Shalimar

Cool listen, not a big soundtrack guy tho

I watched the beginning of the movie and the cha cha cha sequence is incredible. A dance class is in full swing when a man playing cards in an adjoining room keels over. The dancers all rush over to see, then the dance teacher turns the music back on and they all start dancing and singing cha cha cha like nothing happened. Only Bollywood.

Some of the songs are upbeat but just not my cup of tea

Robert Dimery had denk ik 46 graden koorts toen 'ie dit selecteerde, maar eigenlijk vind ik het ook wel weer geinig. Het slaat nergens op dat ik dit voor deze lijst zit te luisteren, maar tegelijkertijd begint het wel met een paar soort van bangertjes. Je zou bijna de film erbij gaan zoeken. Na een track of 5 was de nieuwigheid er wel vanaf en keek ik uit naar het einde, maar het was ook niet zo verschrikkelijk als de hoes deed vermoeden. Sterretje of 2 tot 3. 3 is toch net teveel.

2026.03.17

Pick a genre and throw it in. There's even a bit of Spaghetti Western! Surely there is an Indian artist that demonstrates this culture better than a film soundtrack.

I'm curious why this guy thought I needed to hear this Esquivel! meets Bollywood mashup. I made it through 5 songs, got busy at work and didn't listen to the rest.

This is a real melting pot of a record, and I was not fully expecting this. Even the first song is a mashup of spy, Indian, jazz, 70's music and more. I really liked that one as well as Naag Devta. Not entirely sure that I'm going back a ton to this but it wasn't what I was expecting and opened up my musical borders.

2/5 - I'm just not into soundtracks where I feel like I'm missing the action of the film. This seems like an odd choice overall, and I couldn't get through it.

While I prefer less genre hopping within a single album when I reach for something to put on, those mood shifts and juxtaposition of styles are partly excusable in any movie soundtrack following the dramatic arc or plot twists and turns of its film. Shalimar takes this "free pass" to the max. There's an undeniable extra bit of charm to the record that rescues it from both the reject pile and the novelty listen bucket. Perhaps it's just how hard Shalimar leans into genre hopping — it celebrates it — and feels like a 1970s maximalist, global fusion of more styles than I care to list that elevates it beyond a simple Bollywood meets Hollywood exercise.

Nice change of pace, but personally I won't be back for this anytime soon

A poor soundtrack for a minor film, I don't think this is a good representation of 'albums' from India

That was quite out there for me. Thank you, 1001. Not something I'm used to but it does feel more western-inspired than expected. Overall not bad, not great 3/5

never heard before, need to relisten for better idea of it. i like indian music but i'm still a neophyte. parts of this were so good i was blown away and other parts had me scratching my head but it might grow on me!

In my opinion there are better Bollywood albums out there

This album slapped, didn't quite get to listen to all of it. Could be a 5 star

Its an enjoyably fun/kitsch mash up of styles and genres. Feels a little tokenism in this list given how little Asian music is represented (not that i know anything about Asian music). Baby Lets Dance Together sounds like something from the 2000's and not 1978... and is a really groovy track.

Shalimar The guy released 331 soundtracks! I may have missed it, but it feels like this would have been ripe to have been rediscovered in the 90s, as a kitsch, ironic listen. But I think that would be an unfair way to look at it, as I thought this was great and I thoroughly enjoyed it, finding it a very appealing and enigmatic mash up of 50 and 60s cinema and TV music tropes, with a psychedelic-funk 70s vibe, all through the filter of a Bollywood soundtrack. Title Music is an excellent opener, bits of spy film and Blaxsploitation combining, and One Two Cha Cha Cha is brilliantly catchy, interpolating That’s The Way and incorporating Latin rhythms. Countess’ Caper / Shalimar is emblematic of what I like so much about this - a jazzy opening, giving way to a polka/waltz but, a move into a John Barry-esque horn part, then a Spaghetti Western section before a Sci-Fi/Star Wars ending. None of it feels forced or daft, you get the sense after so many soundtracks he’s just decided to do whatever he wants, and it works, a great track. Baby Let’s Dance Together and Romantic Theme I love too, and Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na Thay is a great closing track. In between there are some great, more ‘straightforward’ Bollywood tracks and I particularly liked Naag Devta, Aina Wohi Rehta Hai and the very catchy Mera Pyar Shalimar. I really enjoyed this, it’s got a very likeable eccentric charm and some very catchy melodies and hooks, and I will definitely come back, so I’ll go for a 4. 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️ Playlist submission: Countess’ Caper / Shalima

Something of a curio, opening with 'Title Music' that feels way ahead of its time. An eastern-tinged piece of 90s electronica, mixed with 70s wah-guitar funk, and breaking now and again for Bond brass and jazz touches. If DJ Shadow wasn't aware of this at the time of 'Endtroducing' I'd be surprised. Those drums are utterly ripe for sampling and have an excellent pre-drum n bass rhythm. Thankfully there's enough subsequently to keep it interesting as an album - 'Countess' Caper/Shalimar' an excellent walking jazz arrangement, into mariachi melodrama into orchestral score. 'Aaina Wohi Rehta Hai' ('Aina got Rita High') has some western (minor) chord movements to colour the typically Eastern melody. 'Mera Pyar Shalimar' ('My Pies are with Shalimar') again fuses Morricone cowboy strumming with 70s detective harpsichord and Bollywood melody. A lovely lilting effort. And so it goes, veering from Western Morricone guitar and trumpets, to traditional Indian chanting, to funk to jazz - it's an interesting bugger's muddle. It certainly doesn't have the complete coherence of a studio-built album, but has enough highlights and flashes of trailblazing fusion to warrant real attention.

Muy linda música foránea, exótica. Diferentes estructuras y melodías.

This is a change from the norm. The songs are nice and melodic. Nice change of pace

This was so unexpected. It's definitely not my style and not something I would put on. But I enjoyed my listen!

