Umrao Jaan (New) - Music Review
I admit it is too early to really write a review on the music on which everyone seems to have an opinion. But before that, let’s face a few facts squarely in the face - it was an arduously tough act to compose songs for a subject whose previous version is still fresh in the minds of music listeners. More than merit for the older hit, it is the nostalgic wrapper that shines and glitters. It has reached a cult status, where it is placed at a hallowed pedestal. One reality check that I wish to present - unlike Sholay or Don the movie, or its music, wasn’t such an earth shattering hit when released in the eighties. It is only over the years that the songs have acquired a ‘retro-hit’ status. So, this sudden urge by everyone to lambast against the newer version sounds funny - even from that generation. Even those who wouldn’t ordinarily listen to Khayyam’s ghazals from Muzaffar Ali’s classic have somehow turned up their nose against Anu Mallik’s efforts. A prime reason is that Mallik’s name itself evokes plentiful negative reactions. Even before the music was out, I had read vitriolic write ups on how could J P Dutta entrust Mallik with such a prestigious job. But obviously, Dutta has enough faith in his composer who gave two whopper (musical) hits with Border and Refugee. In my honest opinion, such reaction was totally unwarranted. Mallik might be obnoxious in his interviews, his many compositions lack any luster of many kind, but still the man has in him to turn up with music that might just be listenable. Another positive point in Dutta-Mallik’s favor is that they haven’t gone and remixed or re-arranged the old classic songs - a towering brownie point to the team, especially seen in the light of the absolutely bland re-mixes/re-designed score of Don.
However, let me make my stance clear - I am neither fond of, nor in favor of, old classics remade in newer format with newer stars. It is simply unappealing, especially when the older versions usually reached perfection (perceived or otherwise) in terms of performance and direction. But this once, I am ready to give Dutta-Mallik team a clean chit, for two reasons - one, I feel that their effort is more honest in re-creating rather than just cashing in on the older success.
The second, and bigger reason, is that I am not emotionally attached to the older Umrao Jaan. Sometime back, in one of the comments, I had mentioned that I am not too fond of that film’s music. The ghazals are good. But somehow, they haven’t had the same gushing effect on me as they should have - except for ‘Yeh kya jagah hai doston‘. Hence, I approached the newer one with a totally fresh mind.
Coming back to the music, as I said, it is a bit early to write a comprehensive review. I haven’t been able to invest the requisite time to listen to it carefully. Yet, when a score leaves a few snatches attached to your soul after the first couple of listenings, you know that it demands coming back to it. In that respect, Mallik’s Umrao Jaan is surely on the right trail. After the first hearing, and switching off the system, I remained floating in its melody and effect, though I couldn’t recall the exact tunes.
From the bunch of solos (all Alka Yagnik barring two), I found ‘Salaam…Tumhari mehfil mein aa gaye hain to kyun na yeh bhi kaam kar len‘ particularly mesmerizing. A very subtle rhythm that supports a hummable tune keeps the song afloat. Alka’s rendition doesn’t move too much away from her flat intonations, yet they somehow suit the composition. The same goes for the second best number ‘Tum jo paas aa gaye, hum jo sharma gaye‘. It’s hookline lies in the charming ‘Tum bhi pahle pahal, hum bhi pahale pahal‘ line, and a mouthful interlude of ‘shehnais‘ topped with a single sarangi strain. A third song that perked my ears and plucked my heart was ‘Mai na mil sakoon jo tumse, meri justjoo na karna’ - a haunting number with tight violins that uplift the song to a dream level. Finally, ‘Jhoote ilzaam tum lagaaya na karo‘ is the fourth interesting solo - a bit slow and lengthy, but overall melodious. There is only one duet, unfortunately it didn’t cut much ice with me - and Sonu Nigam has sadly ‘oversung’ it. Passion can sometimes be understated, and not sighing overtly into the mic!
‘Agle janam mein mohe bitiya na kijo’ - in two parts - are the only numbers where Alka steps away. The song (in both versions) is a touching lament by a girl who doesn’t want to be a re-born in the same gender. However, I am a bit surprised at such a song in this film - as far as I know of Muslim religion, they do not have any concept of ‘re-birth’, hence the song is conceptually an anomaly in a film dealing with Muslim characters. But coming from Javed Akhtar, I am sure he would have done some research before penning it.
