Where did the choreographer disappear?

You hear a song on the radio before the video release and form a picture in your mind. A sequence of steps, the aerial lifts, the attitude and the surroundings where the song takes place. It keeps playing in your head for plenty reasons – the melody, the novelty, catchy beats, funky mood, hip style! And so you head to the theatre or await the video on television, but when you see the song you feel let down. Has this happened to you? Does it get you wondering where did the choreographer disappear for this one?

Here are a few songs I love and play often on my iPod but I hate to see their videos – I’d rather see the picturization in my mind.

1. Delhi-6 : Title Track

A. R Rahman can give all the hip-hop artists a run for their money. It’s a fantastic number sung very well by Benny Dayal, Blaze, Vivinenne Pocha, Claire and Tanvi Shah. There is so much one could do and convert it into a funky dance number; yet what does Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra give us? Abhishek Bachchan jogging around the streets of Delhi with his Motorola!

2. Rang De Basanti – Title Track

I haven’t heard another Bhangra number that can match this one – in terms of vocals (Daler Mehndi is mind-blowing) in terms of beats, in terms of the tune and the pace. The right mix to deal out one of the hardest and easily the most loved dances in India. But again  Mr. Mehra ruins it – presents the song half as always and shows Aamir being tossed around by wrestlers!

3. Jab Se Tere Naina - Sawariyan

Such a soulful number and Shaan’s dreamy voice. Sanjay Leela Bhansali as the director and you imagine a magnum opus – million dancers and a shy Ranbir admiring the pretty Sonam decked up from top to bottom in the traditional finery. But what you get is a semi-naked thin Ranbir prancing around in a towel in his apartment making monkey faces!

4. Ae Paapi – Kismet Konnection

The song is perfect – Neeraj Shridhar lends  the vocals for a hip-hop number and Shahid just sails through the song until danger hits in the form of Vidya Balan dressed in Red. Those couple of seconds just ruin what would’ve been among the top Shahid dance numbers.

5. Dil Kya Kare – Saalam – e – Ishq

This is one of my favourite romantic numbers. The right mix of pace, the soft latin beats, the melody and the voice of Adnan Sami – that makes you go hmmmm and drool! So you imagine that the lead romantic pair might get together for a salsa together and what we get is John and Vidya ( again!!!) travelling in a bus, at coffee shops, in office and at home while introducing the rest of the star cast. This is the most delightful numbers in the entire soundtrack and Nitin Advani wastes it on introducing the cast of  the movie!

6.Uff Teri Ada – Karthik Calling Karthik

Yeah so the movie was a disaster. Deepika is a bad actress was proven again but I loved the soundtrack. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy rarely disappoint and Loy Mendosa’s daughter Alyssa did a swell job with the vocals on this one. On the lines of their previous numbers “Where’s the party tonight” and “It’s the time to disco”; one expects the choreography to get somewhere close but all we get after a hopeful start in the pub is Deepika and Farhan staring at each other’s faces! Talk about ruining a good beginning!

These just came to mind as I was listening to the playlist on my iPod – you got any more to add?