Is it Sathyan or Is it the sound?

In Nanban, when Satyaraj explains about his pen that is specially designed to be used in space, Sathyan gives an exaggerated cartoonish smile, and is accompanied by Harris Jeyaraj’s comic tone (Watch from 3:58) - the kind that S.A.Rajkumar plays in comedy scenes of Vikraman films. That very moment Sathyan becomes a caricature, a person who should always be laughed at. Is it because of Sathyan’s expression or is it because it is Sathyan playing the role or is it that ridiculous tone used in the background or it is the combination of all these aspects? I am just wondering what the scene without that tone in the background would have conveyed about the nature of Sathyan’s character. I cannot know for sure.

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya Background Score

The moment I heard those flamboyant piano runs in the theatrical trailer of ‘Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya’, I had a gut feeling that this film is going to be an A.R.Rahman musical. Since this is a Gautam Vasudev Menon film, I was initially surprised by the quirkiness of the soundtrack of the film. However, in few days, the music totally embraced me or rather I totally embraced it. I knew that these melodies would make base for delightful instrumental pieces for the background score of the film. There is a scene in ‘Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya’ in which after setting the frame and explaining how the camera should move to capture a shot for a film being canned within the film, K.S.Ravi Kumar says, ‘Inga Rahman background music potturuvaaru’ (Rahman will put some background music here). While making this film, I guess Gautam Menon would have told the same to his crew for almost every single scene. There is so much music in this film.

Usually, pure love stories are a composer’s delight to write background score for. Though it does not challenge with any freshness in what happens, the challenge is how to score for the freshness in how it all happens and bring within it the aura of romance through music. Gautam’s love stories have lots of silence in it, and little awkward dialogues and conversations with too many bits, pieces and phrases concatenated into full sentences. It provides a lot of scope for a composer to fill these silences with music and add to the romance that Gautam wants to ooze.

That conversation between Madhavan and Reema Sen in Reema’s house, after a power cut, just before the song ‘Verenna’ is one such instance where Harris Jeyaraj had his moment of glory in the background score. That saxophone bit did wonders in sparkling a chemistry and attraction in every meeting between Maaya and Anbuchelvan in "Kaaka Kaaka". There is this stirring orchestral version of ‘Uyirin Uyirae’ melody wells up in Anbachelvan’s eyes, when he carries a wounded Maaya to Hospital. I do not remember much of ‘Vettaiyaadu Vilayadu’ or ‘Pachaikili Muthucharam’.

This film is full of conversations between a boy and a girl in love - before, after and much later. They either they talk about loving each other or about parting ways. The moment we hear the stirring string section that flaunts the inner butterflies of a man, who falls in love with a girl on the very first sight, it is evident that Rahman is going to shower this film with his musical rains. He does and How! The score lightens the film, sprinkles romance in the air, and builds drama and adds momentum to a film that is packed with a series of conversations between a boy and a girl.

Melodies of all the songs in the film are used beautifully in the background score. Hosanna melody fills in for that initial euphoria of Karthik in finding his soul mate. The little funny moments in between them before they begin to talk to each other is filled with Vibraphone version of the song. The lyrical melody of the poetic “Yen Idhayam Udaithaai Norungavae Yen Maru Idhayam Tharuvaen Nee Udaikkavae" plays on flute and angelic female voice to enhancing the serenity of silences, where it is, throughout the film. The cello theme from ‘Kannukkul Kannai’ is aptly used whenever Jessie walks out of a conversation in the scenes preceding the song. The best used song musically and thematically is ‘Mannippaya’, the lines of which reveal the whole story of the film. The title track is almost used entirely as a background score. Aah! That female version of ‘Aaromalae’ for Jessie is heavenly.

Apart from the melodies of the songs, there are many music themes in the film. The shocker bangs followed by symphonic strings swirling is for Jessie’s reaction to Karthik’s sudden proposal in the middle of the road. This theme recurs many times for all such twists and turns that arises out of the unpredictability in Jessie’s character. A mild piano theme that borders on ‘Kahin Toh’ melody from ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na’ gives a serene touch to the scenes of intimacy. There is another all strings theme that pumps in chokes with pauses in between phrases and also momentum into the scenes whenever something unfathomable happens to Karthik. Rahman mildly introduces a disturbing Guitar melody creating a subtle discomfort in the aura when the conversation between Karthik and Jessie is about to turn into a conflict. The folk-rock fusion in that odd boxing scene also works well for the effect of the scene. The only misfire in the whole background score is that rock-jazz number (this is the first song played when the end credits begin to roll) that loudly overpowers the scene in ODE cafe where Jessie speaks of break-up. However, may be the loudness and the genre chosen is intentional to imply how torturing it is for a guy to deal with a fickle girl like Jessie. Oh! Now that I think of ODE café, I recollect the scene where the camera zooms in from the shot of giant Wind chimes, for which Rahman also begins to play his music on wind chimes to set the atmosphere.

And there is so much more music in the film which I have not talked about here. This is just a random rambling that I scribbled out of excitement immediately after watching the film. The background score of this film requires a detailed scene by scene analysis, which I am sure I will do later, after I get a DVD of the film. Until then, I am going to watch this film again, again and again in theatres, as many times as I can. The repeated viewing of the film is as much for the film as a whole as for its background score.

Ayan and Yaavarum Nalam (13B)

Ayan – Harris Jeyaraj

Harris Jeyaraj hits almost every possible wrong note in the background score of Ayan. We know that he isn’t good enough but the level to which he has gone to with Ayan’s background score is unbelievable. What is so heroic about ‘Pala Palakkura’ song melody? Just by playing a tune on trumpet, does it turn heroic? Harris has done exactly that in action sequences. The problem with the score is not the fact that it is bad, but it is done with an intention to make something new, innovative and different. Instead it is illogical, loud and horrendous. Even my friends, who don’t pay much attention to background score, were irritated and complained that the music didn’t match with the scene at many places.

Yaavarum Nalam (13B in Hindi)

Tubby-Parik has done a typical Salim-Sulaiman job in the background score of ‘Yaavarum Nalam’. The movie was much better than a normal Indian thriller but what kept constantly pulling the standard of the movie down is the loudness in the background score. The main theme of the movie is definitely good but they have overdone it by playing the theme loud on strings on every other episode of the movie. Using a chorus shouting on the roof-top for every big revelation pains the ear drums. But while watching the movie in a big cinema hall, it definitely had its impact on the audience who otherwise would have become tired of the pace. On the whole, the score could have been so much quieter and the movie would have sounded saner (while the movie is definitely saner than any other thriller we have seen in Indian cinema in the recent past).

Dhaam Dhoom Score

With “Dhaam Dhoom”, Harris Jeyaraj proves once again that when it comes to background score, he is the worst. It has the loudest possible score that any action movie can get. Listening to John Powell’s score for ‘Bourne Ultimatum’ might have taught few lessons to Harris on the basics of scoring tension building background music for chase and action sequences, without actually being loud.

Answer for Background Score - 9

This piece is from Kaaka Kaaka. This is a pleasant sax theme that appears whenever Jyothika and Surya meet before they fall in love with each other. Harris Jeyaraj's saxophone pieces are always special. On the whole, the background score of Kaaka Kaaka is good though I don't like the loud villain theme.