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Neal 'N' Nikki has a Kaal hangover

November 03, 2005 15:48 IST

Tanisha and Uday ChopraSup? Rockin'! Sucks! Whatever! Yo! Kewl! Nah! Right on! Aww, shucks! Jeez!

That's the 'in' lingo wannabe and with-it youngsters love to pooh-pah these days.

Yashraj Films' latest candy caper, Neal 'N' Nikki caters to the yuppie palate, like they successfully did in recent times, with Hum Tum and Salaam Namaste.

Only this one doesn't feature any hotshots. Directed by Arjun Sablok (Na Tum Jaano Na Hum), Neal 'N' Nikki stars Uday Chopra and Tanisha in hep makeovers. Shot extensively in Canada, this December romance has music helmed by the Kaal brothers -- Salim-Sulaiman Merchant with heavy-duty Hinglish lyrics by Anvita Dutt Guptan, Asif Ali Beg and Irshad Kamil.

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The soundtrack kick starts with the funky title track. Nice! Wait, the tune is somewhat familiar. Oops, the composers sneak the side theme of Tauba tauba from Kaal. Plagiarising from self aside, K K and Shweta Pandit's charming introduction of the 'N' people is infectious and bubbly.

A little woody. A dash of spice. No, this isn't Issey Miyake's new fragrance but the reeling effect of Halla re. Shweta Pandit's sexy rendition of this no holds barred semi-qawaali makes for a foot-tapping hearing.

I'm in love belongs to the 'awww' category of songs in the album. Gentle and breezy, I'm in love soaks in teenybopper romance and sunny dreaminess. It may not be a Kuch kuch hota hai, but fair and engaging, it succeeds to be.

The balle balle hangover from Kaal (again) is evident in Salim-Sulaiman's jazzy Punjabi dish, Akh ladiye. Sure it is catchy. Will it make you swing your hips? Affirmative! But, but, but -- crooned by Kunal Ganjawala, Shweta Pandit and Javed Ali, this chic bhangra isn't innovative from any angle.

I just wanna spend my life with you begins like a melody from Titanic, complete with grand bagpiper overtures. A Disney brand love ballad meets Enrique Iglesias, I just wanna is just the kind of song Valentine's Day mushy CDs sell on. Wait, did I mention that the song is entirely in English? Sweet!

N 'n' N-The naughty mix is racy, rollicking and just what the DJ ordered to let your hair down.

Like the tagline of Neal 'N' Nikki goes: Nice is out, naughty is in, the soundtrack isn't awe-inspiring but it gladdens you with moments of young mischief and bouncy romance.

Sukanya Verma