A musical journey of 50 years of love songs in Tamil cinema, we were told. Expectations ran high, and you mentally made note of the innumerable ditties that soared straight into your heart, set your pulse racing and got you all teary-eyed.
Sadly, the mind was where most of them remained at the end of “Kaadhal Unplugged” organised by Vijay TV at St. George's School Grounds. For starters, the show which was supposed to begin at 6.30 p.m. began a sweltering 90 minutes later. This, after we sat through, and even enjoyed in parts, a 20-minute instrumental medley. The audience waited, in the hope that the singing would compensate. It quite did, initially, when Vijay ‘Jai Ho' Prakash started off with the rocking “Oho Ethanai azhagu”. But, the joy was short-lived. It turned out to be a medley of songs, including the lilting ‘En iniya pon nilaave', ‘Sangathil paadatha…', ‘Pen ondru kandaen' and ‘Nenjukul peiydhidum maamazhai'. Next came Devan Ekambaram and Subhiksha with ‘Anbil Avan' from “Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya” (VTV) — incidentally, the programme almost turned out to be another stage to celebrate the Gautham Vasudev Menon film!
Old is gold
Next was the turn of Sunitha Sarathy, usually a good singer, who attempted to infuse new life into old gems, but failed sadly. She started off the medley with ‘Nenjodu kalandhidu', before moving on to numbers such as ‘Kannale pesi pesi kolaathe', ‘En uyir neethane', ‘Hey goodbye nanba' and ‘Kannan vandhu paadugindran'. The last number left you sad thinking of what the melodious number had been put through!
Lesson to be learnt: Leave the classics alone!
Blaaze, a surprise package, was up next, wearing his trademark coat and a flaming red-orange shirt. He, along with Star Vijay Super Singer 2008 winner, Ajeesh sang the hit “VTV” ditty, ‘Omana penne'. Then, it was the turn of Neha Bhasin (the girl can do wonders with some songs, but it was just not her day!), who upped the glam quotient with a toss of her curls and a throw of her head. But, that was about it. Her song roster started off with ‘Ninaivo oru paravai' before moving on to ‘Oh! Butterfly' (the butter-soft glides of the song turned into something else altogether), ‘Kanne kalaimaane' (far removed from the lullaby it is!), ‘En vaanile', a cha cha with ‘Andru vandhadhum athe nila', ‘Pesugiraen, pesugiraen' and ‘Jil allava jil allava'.
In between, Vineeth put up a show of beatboxing.
Alphonse was up next with the intense ‘Aromale' from “VTV”. A performance that spelled class. It was then time for star performer Shruti Haasan to take the stage in a striking red sari, with ‘Paartha njabagam illayo', ‘Uravugal thodarkadhai', ‘Adiye kolluthey' and the like.
In fine form
Finally, Haricharan came in like a breath of fresh air, singing Tamil the way it should be. He started off with the melody, ‘Ennai thaalaata' before moving on to ‘Anjali Anjali', ‘Mandram Vandha', a song dedicated to Nagesh, ‘Avalukenna azhagiya mugam', ‘Kaadhal sadugudu', ‘Namma ooru singaari' and ‘Manjalveyil maalai neram'. Subhiksha and he teamed up for ‘Ram bam bam aarambam' and ‘Kandukondein Kandukondein'.
This was probably the most enjoyable segment of the show, with the hitherto-mostly silent audience clapping with gusto. With everyone calling out for ‘Hosanna', Vijay Prakash and Blaaze came up with a wonderful rendition of the Rahman number, again from “VTV”. Before they called it a late day, Gautam was called on stage, and so was Ganesh, who starred in the film, to share their feelings about love, and the film.
But, even as it concluded, hardly a few left the venue with a love song on their lips. That was the biggest failing of the show that boasted such high-profile talent. Though there were so many great songs to choose from, the show did not do justice to a period in which composers such as M.S. Viswanathan and Ilayaraaja left their mark. Notable omissions included songs from films that celebrated love — “Alaigal Oivathillai”, “Ninaivellam Nithya”, “Payanangal Mudivathillai” and “Mudhal Mariyaadhai”, to name a few.
And, finally, when it is a show celebrating Tamil music, can we please have anchors who speak Tamil? At first, many thought Craig was pulling a fast one with his pronunciation, but when Pooja joined him and they continued in the same strain, we could only listen, dumbfounded!
Courtesy - The Hindu
Author - SUBHA J RAO
2 comments:
The reviewer has no music knowledge as to wat the musicians performed that day,, and wat genre had been performed.. all she cud see is lights and the singer... no music or the new style in it.. how cud hindu chose such a person to review a show of a different level. Reporters better get some knowledge before you review something... i pity the reporter
Anonymous two ;)
seems like the reporter was there to listen to koothu songs. Obvious the classy evening of reworked music was too much for her feeble brain.Dont they give something called a press kit which informs media what such a grand show is all about?Its a shame that hindu actually sent someone like her to review this event.
The idea behind the show was incredible.my only complaint is that some singers were a bad choice.
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