HEAD GAMES
AR Rahman packs a lot of his heady signatures into the soundtrack for Mani Ratnam’s new film, but where’s the appeal to the heart?
MAY 2, 2010 – THERE’S MUSIC OF THE HEAD and there’s music of the heart, and our older composers were nimble acrobats who tiptoed blithely along the tightrope-median, secure in the wisdom that their purpose was threefold: to serve the situation on screen, to showcase their own compositional talents, and to give the man-on-the-street something to take home with a whistle on his lips (or a shimmy-shake in his shoes). You heard their songs, and your heart responded instantly, and then – only after you knew the tune-outline like the back of your hand – did you take them apart in your head (perhaps all ten of them). It was a happy situation for everyone. The casual listener walked away with melodies to hum and memories to bequeath to succeeding generations, bolstered by lyrics that could be discerned at first listen. And the music enthusiast (or maniac, if you will), like a geek-mechanic handed a gleaming Rolls, could marvel at how everything fit, how this raga was soldered to that jazz influence, or how that percussion instrument pressed a foot to the pedal just as this string section began to purr. And then our film songs were beset by the same upheavals as Western Classical Music.
As we’re discussing the music of the “Mozart of Madras,” let’s take the instance of real article, the real Mozart. Whether minimal (the twinkle-toed Eine kleine Nachtmusik, say) or monumental (the operatic overture to Don Giovanni), there’s always a melodic hook (or a leitmotif, as the case may be), a comforting tour guide that holds our hands through the more intimidatingly free-flowing aspects of the composition. (Also, these were almost always set to a simple time signature, like the four-four, even if there were complexities within that beat count.) No one will deny that Mozart had a masterful musical imagination or that he bent the scales to his idiosyncratic will, and yet, his music is easy even for a first-time listener. You take away something, something pleasant, even if you cannot tell major from minor, tone from semitone. But later, when the avant-garde came in, brandishing heresies like atonality and serialism, it was as if these formidably intellectual composers decided that all existing melodic possibilities had been explored and exhausted, and the only way forward was uncharted territory – all hyper-intellectualised head-music, with very little patience or indulgence for heart-music lovers, those poor, sentimental fools.
That’s the schism in our film music today, and my first thoughts, after four or five listens to AR Rahman’s soundtrack for Raavan, were about how much head-music there was, and how much he’s completely abandoned the notion of catering to us heart-music lovers, we poor, sentimental fools. Even the token melodic numbers – Behne de (beautifully sung by Karthik), and Khili re (with a light and lovely raga stretch in Kalavati) – are frustratingly evanescent, drifting from the mindscape barely seconds after they’ve alighted. They’re very pretty, and the filigree-work from Rahman’s factory is, needless to say, dependably ornate (though the album, in general, feels a little too fussed-over) – but just try holding on and singing along. There is, of course, one school of thought that says not all music needs to be easy, but then – as Rahman himself has proved so many times earlier – even heavily layered music, that’s borderline-impossible to fully take apart in the head, can effortlessly worm its way into the heart, like the irreproachable Ae hairat-e-aashiqui and Tere bina from Guru, or the entire soundtracks for Delhi-6 and Rang De Basanti. (The Mani Ratnam-Rahman combination may command more might at the box office, but it’s Rakeysh Mehra who seems to inspire Rahman to deliver the best of both head-music and heart-music.) With Raavan, I couldn’t shake off the disappointment that, despite all the evident effort, there is no solitary dazzler, no Aaromale, no Rehna tu, no Rehnuma (and that was un film de Anthony D’Souza, for crying out loud).
There is, also, a lot of déjà vu. If Behne de comes off like a cross between Mera yaar mila de and Satrangi re, the prelude portions of Khili re bring to mind Kehne ko jashn-e-bahara hai, Kata kata (with its frenzied chorus and pounding percussion) is a reworking of the Azeem-o-shaan shahenshah template, and Beera is flavoured like the incantatory title track of Omkara. (There’s a strong Vishal Bhardwaj presence in this music, or perhaps it was just me imagining how these desi-heartland songs would sound had they been shaped by Vishal Bhardwaj.) With so little to appeal to the heart, one is forced to dive headfirst – and there, finally, Rahman gives us glimpses of his greatness. One moment that caught my eye (rather, ear) was the opening stretch of Ranjha Ranjha. A string instrument snakes across eight beat-counts, and then, for twelve counts, there’s a near-pause, a sibilant susurration, like wind on willows. Our mind, therefore, settles into even-numbered ease – twelve more counts of strings, four more of the susurration. And then, after an asymmetric delay, a guitar unspools for eight counts, and we expect the song to get going at the beginning of the next cycle – but Rekha Bhardwaj’s titular cry erupts someplace between seventh and eight count, almost like a syncopation. You feel you’ve suddenly lost your balance. This is pure Rahman, the insolent avant-gardist who won’t rest till he yanks his listeners out of their predetermined comfort zones (which is why it’s bewildering that he’s called the Mozart of Madras).
Another Rahmanesque signature is manifest in the antara of Behne de, when the tranquilising melody begins to acquire thrust, ever so slowly, before exploding into rock-guitar psycho-delirium, and subsequently, descends back to serenity, as if the exertions weren’t worth it. Raavan isn’t a bad album or even a lazy one, and I’m certain the songs will acquire a third-dimensional sheen on screen, when varnished with Santosh Sivan’s palette. It’s just that it never crosses the “hmmm… interesting” threshold. I can’t say, for now, how much I’ll be returning to these numbers a month, a year from now. Even Gulzar is curiously muted, achieving fullness of form only in the colourfully idiomatic Kata kata. There’s a very funny rhyme in Thok de killi, where the master links dil ka to chhilka, which is surely the only time the heart has been rendered subservient to a banana peel. Finally, for those who’ve been maddened, over the years, by this great poet’s mixed metaphors, he unleashes one in Khili re that’s entirely in context – surila badan, a torso in tune, but only after the heroine likens her body to a bansuri. Not that poetry needs logic (and besides, if you’re looking for logic, what are you doing near poetry in the first place?) – but at least the next time someone begins to beat me with a stick about my passion for this poet, I’ll have a proper example to back me up. For that, Gulzar saab, thank you, from head and heart.
