Best song in Kaadhal Kavithai

09 - Diana Memorial and Love Theme

This is a 6-minute piece with dialogues/poetry in between. I thought I would not be nice if I cut short the music between dialogues, as it would not give the whole picture of the scene and situation. Director expresses Princess Diana as the symbol of love. He begins Viswha and Jothi love story in Diana Memorial.

For the first 40 seconds, Maestro astonish us with ‘Diana Memorial Theme’ by employing a full blown orchestra with piano, string section, brass, choir as we get introduced to Diana Memorial and Vishwa paying his tributes to the Lady of Love. He also attaches a letter of tribute describing her as a mother of love. So mystical this musical piece, that we can feel her soul in us.

Next 12 seconds Maestro changes the path to minimalism by just playing bell sounds as director brings Jothi to the same place (again we should not ask why and how, it’s all coincidence). We can feel the rain drops falling on us through this piece. This piece also suggests that there is some surprise waiting for her at the memorial. Maestro achieves two targets in one theme. 

As she places the flower bouquet next to Vishwa’s bouquet and happen to read his letter, Maestro again changes the direction to play violins at the background as she reads his letter.

As she starts writing a reply to that letter, clarinet plays staccato from 1:13. We can feel the anxiety (butterfly in stomach) in her/us as she writes the letter which is clearly reflected in this section. From 1:22 a haunting flute plays. This piece suggests how Diana’s soul influence her to write such a reply. The way the flute sounds can also be taken as a anonymous sound as they didn’t meet each other still they share same thoughts. We can feel that anonymous sound in this flute. Strings join little later (so beautiful this transformation is) to convincingly end the melody as she finishes  and places the letter next to his bouquet. When we listen that the melody is ending, Maestro continues with flute and violins @1:38 again in ascending fashion to indicate that this is the starting point of their love and it will never end.

Next 10 seconds (1:41- 1:51), her friend reads her letter (after Jothi leaves that place) and kind of relates both the letter and their hearts as two piano play in tandem constituting a perfect harmony.

Maestro rebuilds and extends the Diana theme further as Vishwa’s friend Pandian approaches the memorial (he sent Vishwa ahead as he had a personal engagement and asked him wait outside the memorial) and pay his tributes. Maestro plays sweeping violins with piano and as Pandian approaches closer, he plays in crescendo to give the audience a kind of surprise, to reflect Pandian mood when he reads both their letters. The way piano keys roll @2:12 is a treasure to hear as this section concludes convincingly as he starts reading Jothi’s letter. Hear the percussion first time in this piece which gives a sense of subtlety, freshness and ecstasy.

Pandian conveys Jothi’s feelings (she is in love with him - அன்பு/நேசம் not காதல்)  to him and gives him her reply letter. As Vishwa was surprised hearing this, Maestro plays the violin tremolo (@2:47). Cellos and piano join little later to give the perfect love ambience. Remember this is the same theme we heard in clip #4 (Hint of Love Theme) where Vishwa tried to express his love (for fun) and she was nervous. Now with her (anonymous) reply , Vishwa is nervous. While director switches the nervous aspect between lovers, Maestro retains the same theme brilliantly (except it varies at the end).

The scene beautifully shifts to display the beauty of London and shifts to Jothi where she and her friend are in London City tour. Brilliant use of flute there (@3:03) and beautifully subsides at the right time when the dialogue starts. A mini flute symphony with full orchestra.

When the conversation starts between Jothi and her friend, we hear the same anonymous flute sound (@3:34) we heard in the 1st minute, Maestro connects the audience with the scene just like she senses a ‘virtual’ connection between him and her through letter exchanges. Second flute bursts (@3:48) after the first flute is very interesting as her friend challenges Jothi that the guy will not understand her correctly (mistaking her letter as a love letter). Jothi is confident that her letter will not be misjudged as a love letter by him. See who wins.

The scene against shifts now with conversation between Vishwa and Pandian as Vishwa feels he wants to journey around that girl’s heart and to do that, he want to reply to her letter. Pandian was amused by his idea. Maestro again plays the same love theme (starting with violin tremolo) from 4:36. Delightful piano runs and the glides with gorgeous flute passages, violins and cellos. What a treat to ears and soul! Maestro redefines the Romantic era in this theme. I see it as a tribute to Romantic Era composers like Beethoven, Wagner, Chopin, Liszt and other great legends. So romantic. I want to go back to my college days.

