Ilaiyaraaja rings Gitanjali bells – Prem Kahani Music Review
(2.5/5) Audio Review by Suchitra Preetham
The adage of ‘old wine in new bottles’ screams out from rooftops in Ilaiyaraaja’s Prem Kahani tunes. The album breathes average music with a flimsy sprinkle of hearable and pleasurable numbers. But then these pleasurable numbers only remind you of Ilaiyaraaja’s past glory. Stumped out compositions, lackluster tunes, scratchy voices all together make this album a complete fall-out.
Yaarivanu Yaarivanu: (Bela Shande): Inspirationally ‘Geetanjali’. This number has the mark of Ilaiyaraaja and faint tunes from his 1980’s Telugu blockbuster, Maniratnam’s ‘Geetanjali’. Setting aside the ‘Geetanjali’ factor, the song roles out as a slow sweet melodious number. The kind that tempers your senses while the hero captures the heroine’s heart.
Yaarivalu Yaarivalu: (Sriram Parthasarathi): The male version of ‘Yaarivanu Yaarivanu’. Kalyan’s lyrics and Sriram’s damaged throat dampens your senses. As for the hero capturing the heroine’s heart, P.T.Usha is the one who comes to mind instantly.
Hodedavne:(Tippu, Rahul): Tapankutchi and taporish, hodedavne literally sings praises of the ‘area hero’ in love. Well, the praises remain confined within the song with no marks for the entire package. Bland tunes, average lyrics and the Tippu/ Rahul kanta sound more like a dhobi thumping the clothes on a washing stone.
Giliya Mariyondu: (Ilaiyaraaja): While the furnished dwani of Ilaiyaraaja rings through the melancholous lyrics of Santosh, it is not difficult to spot a few slips in the pronunciation. Giliya mariyondu is the sad song in the album. More than sad, you will be glad – when it ends.
Rangu Rangu: (Ilaiyaraaja, Shreya Ghoshal): Yet another Geetanjalish number, Rangu Rangu is all syrupy, sugary and a pleasing number. The fusion of strings and beats weave well into the voices.
Nannavale: (Rahul): As if one sad song was not enough! The album has another one that chugs along incessantly at infinitum. If the first sad song made you feel glad at the end, you will get smart to hold your ears even before this one starts off.
Kogile Koogu Baa: (Bela Shande): The Kogile in Kaviraj surfaces, but Shande’s rather shrill koogu falls flat on the top. Kogile Koogu Baa, manages to drive away more than just the kogile.
Badavana Manege: (Sadana Sargam): Badavana Manege banda Balachanda in Sadana Sargam’s clear voice holds bhajan value. The pearls of wisdom flow out in a lullaby-like tune. No complaints about this number, no praise either.
Shringara Bangara: (Shreya Ghoshal): Spot the difference- the Shringara number and the Yaarivanu one. Apart from different lyrics, different voices and riding on a slightly higher pitch, the differences are few. What say Ilaiyaraaja?
![Ravan [Hindi] Music Review](/wp-bt/wp-content/raavan.jpg)
“I pity you too…” – This message is for you only, Vishal!
I pity you too…
Vijay, if you really think about it, you’d see that both you and Prem Kahani producers are the victims of the same menace… Hero Worship!
And also by calling this outdated album as a great music, you’re insulting a legend who was much ahead of the times in his time. Unlike traditional or classical music, Film music is for the common public (not just for the people who have studied music) and is constantly changing with the times.
Vijay,
your pity is little misdirected!!! You should show pity on the producer of Prem Kahani.. After being fed by the media that Rajaa is still good, this guy thought he’d get good music by Ilaiyaraaja and see what happened to him!! Probably producer should have had chosen new over outdated.. Hope this music review might have cleared producer’s mind of its darkness!
I pity Suchitra Preetham! Hope she learns some music before attempting to decipher the beauties in this album! She is extremely biased and holds so many fixed ideas fed into her by the media and her own ‘intelligent and wise’ perceptions! If only she allows Ilaiyaraaja to clear her mind of its darkness (as many of us happily did), she will have a better life to enjoy!
Hmmm….. But, what to do? When given a choice, some people choose Hate over Love? What else can they get back from the society? Hope Suchitra will change and start thinking on her own, instead of judging everything with the bias in her mind!
First of all, it is very obvious that the reviewer has listened to hardly any songs of Raaja sir’s.The only album this person seems to know is ‘Geetanjali’.Underline the word ‘seems to know’.
‘Faint tunes of Geetanjali’..
Can we readers understand as to which tune in particular?Or is it a melange of tunes??Maybe she is so mesmerised by ‘Geetanjali’ tunes that she finds it next to impossible to come out of it.
Any review has to be objective and even if one does not like the album, one has to clearly specify the reasons.We may agree or disagree with the views but there is something called decency.This review is neither objective nor is it decent.As somebody has mentioned, it looks as if the reviewer has a score to settle with Raaja sir..
I have listened to the album and I do not want to give a point-by- point reply.However, let me just take 2 songs -Rangu Rangu and Kogile koogoo baa.
‘Rangu Rangu’ is based on pushpalatika, a very rare raga in carnatic music.The reviewer owes u an explanation and should tell us how and where it resembles ‘Geetanjali’ songs.
In ‘Kogile Koogu Baa’, he has used the ascending notes that absolutely sound like the song of the bird.She says ‘it falls flat’ ‘drives away’.Could she tell us as to how it falls flat?
