Maestro Ilaiyaraja New Albums 2011 - Hello Jaihind / Sri Rama Rajyam

[Plum]

The key moment for me when Raja announces "Right folks, this is MY show; fasten your belts" comes as Balaraju comes into picture and Valmiki uses him to change Sita's pensive mood. The movie's mood - heavy and pensive till then - changes at that point; and as the "Doo(n)kudu" Bala Hanuman brings the first laughs of the movie, Raja subtly but clearly announces himself in the background. This is one of the few BGM piecess which don't take off from any of the songs.

[Plum]

The lava-Kusa growing up is easily serviced by the 2 folk songs as expected. Then the 3 story telling songs are nicely picturised in 3 phases of Lava-Kusa story telling - Devulle Mechindi for the practice at Ashram, Ramayanamu for the Ayodhya Street performance, Sita Rama Charitam for the palace performance; very nicely planned and executed. The phase of the story covered in each phase is also shrewd - with the childhood and goody-goody phases in the prqactice phase explaining the childrens' unquestioned devotion to Rama, the emotional heaviness of Ramayanamu serving to wake up Ayodhyavaaiss to their current sita-less phase, and the grand Sita Rama Charitam neatly sliced to capture the mood in the palace.

[Plum]

Then comes the brilliant phase described by Suresh - the problem for me during this phase was the soul-transportation mechanics conjured up to resolve a very emotional situation; purely from a movie perspective, I would have preferred to linger on it, and leave the resolution to the end when Sita finally sees Rama after all the years but the need for underlining the divinity pushes the director to let Sita-Rama have a sort of virtual meeting( I half-think a modern parody of the movie can use an online meeting as a substitute for this ). This is an extremely old-fashioned screenplay technique, with soliloquies from Rama punctuating it. This could have been the Cigaratte-walkout moment. Instead, what saves it is Raja again who sensitively weaves in his magic with a powerful play on the "Sreekaram Manoharam" and "Aa sparshakki" phrases. A lazier music director would have just played the Sri Rama Lera variations used before. While reuse of songs as BGM is not a favourite technique of mine, these are cases where the technique genuinely is used for subtle emphasis of the linkage between the happy moments and the current moment. This is not a case where the instruments play out the plain notes of the song - that too the popular ones without relevance. This is thoughtful reuse - and that only through brilliant variations not plain play of notes. That is why Raja is the King of BGM. There will always be newer sensational MDs giving hit songs - but nobody understands a director's vision like Raja. And while this line will be copied and claimed by all MD fans, I feel strongly that that would merely be as a mimicry and a daddy-bigger line, nobody can feel this in the depth of their souls like us.

[Sureshs65]

Plum,

There is also the scene initially when Rama enters the room while Sita is asleep. The whole BGM conveys such tenderness that Balakrishna needn't even act!! As you said, you feel what Balakrishna feels. I think the actors must first made to act, then Raja records the BGM, later the actors act out the same scene with the BGM played. Lot of these actors may end up with National awards

[Plum]

Oh yes, thay moment was one of the several humanisation moments that show the free-thinking, artistic side of Bapu. I was supposed to mention iy. He has made the hard decision of banishing her, but at that moment, she is still the loving wife, and the way he removes the paan from her fingers is a beautiful moment captured by Bapu. Thankfully, we will not have religious fundamentalists questioning the show of romance between Rama and Sita thanks to other sops offered to them by Bapu in other frames. Another watch is in order I guess...

[AravindMano]

Quite surprised to see a high profile theatre playing a single show today(manavAdu's are shrewd I say. The only other Indian film managed to play here was Ra One) and jumped in without a thought. Pleasantly surprised - this is more drama than mythological, more human than gods & goddesses. Any film, great or good or bad, running for a good three hours is sure to induce mild head ache - this film too did. But still, I liked the film. I understood most of the film, was a bit disappointed when the song was narrating a story and the people on the screen were just singing singing singing and singing. Show me some visuals ya, then only I will understand the story.

This is love story yA! Yeah, family drama of course, but the romance is beautiful. Never expected Balakrishna to put up such a dignified performance - a couple of expressions / reactions are brilliant. Rama was reduced to a love lorn hubby and a supporting character - but I say again, the romance was beautiful and moving. The tone was set early in the scene in which he watches her sleeping peacefully and never hits a wrong note after that. BK borders high pitch theatrics at few instances - but quite pardonable. I felt really sorry for Rama and I suspect I have been having quite a wrong impression about him all the while. He was crying all the time I say!

