Jab Tak Hai Jaan - Music Review

Jab Tak Hai Jaan

The words gap and return have a lot to do with Yash Raj Film’s latest flick called Jab Tak Hai Jaan. It marks Yash Chopra’s return to direction after 8 long years (his last being Veer Zara), the king of romance Shahrukh Khan returns after playing a mafia kingpin in Farhan Khan’s Don 2. But since this is a music review, I cannot ignore the magician from Madras who makes his return after Ek Deewana Tha (in case you thought it was Rockstar). As soon as I saw the trailer for this movie in the cinemas it wasn’t SRK, Katrina or the locations that are so well known in YR Films. It was Rahman, who I knew would be the prime reason why I’ll shell out money for Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Realizing that Gulzar has teamed up with Rahman, my expectations were even higher. 

Considering Rahman was back after such a long time the wait to hear the first song of his latest movie was killing me. Challa starts off well with the guitar strumming but as soon as I heard the voice I said ‘Hey wait a minute, isn’t this the Bulla ki Jaana dude singing? ‘. Like most of his songs, Challa too is sung in Punjabi. I didn’t understand the lyrics (looked them up later). For a song that I heard the first time Challa didn’t disappoint. But I didn’t get the ‘Rahman is back ‘feel. Also the thought of Rabbi Shergill singing for Shahrukh didn’t turn out to be that bad an idea after all. A decent title song but there’s something missing. Most of you will like this song but will somewhere feel disappointed.

Shreya Ghosal has sung for Katrina Kaif in the past and sung well. I have heard most of Mohit Chauhan songs and I like the way the man sings. After Rabbi, it is the man who gave us ‘Jo Bhi Main ‘who lends his voice to Saans. I shall comment on this in the final paragraph of the review. There is a lot to say. Coming back to the song, Saans is that slow romantic song every movie needs these days. I’ve heard better songs than this. Saaiyara from Ek Tha Tiger sung by the same duo as a matter of fact is one for example ( not a great song but anyday better than this ) Is this the same man who gave us hits like Dil Se , Taal , Rang De Basanti , etc ? A very mediocre song to say the least. Getting an indication of what is going to follow, I prepare for the worst.

Song number three, Ishq Shava is a lively and peppy number. Shilpa Rao is one singer who over the past few years has slowly made her name in female play back singing in the industry. Once again she manages to be the only reason why you’ll hear this song. Three songs down and I’m still looking for AR Rahman.

Heer is a simple but at the same time soothing number to listen to. 4 songs down and this is the closest I felt I was listening to the music composed by the man with curly hair. You may not like it at the start but there might be a selected few who will.

We come to the livelier Jiya Re. I wasn’t that gripped the first time I heard it, Neeti Mohan’s voice being the only thing that was stuck in my head. Hear it a few times and you’ll keep this in your mobile phone. That I assure you. The music of Jab Tak Hai Jaan has some hope.

Turns out it’s Jab Tak Hai Jaan and not Challa that’s the title song of this film. The song has a versatile feel to it as Rahman’s combined multiple individual tracks into this one. Javed Ali doing equal justice to the song.

Saans (Reprise) is a slower and the solo female version of Saans. Was too slow for my liking.

Rahman goes instrumental by giving us Ishq Dance. I don’t go to dance classes nor do I dance well but I’ve heard much livelier dance numbers, Hindi ones that too.

And last but not the least we come to Jab Hai Jaan – The Poem, recited by Shahrukh himself and written by Aditya Chopra, the lyrics of the poem leave a lasting impression. The Hindi used in the poem is not that tough to understand. Yash Chopra’s last Veer Zaara too had a poem towards the end of the movie (which was a treat to listen to). This time is no different. The best has been saved for the last. 

Songs that you will download – Challa, Jab Tak Hai Jaan – Poem , Jiya Re

Songs that you will download and end up liking eventually – Heer , Ishq Shava

Song that you will delete – Jab Tak Hai Jaan , Saans , Saans ( Reprise )

To cut a long story short, I am very very disappointed in the music of JTHJ. I’ll come to Rahman later but the thing I found most surprising were the choices of male playback singers that were used. Yash Chopra’s last directorial venture , Veer Zaara had too many songs but each one was one that is still heard today for one prime reason – When you closed your eyes and heard the song you felt Shahrukh was singing. We’ve seen this trend right from Raj Kapoor and Mukesh, Mohammed Rafi and Shammi Kapoor, Kishore Kumar and Rajesh Khanna/Amitabh Bacchan. People of my generation have grown up listening to Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam and Shaan giving their voice to countless number of Shahrukh songs. The trend with all the examples mentioned above is that you always thought the actor was singing when it was certainly not the case. Such was the voice in the playback singing.  If I were given a choice I would have stuck to the tried and tested. Rabbi was surprising but he did justice to the song. But Mohit Chauhan singing for Shahrukh? Something went wrong there.

Rahman fans have waited long for his return and most of us will be massively disappointed with the music that he has given us. Besides Hosanna, I doubt any of us heard another song from Ekk Deewana Tha. Most of us think it was Rockstar which was his last movie. Music the likes of Dil Se, Taal, Swades, etc cannot be made again but at least give us the assurance that yes it was the same man that composed those tunes. Rahman’s next Hindi movie releases in 2013 (when I don’t know) but I hope the music lives up to the name that I have grown up listening to.

If you want me to give stars I'll give the music of JTHJ 2.5/5 . And that's being generous to say the least ( gave one star just because it's Rahman ) 

P.S. - Should have done the music review for Barfi :(