Fashion is undoubtedly Madhur Bhandarkar's most ambitious film and of course his most expensive. This may explain why along with opting for big stars like Priyanka Chopra and Kangana Ranaut in the casting, he has also shifted loyalties for the music of the film from Shamir Tandon to Salim Sulaiman. When you first see the Fashion audio CD, there are 10 tracks to the album taking you by surprise but on second look you realize that in fact there are only four songs and one theme and then a remix for each. Having said that, this is one of those rare albums where each song is strong enough to make it to the music charts and is without doubt the best music of any of Madhur's earlier films. It may not find mass appeal immediately but the music has a uniqueness and a soul which ensures that the songs will be remembered for times to come.
You usually accept a number which will make you groove the moment you see Sukhvinder Singh's name in the credits and Fashion Ka Jalwa is no different. What one finds most appealing about this song is that although Salim Sulaiman's composition is essentially western (and even has parts of English rap), the way Sukhvinder has sung it, gives it the required Indian touch, making it sound truly original. Satya Hinduja and Robert "Bob" Omulo support Sukhvinder ably. Jalwa is the key word highlighted throughout the song and lyrics by guest lyricist Sandeep Nath subtly touch on the various things which attract people to the world of fashion and glamour. Songs like this are Sukhvinder's forte and like his earlier combination with Salim Sulaiman, Chak De India, he is again at his best with Fashion Ka Jalwa. A very appealing composition and effective arrangements for this track.
Mar Jawaan is like the soul of the entire Fashion album. A lounge music type of composition, Shruti Pathak reminds you a bit of Jayshree Bombay as she too sings in a lower octave to make this a more effective song. The song puts you in a trance state and is easily the best song of the album. Soft, romantic, simple lyrics by Irfan Siddiqui, a beautiful composition and fabulous singing make this song one which you find yourself hitting the repeat button for.
The first two bars of Kuchh Khaas will remind you of Maula Mere from Chak De India, but the song immediately then becomes a soft, romantic number with the guitar and saxophone being used effectively along with the rest of the arrangements. Mohit Chauhan is perfect for such romantic songs and Neha Bhasin is a surprise as her voice pairs beautifully with Mohit creating a contemporary romantic number which has a simple yet soulful composition and beautiful lyrics.
Aashiyana is unlike most Salim Sulaiman compositions as it is a pacy, contemporary, soft rock type of song. Salim Merchant helms the mike and he does so quite effectively as his slightly unique voice suits the composition to the tee. Although this is not the best song of the album in terms of composition, it has the potential to go on to become one of the more popular songs because of its mass appeal.
The Theme of Fashion is a beautiful composition and probably one of the best musical pieces or themes in recent times. The song begins solely with the santoor and that itself gets you engrossed as the pace then picks up while yet maintaining the mood set by the santoor piece at the beginning. The theme is so effectively composed with variations that you don't realize that it is four minutes in length, quite long for a theme.
Each track also has a remix version which is rather unexpected in an album for a Madhur Bhandarkar film, but then the entire album has proved to be a surprise. The remixes are also effective, but each of the original tracks makes their mark and makes Fashion a complete album. One is left wondering why Salim Sulaiman don't compose for more films as they always seem to come up with unique compositions which have wonderful melodies supported by great arrangements.
