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Jab bhi cigarette jalti hai…
No Smoking’s much awaited music is out. There are multiple reasons for the excitement. It has been some time since a Vishal score came out for a non-Vishal film. The film’s theme centers around smoking (well, not exactly), a self-conflicting protagonist and his eccentric self-exploration. Put in an Anurag Kashyap, Vishal and Gulzar to this scheme and you get a thoroughly deep yet immensely enjoyable music score.
The smoke doesn’t leave you. The songs have to be heard in peace to appreciate the midas touch of Gulzar. It is impossible to picture anyone else yielding the pen to a film score that entirely revolves around smoking. And it is this almost divine dexterity that the words intrigue you in their surreal charm. It is no less than a full-fledged work of art(on the face, it might appear just another film score, just another four songs).
Last year, it was contested in the case of Omkara that Gulzar’s magical poetry in Beedi Jalaaile was overshadowed by the song’s mass flavor and its populist-friendly composition, while the much more beautiful songs like Laakad, Namak and Naino didn’t get their due. The same comments were made about Kajrare. Though I am an average fan, I could assert here that No Smoking does not walk that alleged road.(I personally did not separate the music from the words of any Vishal-Gulzar collaboration, they all remain a unified entity of its own to me, more on this some other time).
In No Smoking, the repeat uses of smoking references irk you, prod you, and further irk and prod you. Vishal’s characteristic jazz layering (heard before in his landmark work in Jahaan tum le chalo, Sunset point, Paanch), along with a deep acknowledgement of poetry through selective use of vocals amidst an instrumental jigsaw make it a complex score. Yes, it is quite complex, when you consider the number of hearings it takes to absorb the songs, or at least to form an initial opinion over them.
If you are looking for a dream escape from the central theme, there is none, on the face I mean. Listen it over, mull over it, and you will be forced to reframe your associations and thoughts about the songs.
I did not intend to do a music review; it will take me another hundred of loops before I can do that comfortably. These are just some of my initial thoughts/reactions to the music. And since I can’t help but write down the words that keep echoing, I have sought the help of the lyrics to illustrate my response.
Ash Tray
Deva Sen Gupta
Bahut se aadhe bujhe hue din pade hain ismein
Bahut si aadhi jali hui raatein gir padi hain
(the repeat pattern is very ‘baadalon se’)
Ye ash tray bharti jaa rahi hai
(the mood moves from nostalgia to a haunting, creeping melody)
Ki surkh tukde hain kuch talab ke
Sulag rahein hain sulag rahein hain
Ye ash tray bharti jaa rahi hai
Dhuaan lipat ta hai dhuaan
Dhuaan lipat ta hai baazigar ki tarah hawaa se
Dhuaan lipat ta hai baazigar ki tarah hawaa se
Wo pal bhi bal khake uth raha hai
Tamaam kartab dikha raha hai
Ye ash tray…
Na haath daalo
Ki waqt se chheele hue lamhon ki raakh
Garam hai
Waqt se chheleey hue lamhon ki raakh(raat) garm(narm) hai
Ungliyaan jalegi…
Ye ash tray poori bhar gayi hai
Jab bhi
Adnan Sami(Jazz)
Sunidhi Chauhan(Trance)
Fir talab talab,hai talab
Besabab fir talab
Shaam hone lagi hai
Laal hone lagi hai
Jab bhi cigarette jalti hai
Main jalta hoon
Aag pe paaon padta hai
Kambakht dhuen mein chalta hoon
Phir kisi ne jalaayi
Ek diya salaai
Aasmaan jal utha hai
Shaam ne raakh udaayi
Uple jaisa sulagta hoon
Kambakht dhuen mein jalta hoon
Lambe dhaage dhuen ke
Saans silne lage hain
Pyaas udhti hui lagi
Honth chhilne lage hain
Shaam hone lagi hai
Laal hone lagi hai
Kadwaa hai dhuaan jo nigalta hoon
(This is the point the song reaches a crescendo, a climax of melancholy, it’s a point where pain becomes fun, and the character revels in this darkness. You can sense the same emotion in the music, and that transition is electrically captured by the effortlessness of jazz)
Kadwaa hai dhuaan jo nigalta hoon
Kambakht dhuen mein jalta hoon
Kash lagaa
Daler Mehndi, Sukhwinder Singh & Vishal
Kash lagaa kash lagaa kash lagaa kash lagaa
Vishal’s voice emerges from a muddling anonymity. It conjures order amidst chaos, one resounding reason amidst blurring cacophony. What better exposition of ‘kash lagaa’!