Somewhere I feel the weakest link has been Javed Akhtar’s lyrics that just do not sear with the burning pain that was Umrao Jan Ada’s life. Though one can find many scattered ‘quotable’ examples, overall the poetry is not the kind that one can hug and sob inconsolably to wet the pillows in the night. For example, in ‘Jhoote ilzaam’ a statement like ‘dil hai nazuk, isse dukhaya na karo’ is too bland and direct, and more suited to Sameer/Himesh combo of songs than in a film that talks about a courtesan who was exceptional in her poetry.
I am quite impressed by Mallik’s arrangements - he hasn’t done any unnecessarily experimentations, nor kept the sound cacophonously contemporary. He sticks to the era that the songs were meant to be and introduces now-forgotten Indian instruments like saarangi, sitar and tabla in full measure. Now that’s an achievement. Whether the current generation appreciates this is a million dollar question! But then, like the older generation, maybe they will reject it now but once they grow up, it is precisely this sort of music that they will like to come back to. Perhaps, this version might outlast every other contemporary composition and be a retro hit as well!
Overall- A Good Buy
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October 24th, 2006 at 8:09 pm
sounds guy to invest time in d music….
n ill learn if i hv d ear for sitar sarangi .. tabla n stuf…. 
October 25th, 2006 at 9:12 am
Yes, poetry is mediocre, and really music and poetry work in combo. if either of them is ordinary, the effect is not good.
As far as older Umrao Jaan is concerned, You know my views.
I am sure given the caliber of JP Dutta, this remake will be pathetic. But JP Dutta doesn’t call it a remake. The look doesn’t at all appear authentic. You shoot Rajput architecture of Jaipur and pass it off as Nawabi Lucknow!
Muzzafar Ali took pains to shoot in Lucknow’s original locations, showed orginal Lucknawi architecture. Even the shooting at villages was original. This gonna be a half baked version!
October 25th, 2006 at 9:12 am
Even I have read all sorts of reviews right after the music was out….& today the Hindu MetroPlus has a similar nonsensical reivew on the music….
I very much agree with your take on the music…Even I liked the songs …now waiting for the movie…my fav is the one sung by Richa Sharma…
Btw saw DON yday
October 25th, 2006 at 11:21 am
good review. but I do not agree on a few aspects.
1. I find the music jarring. some how misplaced and wrong. The dance that is being performed is supposed to be kathak and these kind of songs are totally misplaced for that kind of dance. So if you look at the context it does not make sense.
2. Alka yagnik is now painful to listen to. somehow I am tired of her. the overall quality of the album suffers because of too much Alka Yagnik. There are other singers who could have done justice. You cannot stick to the formt of the original movie where Asha Bhonsle sung all the songs when there the quality of the singer does not really match Ashaji’s
3. Umrao jaan’s music was not front-bencher type. It wasn’t supposed to be in the original either but its popularity has a lot to do with the actor on the screen. Now you know what I think about Aishwarya and even if i disregard the very painful rumours on her associations with Abhishek, I feel she cannont immortalise the lines and that makes the music weak.
Lastly, sirji, you are not emotionally attached to Umrao jaan’s music for just one reason. The singer is Asha Bhonsle instead of Lataji.
I guarantee that if the original umrao’s songs were voiced by Lataji, you would be all over the place praising it nahi???
October 25th, 2006 at 11:48 am
Girl - Dont expect instant gratification here, take time to listen to them.
Manish - Yes, the more I listen, the more I find Javed Akhtar’s lyrics failing. Dunno why this has happened.
As regards JP Dutta, I disagree a bit - I loved his Ghulami, Yateem and to a small extent Batwara and Border. So, will give him a benefit of doubt where direction is concerned. As regards authenticfity, anything does - i wudnt be too surprised if they end up shooting outdoor locales in New Zealand and pass it off as Lucknow
[Waise, it wud still be better than David Dhawan! I caught the beginning of that idiotic flick Banarasi Babu recently. In that , Kadar Khan and co. go to visit Banaras ka gaaon…and guess what, they end up in Kathmandu
Now passing off Ktm as Banaras is something indeed!]
Priyangini -
1. Wudnt argue on this point at all - dunno anything about dance/music combine. I just heard the songs per se.
2. Well, I dont really mind Alka Yagnik, even though she has a very flat voice
Here, she passes muster. In any case, any other singer wud hv fallen short - I mean, who can surpass Lataji or Ashaji when it comes to singing!
