AETBAAR

Producer : Mandeep Singh/Cutting Edge Pictures
Director : Vikram Bhatt
Cast : Amitabh Bachchan, John Abraham and Bipasha Basu
Music : Rajesh Roshan
Lyrics : Dev Kohli, Ibrahim Ashq, Nasir Faraz, Chandrashekher Rajit and Maya Govind
Singers : Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, Sujata Bhattacharya, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghosal, Abhijeet, Alka Yagnik, Babul Supriyo, Shweta Pandit and Amitabh Bachchan
Audio : Sony Music

Vikram Bhatt's successful streak has taken a battering with his two recent releases Footpath and Inteha. However the director is hoping that his latest thriller Aetbaar will help strengthen his career. The film certainly sounds promising, thanks to a cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Bipasha Basu and John Abraham. However before the audience give their verdict on the actual film, the first impression relies on the soundtrack. Rajesh Roshan has been hired as composer, accompanied by a string of lyricists. There are seven songs in total.

1 - Tum Mujhe Bas Yun Hi (Kumar Sanu and Sujata Bhattacharya)
The soundtrack starts with a soft-romantic-melodious duet "Tum Mujhe Bas Yun Hi" rendered by Kumar Sanu and Sujata Bhattacharya. The melodious song features excellently managed vocals of Kumar Sanu, who has done a brilliant job. Sujata also provides ample support by delivering her silken voice in a perfect manner. The arrangement of all musical instruments makes its mark, but the fusion of flute and guitar particularly sticks out. Understanding the mood of the song, lyricist Nasir Faraz writes very romantic lyrics, which are complimented by Rajesh Roshan's sweet composition. The song has been airing on all usual music channels these days and the visual features Bipasha Basu, John Abraham and legendary Amitabh Bachchan in the lead. Overall this melodious song has potential to become a chart buster.
Rating: 8/10

2 - Choro Choro (Udit Narayan and Sunidhi Chauhan)
Udit Narayan and Sunidhi Chauhan team-up to render the romantic duet Choro Choro. Udit Narayan, being a vocalist of rich experience, seems excellent in his rendition. Sunidhi Chauhan captures the listeners' hearts with her voice too. Amongst the instruments, the drumming and violin impress with their usage. The lyrics by Ibrahim Ashq prove their mettle and present the quality of the lyricist accurately as well. Roshan Sahib arranges gorgeous orchestration for the song. The track is currently on air and the visuals feature John Abraham, Bipasha Basu and Amitabh Bachchan respectively.
Rating: 7/10

3 - Saansain Ghullne Lagein (Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghosal)
Next emerges the best song of the album, Saansain Ghullne Lagein. This slow-romantic duet features the likes of Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghosal. What to say about Sonu? He needs no introduction at all. His catchy voice enters into the hearts with much oomph. Shreya lends her support brilliantly while delivering her sweet vocals. The pure romantic lyrics by Chandrashekher Rajit are full of quality. Since Rajesh Roshan is pretty much popular for composing romance numbers, he's clearly comfortable with this track. Overall the song makes enjoyable hearing and helps the listeners press repeat button over and over.
Rating: 8.5/10

4 - The Feel of Aetbaar (Instrumental)
This instrumental does not prove the quality of the musician and disappoints finally.
Rating: 3/10

5 - Jeena Hai Kis Liye (Amitabh Bachchan)
Next on the album, the listeners find a superb solo by Amitabh Bachchan. Its' a classy song and should be liked by his fans around the globe. The narration in the beginning simply drags the listener towards the song. His perfectly managed vocals and musical timing are perfect for the track. As far as the instruments are concerned, the tabla and drumming are impressive. Chandrashekher Rajit's meaningful lyrics provide full support to help the number stand well amongst the other worthy tracks of the album. Rajesh Roshan scores a creative piece of music and the orchestration proves to be a smash hit. Suffice it to say, not only does the song provides joys to the common listeners but also happens to be a precious gift for Big B's lovers.
Rating: 7.5/10

6 - Aetbaar: Title Song (Abhijeet and Alka Yagnik)
The romantic title track "Aetbaar" is rendered by the brilliant duo of Abhijeet and Alka Yagnik. Abhijeet impresses with his playful voice and Alka manages the rhythm creatively. Dev Kohli, the veteran lyricist, does beautifully well with the lyrics. Following in the footsteps of his team, Rajesh Roshan creates a playful and soothing melody, which generates much interest in the hearts of any romantic person.
Rating: 7/10

7- Naa Nazaaron Ka (Babul Supriyo and Shweta Pandit)
A melodious duet, "Naa Nazaaron Ka" sung by Babul Supriyo and Shweta Pandit, wraps up the album. Babul Supriyo has been unlucky from the outset despite having good voice. His voice is very similar to Kumar Sanu's and that might have harmed his career. Babul will have to adopt a unique style of singing in order to capture his deserving place in this big and tough music industry. Shweta Pandit plays with the singing assignment beautifully. Maya Govind writes lyrics for the song, which seem average initially but they start growing on the minds of the listeners as the song progresses. Rajesh Roshan composes pleasant tunes on the lyrics and the song thus proves its worth.
Rating: 6/10

Such is the popularity of Rajesh Roshan that he is considered to be "A Name to Trust" amongst the members of Bollywood. And the veteran composer fulfilled this trust honestly with this soundtrack by composing melodious- romantic numbers. A stupendous album to buy.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

REVIEWED BY GOHAR IQBAL PUNN