KABHI KHUSHI KABHI GHUM

Producer: Yash Johar
Director: Karan Johar
Music: Jatin Lalit, Sandesh Shandilya
Lyrics: Sameer
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee & Hrithik Roshan

The official soundtrack is out for one of the most awaited movies ever. Something so small as a short trailer makes a big impact on television. The anticipation for this movie is so high, that Sony Music India decided to release a 'Taste of KKKG' to give people a taste of the album.

The album looks to be mostly in the hands of Jatin-Lalit, who, ever since KKHH, have disappointed, with soundtracks like Mohabbatein, Raju Chacha, and Dhai Akshar Prem Ke. So is the soundtrack for this epic film one of the greatest ever, or is it a colossal disappointment? Read on to find out…

Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum:
This song has been making waves all over the nation. The happy version of the song is sung by Lata Mangeshkar, whose voice works well for an older-looking Jaya Bachchan (as opposed to a much younger Aishwarya Rai in Mohabbatein). The actual music is pleasant throughout, along with more traditional beats. There are some interesting music intervals, but they're a little mismatched in such a song. The lyrics are good for the situation. The instrumentation is good, which is one thing Jatin-Lalit can be counted on for.
Rating: 8/10

Bole Chudiyan:
This is the song that was featured in the second wave of trailers, and gave an insight into the film. This number is more of a dance number with a bit of Punjabi thrown in for good flavour. The music is a little disappointing, as it sounds like a typical Jatin-Lalit song, with no variation throughout (in fact, this song reminds you of "Soni Soni" from Mohabbatein). The singing is good overall. Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam work well together. Kavita Krishnamurthy Subramaniam and Alka Yagnik both sound average for this song. It's nice to hear Amit Kumar after what seems so long (he was last heard in Raju Chacha, also by Jatin-Lalit), and sounds like he'll be singing for Amitabh Bachchan himself. The song ends with a rephrase of the title, sung by Kavita K. Subramanium
Rating: 7/10

You Are My Sonia:
Any Hindi song with English randomly mixed in is usually thought to be an insipid song, and this song is an example of why. The song actually sounds very similar to an older song called "Love Rap" from Krantiveer, and not very original. The English is shoehorned in, with no integration. The tune is a little too simple to enjoy. The beats are good to listen to, and work well for this type of song. Sonu Nigam does a good job with his part, showing his versatility. Alka Yagnik gives does an average job. Really, this number belongs more in a David Dhawan-Govinda film, than in one like this.
Rating: 6/10

Suraj Hua Maddham:
This number is composed by Sandesh Shandilya instead of Jatin-Lalit. He does a better job with this Sonu Nigam-Alka Yagnik duet than Jatin-Lalit did with 'You Are My Sonia'. The music is softer and more pleasant. The tune is nice, and Alka Yagnik and Sonu Nigam both sound good. The whistling adds to the catchiness of the song. The instrumentation is okay, but the beats are good and work well with the song. An interesting thing to notice is that at 4:40 into the song, there is a feel of 'Tum Paas Aaye' from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, which further emphasizes this movie to be in the same vein as KKHH. The chorus is a nice addition in the background. One main complaint though, is that the song is a little too long, and the tune gets repetitive in the seven minutes that this song lasts.
Rating: 8.5/10

Say Shava Shava:
Another Punjabi number, this time composed by Sandesh Shandilya. The problem with this song is that it isn't really Punjabi music; rather it's more of beat-heavy Hindi music with Punjabi lyrics thrown in. The only true Punjabi music is in a few interludes, which has singing by Aadesh Shrivastava (the music director of films like Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai), who seems to have a good Punjabi voice and Udit Narayan, who also sings for the rest of the song. Amitabh Bachchan gives a little bit of dialogue, and the rest of his part is voiced by Sudesh Bhosle. Amitabh's perfect singing voice, he does a good job. Alka Yagnik dominates the female part, while Sunidhi Chauhan is barely heard. They all do a pretty good job overall.
Rating: 7/10

