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Entertainment
A musical array
WHAT IS life without sound, asks the Kriya Kreative team — `sound' here as synonymous with mellifluence and euphony. It has just launched its second audio release "Aandavan... Aatma... Aanmeegam". The title has an appendage — "A3... Feel the magic", it says. And as a reiteration of the significance of sound (read music) Kriya's ``Aandavan...'' has an impressive list of singers who have lent their voices.
As an icing, and an indisputable draw, the cassette has an introductory speech by the Tamil superstar. By including Rajnikanth in the devotional audio, Kriya Kreative Sound shows its commercial cleverness. The actor endorsing the music of "Aandavan..." ensures that apart from lovers of devotional music, his young fans would make a beeline for the cassette.
In a casual (he even uses the word `style') yet sincere tone, Rajnikanth emphasises the importance of theism. The gimmick ought to work.
With Srinidhi Chidambaram at the helm (the concept, content research and creative inputs are hers) and music by Deepak Dev, "Andavan..." begins with an invocation to Lord Vinayaka — ``Kaithala Niraikani'' (Thiruppugazh) — by Nithyashree Mahadevan, followed by the well-known ``Muthaitharu Pathi Thirunagai'', with her and Srinivas. The songs make you visualise a traditional devotional dance scenario. Only for a diehard critic attuned to T.M. Soundararajan's sonorous and clear singing of ``Muthai Tharu...'' the new composition could be difficult to accept.
Percussion is a predominant constant in quite a few of the numbers including ``Ambalatharasar'' sung by Sujatha. There is the lullaby-like ``Mannadhi...'' (Unni Krishnan) and a Bharathiyar-Adisankarar combination spiritedly presented by Anoorada Sriram.
Music has many levels of appeal, many dimensions of interest. Surely ``Aandavan...'' cannot claim to be at an elevated plane — but if its purpose is to cater for the devotional instincts of the lay listener, then it succeeds.
``Rama Rama...'' sung by Karthik is an obvious sorepoint — too pedestrian throughout, neither the lyrics nor the composition touches you even remotely. Kannadasan's "Krishna Kavacham" is in a folk mode where religiosity is minimal.
The last two songs on side B make no pretence about originality. The first sung by Srinivas and Anoorada Sriram and the second by Harini, (on goddess Durga) are mere fast-paced versions of ``Harivarasanam...'' and ``Mahishasura Mardhini Stotram''.
Kriya's first album, "Mahavishnu", which had Bombay Jayashri and Srinivas — it is said recorded a sale of nearly 12,000 cassettes. Aandavan... includes many more famous names in it. Thus mass appeal the cassette would probably have ... and eventually that is what matters.
MRN
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