MUSIC REVIEW OF MARIGOLD
By Satyajit - Eye TV India Bureau
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Bollywood's bad boy Salman Khan's first crossover cinematic endeavor finally makes its mark and comes sparkling all the way in Willard Carroll's romantic saga 'Marigold'. After decades of successful film career, Salman ventures into foreign production house and the story revolves around the struggle of a foreign actress played by actress Ali Larter in Bollywood. Salman plays lead opposite her as he helps her way out in the film world and finally winning her heart out. Nandana Sen, Vikas Bhalla, Kiran Juneja and foreign actor Ian Bohen play important character roles. 'Marigold' has been shot exclusively on the exotic locations of Goa and the film is poised to be an engrossing love triangle. Shankar Ehsaan Loy delivers a cross culture feel in their versatile musical work. American R n B singer "Truth Hurts" plays the pivotal role in the album as she sings melodiously significant soundtracks of the film. Javed Akhtar's poetic abilities make this album a pleasant affair and it could be felt in its mesmerizing soundtracks. The original soundtracks of 'Marigold' can be heard on Big music cassettes and CD's.
Yeh Pyar Kya Hai (Seven stages of love): The soft and mushy fragrance of delightful romance emanates with full vocal zeal and soothing musical appeal in the charmingly romantic soundtrack "Yeh Pyar Kya Hai (Seven stages of love)". Shaan's prowess is beautifully exhibited in his modulating voice that expresses the "seven stages of love" with everlasting poetic excellence rendered through Javed Akhtar's lyrical skills. It's a romantic voyage that unravels different stages of love and its charming lyrics encapsulate its mellowed romantic feel. Shankar Ehsaan Loy's music is simply brilliant and shines with soft-pitched arrangements that form great chemistry with Shaan's smoothening voice. It's one of the finest male solo ballads of this year and a delightful singing delight by ever versatile Shaan. Feel its soulful musical appeal when the "seven colors of love" forms an everlasting rainbow of romance on silver screen. Soulfully delightful!
Badal Pe Paon Hai : Hema Sardesai, a prolific but least heard singing sensation, makes a cool presence as she sings her heart out in well spirited and full of life soundtrack "Badal Pe Paon Hai". It's a delightful number that describes the dreamy desires of the protagonist and is well backed up by worthy lyrics. Salim-Suleiman infuse stylized rock "n" roll rhythmic base in the number but the orchestration proves too incompetent to make it mesmerizing for ears. It was noticed in the soundtrack "Awara Bhaneware" ('Sapney') that had similar feel but it was A R Rehman's brilliance that made it chartbusting. Hema Sardesai's well crooned voice fails to find suitable arrangements though the lyrical work exemplifies the innocent and naïve nature of the protagonist. It's a situational track that can well be utilized as background number in the film.
Yeh Pyar Hai (That's Love) : After soulful magical experience, its time to shake leg on floors and the hip-shaking appeal comes straight from the "man in form" Shaan in his eclectically vociferous voice in playful soundtrack "Yeh Pyar Hai (That's love)". It's a youthful singing delight to hear as the exuberantly voiced vocals form a stylish bondage with the fast paced westernized orchestration. Javed Akhtar's poetic brilliance shines again and this time it comes with strong tinge of English lyrics clubbed with sentimentally penned phrases. It promises to be more commercially viable as it is harmonically conceived to allure pop genre with its tantalizing beat structure and upbeat arrangements.
Paagal Si Saari Lehrein (Beach blanket bollywood) : It's indeed innovative and experimental move to re-launch old musical talent but sometimes it brings mediocre results and it happens in loosely conceived "Paagal Si Saari Lehrein (Beach blanket Bollywood)". Vikas Bhalla, actor-turned-singer whose singing career took off with his first solo album "Dhuan Dhuan" reappears in the marquee after almost a decade with this conventional 80's soundtrack. The song is a situational number where one can experience dozens dancing around beaches with the lead actors and actress to deliver a romantic number in a conventional Hindi film. Alka Yagnik's prolific voice is a soothing experience but the outdated musical work has a lukewarm feel in it. It's a mediocre number that holds its significance in the film rather in its audio presentation.
Sacha Pyar (The meaning of love) : Upcoming singing talent Nikita Nigam makes promising moves in emoting out vibes and hues of eternal love in beautifully synchronized soft pitched lovable soundtrack "Sacha Pyar (the meaning of love)". This number comes like an effective background score where the female lead shows her feelings and it comes in negligible paced arrangements. Nikita's westernized vocal mode works positively as it melts impressively in westernized classical mode music.
Tan Man (Marigold erupts) : After unimpressive "Paagal Si Saari Lehrein", Vikas Bhalla appears in another mediocre situational soundtrack "Tan Man (Marigold Erupts)" that has conventional 80's styled musical impact. This time he is ably supported by better vocals of Alka Yagnik, Sneha Pant and Nihira Joshi. It works in a sarcastic way where "Marigold" marks her presence amidst the shooting of this lethargically paced outdated Bollywood track. It comes out as the most ordinary track of the album but will be playing a significance role in the narration of the film.
Listen To The Music: "Listen to the music" comes like a signature musical presentation where the love chemistry develops between the lovers in a dancing and singing show. Shaan along with American based R n B singer "Truth Hurts" makes striking presence with expressively penned English lyrics that are well complemented with classical "ragas" in the backdrop. It's a spectacle for its rollicking appeal that comes with rhythmical drumming and impressive percussions.
The Meaning of Love: American R n B singer "Truth Hurts" (Shari Watson) gets into expressively congenial singing modes as she emotes out thematically penned phrases of "Sacha Pyar" into impressive set of English lyrical work in "The meaning of love". It's beautifully crooned sentimental track that has "opera" styled orchestration and comes effectively in well synchronized vocals of "Truth Hurts". Feel the euphorically romantic feel of "real love" when it surfaces on silver screen.
Seven Stages of Love: "Seven stages of love", a lovable female solo ballad comes out as English version of Shaan sung "Yeh Pyar Hai (seven stages of love)" in silken "n" velvety voice of "Truth Hurts" and youthful Shaan. It's another impressive musical offering that carries the signature tuneful feel of 'Marigold' with poetically refined verses delivered with soft "n" subtle arrangements. It's a brighter vision from director Willard Carroll as he pens this emotionally enriched soundtrack with a strong cross-cultural musical appeal.
The Shankar Ehsaan Loy team experiments well with cross-over film genre music as it produces fine blend of Indian and western music in its packaging. Its presentation has more cinematic appeal than melodic feel as many of them are proposed to be effective background score but "Yeh Pyar Kya Hai" and "Yeh Pyar Hai" are expected to be chartbusting success in coming weeks. The promising musical trio adds one more feather in their cap but still it cannot be compared to their commercially successful work of 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom' or 'Salaam-E-Ishq'.