Milliblog!

1 | rbc.2511

November 22nd, 2008 at 10:45 pm

diametrically opposite views converging in your blog.

All I can say, for the sake of brevity, is that i have opposite views on each and every line of your review.

2 | Arun

November 22nd, 2008 at 11:00 pm

Agree, almost entirely! This is rather disappointing! Like Latoo, it’s catchy and Shreya is brilliant. Behka and Guzarish are appealing in parts. Kaise Mujhe is ok, at best.

3 | arunm

November 22nd, 2008 at 11:07 pm

so u enjoyed tappaankooth ‘Rangola’ from tamil ghajini and u put that song all above these hindi tracks.nice music sense..
i think tamil ghajini is gud for 2 songs suttum vizhi and oru malai..abt hindi ghajini i need time..
as of now i think its god for ‘kaise mujhe’..
by the by , i got bored with Rahman’s hip hop style and those synthetic beats..blah..

4 | Sriram

November 23rd, 2008 at 12:23 am

Karthik - that’s kinda a harsh review man! I don’t think the Tamil one is as good as this - I liked just about 2 tracks from the Tamil one -

Of the Rahman’s one - Guzarish - Behkha - Kaise Mujhe - and Aye Bachchu are very good ones - am not saying this as an AR fan. Guzarish and Bekha are top notch for me with a very smooth flow in the latter one. Kaise Mujhe - well the song is slow but not sleepy man! it works fine and Benny/shreya have done a good job - esp shreya’s humming! The instrumental version sound good too!

The only letdown is ‘latoo’, would have preferred Sunidhi to have crooned that one! prolly wouldn’t have made a difference with her as well.

The bottom line is that it’s nowhere near AR’s best, like - but not at all a disappointment - it’s too a strong a word to call it that.

5 | polo246

November 23rd, 2008 at 12:51 am

I dont think you can really compare this soundtrack with the Tamil one. But I do agree. I doesn’t really sound like an A.R. Rahman album. It sounds a bit like a Pritam-ish/Vishal-Shekhar album. Seriously. But that’s not really a bad thing. I personally like Aye Bachchoo and Latoo Latoo. I dont know whether its just me being weird but I really like those two. I think the songs will make a much bigger impact when seen on screen because most of them are very situational. But I like the fact Rahman’s tried something different to what he’s usually associated with.

6 | polo246

November 23rd, 2008 at 12:54 am

But I really dont like Kaise Mujhe though. Makes me want to go to sleep. For me, the weakest track in the album. I agree though on second thought, it isn’t Rahman’s best, but I still think it’s enjoyable.

7 | Arun

November 23rd, 2008 at 7:18 am

I like Kaise Mujhe more now, but again I think Benny isn’t adequate here. The piano bits are soothing. I also love the sax pieces in Behka, if only the song was as good.

8 | Karthik

November 23rd, 2008 at 8:23 am

Thanks for the comments guys - there are far more ecstatic and annoyed reactions to my opinion elsewhere, where this review has been cross-posted. I’m quite tired of this ‘Rahman’s music grows - don’t review it hastily’ line of thought. It may grow later, that I agree, but why this clarion call for opinion-abstinence as soon as the soundtrack is out? On a second opinion a few days later…I’ve done it with GV Prakash Kumar’s Oram Po and I may well do it for Ghajini too - but it doesn’t look like a possibility right now. Mine is just one opinion - hasty, abrupt, instant, immediate, half-hearted…call it what you will…think of it like a friend who listens to Ghajini along with you and blurts out his mind.

9 | gulfu

November 23rd, 2008 at 9:28 am

Karthik… that was too quick for a Review… did u hear it once??? ha ha i know u wanted to review it before anyonelse…. any way from now on at leasthear the songs couple of times and review….. Aye Bachchu……. grow up…… …

can u give ur copy of ghajini cd i will give back my nep’s snuggy:)

10 | Karthik

November 23rd, 2008 at 9:49 am

Thanks for the profound advice gulfu. I feel adequately enlightened already!

11 | Sriram

November 23rd, 2008 at 2:32 pm

Although I don’t believe in the thought that ‘ Rahman’s music grows’, coz then a SEL- VS - SS music could as well, but to review ANY album within 24 hrs of its release is well…too early I believe. And especially coz you work as a reference group!

Anyways, other then ‘Latoo’ - other tracks work fine for me. Am sure if this album had been by say SEL VS or SS or Pritam, the opinions would be entirely different. Surely this is nowhere to AR’s best - but it’s good! I’d take it even if it wasn’t by him.

12 | sam

November 23rd, 2008 at 5:55 pm

Certainly a below par output from Rahman… Very disappointing..

I have to agree that HJ had done a better job in Tamil version.. Now I am getting worried with Gautham-ARR combination…

13 | SRINIVAS

November 23rd, 2008 at 9:20 pm

Gautham - ARR wont’t be that good as Harris - Gautham …that’s because ..Rahman is not keen on doing Tamil movies …its a half hearted effort ..which shows in the ouput

14 | dragun

November 24th, 2008 at 6:20 am

I consider Ghajini one of Harris’ better Tamil albums, especially considering that I think he is hit or miss. ARR has expanded the scope of the music beyond the Tamil version. Is it a masterpiece? No. But I think its a fun marriage of South Indian masala and a more expansive Bollywood canvas.