I understand the artistic approach and did not hate this album but it becomes repetitive and not enjoyable.

Way too easy listening for me. If we're gonna go Hindi I either want the real thing traditional or something modern bollywood

Fun listen, some really good vocal hooks. It's a genre I'm pretty unfamiliar with, this piques my interest in it a bit.

Some tracks are fun but as an album it’s just not for me

Gimme a break, no body outside of India listens to this. Why is this on the list? That was torment.

this is working for me :) i liked the intro a lot. i wasn’t really feeling one two cha cha cha at first but it’s growing on me. mmm jazz. i hadn’t heard this before. i’m a little surprised by this. i had a feeling i’d like it but not completely love it. this is great, not really a dull moment on this. i could see myself revisiting this. another note, yesterday was pretty rough (so was the album i got 😭) and putting this on this morning was immediately good vibes.

actually epic watch this movie too

Poco me esperaba que el selector de álbumes me propusiera una banda sonora de una película de Bollywood de 1978, pero ya puestos, adelante. És refrescante salirse de los esquemas musicales occidentales y asomarse a otras músicas, lo que viene siendo abandonar la zona de confort. En esta ocasión, muy satisfactoriamente, pues he descubierto a una suerte de Henry Mancini indio. Es una música esencialmente enraizada en el folklore indio, pero con mucha influencia del jazz y hasta del pop. Refrescante y exótica, se hace fácilmente digerible y se disfruta independientemente de cualquier consideración cinematográfica. Pues le voy a dar un sobresaliente.

I think this is the part of the list where the brother got bored and was just reaching for shit go add… But I’ll be nice and just say that it wasn’t for me.

Pleasantly surprised. This is something I would have never found without this generator. The sound quality is a bit spotty, but the songs are quite good, with lots of variety. Will have to check out the film

Some of the other reviews, man. Yall sound like clowns. Anyone who could enjoy the Cha Cha Cha song is just an idiot entertained by novelty. You would clap your hands and gape in wide-mouthed astonishment if I jingled some keys in your face, provided I told you the keys were all made by rural Estonians.

I’d watch this Indian James Bond spoof.

Not what I normally am into but it was surprisingly infectious on certain tracks.

A fun listen, but I think I would've appreciated it more if I watched the film this is from. Like many others have said, I wish there was more diversity in this godforsaken list, because this certainly isn't the end all be all of Indian music and I'd love to experience a fuller breadth of a culture's offerings. Dimery, it's on sight.

Never would’ve found this otherwise - good!

Actually quite enjoyed, good jazz breaks Listen to the release Shalimar (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/album/0004400642392

Certainly a change of pace, and some nice musical motifs, but I couldn't see myself getting into it as a genre.

Fun and interesting.

If you’re gonna put soundtracks on the list, there are many that are better than this one. Maybe they needed a Hindi/English one. The music on the album is ok, but not memorable.

A soundtrack?? To a Bollywood movie with Rex Harrison???? Just when I think I know how the list works, they pull the rug out from under me. They better have the Dil Se.. soundtrack on here too then. And also My Fair Lady. And also... every musical ever. But they probably won't, since we've had ~85 Led Zeppelin albums so far and only 2 soundtracks (the other one being Shaft). Regardless, this is enjoyable, and I'm glad it's on here. One of the songs is sung by Lata Mangeshkar, who is name-dropped in Cornershop's 'Brimful of Asha' (on this list)! The tapestry weaves ever deeper!! (They also did a BBC Proms tribute to her in 2023, which is why I noticed.)

Was fine, an interesting mix up of genres.

I’m glad that I listened to this and I want more albums from around the world.

Knew this would be a strange one, and it did turn out that way. I have a lot of issues with listening to a soundtrack for something I haven't experienced. There are a select few soundtracks (and within those only a few songs) that can truly stand on their own. In this case, however, I end up feeling completely separated from any emotional context for the music both through the language barrier and never having seen the movie itself. While there were a few interesting moments and vague emotions that rose through the music, the most I could give at the end was a disinterested shrug. Favorite Songs: "Title Music (Shalimar)", "Romantic Theme (Shalimar)", "Mera Pyar Shalimar) Least Favorite Song: the rest i guess... Mid 2.

idk anything ab Movies From The Indian Subcontinent (often colloquially reduced to Bollywood but i know enough to know thats a bit misleading), and perhaps a film score is a weird pick for the list anyway, but this makes some sense next to the inclusion of the likes of shaft...its like Probably Cool with visual accompaniment but the whole record is definitely lively enough that i might not have necessarily even guessed it was a soundtrack and not just like. a Pretty Stylistically Haphazard And Weirdly Sequenced Normal Album. the melting pot here includes indian classical music and singing styles, plus what sure feels like a lot of jazz and contemporary western funk stuff, and its all performed with a lot of splendor and intensity. some songs are clearly gunning for standalone commercial releases, which i Think is a big part of the culture of these soundtracks??? ill learn things eventually, its fun to learn things. an inherently kinda slapdash record, but only in terms of overall construction, no effort is spared on a moment to moment level, its p fun!

Sure, why not.

When I first got this album I thought I was being pranked, but boy was this a surprise hit.

Not bad, but I'm not sure how I feel about soundtracks on the list. It feels out of place, and it's probably not a great use of a spot on the list. Overall, an okay album, and only barely a 3.

What a discovery!

