ode to mohit chauhan

I've been extremely fond of mohit chauhan perhaps since boodein. However, I don't remember being an ardent fan before I heard guncha and tried to imitate the tough song. The song masakali brings him to the limelight, and I hope he is here to stay. The guy's voice is out-of-the-world nasheela, his style extremely original, his notes are perfect, and his saadgi commendable.

main meri patni aur woh was a remarkable movie, a complete delight. I really could never figure out who composed the music for the movie. and I still would like to know if mohit chauhan himself composed guncha. Mohit also sang ye zamana hum se hai in that movie, a nice number which was forgotten.

In fact, he has lent his voice to a series of superb numbers, which got lost each and every time. The album boodein was followed by a sapnay album - sapnay hain sooni aankhen, which had a couple of other lovely numbers, including a breathtaking folk number (chupi ja na chandrama..). The whole album was lost to the audience. Not sure, but sabse peeche hum khade, probably belongs to the same album. guncha did remain in the memories, however, and is still appreciated.

I hate to read that he got a semi-break through rang de basanti, and this post was written to set history straight :). Then, jab we met, kismat connection, welcome to sajjanpur, fashion, ...., and dilli 6 happened.

I pleasantly discovered today that he had been part of mission ustad last year - you get to see him singing all through those episodes - awesome! Its really heartwarming to see the singer getting his due recognition now.

dilli 6

I was eagerly waiting for this ARR track. The track is plain awesome. just pure magnificience. All amazing kinds of sounds. Pure brilliance. Its the rang de basanti team again - prasoon joshi and ARR. The lyrics are lovely, esp. note masakalli.

Masakalli has mohit chauhan creating the allahadpan of kishore kumar with all the verve. Choosing rekha bhardwaj to lead the bhojpuri genda phool was a superb decision - how beautifully can she combine her tangy voice with softness of emotions. ARR's second bihari number (after jhooth ka pat chalkaini, from saathiya), replete with grooves this time - it almost sounds funny or perhaps it is meant to be.

The most beautiful song is perhaps dil gira dafatan (altho masakalli wud be terrific to sing) - amazing ensemble of emotions, sung by someone called ash king.

dil, gira kahin par hai dafatan
jaane magar ye nayan
teri khamosh zulfon ki gehraayian hain jahan
dil mera uljha hua hai wohin, kho gaya
tu magar hai bekhabar, hai bekhabar

..
samandar lehron ki, lehron ki
chaadar odh ke so raha hai
par main jagoon, ek khumari, ek nasha sa,
ho raha hai.
tu magar hai bekhabar, hai bekhabar,
dil...

The samandar lehron ki tune is simply breathtaking with its painful emotion.
The rehna tu sung by ARR has a crazy sense of expression last seen in tu bole glass aadha khali (jaane tu ya jaane na) - its the same genre, rendered even more effectively this time.

I couldn't help but write down masakalli lyrics - an unrivalled tribute to allahadpan.

aye masakalli, ud matak kali

zara pankh jhatak, gayi dhool atak,
aur lachak machak ke, door bhatak
ud dagar dagar, kasbe kooche,
nukkad basti, masti mein ye ye ye
ithri se ud, adaa se mud
karle poori dil ki tamanna
hawa se jud, ada se ud
phur phurr phurr, tu hai heera panna re.

ghar tera salonee, baadal ki colonee,
dikhla de thenga unko jo udna na jaanen,

udiyo na dariyo, kar manmaani ...
badhiyo na mudiyo, kar naadaani
gar taan le, muskaan le, (??)
bas sansananan hawaa,
bas thaan le, tu jaan le,
keh sanananananan hawaa

ae masakalli ..


tu kya gam tera rishta
gagan ki baansuri se hai
pawan ki guftgoo se hai
sooraj ki roshni se hai
udiyo na dariyo, kar manmani,
badhiyo na mudiyo, kar naadani
....

masak-kali...

rahman wins golden globe

worldwide accolade was long due. the track was avg by rahman standards, but the prize was definitely due - both for ARR and the country. the video is here. hope he gets the oscar too.

slumdog was a true bollywood masala film. the article here sums it up:
Partly in Hindi, the movie is an uplifting tale, but manages to balance fantasy with a stark look at the life of the urban poor in India. It is this balancing act that seems to have touched a chord in audiences abroad.

I'm still confused WHY it touched a chord. Here's another interpretation:
The scam gives the film a moral: The difference between those who are poor and those who are rich is only a scam and underdogs can beat the odds if they adopt the practices of those who control their destiny.
By a clever use of subtext, Slumdog Millionaire becomes a work of art.