Shalimar

Banger 💥

I personally prefer the instrumentals but it’s awesome that this is here at all. Go watch Kal Ho Naa Ho

Swag

4.1 + Colorful and varied. There's a quirky dance number with lots of instrumental layers ("One Two Cha Cha Cha"), a pretty love ballad ("Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na Thay") and some lush, cinematic instrumentals that tie in different musical influences (e.g. flamenco, Indian folk, big band jazz, funk...).

I thought I wasn't going to like this, but the energy sold me. I couldn't get over how vibrant and melodic this was, even if the vocals were sometimes "not my style".

that was actually surprisingly impressive I’m not a big fan of indian music (or bollywood movies) but this actually had some really nice production overall I can overlook the parts of the album I found annoying for the quality of the overall music - 8/10

no es malo pero tengo mis dudas como llego aquí este álbum aparte es mas difícil juzgarlo sin ver la pelicula

Movie score, mix of Indian traditional music, and western film scores. There's also plenty of jazz on display too in the title track. Overall it's fine. I can see the importance, the fusion, but for me it's just pleasant enough background music. Best track - Title Music 3 stars

Hay canciones muy buena, otras no tanto 3.8

I liked this more than I was expecting mostly because the arrangements and production are good. Half of the songs do not really even feel like songs but that's fine.

This is a movie soundtrack, haven't listened to this kind of music before, but I found myself liking it and it was fun to listen to.

Now I get a bunch of the references in Cornershop’s ‘Brimful of Asha.’

It's kind of fun to imagine in your head which scenes fit the soundtrack.

Soundtrack to the most expensive (adjusted for inflation) bollywood film ever made. And I am way out of my depth for this. How does one determine if this is a good soundtrack to a bollywood movie? I didn't have time to check the movie but it might be a cool side-exercise. From wikipedia, it is some heist movie with several twists, each more ridiculous than the last. Something akin to Aladdin meets James bond in India. Yeah I can see this soundtrack kinda fitting that.

Not something I'm likely to return to, but I appreciate having heard it. The list is lacking Asian representation so this is a welcome addition, and it was enjoyable enough while it was on.

This is another difficult one to judge, but it did contain a variety of cultural sounds and I must admit the rhythm was catchy in places.

Sounded like what I think it was: the soundtrack to a Bollywood caper from the 70s.

It seemed mostly typical for Bollywood, although I thought it started stronger than it ended. I really wonder why this one out of the myriad movie soundtracks from India.

Virkelig rart med noget nyt genremæssigt. Kan klart tåle at blive hørt mere. Stor 3'er.

There's a couple of bangers on here. I overall dug it but it's a movie soundtrack so I don't think you can really appreciate fully without watching the film.

I don't wanna complain too much, cause this was pretty fun and I didn't dislike listening to it. And I absolutely think more movie score/soundtracks should be on this list. But I am left wondering: why this? Why this movie soundtrack? Why this for India specifically? I just don't understand it's relevance

I don’t even know where to begin with this or how to judge it. I’m at a complete loss of words, not positively or negatively.

Je suis pas habitué à ce style de musique, mais c’est une bonne découverte qui donne envie d’aller voir un petit peu plus loin.

Very cool

Bollygood

Good use of eastern music with western styles. Something different

interesting choice to put a bollywood movie soundtrack

I appreciate listening to music using keys not common in western music. this was a nice listen but probably wont be returning. Qurbani still holds my top spot for indian soundtracks

I had been thinking that I was too old to like anything unfamiliar and new to me, but this album disproved that. It was a fun listen, like listening to a Sergio Leone movie soundtrack.

I generally enjoyed this except for the cha cha song. A nice Bollywood soundtrack

Fun listen. Kind of odd to have a soundtrack on this list but nice change of pace.

Qué música tan rara. Paso

One two three cha cha cha

hugely exuberant soundtrack-record, flitting shamelessly between funk, disco, samba, Bollywood torch-song, the James Bond soundtrack. it is a whole hell of a lot of fun to listen to and also probably not something i'll return to much - when it comes to this kind of thing, i prefer the music more direct and less grab-bag-ulous, so it stands to reason that the Lata-ji track is my favorite thing on offer here. still a delight, and representative of some genuinely wonderful singing and songwriting that should get much more credit on the world stage

I didn’t know movie sound tracks could make it on this list! This was very fun with a good mix of instrumental tracks and vocal tracks.

