| MUMBAI:
On Wednesday listeners of BIG 92.7 FM Srinagar had a treat as the child playback
singer - Mehrajuddin, who has sung a song in the forthcoming co-production by
BIG Pictures & Sudhir Mishra's production house -CineRaas Ltd 'Sikandar',
hosted a live on-air show along with RJ Sophie and RJ Haya. The RJs and Mehrajuddin
kept the listeners hooked to the stations by singing songs in every link. Mehrajuddin
sang the song - 'Aarzoo' from the film which is a 'Naat' (a traditional hymn sung
in School assemblies in J&K). He is a 12 year old school boy discovered by
film director - Piyush Jha during his hunt for the film location in Kashmir. BIG
92.7 FM, India's No 1 Radio Station, played host to this child protagonist and
created a platform for the people of Srinagar to interact with this 'star in the
rising'. To make his visit all the more interesting, BIG FM will air his interview
live on radio and will also give an opportunity to the listeners to interact with
this special child. Music
is everywhere; if that is to be believed, writer & director Piyush Jha just
proved it right in his next film 'Sikandar'. Set to release in April 2009 the
film is set in Kashmir and is based on human side of terrorism, which compelled
Piyush Jha to maintain the authenticity in every possible way; even in music. Mehrajuddin
is a 12 year old boy, discovery of the director. Piyush Jha found him during one
of his location hunting tour to Kashmir. Looking out for school location landed
Piyush in the school where a morning assembly was going on and Mehrajuddin was
singing the Naat. Piyush describes this as one of his heavenly experiences as
the boy sung with his eyes closed and one hand obediently placed on his chest,
communicating with the god as the song echoed in the mountains. Piyush immediately
decided to make room for this Naat and the boy in his film. A special sequence
is written featuring the boy singing the song in the backdrop fitting perfectly
in the film.
Speaking about this occasion, Mr. Syed Jafery - Station Director,
BIG 92.7 FM - Sringar said, "Mehrajuddin has made this city proud with his
achievement and hence, we as Srinagar's No.1 FM station decided to play a host
to this budding talent so that he can reach out to all. I am sure people of Srinagar
will be thrilled to have this special child with them at their favourite FM station." Mehrajuddin
belongs from a very traditional Kashmiri family, where he helps his father run
his pony riding business and studying in the local school; completely disconnected
from the film world. The boy never had singing aspirations until Piyush Jha perused
him and his family to let him sing the song. The
other songs are Dhoop Ke Sike written by Prasoon Joshi and composed by Shankar-Ehsaan
Loy. Another song is by lyricist Neelesh Misra paying a tribute to the famous
Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz by taking the opening mukda from his famous ghazal
'Gulon Mein', and has penned two new versions. The song has two versions, a slow
serene version by music director Justin-Uday and an upbeat version by music director
Sandesh Shandilya. The old ghazal is deftly modernized with the use of contemporary
singers like Mohit Chauhan and KK and using western orchestration to make the
entire experience relevant to these times. Yash
Narvekar & Hrishikesh Kamerkar set a spiritual mood with 'Allah Hoo' as lyricist
Kumar precisely depicts Sikandar's quest for finding the right path. A peppy number
'Manzaraat' is based on traditional Kashmiri folk music sung in Mehndi functions
in Kashmir, sung by Shilpa Rao, adds zing to the album. The album concludes with
the youthful song 'Chaal Apni' sung by Hrishikesh Kamerkar & Hamsika pulling
together a great album which offers a spectrum of emotions and a journey of lifetime. | 