Copyright ©2010 The New Sunday Express. This article may not be reproduced in its entirety without permission. A link to this URL, instead, would be appreciated.
Bala
May 1, 2010
And for those of us for whom an Antara is just the name of a rather hot, perennially under-dressed actress and who like their music of the sing along variety , I guess it’s back to the old Rahman albums or the other pretenders to the throne , the SELs, the Amit Trivedis et al …
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nallamuthan peran
May 1, 2010
Start meesic…
My help?
Baradwaj doesn’t understand Rahman. He is stuck in a timewarp
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Nithya
May 1, 2010
Completely agree! Behne De actually works well despite sounding a lot like Satrangi Re, full credit to Karthik. He’s brilliant throughout! I love Ranjha Ranjha, and that’s the only number I’ve been going back to. The contrast between Rekha Bharadwaj and Javed Ali’s vocals adds such beauty to the song.
The other songs simply don’t hold my attention at all, and this I am saying after listening for a full week. That Rahman gives his best for Mani isn’t so true anymore. With Rahman-Mani combos, one or more songs have instantly appealed to me, love at first hearing as opposed to the common view that ARR’s songs take time to like. I loved Nenjam ellam kadhal from AE, Hairat-e and Tere Bina from Guru, Ajnabi from Dil se, all in the first listen. And eventually did end up really liking the other songs as well with subsequent listens. But not this time. Though Ranjha is my favorite, imo it still isn’t as good as songs from RDB or Delhi 6. Beautifully put across as head vs heart.
Your thoughts on the trailer? Seems like a Guna hangover on first sight. Oh no Mani, I really hope not!
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Praveen
May 1, 2010
You nailed it!!
People didnt like it when I mentioned Satrangi Re, Saathiya resemblance in Behne De. It is Karthik who makes you like it.
I did feel a Vishal Bharwadwaj presence as well!
Did you watch this added song? Ja Re Ud Ja re performed by Rahman at the audio launch
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MumbaiRamki
May 1, 2010
With my tongue dried out , i told my friends the same thing – The sounds are great , but it never reaches an inch lower than your ears !
Atleast i found one soulmate for my view :0
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Harish S Ram
May 1, 2010
i liked this allegory in thok de gilli –
Raat ka maal, raaton ne lutaa
Chaand taaron ke guchche churaye
waiting for Vairamuthu to do a yakai thiri in this song too 🙂
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Alpesh
May 1, 2010
I agree with what you’re saying. There isn’t much within the songs that lingers with you so that it eventually makes you feel desperate to listen to the songs again.
I can’t see my self listening to this album much, unlike the VTV album which I am unashamedly singing along loudly to while I drive. (btw saw the film for the first time last night. there are bits in the first half which were abit frustrating cos it was needlessly froffy, but overall great film)
I have this feeling with the Raavan album, that its not the album I should be listening to. It should be the Raavanan album. Yuva was a good album, but it was the Aayitha Ezhuthu album which really captured the heart and mind.
I don’t know if you saw the music launch of Raavan, but Rahman did sing a song called ‘Udd jaa re’ which sounded great song, y its not on the album I will never know. but had it of been, i think it would have been the best song on the album
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Aditya Pant
May 1, 2010
I feel Gulzar is outstanding in Thok De Killi…just that the lyrics are virtully indecipherable because of the music. As it is, his lyrics are not easily comprehensible (you need very many listens to get to them), and Rahman’s composition makes it even more dificult. Not that the song is bad, but the lyrics of this ‘revolutionary’ song needed more prominence and not drowned by the music.
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Radhika
May 1, 2010
pliss, oh pliss – do a full article on gulzar no? he deserves more than a passing mention in a music review. and if you do, take a look at 100 lyrics translated mostly with competence but often without soul : I mean, imagine translating “ankhon ki khushboo” as “aroma of the eyes” – aaargh
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Pradyum
May 1, 2010
Funny you mentioned that Beera Beera reminded you of Omkara.The teaser reminded me of Omkara especially when Abhishek is shown riding with those aviators!
And thank you for this peace and also the reviews of the two movies! The whole week I was frustrated of coming here,refreshing the page and finding nothing! 🙂
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Mambazha Manidhan
May 1, 2010
“there is no solitary dazzler” ..
The song you ve been waiting for is coming. ‘Jaa Re Ud Jaa Re’. Heard the version Rahman sang at the launch ? Ambient.Layered.Full of surprises. Goosebumps-inducing string movements.Typical vintage Rahman.
And Behne De also reminded me of ‘ Mera Rang De ‘ from the Legend of Bhagat Singh. Maybe, its the same rag.
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Sandhya
May 1, 2010
You nailed it in just two words BR…”No Aaromale”…When you know the guy can do THAT,in your own words “that dazzling boundary-pusher’.. everything falls short.
The one thing that I really loved in Raavan was that ARR seized the opportunity to bring in those infectious African rhythms into at least two songs in the album…So rare to hear those sounds in Bollywood…Beera’s Swahili-type chant in the beginning was so fun!and soooo Rahman!
I could almost visualize Mani giving him the narration “…and then they go to the forest…” and Rahman sorting the folders in his head to retrieve his ‘African beats’ file. An obvious choice but so right for this album.
And you’re also so right about him not being a lazy musician…I saw people recommending Admissions Open on this blog and went to check it out…and although I love Amit Trivedi, it felt like he’s already repeating himself.
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Ramesh
May 1, 2010
Hmm interesting ..review.
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Ramesh
May 1, 2010
aybe ARR should change his name from the Mozart of Madras to the Bach of madras, with a space after B as in b-hach….
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munimma
May 1, 2010
itha THAAN, iTHA thaan talaiva ethirpathirunthen!
Unusually, I liked it the first time I heard it, may be because it was familiar. No major shakes, but pleasant. Of course, Rahmanesque grows on you. I am sure. Were you reminded of mehboob mere (mujhe mast mohol mein rahne de)?