3. Agreed! I dont like Aish myself. As i told Kaushie also recently, Rekha at this age in a mujra outfit in Yatra is looking much better and enticing than Aish in Umrao Jaan!
But then, the music has nothing to do with what is on-screen. There are many examples of excellent music wasted on awful actresses. Think of all those Lataji beauties by Madan Mohan …
Well…no comments on the last point
October 25th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
Good that u gave Mallik his due.
‘dil hai nazuk, isse dukhaya na karo’….:-) Right!
Remake of Don is ok as they cd change the background ,clothes, technology or the story altogether if they wished. But WHY Umrao Jaan??? Abhishek is imitating Farookh shekh and Ash ….wasn’t the original Umraao dusky or had a wheatish complexion?
With so much of money and talent involved they cd hv made another good movie on the similar topic.
My God!! I was abt to write what Priyangini has written at the end of her comment:-)
October 25th, 2006 at 5:28 pm
The quality of Dutta is diminishing. Ghulamis and Yateems were a different era.
“I guarantee that if the original umrao’s songs were voiced by Lataji, you would be all over the place praising it nahi??? “ - I third that!
October 29th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
WOW deej! What a review! so very well written and I realized gosh I miss reading your reviews !!!!! I havent heard the whole album yet because I am still stuck on Salaam. and I am not a fan of the song “agle janam main mohe bitiya na kijo” for obvious reasons…yea sure Umrao Jaan lived a sad life..but lyrics like that is definitely a turn off for me…everything in between I am yet to listen to…
October 29th, 2006 at 11:05 pm
on the lataji and ashaji comment by priyangini..i FOURTH it
:P you got your self in trouble with that one deej 
;)
October 30th, 2006 at 10:13 am
Vandy - Well, as Manish also pointed out, I suspect authenticity is going to be a major casuality in this version of Umrao Jaan. Everything seems to be ‘perfect’ and ‘eye candy’ without bondering to check genuineness.
As far as lyrics go, the more I hear, the more I find them mediocre. In one song she says ‘yeh dil tum pe aa gaya hai varna, jise bhi hum dekh lein palat kar usse hum apna ghulam kar le…’ - well, this is a far change from the Umrao that we know of, who wanted to transcend the bodily lust, nay she even dismissed of ‘dil cheez kya hai’ and went direct to the ‘jaan’. Even when she came to the more physical overtures, it was a more subtle ‘aankhon ki masti’ … but then there lies the difference in the eras the two films are filmed!
Manish - I hope he doesnt resort to the neo modern techniques at least! The music, thankfully, is pretty pristine that way. As regards Lataji/Ashaji..ha ha, no comments ,as ever
Kaushie - Thank you so much
And yeah that song can be quite pricky … Achcha achcha, on that comment, to you also i give the same reply - nocomments 
October 30th, 2006 at 10:20 am
ha ha, I see many supporters for my observation. btw saw fulto tv this weekend with all the rushes of Umrao Jaan, the director says he has made a mainstream, commercial, bollywood movie so definately it will be diluted to the level of the junta. The music has already been given that treatment. I don’t want to watch it now. waise bhi Aish needs to find some other expression on her face. R says its like watching barbie in indian clothes.
November 1st, 2006 at 5:09 pm
Deepak: Immidiately after listening to the music this was my first impression, which I mentioned in a yahoogroup. It syncs with your opinion at some places and differs with you elsewhere
———————————————————————
Some observations -
Among the 9 songs ‘Behka Diya Hamein’ is a good composition but again spoiled by Sonu’s over emoting.
Among the two versions of Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya, I personally liked Anmol Malik’s version. This one is the best of the lot.
Pehle Pehal is passable.
Salaam Karle is very commonplace. Nothing surprising here.
‘Jhoothe ilzam’ and ‘Main Jo Na Mil Sakoon Tumse’ just are very ordinary.
————————————————
Somehow Alka Yagnik off color in the entire score and generally a big let down here.
While there was tremendous scope for lyrics, Javed Saab’s has been terribly disappointing. Not a single song which will be remembered for the lyrics.
Though a departure from the regular stuff that Anu churns out; this still is a very unexceptional score. Adding a Sarangi piece here and a flute there and embellishing with a few Bols here and there doesn’t necessarily qualify it to be a great period score. It reminds me of stuff that Laxmi Pyare used to roll out in their days.
