Originally published in The Hindu.
Parandhu Sellava
O Kadhal Kanmani (Tamil)
Music: A. R. Rahman
A standout song from the soundtrack. This is the kind of free-flowing goodness one expects from the Mani-ARR duo. The ‘Putham pudhu’ phrases sound like the funky, 2.0 version of a classic 50s MGR song and the background chorus too keeps the song mighty lively. Karthik is his usual dependable self, but it is his co-singer Shashaa Tirupati who rules over the song.
Vaaya Veera
Kanchana-2 (Tamil)
Music: Leon James
By now Shakthisree Gopalan has built a reputation for wonderfully immersive melodies, no matter who the composer. She lands herself one such number for 23-year-old debutant Leon James’ Kanchana-2 (which is also Muni 3… oh well!). Leon’s music seems very similar and new-agey like his schoolmate Anirudh’s — the sound is fresh, and purposefully cluttered. You remember Shakthisree’s ‘Vaaya veera’ hook as much as the ‘aaaah’ that appears every few seconds.
Pori Masala Pori
Jil (Telugu)
Music: Ghibran
This is Ghibran’s second film in Telugu and while the overall album is decidedly more commercial (a.k.a predictable), the man has a few aces up his sleeve. The most oddly named song, ‘Pori Masala Pori’, starts off with cringe-inducing ‘Kudi Kudiye Soniye’, but gets the main hook perfectly right (despite, ‘Pori masala pori, main hoon tera Ferrari!’). When the hook is repeated after the anupallavi, Ghibran layers the catchy rhythm with a string section that defines the kind of imaginative work he conjures up often these days!
Yeh Dil
Chitrafit 3.0 megapixel (Marathi)
Music: Yug Bhusal
There’s something very, very (once more!), very Ilaiyaraajaish about this song; in fact, at one point, you’d perhaps be humming Ilaiyaraaja’s (and M.S. Viswanathan’s) ‘Kaalayil Kettadhu Kovil Mani’, from Senthamizh Paattu! It could also be the way Yug handles the jazzy elements or it could be the way the tune has a swagger that Raja used to reserve for the classic 1980s Kamal Haasan potboiler. Vijay Prakash runs amok in the song and delivers a knockout. Just one warning — if you search for this song, you’ll end up with a video that is termed NSFW (Not Safe For Work).
Ummarathe
Ivan Maryadaraman (Malayalam)
Music: Gopi Sunder
This remake of Our Hospitality (Buster Keaton, 1923) travelled through Andhra Pradesh (Maryada Ramanna), North India (Son of Sardaar), Tamil Nadu (Vallavanukku Pullum Aayudham) and has finally reached God’s own country. Oddly, Gopi recreates two songs from the Telugu version (music by M.M. Keeravani), but thankfully the best is completely his own. ‘Ummarathe’ holds lovely violin phrases and a whispery tune alluding to Gowrimanohari raaga and is fabulously sung by Devanand and Divya S. Menon.