Raja's New Albums

kiru wrote:

SenthilVinu wrote:

Anyway, I have given up hope that producers and directors will understand Raja and his methods.

Except for some malayali gentelmen. Probably they are senior people and they can bring in their choice of lyricists, lyrics-first composition etc.
And Raja is well matched in the talent/respect dept with these men. So he does good work.
With tamil, either we get sycophants and/or incompetent people. Of course, there is some positive stuff going in.
MR is not necessarily a great director, but he has a good aesthetic sense. BR is better but too egotistic. So there are lots of caveats in the tamil scene.

Oh sorry, I was speaking about Tamil industry and again I don't mean all of them. Agree, Malayalam counterparts have utilized him well in the later part of his career.

I think this movie is about Srilankan war. There are couple of songs which convey the theme of the song so perfectly. I was surprised even in one love duet they talk about retrieving தமிழ் ஈழம். I need to watch this film for sure. Should be something similar to kaNNaththil muththamittaal film except the theme could be mainly on the war aspect and the fatality and the story of a helpless women.

The way Maestro converts நடக்குதய்யா to நடக்குதைய்யோ to convey that 'அய்யோ' is not just the clever way but it also enhances the pathos/fear/breaking down mood to extremes is one of the highlight of the song.

This song in particular has hard-hitting lyrics clearly depicting the lives of the people. I cannot pick the best line from this song. Every line is thought provoking and will move you thoroughly. Pazhani Barathi deserves a big   This song should not be analysed/reviewed on orchestration/technicalities etc. I has to be felt completely with Maestro's voice. It will take to to war ridden areas of Srilanka. Still there are couple lines I must quote here.

அட புத்தனின் முகத்தை யுத்தத்தின் புகைகள் மூடியதே (What a beautiful imagination!)

மீன்களோடு படகு வந்து சேரும் கடலிலே
அலைகளோடு பிணங்கள் வந்து கரையில் ஒதுங்குதே (lump in my throat)

நான்கு புறமும் கடல்கள் இருந்தும் காஞ்சு போச்சு ஈரம் இந்த மண்ணுக்குள்ளே (again fantastic insight there!)
என்ன ஆச்சு நீதி ஞாயம் எங்கு போச்சு மனித நேயம் பூமியிலே (with convincing finish!)

I ended up quoting more than couple of lines. That tells the lyric of this song and Pazhani Barathi. Song of the year to me!

Full lyric:

எத்தனை எத்தனை கொடுமை இந்த மண்ணில் நடக்குதைய்யோ
இங்கு அத்தனையும் சொல்ல நினைத்தால் நெஞ்சம் விம்மி வெடிக்குமைய்யோ
பாலுக் (க)அழும்  பிள்ளை உடல் உறைந்து போனதே
பாவங்களை தெய்வங்களும் வேடிக்கை பார்க்குதே
அட புத்தனின் முகத்தை யுத்தத்தின் புகைகள் மூடியதே

உயிரை காக்க ஓடும் கால்கள் எங்கு போகுமோ
கலங்கி நிற்கும் பெண்கள் கூட்டம் என்ன ஆகுமோ
கலைந்து போன சொந்த பந்தம் என்று சேருமோ
காத்திருந்து காத்திருந்து காலம் தீருமோ
என்னவென்று சொல்வது இந்த மண்ணின் சோகத்தை
எங்கு சென்று கேட்பது இதற்கொரு நியாயத்தை
நான்கு புறமும் கடல்கள் இருந்தும் காஞ்சு போச்சு ஈரம் இந்த மண்ணுக்குள்ளே

கோயில் மணியின் ஓசை கேட்ட இந்த மண்ணிலே
குண்டு வீசும் ஓசை வந்து ஆளை கொல்லுதே
மீன்களோடு படகு வந்து சேரும் கடலிலே
அலைகளோடு பிணங்கள் வந்து கரையில் ஒதுங்குதே
செத்துத் செத்து பிழைக்கிறார் தினம் என்ன இவ்விதி
என்று இந்த பூமிக்கு திரும்பிடும் நிம்மதி
என்ன ஆச்சு நீதி ஞாயம் எங்கு போச்சு மனித நேயம் பூமியிலே

V_S wrote:I think this movie is about Srilankan war.

