MyNaMeIsUMAR
January 8th, 2010, 01:05 PM
There is Shah Rukh Khan and then there is My Name Is Khan.
The biggest names in motion pictures are associated with the latest venture of Karan Johar; Dharma Productions, Fox Star Studios, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Red Chillies Entertainment and Sony Music. Karan Johar attempts a “difficult” subject which delicately deals with Islam, the Asperger syndrome and touches on topics like terrorism, relationships and religion. As such the main protagonists, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, will go through several circumstances in their lives – both emotionally touching and painful.
Following the musical success of Kal Ho Na Ho and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (KANK), the thirty-seven years old Karan Johar is among the handful of directors in Bollywood, who remains loyal to one music director. Shankar-Eshaan-Loy is repeated – with record breaking music sales for the above mentioned movies, it would pose a risk to experiment with another team or music composer. Dialogue writer Niranjan Iyengar’s lyrics are used for the mega project.
Let’s clear a first misconception: the soundtrack of My Name Is Khan is based on situational events of the script and will be extensively appreciated, when watched on screen.
Soul searching is a turbulent exercise. Sajda invites listeners to a world where one’s identity is lost and the soul is roaming around, essaying to find its role, responsibility and relationship. Surging orchestrations with synthesizers open up the quasi meditative piece, which is further beautified by the truly matured sufi voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. The creative force, Shankar Mahadevan, joins in to complement this atmospheric sufi extravaganza – which is pure, poignant and artistic. Richa Sharma’s prelude is deep enough to set the right mood for the rest of the soundtrack; a mood which neither makes one excited nor sad, it’s very much about the inner side of one self.
If there is enough meditative and spiritual power in ‘Sajda’, then the orchestration follows a perfect route. Employment of instruments like tabla and dholak supports the piece perfectly in the background, allowing the singers to express their emotions to the fullest. A sense of deep awakening exists in the interludes with reflective musical pieces bound to evoke emotions and more thoughts. The trio has ensured that the piece will be echoing in listeners’ minds for a long time. Interestingly, the chorus transforms the piece into a surprisingly high-class track, without being too harsh on the ears. ‘Sajda’ is a spiritual journey which involves connections with the heart, mind and one’s own spirit.
Inner peace and the deeper meaning of life find a new dimension in Noor E Khuda. A sense of vital association with the spirit and the mind is translated through the exquisite voices of Adnan Sami, Shankar Mahadevan and the eloquent Shreya Ghoshal. The healing for the souls aching for the definition of life is musically expressed powerfully and emotionally through the acoustic guitars, which subtly open the grandiose piece. The concept of peace, according to My Name Is Khan, is exploited and redefined – this time, by the way Adnan Sami handles ‘Noor E Khuda’ in the lower octave with amazing versatility, displaying extraordinary control over the pronunciation of the lyrics by Niranjan Iyengar.
Highlights include the various use of the guitar at specific spots in the track, which will be better translated on screen. In this particular case, the acoustic guitars represent the good and bright days whereas other guitar sounds represent the opposite. Insertion of the female chorus captures the melancholy side of the protagonists and projects the grandeur of the movie. The twist in the piece is presented when Adnan Sami tackles the first “antara” and the music which follows after is pure bliss. Listeners are thrown into a world of rustic feelings and mysteriousness. Shreya Ghoshal brings her semi-classical touch in the middle of the track and immediately elevates the repeat value. Her entry is flawless and spreads an angelic feeling from there onwards.
The hypnotic blend of spirituality and meditation in the piece transports an important message and appears to be pivotal in the script. The inclusion of melody is questionable and this brings the question if the song is perfect. Melody is put to the backseat, and it would have been magic if the composers could have amalgamated melody as well. The orchestration fits perfectly the theme of the movie, with the noticeable synthesizers’ sound keeping the music concise and clean. ‘Noor E Khuda’ is a highly pondering piece, which will be better consumed by people having a distinct taste in music, as well, as those with a strong spiritual inclination.
Gradually, the soundtrack changes direction and opts for lighter material.
