yuvraaj

ARR is at it again - yuvraaj has fantastic melodies. subhash ghai comes back with another magnum opus with old wine in new glass feel. tu hi to meri dost hai and tu muskura are both superb numbers woven in melody. funny how both songs play in the interlude of the other. tu hi to meri has a hair-raising note combination at the end when ARR starts singing. tu muskura is somewhat more ethereal. but i grew attached to zindagi first, probably because its strongly emotional and so well sung by srinivas - we see gulzar play again with do naina sakhiyaan. i think it was srinivas in kaisi hai rut (DCH).  manmohini morey is ARR's take on lat uljhi suljha ja bandish - ultra modern accompaniment with full classical base. i didn't really like the tune/melody in the beginning, but then ARR makes sure that  it will definitely grow on you. somehow all the songs (except zindagi) fall a little short of the mark, perhaps due to the overbearing arrangement or perhaps they were intended to touch only superficially.

shankar mahadevan

shankar-ehsaan-loy (SEL) have been a recurring theme in my blogs since the very beginning. ever since dil-chahta-hai, they've been growing on the bollywood scene - and perhaps would be the most consistent performers after a r rahman, getting the melody and the mood right each time. 

have been watching srgmp 09, where shankar is a judge. quite an appealing personality. again a unique combination of humility, megalomania, and street-smartness. its amazing to watch such people perform. effortless singer. breathtakingly soulful voice. gifted with melody and sensitivity. god, for lack of a better term. i wonder how he feels up there. 

i sang "maa" recently (shankar, taare zameen par) with the usual besurapan and anavashyak kalaakari. still, it was lovely the way it turned out.