case here. Masakkali. Maula. Delhi 6. And I guess the trend will continue, what is the deal man! Make some tracks make some music that makes the head go all grrr grrr. Just kidding. Why should I complain? Rahman ji is big suddenly. People I never thought would give bhaav to anything remotely familiar now stop in their tracks and enquire about a random ‘Jai Ho’ song from a random ‘Indian-Hollywood’ film. So ya, that is where we start. I was listening to some old Rahman favourites (personal) off late – Tehzeeb, Kabhi na Kabhi, Ada(yes its old only), and was wondering when did this Janta ki pehli pasand transition happened. May be I was too busy asking everyone to check out Water’s soundtrack out too. So what it didn’t win the Academy. Tu cheez badi hai mast mast/Tirchhi topiwaale/Jumma chumma de de/Choli ke peechhey didn’t win it either. Anyways why should I crib? Awards and recognition are always good, for those who win them and for those who don’t, for they aspire to do so some time in their lives, Aamir Khan included. Delhi 6 is gonna be lapped up by one and all, it has poetry, groove, jazz, hiphop, pop, bhajan, qawwali, muhalle-ki-ladki-pataao number, and even a dadaji ke zamaane ka classical gaana. What else you could possibly want? Prasoon ji also is back here in full form, I guess his rich work in these songs will go places, I mean you can always point flaws like the words don’t match up, but I feel he has done rather well in going with the sounds of the typical Rahman structures and song-points, you would find them aplenty in Maula, Dil Gira, Massakkali & Delhi 6. It is not great poetry but it is somewhere between a good sounding song and some good ethnic word usage. Obviosly the flaws also exist where some better phrases are held privy to the heavy sounds(like in Kaala Bandar and Rehna tu), Kaala Bandar specifically stands out as the only track which does not impress much, I felt it was quite not upto the greatness of the other songs. As for the proverbial question of ‘where did you hear the songs?’, all have to say is(to borrow a phrase from Dabba), Shut up or put up, and this is for the music giant T-Series. I mean come on dudes! What the hell are you thinking? You will put a Rahman and a RDB team and wait for the janta for eternity to pick the delayed CD off the shelves? Sorry buddies. Yes, I have downloaded the music like a million others who can’t stay convinced waiting for a delayed release. Because, no you don’t deserve a reason. ‘Rahman’ is all I would say. If you want more reasons, let me also say ‘OLLO’, ‘Dev D’ and ‘Slumdog Millionnaire’. Ladaai jhagdaa apart, let’s get to the point. MASAKKALI Masakkalli set the tone for this film and its music, what to expect and what not to. The visuals can’t be separated from the effortless synth(I forgot what’s the instrument called, I guess Rahman used it in Ae hairatein from Guru as well, in fact if you isolate the mood and setting, the style is very similar to that song, the tune sets the mood, and the male vocals pick it up from there). Mohit Chauhan. Who would expect this from him? He sounds like Sukhwinder, the same rustic charm that holds you and doesn’t let you go. Aye masakali masakali, ud matakkali matakkali, Aye masakali masakali, ud matakkali matakkali. Aye masakali masa masakali, ud matakkali matakali, Masakali masakali, ud matakkali matakkali. Zara pankh jhatak, gayi dhool atak aur lachak machak ke door bhatak. Ude dagar dagar kasbe koochey nukkad basti mein (Yai yai), E tadi se mud, ada se ud karle poori dil ki tammannaa, Hawa se jhud, ada se ud, phur phur phur tu hai heera panna re. Masakali masakali, ud matakali matakali. Masakali masakali, ud matakali matakali. Minimum rhythm, the focus is the vocals and the expression of Mohit’s voice. Here is an unexplored voice, last heard in somber tracks like Dooba dooba, Boondein, Khoon chala, and that Jab we whatever track. And here he comes across as pleasantly brash, manmaani, naadaani. Ghar tera saloni, badal ki colony, Dikhlade thenga in sabko jo udna na jaane. Udiyo, na dariyo, kar manmaani manmaani man maani, Badhiyo, na mudiyon kar nadaani. Udiyo, na dariyo, kar manmaani manmaani man maani, Badhiyo, na mudiyon kar nadaani. Gataan le, muskaan le, keh sanana nanana nana hawa, Bas thaanle, tu jaanle, keh sanana nanana nanan hawa. Aye masakali masakali, ud matakali matakali…. Tujhe kya gum, tera