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Qalandar
May 1, 2010
Thanks Baradwaj — superb piece, although my sense of the album is a bit different from yours:
http://qalandari.blogspot.com/2010/04/music-review-raavan-hindi-2010.html
The paragraph beginning “There is … a lot of deja vu” was especially interesting to me — because I agree with that and a lot else in the para, but that (i.e. these stray moments of Rahmania wandering around) was precisely one of the things that most interested me, one of the things that I found strangest about the album. It actually seems LESS polished to me than most of his recent work, the surfaces are a little less bejeweled than (e.g.) in Delhi-6; not sure where it will ultimately end up for me (Delhi-6 is one of my favorites), but even at this early stage I find it approachable and accessible in a way I didn’t really feel with Jodha-Akbar…
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Vivek
May 1, 2010
Couldn’t agree more on your observation about the songs evoking a hint of Vishal Bhardwaj. As I listen to Tok dhe Khili, all I can think about is Ajay Devgan emerging out of a sandpit followed by his coterie brandishing guns and lathis 😀
And what is your thought on the rumors doing the rounds that the movie’s storyline mirrors that of Khal Nayak?
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Rahul Tyagi
May 1, 2010
Brangan, I’ve started liking most of the songs by now (except Thok De Killi), but I think you have articulated the slight unease that I kept feeling initially so much better than I would’ve done. Great article.
And, oh, I actually think Beera is probably that solitary dazzler that you were talking about, at least in initial hearings. Ranjha and Behne De have joined it by now. 🙂
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Venkatesh
May 1, 2010
“to serve the situation on screen, to showcase their own compositional talents, and to give the man-on-the-street something to take home with a whistle on his lips (or a shimmy-shake in his shoes)” – This is the essence of Music composition for films be it songs or BG.
You serve the film first, irrespective of how you go about it, by acting as a counterpoint to the action on the screen(ala Sandeep Chowta for Satya) or by echoing what’s on the screen (dozens of examples). Make an album for god’s sake if you want to stand-apart from the film.
Call it what you may – atonal, minimalism, dissonant, asymmetrical rhythm, etc. etc. if it doesn’t appeal to my ears, as far as i am concerned its just noise. It might be noise consisting of a 1000 influences all layered carefully and produced perfectly but its still noise.
There, a stake in the ground.
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sid
May 1, 2010
totally agree with you on the third dimensional sheen that gets added to rahmans compositions when it comes to mani ratnam. Strangely none of that is required for his score for rakeysh mehra.
dream for me is to sit in on a score brainstorming session with rahman-mehra-prasoon…just observe and try to understand what it is in this combination that makes such great music
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nirmal
May 1, 2010
exactly what i thought of raavan soundtrack.. lots of interesting stuff, but i sorely missed those tugs on my heartstrings..
and for you, BR, link to the new IR soundtrack in malayalam..http://www.123musiq.com/KadhaThudarunnu.htm
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prasanna
May 1, 2010
I could not make head nor heart, i mean tail, from most of the theroy u used to examine and analyse the music of arrahman. so i am gonna bug u asking for free (or at best heavily discounted) music theory lessons from now on. how the hell did u acquire so much knowledge in music. Awe!
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prasanna
May 1, 2010
I so wish this article gets a lot of publicity and this becomes the template and standard for film reveiwes too – where the ‘art’ is reviewed in the realm of ideas and theory, thereby elevating the ‘review’ to the exalted level of discussion, an expression and sharing of ideas! instead of a simplistic ‘good’ or ‘bad’
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Iniyavan
May 1, 2010
I can see a serious disappointment (or misconception?) here. May be Khili Re can rip your soul at your 35th listen (that one was for me) during 00:01:25 to 00:01:55. Btw, who is that ‘male’coming in between? May be that excellent background vocals in Ranjha can percolate into your ‘tough’ heart at a later point of time. But yeah, you are partly right when it comes to Thok de Killi and Behene De. They lost my heart too. Letz give some time, may be years, for the realization to dawn on us. Until then, happy “hmmm…interesting”.
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Just Another Film Buff
May 1, 2010
I wonder if you’d make the same case for head-cinema and heart-cinema. I guess not.
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Vishal
May 2, 2010
I think Behne De is going to be an epical song. But except for that one song, I agree that this album lacks that timeless quality that we’ve associated with our beloved Mozart of Madras.
I was disappointed to see Gulzar taking the back seat (or at least not in his full form) in Raavan. I know we’re probably never going to get another Dil Se, but I was hoping for another Guru…
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ramesh
May 2, 2010
guess which song this is in tge raavan album?
Ltelephone mani pol sirippaval ivala
melbourne malar@pol melliya maghala…’
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tejas
May 2, 2010
Yeah, I hear ya. That feeling of been there, done that. Beera somehow misses out that frenzy introductory power of Omkara, and it isn’t all rusty – with its rock interludes I would call most of the album neo-folk if such genre existed in Bolly music. I was intrigued by how in ‘Behne De’, the orchestration reaches a crescendo and the vocals don’t. It had almost a reverse effect of something in Chaiya Chaiya, when “Main Hawa Pe Dhoondhoo Uske Nishaan” happens, the music doesn’t hit as high notes.
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vijay
May 2, 2010
Gave it a couple of listens, nothing stood out. No aromale or dil gira dafatan or anything like that. Will give the Tamil version a listen. But not sure if the trilingual aspect kind of messed things up for Rahman. For a Mani album this was well below expectations for me.
How come with a theme like this, there isnt a single intense melody in the album? Most of them sound like they were leftovers from the composing sessions of Lagaan and Mangal Pandey
I’ll go back to what I said about Delhi-6 last year- that it would be difficult for Rahman to top that- and it seems that with every subsequent effort since then he has fallen shorter.
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moifightclub
May 2, 2010
spot on! completely agree. one of the best reviews. time for fanboys to shut up and listen!
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neon
May 2, 2010
“(There’s a strong Vishal Bhardwaj presence in this music, or perhaps it was just me imagining how these desi-heartland songs would sound had they been shaped by Vishal Bhardwaj.) ”
A friend and I were having a conversation about Raavan’s music and this was something that cropped up, how the music sounds very Vishal Bhardwaj-ish. I think this time Rahman’s given very movie specific music, maybe it’ll all make sense on screen.
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brangan
May 2, 2010
Nithya: Yes, AE was a very good album. Much better overall then Guru. I’d have liked that song even better had it not been sung by Adnan Sami, but we take what we get 🙂
Praveen: No haven’t seen it. The same thing happened with the lovely Shauq hai too.
Aditya Pant: I feel Vishal B is the best collaborator Gulzar has after RD. VB gets the music instinctively. Just listen to how “right” Dil to bachcha hai ji sounds. It’s magical, how words and tune coexist.
