|
|
 |
|
|
Cast:
Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor, |
|
Nana Patekar, Feroz Khan, Mallika Sherawat |
|
Music:
Himesh Reshammiya, Anand Raj Anand |
|
Story:
Anees Bazmee |
|
Presenter:
A. G. Nadiadwala |
|
Producer:
Firoz A. Nadiadwala |
|
Direction:
Anees Bazmee |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Akshay Kumar has reached a stage where currently Shah Rukh
Khan is. No matter who is his leading lady, no matter which
production house he works with, no matter what the film's
genre is, no matter who directs the film and no matter who
composes for his films - the fact remains that he is
audience's darling and would hit gold in each of his films.
His great run in last few years is a testimony to that! This
is the reason why even with names like Anees Bazmee (No
Entry), Firoz Nadiadwala (Hera Pheri, Phir Hera Pheri), Anil
Kapoor, Firoz Khan, Nana Patekar, Katrina Kaif and Mallika
Sherawat involved, Welcome would go down as an Akshay Kumar
release. With multiple composers like Anand Raaj Anand,
Himesh Reshammiya and Sajid-Wajid involved, it only promises
to be an added advantage. However, in case of Welcome, it
turns out to be a major disadvantage as the music turns out
to be way below the mark. |
|
- |
|
Track 1
-
Hoth Rasiley It's fast becoming a trend (a
healthy one though) to see one composer crooning for
a fellow composer. Vishal Dadlani has been doing it
for Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Anand Raaj Anand has done it
for Pritam, Shankar Mahadevan has done this for
Vishal-Shekhar and others and now he has done it
again for Anand Raaj Anand for the number Hoth
Rasiley. Surprisingly, the song turns out to be very
ordinary as it is excess of sound and fury which
kills the impact. |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
The tune
takes numerous twists and turns and a minute into the song,
one tends to loose interest into the proceedings. Shankar
comes along with Anand Raaj Anand and Shreya Ghoshal to
croon this celebration number with an extremely loud Punjabi
celebration setting to it. The only thing which can save the
number from being a total disappointment is it's
picturisation/choreography which may be done in a comic
setting.
Track 2 -
Insha
Allah Oops, now what's that!? By the time an elaborate
30 second saxophone piece is through and one settles down to
hear something soothing, the 90s style arrangements start
scaring a listener. If this is not enough, what follows next
truly catches you by surprise as Himesh Reshammiya (doubling
up as a composer and singer) croons the word Insha Allah in
the highest possible pitch! |
|
|
 |
|
Heavy arrangements, as has been the hallmark of the
album so far, doesn't spare a listener here as well
even as Shaan and Akruti Kakkar come together with
Krishna to croon some of the most
ordinary/pedestrian lyrics from a music album of
2007. Just hear this one - 'Ab Jism o Jaan Mein, Dil
Ke Jahaan Mein, Hai Tera Welcome, Aa Bhi Jaa'! Aided
by 'dhol' beats, 'Insha Allah' turns out to be a
routine 'masala' number which work more visually
(that too due to Akshay's presence) than audio-wise! |
|
|
|
|
Track 3 -
Kola
Laka Vellari Now this is yet another number where one
exclaims - Oops, now what's that!? Frankly, one can't
actually comprehend what exactly 'Kola Laka Vellari' stands
for. In fact even Google doesn't! The only good thing about
this song is that Himesh Reshammiya is far subdued while
crooning this one. A moderately paced song, the song has a
mix of Western and Indian arrangements though in a trademark
Reshammiya setting that made him a household name in last
couple of years. A love song with sad undertones to it,
'Kola Laka Vellari' is barely decent but that's about it. |
|
|
|
Track 4 -
Tera Sarafa With Anand Raaj Anand playing the
dual role of a composer as well as a singer for this
song with Shweta Pandit joining in, Tera Sarafa
again belongs completely to the David Dhawan school
of music. Nothing surprising here since Anees Bazmee
has been a script/screenplay writer for numerous
Dhawan movies in the past. |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Coming
back to the song, 'Tera Sarafa' again follows an
unapologetic 'masti-dhamaal' mode with a focus mainly on
getting foot tapping beats and keeping the heat on for fast
paced proceedings. The USP of the song is Anil Kapoor and
Nana Patekar shaking a leg with Mallika Sherawat, though one
wonders if the song would have gone any further distance if
not for this unique pairing! Ultimately 'Tera Sarafa' is the
kind which is heard today, enjoyed mainly due to
choreography and forgotten the moment film is off the
screens!
Track
5 - Uncha Lamba Anand Raaj Anand returns after a
couple of tunes by Himesh Reshammiya and creates Uncha Lamba,
the opening tune of which lifts has it's references in 'Makhna'
[Bade Miyan Chote Miyan]. A number which could well find
references in number of Punjabi-fusion-folk tracks, 'Uncha
Lamba' has predominant Western arrangements which go well
with the current on-screen image of Akshay Kumar. With
Kalpana as his duet partner, Anand Raaj Anand gets into a
romantic mode with this yet another 'masala' track which
barely sustains itself for the situation and that's about
it. |
|
|
|
Track 6 - Welcome The start of the album is
good. Bring out the trumpets and lay down the red
carpet - the celebrations have begun and party is on
with the arrival of title song Welcome. The music
has a distinct David Dhawan touch to it with the
title song of Partner (composed by Sajid-Wajid
again) coming closest. Composed as a Western track
with a distinct party feel to it, ' |
|
 |
|
|
Welcome'
is a high on orchestra number which has Wajid giving a
voiceover and Shaan and Soumya Raoh pairing up to croon the
major part of the song. Even though the intermediate
portions of the number aren't any great shakes as they turn
out to be a routine fare, the music woven around the opening
lines if a killer and ensures that there is no dull moment. |
|
|
|
With
great power comes great responsibilities - This can well be
true for Akshay Kumar now as well! As mentioned at the very
beginning, any film starring Akshay Kumar today is THE
Akshay Kumar film. Whatever good or bad, it is attributed
mainly to the superstar than anyone else. This is why even
the music of Welcome, which is extremely ordinary in any
case, will be termed as nothing less than disappointing due
to high standards set for an Akshay Kumar film. Though
thankfully the film seems to be highly interesting, Akshay
fans would have to wait for Tashan and Singh Is Kinng in
anticipation of some good music. |
|
|