Zindagi ke kash lagaa
Zindagi mein kash lagaa
Hasraton ki raakh uda
Ye jahaan faani hai
Bulbula hai paani hai
Bulbulon mein rukna kya
Paaniyon pe behta jaa
Kash lagaa….
Jalti hain tanhaaiyaan
Taapi hain raat raath jag jag ke
Udti hain chingaariyaan
Guchche hain laal laal geeli aag ke
(Daler Mehndi brings in the purest sufi sanctity to the song, his voice is almost like amrit here, there have been few songs that have explored this quality of his vocals, they go beyond the song and the time in which it is based)
Khilti hain jaise jalte jugnu hawairiyon mein
Aankhein lagi ho jaise uplon ki dheriyon
Do din ka aag hai ye saare jahaan ka dhuaan
Do din ki zindagi mein dono jahaan ka dhuaan
Ye jahaan faani hai….
Chhodi hui bastiyaan
Jaata hoon baar baar ghoom ghoom ke
Milte nahin nahi wo nishaan
Chhode the dahleez choom choom ke
Chaupaaye char jayenge
Jungle ki kyaariyaan hai
Pagdandiyo pe milna
Do din ki yaariyaan hain
Kya jaane kaun jaaye
baari se baari jaayein
Hum bhi qataar mein hai
Jab bhi sawaari aaye
The song takes the qawwali format and plays with it beautifully, starting with a conventional aalaap, then moves to a boli(sung around a fire in winters in typical village harvest celebrations), then comes back full square to the qawwali format in chorus towards the end.
Phoonk De
Rekha Bhardwaj(Club Mix)
Sukhwinder Singh
Peele peele se jungle mein rehta dhuaan
Peele peele se jungle mein behta dhuaan
Ghoonth ghoonth jal raha hoon pee raha hoon pattiyaan
Aankhein hain dhuaan dhuaan nam hain saari battiyaan
Aas paas kuch nahi jee udaas hai zara
Dard sabz hai abhi mujhko raas hai jara
To phoonk de re phoonk de…..
Phoonk de re….
Hayaat phoonk de
Hawaas phoonk de
Saans se sila hua libaas phoonk de
Sar chhadi hai khumaari
Aur zameen dolti hai
Bezubaan dastaan ye
Raat bhar bolti hai
Phoonk de ye raat
Phoonk de ye raakh
Phoonk de wo baat
Jab nasha toot ta hai
Kitne tukde gire hain
Hosh chunle lage hain hum
Hum bhi kya sarfire hain
Lab pe jal rahi hai
Wo baat phoonk de
Hothon se raat ki ye raakh phoonk de
Saans se sila hua libaas phoonk de
The western treatment is not unique or groundbreaking
But it creates a monotony, of sorts…
Which when broken
Creates magic.
This is one of the loopiest, trippiest songs of this year
The loop of phoonk de will work beyond definitions.
Hayaat phoonk de
Hawaas phoonk de
Special thanks to
Pawan Jha
26 Responses to “Jab bhi cigarette jalti hai…”
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[...] azlano wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptYou can sense the same emotion in the music, and that transition is electrically captured by the effortlessness of jazz). Kadwaa hai dhuaan jo nigalta hoon Kambakht dhuen mein jalta hoon. Kash lagaa Daler Mehndi, Sukhwinder Singh & … [...]