Radhika: “Aroma of the eyes?” Really? 🙂 Is there a link with more such gems?
Sandhya: There was some Swahili-type chant in Tenali, no? Or am I thinking of some other song?
Vivek: Never listen to pre-release rumours 🙂
nirmal: Thanks for the link. Will check it out.
prasanna: Thanks. I’m glad you look at it that way because it’s always the “provoking a discussion” aspect of a critic that gets sidelined. Far too much emphasis gets placed on “did he like it” and “how many stars” and “is it good or bad”?
Just Another Film Buff: I’m not saying the two are or mutually exclusive. Even the most abstract “head cinema” CAN appeal to the heart, no? Otherwise it just stays at the “hmmm… interesting” level (at least for me). Besides, we’re talking Indian film MUSIC here, a beast that’s proved capable of head and heart.
ramesh: Not sure what you’re asking. Cryptic clue?
tejas: Speaking of neo-folk (or folk-rock), have you heard Tohe leke saawariya, the Jatin-Lalit number from Soch?
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Lakshman
May 2, 2010
Wonder what happened to the Asha Bhonsle sung song which was listed in the Wikipedia page of Raavan. Are we being treated to the same old technique of being forced to buy another CD with “Bonus” songs is anyone’s guess. I am happy with the album since it didnt have another Baazi Laga or Ek Lo Ek Muft. Behne De was truly elevated due to Karthik’s singing. I never thought I would say this but Karthik’s rendering of Vintunnava in the Telugu VTV easily surpassed Rahman’s Mannippaya – heart music as BR would say. Have we found our next great singer here?
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Satyam
May 2, 2010
Wonderfully insightful as always..
allow me to compress what you’re trying to say in a pithy formula.. the ‘Mozart of Madras’ has turned ‘Bach’!
Which in any case was always part of Rahman’s DNA..
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ramesh
May 2, 2010
oh not very cryptic…(answer: )
ranjha ranjha kardi wei mai aape ranjha hoi
ranjha ranjha saddoni mainu heer na aankho koi.
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Sandhya
May 2, 2010
@Lakshman
I think Karthik is the best we have today…listen to the million variations in his silky rendition of Behka in Ghajini…and yes his Vintunnava and Swaasye in Ye Maaya Chesave (the Telugu VTV) are outstanding.
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Shalini
May 2, 2010
I was wondering how the Gulzar fan would react to the Raavan soundtrack. You were kinder than I expected. Perhaps for the first time, my stuggle to understand the lyrics wasn’t Gulzar’s fault. 🙂
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Sridhar Ramanathan
May 2, 2010
Baddy
The feeling is of disappointment listening to Raavan. There are people around me who are in awe of it…Nah! has not yet worked for me! May be way to spoiled with the richness of VTV. This one is too gloomy for me. And yes the photos reminded of Guna…I am praying to Abhirami Abhirami that it should not be!
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Raj Balakrishnan
May 3, 2010
The last great Mani-Rehman album was Alaipayuthae. That was magic. It has been ordinary since then.
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Qalandar
May 3, 2010
I can’t wait to hear the Tamil version: I always had a feeling that Kata Kata and Thok de Kili would be better in the Tamil version, but from the Tamil teasers thus far, it is clear that the Tamil “Beera” showcases the alliterative possibilities of the language to great effect; and the Tamil version of “Behne De” sounds more intense, and less Sonu Nigam-esque.
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ramesh
May 3, 2010
Qualandar,
If I were you Id clutch at straws too.
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brangan
May 3, 2010
My favorite kind of feedback, predicated on the damning evidence that ARR composed the music for… Criminal. And beginning with an Einstein quote, no less… 🙂
The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources – ALBERT EINSTEIN
Dear Sir,
I am a lesser mortal who may not be fit to comment on ‘Mozart of Madras’. But my firm opinion is he is of mediocre talent. Over the years he went on copying his own tunes without anything fresh coming from his kitty. And one more thing is he cleverly picks from English movies and makes his tunes. Let me give you one example.
You would have heard the song, ” Tu mile, dil kile, our jine ko kya chahiye, na ho tu udhas tere paas paas …” sung by Kumar Sanu in his Nose ( sorry nasal tone). Carefully listen to the music. And now come to one English film acted by Sharon Stone ( of Basic Instinct fame)called “SLIVER”. This film was made way back in 1993. The music of that song is cleverly picked from this film. And also, if you watch discovery and national geographic and travel and living channels, at the end of each episode a tune comes,( every time a new one). This guy Rehman picks from that also. I am not blaming him, he has given us good tunes in spite of these.
Recently in Vishal Bharadwaj in his film `KAMEENEY’ used one tune ‘TAT TANAAA’ something like that. Every one appreciated that and when asked about that how did it occur to him he boasted in my childhood days we used to hum that, that I used so on and so forth. Come to reality. Have you seen OCEANS 12( BRAD PITT, GEORGE CLOONEY, JULIA ROBERTS FILM) If you have not seen that yet, see it and compare to our Vishaal’s Creativity. These people are clever copy cats. I admire very few for original score one of them is definitely ILAYARAJA.
Regards,
Muralidhara Acharya.
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brangan
May 3, 2010
Lakshman: I’m not a big fan (yet) of Karthik. Some songs (especially the light, breezy ones) he sings very well. And there are others where he’s barely okay. He’s good in a certain range but he’s not yet consistently good. For instance, I wonder if he’d be able to render a semi-classical number like Madhu Balakrishnan.
Shalini: Remind me to argue with you about Gulzar sometime… 🙂
Raj Balakrishnan: Actually, I thought AE was a far better album overall. Other than Snehidhane and Kaadhal sadugudu, I don’t return to much in Alaipaayuthey. Whereas AE has Fanaa, Hey goodbye nanba, Jana Gana Mana, Unmai sonnaal (yes, despite Adnan Sami), and Kabhi neem neem (I can’t bear the way Madhshree has sung Sandakkozhi)… But yes, as a single song, I’d take Snehidhane over all these.
