Black & White Music Review

Black and White marks the return of Subash Ghai as director after a very long gap. This time around Ghai picks up a more serious tone revolving around terrorism. Anurag Sinha makes his debut in bollywood with Black and White. The rest of the cast include Anil Kapoor, Shefali Chhaya and Aditi Sharma.

The music has been credited to Sukhwinder Singh who returns with this piece after Santoshi's Halla Bol. The tracks have been penned by Ibraheem Ashq.

The album opens with `Main Chala', a song that personifies a man's journey through various hurdles of life. Sukhwinder's voice adds the right flavor to the beautifully penned lyrics and the track impresses but is more situational to the theme of the film. Shreya's rendition of the same track comes in as a delight. Shreya emotes the women's journey and brings out its true essence. The echoing in the track brings about the flavor and indeed this version is much superior to Sukhwinder's rendition.

In comes `Peer Manavan' with the voices of Sukhwinder and Shradha Pandit. The Punjabi folk number is a celebration and the instruments used are purely a depiction of Punjabi folk. The remix version of the track is loaded with western orchestration and isn't all that great. The picturisation of the track is what's doing the rounds.

After the hit `Ramta Jogi ` in Subash Ghai's `Taal' , Sukwinder tries his luck with yet another `Jogi'. `Jogi Ayaa' brings together Sukhwinder Singh and Sadhna Sargam to the beats of the finest track of the album. Comparisons are bound to be drawn between this number and `Ramta Jogi' but the two are extremely different in their respective ways. `Jogi Ayaa' is more on the softer side and carries inspirational overtones. The remix version might just sound a little weird but it just grows on.

`Haq Allah' is a Sufi number with the sonorous voice of Sukhwinder and Hans Raj Hans.  The track takes the form of the protagonist's prayer. The track is strictly situational and both the renditions of the track fail to impress.

`Yeh Hindustan Hai' is a patriotic number that tries to bring in the secular fragrance of India. The track crooned by Udit Narayan has shades from Himesh Reshammiya's composed "Tala Tum" for Subash Ghai's Aitraaz. The track fails to impress and Jagjit Singh's rendition is impressive but won't be remembered unlike others tracks that carry the patriotic theme.

All in all, Black and White definitely isn't close to Ghai's `Taal' and doesn't carry that aura but is a good start from Sukwinder Singh. The playback singer turned music director fails to make people rave about the music but indeed the compositions are much better than his previous venture, `Halla Bol'. `Jogi Aya' is sure to be a feather in Sukhi's cap and he promises great potential as a composer.

Rating : ** 1/2