They advertised initially as the tale of Isaipriya (Thamizh journalist who got violated and killed by SL army fellows in the Srilankan war)...

Thanks App ji for the note. Now it makes more sense. I should watch this film.

Plum,

From what I have read Prakash Raj's problem in the Telugu industry is not that he is an outsider. Seems more a disciple issue. He is known to come very late to the set, which he himself agreed was true. He was initially banned once for this and later they lifted the ban.

I personally love all songs of 'POP'.

Raaga_Suresh wrote:Plum,

From what I have read Prakash Raj's problem in the Telugu industry is not that he is an outsider. Seems more a disciple issue. He is known to come very late to the set, which he himself agreed was true. He was initially banned once for this and later they lifted the ban.

But they are using the outsider tag to work against him now. Discipline and ego clash are the originators of the problem but obviously outsider tag is a useful weapon in such situations

IR appreciates/understands honesty - if I was a film maker and went to him thus "sir I want your music - i dont know music - but I want the best creative stuff from you that you have not done before, which will melt anyone's heart and soul - here is the story" - IR will not say 'no' and in fact dish out some memorable stuff - indha maadhiri ketkaamavey he has given memorable stuff, hasn't he ?

if you combine the above with some decent level of musical inclination/knowledge or the very least, appreciative ears, genuinely respect the man's talents, and also maintain a professional stance (avoiding sycophancy, falling at his feet or talking weird stuff etc), the output will be phenomenal.

However, indha 'sindu mudiyum' vela senjaa, IR will smell a rat and say 'no' bluntly - IMO something like this has definitely happened with KB et al.

Even 5 year olds can perceive and understand older ppl's intentions though they may not be articulate enough to put their perceptions in words.

We are talking about a man who has been in the industry for more than four decades (if you include his tenure working as an apprentice/ assistant) - do you think, he would not know/understand the intention behind a star/producer/director's action or words ?

IR has his quirks but he just happens/appears to be a very straigtforward person and that comes across as curt.

PS: listened to 'raakku muthhu raakku' from Yejaman last evening - the part where the charanam goes up "ammanarul illaiyinaa, penningu thaaya aavadhengey" is IR's signature melodic twist customised for/to suit Rajini's image ! and Yejaman is not even one of his greatest albums - rest my case

KB fans dont get me wrong.
Raaja is an astute film fan too in addition to being a composer.
The kind of films he must've watched and the stuff someone like KB asks him to do in movies must have 
definitely diminished KB's standing in his eyes. What more - he says this very frankly that
only Balu Mahendra and Maniratnam along with Kamal have managed to get any iota of respect from him as film makers.

Possibly the next big album

Rudhramma Devi...

Once the soundtrack gets released, we may need a separate thread for reviews & discussions.

jaiganesh wrote:Raaja is an astute film fan too in addition to being a composer.

If one goes by what is being tweeted about mEghA, your statement needs a prefix "ஒரு காலத்துல"

This website says movie will release in Dec, so album may be out this year

Rudhramma Devi

app_engine wrote:

jaiganesh wrote:Raaja is an astute film fan too in addition to being a composer.

If one goes by what is being tweeted about mEghA, your statement needs a prefix "ஒரு காலத்துல"

Well, he was not waxing eloquent (in the Megha release function). He made a quick repartee, when the director said, "was it my movie". He also said he is a good scriptwriter. No where did he say the movie or the direction was good. He is precise and honest to his opinions (which most of the time is correct). But it looks like the director has shot the songs nicely. Maybe messed up in direction.

kiru wrote:

app_engine wrote:

jaiganesh wrote:Raaja is an astute film fan too in addition to being a composer.

