Dear ARR fans,
Here I go again with my review of the much awaited Mani Sir's "Kannathil Muthamittal". I just got my copy today by chance and you know how difficult it is to grab your copies in Mumbai. Anyways, I consider myself lucky as after much possible and impossible search I have it today! I I saw the inlay cover and the pictures are too good and the cinematography seems to be brilliant. I was really hurt by Screen's decision to award SEL & not ARR for Lagaan. DCH was an excellent effort but Lagaan's subject demanded a completely different music keeping in mind its period and commercial value. Rahman was 100% successful in delivering his best which became popular too. How can one compare "Koi kahe" to "Radha kaise na jale" or "O palanhaare"? Anyways we can hope for the best for Filmfare awards. ARR has to win this award to continue his trend of winning awards each year as he has no Tamil hits this year.
If I'm going out of topic. Let me now concentrate on KM's music- Highly experimental but innovative! The only regret I have is that the songs are too short and only 5 in number. Plus there are interludes that are scanty. Instruments are limited in number.
Vellai Pookkal (A.R.Rahman)- Soothing...the start is too good with the guitars just gliding through your years. They create the desired ambience for further listening. Full marks to all the guitarists- Rashid, Rafique, Neil and Kabuli. Then comes our master himself with soft vocals. The basic melody is woven around Raga Hamsadhwani. Rahman has always sung songs in a very high pitch but this song is different. His voice seems absolutely perfect and what a malody. The 2nd interlude has Naveen playing the flute but its too short. Towards the end of the 2nd charanam (anru koovayo vellai kuyilae...), the flute just glides through the middle octave of Hamsadhwani (Ni Pa, Ga Re, Sa Ni...) indicating the voice of a 'koel'. You always crave for more. The charanam starts at a different note but returns to the basic scale. He has done full justice to the song. It does sound as 'deja vu' like "en swasa katre' or 'o venillaa iravanavaa'. One of the best compositions of the album. Rating: 8/10.
Sundari (Hariharan, Sujatha, Srinivasamurthy, Tippu, Karthik, Madhumita)- Now that what I call too many cooks serving the same dish. But the dish is tasty! I think Srinivasamurthy is the strings conductor. He's begun to sing! Madhumita is the small girl Keerthana's voice. She sings well. The song has an Arabic flavour as usual. Hari after a long time sees himself on an ARR cover.Sujatha is as usual at her best! The song is a total innovation: the composition, vocals, interludes...The song has an instant commercial appeal and seems to be a dance number due to haevy percussions used. Ratings: 7 1/2/10.
Kannathil muthamittal (Chinmayi, Jayachandran)- The pick of the album! The song starts with synth waves and minimal percussions. The songs begins with (i dont know actual words) 'nenjil jil jil...kadhal dhil dhil...' by Jayachandran. He has sung that extremely well. The song is based on Raga Kafi (hindustani). With almost all pre-release reports stating that the song is sung by Sadhana Sargam, the final song fell in the hands of a new singer-Chinmayi. Strong potential of becoming a successful singer she has done full justice to the song. She seems to be classically trained. After the first 2 lines the song goes towards Miyan Malhar employing both Nishads(Ni~ Dha Ni Sa).Note ~ means komal swara. The charanam is completely confusing. The Ist interlude contains the flute concentrating on Teevra Madhyam. It almost omits pancham through out, so you feel really deserted. But it returns to Pancham, i.e. the basic scale. Its beautifully done. Really creditable! The song has a catchy rhythm and everytime the lines 'nenjil jil jil' come it catches your attention.To my great surprise I found that my sister who rarely listens to Tamil was also singing those lines. That goes to the Music director's credit. On the whole, my favourie. The song has been repeated on the other side in only Jayachandran's voice. He has really put his heart in the song. The variations he has done are worth mentioning. He sounds so much like Jesudas. Rating: 9 1/2/10.
Signyore (M.Rafique, Noell, Anupama, Swarnalatha)- Another favourite of mine. This is in its true sense a SriLankan folk song. It does sound Goanese but then songs sung on sea-shores are like this. The vocals are great: Anupama returns almost after a long time lapse. So does Noell. Swarnalatha has that husky sensuous appeal. The percussions are very folksy and catchy. Throughout one can hear the strums of spanish and hawain guitars. Again the complaint is that the song is just 3 1/2 mins. There is a good use of side rhythms- credit goes to Sivamani and Raja. Rating: 7 1/2/10.
Vidai kodu engal naadae (M.S.Viswanathan, Balram, Manik Vinayakan, Febi, Rehana)- Truly experimental,full of pathos. Its a great composition, its difficult to create such a sound. It is purely situational. MSV's voice does sound out of place for the preliminary hearings but then you feel that he's the right choice. He has a totally different voice quality. Aptly supported by Balram and Manik Vinayakan (who's he???). According to me the raga seems to be Madhukauns. (Ni~ Sa Ga~ Ma~ Pa Ni~ Sa). It creates a war-like ambience and throughout the song a tension is built. It has more of an after-effects appeal. Both the females sound great with different voice tones. I have started liking this song after 4-5 hearings. The interludes have high bass cello strings played. Rating: 8/10.
So this is KM- completely situaltional and conceptual. After the failure of PP, hope masses like it as it is not meant for a layman. Only a connaisseur may be able to appreciate it. KM has the potential of being a Hit as its a Mani movie and everybody would enjoy the picturizations of the songs. I really liked the songs of "Pammal K Sambantham". Deva has composed some good numbers.
Guys please keep on sending your valuable comments to me so that I can always improve & update my reviews. Nice writing such articles...!
All the best...Amar rahe Rahman!!!
Love Swapnil (Mumbai)
posted at: 14:51 | permanent link to this entry