The Failed Challenge: What's Your Rashee

Ashutosh Gowariker has been a man of challenges. The big guy who made a movie on Cricket in India and still made it work has been on a mission challenge ever since his first biggie Lagaan as a director. And Challenge after challenge he even proved himself. But finally, finally, here comes something that fails. At least fails to reach the standards Ashutosh Gowariker has set for himself.

His first movie as a director, Lagaan was a hit. A huge one. Which was a big deal considering movies on Cricket hardly work, be it a recent Hadippa, Stumped, Victory or Hat Trick. But since Aamir Khan's presence didn't let Ashutosh take all the credit and Aamir got more that equitable share.

Then Ashutosh went for another challenge, that of making with both Shahrukh Khan and a good story, something that rarely happens and probably has been done by only Shimit Amin better than Gowariker, with Chak De India.

Winner of the challenge, Ashutosh put himself to an even bigger challenge. Of making a period film. If I had doubted the success of Swades, I was sure of Jodhaa Akbar's flop fate. But Ashutosh proved me wrong when he dragged Indians into cinema halls for a three-hour-plus movie on Akbar and Jodha Bai.

And then, he announced a comedy.

The guy who could not bear with Sajid Khan on an award show stage, had decided to make a comedy. The guy who was so serious with his movies that he could not keep himself shut and blurted out how some other actress could win an award against his movie's actress, was going to make a comedy. I had to declare another flop, irrespective of the number of challenges Ashutosh had won for himself. And he did it. He finally lost a challenge. Even from the most optimistic angle, What's your raashee is not a movie that matches the standard of Ashutosh's last three movies.

Although, in parts I like the movie and Priyanka Chopra has been simply fabulous in many roles, say most roles, there is not much in the movie other than that. Harman Baweja could have lived a much better life had he entered the film industry 7-8 years before he did. I see Hritik Roshan in almost every action of Harman. Just like Sehwag.

Also, Darshan Zariwala is great. Anjan Srivastava doesn't get much to do in the movie, and Gujju acts of the movie are well-performed. Music is mostly okay to good and goes divine in Bikhri-Bikhri si zulfein hain kyun. Well done Sohail Sen for that.

Now, we hope that the big guy with an academy nomination learns something from this experience too and gets us something new and good again. So What's Your Next Challenge, Mr Gowariker?

What's Your Rashee: Music Review

13 songs. Zero remixes/repeats. One new composer. 14 singers. 9 songs sung by the composer himself.

Let's see the album one by one. The first song of the album, Pal Pal, or actually the title track, is a boring song. Start with the second one. **

Here comes the first good song of the album. Jao na is not something superb level, but the song is good and Sohail Sen, the composer and the singer of the song, sounds fresh. ***

The next number, Aaja Lehrate, is an okay dance number sung by Shaan and Bhavya Pandit which is foot tapping and Harman, with his dancing abilities, can make the song go. **1/2

The fourth track of the album finally tells you why Ashutosh Gowarikar chose such a new composer after working with Rahman continuously. The song is almost a Jashn-e-Bahara stuff. One of the best songs of the album. Must listen. ****

With Manunga Manunga, the next number, Actor turned director Ashutosh Gowariker turns into a singer also. The song is average with less than average music in the background. Ashutosh's heavy voice sounds good and the song may be liked for some time. ***

The next song, Sau Janam is a typical traditional slow soft romantic number sung by Madhushree, Sohail Sen, and Udit Narayan. Likable again. ***

Aa le Chal, the seventh song, is a not-too-noticeable song sung by Aslesha Gowariker with Harman Baweja's voice as dialogs in between. **

And here comes the big one. Pyaari Pyaari, the eighth and the best song of the album is such a beautiful romantic number that by the time Sohail Sen starts rendering the third line of the song, one starts humming Pyaari Pyaari too. Alka Yagnik is the female singer for the song and gives a traditional touch to the song. Basically this is the song where one loves Sohail in his composition as well as his voice. Must listen. ****1/2

Number nine, Suu Chhe is kind of a surprise. As must be clear with the title of the song, it has Gujarati words. Not much new about the song but the sounds interesting. **1/2

The next song Salone Kya is a song that has many Hindi words. Well, Hindi here means pure, literal Hindi which is far from our daily language and is found in textbooks and literature. The song is made to sound funny and to some extent it does that. Average again. ***

Dhadkan Dhadkan, sung by Tarannum Malik and Sohail again starts well with Tarannum's voice given some chorus effect. The music is good and even lyrics are fine. Worth listening to. ***

Koi Jaane na is a song with a classical touch. The song is sung by Rajab Ali Bharti and SaReGaMa winner Bela Shende. The song has beautiful lyrics and is well sung. Listen to it if you like songs in classical mode. And yes, for the lyrics. ****

The last song, Chehre jo dekhe hain, is taken up by Sohail again. Though the song is average, since it's the other song that can claim to be the title song of the movie, the song can get publicity and so, be liked too. ***

Overall, What's Your Rashee is an average album with some foot-tapping numbers and a few beautiful pieces of work while most of the songs are average or above average. Still, go for certain songs, like Pyari Pyari, Bikhri Bikhri, and Koi Jaane na.