The rest of the aspects didn't impress. Not much of stress on the drama or emotions - a single note of gloom, grief or guilt through out. The kids were annoying as they should be in such films, but I have problems with nice kids, never mind. The kids with their war mode on were much tolerable. (Hey! That kids grew but Hanuman never grew ya and nobody bothered ya!) Srikanth was unintentionally funny and shockingly young. I am glad I don't need to re evaluate my opinion about KR Vijaya. Handling of these actors and junior artists show lack of nuance. (Hundreds of people crying is OK, but wiping off their tears in perfect sync and all is too much). Nageswara Rao is the most comfortable in this mythological set up.

Cinematography was good, sets & CG was bad (one minute the tree is before Nayan and she walks thru it and now it's behind her) editing could have been better etc etc., Direction was not visible anywhere, it's almost on auto-pilot mode, everybody knows what this film is about and what to do.

Two people - my favourite artists - Raja and Nayan rule the roost. Nayan is mostly expected to be grieving and she manages to pass muster. A couple of good opportunities she used perfectly. Lot of crying and any other star-actress in this spot might have made herself look ridiculous. And the swayamvaram Nayan is super duper gorgeous.

And of course, our man rises to the occasion. I am still undecided about these guys from Hungary and the instruments they bring along - but certain places were mighty moving I reassured for the zillionth time that I am one helpless fanboy and he is one heck of a composer. Songs gelled well - most of the songs' visuals were funtional and that magnified the songs' sweetness. I think Seetha Seemandham is the best song in this album. Walked out of the screen last after all the music stopped. These days there is a sinking feeling that he is growing old everyday and couldn't shake it off at all. Somehow that blinds all my appreciations.

Couldn't help wonder that Ramayana is possibly the most used family-saga screenplay with all possible variations.

And the place where Lava and Kusa did that war on their dad is very close to my native, I proudly announce. It's like four kilometers away and I am sure one or two arrows would have fell on our place definitely.

And I never understand why people standing at the end of the crowd always sincerely throw flowers at the distant kings and gods. So much waste ya. Pliss to consider.

[AravindMano]

Plum - Sooperb posts, I say.

[V_S]

Then comes the brilliant phase described by Suresh - the problem for me during this phase was the soul-transportation mechanics conjured up to resolve a very emotional situation; purely from a movie perspective, I would have preferred to linger on it, and leave the resolution to the end when Sita finally sees Rama after all the years but the need for underlining the divinity pushes the director to let Sita-Rama have a sort of virtual meeting( I half-think a modern parody of the movie can use an online meeting as a substitute for this ). This is an extremely old-fashioned screenplay technique, with soliloquies from Rama punctuating it. This could have been the Cigaratte-walkout moment. Instead, what saves it is Raja again who sensitively weaves in his magic with a powerful play on the "Sreekaram Manoharam" and "Aa sparshakki" phrases. A lazier music director would have just played the Sri Rama Lera variations used before. While reuse of songs as BGM is not a favourite technique of mine, these are cases where the technique genuinely is used for subtle emphasis of the linkage between the happy moments and the current moment. This is not a case where the instruments play out the plain notes of the song - that too the popular ones without relevance. This is thoughtful reuse - and that only through brilliant variations not plain play of notes. That is why Raja is the King of BGM. There will always be newer sensational MDs giving hit songs - but nobody understands a director's vision like Raja. And while this line will be copied and claimed by all MD fans, I feel strongly that that would merely be as a mimicry and a daddy-bigger line, nobody can feel this in the depth of their souls like us.

Kalakkal post again Plum A clear example (the first bolded part) how Maestro has raised our expectations right from 70s till date and lived up to our expectations. When BGM first got popular through Maestro, everyone started to appreciate its intricacies gradually and now see where Maestro has gotten/spoiled us. "Reuse of songs as BGM itself is bore nowadays". I agree on this. He is taking our music sense too high every time, and we cannot drop it down an inch, even if we think. Very grateful to him. I should not miss watching this film in theatre. Thanks Plum for your detail posts, very enlightening!

[KV]

I'm couldn't watch the movie over the weekend Thanks for the detailed posts Plum (Sureshji and AM), but I'm going to catchup with these posts only after I see the movie.

[Plum]

V-S, KV - pOi seekkiram pArunga. You'll not regret. I have taken my wife to six movies in Chennai - and this is the first time I got an approving smile at the end of the movie. Other movies reactions were respectively: Endhiran - "WTH", Man Ambu - "meh", Yuddham Sei - "En indha kolaiverida?", Deiva ThirumagaL - aiyago", Mankatha - "I'll never go to a movie of your choice again!", Ra One(her selection) - "Ha ha I got my revenge on you".