Ghajini Music - rediff review - 5 out of 5 !!! Phenomenal, Rahman goes gloriously wild with Ghajini…..
Related|Filed Under
November 25th, 2008

http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/nov/25rahman-goes-gloriously-wild-with-ghajini.htm

This is a very detailed and excellent review by Raja Sen.

I tell you this guy won’t give 5 out of 5 evenif he himself has done something good….he is not even an aamir-fan……ARR has mesmerized him……just like he has mesmerised me :-)

There Are 90 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Tango on 25 November 2008:

    Even Rahmaniacs will agree that its a crazy rating by Rediff.

  2. Comment by rks on 25 November 2008:

    Raja Sen Behak gayen hain. ;)

  3. Comment by A C H I L L E S on 25 November 2008:

    How much money went into Raja Sen’s pocket? ;)

  4. Comment by A C H I L L E S on 25 November 2008:

    ‘Bikh’ gaya saala!

  5. Comment by rks on 25 November 2008:

    I am not aware of musical intricacies but to my amateur ears it is an average or below. But I do like “Kaise mujhe”. I assume some of the tracks might sound good after sometime.

  6. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    Not having heard this album, even then 5/5 sounds excessive. LOL, itne to ARR sahab bhi nahin denge…

  7. Comment by Gabber on 25 November 2008:

    agree with rks.

  8. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Just heard the whole Latoo track - WOW!! What a splendid commercial track. More than anything, the BGM is so addictive. I predict this to be a huge one commercially. Bekha I’ve heard too. Again, a bit scattered but it has some terrific moments and the picturisation looked promissing.
    Anyway, I’m on to Aye Bachooo now.

  9. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    I thought I’d listen to the other tracks but I’m back to Lattoo.. :-)

  10. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Ghajini is one of Rahman’s most whacky yet gloriously commercially albums. Raja Sen is not way off the mark here at all. Aye Bachoo is a bit underwhelming on first hearing…but the mukhda is a stunner.

  11. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    I was watching Jaane Tu on cable yesterday and though the film does not grow on me at all, I was struck by how well Rahman’s tunes gel with the film. And since Rahman works block by block, there’s great richness to be unearthed each time one listens to it.

  12. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    On another note, met Subhash Ghai at IFFI and the guy looked pretty low and depressed with all the Yuvvraaj bashing.

  13. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    My final word on the Ghajini album is that is jazzy, experimental, whacky and utterly butterly populist!

    As for Raja Sen being paid for this review, well, now that I have heard the album I don’t think so. He just loved it :-)

  14. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    Sandy: I’ve read all your comments.. I said at least three times recently that this would outsell Yuvvraaj and JA.

  15. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    And I’m also detecting great buzz for the film.. thinks have indeed heated up..

  16. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Satyam: Also, while Raja Sen gave it a 5/5, Joginder too has given the same rating! So is he a sell out too?

    Jog may have gone wrong a few times (and I’ve pointed this out myself) but I’ve always said that he has a fine ear for filmy, massy tunes.

  17. Comment by ideaunique on 25 November 2008:

    Vow Sandy - nice to have you back….I am sure you are having a good time at IFF - GOA. If you meet Ghai again…tell him to write a good script and show it to aamir :-) he needs wake up and smell the coffee…otherwise he will join Dev Anand who is so self-obsessed that he goes on making movies which are liked by him and…well him only :-)

  18. Comment by ideaunique on 25 November 2008:

    Latoo is growing in a big way…Shreya does a splendid job here especially with those words..”yaar yaar yaar aya….”

  19. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Satyam: I think the world of JA music and will not compare Ghajini music to it just yet - at least from a critical standpoint. Commercially, I have no doubts about Ghajini music outselling not just JA but everything else in the vicinity. But critically, I’ll have to listen to it a few times more or even maybe see it with the film to consider it as good or better than JA. But Jog is right that Ghajini music would well be tops in this year’s music list.

