2007 : Best Dance Numbers

I have divided the dance numbers into two genres. And then ranked them seperately
A. Party Dance Numbers
B. Hip-Hop


Category A - Party
Rank - Song Name - Movie
1) Deewangi Deewangi - Om Shanti Om
2) Sajna Ji Wari Wari - Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
3) Bhool Bhulaiya - Bhool Bhulaiya
4) Dard-E-Disco - Om Shanti Om
5) Mauja Hi Mauja - Jab We Met
6) Hey Baby - Hey Baby
7) It's Rocking - Kya Love Story Hai
8) Jhoom Barabar Jhoom - Jhoom Barabar Jhoom
9) Soni De Nakhre - Partner
10) Mast Kalandar - Hey Baby


Category B : Hip-Hop
Rank - Song Name - Movie
1) Rahem Kare - Cash
2) Move Your Body - Johny Gaddar
3) Ab To Forever - Ta Ra Rum Pum
4) Na Poochho - Cash
5) Naughty Naughty - Cash
6) Mahiya - Awarapan

A few more songs that deserve a mention but could not make it to the rankings :
· Yeh Dooriyan - Fool N Final
· Unke Nashe Mein - Shootout At Lokhandwala
· Yara Dhol Bajake - Dhol
· Dilruba - Namaste London
· Nach Le Soniye - Dus Kahaniyan

2007 : Best Soundtracks

The parameters based on which these rankings have been arrived at are as follows :
1) Variety of Songs in the album - An album that has a mix of Melody, Dance, Love Songs etc. would be rate higher than an album having all good songs but of the same genre
2) Number of Good Songs in the album - How many good tunes are there in the album is also an important factor. An album having one exceptionally good song would be rated lower than an album having all good songs
3) Background orchestra on the songs - It's not just about the song's tune. Song's orchestration and packaging also makes a difference
4) Commercial success of the Soundtrack - An album that had good songs but went totally unnoticed has not been ranked very highly. I'll be mentioning them in a seperate blog


Ranking Movie Name
1 Om Shanti Om
2 Life In A Metro
3 Khoya Khoya Chand
4 Jab We Met
5 Guru
6 Salaam-E-Ishq
7 Namaste London
8 Sawariya
9 Taare Zameen Par
10 The Train
11 Dus Kahaniyan
12 Just Married
13 Awarapan
14 Cash
15 Bhool Bhulaiya


A few soundtracks that had really good songs but could not make it to the rankings :
· Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
· Chak De India
· Hey Baby
· Anwar
· Dhokha
· Dil Dosti Etc
· Manorama
· Shootout At Lokhandwala

2007 : Bollywood Music Rankings

I’ve just started this new series of my blogs.

I’ll be rating the Hindi Film Music that released during 2007 under various categories and parameters.

Your feedback is always welcome.

Vishal-Shekhar...

I have always loved the music of Vishal Shekhar and wanted to write a blog on them.

Their music has amazing melody coupled with heavy westernized orchestration. Shekhar is a trained Indian Classical Singer. On the other hand, Vishal is the lead singer of Mumbai-based Rock Ban Pentagram. Hence, their music is a combination of Indian Classical and Western Rock.

The kind of instrumentations they use can only be beaten by A.R. Rahman in Bollywood Music Industry.

A few (FEW... a pretty long list) of my favourite tracks composed by the Vishal-Shekhar duo :

• Allah Ke Bande - Waisa Bhi Hota Hai
• Sajna Aa Bhi Ja - Waisa Bhi Hota Hai
• Dus Bahane - Dus
• Deedar De - Dus
• Right Here Right Now - Bluff Master
• Say Na Say Na - Bluff Master
• Rahem Kare - Cash
• Na Poochho - Cash
• Mind Blowing Mahiya - Cash
• Cash (Title Track) - Cash
• Zindagi Mein Koi Kabhi - Musafir
• Ishq Kabhi Kariyo Na - Musafir
• Saqi - Musafir
• Tu Ashiqui Hai - Jhankar Beats
• Dil Ne Tumko - Jhankar Beats
• What’s Going On - Salaam Namaste
• Subah Subah - I See You
• Kehna Hai Jo - I See You
• Kyon Aage Peechhe - Golmaal
• Golmaal (Title Track) - Golmaal
• Aazmale Aazmale - Taxi No. 9-2-11
• Ek Nazar Mein Bhi - Taxi No. 9-2-11
• Bumbai Nagariya - Taxi No. 9-2-11
• Meter Down - Taxi No. 9-2-11
• Musu Musu - Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi
• Woh Pehli Baar - Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi
• Yeh Hai Meri Kahani - Zinda
• Har Saans - Zinda
• Zinda Hoon Main - Zinda
• Tinka Tinka - Karam
• Saiyan - Ta Ra Rum Pum
• Ab To Forever - Ta Ra Rum Pum
• Hey Shona - Ta Ra Rum Pum
• Sajna Ji Wari Wari - Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
• Halke Halke - Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.