I'll be honest - I've never seen a Bollywood film before. I am so used to Western media that I never really partaken in India's film culture. So listening to the soundtrack for the heist movie Shalimar has me feeling like an outsider looking in, even more so than I did for Shaft. With that said, what did we get with this soundtrack? Well, I will say that composer R.D. Burman did his best to bridge the gap between Indian and Western popular music within the context of a film soundtrack. The opening theme sets the mood for the movie nicely. The action sequence of "Countess' Caper" starts with the big band swing and accompanying accordion, but gradually builds with the orchestral swell for a showdown before climaxing with the triumphant victory motif of the horns. The horns re-emerge with the lowly sitar playing and strings for the "Romantic Theme" that elicits those yearning desires. Throughout the record, there are some pleasant dance-oriented vocal tunes such as "Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na Thay", "Naag Devta", "Aaina Wohi Rehta Hai", and "Mera Pyar Shalimar" that add to the overall mystique of the presentation. I'm still having to fill in the details with my mind's interpretation of events, having never seen the film, but in the context of a movie, it would work. The only tracks that didn't sit well for me were "One Two Cha Cha Cha" and "Baby Let's Dance Together". They both sound dated as a result of brazenly cribbing from funk and psychedelic soul that was dominant in the Western hemisphere at the time, to the point of badly interpolating KC & the Sunshine Band's "That's the Way I Like It". From what I understand, it's not uncommon for English words to be used in songs from modern Hindi movies, but these two songs in particular come off as really hokey. Overall, my feelings for Shalimar's soundtrack are about the same as what I felt about Shaft's. Obviously, I am missing context from never having seen the film, but it is serviceable as a tie-in to the visual medium.

Ik wou dat er meer muziek uit india in stond. Dit album is wel leuk, maar geluidskwaliteit heeft nog veel te wensen. Ook vind het verschil tussen hele leuke en stomme nummers te groot.

Leuk om even wat anders te horen in deze lijst. Lastig te beoordelen als album omdat het voor een films waardoor er soms ook alleen muziek die dient als ondersteuning van de film ipv een heel album. Cha Cha Cha wel irritant nummer. Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na Thay en Baby lets dance together daarentegen zal ik ik opslaan in een lijstje. Mix van Bollywood en meer westerse muziek is wel grappig op zn tijd. Wisselingen van tempo's en stijl houden het interessant. Leuk op de vrijdagavond voor een keer maar zal het niet veel vaker gaan opzetten.

Erg leuk album, lekker afwisselend. Het is een plaat die je op de achtergrond kan aanzetten terwijl je visite hebt, en als die dan vervolgens kunnen vragen: hè, geinige muziek wat is dit? (Mits je visite smaak heeft). Ook heb ik van dit album geleerd hoe je de cha cha cha moet dansen. Veruit het leukste nummer van het album. T heeft me nieuwsgierig gemaakt over waar deze film over gaat, wil het wel gaan zien.

not terrible

I am sure it is important and significant, but I found it just okay.

Not sure I liked it much as an album but I do wanna watch this film now

people are such haters on here this was a fun listen

I see the "sound of the 70's" pervaded all the way to Bollywood. Oh good gracious, this is unintentionally hilarious. Is this a test to see if we listen, because this feels like a joke that has been played on me or more likely I am not the target audience of this soundtrack.

Pas mal du tout

Can’t tell you how much I did not like this one

3.5/5

An interesting album. Appreciate having something like this to listen to, but wish it wasn't a soundtrack. There is so much beautiful, fulfilling music in the world and this was so close to being a better pick to represent India. 3/5 Probably won't listen again

Super fun find!

This was fun and different! Echoing a lot of the reviews saying they wished there was more like this on the list. I don't even love Bollywood, but this was a good soundtrack and a great change of pace. I also wish there were more soundtracks on this list. I know some of them are like compilation albums, but there are so many that also serve to tell an entire story or have a great orchestral score. While this isn't quite 4 stars for me, it's a very, very high 3, and I'm glad it's on the list.

I was happy when this album was over

Had some high points

She had such a great voice. Not my choice of music, but it’s quality stuff.

Very refreshing to hear some different music! Not a perfectrecord but I enjoyed it a lot.

Fun and enjoyable listen throughout, but ultimately something I probably wouldn’t give a re-listen to Likes: Title Music, Countess’ Caper, Baby Let’s Dance Together

Interesting and not bad.

Started out good, but turned annoying

Classical Bollywood is not my thing. 2/5

Can't find on Spotify.

Bro, wtf.

fun, groovy Indian/jazz record

Did not like.

Ziemlich gut aber nicht mein Ding

Hatte ein absolut schlechtes Album erwartet, war aber überraschend hörbar. Schafft es dennoch nicht in meine Alltagsbibliothek

This was fun, but if soundtracks are allowed, why not The Harder They Come or even Saturday Night Fever?

Fair, nothing more.

I kind of loved this. It was different than anything else I’ve gotten on this list, and though I find the idea of including a film soundtrack to be a little against the spirit of things, I’m very glad to have listened. Bollywood has such a distinctive sound. Full of allusions, eastern and western instrumentation, rollicking bass lines, and melodies that will stay lodged in my head. Strange choices mixed in just right to give it character. I wasn’t expecting to like this so much. I often feel unable to rate foreign language albums appropriately, but Salimar has made me reconsider that notion. Because it’s excellent.

It's 60s-flavored Bollywood movie music. It's OK, but I'm not going to be seeking out any more like this. 2.5

It feels a bit unusual listening to the soundtrack of a film that I have never seen (and have so far not been able to get ahold of as of this writing), but the album honors such a terrific blend of influences that I found myself enjoying the movie conjured in my head...evoking scenes from Saturday morning cartoons to film noirs to sweaty nightclubs. This record has excellent pacing with more than a few surprises throughout, but I keep finding myself replaying "One Two Cha Cha Cha" over and over again...

Not nails on a chalkboard, but not the voice of god either. Maybe if I saw the movie it would resonate more. Good background music, besides the chachacha track. 2.5 rounded up

Un peu raciste, sinon c marrant C'est un bo

I enjoyed listening to this, but it's not going on any regular rotation. It reminded me of James Bond theme music.

Fun album not what I normally listen too

So random to find this album on this list, but sooo refreshing!!!

