(This article is sponsored by Sounds of India)

Shankar Ehsaan Loy are riding the wave of success once again! If initial reports are to be believed they have yet another winner on their hands. After the colossal musical hits Kal Ho Na Ho and Lakshya the threesome are back in the news again with Kyun, ho gaya na!

KHGN is making news alright…real time sweethearts Ash Rai and Vivek Oberoi turn reels red hot say the lucky few who have been privy to more scenes that the average TV watcher. Their chemistry and comic timing are stuff that legends are made off, swears a pal who has seen more rushes that this reviewer has.

Javed Akhtar and Shakar Esaan Loy have, in KHGN, blended genres, Bollywood meeting Hollywood, east, west, north and south all in a palatable package. Shankar Mahadevan’s melodic rendering elevates Dheere Dheere whereas Baat Samjha Karo is irritating mainly because Chetan Shashtilal’s voice (supposed to be that of Bachchan’s in the film). The less said about the music composition of that particular song the better.

Aao na with Sadhana Sargam and Udit Narayan is pleasant on the ears, their voices complementing each other perfectly. Pyar Mein Sau Uljhane Hai (Mahadevan-Vijay Prakash-Mahalakshmi-Sneha Pant) is pedestrian, catchy but repetitive after a bit.

Shaan and S-E-L make a good team. In Main Hoon Sunidhi joins Shaan in a hip hop/ western folk inspired number.

The major disservice S-E-L have done to Bollywood is lend almost every album their trademark yeah-yeah-yeah. Mirroring a terrible 70’s hang-up (remember the yah yahs in all fast Hindi numbers?), No no No Kyun Ho gaya na (Mahadevan-Kunal Ganjavala, Dominique Cerejo-Loy Mendonsa-Chetan Shashital) sounds tired and clichéd and Baat Samjha Karo (Shashital-Mahadevan-Javed Ali) can be labeled average at best.

That said, the CD cover impresses with a new bound book form and judging from the aggressive promos flooding the market folks are bound to give the album a chance…that it deserves.

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