I just wish they continue giving such wonderful music which is a treat for the ears of all music lovers.

Their latest album Om Shanti Om also has fabulous music. I’ll be writing another blog on it soon.

So keep waiting !

What is a Ghazal?

Ghazal in short, is a collection of Shers which follow the rules of Matla, Maqta, Beher, Kafiya and Radif.
So to know what a Ghazal is, it is necessary to know what each of these terms mean.


Sher
It's a poem of two lines. Basically every Sher is a poem in itself. A Sher does not need anything around it to convey the message.

Eg. -
Har Ek Baat Pe Kehte Ho Tum Ki Tu Kya Hai
Tumhi Kaho Ki Yeh Andaaz-E-Guftgu Kya Hai

So Ghazal is necessarily a collection of two-line poems called Sher.


Beher
Beher is the meter of the Sher. Both the lines in a Sher must be of same Beher. And all the Shers in a Ghazal must be of the same Beher.
So Ghazal is a collection of Shers of same Beher.

Eg. -
Apne Hothon Par Sajana Chahta Hoon
Aa Tujhe Main Gungunana Chahta Hoon

Thak Gaya Main Karte-Karte Yaad Tujhko
Ab Tujhe Main Yaad Aana chahta Hoon


Radif
In a Ghazal, second line of all the Shers must end with the same word(s). This repeating common word is the Radif of the Ghazal. This tradition though is not found anymore in modern poetry.

Eg. -
Aaye Hain Samjhane Log
Hain Kitne Deewane Log

Dair-O-Haram Mein Chain Jo Milta
Kyun Jate Maikhane Log

Jaan Ke Sab Kuchh, Kuchh Bhi Na Jaane
Hain Kitne Anjane Log

Log is the Radif here.


Kafiya
Kafiya is the rhyming pattern which all the words before Radif must have.

Eg. -
Samjhane, Deewane, Maikhane, Jaane, Anjane in the example stated above.


Matla
The first Sher in the Ghazal must have Radif in its both lines.
This Sher is called Matla of the Ghazal and the Ghazal is usually known after its Matla. There can be more than one Matla in a Ghazal.

Eg. -
Sarakti Jaye Hain Rukh Se Naqab Ahista-Ahista
Nikalta Aa Raha Hai Aftab Ahista-Ahista

Ahista-Ahista is Radif in the Matla (the first Sher) here.


Maqta
A Shayar usually has an alias. There is generally a Sher in a Ghazal, usually the last one, which has the Shayar’s alias in it.

Mirza Asadullah Khan used Ghalib and is popularly known by that name.

Eg. -
Humko Maloom Hai Jannat Ki Haqeeqat Lekin
Dil Ke Khush Rakhne Ko Ghalib Yeh Khayal Achha Hai


To summarize :
A Ghazal is a collection of Shers (independent two-line poems), in which there is atleast one Matla, one Maqta and all the Shers are of same Beher and have the same Kafiya and Radif.


Few Points To Note :
1. Ghazal is just a form. It is independent of any language. Thus we may have Ghazals in Marathi, Tamil, French or any other language.

2. Some Ghazals may not have any Radif.

3. Although, every Sher should be an independent poem in itself. It is possible that all the Shers are on the same theme.
Eg. - Chupke Chupke Raat Din Aansoo Bahana Yaad Hai.

4. Modern poetry may not have a Maqta at all. Many Ghazals do have a Maqta just for the sake of having it.

Pritam : The Copycat (yet talented) Musician

Pritam Chakraborty, popularly known as Pritam is an upcoming Bollywood Music Director. The following movies' music is by him :

• Dhoom
• Gangster
• Woh Lamhe
• Pyar Ke Side Effects
• Garam Masala
• Bhagam Bhag
• Just Married
• Bas Ek Pal
• Chocolate
• Ankahee
• Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai
• Apna Sapna Money Money
• Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena
• Dhoom 2
• Hat Trick

“Wow, what a track-record. Consistency ! Phenomenal ! Adbhut !” That’s a natural reaction of any person who doesn’t know him too well.

This guy has been lifting tunes from all over the globe and using them as a shortcut to fame.

When everyone’s blaming Anu Malik for lifting tunes, this guy would definitely surpass him in the race. Just that Anu Malik picked songs like Macarena, Last Christmas and many of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s tracks amongst others (which were too popular in India to be overlooked).