The scene shifts back to Jothi and her friend where her friend already grabbed Vishwa’s letter from the memorial. As Jothi expected, her letter was not interpreted by Vishwa as a love letter, instead he replies her conveying his heartiest regards and respect to her letter and feelings. Please hear the score as she reads the letter.Hear how this piece culminates. It is exactly how we feel when we express/start our love. No need for any dialogues. Maestro trumps every other composer with this monumental piece of work. I can’t believe what I heard at the end. Love, ecstasy whatever emotion you call for that moment it is expressed in those few seconds.

While the whole scene has poetry exchanges by the Vishwa and Jothi (as conveyed by the director), visuals act as another medium of poetry displaying picturesque London (I have not seen any other picture showing London this beautiful), Maestro adds his perspective of poetry through scintillating orchestration taking us from Classical to Romantic to Post-Modern eras, closely matching the stunning visuals and lyrical poetry and exceeding every other perspective on his way, ending in a flourish which enhances Jothi’s feeling of caught in love with a master-class touch.




Dissolve yourself in this 6-minute musical wonder till we catch up on our next piece of music…Diana Diana song.

Thank you Nerd for your unusual late 90's choice of an IR album for discussion. I had voted for the Hariharan peppy number " manasa thotta kaadhal:. The primary reason is the way the tune flows especially during the charanam with some wonderful twists and turn. The manner in which the tune in the pallavi ends so unexpectedly is a testimony to Raja's creativity still intact . The beats are quite stylish and unique too. I love th understated tone of this song and the entire album itself. The other fav songs are "hey konji pEsi", "kaadhal meedhu", "alai meedhu: , a lilting Suddhadhanyasi melody and the unhurried "Diana.." .
Thanks to app for the song links. Now I need to listen to them. Its been a long time since I heard theae numbers.

I have no doubts on the superiority of IR's 80's songs over his later songs. But if given a choice, I would rather skip some of his super hit 80's albums like "payaNangaL .." or "thendrale ennai thodu" to hear few of his 90's albums like "poonthOttam" or "kaadhal kavidhai" or "manam virumbudhe unnai" . These super hits of 80's, despite their musical greatness, richness  hold NO MORE SURPRISES for me due to their over exposure .I do find elements that interest me , in his 90's output and the degree might vary .
So Nerd, please continue to bring more of Ir's post 92 albums to the discussion table alongside his earlier ones.

Thanks everybody. I know V_S saar has not completed his series yet. The thread is open and we are willing to read it whenever he finds time to post it. However I am going to create a thread for another album today.  

Sorry Nerd and others I will come to it soon and complete it.

10 - Diana Diana…

By this time, we would know that this film is a variation of Agathiyan’s earlier film Kaadhal KOttai. Here too the case is similar except they have met each other without knowing that, they were the lovers. There is a beautiful precursor to this song where they both exchange letters and hearts at the Diana Memorial without seeing each other. Low octave sax and subtle piano play as they read the letters (not in this YT video). Love is born. She mentions in the letter that she will meet him at the Memorial the next day, that’s when the song starts.

Let us step back now and ask few questions before listening to the song. We now know the situation clearly. They have exchanged letters and it has started to blossom as love. They are going to meet the next day. They both are excited. What do we expect in the song?

First thing which came to my mind was a lovers duet, if I am not wrong having watched typical love story movies They are already in London, so there are tons of locations for a dreamy (dreamy in the viewer’s perspective, as the lovers have not yet met each other) love duet. Second thing/idea which struck me (with a little different thought) was both the lovers were setting up their own imagination/anxious moments on the other lover which results in a duet, but not literally a duet, a solo but sung by both of them with different expectations.

This is where Maestro, Agathiyan as a director and Agathiyan as a lyricist beat me. This song is not about any of the the above typical themes. It is a tribute to three souls. Diana (and her Memorial), whom the director visualizes as the epitome (Mother) of Love, and London, the City where the love was born and last, but not the least, a tribute to Love itself. I am not sure whose idea was this, but I don’t think any film character thanked love for being in love. This is where they beat me to the core.  The reason I said London as another tribute was because, I have not seen London so beautifully in any other movie. Agathiyan has conceived the City as a symbol of Love in an inexplicable way, we will fall for its beauty for sure.