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ramesh
May 3, 2010
OMG Maragathamani is a plagarist!
as to the roots of tat tadan…
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Lakshman
May 3, 2010
@Raj Balakrishnan: I know where you are coming from but as BR says, AE is such an underrated album. Kannathail Muthamittal was surely better than Alaipayuthe, a pity that except the title song, the other numbers (esp. Vellai Pookkal, Sundari) are hardly spoken of. However, for me, in the Mani-ARR combo, the song of the decade has to be Ae hairat-e-aashiqui from Guru whose Tamil version was equally good too.
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ramesh
May 3, 2010
Top 5 mani albums
Dil se(hindi)
Kannathil Muthamittal
Iruvar
Geetanjali(telugu..Ilayaraja)
Dalapathy(Ilayaraja)
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ramesh
May 3, 2010
Top 5 Songs from Mani films
Sundari (dalapathy)
O Priya Priya (geethanjali)
Kannathil Muthamittal (ditto)
Vennila Vennila(iruvar)
Singore(Kannathil Muthamittal)
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Praveen
May 3, 2010
I thought Dan Ta Dan from Kameeney was Misirlou theme from Pulp Fiction.
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rs
May 3, 2010
yes! i couldn’t help thinking this is so ornate and so distant
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Chaitanya
May 3, 2010
Have you seen the new teaser of Raavan?
It features ‘Behne De’, and just as you said (‘new sheen’), even in those 30 seconds one can see the song coming alive… taking a new life.
Agreed that Raavan cannot be another ‘Dil Se’, or even ‘Guru’; but I am still inclined to give these songs some more time.
Maniratnam portrays love differently, always. It is more carnal, more earthy, more real in his films. The subject of Raavan thus feels right up his alley to me. I have really high hopes from this film.
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Sandhya
May 3, 2010
Speaking of Gulzar’s metaphors, my favorite one is from Satya, in the song Sapne mein milti hai…”saara din sadkon pe khaali rikshe sa peeche peeche chalta hai”…
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Qalandar
May 4, 2010
Ramesh: given my own rather enthusiastic review for even the Hindi version, wonder what makes you think I’m clutching at straws in anticipating the Tamil version?
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Qalandar
May 4, 2010
Little equals the title song of kannathil muthamittal (female version), but as for the rest, I would pick Alai payuthey over it any day of the week. Aayitha Ezhuthu too I would rank over kannathil as an album (although its two brilliant songs — goodbye nenba and yaakai thiri — do not IMO equal the sublime kannathil muthamittal song)… All in all, if I could only pick one MR-ARR combo, it would probably be alai payuthey, although, as a straightforward love story, it had far more scope for lovely songs than films from most other genres. But so far the MR-ARR combo has yielded at least one unforgettable song in almost every album. I suspect that will be “Ranja Ranjha” in this one, but too early to tell…Guru for instance is a more even album than either Aayitha Ezhuthu or Raavan, but has nothing IMO that matches with the best of either.
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vijay
May 4, 2010
tu mile dil khile lift is old news. The lift is limited to just a portion of the prelude from some Enigma song.Tune is MM’s own.
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Qalandar
May 4, 2010
Vellai Pookal is so wonderfully soothing, and, to an extent, so is Signore — all in keeping with the “mother” motif of the film. But the riches of Alai Payuthey (so ill-served in Saathiya, not least by some irritating lyrics by Gulzar, most obviously in the Sneghidane re-do as Chupke se) cannot easily be forsworn…
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vijay
May 4, 2010
“or instance, I wonder if he’d be able to render a semi-classical number like Madhu Balakrishnan.”
why should that be a criterion, especially considering how semi-classical songs are almost an extinct genre these days? I’ll evaluate him more on how much value he adds to the songs given to him.With a dime a dozen singers out there these days, we’ll never get to know a singer’s versatility anyways, even if he possesses it. I blame Rahman partly for ushering in the era of use-and-throw singers. A bunch of them who sang for him in the 90s are nowhere to be found these days in his songs-Caroline, minmini, Anupama, Suresh Peters,Unni Menon,Sujatha,Srinivas,Unnikrishnan, and many more. They get to judge more reality shows than sing songs these days.This is probably something that I would straightaway ask Rahman, if at all I met him. Not that I really miss all those singers, but it just seems to be a gimmicky thing for Rahman, going after “fresh” voices soundtrack after soundtrack.
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Venkatesh
May 4, 2010
BR: I can agree with you on AE – Jana Gana Mana was especially good but “as a single song, I’d take Snehidhane over all these” – jeez man,, no.
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Raj Balakrishnan
May 4, 2010
Baradwaj,yes ‘Snehidanae’ – what a song – and the picturisation (pachai niramae,Kadhal Sadugudu, Snehidanae), mindblowing!
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Raj Balakrishnan
May 4, 2010
Lakshman, Reg. Kannathil songs, probably because not great efforts were made on the picturisation. Again, IMHO, Alaipayuthae was the last time that Mani picturised all the songs in an album well. AE/Yuva – only Khuda Hafiz was picturised well.
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Raj Balakrishnan
May 4, 2010
Baradwaj, somehow AE/Yuva songs did not become that popular,especially when compared to alaipayuthey/sathiya. Sorry for the multiple posts.
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Sagarika
May 4, 2010
Tum bahut bade badmaash ho yaar! First, you “kidnap” me like you’re Ajith in Amarkalam or something. Then you “set me free” in the maze-like wilderness that’s your cranial crevasse. Next, you yell and scream like *I* am the
one (willfully) shattering your peace of mind. Now, all of a sudden, you want me to do WHAT? Consent to come out and play the clown in your subterranean carnival? What are you? Blackmailer? Ringmaster? Seriously, what *is* this? The Ringling Brothers, Underground? Gimme a break!
I haven’t breathed outside air in an eon… There’s people out there looking for me… I HATE this place… It’s got that musty Old smell that seeps into my skin… GET ME OUTTA HERE… Someone… anyone… U hear me? No? OK fine! I
get the picture. Kicking and screaming ain’t gonna help. I’ll go ahead and play the effing clown. But what about my Name?
You’re too mad to care? Why, coz Adnan saw me first? But…but..that was so seven years ago, doesn’t even make sense… Fuggedaboutit! I’ll poke around in here and pick one, myself. Lemme see… where do I start?
Wait, I just saw the circuitry light up all the way to (cups hands around eyes to see more clearly)… “Gabbar Sinks”. Ah, there it is — the “retread gone wrong” writeup reminiscing… Sholay!