A Bollywood '70's Blaxploitation soundtrack album? Seems against some of the rules. I'm glad you attempted to give us some Bollywood, but I'm not certain this really qualifies. As a Blaxploitation soundtrack, it's a 3. Nothing great, nothing terrible. As representation on the list of a soundtrack, dude, this sucks. Singles, Titanic, The Graduate, Grease, Purple Rain - good grief there are a ton of other sound tracks that should be on the list.

Enjoyable listen combining some interesting styles; makes me want to watch the film

Better than I expected.

I don't know what to do with this album (see every other review) so I'm giving it a 3

this is a weird one to rate, but in the opposite direction as my last weird one. I think the music is fine-ish but it does not even remotely belong on the album list by the list criteria. We can't get the correct Bee Gees album because it's a soundtrack but we can get this? it's also annoying, and very accurately British, to have the album's sole Indian music representation come from some random-ass soundtrack. Naag Devta is great though. so what am I rating this? I genuinely will not know until I press the button. if I'm being consistent it has to be a one but I'd feel bad. I want to personally confront whoever put this on the album list and demand answers

My favorite Indian restaurant in sF is called Shalimar. This is not that. This is more like a weird mishmash of a bunch of above average restaurants of all cuisines. Should have liked more than I do.

Interesting, but nothing I would ever listen to again.

2.5

This was not really what I was expecting at all. I kind of have a mental image of what most Bollywood music sounds like to me and this wasn't it pretty much at all it actually kind of reminded me of a 60s American Movie soundtrack, to be specific it sounds like 1967, with Filmi instrumentation added. The results I found were intriguing. Though I can't say this is a type of music that I would pull out and listen, I'm kind of glad I had the opportunity to take it in. I'm sure it works better with the film. The one song I enjoyed the most was "Aaina Wohi Rehta Hai". Lata Mangeshkar's voice was absolutely beautiful. I think because that one, at lest on the onset, wasn't over orchestrated. It just let her voice create the mood. Looking at the album cover, which has nice period movie poster art, kind of makes me want to check out the movie at some point. I has a mid 70s crime exploitation vibe to it. (6.3) ★★★

Interesting, but not the best thing in the world. 3 stars

This album wasn't bad. Maybe a little inessential, but there were some cool parts. 3 stars.

La verdad me metio en un transe. No es musica que vaya a escuchar, pero estaba lindo escucharlo

C’est mieux avec le film je pense

J'écoute peu de BO de films mais j'ai passé un bon moment

How in the arse am I supposed to rate this?? It's entertaining to be fair. I guess 3/5 is fair.

J'ai pas vu le film mais à la BO ça me fait penser à une sorte de James Bond indien - « Dhe nem iz Bond, Singh Bond » Ohhh ça va... Playlist pick : One Two Cha Cha Cha !

Well that was 70's fun…won’t go back to it much but gad I was exposed to it.

Interesting Bollywood Soundtrack this one is. I was not expecting to dig this at all, but some of the sounds, especially with it being the 70s, have a pretty good groove to them. There is nothing that stands out for me, but I did not hate this.

Music wankers

Interesting

Soundtrack to 70's Bollywood film. It was fine, nothing special but not bad.

Like others, I wish we got an actual album by an Indian artist. Indian music has been massively influential to mainstream pop, and even if it wasn't, is worthy of more representation on a list like this.

Vet inte om jag lyssnade på rätt eftersom albumet var svårt att hitta

Pues mucho mejor de lo que aparenta. En su época tuvo que ser una revolución. Ha sido interesante escucharlo. Curiosa "One Two Cha Cha".

Nice blend of Bollywood meets Western music, not a bad listen

No idea what this movie could be about. The soundtrack covers a wide range of different styles that throws off whatever my best guesses are. This is not a style of music I ever find myself listening to, but I’m glad I did. This was really interesting. Not sure if I could call it good. The Title Music was probably my favorite song here.