  20. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Lol Idea. Most directors come with a sell-by date and Ghai’s brand of movies expired a long time back. He just doesn’t realise it.

  21. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Listen to the mid-portion BGM of Latoo…starting from Uske Aane Se…
    Absolute superhit moment. Something very chawanni yet classy about it. Man, that’s enough. Will say the rest in my review

  22. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    Wow sandy — I had reconciled myself to expecting a sub-par album, but now you have gotten me excited, especially because of that last comment…how can one go wrong with “chawanni yet classy”?! :-0

  23. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    Your enthusiasm is infectious!

  24. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Q: Problem is I’m stuck on Latoo for the past one hour. How will I even get through with this review? Not that I have much left to say :-)

  25. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    LOL, I am proud of my will power– I have stoutly resisted listening to an online version…

  26. Comment by Som on 25 November 2008:

    Here is one more review AR Rahman’s score has quite a few moments but not enough repeat value

  27. Comment by beld on 25 November 2008:

    Lol sandy, goa mein kya peeya apne ;-)
    Btw how was iffi, any foreign movie recommendations?

  28. Comment by Som on 25 November 2008:

    I don’t know if Raja Sen was paid or not to give a glowing review to the music of Ghajini, I would like to believe these people,the reviewers are doing their jobs with honesty.if it is not to be the case,I would say it’s very very unfortunate.Talking about Raja Sen’s review,he might have loved the soundtrack.Who knows!My personal opinion though remains it does not deserve a 5,there is hardly any repeat value to the songs barring Kaise Mujhe and Guzarish to some extent.

  29. Comment by beld on 25 November 2008:

    Satyam, ghajini will outsell the ja album but unfortunately not the rnbdj album ;-)

    As for the album, I don’t think its as good as jog or raj say it is but its not as bad as most feel here. I still can’t get over why arr wud kill a song like guzarish by giving it to that pansy voice instead of sonu!

  30. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    “Lol sandy, goa mein kya peeya apne ”

    I thought you ‘trusted’ my judgement and asked Satyam to do so when I said good things about Rab Ne… Apne kya pee liya abhi?

  31. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    I’ll say it again and Beld you are right about whom to trust. Ghajini is a chartbuster album all the way and you’ll realise it along the days.
    Ghajini is just a fascinating soundtrack for me on various levels. There is nothing predictable, one note or flat about it and when Rahman does it using such a populist palette, it’s just so much more exciting.

  32. Comment by Som on 25 November 2008:

    And I do feel had it not been Rahman someone else, the verdicts would have been vastly different.This holds true for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi as well, a very mediocre album and I am sure no one would have given it a chance had it not been a SRK’s movie.

  33. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Comments from Skeptic: Ghajini is in my opinion an exciting album - within the context. The first full-on contemporary album in ages from Rahman, and he’s clearly drawing from a smorgasboard of influences - grime, Timbaland, God-knows-what-else in the blender. I’m not sure I even understand everything he’s doing here, but it’s great fun all the same.

  34. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Rab Ne to me is ‘one note’ in the sense that it is regular in the good old Bollywood sense - traditional, melodious, simple. Nothing wrong with that at all. What excites me about Ghajini is its fun, on-the-edge yet commercial appeal,

  35. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Rab Ne to me is ‘one note’ in the sense that it is regular in the good old Bollywood sense - traditional, melodious, simple. Nothing wrong with that at all. What excites me about Ghajini is its fun, on-the-edge appeal, steeped in masala.

  36. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    Sandy: oh oh oh, that sounds all good…what do you think of Behka? I heard 1 minute in the trailer, and didn;t think much of it….Guzaarish isb crazy catchy though…

    Som: I feel Aamir’s “Ha Reham” is one of the 2-3 best songs of the year…sad that it hasn’t gotten more attention.

