One more Akshay Kumar film is exactly what Bollywood needs.
After rocking the box office in romantic leads (Namaste London), multi-starrers (Heyy Babyy), supporting roles (Bhool Bhulaiyaa) and I am not forgetting a very special appearance (Om Shanti Om), 2007's toast is ready to oblige with yet another potential whopper.
Directed by Anees Bazmi, Welcome is a comic caper starring Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Katrina Kaif, Mallika Sherawat and Feroz Khan.
While the casting grabs our attention, there's, without beating around the bush, nothing to rave about this funny flick's soundtrack. It's flat, insipid and too obvious to excite the senses. Especially, after recent musical treats like Jab We Met, Saawariya, Om Shanti Om and Taare Zameen Par, the listener is definitely not settling for anything shoddy.
Pity, considering, not one but three music directors -- Sajid Wajid, Anand Raj Anand and Himesh Reshammiya -- share the credits behind the score.
Sajid Wajid does the opening honors. Shaan, Wajid and Soumya Rao mambo predictably to the trite beats of the title track. While the song starts off on a bouncy note, its stuck-in-a-loop temperament only contributes to the composition's weary texture.
A tacky bhangra-qawaali concoction going by the title of Hoth Rasiley is next in line. Unlike the sentiments of the ditty, there's nothing saucy or sensational about this clearly run-of-the-mill strain. Even so, Shreya Ghosal half-heartedly feigns enthusiasm along with Shankar Mahadevan for this Anand Raj Anand invention.
Following, Sajid-Wajid and ARA, Himesh Reshammiya's turn to try his luck with Insha Allah. The catchy-song hit machine, too, lets you down with a substandard, uninspiring and, most-importantly, non-infectious piece of song.
Reshammiya wields the microphone with Kola Leka Vellari. The song features everything characteristic to HR's music -- trademark tabla in the arrangement, drawling style of pitch and, of course, a whole lot of straight-from-the-nose singing. Fans should approve.
Yet another Punjabi cocktail is shoved your way in Ucha Lamba Kad. Discounting the heard-before hangover this melody bears, Anand Raaj Anand's animated chanting of this spunky stereotype is impressive, nevertheless. He's not so lucky the second time, though. The music director behind electrifying soundtracks like Musafir and Zinda tries too hard to get it right again in the all techno-no soul Kiya Kiya.
Bottom-line: Music is clearly not one of the USP's of Welcome. Akshay Kumar is.
Rediff Rating: 
