KOI MERE DIL SE POOCHE

Director: Vinay Shukla
Music: Rajesh Roshan
Lyrics: Suryabhanu Gupt
Producer: Boney Kapoor
Starring: Esha Deol, Aftab Shivdasani, Sanjay Kapoor

The launch pad for the newcomer, Esha Deol, daughter of Hema Malini, Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche has been a movie long in the waiting. As for on the music front, Rajesh Roshan is scoring the music for another major launch pad, similar to what he did in Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (Which wasn't a very good album and became popular due to the Hrithik Roshan phenomenon). So how does Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche compare to his last effort in this area?

Intro - Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche:
A very short intro at about 35 seconds, this song really has no impact. Udit Narayan sounds good for a short time. The tune is quite catchy and should sound good if just for the trailers. There's nothing much else in this song.
Rating: 7/10

Awara Main Badal:
Probably meant to be a playful love duet; this one is an average number. The beats at the beginning are pilfered from AR Rahman's "Spirit of Rangeela". Sonu Nigam sounds good, while Hema Serdesai sounds okay. The tune isn't very original, and, in some ways, seems derivative of some of Roshan's past numbers (especially from KNPH). There isn't much to the music beyond the tune and the background beats.
Rating: 6/10

Deewana Tera Hai:
This song really is an average Udit Narayan number. It sounds quite similar to a number from "Mann". The tune is repetitive, with the main phrase reused too often. Udit Narayan sounds good, as usual. The music is nothing special, and neither is the instrumentation.
Rating: 6.5/10

Jab Tu Muskurati Hai:
The title song comes back, this time in a longer number and really lets the song shine out further. The tune is quite catchy and not too repetitive, even with a longer length. Udit Narayan does a good job as he did in the intro. Pamela Jain, who was introduced in Rajesh Roshan's last, Moksha, does an impressive job, but she still has an amateurish quality to her voice and has trouble keeping up with Udit Narayan. The background music is pretty good and works well with the mood of the song. The lyrics are pretty good.
Rating: 8/10

Mat Ho Udhas:
This one is a rather nice duet by Shaan and Pamela Jain, who both sang "Seep Main Moti" in two different versions in Rajesh Roshan's Moksha. Both of them lend a pleasant support to the song. Shaan gives his fresh and young vocals, and is nice to listen to. Pamela Jain, who apparently is a newcomer, does a good job, but, once again, she doesn't have the professional quality of a good singer yet. The background music is nice and pleasant. The tune is again, a little repetitive and doesn't make it as much a delight to listen to. The instrumentation is nice and a bit varied.
Rating: 8.5/10

Kahti Hai Mangni Ki Angoothi:
Preeti Uttam, the daughter of composer Uttam Singh (Gadar, DTPH), is a singer who has unfortunately fallen unnoticed to the public eye. She is rarely used anymore; so another chance to hear her is usually a great thing. Her Anuradha-Paudwal style singing comes through in this number, though she has sounded better before. This song is a wedding number, and shows it with some typical wedding beats and music. The instrumentation and music intervals really give that feeling. The tune is very "Shaadi-like", but really doesn't have much of an impact as it's nothing truly original
Rating: 7/10

Lapak Jhapak:
Sounding like a stage number, especially with the cheering in the background, this Kamaal Khan number tries to be lively, but ultimately doesn't work. Kamaal Khan's vocals are quite weak. He hasn't really improved, which would explain why he isn't heard very often. The song has all the makings of a stage number, but sounds like so many other numbers that it really doesn't have an identity of its own. The lyrics are pointless. And at over 7 minutes, it gets tiresome to listen to.
Rating: 6/10

Hanse Tim Tim:
An apparent sad song in the soundtrack with Pamela Jain coming back for another piece. Unfortunately, this song isn't very effective as a sad number, and pales in comparison to better sadness numbers such as "Tanhayee" (DCH) or "Mein Bewafa) (PIAM). The beats are quite repetitive, as is the tune, and the song seems a bit bland. Pamela Jain does a good enough job for this number.
Rating: 6/10

Tera Bhala Kare Bhagwan:
A prancy number, this time sung by Sonu Nigam, ends this album. He does a good job sounding energetic and going with the flow of the song. The actual number isn't very original, and sounds like many other songs from the 90s. Overall, an average number.
Rating: 6.5/10

Overall Music and Instrumentation:
The music overall is average, and nothing really special. Most of the music is repetitive throughout, with little to no variety. The instrumentation in some places is effective, but really nothing to get noticed. The title tracks work quite well.
Rating: 6.5/10

Overall Singing:
Rajesh Roshan seems to be roping a few of the same singers as he used from Moksha: Pamela Jain, Shaan, Kamaal Khan, etc. There are a variety of singers used. Pamela Jain isn't too great a singer and could use a few more years for her voice to mature, but maybe she sings so many songs because her voice would look good on Esha Deol. Kamaal Khan is a singer with weak vocals. It's nice to hear Preeti Uttam again, though it's very doubtful she'll ever get what she deserves.
Rating: 7.5/10

Overall:
It's really not a strong album that can stand well on its own. The album will probably be successful due to the Esha Deol factor (similar to KNPH with the Hrithik Roshan factor). KNPH had a more effective and catchy album. This album isn't really worth a purchase.
Overall Rating (Not an average): 6.4/10

REVIEWED BY GOHER IQBAL PUNN