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:00 am
hiii….after a long time..hope u remember me
November 2nd, 2006 at 5:07 pm
Hi,Deepak..that’s true…the original UJ songs did not get popular instantly,and,I guess it’ll take time for these as well.I’ve yet to listen to any,save for the promos on TV.
November 2nd, 2006 at 10:28 pm
hi how are u doing? just decided to visit ….after a long time…hope u are doing good…no more stories??????
November 3rd, 2006 at 11:37 pm
i was feeling very bored studying and i decided to read your story meera…i hadnt really read it properly the first time around. somehow when i read it again, , i realised the importance of being meera when it comes to love…even when it is not reciprocated….the happiness and peace you get when you love to your hearts content of course the emptiness is there…but then…that’s called falling in love….:-)
November 4th, 2006 at 2:54 pm
Ooh my god I`m sorry to say but Alka s voice sounds discusting. She screams. Everyone in Holland is talking about Aishwaria while nobody speaks about Alka.
In Pakeezah all the credits went to Lataji. Ashaji received the national award for Umraojaan.What will happend with Alka. I Dont understand why Unnu chose Alka voice? Look Alka is a very good singer but she is not versatile. Her songs became very popualir like gali men aaj chand nikla. But when she sing western base songs the lady yell.
Like in Judaai she sounds very bad.Alka voice suits typical romantic indian songs. In all other style she sings off key.
Now in Umraojaan i dont thinks she will be rembered. She must have sung with great love but still her voice is not suiteble. There is no sweetness in her voice at all. I dont understand why the makers have not ask Kavita Krishnamurthy to sing. Her voice suits Aishwaria and Kavita is farmost the best singer whe have now.
KAvita can take easely the microphone away from all the singers whe have today. Alka is nothing to her. For example , take the songs from ‘roop ki rani choron ka raja’ the title is Mai Hoon roop ki Rani - the song went un noticed, it was a froud opera song , but after listening to it you wil noticed that only a good singer like Kavita Krishnamurthy can sing it so well.
no other singre but Kavita can do justice to such songs. Im dispointend that Alka has sung for such a great project. But i m sure Aish will not lose her beauty nomather who is singing for her. The great Lataji make history with pakeezah andso did nightingale Asha Bhosle with Umraojaan. But belive - Alka will not be remembered for her singing in this new project. Alka bohot cheekti hain aur uski awaaz men kujch mitaas nehin hain —— from Rajesh
November 5th, 2006 at 5:14 pm
Pri - Sab aag tumhari lagayi hui
Naresh - Nice taut sum up there. Well, L-P had one huge advantage - they had Lataji/Rafisaab to uplift their songs by several notches!
Preeti - Hii, really after a long time! Welcome back, how have you been?
Amit- Hope u get them to hear soon. The movie is released, and the reviews are hardly encouraging!
Krishna - Welcome back! How are you? Many thanks for reading Meera again - it seems to be written in some other life now! The days of writing such long stories are surely over , for now. But a short story is on the anvil soon.
Rajesh - LOL, that was some tirade against Alka! And Lataji (and Ashaji) are just toooo goood in their field, a thousand Alkas cant match up to them. About Umrao Jaan’s song, i hv already mentioned that Alka’s singing is flat!
November 6th, 2006 at 8:13 am
Saw the movie last week…..extremely boring …slow…
November 8th, 2006 at 10:02 am
sirji, aap kidhar ho?? hamara vishwas kahan hai? sent you an email on the same lines.
November 8th, 2006 at 3:31 pm
naya wala.., not bad.. but come on mate.. puraane wala.. unbeatable hai yaar.. im for the oldie.. just cant feel the flavour of the new one.. where the older one touches the senses..
impressive work with the review..
sorry for having been away for long.. so dunno much.. but how’re u progressing with ur writing ke career ka puruit..??
November 9th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
A lot to catch. Will read later on.
Came to say Hi right now
November 13th, 2006 at 9:41 am
Mehak - Yet to see it. Seems there are whole lot of movies to catch up on…
Pri - Tied up like anything!
Me…- Welcome here
The old always is better 
I saw the new Don and hated it. AB’s Don was way way better sans the technology!
Juneli - Sure, take your time, I dont really update it very regularly these days!
