A.R. Rahman's  Kaaviya Thalaivan  Music Review

 Akilan Nagarajan, Reviewpuram

---

The special radiance throughout the album expresses the depth and range of AR Rahman and Vasantha Balan’s magical combination. Brace yourselves to immerse into one of the richest music albums of recent times...

 

1.Vanga Makka Vanga

Lyrics: Na. Muthukumar | Singers: Haricharan, Dr. Narayanan

---

The song sets the stage up perfectly for the album. The very first song establishes the mood of the album and gives a warm welcome to the period setting. The effortless folkish orchestration is pure brilliance.

 

2.Aye Mr. Minor

Lyrics: Pa. Vijay | Singers: Shashaa Tirupati, Haricharan

---

This is the ARR of Iruvar days giving us a superficially retro-themed track to cherish for long. Haricharan and Shashaa Tirupati instantly take us to the required ambience settling quickly into the scheme of affairs -- in this context, warm and cheery.

 

3.Yaarumilla

Lyrics: Pa. Vijay | Singers: Shweta Mohan, Srinivas

---

A seemingly slow melody on the out, but actually an effervescent number at the core, which is sure to pull you in at the first listen. The quintessential love-at-first-hear track which is present in every ARR album. Shweta Mohan’s dreamy rendition reaches ethereal quality when she goes “Adhu oru ekandha kaalam...”

 

4.Sandi Kuthirai

Lyrics: Pa. Vijay | Singers: Haricharan

---

The waltz of the contemporary milieu. Trippy music of that era, has been cloaked with supreme mixing to give us a peppy number to rave about in current times. The energy level peaks throughout and fades to close the curtains.

 

5.Sollividu Sollividu

Lyrics: Pa. Vijay | Singers: Mukesh

---

(Karnamotcham) – Mukesh takes on a tune that sparks the fire within oneself. The variation exhibited is something special. The pace conveys the changeover from anger and pain, to the eventual requirement for peace the song calls out to. The song is sure to get to the listener as the tune settles down.

 

6.Thiruppugazh

Lyrics: Arunagirinathar | Vani Jayaram

---

A devotional track, with awe-inspiring layers. Vani Jayaram’s tranquillising vocals are pure ecstasy to those looking for spirituality within such a musically rich album.

 

7.Alli Arjuna (8 divisions)

Lyrics: Vaalee | Singers: Haricharan, Bela Shende

---

A classic playground for Vaalee to showcase all his legerdemain in its full glory. Haricharan won’t be getting another platform such as this once again in his career. Rahman has explored anything and everything possible in Haricharan’s scope. Exceptional show indeed! Bela Shende contributes her best too. This track is sure to be a special experience both on and off screen...

 

1.“Vandhanam Vandhanam” – The typical welcome to a show of art... Contemporary instruments set the tone for the rest of the show. Will be elevated with montage-themed visuals.

 

2. “Yaadhavanam” – Starts with a flute and transcends into an out-and-out expression of Arjuna’s love for Alli. The platform is laid for the on-stage love by the respective lyrics.

 

3.“Alli Varugiral” – And here she is. Alli herself, in all her beauty, facilitating a serene and communicative description of her beauty by the vivacious voice of Arjuna himself.

 

4. “Priya Sakhiye” – Another on-stage manifestation of the way Alli reciprocates to Arjuna’s love. Will be a treat to hear with visuals unfolding through the dramatic stage.

 

5. “Kanna Kanna” – Arjuna’s pleads to Kanna, who has seems to have the means to bond Arjuna with Alli. The way he tries to convince Kanna is something that has to be heard in the glory of the tune.

 

6.“Naan Annathooviyil” – The surreal feel of Alli’s acid-test request to Arjuna, who has to prove his love to her, in one final stage of expression. Haricharan’s vocals tread the hostile land of lexes here, and he has undoubtedly given his best.

 

7. “Gettimaelam” (Instrumental) – Not an exclusive Rahman composition, but supposedly denotes Alli and Arjuna’s marriage, with another marriage (of instruments) going on in the background.

 

8.“Nenju Porukudhillayae” – An even more serious rendition that sings the pride of “Tamizh”, on the lines of ARR’s single for Semmozhi Maanadu “Semmozhi-ana Tamizh mozhi”. The emotion gets to you, especially as this is the striking beginning of the end. The song ends in a salient but sudden calm.

 

Verdict:

---

The music is very much true to the milieu. The lyrics equally keep up the quality of music. Given the authenticity and closeness to the genre/setting, the album will definitely serve the film well when seen with the visuals. A.R. Rahman is definitely the “Kaaviya Thalaivan” of rhythms and this album is just another reaffirmation. 

 

Rating: 8/10

Listen to Kaaviya Thalaivan Songs here