The pallavi clearly pays tribute to Diana (and London) and describes her as the Mother of Love and thanks her and London for making this happen. Brilliant idea!
நீ தூங்கும் கோயிலில் ஒரு காதல் பிறந்தது 
நான் தேடும் பெண்மையை உன் தேசம் தந்தது 
நாநா நாநா... டயானா டயானா
இந்த உலகம் முழுதும் விரும்பும் காதலி (காதலி)
எனது நெஞ்சம் வணங்கும் அன்னை நீ (அன்னை நீ)
காதலான தாயே வாழ்கவே...
நாநா நாநா... டயானா டயானா

The charaNams pays tribute to Love (and still Diana) except the lines வானில் மின்னும் வெள்ளி மீனே காட்சி தருவாய் and வா வெண்ணிலா… where he just mentions his desire to see her, but in a very subtle and laid-back way. 
மாலைப் பொழுதுகள் சொல்லும் கவிதைகள் நீ லலலலா லலலலா லலலலா...
நானே எனக்குள்ளே பாடும் இசை ஒலி நீ லலலலா லலலலா லலலலா...
காணும் காட்சி யாவும் காதல் சொல்லுதே...
வானம் பூமி காதல் வாசம் வீசுதே
காலத்தை வெல்கின்ற காதல்கள் வாழட்டும்
வா வெண்ணிலா...

வானில் மின்னும் வெள்ளி மீனே காட்சி தருவாய் லலலலா லலலலா லலலலா...
காணும் கண்களுக்குள் பாவை ஆகிவிடுவாய் லலலலா லலலலா லலலலா...
பாவை இன்றிப் பார்வை கண்ணில் ஏதடி 
பாவை இன்றிக் காதல் வாழ்வில் ஏதடி
தேடல்கள் இல்லாத காதல் ஓர் தெய்வீகம் 
வா வெண்ணிலா...

I love the whole lyric, especially these lines; நீ தூங்கும் கோயிலில் ஒரு காதல் பிறந்தது, நான் தேடும் பெண்மையை உன் தேசம் தந்தது, வானம் பூமி காதல் வாசம் வீசுதே, காணும் கண்களுக்குள் பாவை ஆகிவிடுவாய், தேடல்கள் இல்லாத காதல் ஓர் தெய்வீகம். Lovely poetry!

Coming to the tune, I love the way how the prelude was executed and presented. It starts with the Diana Diana humming theme with piano and makes a sudden dip with sax where we feel disconnected with that melody suddenly (I love the sax play there) and again connecting us again back with the same melody before the humming and pallavi starts. The sudden disconnect is because while he starts to thank Diana, his lover’s ‘virtual’ face comes through his mind for a second where he gets disconnected, and then realizes his present state and continues with the melody. The transient state of a lover is beautifully explained by Maestro. While the prelude is so rich in arrangements as per the London locale, it does not do just that, it does not fail to portray the emotions of a lover which differentiate him and others.

Another thing, Maestro conceived it as a slow melody rather than a fast-paced melody, mainly because it serves as a tribute to Diana and Love, more than his anxiety to see her the next day (as explained in the lyric). The Diana Diana humming is the iconic theme of the film and stunning highlight of the song which captures the love, essence and soul of the song.

Hariharan nails the soul of the song except the starting பிறுந்தது instead of பிறந்தது, வனங்கும் instead of வணங்கும்  kind of silly erros which he usually does. The brigas and sangathis by him are top notch. Sangathis in a western-based song? Let’s wait.

