1920 marks Vikram Bhatt’s second romantic supernatural thriller, the first being the super successful Raaz. The music of Raaz is popular even today and with singers like Pandid Jasraj, Parveen Sultana, Asha Bhosle, Kailash Kher and Shubha Mudgal singing to tunes composed by Adnan Sami, the expectations from the music of 1920 are immense. On the first hearing, you feel the songs are ok but you grow to like them more with each subsequent listen, and it is an album that is filled with original compositions.
Although Vaada tumse Hai Vaada doesn’t have a real 1920 feel to it, the song nonetheless starts with a nice melody, and the voice of Pandit Jasraj, who is incidentally lending his voice to a film song for the first time in his career, gives the song a unique feel. The composition is an interesting fusion of classical and modern instruments and sounds but unfortunately music overpowers the vocals at times. However this unique fusion gives the song an overall fresh appeal with lyrics that match the mood of the song.
There is a female version of this same number sung by Parveen Sultana which has a certain eeriness to the opening of the track. Again, even though this is not really a hummable tune, in the context of the narrative this song will surely gain more popularity. The classical style of singing with Sami’s slightly modern arrangements and specifically the electric guitar, is something truly unique.
There were item numbers in 1920 as well, and so Shubha Mudgal croons to Bichua in a way that makes you realize that no one could have sung this song as well as she has as her voice remarkably suits Rakhi Sawant on screen. This number is a unique mix of folk and qawali and is a catchy number, especially because of the way it has been sung. The visuals will make this song even more popular and in the entire album, it is the track that is most likely to make it to the music charts. This one also has a remix number which seems to be a mandatory for all item numbers.
Asha Bhonsle stars Aisa Jalta Hai Jiya with a slight eeriness which makes you wonder if the song will be along the lines of “Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil” but sadly this song is unable to create the same feel that his required by this genre. A closer listen to the composition and lyrics and you realise that this is a song that will surely drive the narrative forward as the composition has many interesting sounds giving it a feel of some intense happenings in the film during the song.
Tujhe Main Pyar Karun begins with the piano and orchestra making you believe that this will be the one track that will be simple rather than a busy composition with too many arrangements like the earlier numbers, but as soon as Kailash Kher’s voice begins the arrangements again become a bit more western and busy. Somehow Kailesh Kher’s rendition and the actual composition seem to be in contrast of each other and the song somewhere lacks a soul, although Kailesh’s singing makes it worth a listen.
The 1920 Theme is pleasant on the ears, but somehow is not what one expects in a theme tune from this genre.
Actually that is the only problem with the album; although all the songs are pleasant and nice they don’t sound as though the fit the time period of the film and the compositions and arrangements are too busy leaving you unable to enjoy the tunes or the singing. Sometimes keeping compositions simple and pure and letting the vocals dominate works in the favour of the songs, especially in a period film, which is why one wonders why Adnan Sami used such extensive arrangements in all the tracks. As a result, all the songs are pleasant but none are such that you are able to take away any melody or tune that stays with you, nor does the eeriness associated with a supernatural thriller really come across. This combination of singers and a genre of romantic supernatural thriller should have been a music composers dream and the tunes should have been haunting and eternal, but is sadly missed.