I don’t care for Guzarish, though. It sounds good in the beginning but it grows tiresome. Not enough variation. I love the moon landing bit that kicks off Latoo.

15 | nickraman

November 24th, 2008 at 6:45 am

Briliant review Karthik and I’m happy to see someone not buy into the whole “Rahman’s music is slow poison, give it time” crap. Am a regular visitor of ur site btw.

This album is only worth it for Guzzarish, that’s it and partly Kaise Mujhe. But yeah, Harris takes the cake over Rahman and it’s HUGE loss to Aamir for not taking Harris’s tunes in hindi.

Even the great, Prasoon Joshi - Rahman combo after Rang De Basanti, is terrible. Joshi shoehorns in practially every Urdu adjective (i.e Behka) hence the odd tunes outputed by Rahman. Suttum Vizhi was an addicting fast beat song and here, we get a slow guzzarish (even thou. Sonu Nigam was regulated to a backseat with his ohh and aah while Ali finished the track, had Nigam sung it, he would’ve jumped the song like anything. Aye Bachhoo is a rip off Vishal-Shekhar’s songs while Ladoo, sorry Latoo is basically, Pritam Chakraborthy’s territory.

God save Aamir Khan and AR Murgadoss for making the film a hit w/o songs. I’m only looking forward to the BGM to see if it’s anything like Harris’s haunting score.

I’m not looking forward to Gautham Menon-Rahman combo for Chennaiyil and his Telugu flick. Total disaster I tell you. Nothing can beat the Harris-Gautham combo for life.

16 | gokulpai

November 24th, 2008 at 6:48 am

Total disappointment for me!!! I agree with your review man! Especially for a movie like Ghajini, this kind of music was not expected…

17 | SRINIVAS

November 24th, 2008 at 11:05 am

i have heard Ghajini many times ..if at all anything has grown ..its dislike for this album .. Guzarish is good only when compared with other songs in the album

18 | Srini_

November 24th, 2008 at 3:52 pm

Well, I don’t see why there are sooo many negative reviews The music of Ghajini ROCKS !!! Behka and Guzarish are nice melodies. Latoo and aye bachu are amazingly catchy ! For a long time rahman has been composing songs with very complex structure and it is great to see him go back to simple structure in this album. The best part is that Rahman has yet again experimented, coming up with a very catchy album. I do agree that the tamil version had good music too, but this one is great !

19 | Karthik

November 24th, 2008 at 4:00 pm

Srini, I’m glad you liked the soundtrack. As I always maintain, with such an explosion of music all over the place, its hard to find a soundtrack that we like - so, enjoy the music.

20 | jeanjohny

November 24th, 2008 at 6:11 pm

Hi Karthik… I was waiting to give a feedback with the songs playing every minute.. Hmmm, well I think this is a soundtrack which is much talked about(for gud n bad reasons) even after it’s release.. Now lemme tell this straight, Hindi Ghajini did’nt live upto the expectations. It’s good in parts, and with that inevitable comparison with HJ’s ghajini, it takes backseat. It hurts to say that, but that’s the reality. Maybe this is a prob with we southies or with those who have enjoyed tamil Ghajini. And for those who hasnt, lemme tell u, tz a great soundtrack. Coz tz out f the ordinary hindi tracks and it sure will top the charts. And better than RNBJ!! Songas are likebale, and i find aey bachoo’s tune suspiciously similar to aey nee romba azhakarikku song and in kaisey mujhe, one line’s tune’s similar to that of ARR’s yetho yetho, E20U18 song. And the last chorus tune for behka is like some part of aiyyo pathikkichu. Anyways all these are ignorable. But sad from ARR’s side. Waiting to hear Slumdog Millionare, esp Jai Ho… One more last thought, ghajini’s songs are better and different from the current crop of assembly line tunes in Bollywood. Okie I’m tired, this is long enuff.. Take care guys and relax, jus njoy the songs for tz sheer xperimenting!!

21 | Nick88

November 25th, 2008 at 2:12 am

@karthik…starting part of song kaise mujhe resembles Boulevard of Broken Dreams by green day… i meant d starting part of kaise mujhe before d dhol beats start is similar to d starting music of Boulevard of Broken…plz chk it..i m sure dat its copied by ar rahman..

22 | BestMan

November 25th, 2008 at 2:33 am

@Nick88. No, that’s actually a commercial loop. Someone on AR’s Yahoo groups pointed that out. The same/similar loop was also used in Yellowcard’s ‘Only One’ (again, courtesy of AR Yahoo group)

@Karthik. I’m 100% sure of the song ‘Maine Jo Kahan’ from Laawaris being a copy from Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’. ‘Barbie Girl’ released in 1997, and Laawaris released in 1999.

23 | Karthik

November 25th, 2008 at 6:15 am

Yes BestMan, it does! Its plain Barbie Girl…I agree. The only reason why is not up yet in ItwoFS is plain laziness and the lack of time to move my bum to add such an obvious lift. Will get it one of these days.

