Namaste London: Run of the mill

Not that one was waiting really, but Himesh Reshammiya is back with a Namaste!

The singer-composer, along with lyricist Javed Akhtar, constitutes the music team for director Vipul Amrutlal Shah's NRI meets desi romance, Namastey London.

The film stars Akshay Kumar playing a Funjabi. You read it right. Perhaps working in all those Priyadarshan comedies has scarred the Kumar in fun way? Namastey London, with its East versus West culture clash theme also features Katrina Kaif, Upen Patel and English actor Jason Connery in key roles.

Reshammiya opens the album in his trembling pitch with the lackluster Chakna chakna. Frantic thumping passed off as Punjabi flavoured balle balle adds further chaos into this nutty medley. DJ Akbar Sami's pumped up remix too fails to infuse life in the jaded Chakna.   

Viraniya is an extension of Allah kare (Ahista Ahista). The nasal-centric Reshammiya, wields the microphone for this one too, confusing dull for mellow, delivering the world-weary tune with equal dispassion.  The Mehfil mix with a poetry recital from Javed Akhtar is far more engaging than Reshammiya's endless screeching.

The refreshing presence of duo Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Krishna break the Reshammiya monotony in semi-ghazal, Main jahan rahoon. Akhtar's melancholic poetry coupled with a minimalist arrangement adds to the appeal of Main jahan. Sami's playful remix gives a perky face to the otherwise sober strain. Another version again referred to as the Mehfil mix, features Akhtar spilling poetic vignettes.

Almost every song in Namastey London sounds spookily alike making it tough to differentiate one from the other. Reshammiya lazily stretches his baritone back and forth in the romantic ditty, Yahi hota pyaar. A clearly disinterested Sunidhi Chauhan joins him in the same. Digital tampering or remix, if you please, of Yahi hota is painfully jumbled and emphatically unattractive.

The UK based bhangra brothers, RDB aka Rhythm Dhol Bass, swing and shake to the fancy beats of Rafta rafta. The remix, also concocted by the trio, with its accelerated intensity succeeds better in getting the feet to tap.

Dilruba scores big with its vibrant vivacity and high octane beats. Alisha Chinai's saucy vocals provide a perfect foil over Zubeen Garg's animated boyishness. The remixed version pushes the lively button to maximum, making it ideal for Bollywood-style club dancing.    

Akhtar indulges in his brand of scenic similes and other figures of speech in the complacent, average melody Aanan faanan. Singer Jayesh Gandhi aims at piercing the eardrums, a la Reshammiya, with his shrill skills. Nothing impressive, this! 

Bottom-line: Namastey London, unlike its Funjabi hero is no fun. It's strictly run-of-the-mill at best.

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