Weird to highlight an album that is so entrenched in controversy (stolen vibes/types of music?)

What a strange album 2/5

Gear: Penon FAN 3s Artwork: 🔫👯💎 Production: 🕰️📏😐 Music: 🍸🤵🏽🇮🇳 Rating: 🎬🎬(🎬)/5

Extremely fun. Makes me want to see the film.

How does a 48-year-old Bollywood soundtrack be selected as one of the '1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die' lists? I'm pretty new to Bollywood music, but if this is supposed to be one of the highlights, I really hope I never stumble across the low points. Honestly, I just didn't enjoy the album at all.

Awful

So this is a movie soundtrack, and I felt like I could tell when the struggle happens in the middle. Or I'm assuming so. That was kinda cool. I enjoyed the beginning. This music isn't for me but I'll respect it

This was fun! :) happy I've heard it!

this was cute but i feel like i'm in a particularly rough patch with our album pulls and it's affecting my mental, so sorry to this man

there was this review that really hit home for me on how i feel. a welcome relief that this exists, it didn't kill my ears but also wtf why do i have to go through 282638637363 shit albums of the same three genres to get to this!!!!!!!!!!

Nisam sigurna koji je ovo k, niti šta da mislim o tome. 2/5, 3/10

That's Bollywood babe

I was under the impression that soundtracks weren't a part of this list, so seeing this surprised me. I'm only 28 albums into this challenge, but this will be my second album from outside the Anglosphere, so I'm looking forward to having a bit of variety. Unfortunately, this album didn't have much to offer for me. I enjoyed having a chance to listen to something different, but a lot of the songs blended together. I think the album suffered from being a soundtrack, and it reflects poorly on the list makers that this is the only album of this style of music out of the whole 1089, as opposed to a standalone album. Favourite song: One Two Cha Cha Cha?

Экзотика, эклектика.

What a wonderful discovery. Excited to watch the film.

Absolutely not

Not a Bollywood fan

I enjoyed this, some wee bangers. I'd definitely sneak a few of these in if I was a dj in a hipster bar

I was expecting it to be shite but some of the tunes were a bop, mostly painful though

Could not find the record. Listening to the radio compilation. One either likes Indian music or not.

Not really my thing, but it was fun and interesting to listen to, even if I did not save anything for the future.

This was a strange listening experience since it was a movie soundtrack to a movie I’ve never seen. It wasn’t too bad though, first Bollywood soundtrack I’ve ever heard

Não tão ruim quanto esperava, mas não exatamente bom. Têm seus momentos, onde a breguisse atinge um nível ideal e acaba ficando agradável, de certo modo. Mas infelizmente achei longo demais e o pouco charme que tinha rapidamente se esgotou. A mistura de spaghetti western com Bollywood encanta em uma faixa ou outra, quando bem executado, mas em outros momentos causa apenas desgosto. Escolha estranha pra lista.

It's probably more interesting in context of the movie.

Unlike the previous two albums, this 1978 release very much sounded like what I would expect a movie soundtrack/compilation from this era to sound like. Having barely any exposure to these kinds of films, I can say that several moments of this album transported me to places I would attribute to globe-trotting adventure movies of that similar era like classic James Bond films.

It started really strong with some absolute bangers and got less interesting as it progressed.

Good album! I wasn't expecting much, but I actually really enjoyed it. Peaceful and calming. 7.1/10

I'm not a Bollywood fan, but given how American-centric this list is, I'm glad this album is even here.

Glad to hear something different, even if I didn’t enjoy it too much. I liked the instrumentation at times and Aaina Wohi Rehta Hai stood out to me in particular. I didn’t really like the vocals too much, and most of the songs didn’t intrigue me.

Perhaps I'm suffering from a bit of whiplash after going from Lou Reed to Joni Mitchell to Nirvana to Scissor Sisters, but I just could not absorb this one and frankly I'm not sure I would have devoted a spot on the list to an album like this. (It's not bad, per se, just not particularly notable.)

I never thought I would listen to this - nevermind kinda like it but I will never listen to it again so it’s hard to go past a 2 for me

Expected better

i enjoyed this well enough, but not having a ton of familiarity with Indian and Bollywood music or its history, I can't say whether this is a must-listen album or something Robert Dimery just pulled out of his ass in a half assed attempt to barely add some variety to the list. I'm not mad about it though

Never listened. Expectations: None - Verdict: Alright - This is something I would never have come across myself. I really like some of the tracks. There is definitely a psychedelic feel which I will always be a sucker for.

I listen to the first few track then questioned why!

This was a fun time!!!! Unexpected

Pretty good as background music but wouldn’t listen again.

My first real experience of Bollywood. Very different but mostly pleasant. Nice Morriconne esque instrumentals.

Very strange album. It's clearly a soundtrack for a Bollywood movie, but the track list is quite diverse with influences from funk and latin music among others. The sound quality was quite poor though, with vocals and instruments getting really distorted in the intense moments. It was a bit of silly campy fun but I'm not sure I needed to listen to this.

I have an appreciation for Hindi music already, so I really enjoyed this album. It's cool, it's got classic sounds, and it's not completely self serious. Kind of wild that a movie soundtrack went so hard, but only in Bollywood I suppose.

This is working really well for me. I love the sound of these recordings. I love the way it combines grooves and orchestral arrangements in non-standard song formats. Yeah there's some cheesy parts what stands out to me are all the solid gold nuggets of feel in here. I'm attracted to how different it sounds to me; as in, it's not in my normal circle of listening. It's very satisfying to hear something from an obviously talented and prolific composer that has been capture so well.

Aldrei komist inn í bollywood fílinginn en bara allt í lagi

Bara indverskt kósí. Kannski verið að tala um framhjáhald og morð en það er þá gert á fallegan hátt. Líka bara skemmtilegt að dilla sér við sítar.

