Aayirathil Oruvan

Date: Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 6:27 PM

Film: Aayirathil Oruvan

Music: G.V.Prakash Kumar

The fifth outing of Selvaraghavan has G.V.Prakash Kumar at the helm of the music stable. When it comes to Selva’s film the soundtrack usually has his stamp all over more than the music director’s with the songs expressing the emotions and status of the characters or used as a tool to move the story forward. Great amount of importance is usually given to the orchestration which is used to express the body language of the character or a change of phase. Thus the tracks usually have a story to tell supported immensely by lyrics resulting in a musical of sorts which is what Indian films were all about. Yuvan usually plays around the concept commercializing the songs but GV here has stayed true to the theme and it has come out enchantingly.

Maalai Neram
(Andrea Jeremiah, G.V.Prakash Kumar)

A song on the realization of love after separation, “Maalai Neram” is Indi-pop to the core with the melodious flow of guitar in the background. Supported by Selvaraghavan’s lines which are very fresh yet simple, Andrea renders a clean number bringing out the subtle changes in the mood that her character transcends. The sudden guitar notes that come as the interludes hammering the swift flow of the tune could have been avoided.

Oh Eesa-Club mix by Bigg Nikk

It’s a ready made fast food kind of remix dished out which relays on Naveen’s flute to get the haunting feel while highlighting the orchestra of the original topped with standard sounds that one could hear in a remix number.

Un Mela Aasadhaan
(Dhanush, Andrea Jeremiah & Aishwarya Dhanush)

Falling in the lines of a typical Yuvan number, especially of “Adada” from ‘Sarvam’, “Un mela aasadhaan” is a song about the confrontation of the intoxicated three principle characters relating to love, explicitly demarked by clever lyrics and the slang of rendering them. The Arabic influences in the sound do bring about the drowsiness the song is set upon followed by the haunting effect while the mythologically philosophic lines are rendered. Danush and Aishwarya- the voice of Reema Sen are at ease here with Andrea pitching in.

Indha Paadhai
(G.V.Prakash Kumar)

A song portraying an optimistic sailor on cruise, ‘indha paadhai’ is a western sea number which delineates more into details like bringing out sounds of the ocean especially the violin and opera depicting the waves but concentrates less on the actual song that the song becomes a rhetoric rendering of a majestic sailor. The notes of the guitar seem to have a great influence of “yaar iravanai” number from ‘Ooram po’.

Oh Eesa-Composer's mix
(Karthik, Andrea Jeremiah & chorus)

The composer’s mix of a spiritual song about Govinda, “oh Eesa” a song depicting the quest by the principle characters, sets up a puzzle-made more effective by the piano notes at the beginning, with the lyrics by Selva and Andrea first praising at length about Shiva and ends with seeking help from Vishnu. The ancient sound coupled by the electric guitar enhances the overall effect of this groovy number.

Celebration of Life
(Naveen)

As the title suggest this instrumental attempt at portraying the celebration of life. It starts of with slow invocation which transcends into various forms of haunting notes played magnificently in flute by Naveen and backed by apt orchestration.

The King Arrives
(Neil Mukheriee, Madras Augustin Choir)

This instrumental begins with a typical ancient court room entry tune for the king and shifts to present day entry background score for the hero in the form of heavy guitar and drums while interspersed with church Choir.

Pemmanae
(P.B. Srinivas, Bombay Jayshree & Chorus)

A haunting devotional song pleading to Lord Siva more in the form of a chant, “pemmanae” is in line with illayaraja’s thiruvasagam score. Vairamuthu’s soulful lyrics sung in a majestic manly voice by Bombay Jeyshree and backed by Srinivas is apt. The unique style of chanting ‘om’ increases the eeriness of this number. The scary backing vocals supported by great orchestration enhance the spirituality level that the number carries.

Thaai Thindra Manne-Classical Version
(Vijay Jesudas)

Arguably the most disturbing song of this album, “thaai thindra manne” as the line implies is an assault by a King on his land which then turns into cry by him at the state of his people post the land being devastated. The orchestration which includes the near extinct rudra veena and traces of yali, stays true to the chola period. Vijay Jesudas is simply outstanding in rendering the lyrics of Vairamuthu depicting the soberness of the king while maintaining his kingly attitude.

Thaai Thindra Mannae
(Vijay Jesudas, Nithyasree Mahadevan, Shri Krishna)

Another version of “thaai thindra mannae” has a female teasing the king after his downfall. It also has an interesting telugu based dancing conversation between the female and another person increasing the puzzle the song carries. The song starts with the damaru sound playing as a background which then leads to the best part of the song when the king cracks down into a curse as to why rule a kingdom that is ruined, where the orchestration highlights the significant lyrics and enhances the song to scary heights with the sound of om as the base symbolically depicting the rudra thandavam.

A lot of research has been done to create the sound of the movie which has various phases. Na.Muthukumar’s absence doesn’t make a big difference as Selva steps in more perfectly. Only the person who had created the character knows well how they will feel and that shows in his lyrics. Andrea, the find of the album can give Bombay jeyshree and the north Indian imports run for their money with her not so bad pronunciation and clean singing. Comparison surely arises with the music on a whole as Yuvan had till now given Selva the apt sound for the mood he wanted to create. But this soundtrack shouldn’t be compared to Selva’s earlier ventures owing to the unusual genre the music is catering to that of spirituality and war of the Chola dynasty influenced by the kalingas, pirates, archeological expedition and finally three varied expressions of love. Aayirathal Oruvan’s soundtrack is one among the thousand that stands tall amidst the thousand.