Action King' Arjun is playing the main role of a Police officer in Oscar Film's Tamil film Marudhamalai. Vadivelu as 'Encounter Ekambaram' provides comic relief in the film. Nila is in the female lead in this action-comic film.
D Imman has set to tune lyrics penned by Pa Vijay and Thabu Shankar. The composer has embellished the tracks employing Indian and western percussion and various instruments like guitar, nadaswaram mandolin, santoor and so on.
The album makes an unimpressive start with Hey Yenmama in Kuthu Pattu style by Karthik and Suchithra and Megha. Suchithra, belting out these types of songs again and again, sounds stale. The lyrics also are not anything to write home about. The nadaswaram swirls, or the vibrant orchestration or the ebullient rendition by the singers have not been able to pull this number out of the mediocre level.
Marudhamalai by D Imman and Anitha Venkitanarasimhan, and to some extent the next track Oonjaliley Oru Angeley are the saving grace of this album.
Marudhamalai starts with the remixed opening line from the devotional Marudhamalai Mamaniyae Murugayya made immortal by the acclaimed classical singer Madurai Somu. Though in the beginning the track sounds like an invocation to Lord Muruga, it is a romantic number. Lyrics are again just ordinary. But good rhythm and instrumentation, and the emotional content in Imman's voice make this an enjoyable piece. Anitha's voice has depth and she sings with casual ease.
Oonjalilaey Oru Angeley, a romantic song with fast beats by Karthik and Dr Lavanya, is about love-at-first-sight. Karthik deviating from his usual ebullient style sings in a husky voice and does it commendably well. However, Lavanya's teasing humming is irritating. Thabu Shankar's lyrics picture the crazy mindset of the guy bitten by the love bug, but at times do not make sense.
Following Yenna Velay is a hot mass number rendered by Jyotsna along with the composer himself. Imman has tried to improvise it with humming, fast beats, loud chorus, instrumental swirls, loud orchestration, hip hop and tiny bits of rap here and there. Yet the ultimate result is an inferior piece. Imman's modulated voice has a raw feel.
Next track, which comes under the title 'The Khakhi Story', begins with a western type chorus that introduces the hero in superlative terms. But you can hardly make out the lyrics as words and phrases tumble over each other, and are lost in the din of orchestration.
The concluding piece is the repeat version of Marudhamalai in a different genre, which the composer calls 'discomix'. The fast number with rap interludes punctuated by melodious lines by Madhu Balakrishnan and Anitha Venkatasubramanyan is a mish-mash.
All in all, Imman doles out an average fare.
Rediff Verdict: 
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