Såklart kul med något annorlunda, men inte ett bra album, klarade inte av att lyssna klart för detta är inte alls något för mig, tyvärr.

Very glad this is included, i do doubt it's the best that music has to offer, but enjoyed it!

Meh

Not my cup of chai

I haven't seen this Bollywood film before and it made me curious why this soundtrack was included on this list (I hope not because it's an Indian-American movie), though I haven't got an answer to my question. It's good music, very different from the rest so far (except the very few Indian albums I had before). Though I am not a big fan of soundtrack albums, this one was nice enough.

Um nu tsg ne as daugiau neturiu komentaru 😭

Hum Bewafaa Hargiz Na The (I) - 3/10: I just didn't really like it. Hum Bewafaa Hargiz Na The (II) - 3/10: The beat is okay. Aaina Wohi Rehta Hai - 2/10: I didn't really like it. Mera Pyaar Shalimar - 3/10: The beat is okay. Naag Devta - 1/10: I didn't like it. One Two Cha Cha - 2/10: Same as the last one. Overall Score: 13/60 Overall Rating: 1/10 - There's not a single song that I really enjoyed and I won't be listening again. Just not for me.

Rätt najs

Verkar finns många influenser att lära sig mer om kring det här, men jag saknar helt klart alldeles för mycket av sammanhanget kring det för att det ska vara en särskilt intressant lyssning här och nu.

Var väldigt skeptisk till ett indiskt filmsoindtrack såhär, men det gick oväntat bra att ta mig igenom.

Sorry, rasist

Unique n cool I like but don’t love and didn’t save any of the songs.

Going to have to agree with the top review here. If Dimmery is aware that other cultures have music, why are we listening to so much 80s British garbage. I’m not sure what to do with this. I think it’s good music, I can get into it, but like this is not what I think the list is for. I think of this list as being full albums by a band not a compilation album that is put together by a main composer/musician, but maybe that’s too western minded and does make it so you can’t hear other cultures. But if movie soundtrack albums are fair game give me like everything Danny Elfman, give me the Donnie darko compilation album, give me the requiem for a dream soundtrack, I don’t know. Feel like it’s gotta be both. I feel like I’m missing the context of the film this was made for but in a bubble, yea it’s good but I can’t imagine I’ll come back to it unless I watch the film.

While interesting, also annoying. For example, The woman’s voice on the sixth song was beautiful, then the lousy 1978 music started and killed the moment.

Horrible

Soundtracks should not be on the list.

I was not planning on enjoying this but holy shit cha cha cha

I liked the music. A little too much of a soundtrack vide for five stars, but it made me want to watch some more bollywood movies.

Ek, Do, Cha Cha Cha!

(79/100)

Not really my thing

It's Indian Jazz and Cha Cha... idk what to think of it but it sounded cool.

This is enjoyable, but is a Bollywood soundtrack really the most representative album choice? Even the Wikipedia excerpt is just about the movie, which itself is apparently partly an American production. I’m glad other countries outside of UK/US are included here but there are other Indian albums that I prefer over this. I think the beginning and final tracks are particularly strong, but I sort of lost interest towards the middle.

This is a weird mix of funk, Indian, psychedelia and so on. It was definitely interesting to listen to but the songs were quite disjointed and it didn’t feel like a coherent album. As a soundtrack it might work excellently within the confines of a film but as I haven’t seen the film I can’t judge. Weirdest thing for me was “One Two Cha Cha Cha” which feels a little like an odd novelty record that doesn’t feel quite like it has succeeded in its goal being chucked into the middle of the record. It try’s to meld the Cha Cha Cha Latin rhythms with Indian Music and in the middle of that throws in a disco line with “That’s the way ah ha ah ha I like it ah ha ah ha”. Not all the album is like that some of it feels quite traditional. As I said, disjointed. I can certainly understand how this might be part of a “must hear” list of albums as it is a kind of everything and the kitchen sink introduction to Bollywood. I do think, however, that there might be more joined up flowing soundtracks to be explored. A fun listen nonetheless.

I still don’t know what I think about this one.

There’s good Indian music. This isn’t it.

Loved it! This is why I wanted to do this project - expose myself to music I wouldn’t have come across organically. 5/5

I have to agree with the sentiment of “is the contribution of this country down to just a movie soundtrack?” when this movie soundtrack washes over 50% of the 90s UK rock endlessly placed on the list.

I feel like I need to watch this movie now. Some cool vibes on here and I love the orchestral moments.

Different but still pretty melodic and not as "off sounding" from the western music model as other Eastern albums I've listened to. Wasn't a fan of the shouting style in Naag Devta though.

standard bollywood soundtrack

Without the Hindi vocals, it's just your basic orchestral elevator music, well-suited for B-Movie soundtracks and airport lounges. There are a few songs, like "Naag Devta," that approach more traditional Indian styles. Those moments are brief and not enough to hold my interest.

This was less bad than I initially thought, but still nothing I would listen to again

Kind of crazy how music rights are going to prevent you from listening to a 47 year old motion picture soundtrack, but here we are. Cha Cha Cha was kind of lame, but the rest of the album was definitely a fun look into Bollywood.

Kinda weird to have a movie soundtrack on this list. I’m surprised it qualifies as an “album”. Regardless of that, it’s not a good album. There’s just better music out there.

One two cha cha cha 💃

Me before listening: "Why is this album on this list?" Me after listening: "ok I low-key get it" It starts of with an abundance charm, the tunes are turning, but it kind of fizzles as it goes on. But it was a really fun listening experience, makes me want to watch the movie. 1. Title music 👍 2. One two cha cha cha ⭐ 3. Dialogue ⭐ 4. Countess' caper ⭐ 5. Naag devta 👍 6. Aaina wohi rehta hai 👍 7. Baby lets dance together 👍 8. Romantic theme 🛑 9. Mera pyar Shalimar 🛑 10. Hum bewafa hargiz na 👍

probably the most fun i’ve had with a listen, even if it wasn’t perfect.

