'Main Hoon Na' music exciting, not exceptional

Music: Anu Malik
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

  The music album of Farah Khan's directorial debut "Main Hoon Na" has some well-performed, soothing numbers, but not much that people haven't heard before.

With Anu Mallik as its music director and Javed Akhtar the lyricist, "Main Hoon Na" does throw up some eminently hummable songs, especially the title track. Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal have combined for the song, sure to become a hit.

In an interesting aside, when the song was being shot for in the hill station of Darjeeling, the constant rains ceased -- something the unit took as a divine sign.

Farah Khan said: "The gods wanted the song to be made. It is my title track and says all that has to be said about my characters."

The album could have done well with peppy numbers, of which there is a distinct lack. There is also a lacklustre version of the title track that could have been chopped, for it appears Anu Mallik was trying to fill up the album with it.

The track gives the qawali form of music a modern spin, but a wrong man has been chosen to perform the number. Sonu Nigam, accompanied by the Sabri brothers, stumbles through a song that perhaps would have best suited Altaf Raja.

Shah Rukh Khan says he really likes the qawali, "Tumse Milke Dil Ka Hai Jo Hal".

"I had a great time working on this song. I loved the sets, colours. It was madness. When we started out we had no idea what Farah had in mind, she wanted swans, pink lights and other crazy stuff. We decided, fine, she has a vision, let's go with it. When she called action and the lights came on, it was unreal."

The number "Tumhe Jo Maine Dekha" begins with a Spanish flavour and then settles for a very 1980s classic Bollywood track feel. It is average, predictable fare.

"Chale Jaise Hawaien" is a one shot song. Amrita Rao and Zayed Khan rehearsed for months to get their steps right, and they have succeeded. The song was canned in one shoot with a steady cam and they got it right in just five takes.

Vasundhara's vocals stand out and the carnival effect is exciting. "Ye Fizaien" is a beautiful romantic duet. But both don't have the virtue of originality.