'Agneepath'; Ajay Atul Scorch With Katrina's 'Chikni Chameli'!
3.5/5
By Movie Talkies.com, 04 January 2012
Vijay Dinanath Chauhan. It is, perhaps, the definitive role for Amitabh Bachchan's storied film career. The bloody rivalry between Vijay Chauhan and Kancha Cheena made Mukul S.Anand's Agneepath one of the few true crime epics of Bollywood. So, when Karan Johar, whose late father Yash Johar produced the original, decided to remake the classic, the huge buzz around it was only natural, especially with his decision to cast Hrithik Roshan and Sanjay Dutt in the central roles of Vijay and Kancha respectively. Now, on the cusp of release, the reimagined Agneepath, directed by Karan Malhotra, is turning out to be one of the most anticipated films of the New Year.
The buzz around the film apart, the Agneepath soundtrack, composed by the Marathi crossover duo, Ajay Atul, is fast gaining popularity too. The brothers have been responsible for some of the best music to come out of the Marathi film industry in the last few years, with albums like the brilliant Natrang and Jogwa soundtracks to their credit. The two made their proper debut in Bollywood with Singham, last year, though the album failed to make a mark. With their latest release, though, the two might be looking to start with a clean slate, and have Amitabh Bhattacharya on lyrics, backing them up.
Agneepath opens up with a surefire hit of an item number, in Chikni Chameli. The infectious track is already a blockbuster on the airwaves with the video, starring a rustic-looking Katrina Kaif, raising temperatures all over. The track rides on the back of its brilliant groove and Shreya Ghoshal delivering the ultra-energetic vocals in full form. Still, the tune is an identical remake of Ajay Atul's own 2005 Marathi hit, kombadi palali, from the Bharat Jadhav-starrer Jatra, and, to be completely honest, the Marathi original, with Vaishali Samant on vocals, is miles ahead of anything Bollywood could deliver. Though the music directors try their best to recreate their own masterpiece with the same horn hook and what sounds like a Nashik dhol section in the background, Chikni Chameli can't quite match up to the sheer rumble of kombadi palali.
Ghazal maestro Roop Kumar Rathod is an interesting choice on vocals for o saiyyan, a slow, ascendant, romantic lilt. The track has a touch of melancholy, in the lyrics and string-based, orchestral arrangement, and Ajay Atul choose to accentuate the feel with some very atmospheric bass and percussion lines in the refrains. Those familiar with the duo's work in the Marathi industry know that they specialise in these sort of haunting numbers, and though this one takes its time to settle in, o saiyyan is possibly the pick of this collection.
The sound of payals, along with a youthful chorus opens up the peppy, upbeat gun gun guna, before a hearty line of nasik dhols kick in. Sunidhi Chauhan is perfectly placed on vocals for this superbly festive number, complete with rustic dholkis and, what sounds like tutaris, even. The surprise package, however, is the veteran Udit Narayan, who comes in on the final verse of the track to beautiful effect, leaving a lasting impression on the listener.
The album takes a turn for qawaali with the impressive shah ka rutba. The track brings three powerful voices, those of Sukhwinder Singh, Krishna Beura and Anand Raaj Anand, on vocals. The track has an impressive, almost sinister touch and the middle-eastern string and drum sound only adds to it. While Krishna and Anand Raaj, in the penultimate verse especially, do a great job on the mic, it's Sukhwinder who dominates the track, clearly. However, the most captivating touch on the number are those of Amitabh Bhattacharya's superb lyrics. Though it seems a bit situational, it'll be interesting to see how the track is used in the film itself.
The album brings in another slow, romantic sort of number with abhi mujh mein kahin. The track is produced beautifully, ascending from some light key and string work to a perfectly Indian orchestral arrangement in the outro, with Sonu Nigam solo on the vocals. However, where the track fails to find its mark is in its melody, with few hooks to offer, and as a result, doesn't quite stand out as it needs to.
The album goes out with a real bang in Deva Shree Ganesha, which features one half of the composing duo, Ajay himself, on vox. The track has a truly booming sound and recreates a proper Ganesh visarjan setting, complete with the deafening lejhim-dhol arrangement, keyboards, bells, tutaris and more. The track picks up fabulously in its final moments as a chanting chorus of mantras takes over and gives the track a truly climactic, almost epic feel, in sound and lyrics. Those familiar with the original Agneepath's storyline will certainly look forward to this track in the final showdown of the film.
Though they may have had a big release earlier, in Singham, Ajay Atul seem to have truly announced their arrival in Bollywood with Agneepath. The two bank on their flair for folk, rural Maharashtrian melodies, and skills with rustic arrangements, to craft a unique sound for this six track album. The collection has its highs and lows, but for the most part, stays truly enjoyable. While Chikni Chameli is the guaranteed hit here, o saiyyan, shah ka rutba and Deva Shree Ganesha impress as well. All in all, with a trademark new touch on Agneepath, it's clear that Ajay Atul are here to stay.