At least it’s not more Bowie. Fun for a little something different, but something you HAVE to listen to before you die? Nah. 10 Ragas to a Disco Beat is way more interesting. Weird choice to put a movie soundtrack on here, anyway.

I understand that this list has to be a "worldwide" list, but here's a partial list of artists with 150m+ records sold who are nowhere to be found on this list: Garth Brooks Phil Collins (solo) Drake Celine Dion Ed Sheeran And we get this shit, instead? Just listen to One Two Cha Cha Cha and it gives you all you need to hear about this album, which shouldn't be near this list.

6.9/10

3/5

It's perfectly fine. Not sure the importance of this soundtrack specifically as there are dozens of others I'd include waaaaaay above this one. Oh well, I haven't seen the movie so I don't understand how the music pairs with images, but it all sounds perfectly fine.

I decided to watch this movie instead of just listening to the soundtrack. I was not expecting to usher in the new year with Indian cinema but 2026 is bringing that energy I guess.

What an adventure!

You know, it was actually an entertaining album. I've not gone to far into this style of music in the past, but might have to check it out a bit more.

This was actually pretty fun. Couldn’t listen to this style all day.

This one had me conflicted. It’s a composed soundtrack so of course you can’t listen to it like you would a regular album. It definitely sounded like a soundtrack but from various genres - obviously Bollywood, but also some western and James Bond sounding tracks, along with a little jazzy sound sometimes. I actually got into some of it but other songs with the terrible screeching high pitched voice were pretty bad. It was unique, but definitely not a good representative of Bollywood music overall. I’ll never listen to it again, but I’m not mad I listened to it for this.

This music is CLEARLY from the 70’s and was made to be a movie sound track. It’s background music all day long and should not be a focal point. Another dud on the lists of 1001.

Cultural Ethnocentrism is the belief that one's own culture is the standard by which all others should be judged, often leading to viewing other cultures as inferior, strange, or wrong. It manifests as judging others through one's cultural lens, causing prejudice, discrimination, misunderstanding, and reinforcing power imbalances. Example: Take a flop of a Bollywood movie, but since it’s one of the only ones that they put Western actors in, treat it like a masterpiece and put the soundtrack on a list of 1000 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Never mind that the music sucks and the kitschy collection of styles is overblown and demonstrative. This is a ridiculous album, a pandering attempt at diversity and a pointless inclusion to this list. It’s not great, Dan.

One two... cha cha cha. That song has been stuck in my head for a day now, and honestly I'm not mad about it. I suppose this list wouldn't be complete without a bit of Bollywood, and it was an interesting listen. Much like the Superfly sound track (ohhh yaaa) I tried to imagine the plot lines as I listened, far more difficult when songs are mostly instrumental or in a different language but fun none the less. Let's do.... cha cha cha Honest answers only, baby jesus is watching.....who amongst us didn't shake their hips at least a little when the cha cha song played?? Yup, thought so.

Whoa... the first track made me feel like I was on a bad acid trip. Skimmed the rest of it, don't really get it. I don't fuck with this

It's different but not for me.

Parts kitschy 70s nonsense, part interesting to listen to. Can't honestly say I enjoyed it.

Something interesting

I liked bits of this and I'm glad it's on the list as a nice bit of variety. There's only so much of it I can listen to though before getting tired of it

Before this, I had no idea what to expect from a Bollywood soundtrack. And I understand each soundtrack is very different, but it was fun to listen to something really different. I had high hopes after the opener, but some parts felt a bit dull to me, it maybe too foreign. But there were exciting and interesting songs as well. Better than expected. 3.5

Drôle de vibe pour la veille de Noël, mais bon, on a ce qu’on mérite

Some of it was great, some of it was super duper Indian. overall enjoyed the listen though.

no me gustó

It is kinda fun but wouldnt listen again

3.5 for me really. Like, I appreciate this but I can't say I'd throw it on.

So fun!!

Hell yeah. 4/5

This is why I'm doing this thing. To find stuff I otherwise never would have known existed. Great find.

I hesitated to give 1 star to this album because style wise it's out there, far from the dozens of britpop albums. But also, I have no interest in a Bollywood movie OST.

Nice! Something new for me, kinda weird that it is a movie soundtrack, but cool.

Gracias a dios no es otro album de country

It was alright, I won’t be rushing back

Best Track - "Title Music"

Feels like the guy who made this list figured he needed more "global" music to round out the endless 80s British synth pop and just threw on a Bollywood soundtrack.

Better then expected. Cool background while working

This was a pretty good album overall for a Hindi movie soundtrack. The best way to describe it is Indian Pop mixed with funk, and some of the songs even had a Western feel to them. Even though this was my first time hearing it, it felt like I’d heard it before, probably because this album has definitely been sampled in modern music. Right away with the first track, I recognized it because I know Dan the Automator sampled it. I can’t remember the exact song or project, but he definitely used it. But even beyond that, this album is full of beats and percussion that have been a big influence on hip hop and pretty much any other kind of music that uses breakbeats.

Some catchy songs, but for the most part.... wat?

I'm sure there are tons of classics here, like Aaina Wohi Rehta Hai. Should I watch the movie?????

There's some fun tracks (cha cha cha) on here. Did I have to listen to this before I die? Not too sure, but I listened anyways.

NOPE

I can surmise that this is on the list because it represents a fusion of traditional Indian music styles with then-contemporary funk and disco. Nothing stood out to me but it was fun and fine.

I assume this is a good example of the genre. But a genre I'm not into.

Cool

It's a really fun novelty and something really different from the rest of the list. I just wish it was a little more out there though. The movie and soundtrack are partially Western inspired, and I find those tracks to be the least interesting here. I like that the inspiration comes from all over the world and you can hear that a lot of budget went into this piece. It's not really the type of album you'd come back to often, although not having seen the movie may make me miss parts of this.