Soundtracket fra en Bollywood-film fra 70-tallet. Diverse artister. Halvveis interessant. Kun lyttet én gang. Top 3: Countess' Caper/Shalimar, One Two Cha Cha Cha, Mera Pyar Shalimar

Decent album, not really my style

Fun and interesting, but I'm not itching to listen again

Helt klart noget af det mest originale der har været indtil videre med bollywood lyden. Og selvom det helt klart er interessant og har nogle spændende elementer, så vile jeg ærligt talt ikke vide hvornår jeg ville få lyst til at sætte det på ??

It definitely was something different than I am used to. It's as if it was an Indian album but with western sensibilities included. I liked it more than I thought I would.

Different than I thought it was going to be. Kind of feels like 60's pop meets blaxploitation films meets India?

An enjoyable enough, diverting soundtrack. I preferred the upbeat songs to the ballad-y ones.

surprisingly well. many tracks are just incredible good and catchy, some just not at all. Very interessting to listen to.

The first two songs got me good. One, two, cha cha cha, that's the way, aha aha, I like it. I don't know if I will ever listen to this again, but it was pretty fun.

Ha! First one to listen 😄. I admit it took me a couple sittings to finish the whole thing. It's pleasant enough if you like Indian subcontinent pop music from the 70s. I prefer Indian classical music like Ravi Shankar if we're going there. But this was fine to footle around the house to.

Listening session: april 11th, while getting ready in the morning Listened to before: no Thoughts: my birthday album! It’s nice to hear some world music on here, but I find it disappointing that it’s from a soundtrack. While I appreciate to hear something I’m not really familiar with, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped (maybe I have to watch the movie to fully appreciate this soundtrack) Favourite tracks: Romantic Theme (Shalimar) & Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na Thay (Happy)

Well….. this is a lot. There’s the traditional Bollywood soundtrack including the legendary playback singer Asha Bosle but also every other soundtrack genre imaginable- jazzy spy themes, spaghetti western, blaxploitation often in the same piece of music. This is the whole point of this project though, to listen to albums I would otherwise not choose to listen to. Will I listen to it again, probably not. Did I enjoy it ? Yeah

Album not available on my streamer. I only listened to a smattering of songs I found on YouTube. Not able to assess the album experience but the music seems fun.

Liked it more than I thought I would.

I thought this album was fun enough and was both pretty funky and cinematic in scope. It feels grand in parts but is very playful. It's hard for me to rate it, as I'd probably give it a 3.5 for something where I can hear that it is well done in may ways, but I can't really say how good it is compared to other music of the type, and to many l istening, it will feel like a peculiarity. However, I feel I have to round down to a 3, because it also didn't feel like it pushed a whole lot forward, partially due to being a soundtrack and it's not supposed to be just a creative piece on its own, being tied to a movie, ultimately.

Interesting listen, i didn’t necessarily like it all that much, but I think that has more to do with the nature of a soundtrack album

This guy was cooking. Really fun.

54/100. Even without understanding the lyrics, you can really feel that 70s energy where he is throwing everything from psychedelic rock and funk to Latin cha-cha and orchestral jazz into the mix. Decent record.

Not sure why this is the Bollywood album that’s included. Didn’t seem like anything special, and it anything it really felt like you had to have seen the movie to appreciate it.

If I ever wanted to play a Bollywood album, I might choose this one, but I probably won’t ever want to play a Bollywood album

Diferente, entiendo que esto forma parte de una peli, lo hicieron adaptado a la película, lo cual lo hace más interesante parece que fuera al revés, muy bien producido

I like the Cha Cha Cha song

Soundtrack zu einem indischen Film

This album is a schizophrenic fever dream. I don't mind it, nice to get a bit more global representation. The title music sounds like Sons of Kemet (London Jazz Band, not frog typo) and Naag Davta slaps, I'm sure I've heard it sampled somewhere.

Robust and powerful music and vocals. It can be a bit overwhelming at times, but in general, it's very pleasant and nice. The harmonies and sequencing is done so well. It's certainly a journey listening to this one, but one I would recommend.

I enjoyed listening to something different, Bollywood music consistently slaps. Gotta wonder why this one was chosen specifically. 3.