    Dasvidaniya: I’ll have to give the music another try; I didn’t like it as much as some others. But I only heard them in the film (which was sentimental but nevertheless affecting, and worth checking out…

  37. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    “Satyam, ghajini will outsell the ja album but unfortunately not the rnbdj album”

    Beld, though that lowest common denominator principle usually works for SRK I’m not as sure this time. I think Ghajini will be big as a soundtrack. I expect it to join Dil Se, Taal, Guru as one of Rahman’s true bestsellers in Hindi.

  38. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    “Rab Ne to me is ‘one note’ in the sense that it is regular in the good old Bollywood sense - traditional, melodious, simple. Nothing wrong with that at all.”

    Sandy, let me compress all of this for you.. it’s boring! And there’s ‘good old Bollywood’ (which I don’t equate with yashraj music in the present day) was never boring.

    Your entire description would work perfectly for DDLJ, a soundtrack which I still find enjoyable. RNBDJ is Yashraj with sickle cell anemia!

    haule haule is nonetheless alright.. the medley song I found a little pathetic.. even worse was the dance pe chance number.. tujh main rab dikhta hai is again alright though one is always in danger of falling asleep! Will it work with the music? Yes! But that’s the lowest common denominator principle via Yashraj. Oh wait, there’s a bit of Akshay this time too. You also get the sumo wrestler!

    But seriously Sandy you need to do damage control! When you praise Ghajini I know you have taste. When you praise RNBDJ as well I wonder if you just like everything!

  39. Comment by Som on 25 November 2008:

    “I feel Aamir’s “Ha Reham” is one of the 2-3 best songs of the year…sad that it hasn’t gotten more attention.”

    Qalandar,Exactly and “Aamir” to me is the by far the best soundtrack I have heard so far.A terrific one, loved it!

  40. Comment by beld on 25 November 2008:

    Sandy - huh! What have u really drunk? I pulled ur leg on ur comment that u can’t get off that one song. Gosh - u get so touchy with aamir movies…

    Satyam, the only tasteless person and lowest uncommon denominator here is u. And don’t compare guru with dil se - it wasn’t even the top selling album last year. Btw u talking abt taste is like the skinheads on fox news talking abt racism…

  41. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    25 Nov 08, 20:49
    TheSkeptic: Rahman’s ballads have been a problem-zone for me for some time. Gauzy melodies and sound so shyly retiring that they seem to begging to be fast-forwarded. You see, Rahman started at the absolute summit in this mode with Ae Haseen Wadiyan. It’s all been downhill from there. Well, I exaggerate, but from that altitude even the descent generates classics!

  42. Comment by beld on 25 November 2008:

    Actually q, isn’t the slumdog m track better than aamir. I wud still go with ja as the best album this year _ thanks to khwaja - I think arr has outdone himself in that track

  43. Comment by Som on 25 November 2008:

    Indiaglitz’s music review of Ghajini Ghajini - run-of-the-mill musical by Rahman

  44. Comment by Arun on 25 November 2008:

    I feel Aamir’s “Ha Reham” is one of the 2-3 best songs of the year

    There is a lot more to ‘Aamir’ than ‘Ha Reham’. I love ‘Ha Reham’ but it’s a bit too Rahman-ish for my liking.

  45. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    “Satyam, the only tasteless person and lowest uncommon denominator here is u. And don’t compare guru with dil se - it wasn’t even the top selling album last year. Btw u talking abt taste is like the skinheads on fox news talking abt racism…”

    Beld: Moral of the story? If you can’t take a snide joke don’t deliver one to begin with!

    I stand by the sales comment on Guru. I never suggested incidentally that Guru sold as much as Dil Se. Incidentally no album today really sells as much as the top sellers of the 90s.

  46. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Guru is my personal favourite - most certainly one notch higher than Dil Se even.

