The good, the bad and the saleable

Half the first year of the ‘new millennium’ has passed by, and the music scene is an interesting mix of the dull and the elevating. The final results - quality-wise and sales-wise - prove that no one can predict what will click with the masses, and that it is the promotion and marketing that play a major role in the success of an album.

Intrinsic merit and - in the case of film music - the success of the parent film rank way behind. In film music, Anu Malik had the edge over the competition with the diametrically opposite music of Josh and Refugee. The masses-friendly Josh obviously has been backed by josh-ila promotion and the success of the film now, while Refugee , coming from Anu, is like a 22-carat ornament made by a goldsmith whose main business is imitation jewellery.

But then versatility has been a hallmark with Anu, whatever his musical shortcomings. His Panchhi nadiyan and Aisa lagtaa hai are exquisite treats indeed for a man who thrives largely on stuff like Aaila re ladki mast mast, his infectious tapori item in Jung. But the schizophrenic Malik has also delivered a series of mediocrities like the rest of Jung, Gang, Baadal, and Hum To Mohabbat Karega, while Hera Pheri is redeemed by one solid number that I hope is original, Jab bhi koi haseena, sung by the very-promising Kay Kay.

His nearest competition, Jatin-Lalit, were at low-key, with the dull Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya and a tuneful-but-no-more Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, with the single humdinger Banke tera jogi. But it would be folly to write off the serious and very talented J-L. If Malik has more films and variety, J-L have musically meatier assignments like Mohabbatein, Albela and Raju Chacha coming up later this year.

Malik and J-L apart, the scene is far from melodious. The newer composers are good, but lack depth, or at least an opportunity to show it till now. Sanjeev-Darshan’s second score Parwane , like Mann, has fluff but no enduring power. Aadesh Shrivastav (Joru Ka Ghulam, Kunwara) has never risen above a certain level, except in specific songs like Kiska chehera (Tarkieb).
Himesh Reshammiya’s Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge and Anand Raaj Anand’s Bichhoo and Hadh Kar Di Aapne are mass-friendly, but only transiently appealing, and Sajid-Wajid’s Baaghi promising but not pathbreaking. Sandeep Chowta (Jungle) has yet to show real variety, and Viju Shah’s becoming very erratic (Bulandi, Beti No.1, Hadh). One ardently hopes and prays that Ismail Darbar’s second coming, Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya, is full of the kind of magic associated with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, which along with Taal, continued to sell well this year.

Anand-Milind, Raamlaxman and Nadeem-Shravan, the strong trio of the early ’90s, have done strictly average work this year. But the two composers who can be singled out for some exceptional music this year are Rajesh Roshan and A.R.Rehman. Rajesh Roshan delivered the score of the year in Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai, that rare music which combined mass appeal, musical excellence and freshness. He followed it up with a tepid Kya Kehna, but Karobaar once again has that extra something in its typical RR melodies.

A.R.Rehman delivered a zinger with Pukar, with classic numbers like Qismat se tum humko mile ho and Suntaa hai mera khuda. And for the first time ever, even his dubbed film Dil Hi Dil Mein boasted of a Hindi rather than dakshini flavour (Ae nazneen suno na and Chand utra hai zameen pe).

The death of Majrooh Sultanpuri has been a crippling blow to lyricdom this year, and the future of lyrics seems increasingly bleak, since of the five names that really can deliver, Anand Bakshi, Nida Fazli and Javed Akhtar are very choosy, Sameer is too busy and compromise-oriented and Mehboob, poor man, is devoid of work (despite Hum Dil De... ). Among the singers, it is an Alka Yagnik grandslam, with Kavita Krishnamurthi going selective and Sadhana Sargam being criminally neglected. That leaves Sunidhi Chauhan, Jaspinder Narula and Hema Sardesai to offer the rudiments of competition.

And among the males, Sonu Nigam seems to be way ahead of his colleagues, with Refugee, Jungle and Dulhan Hum.. primarily being his shows, an excellent solo in the TV serial score of Noorjahan and a hit album, Jaan. The Big Three, the selective Sanu, the ubiquitous Udit and the astute Abhijeet are now having to match paces with him - and they are doing fine.
But if the film scenario is not-too-promising, the non-film arena is almost barren. There were only three aces, the brilliant Saher (the best Jagjit Singh album this side of Sajda), Roop-Sonalee Rathod’s excellent Mohabbat Ho Gayee and what is probably the cruellest example of a masterpiece ruined by crass commerce - the album of the TV serial Noorjahan.

But for these three, and Pankaj Udhas’ Jaaneman and the modestly-successful Jaan, there was nothing to recommend, and even good albums like Ila Arun’s Haule Haule and Vanraj Bhatia’s Ritika fell by the wayside. The rest was a cacophonous barrage of bhangra-pop, remixes and Indi-paap demonstrating a sinful lack of commitment, competence and creativity, with a couple of flukes that lasted a fortnight. It was thus hardly surprising that the first half of 2000 was dominated by compilations both in films and basic arenas. When the demand for good news music outweighs supply, re-issues act like life-saving oases in an arid and seemingly unending musical desert, offering a certain minimum guarantee in terms of sales as well. Because it is the eighth note - the currency one - that sounds more tuneful today than the other seven.

Rajiv Vijayakar