Muskurake Dekh Zara 2010 Music Review

Now where did this one come from? That's an instant reaction when one comes across the film Muskurake Dekh Zara about which absolutely nothing has been spoken about right through its making. Ranjit Barot as a composer isn't too exciting a preposition either and with Mehboob as the lyricist, one primarily plays on the album to see if there is a surprise or two in store.

MUSIC
It's a serene start to the album with the song 'Chandini' arriving first. The tune is not bad actually and one remembers many a tunes like this which were composed by Jatin-Lalit in the 90s. Though the arrangements aren't really grand, the simplicity of the tune keeps you hooked at least in the beginning. However, Saurabh Srivastava doesn't quite make the best use of the platform provided and one does have all the right reasons to believe that another voice would have done far more justice to the tune.

Another singer who gets to do a solo in the album is Raja Mushtaq who croons 'Tu Hai Mera Pyar'. Starting off quite slowly and almost as a sad track, this song has the kind of arrangements that are more suited for an Indi-pop track than a Bollywood soundtrack. There is an intermittent portion in the 'mukhda' that comes quite close to what one had heard a decade back in 'Seene Mein Dil Hai' [Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman]. However, the similarity just ends there though how one wishes that this 'inspiration' had stayed on for a little longer.

For the first time in the album, one hears the voice of an established singer with K.K. singing 'Sai Bola Re'. However, the results are hardly enticing with this 'Rangeela' meets' Mast' track doesn't rising above being plain ordinary. With the usual setting of a guy describing his love amongst a bunch of friends, 'Sai Bola Re' is plain and simple boring and also makes one loose total interest in the songs to follow.

The title song comes quite late in the day. Now that's surprising due to two reasons. First and foremost it has a much established Shaan at the helm of affairs. Secondly, it is the best that the album has to offer. A sweet sounding number which may not be great shakes in isolation but makes one hum it along when compared to the rest of the album, 'Muskurake Dekh Zara' follows 'Kabhi Kabhi Aditi' [Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa] route though making a far lesser impact.

One can't be sure whether Ranjot Barot was convinced about calling 'Aankh Lagaee' as a song actually. Out of tune with musical arrangements that only distract you more than pulling you closer, 'Aankh Lagaee' has some random singing making matters worse for the album. Really, this 60s inspired track dissolves whatever little impact that the title song had managed to create.

For the first time in the album, a female voice is heard with Sunidhi Chauhan coming behind the mike. A song that belongs to 'roothna-manana' genre, 'Roothe Roothe' could well have been designed for a TV serial. Outdated with a tune that doesn't rise beyond being a nursery rhyme, 'Roothe Roothe' is simply passé.

Ranjit Barot takes it upon himself to sing 'Aye Dost' and frankly, even if there was anyone else who would have volunteered to sing this number, the results wouldn't have been any different. A philosophical number about enjoying life to the fullest and being nice to people around, 'Aye Dost' doesn't really deliver that final punch. This doesn't happen either with another version of this song, 'Sangam' which (thankfully) lasts for just 50seconds.