Yeh Ladki Hai Allah:
A playful Alka Yagnik-Udit Narayan duet composed by Jatin-Lalit, this one turns out a little better than 'You are my Sonia'. Udit Narayan does a good job with this one as does Alka Yagnik. The tune is a little repetitive, with the main line being repeated too often. The instrumentation is good, but the music is an average fare. The song is a number with a similar purpose to 'Ladki Badi Anjani Hai' from KKHH.
Rating: 7/10

Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum (Sad):
Obviously a more dispirited number than the title track, this one turns out better. The sadness is conveyed very effectively through Sonu Nigam's great vocals. The chorus is a good addition to the sadness, as is the background music. The problem with this number is its length; it definitely could be longer, and seems very short compared to the 7-minute title track.
Rating: 7.5/10

Deewana Hai Dekho:
Apparently Sonu Nigam-Alka Yagnik duets are the order of this soundtrack, because another once comes headed this way, composed by Sandesh Shandilya. Starting off with a dialogue by Kareena Kapoor (which is neither effective, nor detrimental), this quickly kicks into a faster-paced number: one very similar in effectiveness to 'You are my Sonia'. The difference is that this number sounds better, even with an American influence in it because it doesn't use as much in the way of English lyrics, and it's a more original song. The music is good throughout, and works well at setting the mood of the song. Sonu Nigam does a good job with his part, and is aptly supported by Alka Yagnik. The beats are effective at making this a toe-tapping fare. The tune is quite catchy and one could imagine seeing Kareena and Hrithik dancing around to this. Unfortunately, there are some English lyrics used at the chorus chants, and some of Kareena's dialogues, which obviously don't fit in with the song.
Rating: 7.5/10

Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum (Sad II):
This is basically the same song as Sonu Nigam's sad version, except that this is rendered by Lata Mangeshkar. It works well with an older figure, and does well at the beginning when one can imagine the character bursting out in tears. The music and instrumentation is just as good. Unfortunately, Lata Mangeshkar has a tendency to screech at certain parts, which doesn't make it as pleasant to listen to.
Rating: 7/10

The Soul of KKKG:
Seeing that this instrumental piece was composed by Sandesh Shandilya was surprising, considering that Jatin-Lalit proved themselves adept at instrumental pieces with the excellent 'Rhythms of Mohabbatein'. Anyway, this piece is interesting, but a little short. The musical arrangement at the beginning is mostly an instrumental theme, mixed differently. Then it turns through different types of styles of music, each blending into the next. Then it ends with Lata singing the main refrain of 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum' again. The music is well-done, and well-integrated, and should definitely work well in the film.
Rating: 8/10

Vande Mataram:
How did a patriotic song find its way onto a family-loving drama? Well, this number, also composed by Sandesh Shandilya, is definitely a misfit in a movie like this. The song is sung by the long-forgotten Usha Uthup (the one who sang 'Hari Om Hari'), and seemingly an un-credited Kavita K. Subramaniam. The song is well-composed, and gives a good rush of patriotism. The best part is at the end, with a good rendition of 'Sare Jahan Se Acha…'.
Rating: 8.5/10

Overall Music and Instrumentation:
Music is good overall, but Sandesh Shandilya does a better job with his compositions than Jatin-Lalit. The attempts at Punjabi numbers weren't too good. Some songs take a bit of time to get used to, but all (except for 'You are my Sonia') are eventually likable. The instrumentation is good, especially in the title tracks.
Rating: 8/10

Overall Singing:
It seems that, for some reason, Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik were popular choices for this album. What's strange was not finding a single Abhijeet, or Kumar Sanu in this album. The singing ranges from competent to great. Sonu Nigam does well in all his songs. Lata Mangeshkar is a little too old to still be singing, and her voice screeches at times. It is, however, nice to hear some singers that we don't normally hear from (such as Amit Kumar and Sudhesh Bhosle).
Rating: 7.5/10

Overall:
This album isn't as much of a disappointment as I expected it to be, but that's mainly because of the numbers by Sandesh Shandilya (whom I have never heard a composition from before). The songs will probably all be picturised well, which will increase their appeal. The soundtrack will definitely sell well, considering that KKHH and Mohabbatein sold very well because of anticipation from the movie.
Overall Rating: 7.2/10

REVIEWED BY GOHER IQBAL PUNN