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By
Joginder Tuteja, January 17, 2008 - 16:04 IST
 Films
with glamour and entertainment industry as a backdrop
are in vogue. If 2007 had Om Shanti Om and Khoya Khoya
Chand with Bollywood as a backdrop, in 2008 we have
already seen Halla Bol and My Name Is Anthony
Gonsalves as the two releases that had liberal dose of
Bollywood references to it. And upcoming films like
Superstar, Mithya, and Fashion would only be taking
this trend forward this year.
Directed by Rohit Jugraj, who had made his debut with
action flick James, Superstar belongs to the light
hearted entertainer genre and paves the way for the
first ever double role performance of Kunal Khemu.
However, when it comes to the film's music, one is a
little apprehensive because except for a handful of
numbers, composer Shamir Tandon doesn't quite boast of
an interesting repertoire in spite of making a mark
years back with 'O What A Babe' (Rakht). Shabbir Ahmed
has written the lyrics.
Opening track 'Dont I Love Or Do I Love U' carries a
jingle feel to it and in spite of being embedded with
groovy hip-hop elements, it doesn't quite make you go
'wow' in the very first listening. Adnan Sami's lazy
style of singing may have worked (rightly so) with the
number of songs in the past but in case of 'Dont I
Love Or Do I Love U', the effort doesn't really pay.
In fact, it is the arrival of Sunidhi Chauhan which
gets some spunk going for the song, but overall the
song just remains ok - neither a put off nor the kind
which you would love to play in a repeat mode.
 Hamza,
composer Mithoon's discovery, who was last heard in
Aggar, gets his biggest ever break as his solo track
'Man Tu Talbat' has as many as four different versions
dedicated to it. Based on a Middle East tune with some
part of the song even carrying Arabic/Persian lyrics,
'Man Tu Talbat' has a truly different (and
unconventional) tune, especially during the mukhda. A
mix of Hindi and English lyrics, later the song is a
unique experience in itself and if associated with a
good music video it has a potential to go a long
distance.
'Man Tu Talbat' is a kind of song which Emraan Hashmi
would have loved to pounce on with the combination of
unconventional voices of Hamza and Shamir Tandon's
orchestra and Shabbir Ahmed's lyrics, it turns out to
be the highlight of the album. This is the reason why
after it's original version, it appears in a high
voltage 'remix version' that takes the song to a
different level altogether.
Further consolidating the song's retention power, the
'remix version' is followed by an 'Electro Mix', which
continues to keep the excitement on. From the dance
floors, one heads for a lounge outing with this
version which has a wonderful prelude to it (lasting
an entire minute) before Hamza's voice is heard from a
distance. 'Spansih Mix' is the last to come, which
takes a livelier approach and carries a carnival feel
to it.
Rekha Bhardwaj (of 'Namak Issak Ka' - Omkara fame) in
a Rohit Jugraj film? Now that's quite a surprise
considering the genres which the two artists operate
in, do not quite converge, at least on paper. Further
surprise is to hear the vocals of Ustad Sultan Khan
and once as a listener you have adjusted to this fact
of getting two classically proficient performers on
the same platform, it is time to get attuned to this
Shamir Tandon composition titled 'Aankohn Se Khwab
Rooth Kar'.
 A
ghazal which takes a complete tangent from the groovy
world of 'Dont I Love Or Do I Love U' and the rocking
item number 'Man Tu Talbat', 'Aankohn Se Khwab Rooth
Kar' only takes the album further up and makes one
look in awe at the kind of range which the soundtrack
of Superstar carries.
With Western arrangements taking this classical
composition forward, Shamir Tandon does a fantastic
job in making this raaga based song, which would make
for a lovely hearing in the dead of the night. Highly
recommended for those with a classical bent. An
'Ambient Mix' of the same track comes towards the
album's end and has Ustad Sultan Khan starting the
proceedings this time around.
Shabbir Tandon's poetry is in full motion in 'Ajnabi',
which follows next. Based mainly on guitar, this track
sung by newcomer Raaj has a Western theme and feel to
it. A love song, it reminds one of the musical styles
of the 50's and the 60's when songs with a jazz base
like this were a vogue with the likes of Biswajeet,
Joy Mukherjee, and Shammi Kapoor. As one listens to
the voice of Raaj closely, one realizes that at places
he touches upon notes, which are similar to the
singing style of SP Balasubramaniam. Boasting of an
old world charm, 'Ajnabi' adds on to the variety of
Superstar while a classily shot music video only adds
to the appeal further.
Old world charm is visible yet again in 'Rafa Dafa'
which has a team of singers coming together in the
form of Shaan, Kunal Ganjawala, Sanjeevani, Amrita Kak
and Shaila. A groovy dance number, the song has a
nursery rhyme feel to it, especially established
through the arrangements. A situational track, it
traverses a listener to a carnival atmosphere. In
fact, during the song, one is half lead to believe
that 'Rafa Dafa' could well have been tailor-made for
Saif Ali Khan, mainly due to presence of Shaan in the
song.
 In
the album's end comes a one minute 'Dance Piece' which
moves at a non-stop pace and automatically promises to
make a listener hit the dance floor when the music is
on at a loud volume.
Ever since the release of Rakht, composer Shamir
Tandon had only flattered to deceive when it came to
his Bollywood soundtracks. Page 3, Umar, Corporate,
Undertrial, Traffic Signal, Red Swastik, Bal Ganesha -
none of these had a complete feel to it though he did
have a song or two which worked in these films as
well.
However, in case of Superstar he moves quite a few
notches up, especially with 'Man Tu Talbat', which is
an out and out chartbuster in the making if handled
well, and marketed aggressively. Though 'Dont I Love
Or Do I Love U' and 'Rafa Dafa' make for an ordinary
hearing, 'Aankohn Se khwab Rooth Kar' and 'Ajnabi'
provide a good range to the soundtrack.
Rating:- **
1/2
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