You know how when you once in a rare while hear a song that's so good you're convinced it's the best thing ever made, and never mind that it's probably not really; that feeling of exhilaration and amazement, of needing to play it again and again and making you want to tell everyone you know to check it out? That's what happened the first time I heard 'Kitni Haseen Hai Meri Pyar Ki Nazar'. Many will be familiar with Bollywood Funk; well this is Bollywood Punk and it is sensational. Raw, dirty, raunchy, sweaty; the surf rock intro, Asha sounding (and Helen looking) ooh so seductive, the Mariachi horns, the echo-drenched chorus, the gritty and distorted guitar sound; sparks flying! Absolutely amazing stuff.
And while there's nothing that can measure up to such an opening track, 'Mahraja' contains more songs that would easily highlight other soundtrack albums. 'Tum Se Bichhar Kar Chain Kahan Hum Payen Gay' is sumptuous orchestral pop sung by Lata, 'Main Ne Pee Kee Mera Dil Kiya' is an upbeat, country-tinged drunk song (Helen again looking irresistible in the film clip), and the traditional sounding 'Pee Kee Najar Gori Tanse Lipat Gayee' exudes a sense of wild urgency that inevitably draws you in. And in between there's an instrumental that sounds like old-school burlesque striptease music.
You might need a shower after listening to this one.
Track listing:
1. Asha Bhosle: Kitni Haseen Hai Meri Pyar Ki Nazar
2. Lata Mangeshkar: Tum Se Bichhar Kar Chain Kahan Hum Payen Gay
3. Dance Music
4. Asha Bhosle: Pee Kee Najar Gori Tanse Lipat Gayee
5. Asha Bhosle: Main Ne Pee Kee Mera Dil Kiya
6. Manna Dey: Raaste Ka Maal Saste Men