Overall Rating - **

Nikhil Advani is back and he's presented us with a mighty attractive film, the deliciously titled Chandni Chowk to China. With Akshay Kumar in the lead, one can expect a commercial film made for the masses and despite his "Singh is Kinng" (god-awful film) stinker, hopes are still high for this one. However, 'apna' Nikhil is also aiming for a semi-comeback of sorts...after his 'Salaam e Ishq', and so this time, instead of casting 20 actors in his film, he decided to get 20 music directors. Ok, I'm exaggerating, he only has 8 but...he did make sure they cover every Indian music genre.

Commercially viable bollywood brandname? Check. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

Bollywood masala composer? Double Check. Bappi Lahiri.

Men who were trained in Hindustani ragas but make Bollywood style Bhangra because it sells better? Check. Kailash Kher and co.

Dude who can rap slow enough for desi folk back home to understand? Check. Bohemia.

Chak Lein De is an interesting composition. The music starts off like a 90s Hollywood action film but the vocals are Punjabi melodies with Hindi lyrics. The song would ultimately end up being bubble gum pop if it weren't for the flutes. The "Chak Lein De" hook is catchy though.... I know this because I kept humming it this morning while I was driving. The Chak Lein De remix can be summed up in one word...unnecessary.

Chandni Chowk to China, the title song is umm...unique. Take a bunch of stereotypical Chinese music sounds from a Hollywood film and mesh that with a little bit of Bombay Vikings and add a splash of Shankar Mahadevan doing his "Pretty Woman" bit from Kal Ho Naa Ho and you've got this song. I can see where they were going with this, especially keeping in mind the theme of the film, I think "Ticket to Hollywood" (another Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy composition on the same lines from "Jhoom Barabar Jhoom") was much better though.

Chandni Chowk to China - the Bohemia version, has its moments. Akshay still doesn't realize that he cant rap, somebody needs to tell him. Somebody also needs to tell Bohemia that he cant yell "Yeahh" and "uhh" throughout a song and expect it to flow. The chorus is commercial enough to sell and folks might actually take to the song, but a rap track?this is not. Just put on some Dr. Dre 2001 instead.

Tere Naina is a delicious composition and is a welcome return to form for Shankar Mahadevan. I like the interesting R&B tweak on Shreya Goshal's vocals. This is what Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy should be making. This song is better than every other song on this album put together.

Both SIDHU and India se aaya mera dost are desi kitsch, listen to them once and never again.

I'm hard pressed to find a song other than Chak Lein De & Tere Naina that I like. Just buy them on ITunes, you don't need the whole album.

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