Music Review of YUVA

I was waiting for this album for quite some time now. I couldn’t wait because the combination of AR Rahman & Mani Ratnam has always worked magic on the music front. Roja, Bombay, Dil Se, Thiruda Thiruda, Iruvar, Kannathil Mutthamittal, Alaipayuthey being some of the movies which instantly come to one’s mind.

With bated breath I put on the CD and lo, there was the heavy beat of Rahman’s music and boy wasn’t it good.

1. The album opens with Rahman, Karthik & Mehboob (the lyricist) singing Dhakka Laga Bukka. The song has got good beats and the lyrics convey a youthful energy. This song will definitely become a hit and has all the trappings of a typical Rahman number (similar to Mustafa Mustafa or Urvashi Urvashi)
2. The second number is the one currently showing on the small screen. Khuda Hafiz is a good sensual number by Lucky Ali (who seems to be Rahman’s favorite nowadays) and is a very soothing number.
3. The third number Kabhi neem neem is by new comer Madhushree. She sounds very much like Alka Yagnik and also sings well. The lyrics are good but I liked Rahman’s background vocals very much in this composition.
4. I was a trifle disappointed with the rap number Dol Dol by Blaaze. Somehow the tune seems incoherent and hopefully may sound good with the movie!!
5. The number Badal, is very good and is rendered by Adnan Sami & Alka Yagnik. I would have preferred Asha Bhonsle here, but Adnan Sami’s high pitch voice and Rahman’s excellent sound mixing make it a good song. It also reminds me of Rahman’s Boom Boom from Boys.
6. The piece de resistance is reserved for the last with Fanaa. This song is my favorite in this album. Rahman’s classical interludes coupled with the synthesizer sounds are simply mesmerizing. This song will surely be a hit.


All in all a good Rahman album, but somehow one is not very happy after listening to it. The combination of Ratnam and Rahman haven’t really made waves this time. Some critics have said that this album is Rahman’s best. I am not sure and I do not agree. There have been better albums by Rahman and I sure liked Meenaxi more than this.