ALBELA
Music: Jatin Lalit

What happens when the King of Comedy and the Queen of Bollywood come together on the big screen for the very first time? Well, with the forthcoming release of 'Albela' we are all about to find out! However, while we wait for the film to hit the big screen, lets focus on its newly released soundtrack instead.

The album starts off on a cheerful note with the song 'Pyar Ke Jadoo' sung by the popular duo Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan. Both singers do an adequate job with this number, but it is nothing special. The lyrics are standard, telling how the hero and heroine have just fallen in love. It's easy listening, but don't expect too much.

'Sarse Sarak Gayee' sung by Alka Yagnik and Babul Supriyo opens pretty well and is not a bad song on the whole. The composition is average, but in some parts the instrumentals sound a bit like 'Rukh Ja Dil Diwane' from 'DDLJ', particularly in the way it ends. Although in some parts it is quite fun, it is nothing really compelling.

'Kaho To Zara' is a standard love duet with standard lyrics and standard music. The only good thing about the song is that it is sung by the classic duo of Alka Yagnik and Kumar Sanu.

The opening of 'Dil Hamara Hua Hai' is actually quite nice and when Alka Yagnik begins to sing, you can tell that this is going to be one of the better songs on the soundtrack, which isn't saying much. Instrumentally, it's got a very conventional feel to it, with the dozens of violins and the mellow beat. The lyrics by Rani Malick are cute and lovey-dovey and it is the way that Hari Haran's voice compliments Alka's that make this song pleasant.

The Caribbean heavily influences the next song, 'Hato Tum Baju', but Sonu Nigam does an okay job and manages to carries it off. Again, its another typical Bollywood song, where the hero is singing about how he has fallen in love, so the lyrics aren't anything too original either. The way the chorus intervenes with their inane chanting gets extremely irritating and ruins an otherwise okay song.

'Hai Mere Dil Tu' is yet another love duet with Alka Yagnik and Babul Supriyo. The music is boring, with Jatin-Lalit unsuccessfully trying to combine the electric guitar and the tabla to create a messy, disturbing fusion of nothingness. The lyrics are about as bad as the music! They basically talk about 'jadoo in aankhen' and Govinda's 'pagal dil'…we've heard it all before!

With the angelic voices of Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan singing the next song, 'Haiya Hoo Kya Masti', you'd think you'd be in for a real treat. Don't get your hopes up, each of them is wasted in this song. None of them really seem to put any effort into it. Alka Yagnik sounds like she's looking at her watch every two minutes, Kumar Sanu sounds like he's late for his appointment at the jewelers and even Udit Narayan's sparkling voice sounds a little dispirited. The song is below average and

The album concludes with an instrumental of the title song, 'Pyaar Ke Jadoo'.

The soundtrack to 'Albela' might as well be one of Alka Yagnik's pop albums - since she features in all the songs (apart from one). Jatin-Lalit have done an extremely disappointing job with this soundtrack. They just haven't managed to create any magic since 'DDLJ'. Even the much anticipated 'Raju Chacha' didn't manage to raise an eyelid. Their music just doesn't generate any excitement, for example like A.R. Rehman does, or like Anu Malik used to. 'Albela' is boring album, with poor composition and conventional lyrics. My advice; don't waste your money, or your time.

REVIEWED BY PUJA VEDI