Jannat, starring Emraan Hashmi and newcomer Sonal Chauhan, is a film about the desire for making big money and getting that “bank” through gambling, which leads Emraan’s character to work for the Mafia. This highly charged story directed by Kunal Deshmukh needs a soundtrack that will match the energy of the film. So, does Pritam deliver? He does, and in spades. Many of the songs on the soundtrack have a rock base, sometimes subtle, sometimes full on hard rock and the musicians are just phenomenal!
The first track that stands out is Zara Sa sung by the always great KK. The beginning is fabulous and the entire song is full of the notes of many different instruments: violins, percussion, guitar with many voices as well. There are lots of different things to hear as you listen to the song. KK, as usual, is the perfect choice for the song; his voice on the refrain of wohhhhh ohhhhhh is really excellent (I can hear it as I type that!). The guitar section is especially awesome. Pritam’s full sound, he used in Life in a Metro is back in full force – this is a really wonderful love song!
There is another version on the album called Zara Sa (Power Ballad), also sung by KK. It has much more of a rock beat than the original track. (Pritam must have been channeling an 80’s Hair Band.) This version is a lot less busy and I like it better. The music still surrounds you, and shows the purity and strength of KK’s voice. There are some great harmonies and the musicians are first class. One of my favorite tracks, a definite addition to my Bollymix playlist.
Judai is not only composed by Kamran Ahmed, but he also sings the track. This is the first version of this song, and it is a mixture of a little rock flavor with some club elements, with outstanding musical construction on the part of Kamran Ahmed. Ahmed’s smoky, deep voice is fantastic and adds to the excellence of the song. Richa Sharma’s voice is also heard in the background. It is a wonderful track to listen to and will just get better the more you play it. It is yet another example of the fine musicians on the whole album.
Judai (Kilogram Mix) is a second, faster version of Judai. Very much a club mix. If remixes or club versions are your oeuvre then this version is for you. I have to admit I am not usually a fan of remixes but this, I really liked. Especially the violin section.
Lambi Judai is the third version of Judai but this time with a female voice (Richa Sharma). If it was not the third time you heard the melody of this song, it would stand out, but sadly it suffers because the tune has been heard before. Richa Sharma has a lovely voice quality that shines on this track and it will probably play very well on screen.
Haan Tu Hain is another track by KK, and he performs it very well. This song is the only one that has a truly Indian flavor. Again the back up musicians are outstanding! To me, the phrasing of the melody seems very much like the other songs on the album. The Haan Tu Hain refrain has a very cool harmony. It is a very nice song and is a refreshing change from the others but it does not stand out.
Jannat Jahan can only be called a full on 1980’s hard rock track: imagine Ozzy Osbourne singing with Journey. If you like early pop-orchestral-rock, then you will love this song. (And you must crank it up to 11 when listening to it!) The musicians on this track are just some of the best, fantastic! Rupam Islam, who is lead vocalist for his own band Fossils, is smashing and his voice is made for the hard rock genre. All I can say about this is that it JAMS!
Door Na Ja with Rana Mazumder is one of the best tracks on the soundtrack in an already superior musical score. Gorgeous guitar joined by violins starts the song off, and within those first notes, you already love the song. Then Rana Mazumder’s beautiful voice begins and he sings with so much feeling you can actually feel the longing of him saying Door Na Ja (“don’t go far away.”) It moves on to a full rock interlude with ripping guitar a la Eddie Van Halen, then back to slower rock mode. Throughout the song, there is a great mix of his voice and wailing guitar in background. First-rate song; Pritam was definitely thinking rock musician when he wrote it. I’m not sure what happens in the movie during this song, but while listening you can see an arena full of fans at a concert totally rocking out to the music.
Several reports have said that some tracks have music sampled from other songs, and Pritam himself admitted that he has used “borrowed sounds”. Even so, the soundtrack is really superior on the basis of the musicians that back up the incredible singers. With its rock edge, it is not something everyone will like, but it is definitely one to check out!