  47. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    beld: the slumdog track was gonna be one of the other songs in my top 2-3! If we count instrumentals there’s much from slumdog that would make my list…

    …and of course “Elay” from Sakkarakatti too if I include Tamil…

  48. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    Also I don’t know why you’re so irritated Beld. You always call Akshay’s films ‘poop hits’. I thought it took a SRK fan of all those love stories to know one!

  49. Comment by Som on 25 November 2008:

    Beld:I am yet to hear “Slumdog” have only heard the one song Shah has posted on NG and it is a excellent song I must say.Now expecting something really special here.JA of course still remains my personal favorite from Rahman from this year,not a single song of Rahman so far has beat “Khwaja Mere Khwaja” IMO.

  50. Comment by sandy on 25 November 2008:

    Beld, how am I to know in what context you’re speaking. you didn’t specific, did you?

  51. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    In Hindi I think the strongest Rahman is Dil Se. Taal I somehow don’t have much of a taste for anymore even as I recognize it as a very strong work. I would take Yuva over Guru rather easily (preferably Ayudha Ezhuthu). I think Swades is quite underrated. And MP is a strong (again underrated) work. Two other fine Hindi Rahmans that don’t get too much attention are Thakshak and Pukar, especially the former.

  52. Comment by beld on 25 November 2008:

    Snide joke? Go read a dictionary dude. Closest u come to a joke is when u look in a mirror ;-)

    U cab stand by or jump by guru. But that album sucked and wasn’t in top 3 last year

    Sandy - btw _ there is only one guy whose judgement I stand by more than urs and that is jog. In this case, given both of u have endorsed it - I am sure its a blockbuster

  53. Comment by Arun on 25 November 2008:

    and of course “Elay” from Sakkarakatti too if I include Tamil

    Such a superb track, this! The orchestration is as good as it could get, Rahman in sublime form!

  54. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    Arun: actually, your comments motivated me to re-visit Aamir, and I must say that Phas Gaya and Ek Lau are also growing on me, although Ha Reham remains the standout for me (indeed it is ARR-esque, but Trivedi does more with his influence than many others — he strips the lush orchestration and the result is a somewhat “minimalist” neo-qawwali). Still Anwar remains the best non-ARR album in recent years for me (and one of the very best even if ARR is included): even apart from the awesome Mithoon numbers, the Pankaj Awasthi tracks are also great…

  55. Comment by Som on 25 November 2008:

    “Guru” is perhaps my favorite Rahman’s work from this decade closely followed by “Lagaan”.

  56. Comment by Arun on 25 November 2008:

    I should give Anwar a listen then, loved the two Mithoon songs but didn’t care much for the others.

  57. Comment by beld on 25 November 2008:

    Btw q,thanks a ton for posting alai payuthe translation. Its among my all time favs too. Wud love to see ‘nilave vaa’ translation too…

    Som, sandy - am surprised. Personally only good thing abt guru was abhishek. Didn’t like mani(one of his worst) and arr(weakest album)

  58. Comment by beld on 25 November 2008:

    It may be copied but life in a metro is a non arr fav for me

  59. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    sandy: you really like Guru’s music more than Dil Se’s? Wow, I prefer Dil Se by quite a margin…

  60. Comment by Som on 25 November 2008:

    Beld: I have problems with “Guru” the movie but I thought music was very good.Tere Bina and Ay Hairathe were sublime.Loved Maiya Maiya as well.

  61. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    Arun: Yes, Symphony in Blue, Into the Black, and Mela are all tracks that I have come to like a lot. And few item numbers have been sung with the no holds barred gusto of Bangla Khula — the singer makes Sunidhi Chauhan sound like a shy schoolgirl!

