DEEWANGEE

Producer: Nitin Manmohan
Director: Anees Bazmee
Music: Ismail Darbar
Lyrics: Salim Bijnori, Nusrat Badr
Starring: Ajay Devgan, Urmila, Akshaye Khanna

After the phenomenal success of Devdas, Ismail Darbar returns for yet another album. Recently, he had released Shakti as well, which turned out to be quite a disappointment. How does Darbar fare this time? Does he return back to his better albums, or disappoint yet again?

1. Pyaar Se Pyaare Tum Ho:
A nice and soft track opens this album. Though at times this track may sound commonplace, it truly has the marks of an Ismail Darbar track, including the full instrumentation throughout, especially during the music intervals. Sonu Nigam and Kavita Krishnamurthy both render their respective parts well. The tune manages to sustain interest throughout. The background chorus and the humming of the main singers add to the track's effectiveness.
Rating: 8.5/10

2. Hai Ishq Khata:
The next track is what mostly likely be an item number for Urmilla to display her dancing skills. Jaspinder Narula renders this fast-paced dance track with elements of fusion. The effect comes off as a bit strange, with an Arabic flavor in some parts, and a somewhat Latin flavor in others, as judged by the music and rhythm. The background beats work well throughout for sustaining rhythm. Jaspinder Narula's singing is standard, and comes off as disappointing compared to her more recent, less pop-like songs. The instrumentation throughout is quite well done and adds to the feeling of Eastern/Western fusion.
Rating: 7.5/10

3. Deewangee:
Though the track starts off on a very nice note, with a flute solo slowly building up to a fully-instrumented track, it suddenly changes pace into a more seductive track. Sunidhi Chauhan renders this version of the title track. The background music and beats add an aura of mystery and suspense throughout the track, which will probably prove useful in the film itself. Sunidhi Chauhan sounds a bit over-the-top here as if she's trying too hard. The tune isn't very catchy; rather, it is more haunting.
Rating: 6.5/10

4. Saat Suron Ka:
A nice love duet between Udit Narayan and Kavita Krishnamurthy joins the album at track four, which is a real change of pace from the previous two songs. This track has a nice and soothing effect to it, with slow pacing and more sterility for emphasis. The background beats work well with the track, as does the overall instrumentation, and the digital effects in the background. The two singers do very well in their parts. The track has a similar sound to "Do Sadiyon Ka Sangam" from Gaja Gamini in terms of pacing and rhythm. The lyrics are very nice, and deliver some vivid imagery.
Rating: 8.5/10

5. Sasein Saasein Hain:
Returning once again with the same duet as the first track, this one starts out in a very solemn manner with a Sonu Nigam solo, ably supported by a nice background chorus, before it breaks out into a more festive number with Kavita Krishnamurthy's entry. The mood of the track is one of playfulness, which is reflected in the voices of the two lead singers, who both do a good job in their parts. The entire song sounds as if it were from a mid-nineties film such as Hum Apke Hain Kaun. The festivity is brought about very well, but there isn't much to distinguish this song from the rest, except for a few interesting moments.
Rating: 6.5/10

6. Dholi O Dholi:
Ismail Darbar seems to have an affinity for tracks with "Dhol", "Dola", or "Dholi". Picking up right where "Dola Re" from Devdas left off, Dholi O Dholi is another festive dance number. The beats are very festive, the music is catchy, the instrumentation is great (though it sounds like a rehash of his previous numbers), yet, once again, this song fails to really stand out. Curious, however, is the use of Babul Supriyo in this track. His voice stands out as unique, though he still sounds good alongside Kavita Krishnamurthy.
Rating: 6.5/10

7. Ai Ajnabi:
Not exactly like the original from Dil Se, though interesting on its own. Starting off with an instrumental fanfare, the track quickly turns into a heavy, haunting track sung once again by Sunidhi Chauhan (not trying to sound seductive this time around). There is no better word to describe this track than heavy. Featured are very heavy beats, heavy instruments, and a heavy tune. The whole song works situationally, though it still remains unpleasant to listen to.
Rating: 7/10

8. Pyar Se Pyare Tum Ho - Sad:
The first track on the album in standard sad format. Sonu Nigam does an admirable job of emoting the proper sadness for the track. The composition sounds especially nice in the sad form.
Rating: 8.5/10

9. Saat Suron Ka:
A repeat of track four, this time with Kavita Krishnamurthy in a solo. Nothing different to mention.
Rating: 8.5/10

10. Deewangee:
This time, the title track is repeated in a much longer, more haunting, and more effective form. As opposed to Sunidhi Chauhan trying to sound seductive, we have KK sounding truly haunting with his voice, and he delivers. This track has an overall greater effect, especially with the background music and effects.
Rating: 7.5/10

11. Pyar Se Pyare Tum Ho - Instrumental:
A typical instrumental track. Nothing more than the first track with a violin. Filler music really.
Rating: N/A

Overall Music and Instrumentation:
Ismail Darbar is well-known for his heavy and full instrumentation and his classical-inspired music. This album isn't too much different, though Darbar's music is a step down from his classic albums, and a few tracks sound a bit too bland. That said, he manages to sustain a good level of balance between the background music and the melody.
Rating: 8/10

Overall Singing:
Nothing incredibly special this time around. His favorites Kavita Krishnamurthy and Udit Narayan are joined by a few new voices, and the end result is a bit above typical.
Rating: 7.5/10

Overall:
Since Ismail Darbar is only a few albums old, it's a bit hard to review any of his albums without comparison. Truly, this album is one of his worst, but Ismail Darbar's worst is the equivalent of a "good" effort by many other composers. Though a bit disappointing, this isn't the disappointment Shakti was.
Overall Rating (Not an average): 7.0/10

REVIEWED BY RISHI J