Opinions differ but it is an accepted fact even by his strongest critics that Raaja sir is a legend.
But how many know the true dimensions of his music.He has scored music for 875 movies so far which means songs in excess of 5000.How many have listened to even 10% of his compositions?If you have not, is it his fault??
This should not be construed as a digression fom the main topic.
I had to say all these bacause it has now become a common practice to criticise ILaiyaraaja.In a democracy, one has to welcome criticism as long as it is healthy, meaningful and objective.
When somebody is writing a review about a legend’s album making sweeping statements like ‘But then these pleasurable numbers only remind you of Ilaiyaraaja’s past glory’, one must explain what ‘past glory’ is he or she talking about?
Does that mean that the reviewer is aware of the ‘past albums’ that broght him ‘glory’?
If that is the case, can the reviewer list out some of those albums?
I have to write all these because she has compared an album that does not bear any resemblance to the album under review.
‘What say ILaiyaraaja’?
I am asking ‘What say Suchitra?When are you going to start listening to his music?’
I feel the reviewer’s comment is so harsh on the music genius. It was disgusting to find such a review. After listening to the songs, I was having strong questions about what the reviewer was having in his mind before writing such a review.A song must fit the situation for which it is composed, Did the reviewer see the movie before writing the review? I wonder if there is any other song like Shringara Bangara by Shreya Ghoshal the south Indians would have ever heard of.This one song is enough for this year. The impact that Badavana Manege: (Sadana Sargam): make on listening to it the very first time and the much of emotion does it have are not to be questioned at all.The later expresses such an agony which words cannot describe
I must tell u all, my own experience with a rare category of Mastero IRs albums. When Ramana(Tamil) movie album was released I purchase it and with lot of expectations I listened to it. Then I liked none of the songs in it and never touched it for so many days. The movie was not released, but after nearly a month my mind recollected one of the tunes of the album automatically and got deeply moved by it. Then it became one of my favourite albums. Same is the case with the movie album ‘time’ such a wonderful album.
I mean to say here guys, IR sir’s music is like honey, it is good for the soul.It will fit for the emotions described by the director of the movies.You’ll understand the richness of the tunes only after listening it again and again.I bet this album will be a good hit in Kanada.The songs will be a late pick up.
In my opinion this album may not be the best, but I find the review in no way match with the quality and calibre of the song.
I would finally like to make a strong point to the reviewer, Do not write music reviews if u not qualified for it.
I am a fan of Raja Sir. These songs have usual quality of Sir’s COmposition but because of average lyrics both in Nannavanu and Prem Kahani the songs give a ordinary feeling. Why not?. We are hering his great compositions and expect the best from him everytime. Hope it works out well in his work for next movie.
The choreography and cinematography in Kogile Koogu Baa song is simply amazing, top class. Sheela looks absolutely stunning in langa daavani.
hot babe, bad music.. music director, singers, heroine, and the title itself is non-karnataka and non-kannada. Just bcos lyrics are in Kannda, it doesnt qualify as Kannada album.
I Think the review is unbiased, disagreeing with the review is fine, abusing the reviewer is not
ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಒಂದೆರಡು ಹಾಡುಗಳು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ.. ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ಒಳ್ಳೆಯ ಹಾಡುಗಳನ್ನೂ ಬೆಂಬಲಿಸುವವರು ಇಲ್ಲದಾಗಿದೆ. [ಲೂಸು ಮಾದ, ಲೂಸು ಮಾದ, ಥರದ ಹಾಡುಗಳೇ ಇಂದಿನ ಪೀಳಿಗೆಯವರಿಗೆ ಇಷ್ಟ:-( ]
i find no fault in this album……far better than recent kanada albums…… esp rangu rangu is good song……..
good music………once again all outside singers……….i dont knw y these ppl will kill kannada singers like dis…………..
goodman…. let us wait and decide ,its not in our hands to decide career of anyone.
Goodman has good music sense and he always gives fair judgements.
Good album..waitin for movie release..anyone idea abt when wil movie release antha.
Boring album indeed..nothing special..he should retire
album is simply superb,no prejudis please.
Even if you dont know about music you can write a review. That is the order of the day and democracy works fine. Hope Iam in totalitarian state where we can ban people like this for ever.
i don’t no why chandru selected ilayaraja to score music for this movie where ilayaraja is nothing to offer new
Not only Gitanjali, Rangu Rangu reminds of Anjali and several other Ilaiyaraaja songs. Maybe if S.Janaki had sung this song, then it’d have been easy to identify the source. But its definately chitraanna of leftover rice..
Guru, at what angle you found ‘Rangu Rangu’ resembling geetanjali ? Please do not write reviews if you do not know understand or luv music…
the review is good. miles to go before we sleep
i’m not sure whether the reviewer has really listen to album r just like that she has written. really its the worst review i ever read..
pls take care..
A flop album
he he he the reviewer really is pissed off with something in life…anyway..I loved the album
Prem Kahani’s music is one of the best that I have come across this year. I am surprised to see such a bad review of the album on your site. Looks like the reviewer has a score or two to settle with the veteran composer! None of what she says makes sense, the least of which is her comparison to the 90′s musical hit Geetanjali!!!
I would like to request the reviewer to learn how to listen to music before writing reviews on Music.
I request them not to write anything about any music without apprehending it. If the reviewer doesn’t apprehend, it is not the fault of music.
http://www.angelfire.com/realm/bodhisattva/whoami.html
Akbar