Singer Kailash Kher, along with Paresh & Naresh Kamath, makes his debut as music composer in films with Pranali The Tradition. The talented trio has already made a name for themselves with their non filmi albums, and they now bring that same sensitive touch to their film music as well. The music of Pranali is unlikely to feature among the chartbusters, but it is like a whiff of fresh air. There is a certain touching simplicity to the music, which renders it very pleasing to the ears. Despite having a very strong ' Indian' base, the composers manage to surprise one with the unexpected. A case in point is the first number, ' Sakhiyaan', which is written by Anil Pandey and sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, Richa Sharma, Shreya Ghoshal & Mahalaxmi.
' Sakhiyaan', besides being a very melodious number begins on a very traditional note with Richa Sharma's vocals. But as the song progresses, one realizes that it is not your traditional Indian number, done to death in Hindi films. It is a very joyful coming together of Shreya, Mahalaxmi, Sunidhi and Richa. The number is celebratory without being boisterous and each of the four female vocalists has done their bit exceptionally well without trying to outdo the other. Sunidhi finally gets a chance to sing in a style which is poles apart from her signature style. All four sound extremely melodious and capture the mood of the song with all its nuances intact.
The second number in the album is rendered by Kailash himself. The number, ' Sach Na Batana' appears thrice in the album. Kailash sings two versions, including the remix, and Udit Narayan sings the third. Kailash's version seems to catch the mood of the song better than Narayan. Both versions sound very good, as both vocalists manage to navigate the change in mood and tempo of the song expertly. But somehow, Kailash's voice has a certain soulful quality to it, which tilts the scales in his favour. Narayan does a competent job as well, but lacks that x factor, where this song is concerned. The remixed version is catchy enough.
But it is 'Bikhar Gayee', sung first by Madhusree and then Kailash, which is the best number in the film. The lyrics (Anil Pandey) of the film are quite poignant, as they portray the trials and tribulations of being a women. This number reminds one of the songs of the sixties and seventies, songs which were a part of the so called socials which were made in that era. The style and content is quite similar, though, of course, the music and the actual song is different. The lyrics of the song move very easily from the personal to the universal. Singer Madhusree has an exceptionally sweet voice and she sings this number with great feeling. Quite flawless. However, it is Kailash, who again steals the show. He gives it an altogether different dimension as he goes ahead to ' live'; the song in his rendition. Kailash is one of the most inspirational singers that we have around. This kind of a number is quite his forte and he proceeds to do just that.
The album rounds up with the ' Tandav' number, which has been composed and sung by the Kathak maestro, Pandit Birju Maharaj. It is a taunt piece, where the mounting tension is etched remarkably with the use of tabla and bols rendered by the Pandit himself. There is a sweeping quality to it, a sense of foreboding which is wonderfully brought out by the background score coupled with the tabla. What is noteworthy about this piece is that despite being a ' tandav,' it does not the route of the expected. It is shorn off the unnecessary loud drama that one would imagine such a piece to have. Instead, what we have is a tightly wrought, high voltage dramatic piece.
The music of Pranali is melodious, unpretentious and praiseworthy for its simplicity. It probably does not have a ' hit number' since it is an album which has been created for the tuneful ear and not with an eye at the popularity charts. It is certainly a good, albeit, quiet beginning for composers Kailash, Naresh and Paresh, in the arena of film music.
