Kallaale senju vacha evokes pleasant memories of Yejaman’s Oru naalum, but that could be because of the Sindhu Bhairavi base. The song is incredibly tuneful, with Hari Charan doing a phenomenal job in the vocals, which comes out really well given its soft, unintrusive backgrounds. For the song’s female version, Priyadarshini seems to be trying [...]

The title song, with its synthetic outlook and staid chorus, sounds jaded. Jillumandi fares significantly better – the tune is vintage Raja seduction, but for the modern trappings. Vechaani vayasu, the Telugu remix of Machaana paatheengala, from Raja’s Tamil debut, Annakkili, and Raathiri, Tami-remix (!) of Johnny’s Aasaiya kaathula sound scintillating even today! Nanu neetho‘s [...]

Sindhoora pottumthottu is vintage Raja material, but is also the type that has been a bit too frequently used by the man. So, it seems less interesting compared to the other tracks. Maripeelikaatte is wonderfully serene – that mild guitar playing in the background and the violins of the interludes accentuate the effect. Vijay Yesudas [...]

Saayndhu saayndhu is the soundtrack’s mesmerizing opener, straddling delightful interludes (that 2nd interlude!) and scintillating guitars! Yuvan tries his best to be the song’s weakest link, and one does wonder what another proficient singer like Karthik could have done to this charming tune! Kaatrai konjam is breezy, with orchestration that evokes, in one instant, the [...]

Dharam Sandeep sail through Dan dan cheeni shoot mix (!) only because Ram Gopal Varma asks them to use a hook from Ilayaraja’s ‘Aasai nooru vagai’ from the almost 3 decades old Adutha Vaarisu. Worse, it is not officially credited in the CD. The rest of the soundtrack – Kammo and Mumbai Police, by Bappa [...]

Chinna kanniley is what Raja would have conjured up for director Faazil – the strangely Christian sounding tune, kids’ chorus, all add up to a simple, highly appealing song; Shreya Ghoshal is in fabulous form here, but Naresh Iyer sounds odd and vastly unlike himself, for some inexplicable reason. Na.Muthukumar’s imaginative lyrics around middle-class living, [...]

Nammaloda paattuthaanda, Kalyanamaan kalyanam, Thukkamenna thuyaramenna and Enna kutham evoke pleasant memories of Raja’s past; the first two are harmonious in a typical Raja way, while Thukkamenna’s rhythm and backgrounds are perhaps beautifully symbolic of late 80s and early 90s Tamil Nadu. Enna kutham’s pathos is soulful and heartwrenching, but the sound is sadly outdated. [...]

Karthik valiantly tries his best to salvage O nanna kanda, but the dull tune just refuses to offer any solace. Naanu neenu is even worse – a painfully bland template that Raja offered us back in his peak when songs of this nature were in vogue; but for its sparkling second interlude, this song falls [...]

Chengathir kaiyum is so obviously sweet, thanks to Chithra’s gorgeous vocals and Raja channeling his Kshatriyan number ‘Poottakkal pottalum’. In Shreya’s Aavanithumbi – another reliably sweet song – Raja’s interludes takes you through a nostalgic trip down his other rich repertoire without pinning on one song. Rahul Nambiar sounds oddly different across the pallavi and [...]

SPB’s magnificent vocals, that unconventional rhythmic lilt and that flute-based second interlude…all work in perfect sync in Jagadanandha karaka to create absolute magic! Sri Rama lera opens with a blast of Hamsanandhi that Raja has used earlier and with that familiarity, it works brilliantly! Devulle mechina and Sita seemantham are pleasant, nostalgic throwback to Raja’s [...]