Duniya (Gulaal)

If you are one of the die-hard lovers of older Hindi music, it's one of the best times to listen to contemporary music. Because today, while composers are trying new things everyday, many are scaling themselves to the tunes of older times and trying to find the music of those times. And fortunately, some of them are getting quite some success too.

Piyush Mishra's Duniya is one such attempt which is based on one of the best lines of one of the most revered movies, 'Ye Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye To Kya Hai' from Pyaasa. Piyush has sung the song himself and so he is the composer, lyricist and singer at the same time, making Duniya completely his own song.

The song opens up with the words O ri duniya and it starts looking promising by the time he renders these words the third time as Piyush gets into rhyme and jumps right into the song with just a little supporting music and takes the song and music solely on his voice for the first two long lines. Even while going further, the song doesn't have many instruments in the background as Piyush clearly isn't interested in adding any hindrances or distractions from the thoughtful lyrics.

The song is almost the same in its implications as was Gurudutt's version of Ye Duniya while being less harsh but trying to be more subtle. There is hardly a need to say that the song is completely lyrics based and Piyush tries to be as simple in everything else as possible. If you are into serious lyrics or poetry, Duniya is a must check. You'd definitely love it.

Lyrics:

O ri Duniya
Surmayi aankhon ke pyaalon ki duniya o duniya
Satrangi rangon gulaalon ki duniya o duniya
Alsaayi sejon ke phoolon ki duniya o duniya re
Angdaai tode kabootar ki duniya o duniya re
Karwat le soyi haqueeqat ki duniya o duniya
Deewaani hoti tabeeyat ki duniya o duniya
Khwahish mein lipti zaroorat ki duniya o duniya re
Insaan ke sapno ki neeyat ki duniya o Duniya
O ri Duniya

Ye duniya agar mil bhi jaaye to kya hai
Mamta ki bikhri kahaani ki duniya o duniya
Behno ki siski jawaani ki duniya o duniya
Aadam ke Hawwaa se rishte ki duniya o duniya re
Shaayar ke pheeke lafzon ki duniya o duniya
o o oo....... o o oo......
Ghalib ke Momin ke khwaabon ki duniya
Majaazon ke un inqalaabon ki duniya
Faiz Firaaq aur Saahir o Makhdoom
Mir ki Zauk ki Daagh ki duniya
Ye duniya agar mil bhi jaye to kya hai

Pal chhin mein baatein chali jaati hain hain
Pal chhin mein raatein chali jaati hain hain
Reh jaata hai jo savera wo dhoondhe
Jalte makaan mein basera wo dhoondhe
Jaisi bachi hai waisi ki waisi bachaa lo ye duniya
Apna samajhke apno ke jaisi uthaalo ye duniya
Chhit put si baaton mein jalne lagegi sambhaalo ye duniya…
Kat pit ke raaton mein palne lagegi sambhaalo ye duniya..
O ri Duniya..

Wo kahein hain ki duniya ye itni nahi hai
Sitaaron se aage jahaan aur bhi hain
Ye hum hi nahi hain wahaan aur bhi hain
Hamaari har ek baat hoti wahin hai
Hamein aitraaz nahi hai kahin bhi
Wo aalim hain faazil hain honge sahi hi
Magar falsafaa ye bigad jaata hai
Jo wo kehte hain
Aalim ye kehta wahan Eeshwar hai
Faazil ye kehta wahan Allah hai
Qaabil ye kehta wahan Isa hai
Manzil ye kegti tab insaan se ki
Tumhari hai tum hi sambhalon ye duniya
Ye bujhte huye chand baasi charaaghon ki
Tumhaare ye kaale iraadon ki duniya…

Aarambh (Gulaal)

First things first. Aarambh is a superb song. But I don't know how many people will even be able to understand the song. Still, one thing that is sure is that people are going to like the effect that the song is going to generate in the movie. In fact I had noticed the song in the trailer itself when it appeared during the intermission in Dev D.