“A Sly Ho”? Shut up. You and your head games! Are you suggesting that Gabbar was, in truth, a girl, a sly ho, only “portrayed” as a guy? Sort of like the legendary Lassie? — yes, yes, I know the 11th remake of that Disney movie starred your favorite “Lawrence” as Duke! — except there, they had the male dog both looking and playing the female part (like Kamal Hassan in Avvai Shanmugi). BTW, this is all way too warped for my “intellectual” comfort… Besides, it’s like being stuck in Hell during a heat wave or something… please please let me outta here. No? You always say no for everything? No? Dammit! It’s useless arguing with you.
OK, let’s not get sidetracked; on with the name-picking exercise. So it’s not “A sly ho”. Then what *is* it? “Slay Ho”? As in, kill the ho? (The one @27?) Gotcha! But then, she’s a goner as it is, you know… When there’s no place to Hyde, all you have left is… Je Kyll!
Anyway, now that the slut has been slayed (call it Earth Day hangover or whatever), I vote to “recycle” the ho’s name. Hey, the lights just started blinking yonder… gimme a sec… ok found it, that’s your clever commentary (or “bitty” as U would call it, but why? To give off a raunchy vibe and lure unsuspecting readers? Fancy girding up one’s loins only to walk into this limbic lollapalooza, teehee!) on the Angadi Theru poster… on the brilliance of shaping the “ga” like a wire hanger (acrobat? Bah, you only think in cirus innuendo-aa?). Wait, is that a sign to pick a name that starts with the trivial-but-necessary “ga”? Let me check the numerology first.
“71”. Is that a year? Oh gee… it’s like strobe lights are going off everywhere, hold on… you’re giving me the top 10 Bolly movies made that year? Stop. I’m bad with lists. Why aren’t you listening… I said STOP. Haathi Mere Saathi, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Dushman, Maryada, Andaz, Caravan, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Amar Prem, Sharmeelee, Mela? Phew. OK. Good. Fine.
Movin’ on. Hey, how about… “Gaia’s Ark”? It starts with “Ga”. I love that it puts a female spin on Noah. And the connotation that the “original” is a slut and the “recycled” one is… a savior (pretty cool, eh?)! And that 1971 is actually an anagram for “Gaia”. Yess! That’s my pick.
But then, why even bother. Knowing you (and your propensity to go all Mario Bellatin on folks), you’ll probably end up calling me out as “Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa” or something.
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brangan
May 4, 2010
ramesh: O Priya Priya over Poomalaye thol seravaa or Paattu thalaivan or even Thoongadha vizhigal rendu? Inna man solre! 🙂
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Adithya
May 4, 2010
Haha true Ramesh, how can you leave out Agni Nakshatram?
And about Mani’s picturization, I think after it’s not the subject of Alaipayuthey but just that after that film, Mani didn’t bother giving importance to songs or their picturization. He did work for them but it was pretty clear he was focused on songs that lifted or aided a situation or served as background more than say, move away like a dream sequence and shoot them someplace. That also probably explains the deterioration of the appeal to the heart of these Mani-ARR songs.
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Shankar
May 4, 2010
There’s plenty to choose from…Nee oru Kadhal from Nayagan, songs from Mouna Ragam, Agni etc and even something like “Putham Puthu Bhoomi” from Thiruda Thiruda (I love that song!!).
In anycase, MR has always got excellent music from his composers!!
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Ramesh
May 4, 2010
agni natchatram is one blank wtf in my memory. the only thing i remember about it is “bbedroom enga”
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ramesh
May 4, 2010
Agni Nakshatram is the vappati pasanga of maniratnam films.Its like your daddy jivetalking to your boyfriend before you leave for your date, wishing the ground would swallow you up(to steal my own description of Tashan)
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ramesh
May 4, 2010
besides, so sarry macchis, Im like the AFI list. Having writ I move on.
The film critic’s list is final.
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ramesh
May 4, 2010
Maniratnam vappatti pasanga list: (“unacknowledgible” films of mani ratnam)in that order
1.Agni Natchatram
2. Thiruda Thiruda
3. Anjali
4. guru
5. idhaya kovil
6. pagal nilavu
(patthu thalai?)
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Anand
May 4, 2010
Raavan dialogue promo reminds me both of Kaadhal Konden and Guna!! What new thing will Mani bring to the table? Eagerly awaiting.
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Anand
May 4, 2010
ramesh: Were you born after 1985?
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vijay
May 5, 2010
“he was focused on songs that lifted or aided a situation or served as background more than say, move away like a dream sequence and shoot them someplace.That also probably explains the deterioration of the appeal to the heart of these Mani-ARR songs.”
No, that doesnt explain how we got ai hairathe in Guru. I dont think Rahman knows beforehand how his song is going to be exactly shot or used in the film. Its just that in the 90s Mani was doing a lot more cutesy romances where he had to shoot dream songs and such. His agenda based movies in the 00s didnt give a whole lot scope for pachai nirame kind of picturization, if thats what you are looking for. Although nenjil jil from Kannathil muthamittal is as good as it can get.
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Iniyavan
May 5, 2010
Vairamuthu’s lyrics. Whatz with that “Teak – Matchstick” stuff? And that too, is done twice in the singing 😦 Insipid! “Kalvare” is some-level Tamil. “Vali migum n vali miga” thing is unimaginable! “Kata kata”is raw and exotic. Otherwise nthn much except for a dulcet Shreya n an ebullient Benny in the album.
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kamil
May 5, 2010
Rangan…Tamil version of Raavan sounds imminently forgettable after a listen to its hindi counterpart.
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ramon
May 5, 2010
I felt the album did not know where to go, rustic Indian, world music, or modern beats.
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Hermoine Granger
May 5, 2010
While on the subject of music, here is what I found – an entire treatise of Carnatic Music and Ilayaraja songs to provide fodder for more bitty ruminations. Hope you’ll like it !
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Kiruba
May 5, 2010
What do you think of the Tamil songs?
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brangan
May 5, 2010
Shankar: Nee oru kaadhal sangeetham — every time I hear this song, I try to extrapolate it to the “ideal” state, with, say, SPB singing it. Mano pretty much kills all the mood in it, starting from his gamakam-pickup of “Nee oru…”
Kiruba: Haven’t listened yet, and don’t think I’m going to shell out another 160 bucks. I’ll probably wait for the songs (or lyrics) to show up on the net.
