Billa 2 Idhayam song released officially

"Idhayam" song which was promptly removed even before the first show in India was re-added in select theatres due to popular demand from fans expecting a miracle. The song video was also released officially by Sony on Youtube. 

Missing the Obvious Point

It was evident right from the beginning, "Idhayam" song is a great candidate for getting chopped off at the theatre. MovieCrow had noted earlier in our Billa 2 Music review that "On the big screen, the songs of this nature pose a risk of people stepping out for a cigarette break". Also, in our Billa 2 movie review, we had observed that "When the movie is moving at turtle speed in the second half, the director decides to introduce the slow song "Idhayam" picturized in ultra-slow motion with Parvathy Omanakuttan running endlessly in a beach. People who watch the movie after the first day may not get to see this song. This song is a strong candidate for deletion by resident editors at local theatres.". How can an armchair critic get it so right that Idhayam will be yanked while the people associated with the movie totally miss it? This is where the director's experience in handling a commercial movie makes a difference.

Big directors and music directors compromise on their slow tracks 

There is a reason why AR Rahman added a strong beat to melodious "Sahana" song in Sivaji based on Shankar's request. Same reason why Shankar refused a fantastic song "Udhaya udhaya" and opted instead for "Uppu karuvadu" in Mudhalvan. And this is precisely why Harris Jeyaraj never composes a melody number without a dominating background beat that will hold the audience to the seat. Just a few examples of how creative people make commercial compromises.

Venkat Prabhu's good use of "Nanbanae" in Mankatha 

It is not that slow songs don't have a place in Tamil movies. Venkat Prabhu succeeded in slowing down the pace by intentionally using "Nanbanae" song to firmly establish Ajith's characterization in Mankatha. The Nanbane slow song was used effectively to let audience internalize that Vinayak Mahadevan's character has more villainy than what meets the eyes. The audience were in absolute shock when Ajith pushes out the heroine's dad from the car. The director made the emotional connection with the audience as the slow song played out on the screen. That's where the experience of director matters and why Venkat Prabhu is precisely at the top of his game.