Aarambh, mainly a lyrics based song, is more like a well-recited, provoking battlefield poem. The song has a revolutionary mood and the words show their effect, even if someone doesn't understand the lyrics completely. The music is good, fast paced and the singing is just flawless, which is a big deal for the song. Hats off to Rahul Ram and Piyush Mishra.

From my perspective, Aarambh is one of the best, or probably THE best song of the high-on-variety Gulaal. Give it one listening even if you don't completely understand the words.

Lyrics:

Aarambh hai prachand
Bolein mastakon ke jhund
Aaj jung ki ghadi ki tum guhaar do

Aarambh hai prachand
Bolein mastakon ke jhund
Aaj jung ki ghadi ki tum guhaar do
Aan baan shaan
Ya ki jaan ka ho daan
Aaj ek dhanush ke baan pe utaar do

Aarambh hai prachand...

Man kare so pran de
Jo man kare so pran le
Wahi to ek sarv shaktimaan hai
Krishna ki pukaar hai ye
Bhaagwat ka saar hai
Ki yuddh hi to veer ka pramaan hai

Kaurawon ki bheed ho
Ya paandavon ka need ho
Jo lad sakaa hai wohi to mahaan hai

Jeet ki hawas nahi
Kisi pe koi vash nahi
Kya zindagi hai thokaron pe maar do
Maut ant hai nahi
To maut se bhi kyun darein
Ye jaake aasmaan mein dahaad do

Aarambh hai prachand
Bolein mastakon ke jhund
Aaj jung ki ghadi ki tum guhaar do
Aan baan shaan
Ya ki jaan ka ho daan
Aaj ek dhanush ke baan pe utaar do

Aarambh hai prachand...

Wo dayaa ka bhaav ya ki
Shaurya ka chunaav ya ki
Haar ka wo ghaav tum ye soch lo
Ya ki bhoore bhaal par
Jalaa rahe vijay ka laal
Laal ye gulaal tum ye soch lo
Rang kesari ho ya mridang kesari ho
Ya ki kesari ho taal tum ye soch lo

Jis kavi ki kalpana mein
Zindagi ho prem geet
Us kavi ko aaj tum nakaar do
Bheegti maso mein aaj
Phoolti ragon mein aaj
Aag ki lapat ka tum bhaghaar do

Aarambh hai prachand
Bolein mastakon ke jhund
Aaj jung ki ghadi ki tum guhaar do
Aan baan shaan
Ya ki jaan ka ho daan
Aaj ek dhanush ke baan pe utaar do

Aarambh hai prachand... x 3

International Attyachar: Ranaji (Gulaal)

Hail Anurag Kashyap.

Ranaji mhare gusse mein aaye
aiso bal khaye
agiya barsaye
ghabraye mharo chain
Jaise door des ke taawar mein ghus Jaaye re aeroplane

If Dev D had the emosanal attyachar, Ranaji is doubtlessly the internasnal attyachar. Love it or hate it, you can't ignore it.

Ranaji, probably the next big thing, is a song in complete folk style, that too in the voice of Rekha Bharadwaj. But the (international) lyrics of the song bear references to 9/11, Iraq invasion, and Afghanistan attacks.

The USP of the song is not it's lyrics alone, but also the way those lyrics have been sung. Rekha has been indubitably wonderful. And so has been Piyush Mishra, as the composer, and as the lyricist.

While the international references attract attention, larger than life (read 'village life in Rajasthan') picturization of subtle differences between town and country lives is simply superb and is probably the best part of the song.

See an example.

Sajni ko dear bole,
Tharre ko beer bole,
Maange hai English boli,
Maange hai English choli,
Maange hai English Jaipur English Bikaner,
Jaise Bisleri ki botal pee ke ban gaye Englishman.

(Actually Inglis and Inglisman rather than English)

The song goes on in the same way, or even better when Rekha discreetly tells about Ranaji bringing home another girl.

Ranaji mhari sautan ko ghar le aaye
Pooche to bole friend hamari hai haaye

Interestingly, Piyush Mishra looks more from the advertising world than Prasoon Joshi as he puts in 'Thanda maane Coca Cola' and 'Ye dil maange more', without being partial to any side, of course. ;)

Overall, the song is an extreme thing, and you'd probably give it either one star or five. For me, it's Five.