Rest from link......................
http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayReview.php?id=m010810085432
The biggest names in motion pictures are associated with the latest venture of Karan Johar; Dharma Productions, Fox Star Studios, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Red Chillies Entertainment and Sony Music. Karan Johar attempts a “difficult” subject which delicately deals with Islam, the Asperger syndrome and touches on topics like terrorism, relationships and religion. As such the main protagonists, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, will go through several circumstances in their lives – both emotionally touching and painful.
Following the musical success of Kal Ho Na Ho and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (KANK), the thirty-seven years old Karan Johar is among the handful of directors in Bollywood, who remains loyal to one music director. Shankar-Eshaan-Loy is repeated – with record breaking music sales for the above mentioned movies, it would pose a risk to experiment with another team or music composer. Dialogue writer Niranjan Iyengar’s lyrics are used for the mega project.
Let’s clear a first misconception: the soundtrack of My Name Is Khan is based on situational events of the script and will be extensively appreciated, when watched on screen.
Soul searching is a turbulent exercise. Sajda invites listeners to a world where one’s identity is lost and the soul is roaming around, essaying to find its role, responsibility and relationship. Surging orchestrations with synthesizers open up the quasi meditative piece, which is further beautified by the truly matured sufi voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. The creative force, Shankar Mahadevan, joins in to complement this atmospheric sufi extravaganza – which is pure, poignant and artistic. Richa Sharma’s prelude is deep enough to set the right mood for the rest of the soundtrack; a mood which neither makes one excited nor sad, it’s very much about the inner side of one self.
If there is enough meditative and spiritual power in ‘Sajda’, then the orchestration follows a perfect route. Employment of instruments like tabla and dholak supports the piece perfectly in the background, allowing the singers to express their emotions to the fullest. A sense of deep awakening exists in the interludes with reflective musical pieces bound to evoke emotions and more thoughts. The trio has ensured that the piece will be echoing in listeners’ minds for a long time. Interestingly, the chorus transforms the piece into a surprisingly high-class track, without being too harsh on the ears. ‘Sajda’ is a spiritual journey which involves connections with the heart, mind and one’s own spirit.
Inner peace and the deeper meaning of life find a new dimension in Noor E Khuda. A sense of vital association with the spirit and the mind is translated through the exquisite voices of Adnan Sami, Shankar Mahadevan and the eloquent Shreya Ghoshal. The healing for the souls aching for the definition of life is musically expressed powerfully and emotionally through the acoustic guitars, which subtly open the grandiose piece. The concept of peace, according to My Name Is Khan, is exploited and redefined – this time, by the way Adnan Sami handles ‘Noor E Khuda’ in the lower octave with amazing versatility, displaying extraordinary control over the pronunciation of the lyrics by Niranjan Iyengar.
Highlights include the various use of the guitar at specific spots in the track, which will be better translated on screen. In this particular case, the acoustic guitars represent the good and bright days whereas other guitar sounds represent the opposite. Insertion of the female chorus captures the melancholy side of the protagonists and projects the grandeur of the movie. The twist in the piece is presented when Adnan Sami tackles the first “antara” and the music which follows after is pure bliss. Listeners are thrown into a world of rustic feelings and mysteriousness. Shreya Ghoshal brings her semi-classical touch in the middle of the track and immediately elevates the repeat value. Her entry is flawless and spreads an angelic feeling from there onwards.
The hypnotic blend of spirituality and meditation in the piece transports an important message and appears to be pivotal in the script. The inclusion of melody is questionable and this brings the question if the song is perfect. Melody is put to the backseat, and it would have been magic if the composers could have amalgamated melody as well. The orchestration fits perfectly the theme of the movie, with the noticeable synthesizers’ sound keeping the music concise and clean. ‘Noor E Khuda’ is a highly pondering piece, which will be better consumed by people having a distinct taste in music, as well, as those with a strong spiritual inclination.
Gradually, the soundtrack changes direction and opts for lighter material.
Rest from link......................
http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayReview.php?id=m010810085432