Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam - Music Review

Now this one may turn out to be a laugh-riot. And looking at the likes of Mallika Sherawat, Rahul Bose, Kay Kay Menon and Paresh Rawal coming together on a common platform for a fun ride, Maan Gaye Mughall E Azam promises a whacky soundtrack. However, there are slight apprehensions too. Anu Malik has been inconsistent in his new innings and while Ugly Aur Pagli has been doing well with Love Story 2050 doing OK, there have also been duds like Good Luck and Hastey Hastey. After listening to the soundtrack of MGMEA, one can conveniently add one more to the list.

Classic track Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya from Mughal E Azam gets it's modern day disco avtar the moment Mallika Sherawat comes to fore. What surprises is that even though Ishg Bector sings a major part of the song (he kick starts with a rap and is present throughout the 5 minute duration), he hasn't been credited in the album. Sounding like Bali Brahmbhatt, he makes way for Anushka Manchanda and Mahalakshmi Iyer to give two different flavors to the song.

By the time Shaan joins all the fun in this item number which is meant for a stage performance, one realizes that 'Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya' is neither serious nor spoofy. Instead it is plain fun with Sanjay Chhel's lyrics being largely responsible for keeping the entertainment quotient well in place. One looks forward to the picturisation of this song which features the entire principal star cast of the film creating a riot in one common setting!

Marmari Baahen is a kind of quintessential romantic number which can't ever be hated by a listener. However, even though the number has a melodic base to it, it doesn't quite enthrall as such since it follows the basic routine of mush and romance while keeping it soft and simple. Moving at a slow pace with some ear pleasing arrangements, 'Marmari Bahen' is a decent duet by Shaan and Mahalakshmi Iyer which doesn't really have in it to go all the distance, but stays on to be an OK hearing overall! Later, Blue Zone 'remixes' the song with Anu Malik himself choosing to come behind the mike. Well, the way he goes about crooning the number, it is assured that 'Marmari Bahen' has Malik's trademark stamp to it.

It is time to expect something interesting, what with Pankaj Udhas coming back to singing for a Hindi film after ages. Anu Malik ropes him in for Ek To Sharab Kum which appears in two parts. Well, it is absolute shocking to hear the track because if at all there would be one really forgettable Pankaj Udhas number for a Hindi film, it would be this. The built up takes a horrendously long time and by the time one expects some rhythm in the proceedings, the end result turns out to be damp squib.

There are chances that 'Ek To Sharab Hai' is spoofy in nature, but that by any means doesn't turn out to be a good enough excuse for the song to be so lifeless. To give Pankaj Udhas some credit, he is decent in the way he goes about singing this 'ghazal', but it is due to some really boring arrangements which pull the track down completely. This one clearly disappoints!

With a fine track ('Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya') followed by an average number ('Marmari Bahein') and an absolute letdown ('Ek To Sharab Hai'), one is quite apprehensive before playing the last song in the album, Ishqiyaan. Well, the expectations have ebbed to such a low point by now that whatever reasonably is fine turns out to be some saving grace. This way 'Ishqiyaan' succeeds to an extent as it is not a bad hear, though being stuck in the musical style of 90s.

Primarily a rhythmic-n-peppy duet between Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan, 'Ishqiyaan' has the potential to do well on screen with some funny picturisation. Towards the end, Aftab Hashmi Sabri joins for a 'qawalli' outing while Blue Zone does chip in with a remix version as well. Also, it is exit Sunidhi Chauhan and enter Alisha Chinoy this time around.

Overall, Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam has a forgettable soundtrack which won't make any impression whatsoever in either a short or a long term. The only solace that the makers of the film can take is from the fact that a couple of tracks may well keep the audience engaged due to the funny mood of the film. However, even for that, a lot would depend upon its director Sanjay Chhel to make it happen on screen.

Rating - 1.5/5