Reviewed by: Sunder Kumar
ali@indolink.com

The Maachis team - Vishal and Gulzar come together for Kamal Hassan's Indianized re-incarnation of Mrs. Doubtfire. For a remake of a Tamil hit with successful music, surprisingly Kamal Hassan has chosen to have all-new music - and has come out with a score worth the effort.

Gulzar and Pancham teamed brilliantly in Aandhi, Khushboo, and Kinara; as also for the more light and free-flowing Khubsoorat (Saare Niyam Tod Do), Golmaal (Sapne Mein Dekha, Gol Maal Hai Sab, Ek Baat Kahoon Main), Naram Garam (Ek Baat Kahoon Chachaji), and Angoor (Preetam Aan Milo). Much in the same vein, Vishal follows the more serious Maachis with a free-tuned, frivolous score here.

The album opener Bhaaga Sa has some abstract and disjoint lyrics - that remind you of the Gol Maal title song. With a fast and catchy tune, except a brief Maachis like interlude, Hariharan is at easy with a type of song that he hasn't sung too often. Ek Woh Din by Rekha is a typical Gulzar song - much like the recent Maachis, Daayra and some Pancham jewels of before.

The duet "Jago Gori" has two versions by Kamal Hassan himself and Asha Bhosle. One has Kamal in his original voice (he sounds remarkably similar to Hariharan), and the other version has Kamal doing an entire song in a falsetto (voice of Chachi). Asha Bhosle is in command in both versions - raising some very innovative, albeit trivial lyrics by Gulzar (Saiyan ki moochein kare gudgudee, and saiyan hain masahari ...etc. ). The song evokes fond memories of the Angoor classic "preetam aan milo" in singing, lyrics, and music.

"Gare Dore" is a another fast and hyper-active, maybe a little jumpy or rough tune sung brilliantly by Hariharan and Asha Bhosle. Again Gulzar has the right words, though it is far cry from poetry .... a far cry that tries to make the listeners laugh.

The title track Chupdi Chachi (wonder if it was written for the previous title - Chikni Chachi) is sung by Aditya Narayan (son of Udit Narayan - remember Rangeela, Pardes etc.). A catchy kid tune, Gulzar has tongue twisters galore to make it different.

An interesting album - though not a musical masterpiece, Chachi 420 could be important for the Gulzar-Vishal team as a remarkably different score from Maachis. We see Gulzar in this form after a long time - and he proves his repertoire with frivolous lyrics once again - and without Pancham. He surely has found in Vishal, someone who can do as diverse scores as Maachis and Chachi 420, as Pancham could do Gol Maal and Ijaazat.

Would you like to contribute? Please contact assteditor@indolink.com