~Umrao Jaan Ka Jaadoo~. Review on Umrao Jaan Songs

When the newer version of Umrao Jaan hit theaters, not too many viewers welcomed it with open arms. They were not convinced ifAishwarya Rai could do justice to Umrao's role versus the acting of dazzling filmstar, Rekha in the original version. Included in this analysis was the overall effectiveness of the more modern ghazals presented in this remake. Asha Bhosle's singing for the original film proved to be a success, as she crooned some of the best lyrically composed songs of time. Question was, could the music of the remake survive? One thing I'd like to note is that if you don't mind a bit of screeching here and there in a majority of these Alka-based songs, definitely listen to them. They won't disappoint you.

With lyrics of the songs composed by Javed Akhtar, and music composed by Anu Malik, the new Umrao Jaan passed this Agni-Pariksha. The music is unforgettable, embracing the soul, and the lyrics touch the core of the heart . The album features Alka Yagnik, who dominates 7 out of the 9 songs with her excellent and touching renditions, as well as Sonu Nigam, and Richa Sharma, who demonstrates her sensational singing talent. The following songs aren't in any particular order, so do not expect them to be listed here exactly as they are presented in the film:

The most popular song of the album that has gained a strong theshold in ghazal history, is "Salaam.Salaaam.Tumhari mehfil mein agayei hai..". This melodious song is crooned fantastically by Alka Yagnik, who sounds extremely sweet, and perfectly innocent. Her classical side depicts much "oomph", and the style of delivery shows she is fully competent with her vocal skills. Though a fairly lengthy song, one wishes to press the repeat button on the stereo and listen to it over and over again.

Switching over to a more romantic gear, "Pehle Pehel" focuses more on the relationship of Umrao and her love interest. Less sublte than Salaam, one can feel how Umrao cares for her lover whilst listening to this expressive number. Alka is again fantastic in her renditions, as she catches each

tune effortlessly and creates a spell of magic once again.

Alka continues to express her singing creativity, as she glides through the number, "Jhute Ilzam Meri Jaan Lagaiya Na Karo.". The song suggests that the heart is very sensitive, therefore false accusations breaks it into pieces. The song is very convincing as a result of the well written lyrics, and attractive singing.

Another solo rendered in the film by Alka is "Mein Na Mil Saku Jo Tumse.". This song also carries signifcant meaning, and can be associated well with a relationship. The lyrics again are superb, and Alka again renders it beautifully.

Sonu Nigam steps into his first and only song in the film with Alka; "Bekha Diya Humein". The ghazal is effective due to the fantastic joint effort of Sonu and Alka, . Both do justice to the song, and they usually do with whatever song they sing with each other. Sonu is well prepared and gives a dhamaka performance as usual, which is quite convincing. One complaint I have with this number is Alka's, at times, excessively high-pitched singing. She places too much emphasis on the higher tunes, which could have been sung with more ease. You really notice this in the film when Aishwarya is lipsyncing and her facial expressions are just plain and effortless whilst Alka sings the higher notes. I guess this can't point a finger at Alka's singing, but rather Aishwarya's lack of lipsyncing skills.

Sonu nigam exits the film, and Alka Yagnik goes on to sing yet another solo. This time, she is found singing a rather depressing and haunting number; "Pooch Rahe Hain". This song is my favorite out of the album, not that I prefer to listen to depressing songs over those more exuberant melodies. The song begins with a short and slow rendition by Alka Yagnik, talking about how she hoped her fate had sided more with her, and that everyone in the world meets their love. The pace gradually becomes more rhythmic with the tabla and ghunagroo sounds in the background. "They are asking, the inquirers, but what do I tell them? There's a scar in my heart that I have fostered, I don't even know how. How do I make them understand? They are asking, the inquirers". Listening to Alka's painful and haunting rendtions in this song made me cry the first time I heard it. She was excellent in delivering perfect low and high pitched notes, which flowed like a placid river. One can really feel how much effort she put into singing this song, and I really resent the fact that she never received any recognition for it. Anyway, I can't praise this song in anymore words, other than by saying it is the best classical song I have heard Alka sing to date. Very impressive.

The last song of the album sung by Alka Yagnik is "Ek Tute Hui Dil Ke", which is more of an add on to Pooch Rahe Hain. This number is very short and is not a full fledged song as compared to the others. It immediately follows Pooch Rahe Hain, and is the closing song of the film. It is another haunting number, which has been sung amazingly well. Though not as well composed as Pooch Rahe Hain, it acquired its own distinct uniqueness.

"Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Na Kijo" is another sombre tune, this time crooned by Richa Sharma, who does an excellent job with her renditions. Her classical singing is very well done, in which the song probably would not have survived without her. She has competently done quite a few slow-paced numbers, which is slowly becoming one of her trademarks. There is another version of the song in the album, which is rendered by child artiste, Anmol Malik, who delivers an exceptional performance.

Taking note that the songs in the film are situational, the listener is able to understand all aspects of feelings encountered in a relationship. The new Umrao Jaan album offers a vast array of meaningful numbers, which touch the mind, body and soul. The songs demonstrate the sweetness, bitterness, and sourness often experienced in love, I highly appreciated the album, and the singing of Alka Yagnik, who would have been terribly missed had she not been the chosen playback singer.