out of Producer: Keshu Director: Umesh Mehra Music: Aadesh Shrivastava Lyrics: Dev Kohli

Reviewed by Ramesh Kainthla
kainthla@indolink.com

"Khiladi" was supposed to be lucky for Akshay Kumar till "Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi" (1997) bombed at the box office. But Keshu and Umesh Mehra, who earlier teamed with Akshay in Sabse Bada Khiladi, and Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, are not ready to hang up the Khiladi title yet and are bringing back Akshay Kumar with Twinkle Khanna in this action adventure. The last productions of producer (Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi), director (Qila) and hero (Barood) have all been flops. Can they bring together the chemistry of their earlier collaboration to put Khiladi on the winning track again? They will have to do that without much help from the music.

The album starts out with a tolerable fast-paced romantic duet "Chhookar tere man ko" sung by Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik. The track will probably be able to enter the countdown charts because of the resemblance of the opening line to a hit number from Amitabh starrer "Yaarana".

A punjabi-style number in a movie seems to be a trend these days."Sona sona" from Major Saab is the inspiration behind Sudesh Bhosle (cassette credits the song to Sonu Nigam) and Jaspinder Narula song "Lutiya Gaya".

Abhijeet and Alka Yagnik team to render a catchy "Saiyan saiyan".

Sonu Nigam sings music and chorus dominated title song with words in Hindi and English describing the International Khiladi (He is a lover, he is a killer).

B side starts with "Yaar maine ek sapna dekha" sung by Udit Narayan. (Cassette also lists Alka Yagnik as the singer, but where is she??) It is a description of what else sapna but not a very good one with Dev Kohli writing lyrics.

Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik come together once again for "Halka halka dard hai", another romantic duet, listenable while it lasts. The tune has a "heard before" feel.

The last number "Kudi Kanwari", tries to follow the trend of "wedding song" in a movie but turns out to be the "cheap" song of the cassette with wording like "Teri behna moti kaali hai". It is sung by Johny Lever, Roopkumar Rathod, Alka Yagnik, Bela and Reema. The song starts out with pretty offensive chhed chhad between jija and saali. The last stanza is semi-serious with brother thinking about sister's marriage, but by that time you may have already fast forwarded the track.

In conclusion an album which you may listen to couple of times but then put in a heap not to be touched again. A bad omen for Akshay Kumar and "khiladi" title.