November 14th, 2006 at 10:42 am
Sab aag tumhari lagayi hui — Humney to pehley bhi kaha hai - give the devil her due
Now I see, you have given her some due, though in closed brackets 
New post demand!!
November 19th, 2006 at 11:06 pm
Ah well the songs are nice…but i would any day prefer the songs of the first Umrao Jaan. Except for a few songs I can go on listening to the golden songs of the previous umrao jaan. Agreed the music score is nice and quite hummable!
BTW UPDATE NOW!!!!
November 21st, 2006 at 3:10 am
Hey DJ! That was a nice surprise…seeing u after a hellish long time. How have u been? Life’s been going on as usual for me. Just returned from a trip back home..2nd one this year. V is doing fine and life’s pretty much the same. Where r u these days? Seen the movie yet? I liked some of the songs though I felt most kinda sounded repetitive. Anyway..good to see u again. TC and ciao!
November 22nd, 2006 at 2:54 pm
I read all the post but could not get time to comment. As you know I have habit to put long long comment — might longer than your post
.
I’m very busy and so not getting time for that now but when get time I will definitely do that.
UJ and it’s songs… hunh…..
You know what feeling I have about it…. if one has hangover of old wine then he should no try any new but cheap wine…. Muhn ka jayeka kharab ho jata hai
November 22nd, 2006 at 2:58 pm
I don’t know in which numbers I came but you know I’m the next one.
Yeh aag Pri ka nahin tumhare hi khud ki lagayi hui hai…. Agar tum Ashaji ko shuru se hee thoda credit dete toh aaj tum akele nahin padate
Pri ne phunk maari, baanki ne hawaa di aur main Ghee daal rahin hooN.
See you later.
Oh yaa, you are not up dating this place. You have a task at my page.
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:54 pm
heylo…..koi hai????
November 23rd, 2006 at 11:21 pm
Hello deepak dada! kaise ho? jane kyoun aisa lagta hai ke kahin aas paas he ho!!
November 24th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Manish- Will update soon. Damn busy these days
Anz - Ha ha , look who’s talking about an update!
Colors- Saw the movie yesterday. It was quite average. Am in Agra these days. Good to see you here, do keep coming back!
Juneli - Chalo aap aaye yeh bahut achchi baat hai. About updating, will do so shortly. And yeah i saw the task, very daunting one, indeed!
Mehak - Hai bilkul hai…but thoda busy hai
Vaibhav- Badhiya hain. About ‘aaspaas’, well if u call 200 kms aaspaas to Delhi, then i m nearby only
November 26th, 2006 at 9:58 am
hello>? update karoji..
November 26th, 2006 at 9:59 am
just saw Dhoom 2 and was wondering if you had already seen it? so stopped by hoping to see a review
anyways..hows life? busy kya?
November 28th, 2006 at 9:17 am
Junta Ne Saath Na diya….It was really bad…Shweta-Manav got voted out last night…bad v bad..they were amongst the top 3 contenders IMO.
November 28th, 2006 at 9:37 am
Hey long time you visited my website
November 28th, 2006 at 11:43 am
Junta Ne Saath Nahin diya…..Shweta-Manav got voted out last night…bad v bad..they were amongst the top 3 contenders IMO.
November 28th, 2006 at 12:04 pm
update…
November 29th, 2006 at 1:50 pm
Not updated yet!!!!
December 1st, 2006 at 11:11 am
Arrey Sir aapke sab comments hai mere blog par….rediff acts up for sometime..shows 0 comments n then after sometime all comments are back…
BTW mujhe lagta hai ab Agra aana he padega…itne online threats toh mil chuke hai for an update….lekin kuch nahin hua..
December 1st, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Kaush - LOL, look who’s talking!
Juneli, Mehak, Anks - Karunga karunga, jaldi hi update karunga
Mili - Well, i hvnt really visited my own blog for long, leave alone others…
January 5th, 2007 at 1:54 am
Hello DJ,
Liked your Review of Umrao Jaan music — “Agle janam mohe bitiya na kijo” is a True Blue U.P. Folk Song — Javed saab must’ve heard it in his childhood I’m sure with Hindu thoughts of “Punar -janam” interwoven ..as you so astutely , observed here in your post —
Will read ” Ambaeep
&
comment next …it is so good to read your writings !
Wish you a wonderful 2007 ahead !
Just returned from an over lapping trip to AZ !
warm regards, likhte raho ….khush raho …
Lavanya
January 29th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
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