Kites seems to be the flavour of the season; here's Baana Kathadi (kites), produced by Sathyajyothi Films and directed by Badri Venkatesh, and marks the debut of actor Murali's son Atharva, paired with Samantha, the girl who took Andhra Pradesh by storm through Gautam Menon's Ye Maya Chesave.
With music tuned by Yuvan Shankar Raja, here's a look at what the Tamil album has to offer:
An intriguing medley of instrumental music begins Thakkuthe Kan Thakkuthe, accompanied by a solid beat, while Yuvan Shankar Raja himself has taken up the rendition, in this rather Broadway-esque number. The flute segment makes a neat variation but the number seems more an exposition on love and youngsters, penned by Vaali; a detached look at the romantic scene today. It has a mildness to it which registers after a while. Something of a departure from the usual.
Light-hearted notes of a piano kick off Oru Paithiyam Pidikkuthu and then it's back to Yuvan's standard issue banging rhythms. Karthik's voice is barely recognizable in this synthesized medley; there are shades of En Kaadhal Solla even if they have an oft-heard feel, its still pleasant. Na Muthukuamr's romantic words are standard-issue. Despite a sense of deja vu, a pleasant listen.
Haricharan, Rahul Nambiar and Sathyan bring on Kuppathu Rajakkal in an almost breathless fashion; there's a sort of eighties feel to it, a throwback to Ilaiyaraja's compositions that brings a strong sense of nostalgia. Obviously, a Rajadhi Raja style song, Snehan's lyrics have a group of young men proclaiming their sense of freedom and the way they live life on their terms. Once again, En Kaadhal Solla rears its head; there's a sense of familiarity.
En Nenjil begins very intriguingly, almost like the first strains of a ghazal, and Sadhana Sargam launches with anguish-laden voice into a romantic number that's markedly different from the ones above. Sorrow is heavily laden here, despite the heavy beats Na Muthukumar's lyrics, for once, do justice to the melody. The final moments are quite beautifully done.
After all the angst-laden romance, don't-care youthful numbers comes the mandatory kuthu pattu, courtesy Gangai Amaren's lyrics: Ullara Poondhu Paru, rendered by Roshni. Being Yuvan's composition, of course, there's less of bald instrumentation and a lot of Arabic notes floating; strains of Azhagana Ponnudhaan wake up your memory, almost at once. A dappankuthu with a Middle Eastern twang.
As is his wont, Yuvan Shankar Raja has given some good, and some rehashed versions of older numbers to complete a reasonably catchy album. It might not be scintillating, but it's at least worth a listen.
Rediff Rating: 