I was surprised to get a movie soundtrack on this list. I accidentally let it loop back around to the second song while listening, and I'm considering that a good sign. My one critique is less about the artistry and more the production: It's really saturated. This is somewhat explained by the era this was made (mid 70's), but I've heard other music around this time period that sounds cleaner. I think some of the saturation is thematically appropriate, but this has too much for my ear. I think I'd have to see the movie this was the soundtrack for to get the best understanding of it, but as its own independent listen, not bad at all.

Cool listen, not a big soundtrack guy tho

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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

I’d watch this Indian James Bond spoof.

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

Never would’ve found this otherwise - good!

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.

Sure, why not.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

fun, groovy Indian/jazz record

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.

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

That's Bollywood babe

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

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

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.

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

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.)

Expected better

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

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.

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.

Rätt najs

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.

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.

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

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

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 👍

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.

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.

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.

So fun!!

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

Gracias a dios no es otro album de country

Better then expected. Cool background while working

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.

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.

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

Enjoyed more than I thought

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.

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

kinda liked this

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?

Usikker på om jeg hørte på riktig ting...

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

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.

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.

fun

Very cool

6/10

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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 sound on this one

pretty cool

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.

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.

Pleasantly surprised, don't speak Hindi but was vibing

Kind of interesting. Won’t listen again tho

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.

Interesting to say the least. This was a little all over the place, I’m sure it makes more sense in the context of the movie. It was enjoyable to listen to.

Really immersive in bringing you to India. The singing techniques were interesting

Kinda cool album, also an extremely bizarre choice. There's probably a better example as well as a wider breadth of albums they could have used.

you eighter like it or hate it. Some songs were funny, some songs were good, and some reinforced the indian stereotypical music. The quality was surprisingly good for an 50 yrs old album

quite boring.

Not a great intro to this project.

at least it's different?

Glad to see a Bollywood album, but really this one?

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would from the cover. Fun.

2.5

3? Maybe mid 3. Nothing felt mind blowing but it was mostly fun

Interesting

Pretty good, just wish soundtracks weren't included in this list as I think they're better experienced actually watching the movie.

In the book, this album is bundled together with Gollege Girl by Bappi Lahiri: https://open.spotify.com/album/0z1eaNtpezCc1OEClb6Wd0 But I think it's because they used to only be available on the same CD, and I have the feeling that the authors would have included only Shalimar.

Sure. I think this is a movie soundtrack. It is different to be sure and not just because it is Indian style music. I like the style and the chaos of the album never makes it boring. However, it is pretty darn niche and I would not expect too many people to think any differently about it. I suppose a fan of the movie would love this. I have not seen it so I don't know. In the meantime (before I actually see this movie) I think as a stand alone album it all fits together and is never boring. Just bear in mind it is pretty niche! It IS the soundtrack to some Bollywood movie after all! I suppose it is fun enough to sneak on at a house party! Bruha ha...

Not something I would ever search for but I listened to it when I was working and wasn't bad background music.

This was a lot of fun to hear, but I'm not sure it's the most relistenable album for me. Bollywood is probably not for me, and although the Indian tinged funk and pop is cool and all, it feels like a cheap mix of all the styles going into it. The musicianship is top notch, and the arrangements are definitely well crafted. However, I don't really feel a pure artistic vision I expect from a really timeless album. Of course, no complaints listening to this - it's fun, campy, and easy to get into.

Not my cup of tea but I liked it good background music

Eclectic. Some Bollywood numbers on her but a fair few western songs with an Indian twist too. Not sure what to make of it really. I think it's the soundtrack to a film so watching it might help.

Not one I’d return to but quite made me want to watch the movie

Quite enjoyed listening to this. Even went to check out the film, which wasn’t as crazy as I thought it would be.

Very fun soundtrack! Many tracks use melodies from American pop music, with a distinctly Indian twist. Interesting to have something feel near and far at the same time.

It has some funk, it has some interesting beats, and some jazz. Which all blend into a pretty cool soundtrack.

Better than I thought it would be

Interessant indisch album met duidelijke westerse invloeden, goed voor een keer maat niet voor vaak

Great to hear something other than US/UK rock. This is the exact kind of thing I am looking for from this project. It’s an interesting sample of music from another country that puts a 70s spin on traditional indian music. engaging and really fun to listen to. 3.5⭐️

Not sure how I feel about this album. It's definitely interesting but I am not sure I would want the album in my library. Not sure I would listen to it again.

