Pritam’s Atrocious Tune Ruins Madhuri’s Graceful Movements

Madhuri Dixit  on  the dancefloor , swaying to a Kathak  beat in flaming  orange  as a  group of  chorus dancers in bright green  costumes  join in….Gosh, this  should have been the  ultimate  classical experience  from Madhuri Dixit in the  eagerly awaited Kalank  we’ve all been waiting for.

Tragically  the  song and dance released  on Tuesday afternoon, is much ado about nothing. And not a patch on what Saroj Khan did with Madhuri in  the Maar daal number in Bhansali’s  Devdas  her last memorable dance before she  had quit.

It isn’t Madhuri’s fault. The  grace is in place.It is the  atrocious composition by Pritam  Chakraborty  that does  the  purported  treat in.

The aesthetics  are in place. The  colours orange and green with a tasteful  Moghul décor  representing  a kotha is  pleasing to the eye.  But Pritam’s idea of  a Mujra song just kills  it, in not a nice way.

 Has Pritam  followed  the  great tradition of Mujra songs in our films , from Ghulam Mohamed’s Thare  Rahiyo in  Pakeezahand  S D  Burman’s Kaho jee tum kya kya kharidoge in  Bimal Roy’s Devdas to Khayyam’s  Dil cheez kya  hai  in Umrao Jaan and Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s  Sharafat chor dee maine in Sharafat and  R D Burman’s  Main tawaif hoon mujra karungi in  R D Burman’s Mehbooba?…. Pritam should have sat himself down and savoured these classics before daring to step into the  kingdom of  the Fallen Woman.

 As for  the choreography , while the chorus dancers  look around uncertainly Madhuri seems  fully in command. Some  experiences  go beyond the mediocre circumstances they are put into.This, sadly is not one  of them.Madhuri’s  innate  grace cannot survive the  torrent of disgrace  that is thrust on her presence.