Slumdog Millionaire

A.R. Rahman has worked on many international collaborations in the past, but other than the fact that his soundtracks make big news, they haven't broken so many records ever.

Slumdog Millionaire is not just a versatile album but also an experimental one, as can be seen from the opening number Ringa Ringa - which is based on the rhythm of Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai. Set in a brothel, Ringa Ringa hardly leaves anything to the imagination and one feels, had it not been for an A-grade international project, the song would not have even reached beyond the Indian censorboard.

Jai Ho is the flagship number of Slumdog Millionaire. Now that the album has won a Golden Globe, Subhash Ghai will be certainly cursing his luck that he allowed this track from Yuvvraaj to be handed over to Slumdog Millionaire.

Boasting of an amazing mix of melody and rhythm, the composition of Jai Ho is Indian at heart. No wonder, it is the promotional song of the film. The lyrics of Gulzar have successfully infused the spirit of love and life in the track and there's surely every bit of spirit in it that justifies the awards it has received.

O Saaya is a background theme that helps in speeding up the pace of Slumdog Millionaire with its sheer energy. Heavy on orchestra, O Saaya moves at a fast pace and is the kind that has to be heard on a high volume to get the right effects.

A few theme pieces follow next. Years ago, Rahman had composed Bombay Theme in Mani Ratnam's Bombay. And once again in Slumdog Millionaire we get reminded of the same dark yet powerful theme.

Mausam - Escape is a fusion of Indian and Western classical sounds. It's a track with quite a range full of music notations that adds in heightening the impact of the narrative.

The best track of the album comes in the form of Latika's Theme. It opens on a lively note shifting a one that is even more euphoric. Next comes Millionaire - a club track that is ideal for playing out loud and jiving along.

Gangsta Blues is a haunting yet intriguing number that reminds one of the soundtrack of Snip, which was made close to a decade back. The concluding track Dreams On Fire is a soft and sensitive number and Rahman once again reveals why he is the chosen one by many international filmmakers.

To sum it up, Slumdog Millionaire is an excellent album that deserves all the applause and accolades it has been collecting internationally. Basically, a theme album with most of the tracks being background pieces, it never makes you miss the need of any spoken words. Three thumbs up!

Source: music.ndtv.com