I have always been amazed at the Maestro's compositions for movies wherein the protagonist was a musician.
Whether it is Mohan invariably with a microphone or Balachander's JKB or Bilahari Maarthaandam Pillai (& family),
Whether it is Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal or Enga Ooru Paattukkaaran, Kalaignan or Kaadhal Oviyam, Raaja has always struck the right chord, Marupadiyum, Marupadiyum! (again & again)
All of us loved his compositions for the blind violinist. But what I am gonna talk about today is the one for the blind singer.
No, its not Kaasi. It is Ramu!
When director Vinayan chose to recreate his highly appreciated 'Vaasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Nyaanum' in Tamil, he went to the Maestro to provide the soul.
The same year (2003), Sandalwood made an attempt to recreate the magic, with Darshan in the lead. I am not sure how much magic the movie managed to create, but the music left an indelible mark.
Raaja who chose Hariharan to be the voice of Kaasi included Udit Narayan as well, apart from himself, to croon for Ramu.
Namma Preethiya Ramu sang six songs in all. Of the six, Raaja let Ramu borrow a couple of enchanting tunes from Kaasi (the beautiful & quite popular title track, Naan Kaanum, sung in Kannada by Udit and En Mana Vaanil).
My pick is the song that replaced "Aathorathilae Aalamaram". All of us know the situation. The poor visually challenged singer is ecstatic on the thought that he is getting back his gift of vision.
He shares his joy with his beloved who is speech impaired. But he is unaware of the grief she is in after having been molested by the village chieftain who is facilitating his gift of vision.
His excitement is voiced in Hariharan's superb humming. You feel like jumping alongside Ramu in ecstacy.
The beginning of the first interlude provides a glimpse of the tragedy that his beloved is gone thru. But immediately she decides to bury her sorrow so that his dreams are not shattered..and the dream continues with the shehnai followed by the flute.
The guitar joins in to indicate what he has never experienced before and he is on cloud nine.
The guitar rules the second interlude before the strings and chorus take over and show the level of 'roller-coaster' excitement. But in all his excitement he doesn't realise the silent suffering of the poor mute girl, signified by the solo violin that concludes the second interlude.
The musician-lover goes on... telling her that if he had 2 voices, he would have given her one and listened to her sing all his life and they would be entwined like 'Naadha' and 'Raaga' for the ensuing 7 births.
The underlying sorrow overshadowed by ecstacy is brilliantly showcased by the Maestro in this spectacular composition.
I am unable to choose between this and "Aathorathilae Aalamaram". It is like choosing between "Poongaatru" in Moondraam Pirai and "Ae Zindagi" in Sadma. Tough isn't it?
Either ways enjoy this classy composition! Cheers!
Happy Listening!
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