" Hey! Hey! Hey!"

Every Rajini film starts with a grand title sequence in which each letter in S-U-P-E-R-S-T-A-R-R-A-J-N-I bombards the screen to stir an Euphoria among Rajini fans. It is a moment when the walls of Cinema halls are put to sonic shock test, what with the high decibels of cheer and uproar created by Rajini fanatics when they see their Thalaivar’s name on the screen. Traditionally, it is the Annamalai Theme (Composed by Deva) that was always played in the background of this title sequence. It isn’t a majestic fanfare like the prelude of “Oruvan Oruvan Mudhalaali”, but what that “ Hey! Hey! Hey!” piece has in abundance is the cool quotient and the attitude that is all Rajini. It actually is played out brilliantly in one of the scenes in Annamalai when Rajni beats his friend Mohan Sharath Babu in the election for Association president.

A.R.Rahman, the rebel that he always is, replaced the popular Annamalai theme and dared to play the peppy choir version of “Adhiradikkaaran” melody, for the film Sivaji. A melody from the most popular song of the film’s soundtrack is an easy choice, and moreover, it is the melody from the song that explored and enhanced every possible Rajini tricks on a massive scale. That quintessential cool quotient and attitude were clearly on Rahman’s mind, and that is why even Rahman couldn’t avoid putting the signature “ Hey! Hey! Hey!”. But, it is merged with "NaNaNa" in a way that musically fits this piece.

In Endhiran, A.R.Rahman goes even further. He doesn’t use the melody of any of the songs of the film. He doesn’t use the Annamalai theme. He doesn’t use the prelude of “Oruvan Oruvan Mudhalaali”. Instead, he dares to use a background score cue that plays in the most heroic moments of Chitti (Action sequence in the Electric Train, Fire Rescue sequence) in the film. It is again an intriguing choice, because there are better choir-orchestral pieces in the film, the trumpet that replicates the sound of Chitti bleating like a Goat, the grandiose choir-orchestral version of “Arima Arima”, but Rahman chooses the music made for good-hearted Chitti over ill-hearted Robot.

The letters bombard the screen in a rhythm, which matches with the rhythm of the racing string section in the piece, and when the letters R-A-J-N-I appear, the trumpets blow the fan fare. Rahman seems to have scored it diligently like scoring a regular film moment. I don’t like this piece, though. It doesn’t have the necessary regal aura that it intends to create.

I still wish Rahman’s “Oruvan Oruvan Mudhalaali” prelude becomes signature tune for introduction of name “Rajini” in the titles of Rajini’s films. Why not work around with the graphics of the formation of the name after composing or deciding on a piece of music?

But, what the heck? No one is going to be able to listen to or even hear the music even in the Cinema halls that have the best available Sound system. I personally don’t prefer Rajni name introduction accompanied by the musical theme of the character that he plays in the film. There may not be another theme that transcends films like Deva’s Annamalai theme, but they could ask a composer to compose something especially for Rajini’s name introduction which could be used in all of his future films.

Annamalai



Sivaji