De Taali (Give Applause) - Various Artists (Risingstar)

Suryatapa Bhattacharya

• Last Updated: August 27. 2008 8:30AM UAE / August 27. 2008 4:30AM GMT

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This was a soundtrack created to attract spry Bollywood listeners. The film revolves around the story of three friends – two young guys and a girl – and how the introduction of a new female friend tests each of their relationships. Which in Bollywood means an overabundance of remixes and guest appearances by DJs. Vishal Shekhar, the music director, managed to serve up the title track De Taali in three different versions, including one featuring Nikhil Chinapa, a video jockey-turned-popular DJ. The playback singers include a lineup of young talent in Bollywood – Shaan and Raja Hasan to Sunidhi Chauhan – who are crossover popstars as well.

But the soundtrack is decidedly mediocre, and all the attempts to remix the title track falls flat. However, the hit that will help the soundtrack ride its way to the top lies with Raja Hasan and the song, Maari Teetri (My Butterfly). Hasan, 28, a finalist on a musical reality show in 2007, is now a popstar who blends classical Indian music with western influences. Hasan comes from a trained under his grandfather, Alla Rakha Khan, a maestro, who sang under the patronage of the King of Jodhpur. The streamlined energy and ethnic fusion present in Maari Teetri should’ve set the theme for the soundtrack instead of following Bollywood protocol and banking on the title song.


sbhattacharya@thenational.ae