Reviewed by Akhlaq Hussain
akhlaq@indolink.com

After the record breaking success of the romantic YASH CHOPRA film DIL TO PAGAL HAI two years ago, one would think that music director UTTAM SINGH would return to full form given another romantic film, but this is not the case. Besides the romantic title track, the music of HUM TUM PE MARTE HAIN hardly comes remotely close to the Yash Chopra film which is a shame. The soundtrack begins with the title track Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain sung by the Dil To Pagal Hai duo of UDIT NARAYAN and LATA MANGESHKAR. The song is reminiscent of Lata’s older romantic songs and has Udit in full form. This is perhaps the best song in the album and is being used in most of the film’s promos (Incidentally, this is also the first time since RADHA KA SANGAM in 1992 that LATA has sung on the T-SERIES label due to her animosity for ANURADHA PAUDWAL who recorded over several of Lata’s songs in previous films and Anuradha singing almost all of Lata’s old numbers on “cover” tracks for T-Series).

Next we have UDIT NARAYAN and HARIHARAN singing “O MERE DADDY,” a duet where the hero asks his father how he won over his mother. The song is peppy and different from the usual dosti-male-duets in most films. It is quite nice to hear Hariharan with Udit together for the first time.

DUNIYA SE KUCHH LO follows which features UDIT NARAYAN and AMIT KUMAR. The song is passable and entertains the hero’s quest of trying to win over his family by convincing them of the importance of getting along with one’s neighbors as that is the main basis of the film. It's a shame Amit Kumar is being only parts and verses of songs to sing for senior artists when he could easily do just as good singing the whole number itself for most film heroes.

Next is a snippet O MERE BITWA which features Udit and Hariharan again ending their earlier song since now the hero’s secret is out on why he desires to know how his father won over his mother.

The latest musical trends in BOLLYWOOD soundtracks now are INSTRUMENTAL and REMIX tracks of songs from the given film. Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain is no exception and has an instrumental version of the title track.It is followed by a remix HUM BANJARE HO by SHOBHA JOSHI. The remix is dull and could have been done much better, maybe a regular beat version would have been better. Shobha Joshi is in full form though, making the track bearable.

Following this we have LADKI KO LADKA PASAND NAHIN by UDIT NARAYAN. Udit sings again in full form and tries to put some life in this situational song of the film where the heroine is being engaged to someone obviously against her will. This is probably one song which any groom would not want to hear at his ENGAGEMENT or WEDDING, so watch out for it folks. Hopefully not too many men out there will hear this one while getting engaged to their beloved.

A sad-one minute long snippet of the title track “PYAR MEIN DOOR KYA” follows with LATA and UDIT which needs no mention. HUM BANJARE HO is repeated now in a regular instrumental version with SHOBHA JOSHI and UDIT NARAYAN. Shobha steals the show from Udit in the song and makes this one of the highlights of the album.

The soundtrack ends with the teaser JAA RAHE HO TUM by UDIT NARAYAN. A slow-roadside-romeo song which differs from the usual GOVINDA “I LOVE YOU BOL DALs” and “LAL DUPATE WALIs.” It is passable and is worth a listen but by this time one wishes they could hear somebody besides UDIT singing in the film.

Debutant director NABHKUMAR “RAJU” follows in his GURU SOORAJ BARJATYA’s footsteps by creating situational songs for the film and looks like he and UTTAM SINGH have put some effort in them. The only problem is that this is not what the music lovers expected. After DIL TO PAGAL HAI and the bearable DUSHMAN, one would have that HUM TUM PE MARTE HAIN would have Uttam Singh belting out romantic numbers left, right, and center but alas this is not the case. Instead we have only one true romantic number (which is excellent) and 5 situational songs which will only sound good when one sees the artists perform them on the big screen. Uttam Singh should realize this and correct himself in his forthcoming ventures PYAR DEEWANA HOTA HAI and DIL NE PHIR YAAD KIYA (also Govinda starrers incidentally).

As for the film itself, it is definitely a trial for everyone involved, mostly for ChiChi as to see if the film-going audience can accept him in a sugar-coated-loverboy role rather than a loud NO. 1 character he has been known for in the recent past. The plot is the usual love-story formula with feuding neighboring families fighting over some old squabble, the treatment by Nabhkumar will be what should set the film apart. This is also the first time URMILA has been paired opposite ChiChi and will not be the last as they duo have DAVID DHAWAN’s KUNWAARA releasing in 2-3 months also. Well if all else fails for ChiChi, at least he has his reliable DAVID DHAWAN’s film to look forward to, right?