Bhoot Unkle - 2006

Story

Since the release of Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Makdee' [2002], there haven't been many memorable children's films to be coming out of Bollywood except for 'Hanuman' [2005]. With a title like 'Bhoot Unkle' and Jackie Shroff playing the role of a friendly-n-lovable neighborhood ghost with an interesting getup, the film may just about mark the revival of children's films. Produced by Aneesh Arjun Dev & Krishan Choudhary, the film stars a host of kids with Baba Sehgal wearing the hat of a composer/lyricist.

Title song 'Bhoot Unkle' marks the introduction of the film's central character who is adored by all the kids and is looked upon by them. And no, none of the kids are scared of him while they sing a peppy track as if they were playing along in a garden with kids of their age. A simple-n-rhythmic track that is sung by a host of kids along with Baba Sehgal [who lends his voice for Jackie Shroff], it is more or less like a nursery rhyme that has been written by Sehgal himself along with Pratibha. This is a kind of number that suits the genre of the film.

There is also a remix version of the title song that has Tarannum in the lead who goes pop with the opening line 'It's a beautiful world'! With Baba Sehgal joining her at the very beginning, it is a good mix of pop and bhangra as the rhythm hooks you on at the very onset. The music video of the song is already out and those who have caught it already would vouch for the fact that it reminds of vintage Baba Sehgal. A good foot-tapping number that has been treated almost as a different number rather than just adding a few beats to the original, it is much more interesting hear and deserves to be promoted better.

Tarannum goes solo with 'Happy Birthday' that (surprisingly) has a Latino feel to it! Though tunes belonging to the Latino style of music have been heard number of times in Hindi movies, they have mainly being used for romantic/passionate numbers but probably for the first time ever such an experiment has been made for a children's number. Written by Sehgal again, it is a sweet sounding number with good peppy arrangements that never tend to turn harsh. Overall, another decent hear after the title song.

It's the time for 'Kidz' to come behind the mike once again for 'Milney Jaana Hai'. The way the bunch of kids croon the opening lines 'Ooh La La Laana', it reminds of 'Ooh La La La' from Kajol starrer 'Sapnay'. Written by Pratibha, it is an average sounding number about children who are fantasizing about traveling all the way to sky and catching hold of everything that they desire [including chocolates, candies and even the stars]. Overall the track is nothing better than number of such songs that are heard on kid TV channels!

Baba Sehgal returns back to the singing scene with 'Nee How Maa' where Amit joins him for singing the track. A number where a young kid is asking his 'mama' [maternal uncle] about the gifts that he has brought for him from his visit to Singapore, it also has Baba intermittently getting into his trademark rap. 'Nee How Maa', which means 'How are you?' forms the rhythm of the song throughout its duration. Overall yet another average sounding track that may sound OK strictly on screen!

'Oh My Mom' is the last song in the album and is rendered by 'Kidz'. After a Latino feel in 'Happy Birthday', its time for Arabic influences in 'Oh My Mom' where kids are demanding their mother for CDs and also some latest software including games, internet, emailing, etc. to keep them abreast with the latest in the world of technology. While the rhythm is alright, it is obviously not a kind of a number that one may want to play on at home but may just manage to look funny on screen.

'Bhoot Unkle' is (obviously) a situational album that has a couple of fine numbers in the beginning followed by a bunch of average sounding tracks. There is nothing much in the album to make one relax at home and listen to the music but still has a decent compilation of some