40 mins of joyful music - wasn’t aware of the film/story so didn’t understand the significance of the pieces, will have to look up

Interesting album, though not bad. 3/5

I mean, after listening to a day of Shalimar with absolutely zero context to what it’s about, I feel like it’s a legal obligation to watch the actual movie at this point, no?? Bet I can guess the plot by hyper analyzing the soundtrack. I wonder how culturally significant in the UK this movie was to warrant a Bollywood Movie Soundtrack making the cut. To my great surprise, I actually kinda vibe with it. It is undeniably Indian, and again to my surprise, this album is mostly instrumental. I was really expecting something different from this, something with a lot more singing and a faster pace overall, but I’m not complaining. You probably know what I’m talking about if you’ve seen a Bollywood film. This mostly female lead vocal soundtrack is the perfect amount of background noise to still let me be able to focus on my daily tasks and relax, instead of getting me amped up like I was expecting it to. My favorite track is the opener, “Title Music”. That’s one smooth opening that I greatly enjoyed. You know what, I easily liked this more than I disliked it. I would actually come back to this. Another good obscure album from the site that I’d never find by myself in a million years. Sure, let’s call it a 3. Why not??

Fav: Romantic Theme Least Fav: Naag Devta Loved the instruments, but man the vocals just weren’t it. Still enjoyed it

i dont like it or hate it. really stereotypicak styff and just like all indian stuff i have heard before. 3/5

Don't feel like I'm qualified to judge this

Cha Cha Cha

Well, 70s Indian movie soundtrack is... refreshing. I can't say I didn't enjoy it.

Interesting listen! Nice to have a bit of variety after a string of mediocre Brit rock, and to hear something I would never have listened to on my own.

Hard to evaluate this one. Is it a standout in the genre? Why this over other Bollywood albums? Feels very directly western influenced but has taken a heap of styles and pulled it together and layered on more traditional sounds. Some songs have a decent groove going on but then will quickly change in the next - sometimes the difficulty with soundtracks I guess.

che sound

Took a long time to find the motivation to listen to it all as the first two tracks put me off a bit. Ended up quite enjoying it. 2.5.

Better than Coldplay

This is batshit, some klezmer, Ennio Morricone and KC and the Sunshine Band in there. Recognised a few things that have been sampled in there too, although the only one I know for certain was the very start of Mera Pyar Shalimar is sampled at the start of a Go! Team song. A fun listen overall

A fun listen that's completely new to me. I'm not sure I'd go back to it but I did enjoy it.

Sehr schönes Disco-Album, wenn es auch klingt wie etliche andere Bands zu jener Zeit... Sehr tanzbar.

Nett

Vibrant. Bursting with life. Huge cultural watermark, this film, and the soundtrack doesn't disappoint.

For a movie soundtrack to be great, in my opinions, it doesn't need the movie to be attached for it, but also makes you appreciate the music more. I feel like Saturday Night Fever, Scott Pilgrim, Black Panther's and a few other soundtracks/"songs inspired by" doesn't need the movies attached to them. You can still visualize the scene or the characters in general from the movie but also you don't have to see the movie to enjoy the music. I want to say this soundtrack does that because I have not seen the movie, but the music is good. I liked Indian and Indian-inspired music, I dunno why I kinda always did. Honestly maybe if I seen the movie, which I probably never will, I can have a better appreciation for the songs

quite nice and fun

There are some amazing tracks here. That first track has been heavily sampled. Fun, different, enjoyable.

Cover 6.5 Fun soundtrack. Not sure if I've heard of before. It sounds familiar. I liked it

Really sags in the middle, but a couple of interesting tracks

Different than most albums but not reallly my thing I like the first song though

Not bad, but without the movie it felt a little all over the place. But I do appreciate getting exposed to music I wouldn't know existed otherwise.

I really liked the first song, Title Music (Shalimar). It sounded like some 1970's twilight zone jazz. I also liked Mera Pyar Shalimar. The Cha Cha Cha song was pretty Chee Chee Cheezy in a very vintage campy kind of way. The rest was okay but I don't need to hear it again and I'll probably not watch the movie.