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Ramesh
May 5, 2010
ramesh: Were you born after 1985?
depends on how old she is.
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Nithya
May 5, 2010
BR, you’re being so unfair to Nee oru kadhal sangeetham!! Agree about the “ideal” state, but then the song does have a great mood. And Chitra was brilliant, to make up for some mood.:)
Because of the same reason, all songs in Idhayathai Thirudadhey were less than ideal compared to Geetanjali 🙂
And thanks for mentioning Poo Maalaye thol serava. WHAT A SONG! In terms of full albums, the best Mani albums have to be Agni Nakshatram and Geetanjali.
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Pradyum
May 5, 2010
Rgv’s Next :
http://passionforcinema.com/rakta-charitra-trailer-telugu-and-tamil-versions/
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Venkatesh
May 5, 2010
BR: “Mano pretty much kills all the mood in it, starting from his gamakam-pickup of “Nee oru…” – Thank you for saying that. Most people i know of love that song , Mano or no Mano.
Ramesh : Re – forgettable films of MR , Agni Natchathiram – forgettable . BR is going to ban you from the site 🙂 . If i am not wrong he absolutely loves that film, not that i don’t.
Anjali though is an interesting choice – i never hear people talking about that film. It really is quite good.
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Venkatesh
May 5, 2010
Hermoine Granger : Thanks for the link – even though i hate scribd – the contents of that doc are brilliant.
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nirmal
May 5, 2010
BR, hw did you find the songs of kadha thudarunnu?
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ramesh
May 5, 2010
Want to start me off again on agni nakshatram?
ok fine Ill indulge you.
AN is the kind of film an 8 year old me would have made. the silliness of its premise is only topped off by its even sillier climax. Nirosha in a sauna the size of an olympic pool in her drawing room was probably when I stopped taking the film seriously. As I grew older, I understood the import of exactly what the plot was about. on one end theres the “upper caste” kosher son of the acknowledged wife, who has fair virginal gal singing ninnukkori to woo the cop, on the other is the dark-ish gal that lives in sin with son of unacknowledged wife, and the film ends with unkosher son becoming the under hand muscle of the kosher son to deal with the criminal underworld?
If I were Karthik I would have done a nepal style massaccre as soon as I could get within MAchine gunning distance of daddy, mummy peria mummy and kosher son(not to mention that irritating fiance of his) and then turned the gun at PC sriram behind the camera for that climax before threatening maniratnam at gunpoint to sign a notarized affidavit that he will never make films about vappatti pasanga ever again.
let him stick to “vittudu…ellam vittudu”.
(breathes heavily….ethukkuppa blood preassure a kalapparai? appakku heart attack varanumna?)
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ramesh
May 5, 2010
Re Anjali,
In indian film I have this violent quarrel with a tope they use called “the magic baby”. started with daisy rani and various people from a pre pubescent sridevi to a grey eyed jugal hansraj all have played it.
Anjali had three magic babies…..and raghuvaran…
barf.
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Praveen
May 5, 2010
This version of Ranjha Ranjha won;t feature in the film.
A R Rahman talks about RAAVAN
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2010/05/05/6201/index.html
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Ramesh
May 5, 2010
am always listening to my songs while mixing (smiles).
looks like someone is reading reviews of raavan music
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ramesh
May 5, 2010
and another world exclusive. you heard it here first.
beera = VEERA-ppan.
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vijay
May 6, 2010
If it is of any consolation many songs sung by Mano had SPB singing it in telugu, including nee oru kaadhal sangeetham. However no such respite from Arunmozhi-yet another one of IR’s notorious male singers. Him singing Naan enbadhu nee allavo in Soorasimhaaram or Arumbum thalire in Chandralekha are stuff I’ll never forgive IR for. True instances of crafting a fine veena and then throwing it away in the dust. IR made a habit out of it.
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Qalandar
May 6, 2010
Agni N. might be culturally very specific: because, when I first saw the film (around 2006 or 2007), I couldn’t believe the film was o so famous. I’m willing to defer on the grounds that I cannot access its pleasures in the same way that I can with (e.g.) a Mouna Raagam, but as it stands I don’t think much of it at all (although it is interesting as one of the most extreme examples of mani’s “duo” fixation; the “2” motif runs through this film like mad). Gitanjali was another turkey-fest.
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Sagarika
May 6, 2010
Happy “Cinco de Mayo” birthday to Shankar (the astrological bull to my metaphorical one! Yes, it takes all types…)
About “MR has always got excellent music from his composers”, well so has MGR (It takes an old-hack trick to insert the “G” into MR)! The “Putham Puthu Bhoomi” reference reminds me of “Puthiya Bhoomi”… particularly “Naanthaandi Kaathi” (hopefully not related to “helper” #2 up here, but know that’s hard given how everyone’s part of The Family in these parts) — from LR Eswari, Queen of (cleverly controlled) Cacophonia.
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Ramesh
May 6, 2010
qalandar,
geethanjli is only remarkable for its songs.each one a classic.
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Ramesh
May 6, 2010
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Priti
May 6, 2010
“True instances of crafting a fine veena and then throwing it away in the dust. IR made a habit out of it.” – Jency is a case in point. Blech.
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ramesh
May 6, 2010
i don’t know..i liked her in about half her songs..
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Priti
May 6, 2010
I like some of her songs, but i always try and extrapolate them to their “ideal state” like BR said. Although it’s a lot of fun imitating her 😀
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Shankar
May 6, 2010
Qalandar, Agni is a movie of it’s times. For people of a certain age (cough, cough) like Baddy and me, there is a lot of nostalgia associated with it. Back in the late 80s, it was a cool film but then, coolness doesn’t transcend well over decades.
For tamil film making that was rooted in natural & bright lighting, PC’s experiments with (literally) dazzling lighting & darkness broke new ground. This was a pop culture movie, where the story was immaterial…style over substance. This was an MTV style (back when it was about music videos) movie of that period. Each of the songs (great music) was shot like music videos.
I can see your inability to understand all the fuss about it…like I said, it was a movie from that time and maybe it doesn’t age too well, though it’s music is still evergreen.
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Shankar
May 6, 2010
Sagarika, thanks.