Maestro and his choral arrangements in this song is something we don’t hear often. We can literally feel Diana and chorus angels bless the love. So stunning! Hear the pallavi closely and how they join and leave. They start the pallavi with நாநா நாநா... டயானா டயானா, then we hear Hariharan pitching in the first two lines (with the similar kind of melody as Diana Diana…), then again the chorus joins with நாநா நாநா... டயானா டயானா, then HH sings the next three lines before chorus joins. There is a wonderful symmetry in which the melody lines were constructed/interlaced along with choral arrangements in mind. The big surprise for me was after the first two lines when the chorus sings நாநா நாநா... டயானா டயானா I was wondering how the anu-pallavi would start since the pallavi and the chorus tend to fall into a cyclic pattern. Maestro suddenly comes out of with a faster melody (compared to the first two lines) in the next three lines. One can also hear chorus angels mimicking the இந்த உலகம் முழுதும் விரும்பும் காதலி (காதலி), எனது நெஞ்சம் வணங்கும் அன்னை நீ (அன்னை நீ) portions which add to the relaxed mood of the song. While they extend the lines (காதலி, அன்னை நீ), Maestro switches to next line already, resulting in the previous line acting as a base and counter-melody for the next line. Fantastic idea and execution! Thoroughly captivating!! In short, in pallavi-anupallvi chorus angels are the heroes (heroines). When I say that, I don’t forget to hear the sax and piano which play along with them. Maestro has conceived sax and piano as the lovers themselves (Vishwa and Jothi).

I love the staccato notes played on the keyboard in the first interlude with an echo by another instrument. Piano and chorus joining later. The way chorus whispers ‘hEy’ at the end with a hi-hat hit which leads to the charNam is one of the magical moments of the song. If anyone would have said this is the connecting line to charaNam I would have dismissed. Hearing it, I can’t believe how this is leading to the charaNam.

What a breezy way to start the charaNam! This is where Hariharan scores and mesmerizes us completely. மாலைப் பொழுதுகள் சொல்லும் கவிதைகள் நீ, நானே எனக்குள்ளே பாடும் இசை ஒலி நீ. Hear how he injects life, beauty and sweetness to every word with immaculate precision and sangathis (which I was talking about earlier). I surrender to his singing. The tune is so honey-soaked that it will take sometime to come out of it. Can we place our fingers on whether it is a western-based tune, or an Indian classical-based tune? It is so tightly knitted that we hear everything together. That’s where Maestro’s accomplishments cannot be even dreamed. We cannot say it is a Western melody from the kind of indigenous sangathis flowing out flawlessly, and we cannot say it is Indian classical from the way the chorus angels extends each line with லலலலா லலலலா லலலலா… fairy tale. I love the third லலலலா which comes after a delay and in due course enhances the melody beyond imagination. The underlying rhythm arrangements, Sax and piano and ambience gives us the theatrical effect, especially during the next three lines. Hear how sax peaks up! Highly imaginative piece which you can’t listen anywhere else! When Hariharan finishes with வா வெண்ணிலா not a single human would escape his/her first love memories. This melody area is still unconquered by any ‘trending’ music directors and will not be conquered at all. So rich, lush and sophisticated that it will make any ordinary listener or a layman richer in his music tastes. Has he used string section? No. That makes it even better.

Maestro changes his path in second interlude after the Diana Diana chorus humming. Hear how he brings the variation of the humming in split seconds only to put his feet back in with the same theme. Bloody brilliant! These are all the nuances through which he demonstrates that by varying subtly, we can produce another melody. Who cares? Recall how he connected to the first charaNam, here he does it with the same Diana theme. Second interlude is of symmetrical and reflective nature. It starts and ends with Diana Diana theme adding a minor variation to it in between which also has a symmetry. Maestro implying indirectly that she is also thinking the same about him (even though it is a solo) at that time. Musically Maestro establishes and narrates the heart exchanges even though only one is singing. We can also infer this as a duet if we add the choral arrangements as an acknowledgement by his lover at the other end, as you can hear the choral arrangement are clearly doing that by repeating various parts of the melody. This might be another reason why Maestro would have conceived this song as a male solo.

Musical narration-wise there is more than meets the eye, sorry ears. Technically very rich, jazzy and all that (which is all taken for granted), what it does not miss is hitting the bull’s eye for what it was intended to compose. It is more of a tribute to love song rather than a love song. That’s why Maestro has conceived Sax and Piano as the two main instruments and as the metaphor for lovers and Hariharan and female chorus are their subconscious who bring life to these instruments and sing their tribute. I bet you won’t get to listen such type of song again. A masterpiece from Maestro! A laid-back and breezy composition to listen in the evening after a tough and long day at office with beautiful memories, till we meet Vishwa and Jothi tomorrow and see how things unfurl. 

Beautiful Narration V_S.......  Your writing  is also like the song..........  It reflects the Softness..... expresses the Flow.... 
Really Great V_S.....

