Audio master: 'Jhankaar Beats' was a sign of what Vishal-Shekhar were to bring to Bollywood music
Vishal-Shekhar have had a stellar year with three original soundtracks: Student of the Year 2, Bharat and War. They produced hits (Fakira, Slow Motion, Ghungroo) at a time when Bollywood chart-toppers are either unimaginative trend chasers
The songs in Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi were credited to Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani. They became the entity known as Vishal-Shekhar in Sujoy Ghosh’s Jhankaar Beats (2003). Made as a tribute to RD Burman, the film wasn’t as popular (or great) as the superhit soundtrack that earned Vishal-Shekhar their only Filmfare Award till date: the RD Burman Award for New Music Talent, appropriately enough.
Sixteen years later, the film can be regarded as one of the many Burman homages that popped up after the super-success of Bally Sagoo’s Chura Liya remix. However, the most memorable moments of the soundtrack don’t have much to do with Burman. The 10-song album looks back when it has to while providing traces of the best work Vishal-Shekhar had to offer in subsequent years.
The Jhankaar Beats theme, a throwback to Burman’s style of Bollywood funk in which Sudesh Bhosle apes Burman’s gruff voice, is a showcase of how the duo sharply replicate older styles of music without getting bogged down by legacy. The...
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