And our guy Pritam has lifted tracks that people might not have heard at all. He seems inspired by Bisleri’s punchline - “PLAY SAFE”

My vocabulary is really poor. But a word I just can't stop using here is Plagiarism.

Plagiarism : Plagiarism is the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another artist, and the representation of them as one's own original work. (Source : www.wikipedia.com)

Where I learnt this word from is a story in itself. That would need another Blog on Prof. Sankaran from TAPMI.

So here the list goes for Pritam :

• Dhoom Machale (Dhoom) - Mario Takes A Walk (Jesse Cook)
• Dil Bole Shikdum (Dhoom) - Sikidim (Tarkan)
• Ya Ali (Gangster) - Ya Ghali (Guitara)
• Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai (Gangster) - Sacral Nirvana (Buddha Bar)
• Lamha Lamha (Gangster) - Kal Shab Dekha Maine (Waris Baig)
• Bheegi Bheegi (Gangster) - Prithibi (Mohiner Ghoraguli)
• Tu Jo Nahin (Woh Lamhe) - Tu Jo Nahin (Sunny Benjamin John)
• Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai (Woh Lamhe) - Tak Bisakah (Peter Pan)
• Tell me Is This Love (Pyar Ke Side Effects) - A Mi Manera (Gypsy Kings)
• Ada (Garam Masala) - Ana (Amr Diab)
• Dil Samundar (Garam Masala) - Kuzu Kuzu (Tarkan)
• Chori Chori (Garam Masala) - Hai Rabba (Dr. Zeus)
• Bhagam Bhag (Bhagam Bhag) - Hey Mambo (Rosemary Clooney)
• Hai Ishq Yeh Kya Ek Khata (Bas Ek Pal) - Arabiyon Ana (Yuri Mrakadi)
• Zahreeli Ratein (Chocolate) - Aadat (Jal / Atif Aslam)
• Halka Halka Sa Yeh Nasha (Chocolate) - Breeze from Saintes Maries (Jesse Cook)
• Bheega Bheega Sa Yeh December (Chocolate) - Bheega Bheega Se Yeh December (Abrar Ul Haq)
• Dil Mein Baji Guitar (Apna Sapna Money Money) - Sheloha Shela (Miami Band)
• Akhiyan Na Maar (Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena) - Chhalla (Waris Baig)
• Jal Jal Ke (Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena) - Arabiyon Ana (Yuri Mrakadi)
• Jhoom (Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena) - Joy Of Pepsi (Britney Spears in Pepsi Advt.)

This list might not be exhaustive.

But on the flip side, I really like some of the songs composed by Pritam. He’s given some really good original compositions :

• Ankahee - Believe me it was the best album of the Year 2006. Unbelieveably good, unbelievably Pritam and unbelievably original. The songs are really powerful and leave an impact on both your heart and mind. It’s a story told through songs - Vikram Bhatt and Sushmita Sen's short love story. The movie was a disaster at the Box-Office, and hence the music went unnoticed.
• Pyar Ke Side Effects - Jane Kya Chahe Man is another composition that touches the heart. All credit goes to Pritam.
  Infact what prompted me to write this blog was another song of this movie - Tell Me Is This Love. The song was really nice and I just loved it. Later I found that it was a note-to-note copy of A Mi Manera by Gypsy Kings.Couldn’t forgive him for this one.
• Woh Lamhe - Chal Chalein Apne Ghar and Bin Tere Kya Hai Jeena are two more really nice compositions by Pritam. James (Bheegi Bheegi - Gangster) has lent his heavy voice to the former song, and it really makes you believe that his potential is being majorly underused in Bollywood.
• Just Married - The movie has some really nice peppy numbers like Ram Milaye Jodi and Baat Pakki. Gudgudi needs a special mention here. Pritam’s trademark melody (Ankahee kinds) can be recognized without much effort.
• Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai - Sharara Sharara was another song which topped the charts on most of the countdowns for several weeks in a row. The song became so famous that Shamita Shetty is still known as the Sharara Sharara babe.

Pritam was born in a music family. He took his first lesons in music from his father - Prabodh Chakraborty, who runs a Music School for children. He had very keen interest in music right from childhood and had learnt Guitar while still in school.

Pritam does know music and has given some really nice songs to us. He's done a course in Sound-Engineering and also learnt African Music.

High time he stops copying and brings out some original stuff. That'll definitely win him more laurels and awards than what he's been doing till now.

The very reason why Gangster wasn't nominated (according to me) for Filmfare Awards inspite of having such wonderful music was the same. The movie had just one original composition Mujhe Mat Roko. All the remaining songs (Ya Ali, Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai, Lamha Lamha) were copies.