Ravan [Hindi] Music Review
(2.5/5) Raavan – Not menacing enough!
With the movie boasting of blockbuster-sized names like Rahman, Gulzar and Mani Ratnam — virtually the best names each genre can dish out, expectations from Raavan are certainly sky high.
Surely after the success of A R Rahman at the Oscars, we expect him to conjure one of 2010’s better albums. Sure and why not, when he is backed with lyricist Gulzar and a maestro director Ratnam.
Does it really live up to them, is a different question altogether.
Beera: With Beera, the albums begins with the best it has to offer.The song perhaps is intended to introduce Ratnam’s now favourite Abhishek Bachchan’s character Beera.
It sets the rhythm going with its strong accentuated drums, which are quite energetic and trance-like in their own right. It begins with the strong ‘Mahube’ and African tribal beat influence before Rahman sets the tempo in full flow captivating the listener almost beckoning him to swing to the beat. There’s no stopping after that. Sung by Vijay Prakash, Mustafa Kutoane and Keerthi Sagathia, is certainly the best of the lot and fit’s the bill as an opener.
Behene De: Behene De, sung by Karthik and Mohammed Irfan is a distinct change of pace. It begins slowly with a prolonged prelude, which seems to stretch a bit too far, before subsequently picking up towards the middle before falling only to rise again towards the end. At best a passable attempt.
Thok Di Killi: Thok Di Killi is a sung by Sukhwinder Singh and newcomer Am’nico. This song features traditional wind instruments giving it a rustic tinge. Towards the middle of the song Thok Di Killi tends to become a bit monotonous before attempting a last ditch effort to save itself with a burst of tempo. A tad too late perhaps.
Ranja Ranja: Ranja Ranja is a rather run-of-the-mill track. Rekha Bhradwaj (who has in the past rendered modern day folk classics in partnership with her music director husband Vishal Bharadwaj) and Javed Ali are handicapped with this rather uninspiring song. Rekha’s high-pitched vocals are somehow unharmonious to the ear. The slow pace of the song does not help its cause.
Khilli Re: For a change Khilli Re is melodious song. Its like a breath of fresh air, which can be savoured as each note drifts towards your ears. A love song, it is sung by Reena Bhardwaj.
Kata kata: If Beera was a good way to begin, Kata kata a good way to end! A wedding song, it raises the tempo once again with its festive, heart-thumping beats. Towards the middle there is rather prolonged period of low energy which only helps the tempo build up once again. The sheer energy of the song, can drive it through and to the top of the charts. Sung by Ila Arun, Sapna Awasthi and Kunal Ganjawala, the track is no doubt a great way to finish.
Barring the three songs, Raavan leaves a lot to be desired, especially at a time when Rehman riding is on an Oscar high. Cant say Jai Ho all the way for this one.
-Audio Review by Bhushan in Goa
ARR IS THE BEST MUSICIAN IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE , SO ANY ONE HAS NO RIGHT TO COMMENT ON HIM
HI ABHI JI AND AISH BHABHI UR FILM IS GOIIG TO BE A SUPER BLOCKBUSTER,ALL BIHAR IS WAITING 4 THIS FILM , BEST WISHES FROM A DIE HARD FAN OF BOTH OF U FROM BIHAR
the person who reviewed this has certainly no taste of music or is simply filled with uncalled for jealousy towards ARR. Nothing else explains why he downplays a soundtrack which “everyone else” finds eternally refreshing.!!! Sorry if i sound too hurting I cannot help it
ARR is a class musician
The songs are very good…I got addicted to ranjha ranjha…kata kata and beera
I dont know who reviewed these songs but are really good. Listen to the music again and again..then u will understand the par excellence and real beauty in it..it will haunt u!!!
More than commenting on raavan,every1 seems to be letting lose a lot of steam on ARR recent past….JTYJN [ie jaane tu],Jodha Akbar,Ghajini,Swades,Guru,Shivaji is definitely not something you can ignore as a keen music lover….looks like this is a forum to glorify kannada music which according to me ranks as mediocre except for the odd track here n there…the body of work that ARR will create ,apart fromwhat has already been created, is a legacy which we should be proud of being a part of…….also film music does come with its own set of limitations,which is why i wouldnt be surprised if ARR branches out in future and becomes a full fledged private composer…..he still rocks,and the wait is on for a successor worthy of inheritng his mantle
Bang on Target Vruschika.. AR Rahman has been basking in his past glory and is simply out-of-touch these days/years now.. except for Slumdog…For that matter, even Maniratnam is also not in his own class now… he is despearte to grab eye balls but not concentrating on Good scripts… started working on half baked scripts.. Hope this changes with Raavan..
A R Rahman and other new Bollywood music directors are trying new things with instruments and trying to be different but at the same time they are ignoring the native touch and melody which is missing to a greater extent in today’s songs. That is the reason why the songs become extinct as soon as the movies disappear from the theaters. A R Rahman has not given any great (not even good) songs since recent years and some of us blindly follow him.
Hope u guys have heard Ilayaraja’s recent chartbuster albums (kannada) like Nannavanu, Prem Kahani, Bhagyada Balegara
Despite the “heard before”, “same old Rahman” feel on the surface, Ravan songs are good.. Behne de, Ranjha Ranjha, and Khili re songs rock.
Its boring Music, its waste album from ARR. Krish is right he should go to Ilayaraja again to learn from sratch. Mani Ratham’s movies are slow and boring.
Ratnam should go back to Ilayaraja or any other new Director, as Rehman’s experiments are beyond indian sense which is NonSense.
Disappointing music from Rehman!
@Suresh Kumar
You are right. I too felt the same.
Please publish Sanchaari Music Review….awesome songs from Arjun…Galiye nodu baa is an excellent song
Mr Music Reviewer, Didn’t the starting music i mean the instruments remind u of the starting music of aadisi nodu from kasthuri nivasa… I thought so