Unnai Pol Oruvan

Starring: Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal     
Produced by: Raaj Kamal International and UTV Motion Pictures  
Directed by: Chakri Toleti
Music by: Shruti  Haasan                                               
Lyrics by: Kamal Haasan, Blaaze and Manushyaputhran

Shruti Haasan, singer, actress, model and lead vocalist of her rock band Extramentals and daughter of Kamal Haasan and Sarika has now ventured into music direction for her father’s latest Tamil presentation, Unnai Pol Oruvan (Eenadu in Telugu- starring Kamal and Venkatesh), remake of the acclaimed Hindi film A Wednesday which is scheduled for world wide release on 18th September 2009. Kamal Hassan and Mohanlal star in this film directed by Chakri Toleti (remember the little boy who acted as the photographer’s assistant in Sagara Sangamam aka Salangai Oli in Tamil). Kamal Haasan, Blaaze and Manushyaputhran have contributed the lyrics.

Allah Jaane sung by Kamal Hassan falls under genre of ‘lament’– melancholic and beseeching for most part and based on subhapantuvarali (Hindustani Todi)– a heart-tugging raga that lends itself to the mood of the song!  Kamal is very nasal and his style and feel throughout the song seem somewhat contrived.  The song however has some very competent string and percussion arrangements and a very well rendered aalaap which serves as the introduction and overlay for the song.

The remix version of Allah Jaane has Shruti singing this time – with a lot of recitation and vocal and sound effects.  The whole song has a wholly synthesized feel and has the unmistakable air of lounge (fusion) music that is immensely popular nowadays!

Nilai varumaa – Bombay Jayashree has sung this very philosophical song in her full throated and husky voice along with Kamal Hassan. Very nice guitar work accompanies the song - Kamal and Jayashree’s harmonizing and humming and back up vocals for the song give the song a rich and full feel.  A simple melody with no complicated moves or maneuvers and could very well warrant a couple or more listens!!

Unnai Pol Oruvan– Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya chadushkritam……the most quoted lines from the Bhagavad-Gita form the introduction and leitmotif for this number which features the mixed vocals of Aiden, Akshara Hassan, Mira, Subba Lakshmi and Tara.  The song has more of narration than singing and attempts to create a very dramatic and grandiose effect – interspersed with various voices that introduce themselves as the ‘common man’ and ‘the new face of terror’!

Vaanam Ellai - Blaaze and Shruti share the credits for this very mundane and tedious number that concocts ample doses of boring rap with lackluster melody and singing and inspires the listener to reach straight for the off or fast forward button.

The album on the whole, is heavily synthesized and a tad slapdash and lacks soul or feel – however, the raga based Allah jaane and nilai varuma (which blends music styles both Indian and Western) are definitely interesting compositions.  It seems that the main purpose of the soundtrack is to suit the theme and narrative of the film!  Shruti Hassan, may have miles to go and also need to work more on her arrangements and orchestration but experience and time and a willingness to learn and possibly guidance from, and training or apprenticing with a senior and more skilled composer, would enable this talented graduate of music to enrich and enhance her repertoire and shine forth in the male dominated world of Indian film music direction and composition!

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