'Blackmail' music average and Uninspiring

Film: Blackmail

Producers: Shyam Bajaj and Narendra Bajaj

Director: Anil Devgan

Music: Himesh Reshammiya

Lyrics: Sameer

Many years ago, we had Blackmail, starring Dharmendra, and that film had lovely songs, including the famous ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas Tum Rehthe Ho’. If you are looking forward to a repeat performance, as far as the music is concerned in this Blackmail, you may be disappointed. Directed by Anil Devgan, Blackmail stars Ajay Devgan, Diya Mirza, Suneil Shetty and Priyanka Chopra. From the promos on television, the film looks like an out and out thriller, with Devgan doing some villainous scenes, a la Khakee.

The music album of this film starts off with ‘Jaana Nahin Tha’ in the voices of Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik. Obviously a love song, in parts this song sounds like ‘Kathiyon Aankhon Wali ek Ladki’ from the film Duplicate. The accompaniments are traditional, on the tabla, drums, guitar and keyboard. Sonu is good with his voice, but this song is nothing new. In the second half of the album, this song is repeated in an instrumental version.

The next number ‘Tune Di Bekrari’ is sung by Shaan, Shreya Ghosal and Jayesh. This is a song of longing and thirst, where the lovers blame their love for each other, for all their problems. This song starts with a high-pitched couplet in Jayesh’s voice, and is accompanied by drums and keyboard. There are three more versions of this song, titled ‘Tune Di Bekrari’ part 1, part 2 and part 3. While the original song is fact paced and a happy tune, the 3 parts that follow are all sad versions of the same song. This seems to be the maximum limit for using different versions of the same song in the album. Of late, whether due to a paucity of ideas, or due to market requirements, invariably every album has the same songs repeated, either in an instrumental form, a sad form, and a re-mix form or in a different voice. What’s happening to creativity and talent, one wonders!!.

‘Akhiyan Lada Jaa’ by Udit and Alka follows, and this is a chirpy, peppy number. The song opens with a couplet in Alka’s voice, and is followed by a good score on the flute. Its a love song, and has good vocals, though Udit joins in the song at a later stage. It’s a song with which the heroine is trying to woo the hero. Accompaniments are average, on the flute, drums and keyboard. Udit has a few good words like ‘Yeh pyaar ka daaga, kareeb lata hai’. This song is also one that gets repeated later on in the album, and is supposed to be with rhythm. As far as the average listener is concerned, both sound the same. The song is fairly good, with a flavour of the sixties and the seventies.

The fourth song in the album is a fact racy ‘item’ number type of song, titled ‘Imli Imli’ in the voices of Hema Sardesai and Jayesh. Imli has been used in the past in songs, and instantly ‘Imli ka boota’ from Saudagar and ‘Imli sa Khatta, ishq ishq’ from Taal comes to mind. The song starts off sensuously, with a few moanings and whisperings, which immediately captures and rivets the listener’s attention. This is one song that will be loved by the DJs and will make it many a dance floor. Hema’s husky voice suggests a passionate situation in the song. The accompanying flute in the background is melodious, and at times, there are some Arabian tunes thrown in. Hema does most of the singing, while Jayesh sings in the background. Though occasionally reminding you of the tune ‘Mera Piya ghar aaya Raamji’, this song is different and sounds more original than the rest.

The next half of the album is devoted to repeats of ‘Tune Di Bekrari, ‘Jaana Nahin Tha’ and ‘Akhiyan Lada Jaa’. The last song in the album, which is one of the better songs, is titled ‘Kaun Kehta hai’. This song, which is sung by Udit Narayan, Shreya Ghosal and chorus, is a love song and has some good lyrics like ‘Kaun Kehta hai ki Mulakat Nahin Hoti, Milte Rehte Hai par baat nahin hoti’. The song has simple arrangements, on the tabla and the keyboard. This song is again a return to the sixties and the seventies, and will remind you of the classical duets sung during that era by Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar.

All in all, though Himesh Reshammiya seems to be very much in business nowadays, with Aitraaz, Insaan, Vaada etc., this album is nothing to write home about. If the film succeeds, it will be on its own strengths, and not because of its music.

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Blackmail