Thoonganagaram (Tamil)

Written and Directed by Gaurav
Produced by Dhayanidhi Alagiri
Music by Sundar C. Babu
Lyrics by S Gnanakaravel (1,4), Thamarai (2), Narayana Kavi (3), S Annamalai (5) 
Sung by Shankar Mahadevan, Sri Ram, Karthik, Madhu Balakrishnan, Hariharan and Chinmayee
Starring  Vimal, Bharani, Nishanth, Anjali
                                                                                    
Thoonganagaram (that translates into city that never sleeps) is a Tamil film slated for release in February 2011 and stars some young and new actors and is written and directed by Gaurav (assistant to K.S.Ravikumar), making his debut.  He is supported by Thamarai, Gnanakaravel and S.Annamalai who have penned the lyrics and Sundar C Babu who has composed the music for the film.  The music of this film shot extensively in Madurai has a mostly rural and rustic flavour - a style that Sundar C Babu has now become known for with his earlier hit Vaala Meenukkum in Chithiram Pesuthadi.

Sundar C Babu is the son of the renowned veena maestro Chitti Babu and has established himself quite well in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films.  He has had a few hits in Chithiram Pesuthadi and Anjaathe in the recent past.  

The title song Thoonganagaram is fast, peppy and an out and out koothu number – foot tapping throughout. This song, describing the ever awake and never sleeping Madurai and sung by Sri Ram, the song might seem a little repetitive and familiar, but is engaging nevertheless.  Drums and straightforward orchestration make it a song bound to attract the younger listeners.

Poovana Parvaigal is a duet by Hariharan and Chinmayee is a fast paced love song – both singers belting out the love drenched lyrics with passion and the requisite tenderness.  The song might be the only ‘soft’ number in the film.  Nice guitar work, with the plucking of the strings throughout the song making it attractive and distinctive.

Kalyanam Kalyanam – the old hit that was immortalised by Chandrababu from the 1954 classic Penn is remixed with Karthik adding his voice to the song with alterations in both tune and rhythm and new background music factored in.  The lyrics remain mostly the same (Narayana Kavi) as the old hit.  Despite one’s misgivings about remixing oldie Goldies, this remix version has a peculiar charm due to the infectious and fabulous original that it takes off from.  Kalyanam Kalyanam, though sung by Chandrababu who usually acted, danced and sang in most of his films, was actually filmed on the famous Veena player Dr.S.Balachandar and Gemini Ganesan.

Pirivethu pirivethu seems fast paced – with a melody that seems much tried and tested – but Madhu Balakrishnan bestows an elegance as does the veena interlude.  The lyrics about farewells and partings and friendship may be trite and oft written about but nevertheless express the right sentiments.  There is a competent male chorus throughout.

Kondattam is a happy and lively song celebrating just about everything in life, especially the beautiful women the singer waxes eloquent about!  Shankar Mahadevan nails the song with his perfect diction and feel – yet another one of Sundar C Babu’s thappankoothu songs that seems likely to become a hit.

Rhythm of Thoonganagaram is a short instrumental piece encompassing a variety of instruments and mostly fast paced with folk and rural rhythms.  

Theme of Thoonganagaram like the earlier instrumental also has the 'leitmotif' female humming and is more striking with loud drum flourishes and prominent violin section.

Thoonganagaram seems to be the most promising amongst the newer releases which include albums by Harris Jayaraj, Yuvan Shankar Raja and even Ilayaraja.  Sundar C Babu has a freshness and does not attempt to be pretentious – he is able to reach out to the listener with just the right combination of item, dance and melodious numbers.  Of course, one would automatically assume that being Chittibabu’s son, his music would mostly be melody and classical based.  But he steers clear of the stereotype and has made a mark with this folksy and koothu type of songs.  A young composer with plenty of promise is what Babu is.  The lyrics are simple, straightforward (in a few places with the acceptable amount of bawdiness) and mostly easy on the ears.  My rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5.  

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