I was optimistic, but this is a bridge too far for me.

Saved by some songs having a jazz / big band flare

Okay, so this was a banger. I admittedly went in with low expectations, having not given many really high reviews to World albums, but this was so varied and fun that it's getting a 4.

Haha j'ai ris, ça m'a mise de bonne humeur. Je donnerais un petit 3 !

This was a sonic nightmare

(Pun begins) Was this directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, or why is it OBAA (One Banger After Another)? (Pun ends) But honestly, this was such a breath of fresh air from this list. What a pleasant surprise! Without getting too gimmicky, this list requires more albums from different countries.

Wasn't into it! SAD!

Alright but idk indian so just sounded like poorly recorded old indian music

Enjoyed more than I thought

Yeah, not a fan but I appreciate that something entirely different was recommended to me

> The Beatles It's so nice to be reminded occasionally that the people who made this list are aware that music outside of the UK in the 60s and 70s does, in fact, exist

Not bad

can always cheer you up

If this album was just the instrumentals, 3 stars. That title theme? Amazing. So good. Compositionally interesting all over the place, but too many of the songs overall were inconsistent to my likes.

A Bollywood soundtrack! Interesting! The entirety of my knowledge of anything related to Bollywood comes from my love of the Cornershop song "Brimful of Asha." That song is a tribute to Asha Bhosle, who has a song on this soundtrack, and it mentions others that were involved with this film. I'm not sure how "necessary" this album is, or how much it would have been enhanced by at least a passing familiarity with the film. I enjoyed listening to it but the entire time I was aware that the music was supposed to accompany visuals that I couldn't see. In an odd way the experience reminded me of watching an Italian movie (with no subtitles) in Italy last summer, so while I could see what was happening I couldn't understand what anyone was saying.

Fuck my life, fuck my life, fuck my life up, yeah Fuck my life, fuck my life, fuck my life up

This was fine- it's nice to have some variety though it's not really to my taste.

Enjoyed far more than expected. Not super score like either. Some fun Hindi hits. 3/5

kinda liked this

Oh it’s all the names from Brimful of Asha! It is different to a lot of the stuff on here, and an English / Hindi film soundtrack. I didn’t mind it.

I have no point of reference for this album. I'm not familiar with Bollywood or its musical styling. This album was fun at points and sounded good to my ear. I didn't hate it. Being a soundtrack, I'm now curious about the movie. I guess it did its job well?

HOW THE SHIT DOES THIS GUY HAVE 13 MILLION MONTHLY LISTENERS

A fun and interesting listen, but I have to knock off half a point for a soundtrack being on the list. I’d rather hear an actual music artist’s album than music made for a movie when it comes to albums I must hear before I die. 3.5 / 5

Meh

Not my bag.

Usikker på om jeg hørte på riktig ting...

Never heard an album like this before. Lots of energy. Maybe too much.

intro to the first song was interesting, but from there on in it just sounded like a soundtrack to an bollywood film. not my cuppa

Ikkje dumt

I enjoyed this more than what I thought I would. Not spending I'll be seeking out, but it was interesting and fun.

1.5

Not by any means my closest listen, but this shit is surprisingly bangin'. The "Title Music" grooves hard with a free form jazzy shuffle with some sweet Indian instrumentation over top. One Two Cha Cha Cha is kinda goofy, but fun. Naag Devta is an absolute jam. Baby Let's Dance Together is a surprisingly funky little number with some dope sitar. And I love everything about Romantic Theme -- reminds me a bit of the show Dexter. India cinema has some dope music in general. This was way better than it had any right being. 4 / 5

Interesting that we have a whole movie soundtrack as an album. Don't know if there is something special about this movie and why it's included, but it makes me wonder why Hans Zimmer or John Williams don't get considerations to be on here. That being said I actually really liked this album. Definitely not one I would put on ever again, but it was up beat, goofy at times, and just had a solid progression. Thinking about giving it a 4, but not quite there.

Very strange that we got a Bollywood movie soundtrack and not the Weezer Blue Album. Had some cool stuff in it but I think I would have been ok without listening to this.

Wild to have a Bollywood soundtrack on here but I was honestly vibing to it for the most part. On the verge of a 4 here, but I think the fact that I won't come back to this makes it a 3 for me. Fun album though.

A soundtrack to a famous Bollywood movie! Cool. Something different for once. I don't think I'll ever listen to it again, and it wasn't for me. But it was cool.

fun

Not really what I was expecting. It's nothing if not eclectic - it skips from funky proto hip-hop drum breaks, to jazz, to 70s sax sleaze, to cheesy 60s bubblegum pop - and that's just the opening couple of tracks. Countess Caper starts out as a simple Count Basie groove and somehow morphs into an accordian-led polka, a brassy 70s cop movie theme, and then spaghetti western mariachi music before a big orchestral climax. Bonkers stuff. I can't say any of it really "landed" with me but it was one hell of a ride. If you are that way inclined, I'm sure this must be a treasure trove of beats, grooves and general weirdness waiting to be sampled (if it hasn't been already). I feel like this is an album everyone should hear before they die, for some perverse reason.

Very cool

6/10

Ummm. Okay. 2

No

This was a great soundtrack. Some real bangers. Naag Devta is rad. This whole album is rad af. Funky, jazzy Indian disco. Wish there was more like this on this list.

This was a blast from start to finish! The album is packed with quirky, upbeat tracks that feel like a time capsule of pure Bollywood funk. It’s not something I'll ever revisit, but I couldn’t help smiling all the way through. The playful energy, groovy arrangements, and the unforgettable “One Two Cha Cha Cha!" makes it a fun, lighthearted listen.

I appreciate the injection and introduction to Indian culture in that time period, while integrating some jazz and other elements of that era. A bit whimsical in some of the tracks - fun, carefree.

