Producer: Aditya Chopra
Director: Anil Mehta
Lyricists: Piyush Mishra, Jaideep Sahni, AsifAli Beg
Music Director: Salim-Sulaiman
Music by: YRF Music
Actors: Madhuri Dixit, Akshaye Khanna, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kunal Kapoor, Ranvir Shorey, Divya Dutta, Jugal Hansraj, Irfan Khan, Raghubir Yadav, Yashpal Sharma

For a film that has Madhuri Dixit back on screen after 5 years and with big hype on music and dance, one would have expected a musical extravaganza – where the music would hit the listener with a bang. However, musical blockbuster would hardly be the description to go with the film. There are a few numbers that are dance-worthy and a few others which are soft and smoochy and a few that are not really notable or memorable. The film has raked up enough controversy because of a few lines in the title song that have hurt the sentiments of a particular community in Northern India that caused the movie to be banned in 3 or 4 states in India – till the offensive lyrics were removed and the movie released.

Salim-Sulaiman made their foray into full fledged music direction with Kaal, followed by Chak De India and Chain Kuli ki main Kuli and now Aaja Nach Le. The duo have been composing music for over a decade having done background scores for a number of films like Pyaar mein kabhi kabhi, Bhoot, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Matrubhoomi, Hum Tum, Dhoom, Krissh (for which they won the Filmfare award for best background score), Ta Ra Rum Pum, Namaste London etc. They have also composed music for a number of TV commercials and shows (Coffee with Karan, Dance Divas and Super Singer to name a few).

Aaja Nachle, the controversial title number has lusty and robust vocals by Sunidhi Chauhan with good chorus back up. Sunidhi sizzles as she does in most of her songs and is the ideal choice for this type of song. Though the melody is predictable and could have had a little more thump, it still is a good title song for the film. Piyush Mishra (a gifted lyricist, actor, script & dialogue writer, and well known theatre personality) has undoubtedly raked up a storm of sorts with certain lines from this song! ***½

Ishq hua – one needs to hear it for a second or third time to start enjoying the song - Sonu and Shreya’s relaxed and mature rendition and good flute and guitar scores rescue the song from mediocrity. This song and Is Pal serve as the love ballads of the film ***

Show me your jalwa – Very enjoyable number with spirited lyrics by Jaideep Sahni (a talented writer and creative producer who also wrote the screenplay and dialogue for this film) – lively and hearty and is sure to get you on the dance floor - a typical desi (despite the English refrain) foot tapping dance number in both rhythm and score and peppy from start to finish. Richa Sharma, Kailash Kher and Salim Merchant are in their element and do full justice to the song.*** ½

O re piya – one of the better songs of the album – a ballad that blends soft rock and semi-classical in the Sufi tradition. Lovely and elegant strings and percussion accompaniment – sung with passion by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan who true to his reputation, gives it his best and makes it a song to savour and relish…….****

Soniye Mil Ja - A song that serves up some hindi rapping by Madhuri Dixit and team with some sparkling Indian and some Russian folk music in the interlude peppered with a dash of interesting and fun lyrics by Mishra and some vibrant singing by Sunidhi and Sukhvinder Singh. ***

Is pal – Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghosal – a soft and easy on the ear number with tender lyrics where the singers share a special chemistry as they croon to each other. The song has an unhurried feel to it though at times the tempo lags and then thankfully picks up again. ***

Koi Pathar se na mare – a melancholic number that speaks of Laila-Majnu’s doomed relationship. Mostly a soulful melody, at times it comes close to sounding like some of the older Lata emotional numbers – well rendered by Sunidhi and Shreya and Sonu Nigam with a pleasing background score, especially the strings and percussion. ***

Dance with me – Even Sonia Saigal’s zippy vocals couldn’t save this song from sounding like stale leftovers from the 80’s with banal English lyrics (by AsifAli Beg, who is also a singer, theatre personality and radio-jockey ) –it is the most unremarkable song of the film. Although it has a good brass section support (vibrant trumpet, trombone and saxophone accompaniment by Livehorn.com), the song easily slips into the realm of dreary monotony! 

Nachle – the reprise of Aaja nachle is also perky and peppy – Sunidhi and the animated chorus ensemble breeze through the song with gusto and make it lively enough to get you dancing.*** ½

In all, a hodgepodge offering from Salim Sulaiman – Hopefully, at least the songs of Aaja Nachle, will have a better reception than the actual film which has been panned by critics and audience alike and receiving very poor response at the box office. Did the songs get me dancing or at least my feet a tapping……and did any get me going for the rewind button? Well, maybe a couple of them did………while some others were definitely worth more than just one listen. So, I wouldn’t like to completely write off the efforts of this talented duo that are slowly making their mark in Hindi film music.

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