Another movie soundtrack I’m confused is on the list because it’s missing so much context. The music is fine for what it is, but it was obviously made to complement what we aren’t able to see while we listen, and because of that, it doesn’t feel complete.

There was some western flare thrown in here but this is very ethnic. Tough to say if good or bad just not anywhere near my wheelhouse.

ok i guess 2.5

maybe it’s the paint fumes but I kinda had fun

Didn’t make it through for many reasons unrelated to the music. This was cool and I’d like to come back. I have a soft spot for Indian music

Not our usual go to genre but a nice change; it's a light, breezy and fun album.

Super fun actually.

Goes hard, but removed from its context as a film score its hard to judge Favorite song: One Two Cha Cha Cha

much better than I thought it was gonna be, probably a one timer for me but was fun Will I listen to again: 2%

This was fun music to work to! Not sure it stuck with me too much beyond that, though.

Ahhhh, the sweet balm of novelty and variety. This was a mad ride though so many styles all viewed through and indian lense and i listened intently throughout just to try and pick up what was going on. Classical indian music, country, bluegrass, pop and much more. My head spun and i wasnt bored once.

I read the synopsis of the film and it's wild. I can certainly imagine this soundtrack doing a pretty good job of complimenting its exotic thrills and chaotic twists.

why THIS movie out of all of bollywood. are americans really that important

Those was a wild ride. Likely not going to revisit it, but the kind of horizon expanding album I love to get on this.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Was alright. 3 stars

Interesting to see which soundtracks make the list but this was solid

Este es una banda sonora de una obra que ha venido ganando reconocimiento con el tiempo, como Panditji o Pancham autor de más de 300 bandas sonoras casi todas de sestilo Hindi. No estaba en la lista de los 1001 hasta hace poco, y eso para un disco del exultante 1978 significa algo difícil de lograr. No es exotismo, que también, lo que marca su calidad sino temas como Baby Let's Dance Together, Aaina wohi rehta hai o Naag Devta. Mención a parte para One Two Cha Cha Cha, que en la película homenajea al That´s the way (il like it) de KC and the Sunshine Band (1975). A caballo entre los maestros Mancini-Bacharach-Barry, música pop, sonidos orientales y el easy listening, componen un producto muy disfrutable con claro aroma retro de cuando Bollywood aún era algo lejano. En plena explosión punk, disco y no wave, esto suena luminoso aún. Aquí en España tuvimos a nuestros Algueró (que resuena en Mera Pyar Shalimar) o Waldo de los Ríos (Romantic Theme podría haberla compuesto él) como claros ejemplos de maestría y éxito. Otros discos del 78: The Man Machine de Kraftwerk, debuts de Kate Bush, Pere Ubu, Magazine, , Public Image Ltd., Dire Straits, Police, The Only Ones, Devo, The Cars y Siouxsie and the banshees, (también Chris Rea y Midnight Oil), así como discos esenciales: C´est CHic, Plastic letters y Paralell Lines, Some Girls, This year´s model, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Incantations, Équinoxe, Ambient 1: Music for Airports, All mod cons, Some girls, One Nation Under A Groove, Outlandos d´amour los directos de Cheap Trick, Thin Lizzy, Bob Marley, AC-DC y The last waltz, e incluso Grease.

Highlights: Shalimar (Title theme), Countess’ Caper, Naag Devta, Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na Thay (Happy). In a nutshell: a groovy official soundtrack. Part funk, part mod rock, part classical folk, part fruit salad of sounds for this (checks Wikipedia) bilingual Bollywood survival-of-the-fittest jewel heist movie. Cool! Watching the film or at least looking up the plot/reviews is recommended AND the translations of the song titles for context. This is the early era of Hindi cinema (Bollywood et al). Also, Rahul Dev Burman has soundtracked over 300 films. That deserves acknowledgment in this book. Any artist who uses samples in their music would have a field day here! Overall: 6/10

Pretty interesting and unique album. Made me wanna watch the movie to see what Bollywood is all about

Listenable

That was quite fun. I bet it works like a soundtrack like it's supposed to. I haven't seen the movie.

