| After the mega-success
of Tunak
Tunak Tun, Magnasound and the singing Sikh parted ways to tip
the scales in favour of Tips, who in 1999, released his next nine-track
gem, Ek Daana. Once again, the turbaned Trojan set the dance-floors
on fire with his pure Punjabi folk masti charged with a fine mix
of western pop and Indian classical tunes. With its meandering melodies,
Ek Daana beautifully captured the varied colours of love. The title
video choreographed by Farah Khan, steered clear of using scantily
clad women as props. Instead, there were many children _ one of
Mehndi's largest fan bases _ and words like kudi and gori werer
replaced with lyrics like pyaar khudai, noore ilahi.
Though the media and public liked every bit of it, the concept of the video using one the cleanest visual footage in indipop history, however, ran into trouble with a certain section of the population that questioned children playing adults! Sensing trouble, the label hastened to withdraw the album from stores.
His next the following year, Nabi Buba Nabi, too, met the same
fate. But unlike the previous album, this time some people had problems
with the lyrics Nabi Buba Nabi. Strange though it may seem, but
the fact remains that Mehndi is the only Indipopper who has had
such problems with not one, but two consecutive albums. Enough to
put a question mark on the career of the best of us. Mehndi, however,
is made of sterner stuff. Though the album was relaunched after
replacing the controversial Nabi Buba Nabi line with Mehbooba Mehbooba,
the damage had already been done. Though both the albums did fine
business, lack of promotion compared to much bad-mouthing by vested
interests, however, made sure they remain a sore thumb in the success
express' musical journey.
Mehndi's seventh album in as many years, Nach Ni Shaam Kaure, released
in June 2002, is a virtual vault containing 10 gems. Each one an
ace, with one - Dig Dig Daisy - from Mehndi's earlier album, Leheriya,
with the same music label, Universal, Nach Ni Shaam Kaure is the
ultimate chill. Worth all the wait, it's filled with such intensity
that you fear it might just explode! Not just another Saturday night
pill popping party album, Nach Ni Shaam Kaure has surely been put
together with that Sunday morning hangover in mind. Here's your
favourite fellow mixing metal, rap, ballad, folk, blues and trance
on a single album that's outstanding with rousing tunes such as
Jogi and Tera Naa Leke - very folksy yet in sync with modern times
- leading the way. Of course, there's the latest digital mixing,
but the powerhouse of talent that he is, Mehndi nowhere allows technology
to take the place of people and knock up tunes on its own. Mehndi's
personal favourite, Laage Na Jeeya, is also the singer's promise
fulfilled - a promise that he made to his Bhojpuri-speaking fans
four years ago while touring Mauritius. Careful as not to fall into
the lewd lyrics trap those Bhojpuri songs have become synonymous
with, Mehndi makes sure it is the first time ever that a Bhojpuri
song gets such a wonderful western treatment as this. Blessed as
he is with a high voice that could break glass, it needs a Mehndi
to turn simple lyrics such as Chhajju Baniya into a catchy and infectious
single.
His most ambitious work until date, a high-content album like Nach
Ni Shaam Kaure gets you thinking about the possibilities: what is
it going to do to a crowd of people? In addition, as it is true
for each one of his albums, Nach Ni Sham Kaure, too, has its novelties.
Not just the music which is full of modern sounds, gone are the
trademark chogas to be replaced by interesting half jackets. In
fact, there isn't anything typical about Daler Mehndi in this album
except that it's the kind of music that only Daler Mehndi is capable
of producing.
We know the sardar of swing as much for his foot-tapping numbers
as his sense of style: the quintessential diamanté-studded
pug and the self-designed sequinned jackets are just the tip of
the iceberg...
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