Music Review:My Name Is Khan(Shankar Ehsaan Loy)

by Srikanth Mantravadi

Shankar Ehsaan Loy’s music for this soundtrack is absolutely beauteous.And all this is brought forth with a broad and expansive brush stroke of tassavuf colouration,that elevate these otherwise unadorned ballads into enjoyable,homely melodies.SEL have often been castigated for their over-reliance on a feel-good brand of concoctions,particularly when teaming up with Karan Johar,but they take the same to such exalting,gratifying levels here,that it’s hard not to be swept over,on one’s own volition,by a gushing tide of sacchariferous warmth,that permeates all around.

SEL whip up a trancelike fervour in the celebratory Sajda.Rahat and Richa Sharma,virtuoso performers both tuck into it with disarming passion and sing with much joyous ardor and gusto,thereby,tinting the veritable piece with a robust and earthy flavour,that it soiree’s along with visible contentment.

Orchestration,though a lesser being vis-a-vis the tuning,can sublimate a song and take it to a higher plane.Simply put,it is like the topping to a pizza.The most striking example of this could be Noor-e-Khuda,wherein the composers spin a modest tune but weave into it stirring counterpoints and intermezzos apart from employing the vocals of Adnan and Shreya,who are amiably at their best.There is the harmonica riff,the lilt of an acoustic guitar and most astoundingly the piercing trill of a maudlin violin(precisely at around the 5:18 mark).Just Gorgeous.

The soundtrack visibly hits cruise control with the dulcet Tere Naina.A touch formulaic,it is nevertheless buoyed by a seamless rendition by Shafqat,who,as is his wont,sings with characteristic flair.The song also reminded me of its namesake from the ill fated Chandni Chowk To China.That was one gorgeously wrought song,moulded along the Hamsadhwani raagam apart from containing exquisite vocals from Shankar,himself,and Shreya Ghoshal,which deserved more attention.

Allah Hi Rahem isn’t tuned as enthusiastically as the first two songs but is backed by more than serviceable vocals from Rashid Khan which ensures that it lazes along.

Rang De,on the face of it,is a decent song but given the fact that SEL,here,are merely stretching the proverbial Rock On bubblegum beyond breaking point,and that too after Wake Up Sid and London Dreams,means that this is nothing more than a jaded brew.The trio should do better than to hardsell a song with,what are now becoming,their,‘All Rights Reserved’,dreadfully predictable accoutrements.

It is sad see the law of averages catching up in the same soundtrack.

My Picks-Sajda,Noor-e-Khuda

My Rating-Three Cheers!!!