Ek Vivah...Aisa Bhi

Sooraj Barjatya's VIVAH was path-breaking musical success that rechristened the piousness of classical Bollywood music back in the marquee. It also marked the return of puritan and genius like Ravindra Jain, a favorite among with Rajshri Productions, and now EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI (18th get-together) continues this tradition. The directorial baton shifts to upcoming Kaushik Ghatak (serials KYUNKI SAAS BHI KABI BAHU THI and Rajshri's WOH REHNE WAALI MEHLON KI etc) where struggling actors (Eesha Koppikar (Isha with two extra "e") and Sonu Sood) plays the main romantic lead. Barjatya's succeeded to attract back family audiences with Ravindra Jain's ethnically attired music that was hallmark for them for almost three decades. It's indeed soulful to hear something that is purely Indian to core marking traditionalism of the industry's most coveted and reliable banner. Does EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI props out to be another auspicious ceremony like VIVAH for Rajshri's? Let's check this out!

If Udit Narayan was the chosen voice for Shahid Kapur in VIVAH then Shaan comes out to be leading voice for Sonu Sood as he impresses all the way in the introductory song "Mujhme Zinda Hai Woh". Ravindra Jain composes it in his own patent flair that was appreciated in "Mujhe Haq Hai" (VIVAH) where Shaan's exuberant voice really leads the show. Shreya Ghoshal's classical rendition with the finesse of Indian classical instrumental with effective chorals makes it a traditionally pristine romantic soundtrack. The simplistically penned lyrical attributes (Ravindra Jain) mesmerized with the lovable arrangements maintains congenial "Rajshri" romantic appeal. Its second brief version works on a specified "antaras" that caters to the situational needs and adds sentimental hues to this family entertainer.

"Dekhe Akele Humne Solah Mele", a soft melody that emotes out the heart felt sentiments of love-struck beloved comes in mellifluous singing flows of Shreya Ghoshal. It unravels back into Rajshri's 80's female solo tracks like "Le to Aaaye Ho Hamein" (DULHAN WOHI JO PIYA MAN BHAYE (1977)), emanating out the ethnic Indian feminine demure feel in subtle classical instrumental works.

Talented Suresh Wadekar joins the pair of Shaan and Shreya Ghoshal in "Dono Nibhayein Apna Dharam" a song epitomizing about pious sentiments in conjugal relationships. The patent "Rajshri films" stylized music in traditionalistic modest wording works out well in delivering out a "picture-perfect" scenario in this family entertainer. "Saang Saang Rehenge Janam", a mellowed sanctimoniously congenial family value comes out as second version of "Dono Nibhayein Apna Dharam" with added sacred verses inputs.

Veteran Suresh Wadekar gets a solo soundtrack in "Mandir Hai Ghar Yeh Hamara", a song that embellishes the sanctity of home by symbolizes out all the traditional rituals desired in a pious living. It's a beautiful composition that narrates out the traditionalistic "Hindu" devout sentiments about making home as righteous as temple.

"Banna Banni", a traditional North Indian marriage song before nuptial ties sung by chorus is precisely sung in folksy flair that works progressively with the feel of the film. Lord Ganesha's prayers sung with contemporary ceremonial verses in chorals creates a perfect backdrop of a lively marriage affair and positively be adding values in the momentum of the flick.Shaan makes his formidable presence as the "chosen one" for the album in serenading out the youthful emotions of a perplexed lover who gets besotted by the first look of his beloved. Ravindra Jain's traditionalistic pristine musical works depicting out nervous sentiments is well ushered in Shaan's varying tones. The lively traditional instrumentals (sitar, tabla, dholak) is well synchronized to perfection in gesticulating out the good-natured love chemistry and surely be appreciating "romance" quotient of the flick.

"Lo Ji Hum Aa Gaye", a conventional "Rajshri" marriage merriment song, sounding similar to "Samdhi Samdhan" (HUM AAPKE HAI KAUN) and "Tere Dwar Pe Aayi Baarati" (VIVAH), comes out in a traditional "qawalli" singing mode. Farid Sabri, Satish Dehra, Pamela Jain and the favorite Shaan zeal out this song that unravels from lively congenial emotions to jokingly humor with some chirpy lyrical works. This soundtrack goes special for sparkling cinematic viewing and will be major spotlight as it depicts the radiance of a generous marriage in the film.

In 1979, Ravindra Jain composed some melodious "sawaan" (monsoon) songs that really captured heart, soul and mind of listeners. "Jhirmir Jhirmir Meha Barse", a song epitomizing the love emotions in a typical North Indian folklore is listening pleasure where the lead pair Shaan and Shreya Ghoshal sings to perfection. This sporadically romantic song beautifies the ethnic "love chemistry" with improvised modernized arrangements concocting well with intelligible poetic verbatim. It sparkles off the old-age "Rajshri" musical traditionalism with flair and gets replicated again in the second version with melodramatically situational tempo and mood.

Shaan's serene and soft textured vocals in a typical "ghazal-gayaki" singing mode come as the finale of the album in mellifluously displayed "Neend Mein Hai". Ravindra Jain's immaculate command over meticulously free-flowing romantic wordings gels appreciably with supple arrangements in creating serenity in air. It shows all together different fa?ade of Shaan's singing and is likely to be having big takers from his fan-following listeners.

EK VIVAAH... AISA BHI emerges out as winner by all standards in its own league and lives up to the age old tradition of pure Indian musical entertainment of "Rajshri" films. After the musical triumph of VIVAH, this album promises fun-filled listening pleasure for listening who treasures typical and pure Indian music. It is likely to face hard time with urbane-listeners but will be making big impact in Hindi-speaking regions and territories. It deserves to be promoted aggressively to catapult out the ethnicity of unadulterated Hindi film music that ruled for decades in listener's hearts and minds.