Eclectic and funky!

This makes me want to watch this film and listen to more Bollywood soundtracks. Strong 3

Interesting and different. First soundtrack for me on this list. Glad to see some broader diversity of music here.

- ganz stimmig muss ich sagen (Soundtracks klicken für mich aber auch einfach oft - sollten sie auch, wenn sie einen Film gut untermalen sollen) - wenn auch etwas lang, denn zwischendurch war ich bei einigen Songs versucht zu skippen

Accounting for inflation, Shalimar is apparently the most expensive film ever made in India, with strong international appeal due to the inclusion of Western actors and a bilingual script. It takes a couple of listens to get a proper handle on this soundtrack because the first and second halves are so different from each other. At the start of this LP my brain feels like it is being juggled from performer to performer, style to style, transition to transition. The performances, and expansive range of musicians don’t just sound expensive, but like they have free reign to be truly creative. Singer Usha Uthup on One Two Cha Cha in particular is so fluid in front of the microphone that she has you questioning whether she’s ad libbing (impossible surely?) It’s experimental music in virtue of it being home to such eclectic styles sitting side by side, but also, consistently and pleasingly strange decision making being made in the writing. During the second half it settles into something much more conventional. The spine tingling, filmic instrumentation remains, but you get the feeling they would be enhanced by the visuals they were written to support. It might be an indication that I need to see the film, which I’m sure benefits from the relative lack of intensity in the closing moments. 7/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me, made me want to watch the film, which i think i will! Loved the psych flavours melding with the more traditional indian instruments A lot lost on me through not understanding most of the lyrics which meant it never fully resonated but a cool record

this was fun and very 70s movie soundtrack, which makes sense given it is a movie soundtrack from the 70s. that said, interesting choice for this compendium, and not something i will likely return to

A solid listening experience, but nothing too compelling. Fun instrumentals with decent vocal work. 'Romantic Theme' was nice though.

Liked a lot of this, particularly the more unexpected stuff, Cha Cha Cha is excellent, then it goes into some Mid-European accordion ditty, and then straight into Ennio Morricone spaghetti western music - it flits all over the place and is really interesting. It was just the rather stereotypical male/female reverbed wailing songs with soaring (similarly reverbed) strings that let the album down for me and reminded me of too many nights in Indian restaurants. I can tell from the other tracks on this album that Indian music is clearly not all like that. I'd definitely embrace more - but not the wailing thanks

Scores are written for movies. It can be a great score, but a great album is completely different goal. This whole album is missing the context of the movie. There are still some good songs in there, but it's ultimately a soundtrack, and I'd much rather watch this film than listen to this album.

As a dumb white American, I have no idea how to rate/recommend this. I feel if I were to rave about it and label it a must-listen, it would really only come from a place of "people should expand their boundaries and listen to music they don't normally listen to" which feels shallow. I just have no frame of reference. For what it's worth, this is an enjoyable listen with some fun and different pop and Indian music styles. I enjoyed it.

That was pretty fun

Honestly better than I expected

What the hell, sure

#2 cha cha is a banger Enjoyed more than I expected

Better than expected.

Definitely has the "soundtrack" style. The mix of music is quite interesting and fun but not particularly amazing. It has gotten me thinking that someone should be creating a sitar-funk fusion band.

Hard to find as it's not available on Spotify or Apple Music. Opening title track is a banger. Rest is okay. Glad I found it and was exposed to it.

As a soundtrack album goes this is really good, I liked pretty much all of the songs other than the one two cha cha cha which just felt really repetitive, the dialogue one was also a bit hard to enjoy just purely based on it being mainly spoken word. Favourites were the title track, countless caper and the last one, they all had their strengths though, especially the female vocals on some of them which were powerful. Overall a high 3 (6.5/10)

Indian music, some more orchestral elements

fun but not my thing

As a brown person, I was so happy to see some Bollywood on this list. That being said, it does feel like a token admission. There's a lot of world music, particularly Bollywood soundtracks, that are better than this album by far, and yet this is the one that makes it to the list. After seemingly endless manchester angry rock and brit stuff? Was this the only Bollywood album the list writers had ever listened to? 3/5

Fun and different.