Beedo (Gulal)

Anurag Kashyap surely knows well what he wants as music in his movies. And he knows who can create it for him. And so, after a Dev D full of variety, he comes up with Piyush Mishra composing for his next, Gulal.

The soundtrack of Gulal starts with Beedo, a beautiful song sung by Rekha Bharadwaj, in her well known style and proves once again that she IS an underused talent, even though with Rahman calling her for Delhi 6 and now Piyush Mishra bringing her up for some wonderful tracks.

Taking of the song, the song reminds me of Namak of Omkara as Rekha sings the song with the similar ups and downs, almost a trademark now, while the song belongs to the same genre. The lyrics are interesting and the Chakmak Chakmak is simply lovable.

Once again, there is not a lot I would like to say about this song. Just that it's a must check out. Go for Beedo.

Dev D: movie review

There are two types of reactions to masterpieces. Either you absolutely love them, or you absolutely hate them. So before you go for the movie, see the promos and decide which side you are on.

It was really confusing when i saw one star to dev d by Taran Adarsh and five stars by Nikhat Kazmi of ToI. But when i saw the movie, i found both the reviews were correct from different points of view depending on the viewer, though it was unpleasantly surprising that Taran opined quite like a person without pragmatism, something i don't expect from a reviewer of his stature.

Anyway, i was almost sure on which side i would be and it turned the same. I just loved the movie in all senses of word. New story, new style of telling, natural acting (at least by abhay deol and maahi gill), beautiful cinematography, and a wonderful soundtrack which has one background for everything happening in the foreground. And still it works almost perfectly. Hats off to Amit Trivedi.

Besides Amit, people who have done some wonderful work are, Amitabh Bhattacharya for lyrics varying from emosanal attyachar to saali khushi, abhay deol for being a natural again, rajeev rai for a superb choreography, and of course Anurag Kashyap for not just making the movie but for daring to make it and put his heart and soul and mind in it.

Finally, the result is the same as i told in the first line. Dev.D is almost a masterpiece which you can love or hate. If you feel it's your type, just go for it, and if you don't have that feeling, there is very little chance you'll like the movie.

Dev D: Reviewing the Reviews

I haven't yet seen Dev.D. But still, there was an urge to see the reviews and so I started with my favorite, Taran Adarsh from IndiaFM, or BollywoodHungama now. It was disheartening to see there was just one star and Taran described the movie as No Smoking II.

Well, that was something I cannot agree with. After a disaster, it's rarely possible to make another disaster, until you are Ram Gopal Varma. And my guess is that there is only one Ram Gopal Varma on the earth. Until I see Dev.D, I won't believe it's No Smoking II, or that there are two Ram Gopal Varmas.

Anyway, done with Taran, I decided to go for the reviewer I almost despise. That is Nikhat Kazmi, the reviewer for the Times of India who said Dhoom 2 was a great movie, and compared it to Hollywood flicks. The interesting thing is that Nikhat Kazmi gives the movie a five star rating and calls it Critic's rating.

Well, to be true, I have never seen such extreme reviews of any movie till date. So I went for more and saw the review on Passion For Cinema. Here, Pragya Tiwari writes 'Dev D is a lot of fun'. Whereas Nikhat Kazmi calls Dev.D a 'brilliant breakthrough for Bollywood'.

At the end, the only thing I can say is that Anurag Kashyap is surely a man of extremities. His Paanch didn't come out due to extreme violence, his Black Friday was an extremely wonderful film, so much that I felt it was too good for Indian audiences many of which won't understand the movie anyway. His No Smoking was an extreme disaster, and Dev.D is something touching the extremes from the very day when Emosanal Attyachar was out. And now, these extreme reviews of the movie. I don't really know many people who are so much to the extremes.

And as a final sentence, I'm waiting for the Sunday when I'll have three hours to watch the movie. Till then, confused between the extremes. :)