Tu Raani hai france ki, main bansuri baans ki
apni society mein aisa chalta nahin…
after listening to these lines from JBJ I asked “abe kya ho gaya hai hindi filmon ke gaanno ko”?? and my friend said “pata hia kisne likha hai yeh?? Gulzaar sahab ne”… i could not believe it… i did not want to belive it. par kahin se ek manhoos awaaz bolti rehti thi
“Is he losing his touch?”
“Is he catering o popular market?”
Dhukh hua…
And then….
‘Na haath daalo
Ki waqt se chheele hue lamhon ki raakh
Garam hai’
‘Lambe dhaage dhuen ke
Saans silne lage hain
Pyaas udhti hui lagi
Honth chhilne lage hain’
‘Saans se sila hua libaas phoonk de’
Ab main khush hun. Woh manhoos awaaz aana band ho gayi hai.
Shayad Gulzaar sahab jisko jo chahiye woh de rahe hain…. and is there anything wrong in that??
When the songs were coming in the promo, I couldn’t concentrate on the lyrics. The sound quality of promo is not good. Why so, Anurag? But still I decided to go for the album because of the Gulzar Sahab-Vishal combo.
With no offence to my favourite music director Vishal, I’ve felt in Omkara and now No Smoking that the orchestration is not complimenting the lyrics well. The tune is first class but the arrangement is not.
The song was recorded in the evening. Daler was just back from a television shoot - the Finale of Fame X. He was tired. He heard the song at Vishal’s studio and within 30 mins the Song was over. It was a very difficult composition and Vishalji and Rekhaji were stunned at the color Daler Mehndi was giving to the song. The various, nuances are Daler’s own interpretation.
I personally think Daler, Vishal, Gulzar ji are a LETHAL combo - they can give you masterpieces.
Great Music by Vishal, and even greater understanding of the lyrics and someone else’s music - by numero uno Daler Mehndi. I agree with you,Daler is by far the Industry’s most unexploited talent.
Karan
:)
@Tushar
Thanks for the review.. one correction
>Ye jahaan paani hai
>Bulbula hai paani hai
should be
Ye jahaan faani hai
faani - will come to an end (not immortal)
Though the composition and singing does not highlight the satirical tone of the song, but am sure the picturisation would be really interesting
(My brother says “it must be on Paresh Rawal and Mandali”.. I am not convinced though)..
pavan you seem to guess a lot..yes it is satirical and your brother is wrong and you will see it
“Gulzaar sahab ne
@Anurag,
You are a good student of Cinema Making..and myself is a student of Cinema Viewing.. so Prediction, Guesses are all part of Self-Assessments and Self tests.. so with Kash Lagaa, I got it right!.. by the way the song is growing on with every listening.. The best part is Vishal has handled the ship very well with Two Talwaars in one Myan (Daler and Sukhwinder, both have capability to eat any co-singer)..
I agree with Manasvi about the arrangement part
Hi AK,
just bought the CD of no smoking.
besides being a devotee of cinema,
I m also a sucker for ciggies (pun intended)
had some questions.
1. y is that text ‘no smoking’ slightly tedha?
(i hate limp ciggies, so i asked)
2. y is the writer of the story nowhere mentioned?
(esp when the chopras r goin full-out on jaideep)
3. y is ayesha takia given less publicity space?
4. who wrote the agreement wala text? (cool it was)
5. y is Bipasha bein flaunted? (more than ayesha)
and there is a cnocern i had 2 share.
the cover looks sooooooooo fawkin cool, but hey, if the movie poster also looks like this, u’ll cut ur market by half. (the KJo types). people will come wid malicious intentions (bole to porn) and ofcourse go back cheated & unhappy. anywas thats how i feel, but i wish u get lucky!
Besta lux AK. u rock.
Indiafm music review…
For me “jab bhi cigarette ” by adnan….
is the best song of the year.
Bravo….Vishal, Gulzaarsaab and AK
the indiafm guy has lost it i suppose….
he has praised every song of the movie and in the end given only 2 1/2 stars……
for me 4 stars all the way….
