Music for keeps The soundtracks of Humraaz and Sur strike the right notes

Priyanka Bhattacharya

Once in a Bollywood blue moon does one chance across a film that is different. That is why the promos of Humraaz immediately catch the eye; while its music plays upon your ear.

Slated as a musical thriller, the soundtrack also lives up to the genre. Many of the songs add to the pace directors Abbas- Mustan must have wanted to create.

Humraaz has Himesh Reshammiya score with lyrics by Sudhakar Sharma.

The album kicks off with Dil ne kar liya. A catchy song, it is sung with gusto by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik.

Tune zindagi mein, which begins with a shayari is a tuneful ditty by Udit Narayan. And with its poetic lyrics, it reminds you of an ode.

Another version of the song with Alka Yagnik as crooner is also featured on the album.

Pyaar kar by Udit Narayan, Shaan and Kavita Krishnamurthy is already riding the airwaves. Its mass appeal will make it a huge hit with the junta.

KK and Sunidhi Chauhan sing Bardaasht, a racy, foot-tapper, which also features in two versions on the soundtrack. The remix has Sonu Nigam replace KK but he does not sound any different.

Sanam mere humraaz, the title track, is easily the best song on the album. Sung by Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik, the music and lyrics create a feeling of suspense and thrill.

Life ban jaaye departs from the genre of music featured on the album. Sonu Nigam and Jaspinder Narula try hard to croon the bhangda tune, which sounds very similar to Gal ban gayee by Sukhbir.

The music of Humraaz, though not spectacular, is definitely a cut above average. With its music and slick promos, Humraaz sure looks ready to go.

Chandni Mallik

Singer turned actor Lucky Ali makes his debut as lead actor with Pooja Bhatt's Fish Eye Network and Pritish Nandy Communications' film Sur.

Lucky Ali, son of yesteryear comedian Mehmood, shot to fame with his single O Sanam from his debut album Sunoh. Sunoh sold over 400,000 copies and won Lucky several awards, including Best Pop Male Vocalist [1996 Screen Awards], the 1997 Channel [V] Viewers' Choice Award and stayed on the MTV Asia Charts for 60 weeks. The success of the album also spurred him to two more albums - Sifar and Aks.

Coming back to the film, Sur tells the story of a music teacher (Ali), who feels threatened by the brilliance of his student (debutante Gauri Karnik), as she is far more talented than he is.

Directed by Tanuja Chandra the film features M M Kreem as music director. Kreem had earlier scored for the Ajay Devgan starrer Zakhm and Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin [Nirmal Pandey-Tara Deshpande] and Criminal [Nagarjuna-Manisha Koirala].

Aa bhi ja aa bhi ja is an exquisite composition rendered marvelously by Ali. Sunidhi Chauhan's matured rendition surprises in the second half of the track. Her rendition of the uptempo Dil mein jaagi dhadkan is equally good if not better.

Ave maria, a Latin hymn, rendered by Marijke Desouza finds itself included here. The entire track is in Latin with no translation, and this is highly unusual for a Hindi film song.

Ali pours his soul into Khoya hai tune jo and does full justice to Nida Fazli's lyrics. Jaane kya dhoondta another solo track by Ali however reminds you of the tracks from his previous albums. Nevertheless it makes for pleasant listening.

Kabhie sham dhale has a shrill Mahalaxmi belt out an average track marked with heavy instrumentation.

With music being the backbone of Sur, Kreem's compositions and Nida Fazli's lyrics do full justice. Sur is for keeps and worth a buy.