I tried playing a game of “Guess the Plot” from this soundtrack, but I think I left just as clueless leaving the album as I did coming into it. My guess is “cop movie”, because of the gun on the cover. I am not nearly as cultured in Bollywood enough to tell if this film is like a classic or something. I do like that this book gave me something different than Latin or African for the world genre. But, this was not for me. It kind of got a little grating as it went on, probably due to the sound quality. I don’t know about anyone else, but some parts just sounded a little loud. Like to the point where the stereo would start giving feedback. I did this on Spotify, so it wasn’t a second-hand recording. Also, I don’t really care for the weird mix between 70’s pop and traditional Indian music. It got kind of cheesy in an annoying way. It doesn’t help that some of the songs drag a bit. I really hope there’s more samples of Indian music on here. I know Bollywood can produce some bangers. I just don’t think I found them here. Favorite track: One Two Cha Cha Cha Other hits: Title Music, Baby Let’s Dance Together, Romantic Theme

Pretty good Bollywood Hindi music that front-loads the bangers and drags for the second half. The whole movie is on YouTube and has John Saxon in it, so points for that!

honestly this was kind of refreshing

Don’t judge a book by its cover. I actually really enjoyed this lol

very niche low budget bollywood movie soundtrack that’s surprisingly good, well rounded

It's catchy! I'm surprised that the first work from India that I've encountered in the list is a soundtrack. With that said, this us pretty accessible to my Western ears: not so much microtonal stuff that I'm lost.

This to me is the quintessential example of the type of album that really qualifies for this list of albums to listen to before you die. It is not a genre I am interested in, not something I would search out, but glad I got the opportunity to be exposed to it.

countess' caper / shalimar was sooo cool

Shalimar Shakti de ... 🤠 🤔

This was fun. Early Bollywood with some cool tunes. Not one I’ll come back to a lot, but a genre defining work early in the history is always worth a listen.

Cool. I like Indian music

Not available in Apple Music so I had to go to Spotify to listen to this gorgeous soundtrack. Hey, editors! less rock/pop from the UK, less country boring stuff and less Elvis Costello, more soundtracks!

Pretty cool, would not have ever listened to this otherwise! Probably wouldn’t listen again because it’s ultimately not my thing, but I’m still glad I listened!

Bollywood soundtrack? Liked it more than l thought l would.

I'm sure it's a decent example of the genre, it's just totally not my bag baby

Awful.

It's weird that a soundtrack is on the list, there don't seem to be many others. I missed the context of what was happening in the film which I suppose would make the music make more sense. Having said that it's nice there is something from Bollywood in the book, and I never would have listened to it of my own accord. It's alright, although I can't help but think there might be better representations of this style of music out there.

Good soundtrack! Almost makes me want to watch the movie. Liked the instrumentals a good amount. At times the vocals are a bit annoying.

well I gave it a go, was not too bad. Unlikely to try it again though.

good sound on this one

i've had such a good run this week, this was so much fun to listen to <3

pretty cool

BOLLYWOOD! Alright the first track hits WAY harder than I expected. I was assuming this would be a decent Bollywood sound and I get something that I expected Wu-Tang to show up in. Alright maybe this is my ignorance of Bollywood showing but this shit is all over the place but damn solid. Some tunes show their age. Some songs switch movie genres at random and others are just great. There is a lady on YouTube that will listen to Indian music and give some translation and you see her facial reactions to the lyrics. I need to find out her channel name and point her at this so I have some context. I feel like I should watch the movie now as well. It's a wild pull but it's been a day and finishing it with this album is great. I'm hear for it, bwhaha.

Great album, happy to hear something which isn't purely western for once. Melodious and fun, makes you realise there's a whole Bollywood world of music that's worth investigating.

Bollywood-Pop. Dafür noch gut hörbar. Aber einmal hören reicht mir dann auch. 2/5

Favourites: Naag Devta, One Two Cha Cha Cha

I enjoyed this. It was interesting to hear the fusion of traditional Indian music with the more western sounds of funk, jazz, and even elements of rock.

This is a banger. 70's Bollywood at its best.

WTF?

My exposure to subcontinent music is pretty much squarely in the Ravi/Ananda Shankar tradition, so imagine my surprise when out came a cha cha rendition of KC and the Sunshine Band? Pretty damn random and pretty damn fun! Not gonna be a frequent play but I’m glad I got to hear it.

Bollywood is a genre I’ve really not explored in the past. I won’t do much exploration past this. I found this to be very cringy.

Guess I am not the target audience for this one 😐

Sorry, a movie soundtrack? We are allowed movie soundtracks?!?! Can I have pirates of the caribbean?

The grooviest Bollywood OST I've ever heard. Which probably isn't saying much, since it's the only Bollywood OST I've ever listened to in its entirety. But this is a pretty fun mashup of eastern Indian sounds and 70s rock/funk. It's got that big bombastic sound that just makes you feel gooood. And as another reviewer aptly stated: the author of this list is keenly aware that a world of music like this (not necessarily Bollywood, but albums western audiences wouldn't typically be exposed to) exists -- so why the fuck has this list made me listen to FIVE Elvis Costello LPs?!?

Pleasantly surprised, don't speak Hindi but was vibing

Kind of interesting. Won’t listen again tho

Makes me want to belly dance

Eclectic, fun, funky. Really a nice little journey of an album.

What began as a Lalo Schifrin–style score with hints of Bollywood flair gradually morphed into a moderately enjoyable late-’70s soundtrack—one weighed down by a bit too much singing. While the orchestrations were solid, the vocal tracks started to wear on my patience after about half an hour.

Not sure why this is on the list honestly. There's nothing like old Indian/Hindu music with vocals that peg the input channels and distort due to excessive clipping.

Interesting and dull at the same time. Maybe it was interesting how dull it was.