Film: Border (1997)
Music: Anu Malik
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singers: Sonu Nigam, Roopkumar Rathod
Back in the day, critics termed this album ‘God-sent’ and this number the ‘national anthem’ of the year! It isn’t a patriotic one but it makes you feel a homesick soldier’s emotion. Anu Malik’s catchy tune fits Javed Akhtar’s simple but nostalgic words perfectly. Anu primarily uses male chorus and percussion to ensure Sonu Nigam and Roop Kumar Rathod’s nostalgia-laden voices and expression touch the heart. There is no routine mukhda-antara pattern but each antara is brilliantly catchy, heartwarming and can make one cry with its crescendo in Ae guzarne waali hawaa bataa. One of my all-time favourites and I get goosebumps every time I listen!
Critics also said that everyone – right from a vegetable seller on the street to the soldier on the border – were smitten by and humming this one back in the day. Anu Malik reached unforeseen heights after setting the words to tune and not the other way round. He uses mandolin and flute in the interludes but brings out nostalgia and homecoming like no one else! The beginning male chorus resembles Dil use do jo jaan de de (Andaz; 1971; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKdUnqGcO-Y). Anu claims and has mentioned in his interviews that he got a call from Lata Mangeshkar appreciating the number that time. He and Javed Akhtar etched out each number in this score beautifully – I also like Hamein jab se mohabbat ho gayi hai (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGyX5V2LBO0), To chalun (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhBspLOpryI) and even the patriotic Hindustan Hindustan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db85sHLPNhg). Methinks this album missed the filmfare trophy by a whisker to Dil To Pagal Hai given the latter’s youthfulness and popularity.
Harmony 