If one goes by what is being tweeted about mEghA, your statement needs a prefix "ஒரு காலத்துல"

Well, he was not waxing eloquent (in the Megha release function). He made a quick repartee, when the director said, "was it my movie". He also said he is a good scriptwriter. No where did he say the movie or the direction was good. He is precise and honest to his opinions (which most of the time is correct). But it looks like the director has shot the songs nicely. Maybe messed up in direction.

I disagree Kiru. He went on record to say that this is a great film for a first time director. In fact, he said that he was amazed at the work that he asked the director, 'what's next, as you have already done a wonderful job'. He also  took more time for BGM than his usual 3 day turnaround.  In all, Megha is a screw-up by the team which includes Raja, in terms of their understanding of today's cinema.  I am not complaining about Raja's music in this film, but his so called ability to judge good films. I also read somewhere that the climax of the film was changed based on Raja's suggestion. So, the director relied heavily on Raja's judgment, which is questionable.

We need more Myskins as he is very sure about what he wants and gets Raja to do that and takes on the rest of the responsibility regarding the film's commerce or success. If a director relies on Raja for evaluation of his plot, he will get an 80s evaluation, which is useless in today's cinema. He may have updated himself on music, but I doubt if he is current with today's cinema.

Some of the good Tamil cinema have no big names (actors, directors, composers) at all. The young generation is doing just fine. The non-linear story telling formats, the crisp editing and photography  (example, Arima Nambi) seems light years ahead of Raja composed films.

The next "potential BO success" project in Thamizh seems to be Bala's thArai thappattai.

There again question mark (whether Bala still has stuff left or a spent force)...

OTOH, with Rudramma & Shamitab, other lang fields seem to be not so bad

IMHO, part of the mEghA promotional misadventures (which are IMHO "over exposure of IR to the public") could be due to the new "akhila ulaga" gumbal around him

Well, going by the quality of their home productions in the 80s and 90s, I would not place too much faith in IR's taste in films per se.  It is precisely because his judgment has been questionable that he has ended up delivering great music to many mediocre films.  He could have easily acted pricey and become selective but (a) he only wanted to make music all the time and (b) it wouldn't have necessarily helped.  He said in an interview at the time of Cheeni Kum's release that after so many films, it took something special to kindle his interest and take up the project.  Really?  Is that really reflected in his choices of projects?  I don't think so.  The actress Michelle Pfeiffer admitted several years after her prime in the 90s that she didn't have a commercial radar and realised in retrospect that many of the films in which her roles had been loved did not succeed and were not remembered any more by the audience.  IR has not come to that realisation or won't admit to it in public anyway but it's a similar scenario except that, genius that he is, his music by itself is memorable in spite of the films being poor.

IR's paavalar creations producing films like Rajadhi Raja doesnt necessarily reflect IR's taste in films. He might have produced them just to make money or maybe to help somebody else. But I have been disappointed about IR's comments in the past on certain films which I have read from around the net on films like devar magan or Virumandi which he dismissed as just a sickle-wielding meaninglessly violent film.
But what is totally inexplicable is him supporting(continuously) directors like Velu Prabhakaran who made soft porn flicks like Kaadhal arangam. And this after he did something like Thiruvasagam. While he was never  known to be selective this was just the pits.
But as  acomposer he has to detach himself from the film, keep his personal preference aside and still compose the music needed. You have to admire that persistent trait. Most of them films would have been even more terrible to watch without BGM which is what somebody like IR is subjected to, again and again.It borders on abuse.You have to empathize with him.

counterpoint wrote:IR's paavalar creations producing films like Rajadhi Raja doesnt necessarily reflect IR's taste in films. He might have produced them just to make money or maybe to help somebody else. But I have been disappointed about IR's comments in the past on certain films which I have read from around the net on films like devar magan or Virumandi which he dismissed as just a sickle-wielding meaninglessly violent film.
But what is totally inexplicable is him supporting(continuously) directors like Velu Prabhakaran who made soft porn flicks like Kaadhal arangam. And this after he did something like Thiruvasagam. While he was never  known to be selective this was just the pits.
But as  acomposer he has to detach himself from the film, keep his personal preference aside and still compose the music needed. You have to admire that persistent trait. Most of them films would have been even more terrible to watch without BGM which is what somebody like IR is subjected to, again and again.It borders on abuse.You have to empathize with him.

