Azhagarsamiyin Kudhirai

Ilaiyaraaja’s in-character singing apart, Kudhikkira Kudhikkira song’s melody and rhythm have an innate innocence, chirpiness and charm from the beginning. When you listen to the flow of melody in the lines “Rotti Vaikatta, Jodi Katti Vaikatta” and its sync with the beats underneath, you understand what Ilaiyaraaja means when he says “Music just happens to me”. Ilaiyaraaja provides dense layers of rhythms, bass and orchestration and yet they come together to create a sprightly sounding, tender mood. Interludes are packed with delightful parade of melodies. The song on the whole is orchestrated with an ear pleasing combination of Synth and acoustic Instrument layers - that use to be always at odds with each other in Ilaiyaraaja’s songs sometime ago. That layer of strings, which bows in support of the lead melody, somewhat hesitantly in the beginning, and more freely latter is the reason why we eagerly wait for an Ilaiyaraaja soundtrack.

While our so-called sensible film makers move towards authentic Tamil folk songs in the films, in Adiyae Ivalae Ilaiyaraaja walks the line between “Karumathur Kattukkullae” (Virumandi) and “Kodi Yetthi Vaippom” (Pithamagan). Ilaiyaraaja swings between his signature filmy folk style - that has additional ornamental instruments, and authentic folk that has only those instruments that are used for such performances in real. I hope at least this time, the song features in the film.

In “Poovakaelu” song, the first stanza ends with Karthik stretching the words “Poovakkaelu” and “Kaathukkaelu” and going by the rule book, the song should proceed to the interlude, but it does not without repeating the first line in its original form, thereby bringing the charanam to a satisfactory closure. The song is full of such little surprises. The percussions – the solo Ghatam in the beginning, the snare that gently hits and misses our ear drums in the latter portions of the song, the Celtic violin filler that every line of the song is entailed with, Raaja’s typical electric guitar strains and piano keys create a magical mood space that a listener would love to lose themselves into.

The songs of “Azhagharsamiyin Kudhirai” were composed after Suseendran shot the entire film. He showed the entire film to Ilaiyaraaja and asked him to compose songs wherever he feels necessary. That is how a film soundtrack has to be made and when it is made that way, with a composer like Ilaiyaraaja, you get what could be called the real Movie soundtrack, which Azhagharsamiyin Kudhirai most definitely is.