Director : Vikram Bhatt
Music : Himesh Reshammiya
Lyrics : Shabbir Ahmed and Sameer Anjaan
Starring : Karisma Kapoor, Rajniesh Duggal, Jimmy Shergill, Divya Dutta, Ruslaan Mumtaz, Samir Kochhar and Gracy Singh

Searching for her Love...Through many Lives...Karisma Kapoor finally gets a paradigm for a resounding comeback! DANGEROUS ISHHQ, a thrilling emotional saga, conceived in 3D and 2D format by ace-director Vikram Bhatt marks the comeback of this blue-eyed actress who once ruled the hearts of millions. After surprisingly dazzling music success of BODYGUARD, it also brings Himesh Reshammiya as the lead composer of this album with the likes of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shreya Ghoshal, Shabbir Ahmed, Sameer Anjaan and upcoming Amweshaa in the credits. If one goes by the past records, the combo of Vikram Bhatt and Himesh Reshammiya have delivered two reasonably good albums in RED and FEAR and so one don't expect a romantic musical or path-breaking success from this album. Against all odds, all Himesh Reshammiya fans will be praying for a well deserved resurrection for their idol who once has delivered 36 hits in just one year, can he do it this time? Let's check out...

Going with the haunting and intimidating feel of "Aapke Pyar Mein" (RAAZ) in similar sounding tender piano drills, this Vikram Bhatt's stylized thriller picks up with the traditional Sufi-qawalli love duet in the form of "Tu Hi Rab Tu Hi Dua". Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's classically refined vocals picks up every sensitively pitched emotion with flair and matches well with intrinsically classical Indian musical instrumental flows. Tulsi Kumar's shrill-pitched rendition (sounding similar to Anuradha Paudwal) complements well with Shabbir Ahmed well penned lyrics and makes this a strikingly rich narrative soundtrack. Himesh Reshammiya rejuvenates the successful spell of Nadeem Shravan's 90's golden era where almost every duet came in a typical "ghazal" or "qawalli" musical format and succeeds to great extent in enticing listeners. This well-synchronized Reshammiya composition is a winner all the way that has fine blending of resounding vocals going in tandem with an array of Hindustani classical orchestral works that works. "Tu hi Rab Tu Hi Dua (Reprise)" brings the crazy hip-hop emceeing and snazzy "turn-tablism" to fore, where Tulsi Kumar's booming voice in poignant shades collages with the "club-house" DJ maneuvers. It's a "cool" enterprising discotheque fare that can well be interspersed between "club" tracks to change the moods. "Tu Hi Rab Tu Hi Dua (R&B remix)" is the trendiest of the lot. It brings back Rahat's convincing voice back with Tulsi's supporting voice with added racy emceeing that is mixed in optimum proportion; overall Reshammiya delivers a satisfying listening experience in all versions and should hope for a deserving chartbuster in weeks to come. Chartbuster!!!

"Naina Re", a soul-stirring Sufiyana pitched composition brings back the quintessentially renowned Himesh Reshammiya back to fore. It propels back horrifying feel of "lost-paradise" with soothing decorum of soft piano drills in its prelude with a strong melodramatically profound melancholic feel of pathos and desolation that sparkles with gleaming voices, meaningful lyrics and a befitting composition. This sentimentally paced composition brings back Himesh earlier impressive singing stint (of AASHIQ BANAYA AAPNE phase) that connects thematically well with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Shreya Ghoshal's lovable voices. Despite low on creative quotient, it has the desired poignant romantic shades and quality singing that epitomizes the heartrending suffering of the lead protagonists. Reshammiya's dexterity in changing voices, moods and tempos also deserves a special mention that brings myriads of emotional shades to the track. If you have thoroughly cherished tracks like "Tanhayyian" (AAP KA SURROR-THE MOVIE) and "Main Jahan Rahoon" (NAMASTEY LONDON) in the past, then this evocatively felt and smoothly rendered track will surely be an added listening delight. "Naina Re (Reprise)" is tunefully morose and sedate, a theatrically profound treat that can well be enamored on big screen as sentimentally rich background score. High on emotional quotient, it has minimal orchestrations where all three vocalist (Rahat, Himesh and Shreya) voices can be thoroughly enjoyed in their own patent style of singing. After hearing two congenial sounding versions of this soft-sentimental track, the next version comes more for commercial interest as it comes with enthused DJ antics and skills in "Naina Re (remix)". There is infectiously loud "masti" going in those added beat-juggles that concocts well with vocals and later there are oodles of thriving resonating effects, DJ spins that adds to the show. Impressive!!!

