The music review which appears below, was originally published on Radio Sargam in October 2003. ©The rights to this material are reserved to the owner. If you have any concerns or comments, please send an email to info@rahmaniac.com.
Tehzeeb marks the return of director Khalid Mohammed following his debut movie Fiza. The movie features a promising cast including the likes of Urmila Matondkar, Shabana Azmi, Diya Mirza and Arjun Rampal. The recently released soundtrack provides an introduction to the movie. It’s composed by the hugely successful A.R. Rahman and features lyrics by Javed Akhtar. T-Series releases this album, which carries eight songs in total.
1) Khoyee Khoyee Aankhen (Shaan)
Shaan opens the soundtrack by delivering a melodious and romantic number titled Khoyee Khoyee Aankhen. The singer seems impressive and his rendition fits the mood of the song excellently. The lyrics (traditional) by Shad Azimabadi are great, whilst the music maestro A. R. Rahman (whose music is always awaited eagerly) composes the tunes perfectly, keeping in mind the youth audience. The song is currently airing on television and features Arjun Rampal. The choreography is excellent and deserves positive marks whereas the cinematography and the direction also fetch the viewer’s attention. Overall the song should become a chart-topper.
Rating: 9/10
2) Meherbaan Meherbaan (Asha Bhosle and Sukhwinder Singh)
Next comes a magical song, Meherbaan Meherbaan, in which Asha Bhosle teams up with Sukhwinder Singh. Both singers have done a grand job with their vocals and Asha’s form is excellent, as usual. Javed ‘s capture the romantic mood and A.R. Rahman’s complements them brilliantly to make the song active, energetic and impressive. As far as the background musical instruments are concerned the flute and drum get the thumbs up and the orchestration provides joy to the ears. The track is on air and the visual features Urmila Matondkar in all her glory. The excellent choreography and the outfits make the visuals more attractive.
Rating: 9.5/10
3) Naa Shiqwa Hota (Sujata Bhattacharya)
Sujata Bhattacharya pockets a slow moving track, “Naa Shiqwa Hota”. The vocalist is a true delight and her gorgeous rendition has similarities to a ghazal by Chitra Singh. The use of flute amongst the instruments creates a romantic atmosphere. Javed Sahib’s well-penned lyrics perfectly represent the essence of the poetry. Rahman arranges some soothing tunes, which easily grow on the listeners. The number has been airing on all usual music channels featuring Shabana Azmi, Urmila Matondkar, Diya Mirza and Arjun Rampal. Overall the song is a gift for the people who have an ear for music.
Rating: 7.5/10
4) Sabaq Aisa Parha Diya (Sujata Bhattacharya)
Sujata returns once again to sing another slow track, “Sabaq Aisa Parha Diya”. The song has a tragic feel and the singer seems to be playing a good innings on the album with her remarkable voice. She catches the rhythm brilliantly well. Javed Akhtar becomes philosopher here by penning meaningful lyrics for the song. Whereas A. R. Rahman composes the music perfectly, understanding the theme of the lyrics. Consequently the song emerges as an attractive number for those who love slow music.
Rating: 7/10
5) Mujh Pe Toofan (Sujata Bhattacharya)
Sujata appears once again on the surface of the soundtrack with her excellent smooth vocals. She renders a pleasurable and well-penned ghazal (traditional lyrics) by Dagh Dehlvi, ” Mujh Pe Toofan”. She excels in ghazal singing and the fact is obvious from her soft rendition. Due to the arrangement of musical instruments in slow rhythm, the voice of the singer becomes much audible. The chorus is also attractive, whereas the brilliant composition by A. R. Rehman catches the listener’ attention. Overall this immaculate piece can only impress the ghazal lovers but could stay with other listeners as well.
Rating: 7/10
6) Meherbaan Meherbaan – Repeat Version (Asha Bhosle and Sukhwinder Singh)
The album also repeats “Meherbaan Meherbaan” once again for the listening pleasure of the audience!
Rating: 9.5/10
7) I Wanna Be Free (Anupma and Mathangi)
A rather disappointing upbeat track, “I Wanna Be Free” wraps up the album. Anupma and Mathangi join hands to deliver this song and completely fail in their effort to generate any kind of enthusiasm amongst the listeners. Whilst the lyrics written by Blaaze too do not lift any spirits. The composition by Rahman follows the singers and the lyricist accurately. A poor number to end up a beautiful album.
Rating: 3/10
The soundtrack of Tehzeeb has quality music and contains different flavors for everyone’s taste. No need to mention, “Rahman’s name is enough to buy it”.
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
