Music: Himesh Reshammiya
Label: T-Series
Lyrics: Sameer
Rating: 1.5/5
Let’s get straight to the point. Karzzzz (whats with the four ‘Z’s?) has a whopping 19 soundtracks, out of which seven are originals and 12 are remixes. After the ‘Aap Ka Suroor’ high, Himesh Reshammiya now comes with Karzzzz – a remake of the 1980s Rishi Kapoor starrer musical hit ‘Karz’.
Lut Jaaon Lut Jaaon is a straight rip-off – the beats and tune sound similar to that of ‘Punjab’ from Karunesh’s Buddha Bar album and it reminds me of – no, not any song but one of HR’s interview were he said “I am proud that my name has not featured in the plagiarists’ list. Show me one song of mine which has been copied? You won’t be able to think of any, which is why I work so hard to come up with original melodies.”
In the second track, Hari om Hari, HR is back with his own revamped version of ‘Om Shanti Om’ where he changes the filmy dialogue ‘tumne kabhi kise se pyaar kiya’ to an even more filmy ‘Ye mohabbat bhi kya cheej hai, na jeene deti hai na marne deti hai’ and delivers it in a la Mithun style. The song sounds energetic – particularly because of its pumping beats, but what’s with the strong Birmingham accented chorus?
Heard of Arabian Nights or Chilly Nights? Well, the next song goes Tak Tana Nana Tandoori Nights!!! By Tandoori Nights (I suppose) lyricist Sameer meant ‘Hot or Warm Nights’, thus taking the Bollywood literary to an altogether new level. The song furthers with a rather interesting interlude which goes ‘Tanha tanha hai din, tanha tandoori nights’; those new to this terminology will have a hard time digesting the lyrics. After being a hit among the rickshawallahs, with Tandoori Nights, HR spreads his niche to bar and restaurant owners.
The intro ‘rap’ of Soniye Je Tere can be spelt with a ‘C’. With Soniye Je Tere, HR shifts to an emotionally intense mood and HR’s partner-in-nasal rhyme is Tulsi Kumar. Ample use of the harmonium gives the song a classical feel, but here’s the dip – it’s a straight lift of Punjabi singer Kulwinder Kally’s Soniye Je Tere. Need I say more?
Dhoom tere ishq ki is HR’s version of ‘Dard-e-Dil’. The only song from the entire album with no spunky trademark HR beats, this song is a breather and unexpectedly different from his usual compositions. With just a Harmonium and Tabla to complement, it’s here that HR proves that he can be melodious and different. The listener can focus on vocals, words and its meaning for a change.
After a rather rich composition like ‘Dhoom tere ishq ki’, HR steps back to fusing rap and peppy beat music in Sisak Sisak Ke. The song gives a foretaste of the flamboyant 80’s club era – there’s nothing extraordinarily exceptional about this one!
Tere Bin chain Na Aave starts with a sarangi piece followed by HR’s epochal crooning (where he sustains and modulates the Oooo’s). The song is sprinkled with Punjabi lyrics here and there. Tulsi Kumar helps HR in expressing the feminine sentiments.
Masha Allah has a breezy feel to it; this romantically impulsive track will remind you of his previous compositions ‘Yaad Sataye Teri’ and ‘Allah Kare’. The lyrics, however, are steady and impressive. The song is sure to be a hit among HR fans.
In HR’s version of Ek Haseena Thi, the epochal guitar tune is played on keyboard (maybe because it’s his principle instrument) and the lyrics are kept the same as in the original track. However, the constant and almost fanatical use of electronic sound has killed the soul of the song. This new age tribute is more of a mockery of the original.
Karzzzz is nothing new – a typical characteristic HR sound with peppy beats, heavy bass line, nasal singing, fanatical electronic loops and more monotonous phrases.
About the exhaustive remixes – no comment.