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raj
May 7, 2010
Sagarika, that was one hell of a comment @61. My head is still buzzing – for a moment, I thought you might be the stalker baradwaj posted about – #91 somewhat restored sanity but if #61 is anything like your normal state…
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vijay
May 7, 2010
I thought Jency was tolerable compared to SPB’s sister. But barely.
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Venkatesh
May 7, 2010
ramesh : “ethukkuppa blood preassure a kalapparai? appakku heart attack varanumna?)” – LOL. Fantastic … made my day.
I don’t take AN seriously , excellent music, lovely Amala, dhool camerawork – Enzoi.
Anjali was new ,, brought in something new with the kids being – well kids., so yes another enjoy.
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brangan
May 7, 2010
raj: Try this one (an earlier comment) for size, and you’ll know what the “normal state” is… I was not going to publish this, but since she’s consented so kindly to entertain us all, here it is…
Sagarika: Open: The Case Of The Stolen Sun. I’m referring to the missing “Sun” graphic on the URL address bar of DesiPundit. It’s apparently Gone With the New Look. Shall we leave it to Sherlock Holmes to investigate, now that he’s gotten to the bottom of The Case Of The Harried, Harrasing Housewife?
Oh you didn’t know that Holmes has? Blimey! Here are excerpts from his case notes (as well from his conversations with the One who assigned him to the case, to begin with):
Endha muhurthathla munimma sonnangalo, Bum Rap nu… That dissing one-page review in Dinathandhi, of the movie they quickly made from this half-baked case, has seriously corrupted perceptions. And to think I told the stupid Police that preserving crime-scene evidence is more important than providing comfort to the corpse… Who listens? Apporam kuriyon muriyon nu adhichupaanga ellaarum; Thuppariyum Singam (“Sher”Lock na chumma vaa? Now stop staring at my flowing tresses, man[e]!) ku onnum kaiyila aavala nu solluvaan, periya Thala — avan kadakkaraan saavugiraaki. Focus man, focus.
Kanna katti kootindu ponaanga. Anga Say Anything and Serendipity posters paatha odaney ve deduce panniten, adhu GRCA headquarters nu. Apparam curtain pinnadi Boss nindhundu irundharu. Karuppu uruvam mattum thaan therinjadhu. Motta thala. Avar peru Raja-the-Raja (King of Kinks) nu sonnaaru. Apparently, One of the Kinks went awry and is now wreaking havoc under the assumed name of “Harried Housewife”, threatening to rock the very foundations of GRCA by overriding every Code in the Kinkdom there is… Then he gave me the Book of Revelations to help unravel the case. Quote your fee, he barked. I work for no one, except U. And I won’t do it for a fee, I said.
And from that point on, carefully keeping one eye on the (Cosmic Crystal) ball and the other on the Book of Revelations, I arrived at the last piece in the puzzle — The Laptop Room. I waltzed in, just in time to catch a glimpse of a fedora-topped physique, in a double-breasted suit, slip out into the shadows… but not before doing a back-handed tip of his hat, allowing me to catch more than a glimpse of his gleaming pate.
True, the identitly of the “Harried Housewife” turned out to be something like that of Dil in “The Crying Game”, but what turned me on, really, was the answer to the trick question, “How does one say no to someone who just won’t take no for an answer?” You say “S” of course… in Morse. Code-a Code aalaathaan correct pannanum. It’s (Fifth?) Element-ary… Dr.What Son (or is it What, Dr. Sun)?
– Book of Revelations #5
PS: As a commenteR said (in that post with the Hamlet-like title), “So I guess a really good actor/director/music composer is basically defined by his or her success with *filling the unspoken gaps* that your mind cannot fill in after the larger pieces of the puzzle have been assembled from external co-ordinates defining the work.”
Case Closed. Credits roll to the soundtrack of Guru-Sishyan and Dharma Durai.
PS: As for the Master’s “Irises”, it’s practically impossible for them to see (or be seen), minus his Pupil. So…
PPS1: For the next meeting, class, read up Milton’s “On His Blindness.” We’ll diss-cuss it.
PPS2:As for Art and definitions thereof, let me leave you with what Impressionism forerunner Degas (yeah yeah, the guy (whose work) Cassatt was crazy about) said: Art is not what *you* see but what you make others see.
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Adithya
May 7, 2010
Interesting that I’ve always found women who comment here to be mysterious. Sagarika, SheWhoMustNotBeNamed (same person?!) etc.
Even had a discussion about this with a fellow reader. Brangan replaces the stars in gossip mongering and tabloids. How cool is that BR? 😛
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Ramesh
May 7, 2010
sagarika,
do crazy chicks really …? ive been too scared to try , hitherto…so thought id ask.
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ramesh
May 7, 2010
br 🙂
the censored part had something to do with the titular appellation of this piece.
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Venkatesh
May 7, 2010
Re- Adithya “Interesting that I’ve always found women who comment here to be mysterious. Sagarika, SheWhoMustNotBeNamed (same person?!) etc.”
Oh thank goodness , so its not only me. I think the only “normal” women here seem to be Amritha (of the fight with Ramesh on Kaminey) and Hermione Granger. Wonder why ?
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raj
May 7, 2010
baradwaj, RE: that comment, nI dheivamyA!
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ramesh
May 7, 2010
venkatesh,
priti called. she sounded verrrrrry angry. 🙂
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Nirmal
May 7, 2010
I am doing my medicine internship, and there is much higher proportion of psychological illness among women. and BR, it might do you well to read up the wiki entry on BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER (cant give a link from my mobile browser). There are symptoms in that comment,and it is something extremely common among women.
and BR, just back from watching katha thudarunnu. While IR’S background score was ok here and there., i started likin those songs after the movie.. Had you checked them out.?
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brangan
May 7, 2010
Adithya: SheWhoMustNotBeNamed is NOT the same person. She’s very sane, believe you me 🙂
Nirmal: Just got the trusty old comp back. Will check it out and let you know.
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Hermoine Granger
May 8, 2010
He he, so I am confirmed to be normal,aint I ? So far.. 😉
Should have seen me battle Bellatrix Lestrange 🙂
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Ramesh
May 8, 2010
ok time out people, i think chick is just a writer showcasing her work. all this boderline disorder etc is just the doctor dude trying to showcase his.
sandhu vutta plane vuttuduvingale! doks!
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