Confirmed news of the Rang De Basanti music release came in at 1:30 PM, from Vasu, who informed me that Sudhir had bought the CD on the way to the office, in the morning.

On the way to Planet M, I told myself that there was a fair chance this might be the CD that breaks the 200 Rs price barrier, and I talked myself into agreeing that I would NOT buy it if it were so. Well, it wasn't. 160 Rs, 10 songs. What makes me crack up is that I also saw the CD of Rajkumar Santoshi's Family, on sale for the same price, along with a couple of songs from Khakee included. Would really like to know how well sales of that soundtrack fares...

First Impressions:

Current count: two listens. And counting.

Begins with a one-and-a-half-minute Punjabi track 'Ik Onkar' which is all vocals ( songer: Harshdeep Kaur). Neat mutitracking. The title track, by Daler Mehndi and Chitra comes next - though pretty catchy, I thought it a trifle too long. The banjo beginning was not a banjo after all - sounds like a very familiar (Korg?) sample. 'Paathshaala', both the normal and the remix version ( which guest-stars Blaaze) is the kind of dance song that you really cannot dance to. I sincerely hope Blaaze's version stays on the album and does not appear in the film. Boys was the pinnacle of his career - let's leave it at that. 'Khalbali' was the most interesting song - faux Middle-eastern percussion, faux Middle-eastern lilt to the singing, authentic Arabic lyrics/vocals by Rai singer Cheb Nacim ( Or is it some other Nacim? No idea, really), Rahman's grating accent when he sings it being the only minus to the song. I shan't let my occasional hatred for Madhushree's voice taint my judgement of the song 'Tu Bin Bataaye', but it sounds run-of-the-mill, really. ( Which means I will consider this the favourite song of the album after about two weeks.) Naresh Iyer's voice sounds fabulous on this song, though.

One good thing about the album is that it gets better, or seems to, at least, with every song. 'Khoon Chalaa' by Mohit Chauhan ( of Silk Route) is a soft ballad that would sound like a Silk Route number if you replace the violin with the recorder. Minimal percussion, orchestral strings, well-written lyrics. Two very acoustic guitar-driven songs round off the album - 'Luka Chhupi' by Lata Mangeshkar and ARR, which is decent. Would have been catchier with a different female voice, but I feel that about every Lata song nowadays, so nevermind. 'Roobaru' is radio-friendly 90's alt rock. The much-hyped Aamir Khan number, called 'Lalkaar', is more of a poetry recital, sounds like 'Unnodu Naan' from Iruvar than anything else, the words being nearly the same as "Sarfaroshi ki Tamanna" from the Legend of Bhagat Singh.

How's Rang De Basanti going to fare as far as the charts go? Not too much, I guess. Aashiq Banaaya Aapne will win the Filmfare Award for best music, probably best singer too, beating Salaam Namaste in a close race. Do I look like I fucking care?

It kind of gives me a kick to think that two years ago and a day ago, at this time, I was standing about eight feet away from AR Rahman. They were arranging the stage at Gachibowli stadium for the concert, and I was up on the top level of the three-tiered structure, holding a tabla in one hand, waving at the orchestra with the other, and trying very hard not to giggle/dissolve into hysterics/faint, as I thought of the two All-Entry Passes in my pocket.

Four long trips, one fight, and one heckuva concert, all in one evening. Man, that was a night to remember. And not just because of AR Rahman and the rest of the crew.