It starts with the Diana Diana humming theme with piano and makes a sudden dip with sax where we feel disconnected with that melody suddenly (I love the sax play there) and again connecting us again back with the same melody before the humming and pallavi starts. The sudden disconnect is because while he starts to thank Diana, his lover’s ‘virtual’ face comes through his mind for a second where he gets disconnected, and then realizes his present state and continues with the melody. The transient state of a lover is beautifully explained by Maestro. While the prelude is so rich in arrangements as per the London locale, it does not do just that, it does not fail to portray the emotions of a lover which differentiate him and others.


romba azhaga solli irukeenga..........






What a breezy way to start the charaNam! This is where Hariharan scores and mesmerizes us completely. மாலைப் பொழுதுகள் சொல்லும் கவிதைகள் நீ, நானே எனக்குள்ளே பாடும் இசை ஒலி நீ. Hear how he injects life, beauty and sweetness to every word with immaculate precision and sangathis (which I was talking about earlier). I surrender to his singing. The tune is so honey-soaked that it will take sometime to come out of it. Can we place our fingers on whether it is a western-based tune, or an Indian classical-based tune?



Yes. vaarthaigalin  yetram.. irakam... thadumatram illamal.... anga irukar IR............ Indian Hero.. with his Feelings as an indian  at England............. so rendaiyum serthu..  inimaiyaga  kodutha IR.........  idhai ellarum purindhu kolla romba varusham 
agum V_S.......

one more point........ IR's Characters..   Ellarumae.. Real True Feelings from their Heart and from the Soul...... idhai than reflect pannuvanga..
Artificial aga..  poiyaga irukadhu....... adhu dhan IR's Special..........

Thank you Usha ji for your kind words with detail comments. Well said on your last point about IR's specialty about shaping each character and how it all falls naturally in place.

Excellent write-up on Diana Diana V_Sji! (as usual )

Though I liked the song when I got the cassette, never thought so highly about it those days. (HH my usual turn-off )

I should give a better listen

Thanks a lot App ji for your compliments. Yes, it is a beautiful song not to be missed. So rich and pristine!

Tonight we will feature another scintillating score with dialogue sequence of around 4 minutes. One of the best musical pieces from Maestro, especially for the usage of sax.

11 - The wait and disappointment

Let me first explain the context. Jothi was expressing her concerns (the previous night) about meeting Vishwa the next day to her friend and her friend consoles her that everything will be alright. Vishwa waits at the memorial next day. Jothi and her friend arrive near to the memorial and about to go inside, when their organizer comes in and tells them that there is a change in the schedule. They have to leave for Italy in the afternoon train itself instead of the evening train. Jothi tries to explain her problem indirectly, but her organizer does not want to listen. As Jothi rushes to the station, she sees a flower shop inside the station. She writes her (India) address and requests the flower shop owner to send the flowers with this address to the Diana memorial. As Vishwa start to feel the disappointment, a lady comes to lay floral tribute (as a part of mail service) and tells him that the memorial is about to close. Vishwa still waits his last chance to meet her, as the flower bouquet with Jothi’s address comes in, but immediately on top of that bouquet, someone lays another one so that Vishwa could not see it. Vishwa is disappointed, so as Jothi at the other end.

You can feel the frequent mood changes from the above context and situation. Musically this whole scene can be divided into six sections (as below) as the visuals go and forth between waiting Vishwa and anxious Jothi. Please also note there are sections without music in between. Unless we have this whole sequence we cannot appreciate the music, so I didn’t cut into bits and pieces. It is also better to watch the visuals of this scene to appreciate to the fullest.

1. Conversation between Jothi and her friend (0:39 - 0:54)
2. Vishwa waits at the Memorial (0:55 - 01:19)
3. Change of plans - Jothi goes to Italy soon (1: 33 - 2:01)
4. Vishwa still waits at the Memorial (2:02 - 2:27)
5. Jothi sends flowers to Vishwa with her address (2:33 - 3:12)
6. Vishwa waits with no hope (3:17 - 4:41)