  62. Comment by beld on 25 November 2008:

    Btw q, arun - if u get a chance - get this album on best sufi songs. It starts with teri deewani - by far one of the best cd’s I have listened to in years

  63. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    By the way the only Hindi song I would include in a list of greatest Rahman singles is Satrangi from Dil Se. I would also add Khuda hafiz (yuva) except that I really like the Tamil version here. Other songs that I love from Hindi are in no order:

    Yeh jo des hai (Swades)
    Vaari vaari (MP)
    Maiya (Guru)
    Shouk hai (Guru)
    Fanaa (Yuva, again prefer the Tamil version)
    Sunta hai mera khuda (Pukar)
    Ae ajnabi (Dil Se)
    Radha kaise na jale (Lagaan)
    Manmohini (Yuvvraaj)
    Guzarish (Ghajini)
    Tu Bin bataye (RDB, specially the stanzas here)
    Jhumbalika (Thakshak)
    Toofan ki raat (Thakshak)
    Sehra main aayi (Warriors of Heaven and Earth, the chinese version is great too)
    Kariye na (Taal)

    Just a smattering here.. with a great musician like Rahman the real joy is that one is constantly rediscovering everything.. even with albums of his that I know inside out I revisit them after sometime and I feel as if I’m getting a new experience.

  64. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    Oh and I like all his Hindi qawwalis with the exception of the Meenaxi one which I don’t care for as much.

    Incidentally Rahman did a Muhammad song for the recent Hindi version of the Message and it’s simply beautiful.

  65. Comment by satyam on 25 November 2008:

    Beld: Just saw your second comment addressed to me. Sounds like you’ve been having a bad day once again. Relax..!

  66. Comment by Som on 25 November 2008:

    The term “poop hit” is a recent recovery, something to do with the over enthusiasm of the distributor to release a movie on a wide scale to fetch maximum shares in the initial days before the word of mouth starts to kick in.It was not to be the case in the 90’s and early years in this decade where a movie can get to a “Hit” tag quite easily even if it is rejected by the audience,just on the strength on the collections in the initial days which are clearly driven by the hype one can generate through the presence of a big star,promotion,marketing and all.I guess it started with KANK,the movie despite a rejection somehow managed to get a “Hit” rating by most of the trade guys on the strength of the first week collections which was very good.A first case of “technical hit” to be precise. The one movie as far as I remember went for the more traditional release strategy in the recent times i.e expected the WOM to do the job was “Vivah” and It was very successful in that. Of course there are other few other examples like TZP, CDI and LRM as well.

  67. Comment by Arun on 25 November 2008:

    Beld: Is that ‘Teri Justajoo’? I’ve heard that, excellent compilation. Saaware by Roopkumar Rathod is a lovely song.

  68. Comment by beld on 25 November 2008:

    Thanks satyam. Ur words of advice are so surreal and soothening. Now I am well and truly relaxed. Btw did fox news sack u?

  69. Comment by ideaunique on 25 November 2008:

    “mein to ye sochta tha ke uparwale ko fursat nahin
    phir bhi tumko banake wo meri nazar me chad gaya aur
    rutbe me badh gaya….”

    “Jindagi sitaar ho gayi, rimzim malhar ho gayi….”

    lines from Kaise Mujhe song…hats off to Prasoon Joshi

    AND AFTER THESE LOVELY LINES… THAT ANGEL SHREYA GHOSHAL TAKES THE SONG TO IMMORTAL HEIGHTS…

    intoxicating album…

  70. Comment by ideaunique on 25 November 2008:

    alright Sandy I am back to latoo song….yaar yaar yaar aya….:-)
    I guess there’s going to be tough fight betn. latoo, Behka, aye bachchoo to become a charbuster song…gujarish and kaise mujhe are already there…

  71. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    Beld: what is the name of that album?

    [I love both of Kailasa's albums; initially I thought the second one was disappointing, but it offers different, mellower pleasures than the first album...]

  72. Comment by Arun on 25 November 2008:

    I think this is the one Beld was referring to. Teri Justajoo is a new release and even this is good.

  73. Comment by beld on 25 November 2008:

    Arun - if I am right - its titled teri deewani I think. Its got 16 songs or so - its an awesome collection of sufi songs

  74. Comment by Arun on 25 November 2008:

    Yes, Beld! Teri Deewani was released last year, I think. Teri Justajoo is a follow-up to that one, you should check this out as well.