Which takes us to his quote on Mudhal Mariyadhai which he didn't like then but still did the music and said he has to be true to his art. "Nee enna kuppaya pOttaalum enakkullerndhu varra Saraswathi'ku naan uNmayA irukkaNum" As for his cinema sense, I see a dichotomy. If the director is going to him for inputs on the screenplay, I won't have confidence in the film (Megha). But you see a Mysskin and Nasser speak of his script sense. He often sees things a scriptwriter or a director misses. This of course, is only when we have someone approaching his music from a scriptwriter's concern and see what music they can tap from him rather than directors going to him for inputs on screenplay and not having the confidence in their own sripts.

The Mysskin interview with Nasser:

counterpoint wrote:IR's paavalar creations producing films like Rajadhi Raja doesnt necessarily reflect IR's taste in films. He might have produced them just to make money or maybe to help somebody else. But I have been disappointed about IR's comments in the past on certain films which I have read from around the net on films like devar magan or Virumandi which he dismissed as just a sickle-wielding meaninglessly violent film.
But what is totally inexplicable is him supporting(continuously) directors like Velu Prabhakaran who made soft porn flicks like Kaadhal arangam. And this after he did something like Thiruvasagam. While he was never  known to be selective this was just the pits.
But as  acomposer he has to detach himself from the film, keep his personal preference aside and still compose the music needed. You have to admire that persistent trait. Most of them films would have been even more terrible to watch without BGM which is what somebody like IR is subjected to, again and again.It borders on abuse.You have to empathize with him.

Well, I just found it disappointing that given his propensity to exhort directors to make good films rather than films that would be hits at the BO and for decrying the quality of Tamil films, he chose to back total masala fare in his own production banner.  And he didn't HAVE to make those films because he was already a successful composer whereas at least those producers could argue they were doing it for a living and had to compromise.  Anyway, even his lofty praise for Paa at the launch was, I thought, out of proportion.  It wasn't a bad film but certainly not a masterpiece.  Either he is perfectly capable of PR talk when it is required or he is not such a great judge of films, possibly it's both the things.

Yes, I do very much admire his detachment in steadfastly giving great music to films that often didn't deserve it.  That is unrelated to my opinion of his judgment of what is or isn't a great film.  I know aspiring/smalltime musicians who envy the lucrative opportunities available to a film music director but claim to be incapable of putting up with 'shitty' commercial films.  And I think of how IR with all his genius patiently endures the films he is subjected to and still attempts to give the best music he can irrespective of his preferences.

ravinat wrote:

kiru wrote:

app_engine wrote:

jaiganesh wrote:Raaja is an astute film fan too in addition to being a composer.

If one goes by what is being tweeted about mEghA, your statement needs a prefix "ஒரு காலத்துல"

Well, he was not waxing eloquent (in the Megha release function). He made a quick repartee, when the director said, "was it my movie". He also said he is a good scriptwriter. No where did he say the movie or the direction was good. He is precise and honest to his opinions (which most of the time is correct). But it looks like the director has shot the songs nicely. Maybe messed up in direction.

I disagree Kiru. ....

