ATM: Withdraw your cash

After a very loooooooonnnnnnngggggg break got some time to pen down my thoughts. This time, a review of the soundtrack of 'Azhagiya Thamizh Magan'

Paisa Vasool... Two words for people intending to buy Azhagiya Thamizh Magan's audio CD. Here is my attempt in reviewing the songs of this album. I am writing this review after a countless number of listenings.


DISCLAIMER: I'm a hard core Rahman fan, being so for the past 15 years. So, the opinions might be biased ;) .

Track 1: Ellaappugazhum

This song is of the inspirational one. The songs starts with an electric guitar, then goes into a drums/tabla kinds for the rhythm giving a typical twist to the song. Just before the first Charanams comes the surprise where the songs goes into an orchestral mode (Western classical - I love western classical and I think he has gone into the mode with international assignments) with trumpets, violins with the tabla rhythms still in the background! The song has electronic piano supporting. A.R.Rahman sings this song and completes the song in a non-song fashion with a few recitals again, supported by orchestral instruments.

Track 2: Ponmagal Vandhaal

A remix of the hit Ponmagal Vandhaal from the 1970's Sivaji Ganesan starrer 'Sorgam'. Sung by Aslam and Ember Rap (Am not sure whether Rap is the part of the name). As spilled earlier, the song is heavily on the rap, but in my opinion Ember performs better than Blaze. Unlike a typical remix, the pace of the song was actually surprisingly slow. The song is an Indianized rap/funk with two small portions of the actual song (by TMS) used in between. The rap lyrics can causes a smile in the corner of your mouth.

Track 3: Nee Marilyn Monroe

A pop number (actually it has a mix of other genres as well... so am confused here) sung by Benny Dayal, Ujjayinee. The only aspect of this song that I didn't like was the use of "Jeniffer Lopez scanning" which I haven't been able to understand till now. I think some of the words were thrown in just to have the perfect stress for the syllable count. This is the song which took more listenings to understand the beauty. This song has a pinch of Bhangra interlaced in-between which changes to Reggae! A very soft song complemented by electronic backings.

Track 4: Valayapatti

The song starts with a mild Carnatic classical but gets a folk base with Thavil and Naresh Iyer and Ujjayinee's rendition. Madhumitha provides the female vocals. The song has an electronic chords in the begining. The piece before the first Charanam has a tinge of Rajasthani folk, reggae and Hisndustani. The Charanam goes into folk, which is taken over by Madhumitha into pukka Carnatic with three raagas. I love this specific part. The song proceeds with a Indian classical (got a feel of Tamil devotional songs :)). The chords reign supreme in this song. Makes you think how this man is able to mix this into a beautiful concoction. The result is stunning.

Track 5: Kelaamal Kaiyile

Undoubtedly my favourite song of this album. Sung by Sriram Parthasarathy and Saindhavi. Saindhavi's voice is on the higher end of the frequency spectrum :) but I like it. The song has a fast rhythm. The mystic rendition adds to the beauty. There is a place in the song which make me stereotype Sriram (Actually sounds similar to a song in Parasuram). The best part of the song is when the first Charanam ends and where Saindhavi starts "Paarkkum paarvai". The beats, chords, voice, everything, it makes you go into a state of joy, which can be expressed only by music and Rahman has done it to perfection. Makes me proud that I am his fan for all these years.

Track 6: Maduraikku Pogathadee

A folk song with Nadhaswaram, Thavil, Thappattai, Jalra. Benny Dayal, Archith and Dharshana are the lead vocals for this song. Perfect "Kuthu Paatu". The pronounciation in this songs are very hard (Everything on the 'Vallinam' side - Refer to Tamil Grammar). The highlight of this perfect song is the strong rhythms provided by Thavil and a surprising underlay of Electric and Bass guitar.


No wonder he has been rocking the music industry for so many years.

My Recommendations:

To Rahman-haters:
Don't buy this album, you will end up increasing your temper due to helplessness.

To Rahman's fans and music fans in general:
A definite buy. Don't get back to me after one listening. Let it grow for a few times at least. You will love this album. A hit from Rahman catering to a wide variety of target listening group.

Once agin, ATM - Paisa Vasool

Harry Potter: The magic lives...

SPOILER WARNING: The below post might contain the plot details of the Seventh and the final book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Harry Potter - A household name for fantasy lovers like me. Counting the days I had left to get hold of a personal copy of the final book. I happened to stumble upon some newsin the internet that the book has been leaked. This evoked the in-born curiosity to seek and I had success.

With just a few minutes into the release day of HP7, I finished reading the final book in its entirety, becoming one of a few thousand people who have read the book before it was supposed to be released.

Now, whether it is right of me to acquire a pirated copy is out of the question as I have not redistributed it. Further, I have already paid for the book waiting for it to be delivered and I am free to make as many copies as I wish for my own personal use. Boy, was it worth the effort.

Where do I start? I am not going to say that J.K.R is an extraordinary genius, but I am going to stick with genius. Some portions/character/scenes have been borrowed from other fantasy works as everyone knew by now as it is evident in her previous works. In spite of that, I find The Deathly Hallows as gripping as or more than that of the Half-Blood Prince. While HBP answered 90% of the questions, an intermitently slow paced book answers the remaining 10% with a lot of narratives.

Every instance of Harry outrunning Voldermort, every instance of the terriffic trio getting into trouble the moment they decide to do something keeps the readers on their toes, eclipsed only by two things - 1. The concept of Deathly Hallows and 2. The climax and the events leading to it.

I loved the Harry Potter series as much (or more than) I did Lord of the Rings, for a simple reason that Book 7 was decided long back. The intricacies involved in writing for earlier books keeping in mind the future books is the key speciality of J.K.R.

HP fans out there, I am sure you will love this book. You will have lots of surprises - Loss & damages to property & lives, multiple encounters of Harry and Voldermort. Last but not the least, Harry educating Voldermort about the magic and weapon which he posseses is better than Voldermort's.

In the next few weeks, I would be reading this book again and again. For that matter, I would be reading all the other 6 six HP books as well, for many years to come.

Dhoom 2: PG13

I was 13 when I went to the movie called Speed starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. I went with my dad to watch the movie and it ends with a kissing scene. I happened to see this movie in Sathyam theatres in Chennai with my sister who was 11 years of age then!

The movie was rated 'R' by MPAA for violence and language and not obscenity. Now lets fast forward by a decade. Dhoom 2 releases, creates a big controversy for a kissing scene. Dhoom 2 vs. Speed - Not even close. A public litigation is filed accusing the actors for "Obscenity" and the scene being "Deragatory to women". Two words - "Grow Up".

First, the kiss does not last for more than a few seconds. Second, please define the word "obscene". Third, the movie is provided the appropriate rating by the Censor board. You don't like it, don't watch it.

I see lots of "Only in India" and this is one such instance. The previous instance was "Da Vinci Code". Even the Pope himself asked Christians to just boycott the movie. In India, they wanted a ban, protesters take violence as their aide and damage theatres. The book carries much more details than the movie. They were happily sleeping at that time and made an issue when the movie released.

Not deviating from the original topic, what does he want? Publicity? He has got that now. The Indian Judicial System has hell a lot of pending cases to clear. Give them a friggin' break. Don't waste their time.

Makes me wonder "What if I sue him for causing mental agony after reading such news?"