1. We can hear the moving bus sound for the first 38 seconds as Jothi conveys her doubts about meeting a stranger. Her friend gives her confidence that Vishwa will be a nice guy (quoting poet Bharathi, LOL), nothing wrong will happen. As Jothi expresses her concern that if anything goes wrong, she will fail, Maestro starts playing synthesizer (0:39-0:48) in a unique way. First thing he attacks is, the time of this conversation. Since this conversation is happening in the night, you can hear the sound of synthesizer very similar to sound of night frogs. It is very subtle, I love it. Second, it has a pattern similar to asking a question, as Jothi asks her concerns as questions. From 0:49 the synthesizer seamlessly transforms into a flute as the conversation gets deep as Jothi conveys that there are different meanings to failure implying this—> (As we will see later, she expresses the same to her parents, that she will not mind if she fails in love, but she will be terribly upset if she fails before her parents who themselves are lovers and got married). This is exactly where Maestro plays flute in sober mood (0:49-54) as she faintly guesses that path too inside her. 

Initially I was kind of ignoring this piece to include (as a part of this clip) as it is very short (15 seconds), but observing what it is conveying, I was taken back by its precision and the mood it was expressing. It would be a big sin to ignore it. Even if Maestro didn’t score for this sequence, it would not have changed anything dramatically, but hear how he addresses the underlying sensitiveness of the issue through subtle flute and synth. Please don’t forget to hear the bus sound as these pieces are playing. Maestro didn’t cut the bus sound to hear his musical piece. These are the small details he is going for in every note of his score. 

2. Now, let’s come to the day of waiting. Vishwa eagerly waits at the Diana Memorial. Jothi goes to meet him (as her friend reminds not to be late as they have to leave for Italy that evening). Maestro plays the game of hide and seek soaring high with sax (with bass guitar and acoustic drums). He forecasts that this waiting is not going to end soon as he plays the waiting theme. This phrase is just 25 seconds, but will take your breath away. I would like to know who played it. From the laid-back mood of sax playing, we can sense the wait. As I start to dissolve in it, it ends so soon.

3. This is because Jothi’s tour (program) organizer interrupts them and says about the change of plan. They have to start for Italy now itself for the afternoon train (he pronounces something like Coromandel Express LOL). They were little shocked. Jothi tries to convey her concern indirectly, but he dismisses it. Maestro didn’t play till her agent expresses the change of plan. As soon as he says that, Maestro starts playing synthesized music (1:33 - 2:01) which creates a “butterfly-stomach” effect blended with string orchestra playing a melancholy. So nice to hear the way Maestro blends both of them together.

4. They were just meters away from meeting each other, yet now it has become so far. Vishwa still waits as Maestro soars high with Sax play but taking a different direction. He punches in the love theme with sax before surprising one and all @2:15. He kind of rushes there and screams further @2:17 before subsiding (since the visuals goes Jothi’s way). Since Vishwa is feeling the disappointment already (like saying ‘cha!’ to ourselves, kicking our foot). I have not heard anything like this before and will never hear anything like this in future.In just two seconds, he completely gets the pulse of Vishwa and conveys to the audience. I dare say this, ithellaam entha kombanaalayum conceive paNNavE mudiyaathu.

5. As Jothi rushes to the train station, she sees the flower shop where she stops and requests the shopkeeper to send flowers to the memorial (with her address). You can see the hurriedness in her which Maestro conveys beautifully (2:33-2:51) as she writes her address. When she requests her to pin the address making sure it reaches him Maestro plays the love theme this time with guitar (2:52 - 3:12). Hear how Maestro changed the mood from hastiness to calmness in split seconds. Please also remember he did not do that with same set of instruments, he switched from one set of arrangements (synth) to another (guitar). We can literally feel how he glances the scene once and how the music flows out of him and how he understands the movie and the mood so deep.

6. Last but not the least the final phrase. The magical phrase! The real string orchestra begins its journey as the conversation start happening between Vishwa and the lady (who keeps flowers at the memorial). When Vishwa asks her ‘all these bouquet’s?’, she replies ‘are mail service’, there is a wild flute (@3:39) running through the string section. It symbolizes that mail messenger, messenger of love. As she speaks, the flute continues its journey. When she asks Vishwa, ‘are you waiting for someone?’ and he nods, and she asks another question, ‘is it love?’, exactly at that place, the love theme starts with guitar (3:52 - 4:03). At 4:04 a strong bell sound plays implying the wait time is over (also implying Diana Memorial closing time for the day). I again dare say, no one would even think of employing this piece there. It not only announces the end of something, it also connects two beautiful pieces together. The love theme with guitar before it and the love theme with full blown orchestra after that. 

