The first time coming together of many artistes – Trivikram, Pawan Kalyan, Devi, Illeana – has generated so much buzz and hype around Jalsa that it’s just incredible. How else can one explain the audio leakage of 3 very good numbers from this album even before the official music launch? How else can one explain the video leakage of Gaallo Telinattundei song? Whatever has happened is bad but it may have very well turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the movie. Despite the atrocious video quality, Gaallo looked like a cracker of a song. But that, my friends, is beside the point as we’ll all head to the nearest theaters next week to check that out.
The question for now is, does Devi score it big with his musical score? Read on –
1. Jalsa
The title song of Trivikram’s Atadu was a somber number speaking about the hero’s character and his persona in the movie and if Jalsa’s title song is any indication, Pawan is a super hero with full of masti. Saying it all are some catchy lyrics by Sirivennela. Devi’s choice of the singer couldn’t have been more appropriate for Baba Sehgal, returning to Telugu after Roop Tera Mastana [Rikshavodu], injects that aforementioned masti into this enthusiastic number accompanied by Rita. Sehgal croons Karo karo zara Jalsa and you unknowingly chime in.
And if this doesn’t spice you up, there’s a very cool remix in the album that is sung by Baba Sehgal and Devi.
2. My Heart Is Beating
It’s a beaten to death situation – a guy expressing his feelings upon discovering that he is in love; something like, say, Nenu nenuga lenei [Manmadhudu]. While Sirivennela wrote the latter song completely with words that have a poetic touch, here he opts for the youth appealing route by embellishing the song with English words and yet talking about talapulu, talagaDa to talabaDaTam, paDuchu ratHam, madanuDi rhythm etc. Undoubtedly, this ranks very high among Kay Kay’s Telugu song renditions. Outstanding! Take a bow, sir. And you too Devi, for giving us quite a melody.
I shuddered to try the remix version of this song, dreading to imagine the outcome; but what you hear takes you by a pleasant surprise. A sensible rework enhancing the beauty of the song.
3. You & I
By the time you hear this song (assuming you’ve heard the above two prior to this), you’d be really surprised by the way Sirivennela was asked to write lyrics to the songs that were given to him in this album. Trivikram’s request to Sirivennela must have been - Whatever you write, please ensure it is catchy so it appeals instantly to the jalsa craving youth. Sirivennela abides by that but not sidelining the core quality. While you hear a line like - “You and I lets go high and do balle balle. Life is like a Saturday night let’s do balle balle.”, at the same time you also hear a line – unTE neelO nammakam kanneerAinaa amrutam, kashTam kooDaa adBhutam kaadaa? Both the stanzas are beautifully worded; especially the second one is a classic flowing out of Sirivennela’s pen. Devi does a wonderful job of both singing and composing this high energy number.
4. Chalore Chalore Chal
apuDepuDO aaTavikam, mari ipudO aadHunikam! yuga yugaalugaa yE mrugaala kanna ekkuva Em edigaam?
raamuDila edagagalam, raakshasulanu minchagalam! rakarakaala musugulu vEstu marichaam epuDO sonta muKham.
Need I say anything more? Sirivennela’s razor sharp words depict the frustration of some genuinely concerned souls in this short song sung with gusto by Ranjith.
There’s also a Hindi version that is penned by Raquib Alam and he does a great job too. Devi sings it which though catchier than the Telugu version isn’t as forceful. Then again, Raquib wasn’t transliterating it from Telugu.
5. Jennifer Lopez
Agreed its catchy but per me this is the weakest link of the album. Rama Jogaiah Sastry’s words are crooned in a lively manner by Benny and Priya but at times their irritatingly accented singing, coming across as a deliberate attempt, gets on to your nerves.
6. Gaallo Telinattunde
Despite it’s heard before feel, this one’s infectious mainly for Devi’s racy rhythm and tempo. Tippu and Gopika Poornima lend their voices to the words written by Bhaskarabhatla. If this one doesn’t get you grooving yet, then I bet you’ll like this song better after you’ve seen it because it has some cool choreo.
When Trivikram, who is not known to speak much in public functions, announced during the music launch of Jalsa that Devi’s music for Jalsa is extraordinary, you cannot help but to take his words seriously. Devi’s music for Jalsa, despite some traces of trademark Devi stuff, is peppy, youthful and incredibly fun filled, keeping in tune with the name of the film and may be even the hero’s character in the film. And perhaps that explains why Trivikram said what he said.
To cut a long story short, Jalsa is sheer fun!