Neha Bhasin, Shweta Pandit, Shalmali Kholgade and now Anweshaa! The list of female singing prodigy is just getting longer and longer and the surprise element of the album comes in the form of Amweshaa's mellifluously singing in "Ishq Mein Ruswaa". Anweshaa's (Amul's VOICE OF INDIA discovery) voice quality is simply commendable but the composition sounds too outmoded in present context. It comes in a format of courtesan's "nazm" where soloist shows her distressed state of mind in routine wordings, a soundtrack that could have easily be favorites among Nadeem Shravan's collections. This time Himesh Reshammiya has failed to materialize the singing prowess of this gifted singer and have delivered a mediocre sounding situational track. To accentuate commercial prospects, this somber number turns aggressively loud in youth-friendly "club-remix" version in "Ishq Mein Ruswaa (remix)". It sounds too inappropriate this time as now two diverse musical moods fails to interact and entertain.

Mediocrity phase continues as now Reshammiya tries to deliver a semi-classic track with a feel of his peculiar Sufi rock funk in average sounding "Umeed". Like all previous tracks, it charters a territory of contemporary Indian classical music with a strong blend of "qawalli" and Sufi rock but the end result is too mediocre. Amrita Kak's "girlie" vocals sound too modish for the occasion and sound too disproportionate in this track that demands a quintessentially ethnical toned voice and melodic griping. Shahab Sabri's Sufiyana pitched chorals and Himesh's crooning in the backdrop is good supports but the soundtracks fail to be promising. "Umeed (remix)" is better outing than the original soundtrack as it mixes Amrita's snooty voice in fusion of thunderous beat-structure and electronic synth beats, a reasonably good DJ number that can be worked out in promos and teasers.

Tread-milling back the lucky phase of glorious success, when fervently sounding "filmi" soundtracks like "Jhoot Nahin Bolna" (AAP KA SURROR - THE MOVIE) made great impact, Reshammiya regains his lost ground considerably in creating similar feel in boisterously composed "Lagan Lagi More Piya". It has characteristically Laxmikant-Pyarelal's stamp written all over it, where bombastically loud drumming is heard prominently with infectiously loud flows of shehnai, sarangi and table-sitar loops, adding classical charms to it. Shreya Ghoshal's sweetly toned voice is bliss for ears and so is Shahab Sabri's well throated nasal twang that adds desired pacing to the track. The soundtrack has a typical Rajasthani folksy base, well driven with the varied instrumental moves with a typical Reshammiya's "table-sarangi" loops that stay persistently till the last beat of the track. For all those listeners who still prefer a conventionally Bollywood's love-struck energetic numbers, "Lagan Lagi More Piya" is just the right choice that has quality performance from singers and musicians, a perfect mix of slick choreographic move and smart camera-work is surely be making this a colorful affair on big screen. Go for it!!!

DANGEROUS ISHHQ brings some good quality performances that work positively in couple of soundtracks and sticks sturdily to its plot, characters and situations. In terms of commercial viability and acceptability, it is nowhere near to Reshammiya's last composed BODYGUARD but has quality contents in it. Despite carrying outdated 90's musical feel, soundtracks like "Tu Hi Rab Tu Hi Dua" and "Naina Re" are likely to draw sufficient amount of listeners while "Lagan Lagi More Piya" will be rising well to the occasion. In nutshell, this is one of the finest efforts but not the greatest by Himesh Reshammiya in recent times as we all have seen him delivering the finest in his heydays and hopes for the greatest from him in months to come.

Rating - 3/5