When we hear the love theme first time fully with full blown orchestra (4:12 - 4:41), we feel the Heaven on earth (the blessing from Diana). We sense the tension, we feel for their separation, we can feel their pain of separation, we pray for their togetherness. Everything what we would like for in music, it is there. Everything what we would like for in love, it is there. The way he concludes is terrific, very convincing as tomorrow is another new day, don't worry, there is hope. The way Maestro narrates every individual scene, every individual emotions with utmost precision and depth is astounding and par excellence. The way he mixes the Synth, live Jazz and WCM orchestra freely, is something extra-ordinary and genius. Unless you surrender to music and films, unless you have this natural gift, this will not happen. A breath-taking score!



They have to wait, but the wait is not too long. INTERVAL!!!!

12 - thaththOm thagathimi thOm thOm

Just after the interval, director introduces a new character Swapna (Kasthuri). She is the Personal secretary to Vishwa's father at business. She receives him at the airport (as Vishwa returns without seeing Jothi in London). The whole Swapna episode is for adding spice as director already lost the plot and could not prolong the story with just Vishwa and Jothi. He shows Swapna as a flirting girl and to an extent that she falls in love with Vishwa, but he ridicules her at every opportunity. The next 1 hour is a joke.  Jothi too returns from London as she gets in touch with Vishwa (only possible in films) on requesting Vishwa to release a book of her poems. We will come to that later. Now to the song where Swapna dreams about Vishwa.

The song is a little turn-off for me especially the pallavi and the way Ila Arun sings with horrible pronunciation. The song gets its life only when Swarnalatha joins her in charaNam. The tune is also way better in charaNam. Lovely tune in charaNam with lengthy lines.

The song starts off with magudi, flute with tribal cries while the tribal rhythm slowly turns towards Jazz. The bass flute which closely follows the pallavi/anupallavi is an ear-worm. Interludes are short (especially the second one) but the rhythm and chorus arrangement in the interludes is terrific. The second interlude almost deviates from the rest of the song for few seconds with turning back to the original path. Same way the rhythm and flute adding as a filler of each line is very unique idea I like the lyrics and it has all the sensuousness and fire which it had intended for. Lyric by the director himself for all the songs, except alai meethu.

The song's highlights are the rhythm and chorus arrangements, the bass flute, charaNam and the lyric. But I felt the song somehow tread-ed into Rahman's path (especially the pallavi/anu-pallavi and singing) succumbing to that 'contrived' western trend of that time. Still it has all the signature of Maestro, except that it also had that influencing trend which could have well been avoided.

தத்தோம் தகதிமி தோம் தோம் 
தக தகதிமி தகதிமி தோம் தோம் 
என்னை போலே இங்கே ஒரு பெண் உண்டா எங்கே நீ சொல்லு 
என்னை போலே இங்கே ஒரு பெண் உண்டா எங்கே நீ சொல்லு 
நான் வயாகரா 

யுத்தம் செய்யாத நேரம் நீ மோகம் கொண்டு போராடு 
முத்தம் என்றாலே யாகம் வாய் நீரில் நீயும் நீராடு 
இந்த பூவில் என்ன வாசம் மன்னன் போலே நீ தேடு 
கையில் கோப்பை பெண்ணை ஏந்தி கண்ணதாசன் போல் பாடு 
கோயில் சிற்பங்கள் சொன்ன கலை வீடு 
நீயும் என்னோடு தேடுவது நானே வாவா...வாவா...வாரேவா 

செவ்வாய் மீதேறி நாமே அதை காதல் தேசம் செய்வோமே 
பூமி உள்ளே போய் நாமே ஒரு ஆசை தீயாய் ஆவோமே 
மேகமாவே வாழப்போவோம் மீண்டும் நீராய் நான் மாற 
மண்ணின் மீது தூறல் ஆவோம் மீண்டும் மானாய் நான் ஓட 
காமன் சந்தோஷம் காணவில்லை ராஜா
காற்றே தீயோடு மோதிக்கொள்ளு வாவா...வாவா...வாரேவா 

Right about the pronunciation. She sings என்னை போலே இங்கே ஒரு பெண் உண்டா எங்கே நீ சொல்லு as என்னை போலே இங்கே ஒரு பேன் உண்டா எங்கே நீ சொல்லு