Planet Bollywood
Muqaddar Ka Sikandar
 
Producer: Prakash Mehra
Director: Prakash Mehra
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Rekha, Rakhee
Music: Kalyanji-Anandji
Lyrics: Anjaan, Prakash Mehra
Singers: Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Mahendra Kapoor, Hemlata
Audio On: HMV    Number of Songs: 8
Reviewed by: Rakesh Budhu  - Rating: 8.0 / 10
 
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Public Rating Average: 5.13 / 10 (rated by 412 listeners)
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Not many directors and producers have the chance to be accredited to both great films and writing unique everlasting numbers. Prakash Mehra was able to do so when Rekha

effervescently set her feet to one of Bollywood´s greatest mujras "Salaam-E-Ishq". Unfortunately, calling it great is a major understatement as is the for the soundtrack by Kalyanji-Anandji. For a film that paralleled the lines of tragedy in romance, the music transverses on many levels of romance, happiness, sadness and the contents which comprise great albums. Not that Kalyanji-Anandji haven´t done better, for Amitabh Bachchan´s classics album rise a few notches above this one, but the qualities be not overlooked.

A note of personal touch is felt in the soft touching ghazal, "O Saathi Re, Tere Bina Bhi Kya Jeena". The pinch of orchestration mixed with jazz like guitar use is evident in some of their previous albums. Kishore Kumar was in his Bachchan mode singing deep and husky to aptly match the legend. Anjaan´s lyrics were effective but kept the song in one range- slow. Asha Bhosle, however, is more astounding in her rendition which is a bit tearful rendition which is superb. Her version leaves much more of a lasting impression as one of Kalyanji-Anandji´s beautiful compositions.

And thus, if the ghazal opener was depressing, Amitabh soaring on a motor bike should be enough to cheer one up in the title track, "Woh Muqaddar, Ka Sikandar...". A swift beat is interplayed with upbeat music and the talented Kishore Kumar. A slower version accompanies in "Zindagi To Bewafa", which interestingly are a part of the original version as well. The slower version usually constitutes a sad tone and this one is no different.

Not only are the lyrics by Prakash Mehra the shining in "Salaam-E-Ishq", Lata Mangeshkar´s singing is flawless as the harmonium, dholak and enticing music. Calling it perfect would be just about right. Kishore Kumar is gently refined even though his verses are as lengthy as Lata´s.

The mandatory heroine love song is satisfied in the form of "Dil To Hai Dil", Lata Mangeshkar´s only solo on the soundtrack. While the music is not at per say outstanding, the song is sweetly penned by Anjaan and Lata Mangeshkar can always take great lyrics to new places.

In the golden days we were rarely privileged to sisters Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar together. The opportunity arises rarely no as well though one would surely not expect it to be in the disco duniya techno dance music style (overdosed with the guitar synthesization) as in "Pyaar Zindagi Hai". Given the style of the song Asha and Lata and Mahendra Kapoor are not expected to give their bests and neither do Kalyanji-Anandji.

An encore to "Salaam-E-Ishq" follows. While not in any way related musically to the song, the song shares the same genre as the previous and is laced with the swift beats, dholak use and occasional harmonium implementation for typical numbers as such. For the first time however, a different female lead is used, Hemlata, and she sings the meaningful song with talent.

There are certain things that come to mind when the title of the film is repeated. Aside from remembering that the film had one of the biggest death scenes in Hindi cinema there is Rekha´s mujra which to date matches the likes of recent attempts sounding refreshingly new each listen. No different are most of the songs in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar.

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