rishta gafan ki baansuri se hai, Pawan ki guftagu se hain, suraj ki roshni se hai. Udiyo, na dariyo, kar manmaani manmaani man maani, Badihyo, na mudiyo kar naadaani. MAULA What do I say, Rahman has mastered all genres now, qawwali being the frontrunner, this one has its own elements, that keep you hooked in spite of the length. Arziyaan saari main chehre pe likh ke laaya hoon Tumse kya maangoon main tum khud hi samajh lo Maula Maula maula mere maula Daraarein daraarein hain maathey pe maula Marammat muqaddar ki kardo mere maula Tere dar pe jhuka hoon bana hoon mita hoon Marammat muqaddar ki kardo maula Jo bhi tere dar aaya Jhukne jo sar aaya Mastiyaan peeye sabko Jhoomta nazar aaya pyaas leke aaya tha dariya wo bhar laaya noor ki baarish mein bheegta sa tar aaya noor ki bearish mein bheegta sa tar aaya maula maula (Kailash Kher enters) Jo bhi tere dar aaya (the song begins to register) (this generally happens in a Rahman qawwali) Ek khushboo aati thi Main bhatakta jaata tha Reshmi si maaya thi Aur main takta jaata tha Jab teri gali aaya Sach tabhi nazar aaya Tujh mein hi wo khushboo thi Jisse tune milwaaya…maula..maula… Toot ke bikharna mujhko zaroor aata hai Har nayi ibaadat waala shahoor aata hai Sazde mein rehne do ab kahin na jaaoonga Ab jo tumne thukraaya to sanwar na paaoonga Sar uthaake maine to kitni khwaahishein ki thi Kitne khwaab dekhe they maine kitni koshishein ki thi Jab tu rubaroo aaya nazarein na mila paaya Sar jhukaake ek pal mein maine kya nahi paaya(wow!) (Here is a supercool quintessential qawwali/sufi device. ) Mora piya ghar aaya Mora piya ghar aaya… (done entirely on the mukhda tune, it’s like those old Lakshmikant(LP) interviews when he used to sing the entire song on the mukhda)) GENDA PHOOL Ever thought of setting up a lil hip-hop disc in the gaaon ka aangan? Welcome to Genda Phool. The much-awaited collab between Rekha Bharadwaj and AR Rahman finally happens! And what better song. The low-scale queen of a twisted-intentioned-harkat gets a groovy track based in the milieu of Raipur! Rahman chooses her over the usual suspects(Sapna Awasthi and Richa Sharma, and the choice only stands supreme as you start grooving to the lilt and vivacity of Rekha’s criminally underused voice). The traditional cribfest of a newly wed and how she is ‘sataaofied’ in her new house(sasural genda phool) forms the crux of the song, saas and devar and nanad included. Saiyyan jee vyapaari chale hain pardes… (this is where a beat hits you unawares like a premika ka thappad and slowly your head starts bobbing without even you realizing it) Saas gaari dewe Devarji samjha leve sasural genda phool Rekha Ji triumphs as expected. Much credit should also go to Prasoon Joshi for adding the flavour so well at all the right places. Though I could use a little more mischief but I guess this is not the Rakyesh Mehra of Aks, this is the Rakyesh Mehra of Lukka Chhuppi. DIL GIRA Now this is some fun. So many different sounds – Arabic, European symphony, sounds from Turkey etc etc. The way it starts gives the imagery of someone sitting with a guy on a string instrument like a Rabaab and jamming up to glory. Dil gira kahin par dafatan. The same string patterns go on and on, and time ceases to move. Ash King mesmerizes with his convincing and heartfelt rendition. You can add soulful to that. I wonder how they gonna base this in Delhi, may be Majnu ka teela., because it is so empty desert and mid-east in its appeal. I would say the craziest track of the lot, changes genres like it was being paid to do so. The vocals express the unending quest of a spirited heart, out on a bargain. Dil mera Dil gira kahin pe Dil Gira kahin per da-fatan Dil Gira kahin per da-fatan Jaane magar ye nayan Teri khamosh zulfon ki gehraiyaan Hai jahan dil meraa uljha hua hai wahin kho gaya Tu magar hai bekhabar, hai bekhabar… the same pattern continues, as we slowly hear a female voice. Kyun goonj rahi hai dhadkan. Jaane magar ye nayan We move into more symphonic sounds, and more mystic instruments, and it’s like a free fall into neverland. Seepiyon ke honth se moti chhalak rahein hain Ghazlon ki sohbat mein geet bhi behek rahein hai samundar lehron ki lehron ki chaadar odh ke, so raha hai Par main jaagoon Ek khumaari ek nashaa sa ek nashaa sa ho raha hai Tu magar hai bekhabar, hai bekhabar NOOR Big B sounds surprisingly young and full of hope in this small narration. Zarre zarre mein usika noor hai Jhaank khud mein woh na tujhse door hai Ishq hai usse to sabse ishq kar is ibaadat ka yahi dastoor hai Is mein us mein aur… us mein hai wohi Is mein us mein aur… us mein hai wohi Yaar mera har taraf bharpoor hai .. HEY KAALA BANDAR Though fun trip enough, I am not too big on this song, it’s too Pritam and Neeraj Shridhar for a Rahman score, sounds more like Shano Shano remix. Having said that, it might be great fun in the film, whatwith The legend of Monkey Man at the hands of Rakyesh Mehra and Kamlesh Pandey can do. Wonder where does Joshi get these ideas..
