INSTEP Magzine

Indian pop music special
This week we continue with Indian pop special and take a look at songs that created models into film stars and pop stars into playback singers

'Aankhon Mein Tera Hi Chehra'
Aryans
Unlike most of their contemporaries, Aryans continue to make music in the pop genre for seven consecutive years. It was their videos that brought now-actors like Shahid Kapoor and Hrishitaa Bhatt in the spotlight.
But Aryans's most famous number remains 'Aankhon Mein Tera Hi Chehra'.

Partly percussion heavy with some wonderful keyboard nuances, the tune has got a mÈlange of instruments works in its favour.

But mostly it's the offbeat vocals - not exactly sweet Bollywood style neither too harsh like Sukhwinder Singh - that makes all the difference.

Lyrically, this is a teen ballad as the song goes, "Aankhon Mein Tera Hi Chehra/Dhadkan Mein Teri Hee Yaadein/Karti Hain Deewana/Hai, Kahan Gayyi Woh Raatein/Woh Meethi Se Baatein?_ - it is melodic and simple, even if slightly cliched.

To date, Aryans have five records to their name but Aankhon Mein Tera Hi Chehra - the album is one of their finest. Back in the day, they had quite the following. Even in Pakistan, Aryans were relatively well-known amongst pop music fans. Even though they are still making music, the band hasn't done anything too groundbreaking or substantial in the last 3-4 years. They have been approached by the 'Bhatts' as well as other names from Bollywood so we won't be surprised if they finally given in to the mass market. But anyhow, give this pop ditty a hear. It really is a darn good song!

'Breathless'
Shankar Mahadevan and Javed Akhtar

Shankar Mahadevan that we all now know as a part of the Bollywood's coolest musical trio 'Shankar-Ehsan-Loy'.
Other than being a fabulous composer, he is also a good singer. And this song is one that put him on the map.

With Javed Akhtar penning the lyrics, 'Breathless' is a decent number. But what makes it really good is the fact that Shankar sings for two minutes straight without a gap. Hence, 'Breathless'. And it may sound easy but it isn't. The most incredible part of this song is an attempt to sing it as it plays and the more one tries, the harder it is. Now some people believe that Shankar is not actually breathless and that it is a myth. There is no real way to know the truth but the way the song has been sung, no pauses, almost like a train without breaks, it sounds interesting. Shankar is classically trained and perhaps this is one reason why the man never goes off-key. This song came long before Bollywood happened so do give it a hear.


'Najana Kahan Kho Gaya' Nitin Bali featuring Ruby Bhatia Nitin has made it his mission to remix Bollywood tunes. And even though he does better mixes than most people in India but we prefer him when he was original. Known for his simple and uncomplicated music, Nitin shot to success with this number which features his ex-wife. Well, now ex but he was making this song as he fell in love with her. It's just a really nice song. Nitin Bali has had a few albums including a bhangra one but this song is his best number to date. Its production is better than what Indian pop usually offers. Musically it's interesting and soft. More interesting is that both Nitin and Ruby sing. While croons in Hindi/Ruby sings, more like says in English. And it makes for a fine combo. This too, is a love song. It seems Indian pop is all about falling in love and breaking up but that's okay because the song works. And as Ruby says, "I wanted to fly/You became my wings/You promise me love/And I said I do/Darling, You Became Me and I became You/You and Me Became Destiny" - we really think that she could've had a career as a vocalist had she attempted one.
Mehnaz first arrived on the music scene in 1996 with the monster hit, 'Miss India' off her debut album, Main Hoon. After the success of 'Main Hoon', Mehnaz collaborated with Graham Russell of Air Supply for the soundtrack of the offbeat film, Split Wide Open - an Indian English film featuring Indian VJs Nikhil Chinappa and Sophia and even teamed up with rival Anaida on the thematic album, Sambalke. But it was with Mausam years later that critics ranked her as one of the finest artistes in India. Mehnaz has disappeared from the Indian music scene altogether just like Shweta - who made it big around the same as Mehnaz did with 'Beqarar' - and unlike her professional rivals Alisha Chinoi who has ventured into playback singing with 'Kajra Re' or Anaida, who released an album last year (and collaborated with Pakistan's Noori), Mehnaz is neither in Bollywood nor in the pop scene. It remains to be seen if she will make a comeback ever but from what this singer is capable of, we really hope she does!