Music composer AR Rahman has given music for Mani Ratnam Ponniyin Selvan 1. (Photo: Instagram/AR Rahman)In the world of Hindi film music spanning a little over two decades, it isn’t often that the balance of a film album and its success tilts in favour of one song by a debut singer. The way the business is, it takes many ordinary songs to get that one stellar piece to rule the airwaves. But when it does happen – like it did when Shreya Ghoshal debuted with Bairi piya in Devdas (2002), or when KK hit it out of the park with his debut, Tadap tadap ke in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), or when Arijit Singh found the top of the charts with Tum hi ho in Aashiqui 2 – it changed the trajectories of their careers, elevating them into crowning playback singers of their time.
Alaikadal (Doobi Doobi) – a soulful composition by AR Rahman after a long time – is that song for singer Antara Nandy. Singing for Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1, a period drama based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s eponymous and emblematic Tamil novel, Nandy, in her debut, does justice to the abundant crests and troughs in this compelling composition. From the prelude which is a metered alaap, the scale temperings, the violin interludes, soaring synths, and edgy percussion, the tender melody – a reminder of Tamil music from the ’50s – is sung brilliantly and sticks. It is, by far, the best piece on the album.
While Doobi doobi is finding much attention on social media, five other songs, all of which have been created in four languages, yet again prove Rahman’s mantle as one of the more significant composers of our time. After a bunch of just-about-alright songs, it’s taken Mani Ratnam to return Rahman to his form. A lot of the songs work better in Tamil, as intended. In Hindi, lyrically, they seem to get a bit lost in translation.
Kaveri se milne is not impressive lyrically, and probably gets lost in translation, but is quite the earworm. Rahman’s treatment of it, which he’s sung alongside edgy rhythms and a superb violin hook, matches the complexion of the film quite well. There is an extraordinary delicacy in the way Ghoshal sings the uphill Rakshas mama. But what just doesn’t fit is a rap section later. Ghoshal also sings the conversational and charming Bol and excels.
a According to the novel, the Chola kings were devotees of Thevaram – a compendium of hymns in praise of Shiva – or how some of them were also influenced massively by Buddhism. I wish Rahman had tapped into the milieu of the time and used music from these traditions. It would have made the current, quite a notable tapestry, more authentic. One understands the limitations of modern film music but if anyone can deliver this balance of the note structures, it’s Rahman. For now, it’s Alaikadal all the way.
Ponniyin Selvan 1 (Tamil)
PS1 (Hindi)
Music: AR Rahman
Lyrics: Siva Ananth, Ilango Krishnan, Kabilan, Krithika Nelson, Mehboob
Rating: Three and a half stars