Chhoosey choosey choosey, life ki phaank le… Taank jhaank taank jhaank taank jhaank, dil mein bhi jhaank le. Kasmein to moongfali hain Jab jee chahe hum khaate Upar se na na karte Par thaali aage hum sarkaatey Sounds more like an ad to me. The song fails to take off, and then, in an almost revolutionary turn of events, a ‘jaago re’ (c)rap comes and changes the mood. Not me. I didn’t like all the preachy tone. Let the monkey man be himself man! Why all the ‘jaago re’ tone. I am not gonna vote anyways. Oops. Did I pan the track too much. OK, take a little away. Hamaam mein hum saare nangey… BHOR BHAYEE After the song plays for some 3-4 times, and one realizes what just happened was not a wormhole trip but an actual present day song! Truly mesmerizing. The raaga structures reminded me of Water’s Piya ho, especially the ‘piya piya/hum san much ki batiya’ bits. Bhor bhayeee Tori baat takat piya Bhor bhayeee Tori baat takat piya Naina alsaaye bhaaye Sagari rain ka Jaage Bhor bhayeee Tori baat takat piya Sautan ke bhaag jaage Hum san mukh ki batiya Karat sabar tori basak sautan ki bhag jaage Bhor bhayeee Tori baat takat piya Bhor bhayeee Tori baat takat piya It might be Shreya’s most decent playback effort till date. He holds her won in harkats and aalaaps against Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan himself. This is one achievement of the score amongst many others. REHNA TU A Rahman track, it starts off very soft, much like a Meherbaan from Ada. Rehna Tu Hai Jaisa tu Thoda sa dard tu Thoda Sukoon Rehna Tu Hai Jaisa tu Dheema Dheema jhonka Ya phir junoon Thoda sa resham Tu humdam Thoda sa khurdura Kabhi daud jaaye, Ya lad jaye Ya khushboo se bhara Tujhe badalna na chaahoon Ratti bhar bhi sanam Bina sajaawat milaawat Na jyaada na hi kam Tujhe chaahon jaisa hai tu Mujhe teri baarish mein bheegna hai ghul jaana hai Tujhe chaahon jaisa hai tu Mujhe teri lapat mein jalna raakh ho jaana hai Tu zakhm de (a)gar Marham bhi aake tu lagaaye Another song that could have used better words. It solely stands on Rahman’s singing and the Arabic effect towards the latter half. This surely will grow. Finally! Some track that triggers that reaction! But hold on to that judgment of this being a simple track, it turns around the whole soft romantic pop feeling when Rahman introduces a wind instrument slowly fuelling life and emotions in the electronic(till now) atmosphere till now, the effect is divine, so much said with so less, in fact nothing at all, all the sounds echo in the distant background, and things fall in a lovely montage, as ‘rehna tu’ reverberates in your head, and the song closes to a soulful conclusion. AARTI- TUMHRE BHAVAN MEIN Takes one back to the gali-muhalla sounds of devotion. Simply hypnotic. You would stop doing what you are doing when these sounds hit you. That’s the innocent beauty of this track. DELHI 6 Ye dilli mere yaar Bas ishq muhabbat pyaar Back to the phunk, this is no melodramatic theme song, it kicks ass at all the right places, it brings the Dil back in Dilli, EX back in South Ex and gives a 21 top ki salaami to this wild wild album. Basti hai mastaano ki dilli..Delhi 6 Gali hai deewaano ki dilli…Delhi 6 Some supercool alien rap(lil reminiscent of Aye Bachchu) follows and Blaaze gets back to what he does best. (As for the lyrics, this is what I meant when I said Joshi knows the rhythm of Rahman) Bada kas ke gale lagaata hai Dhadkan ki dhoom sunaata hai Iske baayein taraf bhi dil hai Iske daayein taraf bhi dil hai Ye shehar nahin mehfil hai Ye dilli hai mere yaar Bas ishq muhabbat pyaar Kabhi pyaar mein gaali deta hai Kabhi gaali mein pyaar bhi hota hai DELHI 6 Ye Dilli hai mere yaar… Bas Ishq Muhabbat Pyaar. http://passionforcinema.com/delhi-6-music-romance-rahman-gali-muhalla/
