Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and Ada - Initial Reaction

I have been listening to Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and Ada since last two days, and here're some of my initial thoughts:


Kabhi Kabhi Aditi is a catchy, light and peppy number. I loved it in the very first listen (on the promos). Although Rashid Ali did a commendable job and his voice suits well to the movie's young and fresh look, I wish Rahman had given this song to Adnan Sami. I think this song belonged to Adnan. (Isn't Rashid Ali's singing seem to have inspired from Adnan?) The rationale behind not using Adana though is probably that they wanted to have a new voice for the new face (i.e. Imran Khan) - at least for this 'opening' song.


Rahman has re-used one of his own tunes for this song. The mukhda of Kabhi Kabhi Aditi is same as the guitar interlude in Mustafa Mustafa song from the movie Duniya Dilwalon Kee. I am actually glad that he has done that (i.e. re-using one of his tunes from the interludes of his own song). There are many song by arr which has wonderful instrumental (or chorus) interludes that can be used to create a mukhda of new song (The violin interlude in Ae Ajnabi, Swarnalatha's humming in Sunta Hai Mera Khuda, chorus from the starting of the song Naheen Saamne etc. etc. etc.)


Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai conveys the melancholic mood effectively. I liked the version sung by Sukhwinder more than the one sung by Runa Rizvi (which is also very good), mostly because of the opening music/tempo and the operatic chorus in the background that takes it to another level.


Pappu Can't Dance has a very catchy tune and feet-tapping beats. However, I don't think it's gonna be one of those songs that I will yearn to hear in a way I feel about most (or at least, so many) of arr's songs.


Abbas Tyrewala has done a good job as a first time lyricist (His earlier work includes dialogues for Munnabhai M.B.B.S.). I really liked that he used the immortal lines 'Papa Kehte Hain Bada Kaam Karega', giving a nod to Aamir Khan's first movie: Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. (JTYJN is Aamir's nephew Imran's first movie.)


Moving on to the other album released simultaneously with JTYJN - Ada.


Rashid Ali's pronunciations in Ishq Ada sounded a bit weird to me. I think he tried to add an Arabic/Middle-Eastern element to the song - the lyrics, heavy on Urdu words, also confirms this (I hope there's some relevance to that in the movie.)


All songs except Ishq Ada and Meherbaan are written by Nusrat Badr. I was excited to see his name on album cover because I loved his work in Devdas (after which he almost disappeared). But honestly, I didn't find anything extraordinary in his lyrics this time.


Gumsum Gumsum sounds infinitely ordinary (by arr standards). If Ada is a musical journey by arr, then this surely is the worst destination. Tu Mera also belong to the same category. (The lines 'Jise Chaha Mil Gaya' sung by Chitra reminded me - both lyrically and musically - of similar lines 'Tu Mujhko Mil Gaya' from Tera Jaadu Chal Gaya. Vague similarity, though.)


Meherbaan is wonderful and instantly likable. Hai Dard and Milo Wahan Wahan both are, for the lack of better word, interesting - both in structure and sound, very unlike-Rahman, I think (and hope, even more so) these ghazal-like songs has some 'growth potential'. Rahman has rarely used Sunidhi before (in fact, only once in Nayak) who joins Sonu Nigam in Gulfisha - another song that didn't really impress me.


Overall I am disappointed with Ada, and enjoyed JTYJN. As it's universally known, arr's songs (specially the "heavy", deep and long-lasting ones) need repeated hearings and some time to grow on you. Being an ardent arr fan, I hope that it will happen this time too, and my initial assessments will be proven wrong. But deep down, I am skeptical!