After Chithiram Pesuthadi and Anjathe, director Mysskin's returns with Nandhalala, the story of a youngster and his search for his mother. The director himself has admitted that this script was easily the most emotionally taxing and suitably, it's got Ilaiyaraja tuning the music. Here's what the Tamil album offers:
Saroja Ammal's Elilae Elilae, a gypsy song certainly strikes you with its incomprehensible lyrics though its flavour can't be denied.
Palanibharathi's Kai Veesi starts melodiously, rendered by Chandrasekar, Madhu Balakrishnan, Swetha and Vijay Yesudass, and has shades of his earlier works like Pithamagan but its pace is a change from the usual. A gentle melancholy characterizes this number, which happens to be all about the bounties of nature. Somehow, it seems to lack the usual spice and is only mildly appealing.
Mella Oorndhu Oorndhu, penned by Na Muthukumar begins with child-like delight, sashaying gently along a musical path, you could say. It brings back memories of the songs from Kshathriyan. Sung by Ilaiyaraja, it's a pleasant interlude among sorrow and general grown-up gloom with its calm, almost sedate pace and lyrics that seem to explore the world through the eyes of a wide-eyed kid. An enjoyable piece, this.
Gentle strains of the flute begins Onnukkonnu, this one is almost like a lullaby, flowing in a calm fashion in the rich voice of K J Yesudass. Mu Mehta's lyrics speak about the heights love can reach in an otherwise colourless world; sometimes charming, sometimes cliched. It might be a tune you've heard often but it's still easy on the ears.
Yet another breezy, child-adult number sung by Ilaiyaraja and Master Yatheeshwaran, Kabilan's Oru Vandu Koottame describes the mad spirits of children and their adventures. Flutes go hand-in-hand with a brisk rhythm, while the maestro has taken up the mainstay of such merry songs generally, Raga Sankarabharanam, and he seems to have had a blast singing it too.
Thalattu Ketka Nanum brings back all the angst of a child who's searching for his mother, and brings every bit of his loneliness, sadness and loss into it. Muthulingam's lyrics add a moving touch. Ilaiyaraja's voice holds all the pathos the songs needs, and its slow pace and emotional melody does tug at your heart-strings. Easily the pick of the album.
Taken collectively, there's a gentle sorrow that mingles with unbridled happiness that runs through all the songs and even if it isn't exactly a scintillating medley of music, it's still a fairly pleasing collection. Of course, you hope that the picturization will add more zing to the numbers.
Rediff Rating: 
