Nice review....well thought out and insightful. Did you guys see the comments section below the review? Where do these people come from? I can't believe what I just read.
--- In [email protected], "en_arvind" <en_arv...@...> wrote: > > http://movies.rediff.com/review/2010/apr/26/review-music-raavan.htm > > Raavan's music is exquisite > Last updated on: April 26, 2010 16:58 IST > Tags: Gulzar, Raavan, Rahman, Post Beera, Thok de killi > Email > this Save to > My Page Ask > Users Write a > Comment > You can blindly count on some combinations to never fail. > > The tuning between filmmaker Mani Ratnam and master composer A R Rahman [ > Images ] is one of them. The curiously titled Raavan is their tenth > collaboration since Roja [ Images ] and the vivacity of this merger has > neither lost its ardor nor its willingness to explore. > > Said to draw contemporary parallels from the great Indian mythological epic, > Ramayana [ Images ], Ratnam's eagerly-awaited offering features Abhishek > Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan [ Images ] and Vikram as its lead players. > And if the soundtrack, soaked in Gulzar's [ Images ] penetrating imagination, > is anything to go by, Raavan is going to be a mostly intriguing experience. > > Never to give into the comfort zone trap, Rahman delivers a sound mix of > zingy rusticity and zealous verve. Inspired by the calypso-flavoured wilds of > Africa against the trumpeting dramatics of desi folk tunes, the thumping > beats of Beera reiterate just that. Winsome from the word go, Beera's > effectiveness is further escalated through the booming fervour of Vijay > Prakash and Mustafa Kutoane with some piquant dressing of Keerthi Sagathia's > piercing huskiness. > > The frothiness of this ensemble makes an instant connect with the listener. > It takes a while to get off the loop before you want to get on with the rest > of the album. Says a lot about Beera, right? > > From upbeat to intense, Raavan's mood changes gears with Karthik's blazing > rendition of Behne de. And while Rahman builds a suitably thunderous aura to > match the fierce passions of Gulzar's words, this is essentially a > performance-oriented creation. At times reminiscent of Sonu Nigam's [ Images > ] feverish chant in Dil Se's Satrangi re, though much restrained, Karthik > delivers a sonorous punch. > > Upbeat returns with a bang, quite literally with Sukhwinder Singh [ Images ] > and Am'nico's strapping execution of the rhythmic rhyme play, Thok de killi. > Gulzar's rare brand of wizardry concocts some heady visuals with nuggets like > Raat ka maal, raaton ne loota. Chaand taaron ke guche udaye. Din nikalna tha. > Apna bhi nikla. Kismein dum hai ke suraj bujhaye?' There's enough drama, drum > and drive in the stalwart Killi to please all and sundry. Needless to say, it > does. > > Following the chartbuster Killi, Rahman aims to impress with Rekha [ Images ] > Bharadwaj and Javed Ali's ravishing, romantic overtures in Ranjha Ranjha. Yet > again, Gulzar scoops out some gems from his treasure of insight and invention > to assemble a precious poem of glorious attachment and immortal love. A > free-wheeling melody embellished with exotic arrangement, Ranjha flaunts its > breezy presence and marriage of vibrant vocals with such poise, which is both > alluring and inspiring. Remember her delicate whispers in Meenaxi [ Images > ]'s Yeh rishta kya kehlata hai Khili re? > > Reena Bhardwaj returns to her dainty roots with the leisurely, amorous and > soft strains of Khili re. Khili's texture brings back memories of Rahman's > glass-like lullaby Jaa ri jaa (Duniya Dilwalon Ki). Despite it's fragile > disposition, this tender piece makes sure its blithe presence doesn't go > unnoticed in an album filled with extrovert songs. > > Post Beera, the sound of bigul makes another sprightly appearance, this time > to rejoice in the celebratory and playful notes of Kata kata. Personifying > the bridegroom to a scapegoat, Kata features the collective huskiness of > ethnic specialists Ila Arun, Sapna Awasthi along with Kunal Ganjawala. Its > teasing and raunchy undertones and walloping beats are akin to Roja's Rukmini > in spirit but devise a tangy, earthy aroma unique to it alone. That's the > beauty of Raavan. > > Rahman stays true to the element of Ratnam's vision as there's never any > attempt to show off or introduce unnecessary elements. The outcome is > exquisite. Or should I say expected. > > Feel free to send in your feedback as well. > > Rediff Rating: > > Sukanya Verma in Mumbai >