The titillating Rekha Bharadwaj number is something to behold. All the close-ups of Bipasha Basu’s butt and bosom were quiet unnecessary. Or maybe they are necessary to get the audiences in. Seems like a rehash of bidi jali ke. Way to go Anurag sirjee.
All said and done, when is the bloody film releasing??
26th october ..aastha..
@ Pawan Jha - He is always honest to the script, situation and characters.. His lyrics speaks the language of characters (singing the song on screen) and as good or bad as the characters on screen
I am a great fan of Gulzar Sahab. But I had major problems when he wrote a song like “Sapne mein milti hai”(Satya) on Bhiku Mhatre and his wife with words like “Kudi meri” and “Munda mera”. Bhiku Mhatre’s wife is shown to shift to Marathi at the drop of a hat. Couldn’t he write a marriage song with Maharashtrian touch for such characters?
@Naren
I guess few discussions have already happened on your comment, but I would like to sum up that film writing does not always reflect a poet/writer
@Tushar (and Many of you)
another mistake.. not significant but a very interesting one.. actually its gulzar saab who plays the game with his audience..
“Shehar ke us mod par, jahaan se tu paas ho”
it is not paas (hindi) but pass (english)
“Shehar ke us mod par, jahaan se tu pass ho”
the language of characters you know :)
yesterday too someone quoted “Chhote chhote shaharon se..Khali Bhor dupaharon se”
which actually is “Khaali Bore Dupaharon se”
I did one quiz in early 2006 on Gulzar Tilism..
check it out
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gulzarfans/message/3747
you’ll know how many times you got it wrong earlier..
oh teri! Waah Pavan Bhai!
kabhi nahi socha yaar :)
where Gulzar Saahab is concerned, I don’t mind being corrected a million times.
“tu pass ho” makes lot of sense to me now, same for “bore dupaharon”(yes, it was me!)
I ll surely check the quiz out.
This galti sudhaar session reminded me of a similar thing that happened on my Guru article.Some had fought with me saying that its “do chaar maheen(inconsequent/insignificant) se lamhon mein”, and not “do chaar maheeno se lamhon mein”. I did not budge so fast on that untill I heard the song some millionth time many months later.
You are right, the games he plays
:)
well u havent heard “rozana” from nishaband which was compsed by vishal….just for ur information….:)>-
@ Tushar Bhai,
Well i do agree with you to a large extent BUT… if you look at Gulzaar sahab’s work prior to 90s… unki ek bhi rachna aisi nahin hai jispe koi ungli utha sakey… every single piece is divine…
as far as speaking language of characters goes.. all his characters had something brilliant, creative, meaningful and sigificant to say within their bounds. be it aam aadmai, children, comedian..
consider ek akela iss sheher mein.. Amol palekar.. absolute aam adami, lower middle class…speaks din hai khaali khaali bartan , raat andha kuaan (and he is not a shayar) but still it does not look out of place and conveys character’s thoughts and feelings so touchingly.
take chhari re chhari, lakdi ki kaathi and even chhadi pehen ke for that matter.. all perfect
Well am Gulzar fan jabse hosh sambhala hai. also our expectations are so high that sometimes(well very rarely)you do get disapointed with some of the creations… anyway yeh to ART kaa atoot hissa hai..
All said and done.. I love Gulzar sahab…
tushar,
one minor correction (again) :)
its ‘pyaas udhdi hui hai’
in ‘jab bhi cigarette jalti hai.
“Jab bhi cigarette jalti hai” (adnan’s voice) is awesome..
Gulzar Vishal combo is great.. like omkara…
already heard a dozen times since yesterday
Must say the songs r brilliant.. all of em. it captures a lot of emotions in all these songs.. three cheers to vishal and gulzar.. its like every album of theirs is becoming one masterpiece and each one is different from the other..
Im lovin it…
[...] came across this post - Jab bhi <b>cigarette</b> jalti hai