  75. Comment by Shah on 25 November 2008:

    Have listened to the Ghajini Album around 20 times… Must say, this is ARR of the 90s, the one who loves to have fun, and the one I have missed alot!

    Agree with Sandy on Latto… It is awesome.. there are so many moments in this song that will get you hooked, like yaari yaari yaar… Ae lala (in the electronic voice) and the hook line of Latto mein lattoo… but one of the best moment is the “Uske Aane Se…” bit.

    Am hooked on it now!

  76. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    Interesting comments from TheSkeptic…I wouldn’t consider Roja’s “Ye Haseen Waadiyan” to be a “ballad”…but as I write that it got me wondering as to what is the precise definition of one…

  77. Comment by Shah on 25 November 2008:

    Qalandar, Beld, Arun - I think the first album is Kailasa and the second is Jhoomo Re.. Teri Deewani from the first and Saiyyan from the second are masterpieces!

    Dasvidaniya album is another gem… there r 3 songs.. All r unique and brilliant… Check out Sonu in the Muskura Song! Only he can sing it that way with minimal instruments! Old world charm, a little venice flavour and Sonu on the vocals… Excellent!

  78. Comment by Arun on 25 November 2008:

    You are right, Shah! I was talking about a compilation album which has various Sufi songs - not only by Kailash.

    Agree with you on ‘Muskura’! It’s a beautiful song. I don’t think anyone could’ve sung this better than Sonu.

  79. Comment by Qalandar on 25 November 2008:

    Yes Shah, love those two albums. I don’t think I have ever listened to a non-filmi, non-qawwali album as much as I have these two…

  80. Comment by neelu on 25 November 2008:

    Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan? Any qawwali of his is trance inducing and in the realm of sublime.

  81. Comment by sandy on 26 November 2008:

    http://passionforcinema.com/ghajini-music-review/

  82. Comment by Gabber on 26 November 2008:

    Satyam,

    Liked your list of Rehman tracks. Most of my favs are there.
    Few however are missing-

    1. Piya Haji Ali (Does anyone remember this outstanding piece?)
    2. Fizaa title track - Tu fizaa hai….
    3. Kya Karein Kya naa karein (Rangeela)
    4. Rojaa jaaneman (Roja)
    5. Hamma Hamma (Bombay)

  83. Comment by jayshah on 26 November 2008:

    Fair reviews by Aakash and PoC. I like Skeptic’s comment. And uske aane se, is the best moment of Latoo.

  84. Comment by Arun on 26 November 2008:

    Fizaa title track - Tu fizaa hai….

    That’s by Anu Malik, Gabber.

  85. Comment by ideaunique on 26 November 2008:

    thanks sandy - POC review is so balanced, neutral and the person really seems to be in music….hatke review truly :-)

  86. Comment by ideaunique on 26 November 2008:

    Sandy, any idea why there was no official music release ceremony for Ghajini???

  87. Comment by Arun on 27 November 2008:

    Ursmusically - Suresh’s music review

  88. Comment by amitk79 on 28 November 2008:

    I am kinda hooked too Guzarish, Kaise Mujhe and Behka. Kaise Mujhe already has become my favourite. Havnt paid much attention to Latoo and Aye bachu yet and I am not sure if I will. They might be one of those songs that you start to like only after watching. Right now cant say. Overall a good album.

  89. Comment by sandy on 28 November 2008:

    I didn’t talk much about the Kaise Mujhe instrumental here or in my review, but that’s another amazing piece of musical creation from Rahman. And Shreya is the standout singer for me in this whole album.

  90. Comment by sandy on 29 November 2008:

    Talking of Shrerya, she’s also the best thing about the Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi sound track. I love her soulful rendition of Tujh Mein Rab…

Post a Response

You must be logged in to post a comment.