Reviewed by Manish Dhamija
manish@indolink.com

One would never expect Indra Kumar's one word titles to carry so much weight. First Dil, then Beta, followed by Raja and Ishq, and now, he offers Bollywood Mann. In the tradition of previous Indra Kumar directions, Mann does not fall short in the music category as Kumar is one of the few directors who has an excellent ear for music as well as a talent for roping in the audiences to see his films. We can only hope that the Aamir Khan-Manisha Koirala film does just as well as his other box office successes. Mann not only reunites producer Ashok Thakeria with director Indra Kumar after their break during the production of Ishq, but it marks the foray of debutantes Sanjeev and Darshan, who incidentally happen to be music director Shravan's sons.

Mann is melodious...Mann is infectious...Mann is all that and more. Although it falls short of masterpieces such as Dil Se..., Khamoshi, Kareeb, and the more recent Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Mann has music for ears of the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Soldier, and Ghulam fans.

Side A starts off with the title track, "Mera Mann", sung wonderfully by Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan, who dominates the entire album in each of the nine songs. "Mera Mann" is sweet and filled with romance, accentuated beautifully by a saxophone in the background. Udit and Alka are in top form and demonstrate that they do indeed rule Bollywood music today. The song explores the emotions of love that one is feeling, but can not understand. The pace is somewhat similar to Jatin-Lalit's "Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai" from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

Next is "Tinak Tin Tana" - another Udit Narayan-Alka Yagnik duet. The song is fun and there is no other word to describe it. The two lead singers repeat "Gaye dil aur jhume zamana", which aptly describes the feel of the song. Although the lyrics are not poetic or beautiful, they definitely are not meant to be. The song is very similar to the mood of Anand-Milind's "Tana Na Na Na Tana Na Na" from the Akshay Kumar-Nagma-Ajay Devgan-Karisma Kapoor starrer Suhaag.

The third song is passable and is entitled "Nasha Pyar Ka". It is a bit reminiscent of songs from when our parents were young. An Udit Narayan solo, the song is listenable only because of Udit's voice, who never seems to carry any tune poorly.

The fourth song is probably the best of the album and is very catchy. Again a duet, the song has Udit Narayan accompanied by Hema Sardesai, who adds a perfect blend of seduction to the song. Her voice slightly resembles pop star Alisha, when she used to lend her voice to Hindi films. Entitled "Kehna Yeh Tumse Kehna Hai", the song reflects the desire of two lovers to express their emotions to one another. The music is very upbeat and catchy and far surpasses Udit and Hema's other recent duet, "Kaun Hai Woh", from Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet.

Finally, side A ends with "Dance Music", which has been part of Mann's promos. The music has a Caribbean feel to it and definitely seems suitable for a boat setting, where the story of Mann takes place. At first, the singer's "La La La La Lai" is a bit annoying, but eventually grows on the listener.

Side B is a bit more slow and sappy as compared to the upbeat music of Side A. The first of three Udit Narayan-Anuradha Paudwal duets is "Chaha Hai Tujhko" is not bad, but it is Udit's voice that makes the song attractive to the ears. His voice is perfect for a man yearning for his love without sounding too sad. Although Anuradha sounded better during her Dil and Saajan days, she does an average job.

The second of their duets is probably the best one. Called "Kyon Chupate Ho", the song is dominated by Udit. Anuradha's voice is simply part of the background towards the end of the album. The tune resembles something from Western music, although I can't really pinpoint which tune. An interesting part of the song is an overlap of Udit's voice, which should have been used more frequently throughout the song. Again, this song is a love song that questions why his lover is hiding her feeling.

The third item on side B is Aamir Khan's voice used in dialogue. Aamir who made his debut with "Aati Kya Khandala" from Ghulam seems to be very popular with music albums, with Mann and his earlier Sarfarosh song "Is Deewane Ladke Ko". Nothing special about the dialogue - just a declaration of his love for Priya, who is of course Manisha Koirala. Following his dialogues is the last of the Udit-Anuradha duets, "Khushiyan Aur Gham". Again, it is Udit that makes the song. The song is pleasant on the ears, but may be a bit slow for some. Incidentally, a female's voice is part of the background music and sounds very much like Chitra.

Finally, side B ends with "Kali Nagin Ke Jaisi" sung by Udit Narayan and Kavita Krishnamurthy. The song has Arabian beats in the background, which give the song an interesting appeal. The lyrics are not outstanding, but are far better than Sameer's earlier work during 94 with Raja Babu and Eena Meena Deeka. Udit is in top form, Kavita is good, but not mindblowing as she is in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Yet, the song is too catchy to pass, especially with each line ending with a two-word repeat (i.e. jaadu jaadu, kali kali, haule haule, etc.).

All in all, Mann meets expectations, as have the music of previous Indra Kumar flicks. If you're a CD collector, this album is a good asset to your collection. A very commendable effort by Sanjeev-Darshan - we here at Planet Bollywood welcome you and hope your future endeavors are just as pleasing!