Ravi,  it is quite possible that I missed those details. But I guess I may have just read between the lines and came up with this conclusion. I dont think IR is a good producer or director conclusively, but I am sure his feedback could be very valuable. I dont think for Megha he was the one who suggested the changes. My understanding is, it was the distributors etc. If I were the director I would not change a thing. After all, movie-making is not a restaurant where you can order stuff. You go with an idea of a story which will have some human appeal and run with it. You should have a conviction to stand by that. Surely a weak director and probably this lack of confidence is what has affected the movie's fortunes.

SAC says 'touring talkies will be my last'

இது என்னுடைய கடைசிப் படம், இத்துடன் இயக்கத்திலிருந்து விடை பெறுகிறேன் என எஸ்.ஏ.சி. கூறியிருந்தது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது. டூரிங் டாக்கீஸுக்கு இளையராஜா இசையமைக்கிறார்.

App and others, recently i came across this song from Senthooram(1998) "நான் இப்பத்தான் வயசுக்கு" Malaysia has an unbelievable singing! The theme of the song seems to be some Oldies singing a Gilma around an item girl! Some how i like the song though i am an youth!   (Any jokes around this will not be entertained! )

coming to the point, this song's 2nd lude is sort of Tamil Rap but more authentic, so we can say like Raja did a rap bit but still not sounding like authentic rap, so we can say its Rap with his own trademark, since he always infuses his ideas on a genre. Now, can we say this is the 1st Rap song? since University movie came in 2002?





http://www.saavn.com/s/song/tamil/Senthooram/Naan-Ippa-Thaan-Vayasukku/QUU4XDEDBkI

Sakalakala Vallavar wrote:App and others, recently i came across this song from Senthooram(1998) "நான் இப்பத்தான் வயசுக்கு" Malaysia has an unbelievable singing! The theme of the song seems to be some Oldies singing a Gilma around an item girl! Some how i like the song though i am an youth!   (Any jokes around this will not be entertained! )

coming to the point, this song's 2nd lude is sort of Tamil Rap but more authentic, so we can say like Raja did a rap bit but still not sounding like authentic rap, so we can say its Rap with his own trademark, since he always infuses his ideas on a genre. Now, can we say this is the 1st Rap song? since University movie came in 2002?





http://www.saavn.com/s/song/tamil/Senthooram/Naan-Ippa-Thaan-Vayasukku/QUU4XDEDBkI

Vanithamani's prelude of Kanne, kattikkava? ottikkava? imo is the first time he ever internalized rap and gave some Raaja rap all the way back in 1986. And then, there's Iniya Gaanam from Paattu Paadava where he mocks a rap with a rap (meta ya appave) in 1995. And of course there was Petta Rap from Kadhalan in 1994.

Danke monk! will listen to puthiya gaanam to listen abt the meta!

Drunkenmunk wrote:

Sakalakala Vallavar wrote:App and others, recently i came across this song from Senthooram(1998) "நான் இப்பத்தான் வயசுக்கு" Malaysia has an unbelievable singing! The theme of the song seems to be some Oldies singing a Gilma around an item girl! Some how i like the song though i am an youth!   (Any jokes around this will not be entertained! )

coming to the point, this song's 2nd lude is sort of Tamil Rap but more authentic, so we can say like Raja did a rap bit but still not sounding like authentic rap, so we can say its Rap with his own trademark, since he always infuses his ideas on a genre. Now, can we say this is the 1st Rap song? since University movie came in 2002?





http://www.saavn.com/s/song/tamil/Senthooram/Naan-Ippa-Thaan-Vayasukku/QUU4XDEDBkI

Vanithamani's prelude of Kanne, kattikkava? ottikkava? imo is the first time he ever internalized rap and gave some Raaja rap all the way back in 1986. And then, there's Iniya Gaanam from Paattu Paadava where he mocks a rap with a rap (meta ya appave) in 1995. And of course there was Petta Rap from Kadhalan in 1994.

There is one in telugu that he composed back in 1991. Particularly the early parts of charanams.. 
https://soundcloud.com/raghavendra-thodime/coolie-no-1-attention-everybody