AUDIO/VIDEO SCAN
Viruddh
(Times Music)

THIS is a film music album like no other. In fact, the only "song" among the nine that are included is the opening number, Bhooli bisri yaadon mein, sung by Ajit Parab and composed by Anand Raj Anand. All others are offerings from other albums.

So we have Roop Kumar Rathod’s Faqeerana Aaye and Sonali Rathod’s Gham raha from the album Bazm-e-Meer. There are Abida Parveen’s Man lago yaar, Bhala hua meri matki phooti and Sahib mera ek hai from Gulzar Presents Kabir.

Jagjit Singh croons Hey Jag Trata from the album Ishwar Allah Tere Naam and Shankar Mahadevan presents Shree Ganeshay Dheemahi from the album Vishwavinayaka.

Memorable that these offerings are, the most haunting is perhaps the closing number, Melancholy. This instrumental piece by Violin Brothers is true to its name and has the violin crying with pathos.

The AIDS spectre is perhaps the biggest threat looming before the nation. Yet, awareness about the incurable disease is extremely limited. Myths and fallacies abound. This music video — a first of its kind — seeks to fill the gap. In it, a song and a music video have been composed, arranged and performed by Indraneel. This educational film has been made by Action Plus, a group of 15 NGOs, to promote paediatric HIV awareness at the ground level.

Indraneel is a musician from Delhi who is a part of the fusion band Mrigya. He had composed Mauka, a song about positivity and life, two years ago. Dr Palash Sen later agreed to lend his vocals to the song as well.

Last year, Action Plus and Ford Foundation of India decided to support Indraneel’s endeavour to make Mauka into a music video sensitising people against discrimination towards people who are HIV positive, in this case a child.

The music video opens with the demon of discrimination haunting a little child who has been tested HIV positive. The demon is vanquished during the course of the song with the positive energies of Indraneel, Palash and the little child.

The video has been directed by Akash Nelson. It also features a message by Jackie Shroff who urges people to give a mauka (chance) to these kids so that they can enjoy their childhood.

If it helps even a little bit in lessening discrimination against the unfortunate kids, some of whom had to even quit school because of prejudices of the ignorant parents of other children, the effort will be worthwhile.

The album also contains a free CD of melodious film hit instrumentals.

— ASC