Vaaranam Aayiram

Producer: Aascar V. Ravichandran

Director: Gautham Menon

Lyrics: Thamarai, Na.Muthukumar

Music: Harris Jayaraj

Cast: Suriya, Simran, Sameera Reddy, Divya Spandana

Label: Sony BMG

Gautham Menon’s much awaited Suriya starrer Vaaranam Aayiram is slated for worldwide release on November 15^th.  This Gautham Menon-Harris Jayaraj-Thamarai combine is said to be inspired by Forrest Gump and the music has been topping the charts already.

As one has come to expect with Harris Jayaraj’s music, on first listen itself, a number of his compositions strike a familiar chord and the comparisons and the accusations of plagiarism start flying back and forth!  And this film is no exception either.  There are a couple of songs and arrangements that seem to be ‘inspired’ but there is no denying Harris’ talent which comes forth in a number of tracks and what strikes the listener are his careful attention to orchestration and the recording quality and levels especially in the balance between instruments and vocals.

Adiye Kolluthe by Krish, Benny Dayal and Shruti Hassan– This song starts off with an vibrant guitar riff typical hard rock mode –a couple of blogs and internet forums have detailed discussions and arguments on how the song’s intro and pallavi are very similar to ACDC’s Love Bomb and another ARR song from Alaipayuthe.  The lyrics are really commonplace and Sruthi Hassan’s full throated voice is a tad too nasal in parts and needs better modulation and what’s with the accent of all the singers? 

 Anal Mele – Just as you wonder about the customary Bombay Jayshree number from the Harris-Gautham-Thamarai combine, this one pops up – but no Bombay Jayshree this time round – Sudha Raghunathan takes over instead– and might not sound as husky and sexy as the former but still puts in an evocative rendition of a song drenched with passion.   This uncomplicated melody has some pretty neat sitar and violin interludes and Thamarai is in her element with her elegant verse………….

Ava Enna – by Karthik and Prasanna - the song’s opening has you thinking it might be a gaana pattu but the catchy tempo doesn’t take the bawdy and raucous path – it is peppy yet leisurely with mellow lyrics– has some attractive orchestration with thavil and strings (sitar and santoor) and an interesting soprano bit by the back up singer.

Mundhinam starts with Suriya waxing eloquent on his lady love’s beauty and confessing his love.  Exquisite sax and guitar and mouth organ accompaniment and a very attractive beat throughout that never let the tempo or mood lag –Naresh Iyer and Prashanthini are charming except that Prashanthini in some parts sounds too shrill (blame it on the high scale set by the MD).  The song is complemented by some very well rendered back up vocals. 

Nenjukkul Peidhidum – the fine guitar prelude and accompaniment throughout the song give the song a country music ambiance – reminiscent of the songs of Don Williams. Hariharan and team croon (lovely female cooing in between verses and the end) and seduce and set the mood for a dreamy lovely candle-lit dinner. This soft ballad penned by Thamarai is romantic as metaphors glide in and out gracefully through this stylish song.

Yethi Yethi by Benny Dayal, Naresh Iyer, Solar Sai – what album is complete without the fast dance number with the lyrics that are all too familiar in today’s Tamil film songs…… The words (with generous doses of English thrown in - no Thamarai this time - instead we have Na.Muthukumar) and the tune are both banal and unexciting.  However, this song which has a slight middle eastern touch also has the right energy levels to make it successful on the dance floors…………….

O Shanthi O Shanthi by Clinton and SPB Charan is an ode to Shanthi with the same refrain from Mundhinam paarthen - otherwise completely different air – faster paced and bordering on rock and has the electric guitar and drums competing for attention.

No doubt, the film’s music is already a topper and audiences are looking forward to another slickly directed film from Gautham.  As mentioned earlier, it is Harris’ detail to attention and the quality of recording that add to his success – also his music appeals to most age group of listeners because he puts in the right balance of soft and dreamy, wild and rocking,  Indian and Western, traditional and modern in most of his films. Yes, some of his music might sound repetitive and familiar, but let us leave all that aside, for in all fairness and honesty, some of the songs are extremely well composed and make for very pleasant auditory experiences.   Buy it, listen to it – and surely some of the tracks will grow on you – well….they did for me…………….

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