24 | Nick88

November 25th, 2008 at 6:37 am

@best man..i m nt agree wid u bro.

25 | Nick88

November 25th, 2008 at 6:42 am

@karthik..if song kaise mujhe is nt copied den its sure shot inspired,it must be mention in itwofs.com…..ma all frnds r sayin dis thing n i personally found dere r lot of similarities..so plz chk it…

26 | vinayderock

November 25th, 2008 at 9:51 am

According to me:

Guzarish = Suttum Vizhi
Behka = Oru Maalai
Latoo = X-Machi
Aye Bachu = Rahatullah
Kaise Mujhe = Rangola (I guess they didnt prefer a dance number for this)

27 | vinayderock

November 25th, 2008 at 9:54 am

one change.. I feel Rangola was ignored in this movie and was replaced by a more “feel” kinda song (Kaise Mujhe) in “her” remembrance

28 | Sriram

November 25th, 2008 at 3:01 pm

Nick88:

When he says its an commercial loop, how can that be an ‘inspiration’ or a ‘copy’?!

Either you don’t know what a commercial loop is or you are Bush!

29 | Nick88

November 25th, 2008 at 3:27 pm

@sriram..its nt a commercial loop..startin part is same but wid a different instrument..i observed it…

30 | Nick88

November 25th, 2008 at 3:42 pm

@sriram..chord formation is same in both d songs n both of dem havin electronic sound which seems 2 be similar…if its nt a copy or inspire den wt is dis????

31 | Sriram

November 25th, 2008 at 3:50 pm

So can’t musicians make changes to the commerical Loop as per their needs?! You said the starting part sounds the same, so it gotta then be a commerical loop that AR has played in a different instrument!

PS - Greenday is the Pritam of the west FYKI!

32 | Nick88

November 25th, 2008 at 3:56 pm

I m waitin 4 d response of karthik..acc. 2 me its nt a co-incidence…its a sure shot copied or inspired…

33 | Sriram

November 25th, 2008 at 4:06 pm

Nick88:

If the Chord formation is the same, and so is the electronic sound - and the same has been used by Yellowcard - then it gotta be a Commercial Loop man!

34 | Karthik

November 25th, 2008 at 4:08 pm

Nick88: Very marginal similarity in the way the guitar has been sound-tweaked…this is not even a loop, its just an effect that has been duplicated in a very muted way, if I may use that word.

35 | Nick88

November 25th, 2008 at 4:22 pm

@karthik..one more thing i observed dat d song haule hale of rnbjd ripped 4m adnan sami’s song kabhi nahi kabhi nahi 4m tera chehra..d arrangements n basic melodies of both d tracks r vry similar..

36 | Sriram

November 25th, 2008 at 4:23 pm

Kathik:
Just thought you’d like to go through -

..
http://thecopycat.nazwa.pl/ -
..

This site is more so like ITWOFS - just that they track the ones by international musicians!

Everyone’s there from MJ to Madonna to The Doors - to the Beatles to Timberlake!

Wadya think?!

37 | Nick88

November 25th, 2008 at 4:23 pm

@karthik..one more thing i observed dat d song haule haule of rnbjd ripped 4m adnan sami’s song kabhi nahi kabhi nahi 4m tera chehra..d arrangements n basic melodies of both d tracks r same..

38 | temur

November 25th, 2008 at 11:22 pm

Nick88, please…………

39 | gk1234

November 26th, 2008 at 9:20 am

wat was so gr8 abt the tamil album??……suttum vizhi and oru malai…..i think guzarish n kaise are compelling….even behka was good with some very fine vocals….jss with the two songs of original version cnt really make out a comparison…..both are in the same scale….

40 | yeshwanth

November 26th, 2008 at 7:45 pm

Karthik,
I respect your opinionr. If innovating and experimenting in an album is being seen negatively these days, then we will be left with stale but easy to hear stuff? Is’nt Gajini (hindi) fresh in its structure and treatment…? Thats probably one reason why it might take longer to register.

Also here is a comparison with tamil album:
Guzarish Vs Suttum Vizhi
Aye Bachu Vs X Machi
Bekha Vs Oru Malai
Latoo Vs Rahatulla
Kaise Muje Vs Rangloa

People hardly remembers X machi, Rahatulla and Rangola…

Honestly do you have an answer which is better? Whatever be the opinion, it will be well taken.

Regards,
Yeshwanth

41 | jaydeep

December 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 am

I expected this kinda debate over this album. I have been listening to it for a few days now, it didn’t appeal me at the very first hearing & unfortunately it fails to grow on me.
Its definitely the most mediocre album of recent times. Gujarish the main melody is great, as good as tu hi meri dost from yuvraaj, but interludes and tempo fails to keep one interested thru out the song.
Nothing else in the album works for me.
Just got Slumdog..very excited about it..Listening to it now..!!

42 | arunm

December 14th, 2008 at 10:09 pm

My Fav Song as expected in right place ..
worth a watch..
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tKmo3eemYMQ